The Night Writer http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/ Illuminating fun, faith, family and foolishness. en-us 2009-02-03T06:02+00:00 In your facebook http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1233635068.shtml ... The Night Writer 2009-02-03T06:02+00:00 I have to confess I'm living a double-life. I've been doing this blogging thing for a while now but a couple of weeks ago I finally got into the Facebook thing; mainly just so I could read what my daughters were putting on there. Of course, once the Facebook organism recognizes you it runs all of its tendrils out through your past and present in its proprietary way and starts re-connecting you with people. Which is fun, but leads to more time on-line writing notes and on walls, poking and tagging people and so on.

It's kind of like getting a new pet. The thing about a new pet, however, is that no matter how cute it is, it's still got to be fed. And if you've got other pets — like a blog, for instance — these want to be fed, too, and it can get kind of hairy trying to run back and forth between them. Then those long-lost friends want to get all caught up on your life, and get you all caught up on theirs, so they tag you with the "25 Things" Meme.

Well, my short answer to that is "Read My Blog!" because basically everything that's gone on, or is going on, in my life shows up there in one way or another. But doing it that way is the War and Peace version (on DVD, with Director's commentary). So I decided to do the Reader's Digest version (albeit annotated), while simultaneously "feeding" both my Facebook page and my blog. Here then, is my "25 Things" thing, many with links to past blog-posts that provide the back-story to that "thing".

1. I know a lot of words, but I can use just a few of them at a time if necessary.

2. I can't access Facebook during the day because it's blocked on my company computers.

3. Sometimes I can be a real smart-ass.

4. And sometimes I can be a fair (or, perhaps, unfair) poet.

5. A movie that I always have to stop and watch if I come across it while channel-surfing: Zulu.

6. I teach a monthly "Fundamentals in Film" class to a group of teenage boys, using popular films to illustrate timeless truths of character and honorable behavior (as opposed to the images of Homer Simpson and professional wrestlers they're most often exposed to).

7. Sometimes, the movies and lessons come alive.

8. I'm in love with my wife!

9. I'm also Dad to the Bone.

10. My wife and I home-educate our children at the Stewart Academy for Girls.

11. And sometimes we get unexpected help and lessons ourselves.

12. And I'm still learning stuff:

13. I've been to England twice. Once as an exchange student in college and 28 years later with my family,

14. I've also been to Italy,

15. And to Scotland,

16. And to Ireland,

17. And to the Emergency Room!

18. I know the difference between men and women.

19. And I'm not afraid to stick my neck (and head) out when it comes to my kids.

20. But a lot of people think I have some funny ideas about how to go about getting married:

21. I worked for a while part-time as a scoreboard operator at the Metrodome for Twins, Vikings and Minnesota Gophers games, and the odd rock concert, Wrestlemania and tractor pull - some odder than others:

22. My life frequently resembles something out of Monty Python:

23. My 14-year-old daughter and co-blogger is already a prize-winning author!

24. My wife and daughters go out for coffee together every Friday morning and often "live-blog" the experience. I sometimes wonder just what has been poured into their stream of consciousness.

25. I'm tired.
]]> 55 random things http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1226775599.shtml I was tagged by Gabrielle at I'm Free Now. The "55 Things Meme":... The Reverend Mother 2008-11-15T23:11+00:00 I'm Free Now. The "55 Things Meme":

55 Things
1. The phone rings; whom do you want it to be?
Ummmmmm, Publisher's Clearinghouse.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Always.

3. If you had to kiss the last person you kissed, would you?
I think so.

4. Do you take compliments well?
Yes, thank you very much.

5. Do you play Sudoku?
Yes, but I'm not obsessed like some people I happen to live with.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
It seems unlikely.

7. Do you like nipple rings?
Never seen one up close and personal, if you know what I mean.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Nope

9. If a sexy person were pursuing you, but you knew he/she were married what would you do?
Cough, cough. That happens all the time. I just ignore it.
NW: Hey! *puff, puff* Come back here!

10. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
I'm married so I quit dating a few years ago.


