I'm not sure if anyone still checks this, though I do find people clicking on the link to Boston Bible Geeks on an almost daily basis, so at least a few people are still coming to this blog. Anyway, the main reason why I am posting is that Lisa and I now have a family blog, Life with the Pierces, up and running. It's our duty, as soon-to-be parents. Obviously we haven't posted much, because there isn't a ton to say at the moment. But we'll be updating it more regularly as we get closer to the launch date.
I've had a few people ask me about my plans for the blog of danny. I'm not entirely sure. Eventually I may get back to posting thoughts not related to the Bible (which is what BBG is for) and family (LwtP). And since I don't blog about politics, that pretty much leaves sports and a couple other random things. So, perhaps I'll get around to posting on those things, but don't bank on it happening regularly.
Showing posts with label blog pimping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog pimping. Show all posts
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Saturday, August 16, 2008
5.5 random things: good reading edition
5.5. This post is dedicated to those who were praying for my wife and me as I was sick and had to miss out of one of our summer mission trips. Thank you so much.
5. As someone who is part of the "charismatic" movement (understanding that the term is defined with difficulty), I found this article from Charisma magazine on the Lakeland "Revival" to be instructive, one that everyone ought to read and think about. I have much I could say, but I'm not sure I will. If you want some follow up, let me know.
4. One of my weekly delights is checking out the "Songs, Hymns and Spiritual Songs" posts from Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY. These are posted every Monday, and consist of a rundown of the Sunday setlist at the church, with some thoughts given on each song. Here is the setlist from August 10. I highly recommend this blog.
3. In the "I Can't Wait Until This Book Comes Out" category, you'll find Greg Beale's upcoming release, We Become What We Worship. It's a study of the Bible's teachings on idolatry. Looks terrific. In fact, here's the cover, see for yourself.
5. As someone who is part of the "charismatic" movement (understanding that the term is defined with difficulty), I found this article from Charisma magazine on the Lakeland "Revival" to be instructive, one that everyone ought to read and think about. I have much I could say, but I'm not sure I will. If you want some follow up, let me know.
4. One of my weekly delights is checking out the "Songs, Hymns and Spiritual Songs" posts from Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY. These are posted every Monday, and consist of a rundown of the Sunday setlist at the church, with some thoughts given on each song. Here is the setlist from August 10. I highly recommend this blog.
3. In the "I Can't Wait Until This Book Comes Out" category, you'll find Greg Beale's upcoming release, We Become What We Worship. It's a study of the Bible's teachings on idolatry. Looks terrific. In fact, here's the cover, see for yourself.
2. There's been some debate on a couple blogs recently about the TNIV, but I won't link to them largely because they end up in arguments over quasi-related items in the comments section. Instead, I'll link to an article written by Craig Blomberg about the TNIV, one of the best things to read on this subject. I can no longer find the pdf of this article, but if someone has it, I'd love to get it. It's long, but worth the read.
1. Congrats to my good friends, Bruce and Morgan, as they announce that they will be having their second child. These two are dear friends, and their son Elijah is one of my favorite children in the world. I miss them dearly.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
5.5 random things: links edition
5.5: This post is dedicated to whoever invented the idea of posting links rather than troubling with developing an insightful post to educate, entertain or edify others. If someone can do your work for you, cite them and move on. Here they are, in no particular order.
5: J. A. Adande of ESPN had an interesting article about race and the Boston Celtics. I meant to link to this a while back but forgot to. I thought it was well written, but I admit my Celtics bias.
4: Cousin Jeremy takes on the view held by some evangelicals that the act of sex is necessary for a marriage to be properly considered a marriage. I have to give props to any man who takes time to write a blog post called "Sex as a Condition for Marriage" on Christmas Day and actually have a tie-in.
3: Leading the "I Wish I Had Written That" category is Tim Challies' post (all the way from November, see how slow I am!) It Was My Sin That Held Him There, on the hymn How Deep the Father's Love for Us. Read this, reflect on this. Please.
2: Bill Simmons had linked to this and I thought it was interesting. It's a short article by Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star about Tony Gonzalez playing for Bill Belichick in the Pro Bowl. There is a genius to his madness.
1: My favorite Bible scholar is Gordon Fee, a man who is comfortable not only in the classroom but also in the pulpit. Here is a little video to get a feel for his preaching (actually, it seems like it's only the intro to a sermon, but he manages to pack a lot into only 5 minutes). I'm not sure who added the various images, but I think this is very well done. Check it out if you're interested in what it means to be saved and in community.
5: J. A. Adande of ESPN had an interesting article about race and the Boston Celtics. I meant to link to this a while back but forgot to. I thought it was well written, but I admit my Celtics bias.
4: Cousin Jeremy takes on the view held by some evangelicals that the act of sex is necessary for a marriage to be properly considered a marriage. I have to give props to any man who takes time to write a blog post called "Sex as a Condition for Marriage" on Christmas Day and actually have a tie-in.
3: Leading the "I Wish I Had Written That" category is Tim Challies' post (all the way from November, see how slow I am!) It Was My Sin That Held Him There, on the hymn How Deep the Father's Love for Us. Read this, reflect on this. Please.
2: Bill Simmons had linked to this and I thought it was interesting. It's a short article by Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star about Tony Gonzalez playing for Bill Belichick in the Pro Bowl. There is a genius to his madness.
