Official Notice
Okay folks, brace yourselves, I’m about to be rude.
The Facebook version of Jared Brandon is no longer accepting invitations to participate in “dumb things.” The term “dumb things” refers to, but is not limited to the following:
- Poking (in any form) – Please keep your hands to yourself.
- Best Friends – Honestly, How many can you really have?
- Family Members - Does this really need to be announced publicly?
- Birthday Requests – I don’t care about yours…
- Gifts – I have no intention of giving you anything.
- Weird games – I have no time for these things.
- ETC.
Hero
News of an airline crash in New York City reached me late in the afternoon of January 15, 2009. My first reaction, before hearing the full story, was of nervous fear as a flood of memories of the September 11th attacks swirled into my mind. Like the rest of the US population, I have a very clear mental picture of what happened that day and I shudder at the memory of it. But January 15th turned my attention to another side of the story. I suddenly became aware of a long lost word in my vocabulary: hero. And as the story filtered through the airwaves and plastered the headlines, that same word seemed to be the common thread tying it all together. It wasn’t the crash that people were talking about. It was the hero.
Talk of the ‘hero’ permeates our society. It is a foundational idea upon which we construct a portion of our worldview. It influences how we perceive ourselves and how we view the deeds of others. Sometimes we’re the bystanders and on occasion we’re the rescued. But once in a while we are the heroes. In select moments of our lives that will try, and prove, our character, we see a glimpse of the best version of ourselves. We see the man or woman, girl or boy that God intended us to be — great beings full of life, opportunity, and ability. It is no small matter to face trial and difficulty and fail to see the teaching hand of grace upon us. Whether we succeed or fail, it is still the test – and we must take it. It is in the fire that we are cleansed. Between the anvil and the hammer we are molded. And in the waters we are tempered and refreshed.
Heroes may come in varying forms; they may be born of different circumstances. The Bible dictates countless deeds and acts of faith by many heroic individuals and ultimately shows us the greatest act of love and sacrifice imaginable. Some of the most influential heroes exist only in the pages of fiction. And these stories of suffering and sacrifice provide us with a model that we often cannot find elsewhere. Whether truth or fiction, the principles of overcoming hardship and enduring suffering under the guiding hand of our Saviour never tire of their validity. Stories written centuries ago are as relevant today as they were the day they were published. Through long years and changing worlds, characters long forgotten in the folds of a dusty book still bear the same volatile message of hope and perseverance. And it is upon these premises that Lamplighter Publishing is built.
Heroism, or the lack thereof, is personified in the skillfully-crafted words of authors like Amy LeFeuvre, Christoph VonSmidt, W.E. Cule, Eden Southworth, and many others. Historical and fictional characters, alike, battle loss, fear, depravation, and seemingly unjust circumstances without knowing how long they must endure. In the midst of the darkest moments, the light of truth and purpose shine through to reveal God’s sovereign design. Maybe it is for the strong man to learn humility, the faint hearted to become stout, or the secret to be revealed. It could be for the sick to be healed or the hero to be lifted up. But each story and every character follows a path of uncertainty in trials to learn that when we courageously trust in God, and relinquish control we so ignorantly attempt to retain, that we will finally experience, in all it’s fullness, the purpose for which God has placed us here. To daily die to ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. To heroically exemplify Christ in our daily encounter with obstacles and suffering and seek the truth that God so relentlessly tries to show us. These are the makings of a hero.
I Wanna Play
Decline In Lint Production
This may interest you…
I recently discovered that I have a decreasingly productive belly button. Most people, particularly women and male models, believe that the navel has no real function. Many would relinquish their own because of this ignorant belief. It has been my observation however that the belly button is actually a multifunctional “inpendage.” (I made up this word because an appendage sticks out of the body and doesn’t mean what I needed it to. Since a belly button sticks IN, I made the term INpendage…please use it often.) Following in a bulleted list format are some of the observed navelic (another made up word) functions.
- Lint Control: Provides a collection pit for lint that is collected and channeled by torso hair.
