Mindscape of Chris Judd

I copied this post from a friend, Joan Anderson… Too funny!

Keeping in mind my tweet/post from earlier today – “Phil 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” – I have enjoyed thus snow season (thus far)… Still below is something we can all relate to in some way -Ha !!

My thanks to Joan and the original author for the smile I now pass on to you!

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December 8 6:00 p.m.
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our “hot chocolate” and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love the snow!

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I’ve ever had! Shovelled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry — we’ll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we’ll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I’ll never want to see snow again. I don’t think that’s possible. Bob is such a nice man, I’m glad he’s our neighbor.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away; but, I warmed up by shovelling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn’t realize I would have to do quite this much shovelling; but, I’ll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn’t huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4×4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife’s car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that’s silly. We aren’t in Alaska, after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my rump on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should’ve bought a wood stove, but won’t admit it to her. Man, I hate it when she’s right. I can’t believe I’m freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20
Electricity’s back on, but had another 14 inches of the darn stuff last night. More shovelling! Took all day. The snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they’re too busy playing hockey. I think they’re lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they’re out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they’re lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he’s lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white stuff fell today, and it’s so cold, it probably won’t melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to pee. By the time I got undressed, peed, and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he’s too busy. I think he’s lying.

December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning What is she, nuts?! Why didn’t she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she’s lying.

December 24
6 inches — Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the guy who drives that snowplow, I’ll drag him through the snow and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I’ve just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the darn snowplow.

December 25
Merry Christmas! 20 more inches of the slop tonight — Snowed in. The idea of shovelling makes my blood boil. I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she’s an idiot. If I have to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” one more time, I’m going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the heck did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She’s really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him. He only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. My WIFE is driving me crazy!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That’s the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am.?

December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snowplow driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his butt. The wife went home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted.

December 31
I set fire to what’s left of the house. No more shovelling.

January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to this bed?

Following the Biblical “to everything there is a season” passage in Ecclesiastes, I have FINALLY ‘cast away the stone’…. Praise GOD!

It was a jagged. gnarly, mean looking little beasty, about 6mm in size…. it’s at the lab now to get analyzed and will review with the Doc to see how to alter the diet some… I *REALLY* don’t want to go thru that again…. oooouuuuch! Happened a few days ago, we’ve named it “spike”. I think the combination of the massive amounts of fresh lemons and the final cocktail of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil as a chaser one evening greased it up and did the trick. It was like drinking salad dressing, without the yummy bacon flavoring. If that didn’t work, I was ready to try the “Samuel Adams” or “Miller Genuine Draft” route so many recommended… blech…

Plus side, tho I don’t recommend it, is I lost a lot of weight… now to keep it off. Going to watch what I eat more, drink lots more water, less tea – all that good stuff.

So long “Spike”, glad it’s over…

Well, in spite of the twist on the title of this point – yeah, it might be nice to experience “better living thru chemistry” – the “stones” are real… Kidney Stones…. going on 2 weeks (as of today, actually)… I’ve got some meds but they just dull the pain…

I’ve had a lot of people ask what it feels like, express their symapthy and even more that have said they have had them and agree with the “worst pain ever – more than child birth” statement. I’ve drank so much water last few weeks I shudder to think what the water bill is going to be . Tried the lemons, grapes, cranberry, etc methods to help either soften the stone, or disolve it, but so far, it’s a stubborn beasty and it’s hanging on tight…

The alarm that goes off on the iPhone every 4 hours to tell me to take another pill has become such a routine, that we’ve made a song out of the alarm tone…. something like “it’s time to… take Chris’ happy pill…..” (those with an iPhone, play the xylophone tone and sing along!)

Spencer is not happy to learn that my Dad has had them (quite a few times), and with me now, that the prospect that he’s next are not appealing… Especially when once he asked, I started explaining what they are and just how they hurt… he doubled over in sympathy pains. Like when guys watch those “funniest home video shows” that inevitably involve some poor guy getting punched/smacked/hit in the groin – every man twinges a little bit in sympathy…

So… alarm is going off, time to take a happy pill… later all!

This is a copy from a recent email blast from the “Providence Forum”. Repeated here… it’s good stuff…

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As we approach Independence Day it is a good time to reflect on just what this special holiday means and why we celebrate as Americans. Put as a question, we might ask, “Why all the fireworks?”

John Adams, writing on July 3, 1776 from Philadelphia to his wife, Abigail, eloquently and prophetically captured the mood that would accompany future anniversaries commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence:

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

His description sounds a lot like what the 4th of July has been for the last 233 years: parades, festivals, picnics, fireworks, music, celebratory gatherings. But if you look carefully at Adams’ words, he does not tie the revelry to an excitement only about being a new nation – America – independent of Great Britain. He rightly understood the foundation of America, and that the fireworks and festivals also ought to include “solemn acts of Devotion to God Almighty” for “the Day of Deliverance.”

The biblical imagery is unmistakable. Adams connected the biblical Exodus with American independence, revealing both a special providence for this newly formed nation, and a special responsibility. Writing prior to the years of bloodshed of the Revolutionary War, Adams continued his letter with full comprehension of the totality of what the emergence of our nation would mean:

“You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. – I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. – Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

Thus, America was not to be a nation unto itself, a nation satisfied with its mere existence. Adams envisioned America as a nation comprised of “Rays of ravishing Light and Glory.” Those “rays” mean many things to many Americans, including liberty, freedom, responsibility, and charity. These have been bought with the price of “Toil and Blood and Treasure.” The Providence Forum, together with all Americans, celebrates our Independence Day this year because so many have sacrificed so much over the last two centuries to preserve America so that it can shine its light to the world, a light considered at its founding to be a solemn, providentially planned divine act of deliverance and freedom.

Learn more about The Providence Forum at www.ProvidenceForum.org

this is from tooconservative.com

While I am flattered (he he he), I know Steve Osborne meant my dad – CHARLIE… Dad loves the commonwealth and this country, loves helping people, loves his Lord, and loves politics… I grew up with such a fantastic tutor in that “eat your own and ugly” world and enjoy supporting him with the skills and talents God gave me, but he’s the true political junkie in the family!! < grin >

I learned from him to jump in to any situation and learn its system. Knowing a system (processes of tasks) can make you a master of many things in short order. I also learned leadership modeling and courage against the unknown. I also learned I loved to work with him… We were business owners and partners on a varitey of ventures spanning over 25 years… Integrity and loyalty were not just “preached” but practiced!

Here is the snippet from the blogsphere – just for fun…

(snip)

How about this, we remove Jeff Frederick and replace him with a conservative like Chris Judd. Whould that be exceptable to you Loudon Insider?

[... rest edited out for here]

- Steven Osborne

(end snip)

Here are some classic moments from SNL… had to share.

We found these on Hulu after watching an NBC special on SNL Moments the other evening all gathered around and laughing as a family… Good times… Now we’re heading back from the house deep in the trees and low-lands of Hilton Head to home… Took lots of pics, and actually have a few keepers, will post soon as we have a reliable net connection.

Enjoy the clips…

The lost ending to It’s a Wonderful Life
President Reagan as the mastermind

Posted with LifeCast

We are at the LCA Dinner Theatre production and Jonathan Falwell and I are texting about who is the guilty on in this “Murder Mystery”… it was also going a tad long, so I made some props out of the twine napkin rings and suggested we help end it early… all in good fun…

This is my 1st post… like the “hello world” for a a programmer… testing permalinks at the moment for those interested… Setting this up on the servers in the house – yes I am a GEEK… and will be exploring and blowing up and rebuilding over time… hag on for a FUN RIDE!