1: My favorite Bible scholar is Gordon Fee, a man who is comfortable not only in the classroom but also in the pulpit. Here is a little video to get a feel for his preaching (actually, it seems like it's only the intro to a sermon, but he manages to pack a lot into only 5 minutes). I'm not sure who added the various images, but I think this is very well done. Check it out if you're interested in what it means to be saved and in community.
Friday, April 06, 2007
once again, 5.5 random things
5.5: This post is dedicated to Sarasota, Florida. Though you are hot, you were a pleasure to visit.
5: Well, the Sox have started out 2-2, with 1 great pitching performance (Dice-K), 2 good pitching performances (Beckett and Wakefield, who lost due to a lack of offense), and 1 horrible one from Curt Schilling, who thinks he deserves a $13 million dollar extension for next year, despite the fact that he's only getting older (at an age when this is not helpful) and his numbers have dropped each year he's been here. Obviously it's early, but you have to wonder about him. Plus, he has a blog now, how cliche is that!
4: Boston is hardly a hotbed for college sports, but the city paid more attention to this year's basketball tournament than probably any in recent memory (including ones where Boston College actually had a chance to make some waves). This is due to the Celtics' deplorable record, ensuring that they will not pick worse than number 5 in this year's draft. My fear is that they'll buy into the hype and draft Joakim Noah from Florida. He's done well in college, and I'm always fond of picking proven winners, but he'll never be more than a good bench player in the pros. He can play some defense, can rebound, and will out-hustle anyone on the floor. But he can't shoot, at all, and I'm not convinced he'll be able to cover power forwards in the NBA (can you picture him covering Duncan, Garnett or Brand?).
3: Speaking of drafts, you may get a kick out of this, courtesy of Tim Challies.
2: I'm ready for a weather change here in Boston. I've always loved the cold, and I always will. But I think living in an apartment with no heat this year (yes, that's right, no heat all winter) has finally taken its toll, well, that and being in Florida last week where I could wear shorts all day long and not have to worry about it. Besides, it's baseball season, it's time to be outside playing and watching games, not bundling up. I think I'm getting soft in my old age.
1: Well folks, it's Good Friday. Easter is my favorite holiday of the year. I pray that you all relish in the grace that God has given us. Take time to meditate on the single greatest act of love and power this world has ever, and will ever, witness. Praise God for the death and resurrection of His Son!
5: Well, the Sox have started out 2-2, with 1 great pitching performance (Dice-K), 2 good pitching performances (Beckett and Wakefield, who lost due to a lack of offense), and 1 horrible one from Curt Schilling, who thinks he deserves a $13 million dollar extension for next year, despite the fact that he's only getting older (at an age when this is not helpful) and his numbers have dropped each year he's been here. Obviously it's early, but you have to wonder about him. Plus, he has a blog now, how cliche is that!
4: Boston is hardly a hotbed for college sports, but the city paid more attention to this year's basketball tournament than probably any in recent memory (including ones where Boston College actually had a chance to make some waves). This is due to the Celtics' deplorable record, ensuring that they will not pick worse than number 5 in this year's draft. My fear is that they'll buy into the hype and draft Joakim Noah from Florida. He's done well in college, and I'm always fond of picking proven winners, but he'll never be more than a good bench player in the pros. He can play some defense, can rebound, and will out-hustle anyone on the floor. But he can't shoot, at all, and I'm not convinced he'll be able to cover power forwards in the NBA (can you picture him covering Duncan, Garnett or Brand?).
3: Speaking of drafts, you may get a kick out of this, courtesy of Tim Challies.
2: I'm ready for a weather change here in Boston. I've always loved the cold, and I always will. But I think living in an apartment with no heat this year (yes, that's right, no heat all winter) has finally taken its toll, well, that and being in Florida last week where I could wear shorts all day long and not have to worry about it. Besides, it's baseball season, it's time to be outside playing and watching games, not bundling up. I think I'm getting soft in my old age.
1: Well folks, it's Good Friday. Easter is my favorite holiday of the year. I pray that you all relish in the grace that God has given us. Take time to meditate on the single greatest act of love and power this world has ever, and will ever, witness. Praise God for the death and resurrection of His Son!
Saturday, March 03, 2007
one last plug
I've done this a few times, but this is the last time, I promise. My good friend, Brian, has made his blogging return. In his first post back he quotes AC/DC. In his second post he tackles the Documentary Hypothesis. That is a sign of a good blogger. I'm glad you're back, B-Funk Marchizzle, I hope you stay. I've added a link to the right.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
dealing with writer's block
Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything, even longer since I've posted anything of any substance. Instead, I will direct you to what is now my favorite comic strip. My sister e-mailed me a link a while back to Dinosaur Comics, a comic strip where only the text changes, never the pictures. I find it hilarious, though it is certainly not for everyone. Case in point, read this and decide if you like it or not (this is the particular comic my sister sent to me). If not, Dinosaur Comics might not be for you, though I think you should check out more of them.
While I'm here, check out Elijah Teague's first report card, given to him by his father, Bruce. I think he did pretty well for a newbie. And for more baby stuff, see Matt & Pam's latest post (better check it out, they only come about twice a year) about their baby. This is what happens when your friends are pregnant or new parents, you end up filling your blog with baby stuff. I need a life.
While I'm here, check out Elijah Teague's first report card, given to him by his father, Bruce. I think he did pretty well for a newbie. And for more baby stuff, see Matt & Pam's latest post (better check it out, they only come about twice a year) about their baby. This is what happens when your friends are pregnant or new parents, you end up filling your blog with baby stuff. I need a life.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
where I come from
I hope you don't mind if I interrupt my series of boring football posts to ask you to read something I found absolutely fascinating. I've mentioned Jeremy's blog (and I'm sure you'll remember that Jeremy is my second cousin) a few times, but today he posted something completely different from what I've thrown in your direction before.
