Always Searching . . .

When you are anticipating something, how do you gather or prepare?  For vacations, I find myself gathering the hiking stuff, gathering the reading materials, and gathering the food.  All in discrete piles where I frequently stumble over them!  It increases the anticipation, the excitement builds for the time when I will actually use these things. 

How do we prepare and gather for other events?  With little piles or some other way.  How do we prepare for the biggest event, that plunge into life everlasting?  Am I preparing in the same way?  What piles do I stumble over?  What increases my excitement and anticipation?  I don't have answers for these questions, but I do have some thoughts.  Two are below.  More may follow.

Jesus has been the only person to take that plunge and return.  How did he prepare?  What would I call those piles in my life? 

• We know he spent time with the Father.  So my time with the Father pile is scattered throughout my day.  Sometimes I trip over it in the morning, but more often it's after I'm truly awake.  My friend, Anne, has recommended a book which will help me build those piles in a discrete place.  I will start reading it in a couple of weeks.  This is the book: 
  
  
  

  When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer

• We know he spent time with his friends.  I was reading this morning how he left the crowds and went up on a hillside with his friends.  This is the hard thing for me.  Life is so full, it's difficult to fit in with the also full lives of friends.  For some it's a one-a-month meal, or a once in awhile meal.  And we have friends that stay with us when we vacation so we can have a longer time with them.  But making the time is hard for me because I like solitude but too much of that tends to lead to inertia.  So, if you're my friend and I'm not scheduling you in, please let me know.  The best "friends" book I ever read was A Prayerbook for Spiritual Friends this is my model for friendship: 




A Prayerbook for Spiritual Friends: Partners in Prayer

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Keep looking for an easier to use website redesign.  My website started out simple, but soon became cluttered with all the useful things we need for our computers.  The new design will be uncluttered.  I realized the clutter problem long ago, but am just finding the right professional webdesigner to execute the simple design.  I'll let you know when the change is coming, but for now, it's in the works.  And the webdesigner I actually use will be the one I recommend to the rest of you.  Here are some of my favorite simple web designs. 

http://www.designchuchi.ch/

http://adaptd.com/

http://www.studio7designs.com/

I like these 2 very much:

http://www.toggle.uk.com/

http://www.culturedcode.com/

Those of you who have an eye for design, take a look and let me know what you think.   And if you want to see some beautiful web designs, click here:  http://bestwebgallery.com/

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Which Security System is Right For You?
There are many security systems and I have seen many of their successes and failures.  Recently I have seen both Computer Associates Internet Security and Trend Micro Pc-Cillin miss obvious viruses and spyware.  That is why I do NOT recommend these and others.  The best that I have found are Norton 360 and Zone Alarm Security Suite.

Why am I Recommending Two?
No, never two at once, just one or the other.  No security product is perfect.  Norton comes the closest with its wonderful virus and spyware detection and removal, it's easy on the system and easy on the user and it will backup your data online or to an external source.  Zone Alarm comes in second for requiring more user input and no backup.

Backup, Backup, Backup
How would it hurt you if you lost personal pictures, addresses, documents that you have on your computer?  Most of us would lose things that were very important to us.  Hard drives fail all the time.  You need a backup copy of your data.  For ease of use, use Norton 360 and a backup hard drive or their online backup.  For a more robust backup, use Acronis.

That's all for now.  Be sure to let me know if you would like any topics discussed or terms explained.  Sometimes, there is just too much geek speak!

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I've just finished the book:

It ends, of course, with the Greeks stopping the Westward advance of the Persian Empire.  But what really struck me was that for the people living in Greece, it didn't seem to matter much whether they paid taxes to Sparta, Athens, or the Persians.  The Persians even charged lower taxes than the Greeks.  So, for the common person, it may not matter much what government you have--the Iraqi's may prefer a king or dictator, we may prefer a representative democracy, but what we really all prefer is for our lifestyle not to change and our taxes not to be too high.

Another book I have been reading challenges some of these same issues:

If a Christian, where is our allegiance and how does that work in our society, how does our culture influence us and where do our loyalties lie.  What does Jesus have to say about kingdom, war, community, money, possessions, holidays, etc. 

It also struck me how the U.S. looks like any other empire.  We have holdings (military bases) all over the known world. We seek to impose democracy on every other civilization we encounter.  We respond to violence (eg. 9/11) with greater violence to bring the perpetrators (and perhaps their whole civilization) under our control.  Note:  More than 100 times as many civilians have been killed in our war against Iraq than were killed on 9/11, no matter whose report you believe.

You might not agree with everything in this book, nor should you agree with everything his sources believe, but it's still a good book to get you thinking about the kind of kingdom we live in.

And all of this fits in well with the study I'm doing: 

Note: videos from the study can be viewed here:  Daniel video

Daniel, too, had to fit into a civilization that violated his allegiance to God.  Check out the videos and if you like it, find a group or just get the workbook and do it on your own.

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I have just tried this and it works far better than the Opera Mini version I was running.  Faster and cleaner.  So for phones not running Windows Mobile 5 or 6, stick with Opera Mini.  Otherwise Opera Mobile is the best.

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Cellphones and Internet
What can you do with a cellphone?
If you are using a "smart phone" (this is a phone that offers some computer-like applications), you may be able to use it to connect to the Internet using your laptop. So in a place without wifi, you can connect your phone using Bluetooth or with a USB cable to your laptop and surf the Internet if you have a data plan with you cell phone carrier and if you phone and laptop support the technologies. On your phone you would look for Internet Connection Sharing. If using Bluetooth, you would look for the Bluetooth PAN. This works best if the laptop is running Vista and, of course, you phone would need to be able to make and Edge or GPRS connection. Is this all Greek to you? Just do a web search for the terms along with your operating system on your laptop and your brand and model of cell phone. You should be able to find useful advice.