]]> Meme-ing of life http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1215279211.shtml ... The Night Writer 2008-07-05T17:07+00:00
From Mitch. Nothing but one-word answers - and you can’t use any word twice:

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket.
2. Your significant other? Trophy.
3. Your hair? Distinguished.
4. Your mother? Cuba.
5. Your father? Missed.
6. Your favorite time of day? Night!
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten.
8. Your favorite drink? Coffee.
9. Your dream goal? Published.
10. The room you’re in? Living.
11. Your ex? Unlucky.
12. Your fear? Itself.
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Letterman.
14. What you are not? Emaciated.
15. Your Favorite meal? Most.
16. One of your wish list items? BIA-3.
17. The last thing you did? Laundry.
18. Where you grew up? Midwest.
19. What are you wearing? Smile.
20. Your TV is? Awesome.
21. Your pets? Noisy.
22. Your computer? Laptrap.
23. Your life? Python-esque.
24. Your mood? Whatever.
25. Missing someone? Yes.
26. Your car? Truck.
27. Something you’re not wearing? Tie.
28. Favorite store? Cabela's.
29. Your summer? Missing.
30. Your favorite colour? Green.
31. When is the last time you laughed? Saturday.
32. When is the last time you cried? Wednesday.
33. Your health? Functional.
34. Your children? Keepers.
35. Your future? Golden.
36. Your beliefs? Biblical.
37. Young or old? Mature.
38. Your image? Graven.
39. Your appearance? Welcome.
40. Would you live your life over again knowing what you know? Yup.]]> Attention, World. May I have your attention, please? http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1210953170.shtml There's a meme going around that somehow or another has missed me so far (as far as I know). The "Message to the World" meme states: You have 150 characters to... The Night Writer 2008-05-16T15:05+00:00 You have 150 characters to send a message to the world. Punctuation doesn't count.

Ok, take a memo, Ms. Jones...


TO: World

FROM: The Night Writer

DATE: Today and forever

RE: Need I remind you

"He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"

Micah 6:8

I'm not going to meme anyone else with this, but I will offer this assignment: Try to imagine what the blogosphere, not to mention the daily newspaper, cable news networks and nightly news, would look like if everyone followed this instruction for one day. Submit your descriptions in a comment below, or on your own blog. Extra points for writing sample scripts or articles demonstrating these elements.

]]> I had joy, I had fun, I had...85% correct http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1208109655.shtml I think I could have scored better, but it's an audio test and sometimes it was hard to get the previous song out of my head when the next song was... The Night Writer 2008-04-13T18:04+00:00
I scored a Far Out
85% on theQuiz by SheGoddess: Lose Weight Fast
]]> Working on those Night Memes... http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1205285034.shtml After three years of doing this blog thing I don't know that there are six little known facts about me left undisclosed, but I'll see what I can do with the... The Night Writer 2008-03-12T23:03+00:00 Jroosh tagged me with.

Six Little Known Facts About Me:
1. I hate most vegetables, especially green beans, beets and brussel sprouts. One time I was grievously deceived when I what I thought was a bowl of fried, diced potatoes was actually parsnips. I still shudder at the recollection.

2. I couldn’t wait to sign up for band in 6th grade because I really wanted to play the trumpet. Somehow or another I let the band instructor talk me into playing the tenor saxophone. Five years later I finally quit (probably about the time my parents finished paying the damn thing off).

3. As an adult I also took banjo lessons for awhile. I concluded that banjo players aren’t really as happy as they look.

4. The greatest days of my life were October 10, 1987; August 18, 1988 and February 10, 1994.

5. So far I have only discovered three games in which I have a natural aptitude: football, bumper pool and Trivial Pursuit. Now I’m too old to play football, I haven’t seen a bumper pool table in 35 years, and no one who knows me will play Trivial Pursuit with me anymore.

6. I will turn 50 on Thursday, April 3. Coincidentally, this “little known fact” also lines up with Trivia Night at Keegan’s, which I will be attending. Show up and see if an old dog has learned any new tricks.



]]> Who is this guy? http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1201305570.shtml I saw this meme over at The Far Wright, by way of Steve at Careful Thought. The premise is simple and fun in a weird kind of way. You... The Night Writer 2008-01-28T17:01+00:00 The Far Wright, by way of Steve at Careful Thought. The premise is simple and fun in a weird kind of way. You insert your name into the following sentence on a Google search (be sure to include the quotation marks): "[your name] is a". Collect the sentences that come up in the search and put them in the meme, then do use the same sentence in a Google image search ) and list the results. Then do the same in Google Image Search and post the result.