If genealogies interest you at all (or even if they don't), take a look at his latest post, entitled Pierce Ancestry, and see a bit of my family background. And by "a bit" I mean a whole lot. We've got Roman Emperors, a Catholic saint, a Shakespearean character, Charlemagne, soldiers, but no baseball players (as far as I know). It's fascinating. Like Jeremy, I don't think it means too much if you've got wonderful people or scoundrels in your bloodline, it doesn't really affect today much. But it is interesting to see how it works out.
Jeremy and I start crossing paths with our great-grandfather, Walter R. Pierce (b. 1876). His son, Walter (b. 1909) was my grandfather, who fathered my father, Donald (b. 1948- yeah, I just told everyone how old my father is, sorry pops). This genealogy is patrilineal, so it doesn't follow the women (though a few of note sneak in), that would be an interesting study as well. But, for now we'll give poor Jeremy a break, he's a busy man.
If genealogies interest you at all (or even if they don't), take a look at his latest post, entitled Pierce Ancestry, and see a bit of my family background. And by "a bit" I mean a whole lot. We've got Roman Emperors, a Catholic saint, a Shakespearean character, Charlemagne, soldiers, but no baseball players (as far as I know). It's fascinating. Like Jeremy, I don't think it means too much if you've got wonderful people or scoundrels in your bloodline, it doesn't really affect today much. But it is interesting to see how it works out.
Jeremy and I start crossing paths with our great-grandfather, Walter R. Pierce (b. 1876). His son, Walter (b. 1909) was my grandfather, who fathered my father, Donald (b. 1948- yeah, I just told everyone how old my father is, sorry pops). This genealogy is patrilineal, so it doesn't follow the women (though a few of note sneak in), that would be an interesting study as well. But, for now we'll give poor Jeremy a break, he's a busy man.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
still yet another 5.5 random things
5.5: This post is dedicated to the unknown and fortunate person who picked up the $20 bill I accidentally left at the supermarket. Lesson learned: don't talk on the phone while doing the self-check out at the grocery store.
5: The BruceandMorgans have a new blog, complete with pictures of their new son, Elijah, who made his blog of danny debut a couple weeks back. It's just getting off the ground, so be sure to check it out when you get a chance.
4: Okay, so this Boise State upset over Oklahoma may be the greatest game ever played (with all due respect to Vince Young and the '05-'06 Texas Longhorns and Doug Flutie and the '84 Boston College Eagles). Unfortunately, I didn't stay up to watch it. After all, I've always disliked Boise State for playing on a blue field. That just isn't right. However, any team that is willing to run a Hook-and-Lateral and a Statue of Liberty in crucial points at the end of the game (the first to tie the game and send it into overtime, the second was a 2-point conversion to win in overtime) is okay in my book. Seriously, you don't even try that stuff in video games, and to pull it off to win a major bowl game (the first major bowl in Boise State history), well, that earns you the right to play on a blue field for a while. You need to watch the highlights of this game, trust me. Check out them here in a format that is broken down by quarters and the overtime period. You owe it to yourself to watch at least the 4th quarter and the overtime.
3: When you get a minute (actually 2 and a half) watch the trailer to the upcoming movie, Amazing Grace, which comes out in February. It's about William Wilberforce, who fought successfully against the slave trade in England. Let's just say I'll be hiding a few kleenex in my pocket. You know, in case I suddenly have heretofore unknown allergies kick in.
2: New Testament scholar Ben Witherington offered some of his thoughts on the passing of former President Gerald Ford. His mentioning of Ford's son, Mike, as a former Gordon-Conwell student reminded me of a story I heard about him in school. As Witherington notes, Mike Ford always had 2 Secret Service agents with him at all times, following him wherever he went. Apparently the other students had nicknamed these 2 agents "Goodness" and "Mercy" after Psalm 23:6.
1: The Patriots begin their playoff run on Sunday against the hated Jets. Honestly, I'm not sure the Pats will get past the second round (not that the first round is a given considering how Mangini outcoached Belichek in their last meeting). The Pats just don't have enough weapons on either side of the ball. Don't get me wrong, they have some great players: Brady is the best QB in the league (even in this off year I'd take him over anyone come playoff time), Seymour is the best defensive lineman in football, and there are a couple other good ones. But they can't score consistently enough, and their defense doesn't create as many scoring opportunities for the offense as they once did. I'm afraid my Pats will get bounced in the second round again this year. Here's hoping I'm wrong.
5: The BruceandMorgans have a new blog, complete with pictures of their new son, Elijah, who made his blog of danny debut a couple weeks back. It's just getting off the ground, so be sure to check it out when you get a chance.
4: Okay, so this Boise State upset over Oklahoma may be the greatest game ever played (with all due respect to Vince Young and the '05-'06 Texas Longhorns and Doug Flutie and the '84 Boston College Eagles). Unfortunately, I didn't stay up to watch it. After all, I've always disliked Boise State for playing on a blue field. That just isn't right. However, any team that is willing to run a Hook-and-Lateral and a Statue of Liberty in crucial points at the end of the game (the first to tie the game and send it into overtime, the second was a 2-point conversion to win in overtime) is okay in my book. Seriously, you don't even try that stuff in video games, and to pull it off to win a major bowl game (the first major bowl in Boise State history), well, that earns you the right to play on a blue field for a while. You need to watch the highlights of this game, trust me. Check out them here in a format that is broken down by quarters and the overtime period. You owe it to yourself to watch at least the 4th quarter and the overtime.
