A Slower Pace

This is a pretty funny story — but you’re gonna have to do some linking to get the full effect.

First, go here — http://llamabutchers.mu.nu/archives/164253.php

UPDATE: seems that link might not work — try this…..

It’s a pretty funny utilization of Flash animation — the theme song to “The Llama Butchers” blog.

Anyway, I played it for the kids…..for about a half hour. It’s an addictive tune that sticks in your head like one of those annoying songs that once it gets in there replays through your mind the rest of the day. The liked the high pitched voice, the random lyrics and pictures and the funny duck. Again, go to the link, watch the animation and listen to the tune — this’ll all make more sense.

So I’m at work today and I get a cell phone call from the wife. She took the kids, her sis-in-law and niece to the Louisville Zoo. It seems that they have llamas there so the kids all started singing the song. Then they noticed the pond in the pen…..AND IT HAD DUCKS IN IT! They were so excited and were yelling “LLAMA, LLAMA, DUCK!!!!!”.

It made for a nice break to my conference call. I laughed.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot com

Below are 25 questions about things we see every day or have known about all our lives. How many can you get right? These little simple questions are harder than you think. It just shows how little we pay attention to the commonplace things of life. The average person only gets 7 right. This is based on U.S. info, so use all lobes of your brain. This can be more difficult than it looks – it just shows how little most of us really see!

RULES: Put your thinking caps on. No cheating! No looking around! No getting out of your chair! No using anything on or in your desk or computer!

Can you beat 20?? (The average is 7) Write down your answers and check answers (on the bottom) AFTER completing all the questions.

REMEMBER – NO CHEATING!!! It doesn’t matter if you cheat, actually, because if you have to cheat, then you don’t know the answer, thus, you’ve already missed the question! BE HONEST!!!

LET’S JUST SEE HOW OBSERVANT YOU REALLY ARE. – If not, just have fun!

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?

2. How many states are there in the USA? (Don’t laugh, some people don’t know.)

3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty’s torch?

4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell’s soup label?

5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don’t have letters by them?

6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left leg? (Don’t you dare get up to see!)

7. How many matches are in a standard pack?

8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?

9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial? (Don’t look at that dial!)

10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise? (Get out of the bathroom!)

11. Which way does a “no smoking” sign’s slash run?

12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial?

13. On which side of a women’s blouse are the buttons?

14. Which way do fans rotate?

15. How many sides does a stop sign have?

16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?

17. How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?

18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?

19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who’s missing?

20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?

21. On which playing card is the card maker’s trademark?

22. On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?

23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits?

24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?

25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?

Email me — dan at aslowerpace dot net — for the answers.

…..Dan at aslowerpace

Speaking of prayer, in my time here in Kentucky, not only has my faith been tested and strengthened, but the power of prayer has been truly revealed to me. I believe that most of us don’t really realize the great gift God has given to us in the form of prayer and communication with Him. It is indeed a wondrous, miraculous and powerful gift. Below are a few highlights from the blog that refer to the power of prayer. I hope at least one of them touches you enough to use the gift of prayer more often.

Prayer of St Francis:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

My prayers have been answered

Prayers during our move out to Kentucky

Prayer gift from a neighbor before we left CA — see bottom of post

I have a few other instances that I haven’t blogged about but that are wonderful examples of the power of prayer. Go pray — God’s waiting.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I came across this and it is appropriate since today is Sunday.

That’s a good kid and that’s a cool dog!

…..Dan at aslowerpace

Last night I had a date — not with the wife, but with my youngest little girl. In homeschooling, one of the motivational tools my wife uses is “10 marbles”. Each kid has a jar with their name on it. They earn marbles by “getting caught being good” — sharing with one another, helping around the house, getting all their homeschooling done without reminding or complaining, etc. They can also get marbles taken away by fighting, not listening, whining, etc. It is behavioral driven and when they get 10 marbles they can trade them in for stuff. My daughter’s trade in today was a pizza dinner alone with dad. That’s pretty cool! Another time she traded them in it was an afternoon fishing with dad.

So tonight after I returned home from work, she and I headed out to Pizza Hut and sat down at the checkerboard table where we could play “chess” with the salt and pepper while we waited for our meal. It was some nice time spent with her and she even enjoyed (or endured) the Autozone/WalMart side trips after. I think she just enjoys special time with dad which I appreciate.

By the way, Autozone has an oil change special — 5 quarts of any regular Pennzoil product with a Fram oil filter for $10.99. For those of you that do your own oil changes, it’s a great bargain. I picked up enough for my Suburban as well as my wife’s.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net