This generated a lot of interesting hits for me since I share a name (if not the spelling) with a well-known talk show host, a popular (at one time, anyway) folk singer and a second-tier superhero. I'll post the image (found here) later as I'm having trouble uploading it right now, but below are the sentences that I found.

I have no reason to doubt the veracity of any of them, or their application to my life:

John Stewart is a comedian, he just happens to have a flair for politics.

John Stewart is a legend in the music industry.

John Stewart is a builder. He became an architect because he wanted to build things.

John Stewart is a comparatively unsung performer whose number of albums and quality of music challenges the redoubtable Gordon Lightfoot.

John Stewart is a national treasure.

John Stewart is a muleskinner for hire and "Rogue Freighter".

John Stewart is a great singer and songwriter and one of Nanci's heroes.

John Stewart is a great advocate FOR democracy, not against it.

John Stewart is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Universe, and a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps.

John Stewart is a veteran of the comedy community, of course I'm going with him.

Some say that John Stewart is a CIA experiment that went wrong and that John Stewart only eats cheese.

john stewart is a tiny god.

John Stewart is a great character, but he's by no means my favorite.

John Stewart is a heavyweight.

John Stewart is a very smart man.

In fact, John Stewart is a fresh face.

John Stewart is a great example of character growth.

John Stewart, is a biophysical scientist, psycho-spiritual teacher and a defining voice in the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality.

John Stewart is a member of an elite club.
]]> Long Live the Meme! http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1199736350.shtml Ok, so I tagged Princess FlickerFeather with this meme, and she e-mailed her response to me forever ago, and I'm just posting it now. I'm sorry! I know that you were... Princess FlickerFeather 2008-01-07T20:01+00:00
7 Things people don't know about me:
1) I couldn't sing you a Beatles song to save my life.

2) Still a teenager and already a great-aunt

3) I'm a ninja - Seriously, I can disappear for an hour or so and not have people notice I'm gone.

4) My brother talks more than me.

5) Always wished I could be a tomboy.

6) I've only been to 4 concerts in my life.

7) Wanted to be married at 18... yeah, not going to happen. ^_^
]]> Meme!!! Mwhahahahaha!! http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1197474333.shtml My sister, the Mall Diva, tagged me with the '7 Things That May Or May Not Be True About Me' meme. So, let's get started:... Tiger Lilly 2007-12-12T15:12+00:00
1. I'm currently a purple belt in Tae Kwon Do.
2. I'm trying to clean my room.
3. But I don't have a convenient place to put my weapons arsenal.
4. I have two loud birds that very rarely shut up.
5. I love sky diving.
6. I'm an undiscovered writer.
7. I like being alone so I can sing as loud as I want without anyone hearing or caring.

Now it's up to you to deduce which of these are true, and which ones I just put down off the top of my head. Have fun!

Ciao for now!]]> Bwa-ha-ha-haaaa! I'm it! http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1196716562.shtml I've been tagged by Amanda at Within the Discord (an awesome new blog, btw. I'm so happy to have another girl on board!) with this meme: 7 things that most... Mall Diva 2007-12-03T21:12+00:00 Within the Discord (an awesome new blog, btw. I'm so happy to have another girl on board!) with this meme: 7 things that most people don't know about me.

I think I'll change it up a little, though: 7 things that may or may not be true that most people don't know about me. Heehee! Have fun guessing what's what!

1. I used to have two black kittens. Their names were Glory and Hallelujah.

2. I talk in my sleep. One incident involved me telling my mother that I needed nine thousand dollars. I was probably five.

3. This past year I got a tattoo of a scripture from the Bible. On the bottom of my right foot it says "Whither thou goest,", and on the bottom of my left foot it says "I will go". It's super cool. It hurt like crazy, though.

4. I love football.

5. Clowns scare me.

6. Right now I'm taking a break from writing a script to do this meme. Betcha didn't know that I'm a scriptwriter, did you? Come to our Christmas program!

7. I'm a musical prodigy.


Let's see; I tag Kevi-Wevi, Princess FlickerFeather, and Tiger Lilly.]]>