3: When you get a minute (actually 2 and a half) watch the trailer to the upcoming movie, Amazing Grace, which comes out in February. It's about William Wilberforce, who fought successfully against the slave trade in England. Let's just say I'll be hiding a few kleenex in my pocket. You know, in case I suddenly have heretofore unknown allergies kick in.
2: New Testament scholar Ben Witherington offered some of his thoughts on the passing of former President Gerald Ford. His mentioning of Ford's son, Mike, as a former Gordon-Conwell student reminded me of a story I heard about him in school. As Witherington notes, Mike Ford always had 2 Secret Service agents with him at all times, following him wherever he went. Apparently the other students had nicknamed these 2 agents "Goodness" and "Mercy" after Psalm 23:6.
1: The Patriots begin their playoff run on Sunday against the hated Jets. Honestly, I'm not sure the Pats will get past the second round (not that the first round is a given considering how Mangini outcoached Belichek in their last meeting). The Pats just don't have enough weapons on either side of the ball. Don't get me wrong, they have some great players: Brady is the best QB in the league (even in this off year I'd take him over anyone come playoff time), Seymour is the best defensive lineman in football, and there are a couple other good ones. But they can't score consistently enough, and their defense doesn't create as many scoring opportunities for the offense as they once did. I'm afraid my Pats will get bounced in the second round again this year. Here's hoping I'm wrong.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Yet Another 5.5 Random Things
5.5. This post is dedicated to all those who thought that my last post might have been a not-so-subtle cry for help. I can assure you it was no such thing. I had just finished teaching on confession for a class and we talked about that very thing. On a whim I decided to post it, not really considering whether or not people thought it was about me personally (though it is something I have learned in my life). Perhaps it was poor timing, coming right after my post on Ted Haggard. Sorry for any confusion, hope my parents weren't flipping out.
5. Little tidbit about the upcoming Patriots-Packers game at Green Bay this Sunday. The last time these two teams played a regular season game at Lambeau Field I was 16 days old.
4. Speaking of the Patriots, there is talk here in Boston that Tom Brady is playing hurt. While part of me thinks this is just the local media making excuses for their darling quarterback, they might be on to something. One of the crucial characteristics of Brady's play over the years has been his accurate arm, which has all but left him this year. I have a hard time believing that a man goes from being the best quarterback in football to struggling to hit an open receiver without some cause. An injury may explain it.
3. So the Red Sox forked over $51 million just to have the opportunity to talk with Japanese pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka. The money doesn't really bother me, simply because they can make that back through increased revenue in Japan. But that only works if he's good (at worst), and that's tougher to tell. There isn't necessarily the greatest track record for pitchers coming over and doing well (anyone remember Hideki Irabu?). Hideo Nomo has had a decent career, but never topped his performance in his rookie year. Matsuzaka apparently dominated in the World Baseball Classic, which is encouraging. If he turns out to be as good as some folks think, this will no doubt strengthen a struggling pitching staff.
2. It's mid-November and I'm still wearing shorts to work (be jealous all you business casual suckers). This is weird. It makes me worry that we'll be punished with an even worse January (which is by far the worst month in Boston). I'll be doing my snow-shoveling stretches just in case.
1. There are some of you out there who are wicked smart, you know who you are. If that's you, do me a favor. Go check out Jeremy's Theories of Knowledge and Reality Series and explain it to me. I studied a little philosophy in undergrad and have picked up a few things along the way, but for the most part it's way over my head. In the meantime, I'll stick to my Greek grammar and baseball. Maybe I'll take a semester and go to Syracuse and audit his class. I promise I won't throw spit balls.
5. Little tidbit about the upcoming Patriots-Packers game at Green Bay this Sunday. The last time these two teams played a regular season game at Lambeau Field I was 16 days old.
4. Speaking of the Patriots, there is talk here in Boston that Tom Brady is playing hurt. While part of me thinks this is just the local media making excuses for their darling quarterback, they might be on to something. One of the crucial characteristics of Brady's play over the years has been his accurate arm, which has all but left him this year. I have a hard time believing that a man goes from being the best quarterback in football to struggling to hit an open receiver without some cause. An injury may explain it.
3. So the Red Sox forked over $51 million just to have the opportunity to talk with Japanese pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka. The money doesn't really bother me, simply because they can make that back through increased revenue in Japan. But that only works if he's good (at worst), and that's tougher to tell. There isn't necessarily the greatest track record for pitchers coming over and doing well (anyone remember Hideki Irabu?). Hideo Nomo has had a decent career, but never topped his performance in his rookie year. Matsuzaka apparently dominated in the World Baseball Classic, which is encouraging. If he turns out to be as good as some folks think, this will no doubt strengthen a struggling pitching staff.
2. It's mid-November and I'm still wearing shorts to work (be jealous all you business casual suckers). This is weird. It makes me worry that we'll be punished with an even worse January (which is by far the worst month in Boston). I'll be doing my snow-shoveling stretches just in case.