More Cell phone uses
Email and Weather
If you have webmail, the best way to check it on a cell phone (if it's compatible) is to use Opera Mini or Opera Mobile. Opera Mini is for cell phones with a data plan and Opera Mobile is for Smart Phones running Windows Mobile. (Although I'm running Opera Mini on my ATT Tilt Smartphone). It is a Java application, which means your phone must support Java. The best weather site if you want to see the radar is Accuweather.com mobile. And if you can do that you can certainly check your webmail, also. Gmail works very well. Opera Mini has a zoom function which shows you the entire page and then lets you zoom so you can actually read it. Give these a try.

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Jeff is joining me in helping to service your computer needs.  How did I find Jeff?  I interviewed 1 person I thought I knew and was ready to sign him when he stopped answering my emails and phone calls.  Someone contacted me, and I was getting ready to sign her, when she rejected my business model.  I was referred to someone else, but he decided that he was too busy.  However, he referred me to Jeff.  Jeff worked for Lucent Technologies for some years.  He enjoys working with computers and solving problems, and has done computer-related volunteer work.  He is married and has 2 grandchildren.  Be sure to ask him about the reason for his season ticket to Cedar Point! 

Is Jeff my partner or my employee?  No.  He is an independent consultant like me who I have under contract.  He will make the decision, just as I do, as to whether he can handle your problem and how he will do it.  If you want Jeff, rather than me, just ask.  If you want me, rather than Jeff, just say so.  What does this mean for you? 

• Quicker response time.  Need help now?  Well you might actually be able to receive help now, rather than on another day. 
• Better service.  When I don't know the answer, perhaps Jeff will.  And you know the adage, Two Heads are Better Than One.
• Fresher service.  With someone else to take calls, I don't have to squeeze so much into a day.  I can rest once in awhile and do other things I enjoy (Yes, I do have a life outside of technology!)  This should give you the benefit of not having someone check out your computer in an exhausted mental state.

So better service for you, some rest for me, and another person who is also a technology "geek" to take care of your technology problems.

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This series of history DVD's is useful if you are not a history lover.  However, even if you love history as I do you will enjoy them.  Featuring a guide with a sense of humor, and approximately 30-minute segments, anyone would enjoy this!  This was originally broadcast on History Channel but now is available from the producer. . . (Our public library has it, too.)  I have watched just 2 segments. . . I might order the series to watch them all!

Drive Thru History - Rome if you want to...
Price: $19.95

• Episode 1:  Lost in Rome, the Forum & Palatine Hill, the Emperors during the time of Christ, the Arch of Titus and the destruction of Jerusalem
  Approximate Running Time: 34 Minutes
• Episode 2:  The Circus Maximus, chariot racing, the great fire of Rome, Nero's persecution of Christians and the Roman Pantheon.
  Approximate Running Time: 31 Minutes
• Episode 3:  Hannibal invades Rome, the Colosseum, the Gladiators and the early Christian influence.
  Approximate Running Time: 30 Minutes

Drive Thru History - Greece and the Word
Price: $19.95

• Episode 1:  The Greeks, the Oracle at Delphi, the Olympics, Paul and Alexander the Great.
  Approximate Running Time: 35 Minutes
• Episode 2:  Lost in Athens, Acropolis & Parthenon, the Philosophers, the life of Paul, Mars Hill, missionary journeys.
  Approximate Running Time: 37 Minutes
• Episode 3:  Paul in Corinth, Corinthian decadence, Corinth Canal and New Testament evidence.
  Approximate Running Time: 32 Minutes

Drive Thru History - Turkish Delight
Price: $19.95

• Episode 1: Churches of Revelation, Dave's sweet ride, Ancient Sardis & Smyrna, Darius' Royal Road, Martyrdom of Polycarp.
  Approximate Running Time: 34 Minutes
• Episode 2:  Hot Springs of Hieropolis, Camel bite, Christians in Laodicea, Ancient Colossae, Paul's Letter to Philemon and the Colossians.
  Approximate Running Time: 31 Minutes
• Episode 3:  Ancient Ephesus and the Apostle Paul, Letter to the Ephesiands, Roman Ruins, Library of Celsus, Artemis Temple, Ephesus riot of Acts 19.
  Approximate Running Time: 30 Minutes

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OK, I've progressed from the Babylonians to the Persians, and from Cyrus tthrough the lesser kings to Darius.  I'm working my way toward Xerxes so I can have some good background on Esther.  This is the book I'm reading:

What are the differences so far between the Babylonians and the Persians?  The Persians let all the conquered peoples stay in their own areas, keep their own language, culture, gods.  To some of those they conquered, this strategy made them look weak, so there were always uprisings.  In addition, the Persian language never became the lingua franca of the areas they conquered:  From Turkey to India and Northern Africa to Ethiopia. 

Why are the Medes and Persians tied together?  The story goes (there is historical support for this story) that the King of the Medes married his daughters off to the Persian King.  But he had been told my his wise men that a grandson would murder him.  So he had his chief lieutenant steal the child and kill it.  However, the chief lieutenant decided to hide the child, instead, and then inform the Persians where it could be found.  This child was Cyrus.  The lieutenant remained a double agent and when Cyrus became king, he assisted Cyrus in killing Cyrus' grandfather and uniting the Medes and the Persians.  He became Cyrus' lieutenant and the famous Medean cavalry joined the Persian armies and navy, and together the Medes and Persians became a world power.

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