I do have good news. You do not have to have a secret handshake or password to read my blog. In fact, I have empirical data that indicates, over these 11 years, nearly 23,000 unsuspecting folks have landed on my blog from Russia. I suppose I should be glad I haven't been subpoenaed by the special prosecutor's office to shed light on this matter. But, given the fact I had nothing to do with them landing on my blog, therefore, I, for now, and forever proclaim that I did not collude with them. I thought I would get this back-to-work
Monday off with a little political intrigue to get everyone's attention. I do bring you greetings on this
August 13, 2018. I can only imagine how twisted up a Russian linguist would be trying to interpret some of Paw Paw Mac's homegrown sayings. They might suspect my grandfather of being a code talker or something. I think it works both ways. Here are some so-called colorful Russian idioms that help to liven up their language. (I'm using the English translations for obvious reasons.) ~ "There’s no truth in standing on your feet." Meaning: This is something people often say as a gesture of hospitality. Basically, you’re encouraging someone to sit down and make themselves at home. ~ "Don’t rush the horses!" Meaning: Don’t be in such a rush. ~ "Make a notch on your nose." Meaning: Take notice of what I’m saying and drill it into your memory. ~ "To make an elephant out of a fly." Meaning: This is essentially the Russian version of “make a mountain out of a molehill.” ~ "I will show you where lobsters spend the winter." Meaning: This is essentially a threat (stop, or else). ~ You can find more of these on the Babbel Magazine website. I suppose I woke up today feeling a need to be more culturally relevant from an international perspective. Nah. I don't think so. Just messing around. That's all.
I just hope those from
over there, and they know who I am talking about, haven't learned too much insider information about me. They may have discovered that I actually prefer mustard greens to collard greens. I don't even want to think what they might glean from my clearly stated devotion to Community Coffee. I'm not sure what they would make of this quote I used back in 2014. It was one written by Robert Louis Stevenson in his 1878 travelogue, 'An Inland Voyage', "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." Put that one under the microscope. Maybe they found out I like hot cinnamon candy and that as a kid I developed a taste for licorice mainly since most of the kids didn't like it which meant I had it all to myself. Who knows what they might have thought about me traveling back to my old homeplace and making sure I spent time at the cemetery since so many of my kinfolks have markers there? Maybe they think my preoccupation with diabetes is only a smokescreen to cover some other nefarious activities. When they boil it all down, I hope they took the time to analyze what I call my life verse from the Bible, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a Light to my path." (My own transliteration of the 119th Division of the Psalms, Verse 150) They no doubt discovered that I love the Lord. I love my wife. I love my family. I love home cooking. And, yes, maybe a really big one, I do operate in costume, undercover, if you will, from time to time, going about in a red suit and saying strange things like,"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."
Okay. Before anyone makes an anonymous call to a nearby governmental office, let me make it clear that I am only having a little fun today. However, surveillance, in all shapes and forms, is an ongoing reality in each of our lives. A fellow here in the office told me the other day he was beginning to see pop up ads on social media regarding something he had been interested in before. I told him if he did a search on anything related, that's how they generate a personal interest hit and you start getting the ads. He immediately said he had not searched for anything on the internet related to the product. Maybe he used a credit card. The credit card may have connected back to his user profile and now the ads are flowing. I'm not sure what exactly happened but if you go back and read the quote I used in today's title, I think you see where we are. It was a prediction when he said it. It is not only a present-day reality but, it has been greatly enhanced. I do appreciate you taking the time to drop in for our visit today. I do enjoy our times together. You have my permission to enjoy another cup of coffee. Yes, Community Coffee would be best, but, we still have the freedom to choose, at least as it relates to our coffee. Enjoy the rest of your day and know that God is aware, before, during, and after. And, He cares. This means we can always trust Him.
Amen. ....More later.
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