1. There are some of you out there who are wicked smart, you know who you are. If that's you, do me a favor. Go check out Jeremy's Theories of Knowledge and Reality Series and explain it to me. I studied a little philosophy in undergrad and have picked up a few things along the way, but for the most part it's way over my head. In the meantime, I'll stick to my Greek grammar and baseball. Maybe I'll take a semester and go to Syracuse and audit his class. I promise I won't throw spit balls.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Another 5.5 Random Things
5.5: This post is dedicated to the neglected but not forgotten nor abandoned Hymn of the Week. It's coming back, I promise.
5: In my first 5.5 Random Things post I plugged Brian's new blog and claimed how he would not be able to keep up the post a day pace with which he started. He went on to claim that he would, in fact, do so just to spite me. Today is one month since his last post. I win.
4: Jeremy has an interesting post about a slip in the ESV dedication to non-inclusive language, found in 1 John 3:24 (where they use a singular "them" rather than "him", which would be consistent with their translation philosphy). The topic of Bible translation is worthy of its own post, but I just want to vent my frustration concerning those who are so eager to bash the NIV (and others, such as the TNIV) for something like using the singluar "they." Does it open the door for misinterpretation? Possibly. Then again, so can a very literal translation, so who cares (not to mention the fact that some of them can be so wooden they don't even make sense in English)? I don't care if someone prefers a literal translation, in fact, the NAS is still my Bible of choice. I just don't see what's so hard about understanding the reasons for the dynamic equivalent style, or, even worse, why it's so hard to accept the benefit to having multiple translations in studying the Bible. It's so basic (in fact, I say it every week in the Bible class I teach at church), why can't people grasp it?
3: I'm watching the Mets-Dodgers baseball game and the idiot announcer, Thom Brennamen (partner of 1st-ballot Hall of Fame crappy announcer Tim McCarver), just claimed that Grady Little did the right thing when he left Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Yankees. I believe his exact quote was "when I look at that Boston bullpen, I say Pedro Martinez was the right man for the job." My questions is this: why does this man have a job in announcing baseball? Nevermind Brennamen's tendency to go off on self-righteous tirades concerning some superstar du jour, this quote just proves he doesn't understand anything about the game of baseball, or at least wasn't watching that postseason when the Mike Timlin-Scott Williamson tandem was almost unhittable. FOX Sports is awful, absolutely awful. This is worse than Chris Berman or Joe Morgan. And that's saying something.
2: I have to admit that I really want to see The Departed, the new movie starring Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCraprio (not a misspelling), Matt Damon and Marky Mark, sans the Funky Bunch. Mind you, I don't like Nicholson or DiCraprio, but I'm a sucker for mob movies. Also, I think there's something inside me that longs to hear a movie with good Boston accents. Good Will Hunting wasn't bad, Damon was great and Affleck did a good job (actually, both Afflecks did), but Robin Williams was painful. He wasn't as bad as Costner, but still not good. Anyway, I have hopes that with Damon and Marky Mark (both from Boston) this movie might be able to pull it off.
1: Well, the Detroit Tigers are now everyone's favorite team as they beat the Yankees in 4 games. Early in the season, when Detroit had the best record in baseball, I had said that I hoped they would win it all if the Red Sox weren't going to do it. There are numerous reasons for me to do so: 1) they are a classic franchise, one of the old guys in the AL (a reason I rooted for the White Sox once the Sox were eliminated last year as well), 2) they've been awful for so long (something like 13 straight losing seasons) that it's a great rags-to-riches story, 3)I've loved their manager, Jim Leyland, since he was in Pittsburgh (when I was in Little League I played on the Pirates, so I rooted for them while he was bringing them to the postseason every year), 4) they've got some quality people to root for on that team, 5) I love the old Tigers teams from my childhood (Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammel, Sweet Lou Whitaker, and my favorite, Jack Morris, the most underrated pitcher of my time). I love the mixture of homegrown talent and veterans from outside the organization (which I think is a necessary feature to win these days). I love that the pitching staff relies heavily on 3 guys younger than I am (Zumaya, Verlander and Bonderman). It was great to see Jeremy Bonderman pitch so well today. It was just 3 seasons ago when he lost 19 games (for those who don't know, that is awful), and he lost 45 games from 2003-05. He came to the majors when he was 19 and many thought the Tigers had rushed him, and that his early failures would scar him for the rest of his career (like with Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals). Then today he dominates the Yankees and leaves in the 9th to a goosebump inducing ovation. You have to feel good for a guy like that, and I hope they bring the World Series Championship to Detroit.
5: In my first 5.5 Random Things post I plugged Brian's new blog and claimed how he would not be able to keep up the post a day pace with which he started. He went on to claim that he would, in fact, do so just to spite me. Today is one month since his last post. I win.
4: Jeremy has an interesting post about a slip in the ESV dedication to non-inclusive language, found in 1 John 3:24 (where they use a singular "them" rather than "him", which would be consistent with their translation philosphy). The topic of Bible translation is worthy of its own post, but I just want to vent my frustration concerning those who are so eager to bash the NIV (and others, such as the TNIV) for something like using the singluar "they." Does it open the door for misinterpretation? Possibly. Then again, so can a very literal translation, so who cares (not to mention the fact that some of them can be so wooden they don't even make sense in English)? I don't care if someone prefers a literal translation, in fact, the NAS is still my Bible of choice. I just don't see what's so hard about understanding the reasons for the dynamic equivalent style, or, even worse, why it's so hard to accept the benefit to having multiple translations in studying the Bible. It's so basic (in fact, I say it every week in the Bible class I teach at church), why can't people grasp it?