- Provides warmth for itself by being a collection pit for the lint mentioned above. (This also makes it efficient because the body does not have to worry about heating it’s navel and can concentrate on other areas of the body that need heat)
- Functions as a resting place for ten different fingers and some toes
- Provides safe keeping for marbles and small stones
- Disappears when you sit down so that nothing inadvertently falls inside without you knowing it
My own button has declined significantly in the past 9 months in the area of lint control. The chart below illustrates this with an orange line that goes from high to low with a spike towards the end. My own investigations have led me to the conclusion that because of a massive amount of chestal hair (made up term), my clothes have been scrubbed free of rogue fuzz (the raw material of which lint is made). Since I have not gotten any new clothes in a very long time, there is less and less rogue fuzz to be useful in lint production and therefore less lint to be controlled. My only explanation for the spike in july is that I did some laundry around that time. My navel is now at 7, down from 100.
Study Conducted 10/6/08 at 10:35 PM by Jared Brandon
Latest Injury
Just thought I’d share this with you… Notice the proximity of the injury to the actual eye.
Does anyone know a number for pet abuse…I mean for when the pet abuses you?
By the way, I created a new category to file my injuries under. It’s called “Injuries”
I hope you’ll understand.
This Just In!
While I was writing the previous post (scroll in a downward direction) I found a code to get into a new startup called Socialthing! It’s a site where you can connect many of your social networks together and update them from one place. I think it’s going to be awesome, and it’s still growing. Actually, I’ve been trying to get in for over a month, but never got an invitation. But I found a way in…the side door. When I first happened upon it, it was still just a startup in it’s beta release, but it was acquired by AOL for buku dollars, so they’re in the process of making some big shiny changes. I have two invites that I can request be sent out…so if you find yourself buried in login id’s, passwords, and avatars, post a comment and I’ll try to get you in. First come first served I guess…
Invite Yourself
As you know, social networking is the new sliced bread. And everywhere you look there are new social networks popping up. Personally, I’m not very good at it. It takes so much time and since I don’t have that much time to be taken, I’m afraid “I’m at the shallow end of the dream pool.” (Scar, The Lion King,1994) But I have been making an effort. And since I’ve been making that effort, I stumbled upon what would, in most social applications, be considered a serious faux pas. It is now acceptable to invite yourself to the latest internet social gathering. In case you don’t know how it works…typically when a new Web 2.0 site (ie: facebook, myspace, digg, de.lici.ous, etc) starts up, the release an alpha, then a beta. Most of the time the betas are an invitation only kind of thing. You have to request the invitation, wait for it, and then IF you get one, you can create an account and so on…you are then officially cooler than every one else until the site goes public. Often times when you get invited, they will give you a few invitation codes to hand out to your friends through your other social networks. It’s fun…and you see now why it’s acceptable to invite yourself.
Stay tuned for updates on how self-invitation translates into the tangible world.
Thanks for coming to the show!
Thanks to everyone who showed up to Jen and Debbie’s exhibit at the Marquis Gallery. We had an awesome turn out with lots of familiar and lots of unfamiliar faces. Pics are on there way.
Jen and Debbie’s Art Show at Marquis Gallery!
Hey! If anyone needs directions to Jen and Debbie’s show at Marquis Gallery, here they are. My number is below for anyone who gets lost in Scranton. The gallery is tucked away inside a block, there is not direct street access, so you might have to look around. It is surrounded by a parking garage on Adams & Lackawanna, A bank and Gallucci’s Music store on Lackawanna & Washington, and a Parking lot behind the Northern Light Espresso Bar on the Spruce St. side of the block. The show will be located on the first floor and primarily in the lower level. In addition to some of the best artwork in the area, there will also be refreshments, live music, and lots of people. Bring some friends! All pieces are available for sale.
Directions from I -81:
Coming from I-81 North or South
Take Exit 191B on the Scranton Expressway
Continue straight onto Mulberry St.
Turn RIGHT onto Wyoming
Turn LEFT onto Linden St.
Turn RIGHT onto Washington Ave.
Turn LEFT onto Center St. (there is a bank on the left)
Parking might be difficult so you might need to park on another street or in the parking garage that is located at the end of Center Street.
The Marquis Gallery is located between a few buildings and parking lots. It is a brick building with noticeable signs.
Call me at 570-687-1111 if you have any trouble finding the place.
Look what happened.
F
