tbolt

Today is Good Friday, the end of Holy Week, and almost the end of the Lenten season. There is a lot I need to consider today. So easy to retreat into the box of distractions and wander aimlessly... What are you willing to die for? This is something I really need to ponder today. And when I say die, I don't mean on the battlefield surrounded by heaps of the slain, or tying a bomb to one's face and walking into a public area... No... When the stormtroopers knock on one's door at 2:00 in the morning, invite them in, and go quietly with them, knowing what is about to happen... I'll be watching the Passion of the Christ this afternoon. The film brings tears to my eyes, as I consider the pain it portrays, and it's implications for my life. Asking me these questions: Would you die for a friend? Would you die for someone you liked / respected? Would you die for someone who was ignorant towards you? If someone died that you might live, how would you relate to that person for

Today is Ash Wednesday. The beginning of Lent, the ramp up to the Easter season. It is a time of reflection for those that follow Jesus. According to Psalm 90: “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. ” This verse hits home to me as I come off another major arthritic attack, and watch my blood pressure creeping into dangerous levels. I have seventeen years left, possibly even less looking at the mortality rate on my mother's side. It is a sobering thought. This is stuff you generally don't think about when you are in your teens – 20's. What have I actually accomplished with my life? Have I been useful to anyone, or anything? When I am gone will the world be better, or worse off because of me? Will anyone even notice me gone? What happens to me after I die? Those are not easy or simple questions. But I have the next forty days to ponder them.

So... My boss screwed up our annual evaluation and it cost us 20% of our pay raise. (It sounds a lot worse than it is, only comes out to about $.10 / hour. Still, its the thought that counts...) Additionally I've been given aditional travel responsibilities every day that require me to beat my car every day for about $.75 / day reimbursement. I'm sure that will cover the wasted gas, new exhaust system and overall wear of the engine. Because starting your car, driving 1/4 mile and turning it off is super healthy for an internal combustion engine. Maybe if I had a Tesla or something electric I wouldn't care as much. So beware when dealing with passive-aggressive people in positions of power. He gave me a bonus, alright... His disease. He tested hot for Covid last week, and I'm feeling all his symptoms. Got the test yesterday to confirm one way or the other. The fact that the temprature just went below freezing and it started dumping snow outside, and I'm required to keep the