3: I'm watching the Mets-Dodgers baseball game and the idiot announcer, Thom Brennamen (partner of 1st-ballot Hall of Fame crappy announcer Tim McCarver), just claimed that Grady Little did the right thing when he left Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Yankees. I believe his exact quote was "when I look at that Boston bullpen, I say Pedro Martinez was the right man for the job." My questions is this: why does this man have a job in announcing baseball? Nevermind Brennamen's tendency to go off on self-righteous tirades concerning some superstar du jour, this quote just proves he doesn't understand anything about the game of baseball, or at least wasn't watching that postseason when the Mike Timlin-Scott Williamson tandem was almost unhittable. FOX Sports is awful, absolutely awful. This is worse than Chris Berman or Joe Morgan. And that's saying something.
2: I have to admit that I really want to see The Departed, the new movie starring Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCraprio (not a misspelling), Matt Damon and Marky Mark, sans the Funky Bunch. Mind you, I don't like Nicholson or DiCraprio, but I'm a sucker for mob movies. Also, I think there's something inside me that longs to hear a movie with good Boston accents. Good Will Hunting wasn't bad, Damon was great and Affleck did a good job (actually, both Afflecks did), but Robin Williams was painful. He wasn't as bad as Costner, but still not good. Anyway, I have hopes that with Damon and Marky Mark (both from Boston) this movie might be able to pull it off.
1: Well, the Detroit Tigers are now everyone's favorite team as they beat the Yankees in 4 games. Early in the season, when Detroit had the best record in baseball, I had said that I hoped they would win it all if the Red Sox weren't going to do it. There are numerous reasons for me to do so: 1) they are a classic franchise, one of the old guys in the AL (a reason I rooted for the White Sox once the Sox were eliminated last year as well), 2) they've been awful for so long (something like 13 straight losing seasons) that it's a great rags-to-riches story, 3)I've loved their manager, Jim Leyland, since he was in Pittsburgh (when I was in Little League I played on the Pirates, so I rooted for them while he was bringing them to the postseason every year), 4) they've got some quality people to root for on that team, 5) I love the old Tigers teams from my childhood (Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammel, Sweet Lou Whitaker, and my favorite, Jack Morris, the most underrated pitcher of my time). I love the mixture of homegrown talent and veterans from outside the organization (which I think is a necessary feature to win these days). I love that the pitching staff relies heavily on 3 guys younger than I am (Zumaya, Verlander and Bonderman). It was great to see Jeremy Bonderman pitch so well today. It was just 3 seasons ago when he lost 19 games (for those who don't know, that is awful), and he lost 45 games from 2003-05. He came to the majors when he was 19 and many thought the Tigers had rushed him, and that his early failures would scar him for the rest of his career (like with Rick Ankiel of the Cardinals). Then today he dominates the Yankees and leaves in the 9th to a goosebump inducing ovation. You have to feel good for a guy like that, and I hope they bring the World Series Championship to Detroit.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Go Read Something Else...
Hey, I just wanted to direct both of my readers to something I ran across earlier today. Originally I wasn't going to link to it, but when I went back a second time it struck me again. Go check out The Jericho Road, blog of Jan McKenzie, who has commented a couple times on this very blog. I was really convicted, maybe you will be too. It's a quick read, but take the time to think about it, for your own good. Thanks.
Friday, August 04, 2006
free advertisement for friends
I've been privileged to have a few friends give me props and send some traffic my way, so I figured I'd return the favor. But, I ran into a problem- if I plug some blogs I will inevitably leave someone out, and they'll have their feelings hurt and I'll end up having to spring for some singing telegram in order to regain their favor. So, I decided I would dedicate an entire post to my friends' blogs, I encourage you to check them out. If I forgot you, I'm sorry. Get over it.
Sarah is a good friend from seminary. She writes some really great stuff, the problem is that she posts about once every 10 years or so. In fact, she posts most often when she's overseas. So pray she'll go on more mission trips. When she writes, it's the kind of stuff you could read for your morning devotionals. Good stuff.
Kurt can be one of the most entertaining bloggers when he isn't taking the bar (he just graduated from Harvard Law School, hence the "hls" in his address). Unfortunately, he often likes to write about getting a tan, but he's quite capable of pulling out some gems. Exhibit A (see, court room language): his three-part review of season one of Thunder Cats is pure genius. Oh yeah, and there was the time his girlfriend posted a comment referring to him as "cute and cuddly" (paraphrase), which earned him a tremendous amount of public mocking (mostly by yours truly). Good times were had by all.
Matt & Pam Neave are two of my favorite people in the world. You know those couples that never make you feel like the 3rd wheel? That's Matt & Pam. Anyway, their blog has all sorts of pictures, which makes it easy for simple folk like myself to read. I'll soon be neighbors with them, but my picture better not end up posted on the World Wide Web.
Bruce & Morgan are clearly the coolest of my friends, because they have an entire message board. Actually, Bruce has an entire message board, Morgan rarely makes an appearance (apparently being pregnant and a nurse takes up a lot of energy). Here you'll find talk about their coming baby, their first, who will be named Polycarp. Also, you can link to their site and watch the video of Bruce's proposal. WARNING: it's pretty gross, a lot of hugging and kissing. I'm convinced Bruce did this purely to make his kids (the aforementioned Polycarp and, in the future, Perpetua) squirm someday.
Have you ever wondered what a liberal MIT grad from Jersey is thinking? Me neither. But, Andrew is defintely worth a read. I mean, the site's description is "a blog to argue with danny", so that's got to count for something. In fact, the impetus for starting his site was to argue with my assessment of Bruce Springsteen (check out the first sentence of his first post). The best thing to come out of Jersey since toxic fumes and big hair.
