“To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson, An Inland Voyage

Another Monday, another work week, here on this day, August 25, 2014, and another reminder of just how out of touch I can be. The 'Simpson's' marathon where 552 episodes are being played back to back was promoted like it was a moon landing or something. Confession: I have never watched one episode, period, end of story. Not just because it is typically on at a time when I am attending services on Sunday evening, I've never really had a desire to see it, even from curiosity. Sure. I know about the cartoon series because I've read bits and bites here and there about it over the years. And, I've heard the names of some of the characters and the actors who voice them. I tried to listen to an interview program with the individual who started it all but found the whole thing just too bizarre to tolerate. The interviewer was like frothing at the mouth with adulation for this monumentally significant cultural achievement, to the extent that I either had to change the station or pull over on the side of the road to throw up. I guess this means I will not be wearing a Bart Simpson t-shirt during the showing of all the episodes. On that we all can agree. I also suppose it makes me even more of a misfit for what folks call entertainment today. That's okay. I actually know some people who wouldn't, under threat of bodily harm, be found watching David Suchet playing Hercule Poirot on Masterpiece Theater. Now there's 70 stories that I might wear a t-shirt for. "Can't we all just get along?" (Rodney King, 1992)

Please don't put me on any lists where folks who can't make it through the week without their 'Simpsons' fix have an opportunity to vent on me. We are different. We like different things. Different things are of interest to us. I suppose that's why they have 200 channels on the satellite dish. And, it can be hard to find something of interest even with all those choices. Many evenings it's like maybe I need another 200 with hopes of finding something to watch. I thought about a fellow in our local fellowship. He is a beloved person and a genuine character. He's heard me use anecdotes from the Duck Dynasty series enough that he felt like he ought to try it to see if he might like it also. One evening in Bible study I said something about Uncle Si and my buddy piped up that he had watched a couple of episodes just to check it out. He then made the zip the lip sign and proclaimed that he had watched and that was all he had to say about it. I responded that it sounded to me like he didn't care for it very much. He again made the sign of the lip zip and that was the end of that story. You see. What I found to be funny, and entertaining, obviously was not his cup of tea, or in his case, I know it would be not his cup of coffee. I also know that when he's in my class at Church, it's Community. And, all preferences aside, I am unanimous in that one!

The ditty I wrote last week about my experiences down at the driver's license department got a little attention. One fellow said he was reading it on his phone and everyone at his job wanted to know what he was laughing about. Another person asked why it seemed that things like that always happened to me. While that may be a chicken and egg question, it still doesn't have much to add to why he or she crossed the road. Here's what I think. Situations like that one probably happen to more of us than we realize. Maybe I am more prone these days to being able to see something funny materializing when otherwise, I would, like most of us, myself included, just get frustrated and angry about it. Maybe the doing of all these blogs have predisposed me to be on the look out for stories. I don't think that's it because I still have many from way before this ever started that I've not shared yet. I don't know if I ever will. In fact, I didn't know what this page was going to be about until I sat down, put it together, and here it is. That's not to say I don't think about a good idea from time to time that I would like to share but I don't always preserve it so it will have to wait until it hits me again. You know. Like lightning. Or something like that. Take care. Have a great Monday. And, may God add His blessings to your day. Amen.   ....More later.