The purpose driven lifeguard.

Several of my high school summers were spent working as a lifeguard for the city. I had my training, got my red swimsuit, and off I went. I liked the jobs. They were mostly fun with little hard work. I was always nervous, though, whenever I watched the pool. I always had an uneasy feeling about me as I scanned the swimmers, thinking that at any moment someone was sure to start drowning and need my assistance. I always feared what I would fail to see.
It’s an odd thing being in the life-saving business, and I guess lifeguarding is the closest I’ll ever get to being a medical professional. You see, when you’re the lifeguard, you’re the end-all life-saving guru within the fence. Sure you might have to call 9-11 for big emergencies, but you’re trained to pull a dying body out of the deep end and bring them back to life. But here’s the kicker . . .You aren’t the only one who can do this job, but you are the one the people have designated to save lives. Most groups of people are able to watch each other and know when someone’s in trouble and needs help. (It doesn’t take a genius to see when someone is drowning.) The lifeguard, however, is assigned the task of watching over others, and ensuring that the life-saving goes off without a hitch. It’s not that other people can’t do it, it’s just that some people think it’s best for one person to be selected as the lifeguard.

Now, I told you that so I could tell you this:
One afternoon at the pool, I’m sitting on the stand scanning the pool. It’s hard to see directly below you on a lifeguard stand, and typically the lifeguard will tell swimmers to stay out of that area. Anyhow, across the pool, underneath a lifeguard stand, I notice a young girl who is in obvious trouble. She is swimming with a friend who is right by her side. Her friend, a capable swimmer, could easily reach out an arm and pull the girl to the ledge, as it was only a few feet away. Instead of helping, the friend begins to climb out of the pool and taps on the lifeguard’s foot. Looking up, the girl tells the lifeguard that her friend needs help and points her out. The lifeguard, upon noticing the helpless girl, leaps off the stand and reaches out......




I hate to do this, but...
Normally I would want to just lay out a story and let the reader dig for themselves. This time, however, I want to add direction to the thoughts. I’ve had church tradition on my mind lately, and I wonder how many things started as merely good ideas, but have now snowballed into necessities for ‘true worship.’

A few quick things

Came across a couple sites that caught my eye. Nothing serious, just for fun. . .

See an aerial view of wherever.

The moon landing.

HTML Crazy

Haven't said much in awhile. I was gone for a couple days, and lazy once I was back.

So when I got that new template up a couple weeks ago I went a little nuts editing and rewriting. Along the way I'm sure I screwed a lot of things up, but hey, it was fun. I went ahead and scrapped what I had done to pick up one of bloggers new templates. It's cookie cutter, but it gets the job done, and I'm less likely to mess things up.

Thanks to an inadvertent recommendation from Adam I wanted to try hosting a picture over at image shack and this was about the only funny picture I could find on my computer. It's especially funny when you know the people in it.

Thus sayeth Disney

So the New York Times brings out a piece yesterday telling more about Disney's refusal to distribute Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11. The article isn't too long, but here's a few things the writer has to say:

"A company that ought to be championing free expression has instead chosen to censor a documentary that clearly falls within the bounds of acceptable political commentary."

The writer ends the piece by saying "it is clear that Disney loves its bottom line more than the freedom of political discourse."


-Maybe Disney's goal isn't political discourse.
-Maybe Disney's goal is entertainment for their paying customers.
-Maybe Disney can choose to market whatever they want.
-Maybe I should make a movie and demand Disney distribute it.
-Maybe Michael Moore shouldn't worry because there are many other companies who will gladly distribute his film.
-Maybe you remember how no one said a word about a movie called 'The Passion of The Christ' that no one would distribute. Where was the NY Times writer when that happened?

In reference to something else

I read a post on blaugustine earlier today that got me going. Check out the article titled "Fighting for Civilization". It's just a response to the recent actions by American soldiers in prisoner camps. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, check out the article; this was the response I posted:

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Those who compare these atrocities to the actions taken by an entire regime belittle the magnitude of horror imposed upon people in other nations. Our country does not condone the actions taken in that prison and the guilty are being punished. Comparing that to a country that openly allowed and utilized things far worse is simply wrong. Bush haters will use this to try and show corruption; which is ridiculously unjustified. We have a leader who has openly stated that these actions are not condoned by this country, and action is being taken to ensure these kinds of things don’t happen again.
Were these actions wrong? Of course.
Has Bush been working to ensure they don’t happen again? Yes.
Shouldn’t we be pleased the government is taking steps [to] right the wrong?

Nah, you all are right. The actions of a few moron prison guards represent our entire country. We should just nuke ourselves and get it over with. Oh wait, but if we take the actions of a few and let them represent the whole, then we have to take this much further:

Radical Islam now represents all Muslims
Michael Moore represents all liberals
PETA represents all animal-lovers
The Crusades represent all Christians
Hugh Hefner represents all men
And Pam Anderson represents all women.

I guess you are all right. That was much easier.
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Please oh freakin please do not ever let an action in the name of [fill in your cause] construe your image of [fill in your cause].

As simple as I could imagine

Once in 3rd grade a friend of mine named Brett didn't want to play anymore. We were at recess so I went and complained to the teacher that she had to make Brett play with me. She just suggested I play with another group. What a horrible teacher.

Later that same school year, I tried to trade a 'How to Draw people' book with a kid from another class for his pencil holder. It was one of those cool ones that had compartments for everything. He wouldn't trade and I was mad. How dare he not make the deal with me? Didn't he see how great the deal was? I'm sure that guys in jail by now.

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Having the right to choose what or whom to publish/produce/support is not censorship. It is not a trampling of any speech freedoms. It is, in fact, an example of just how free our speech really is. Mike, you can say all you want about censorship. We know, however, that our choices make us free. Even if, from time to time, someone chooses against you. Welcome to our America Mike. You have to earn the right to be heard. And even then, it's our right not to listen.

Oh how times are changing

I changed things a few weeks ago, and I wasn't really satisfied with how the blog looked. I think now I'm getting closer to a template that I really enjoy. Things I'll still change soon:

- Text all over the place. It still looks a little hard to read.
- Mess around a little more with the toolbar section on the left.
- Eventually I'd like to host the site elsewhere, so I won't be under bloggers regime

Other than that, welcome to the newness.

Only so I don't forget

Tonight, upon reviewing the Lakers/Spurs game, Charles Barkley had this to say:

[In refernce to Karl Malone's age]


"my name is Charles Barkley, I used to be a great basketball player. Now I'm just a fat-ass guy"


followed by another great oneliner:

"Sports are not for old guys. . . this ain't baseball"


Sir Charles is my hero.