I've mentioned him before, but Jeremy, my second cousin, has a high-quality blog. He's one of those philosophy types, so be prepared. A wide variety of topics are covered here: biblical commentaries, racial issues, politics, and so on. And he has more links that anyone would know what to do with. I don't know him as well as the other folks I'm mentioning, but he gets a pass because we're related.
In the college friend category, my old roommate A-Rock is one of those musical-musings types. If you're a big fan of indie music, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading his album reviews. Oh, and I think I'm the only person who still calls him "A-Rock." Anyway, it's been fun checking out his blog, even though I'm not sure he knows I read it. I've realized recently how much I miss this guy.
Winning the prize for fewest posts (currently with a grand total of one) is another college buddy, who evidently has decided to be known purely by his last name, Maston. He and I would discuss exegesis, Biblical languages, theology, etc, for hours in college. In fact, I credit much of my biblical understanding to those conversations working through issues, bouncing ideas off each other. He just started his blog, inspired by his upcoming move to Scotland to work on a PhD in New Testament.
I've recently discovered the blog of Addie, wife of my college friend Greenbow. It almost makes me miss life in Missouri. Not quite, but almost. Apparently their dogs play an important role in their life. But what else should we expect from folks who live in rural Missouri?
I'd like to finish up my mentioning a few folks who really need a blog:
My roommate, Jonathan. Smart. Funny. Lady killer. That's a recipe for success in life and in the blogosphere.
Seminary buddy, Ryan. He should name it "Not Really a Presbyterian" or "Pretend Presbyterian." Anyway, he'll probably be the first pastor turned president (first that I'm aware of, at any rate), so it'd be cool if we could say "hey, I used to read his blog back in the day."
My dad. Actually, I wish I had more time, I'd convince my dad to co-blog with me about sports. Honestly, if you transcribed one of my conversations with my father about sports you'd end up with better stuff than what you hear on sports radio or read on the internet. He's one of the few people I (sometimes) defer to when talking sports.
Anyway, thank you for humoring me. I love my friends, and like to brag about them periodically. Check them out if you get the chance. You know, like when you're bored at work or something (*cough*Matt*cough*).
Sarah is a good friend from seminary. She writes some really great stuff, the problem is that she posts about once every 10 years or so. In fact, she posts most often when she's overseas. So pray she'll go on more mission trips. When she writes, it's the kind of stuff you could read for your morning devotionals. Good stuff.
Kurt can be one of the most entertaining bloggers when he isn't taking the bar (he just graduated from Harvard Law School, hence the "hls" in his address). Unfortunately, he often likes to write about getting a tan, but he's quite capable of pulling out some gems. Exhibit A (see, court room language): his three-part review of season one of Thunder Cats is pure genius. Oh yeah, and there was the time his girlfriend posted a comment referring to him as "cute and cuddly" (paraphrase), which earned him a tremendous amount of public mocking (mostly by yours truly). Good times were had by all.
Matt & Pam Neave are two of my favorite people in the world. You know those couples that never make you feel like the 3rd wheel? That's Matt & Pam. Anyway, their blog has all sorts of pictures, which makes it easy for simple folk like myself to read. I'll soon be neighbors with them, but my picture better not end up posted on the World Wide Web.
Bruce & Morgan are clearly the coolest of my friends, because they have an entire message board. Actually, Bruce has an entire message board, Morgan rarely makes an appearance (apparently being pregnant and a nurse takes up a lot of energy). Here you'll find talk about their coming baby, their first, who will be named Polycarp. Also, you can link to their site and watch the video of Bruce's proposal. WARNING: it's pretty gross, a lot of hugging and kissing. I'm convinced Bruce did this purely to make his kids (the aforementioned Polycarp and, in the future, Perpetua) squirm someday.
Have you ever wondered what a liberal MIT grad from Jersey is thinking? Me neither. But, Andrew is defintely worth a read. I mean, the site's description is "a blog to argue with danny", so that's got to count for something. In fact, the impetus for starting his site was to argue with my assessment of Bruce Springsteen (check out the first sentence of his first post). The best thing to come out of Jersey since toxic fumes and big hair.
I've mentioned him before, but Jeremy, my second cousin, has a high-quality blog. He's one of those philosophy types, so be prepared. A wide variety of topics are covered here: biblical commentaries, racial issues, politics, and so on. And he has more links that anyone would know what to do with. I don't know him as well as the other folks I'm mentioning, but he gets a pass because we're related.
In the college friend category, my old roommate A-Rock is one of those musical-musings types. If you're a big fan of indie music, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading his album reviews. Oh, and I think I'm the only person who still calls him "A-Rock." Anyway, it's been fun checking out his blog, even though I'm not sure he knows I read it. I've realized recently how much I miss this guy.
Winning the prize for fewest posts (currently with a grand total of one) is another college buddy, who evidently has decided to be known purely by his last name, Maston. He and I would discuss exegesis, Biblical languages, theology, etc, for hours in college. In fact, I credit much of my biblical understanding to those conversations working through issues, bouncing ideas off each other. He just started his blog, inspired by his upcoming move to Scotland to work on a PhD in New Testament.
I've recently discovered the blog of Addie, wife of my college friend Greenbow. It almost makes me miss life in Missouri. Not quite, but almost. Apparently their dogs play an important role in their life. But what else should we expect from folks who live in rural Missouri?
