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| The wife likes it short; I like it scruffy long. The groomer tries to meet us in the middle; they then give me the standard: it will grow out, Sir. Ha! |
Good morning, folks, and welcome. Today is Tuesday, where we are celebrating a brand new start to a brand new month, at least for this year, on
September 1,
2026. Don't even get me started. According to our friends at Google Search, a man's head wash and haircut costs, on average, between $20 and $70. (The wife of my youth is my hairdresser.) We had Lil Miss Biscuit, our pup, groomed yesterday. Please don't even ask how much it cost. Shockingly outrageous. Think about this one. The wife often says if I am going to have a pup, we have to take care of the pup. My, how times have changed. When I grew up, the dogs that stayed around my grandparents' home- I'm not sure they were ever bathed, ever. Let me correct that. I believe I saw them once or twice out in the rain. Ha! They did get their free rabies shots when the Parish mobile unit came around. Now that I think about it, I do believe my grandfather would occasionally dip them in some awful-smelling stuff to kill some kind of lice or something. Fast forward to today, I do bathe our pup, but that's only a mere smidgen of the norm in taking care of a pet in these times. The veterinarian visit once a year can be very costly, and they track Biscuit as well as our medical plan tracks us. We buy the recommended food, which is the best that can be found; that is, until the vet clinic signs a new agreement with a different dog food company and then their product becomes the best that can be found. Forget about whether Lil Miss Biscuit is worth it. That's not even the point. Here's the national average spent: "Basic care—including food, routine vet visits, grooming, and supplies—averages about $4,272 per year per pet." We may be in the low to mid end of that cost projection; however, look how far we have come. Did I mention the variety of treats we have for our pup? I admit it. I am always looking for a different kind of treat because I wouldn't want her to suffer from monotony. Please forgive me, Paw Paw Mac, but I'm afraid this is how we roll these days. (Federal tax deduction for a child is $2,200 for this year, just saying.)
I noticed something the other day while riding my new exercise bike. I was playing a Japanese Samurai series on my phone with English subtitles. When the battle scenes became intense, I pedaled harder. What is that all about? I also noticed something while we were watching clips from the American Ninja Warrior TV series. I found myself straining to help people win even though the clips may have been from several years ago. Silly, don't you think? I asked my ever-present internet friend, Mr. Artificial Intelligence, about this situation. Here is his answer: "We root for people on television to win because our brains process them like real social connections and trigger emotional rewards when they succeed." No wonder my grandfather got so worked up watching the tiny black and white TV when the Russian professional wrestler was beating up on our American professional wrestling champion. We laughed at him back then. But who's laughing now? Even our pastor admits to hollering at the TV set when his team is playing. Before anyone writes me a letter about my viewing choices, I also hasten to inform my reading audience of the many hours of research I do pursuing the best presentation of God's Word for my Bible Study Class. Hours. Many. I just wanted to make it a wee bit harder for any naysayers lurking around seeking whom they might criticize. That's a joke, but if it finds a home where you are, remember what the preachers often say, "It's the hit dog that barks." Relax, I'm just having a little fun. Get out there and pedal a little harder. Do it for the Kingdom! Right?
Amen.