I'd like to finish up my mentioning a few folks who really need a blog:
My roommate, Jonathan. Smart. Funny. Lady killer. That's a recipe for success in life and in the blogosphere.
Seminary buddy, Ryan. He should name it "Not Really a Presbyterian" or "Pretend Presbyterian." Anyway, he'll probably be the first pastor turned president (first that I'm aware of, at any rate), so it'd be cool if we could say "hey, I used to read his blog back in the day."
My dad. Actually, I wish I had more time, I'd convince my dad to co-blog with me about sports. Honestly, if you transcribed one of my conversations with my father about sports you'd end up with better stuff than what you hear on sports radio or read on the internet. He's one of the few people I (sometimes) defer to when talking sports.
Anyway, thank you for humoring me. I love my friends, and like to brag about them periodically. Check them out if you get the chance. You know, like when you're bored at work or something (*cough*Matt*cough*).
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
two Pierces in one blogosphere?
I know, I know, two posts in one day! Surely you're thinking, "Danny, there's no way you have much of interest to say!" And more often that not you'd be right. However, this time, I feel two posts in a day is justified.
Back in college I ran into the website of a guy named Jeremy Pierce. Jeremy happens to be my second cousin, more commonly known as my paternal grandfather's brother's grandson. He was then a bright young Ph.D. student at Syracuse. Now, he is a bright not-as-young Ph.D. student at Syracuse (according to the blog of his wife, Samantha, whom I've never met, he's on his 9th year, which means he must have 3 Ph.D.'s by now, right?). I'm not sure if I've ever met Jeremy, if I did I was probably 10 years old or so, though I do remember meeting people from his family. The truth is that I couldn't pick him out of a police lineup.
A few months ago I decided to look up his old website to see what he was up to, and somehow eventually ended up on his blog. I've become a big fan, only too timid to leave comments, except for a recent one. That comment, on a thread about split infinitives (which should be avoided, sorry, Jeremy), led him to check out my blog, which led him to link to a post of mine (the one about being called a "Follower of Jesus" or a "Christian"), which then led to some new people reading my blog, which then led me to decide that I need to inform my friends of his fine blogging skills. See, the connection is quite clear.
So, I'm telling all three of my readers to check out Jeremy's blog, just click on the title of this post and you'll get there. It's a bit different than mine, I will warn you. He (and his readers) are far more well-spoken, well-read and all-around more intelligent than I am (but I'm betting I would whip all of them in a baseball trivia contest). He is a philosophy student, so you get all sorts of philosophical musings to chew on (again, way above my head). He also posts on racial issues (extremely interesting), ethical dilemnas, politics, Biblical thoughts, and the occasional randomly entertaining topic. However, I'm still waiting for him to write about his research on our family lineage.
Jeremy is also a man after my own heart, posting on Biblical commentaries, including a recent review of Leviticus commentaries. In fact, his exchange with John Glynn (author of Commentary & Reference Survey) has been a delight for me to read. I've been inspired to resurrect the dormant idea of writing about my favorite Biblical commentaries (in effort to alienate all but the nerdiest of my readers).
Anyway, I'm glad I've run across his path once again, and someday maybe I'll manage to work my way up to Syracuse to meet Jeremy, Samantha and the kids. He is, after all, my mother's mother-in-law's brother-in-law's grandson.
Back in college I ran into the website of a guy named Jeremy Pierce. Jeremy happens to be my second cousin, more commonly known as my paternal grandfather's brother's grandson. He was then a bright young Ph.D. student at Syracuse. Now, he is a bright not-as-young Ph.D. student at Syracuse (according to the blog of his wife, Samantha, whom I've never met, he's on his 9th year, which means he must have 3 Ph.D.'s by now, right?). I'm not sure if I've ever met Jeremy, if I did I was probably 10 years old or so, though I do remember meeting people from his family. The truth is that I couldn't pick him out of a police lineup.
A few months ago I decided to look up his old website to see what he was up to, and somehow eventually ended up on his blog. I've become a big fan, only too timid to leave comments, except for a recent one. That comment, on a thread about split infinitives (which should be avoided, sorry, Jeremy), led him to check out my blog, which led him to link to a post of mine (the one about being called a "Follower of Jesus" or a "Christian"), which then led to some new people reading my blog, which then led me to decide that I need to inform my friends of his fine blogging skills. See, the connection is quite clear.
So, I'm telling all three of my readers to check out Jeremy's blog, just click on the title of this post and you'll get there. It's a bit different than mine, I will warn you. He (and his readers) are far more well-spoken, well-read and all-around more intelligent than I am (but I'm betting I would whip all of them in a baseball trivia contest). He is a philosophy student, so you get all sorts of philosophical musings to chew on (again, way above my head). He also posts on racial issues (extremely interesting), ethical dilemnas, politics, Biblical thoughts, and the occasional randomly entertaining topic. However, I'm still waiting for him to write about his research on our family lineage.
Jeremy is also a man after my own heart, posting on Biblical commentaries, including a recent review of Leviticus commentaries. In fact, his exchange with John Glynn (author of Commentary & Reference Survey) has been a delight for me to read. I've been inspired to resurrect the dormant idea of writing about my favorite Biblical commentaries (in effort to alienate all but the nerdiest of my readers).
Anyway, I'm glad I've run across his path once again, and someday maybe I'll manage to work my way up to Syracuse to meet Jeremy, Samantha and the kids. He is, after all, my mother's mother-in-law's brother-in-law's grandson.
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