The commies took good radio off the air

http://www.classic99.com/

I remember it well - a TV spot that showed a man speaking earnestly, in a Slavic-sounding language, into a desk microphone, until somebody slapped a gag on his mouth, and either the screen went to black or the scene froze and a man's voice intoned, "Radio Free Europe, fighting censorship!"

Now ... it's 6 July 2010, and the censors who will shut down Classic 99 radio in my adopted home town and on the internet are the bumbling bureaucrats of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, my church since birth. 

As I understand it, that includes people who 'ain't no theologians' also ain't no fans of high-falutin' music and culture and jazz and showtunes and a community arts calendar and announcers who explained the music or gave interesting bits of insight into it.

As I understand it, there were fellow travelers in people who are so 'Christ-centered' they couldn't stand anything that was only 'Christ-congruent' to take up any resources at all.

And then, of course, there were the people who will see to it that they, personally, profit from a sale of a powerful FM signal to ... who?

To a "Christian" station that's about as Christ-centered as Benny Hinn.  Be your best! Prove your worth!  Follow Jesus and let us know how well you're doing!  God is mah boyfriend kinda music and programming. Ee-ha.

OK ... the morning dj encouraged us not to be bitter.  I'm not ... really.  But I'm also resigning my membership in the congregation that's affiliated with the LC-MS.  I will always be Lutheran, but I won't be affiliated with anything Lutheran.  Put not your faith in labels.

The world is round, and what goes around comes back.  There's an HD classics station in town.  I may buy an HD radio for the house after I listen to it, online.  I haven't listened to it, yet.  That would be like going on a date with husband-to-be #2 while husband #1 is on his deathbed.  Plenty of time to tune in, tomorrow.  Literally.

Things change. Nothing lasts forever, not even the earth and sky, according to Scripture.  Already I've bookmarked local pages of the groups and venues I used to hear about on 99.  Already I've gotten off my duff and bought a ticket to an actual performance, rather than listen while I putter or draw at home.

And the guy who counseled against anger and bitterness told us about his Facebook page, and now I'm FBfriends with him and other 99 veterans.

Life goes on.

It will be so, so darkly quiet without 99.

So fill to me the parting glass.  Goodnight, and true joy be with you all.

7 February

7

Before & after - but for now, the "before"

It's red over cream with wood trim now.  Will be shades of orange with green trim before long!

Memories rock

The spousal unit bought one of those frames that shows snapshots every 3-4 seconds.  I wondered why.  After a week or so of glimpsing memories, I know why - it's nice to remember.

That in mind, here's something random.

Because, y'know, summer's coming!  Not that I mind winter.  I actually rather love winter.  But summer will be here.

i wish he'd stop calling himself Christian

Long time ago, my dad told me the story of something his dad said an even longer time ago.

Grandpa was a conservative Lutheran, and he said of churches that called themselves Lutheran but didn't teach Lutheranism,  "I don't know why they call themselves 'Lutheran.'"

"Christian" TV preacher Pat Robertson has said that Haiti asked for the devastating earthquake, this week, when it made a deal with the devil a long time ago to become free of the French.

I wish he'd stop calling himself Christian, that Pat Robertson.

That's all.

A noble and completely attainable goal:

....
Five Minutes To Be Company-Ready
...
That's my goal, nay, my quest.  The Just Watchin' Casa has always been in company-ready mode.  You know, have the neighbors over for tea, or the kids & siblings for a lasagna dinner.

Then, a life event happened on Saturday, and Mrs. Just Watchin' offered to have Extended Family over for the post-funeral lunch on Wednesday.

This means the people who will notice the dust bunnies and the smudges on the door jambs.  And while it doesn't matter to me in the abstract ... it mattered in fact.

Careful dusting -- not just around the lampbase, but lifting the lamp and dusting under!!

Thorough vacuuming the aforementioned wabbits ....

Finally doing something about the nest of books and magazines that's been homesteading behind the La-Z-Boy ....

And the table-nests of stuff that just never got put away (looking at you, kids)...

Then the afore-mentioned door jambs ...

How it took the better part of two days to get those things accomplished in four lightly used room, I do not know.

I only know that henceforth, all things being equal and barring a life event of my own,

This house will remain ready-for-company-in-5-(five)-minutes

Which basically means that I'm gonna ... no, that I'm now one of those people who:

 really dusts once a week

damp-mops around doorknobs and lightswitches and like that there.

And you know, as I think about it, the most important part happens today.

I bring back inside from the garage (where I've boxed up the contents of the various nests) only one out of every 10 items.

That's right, ladies & germs.  It's the detritus, the jetsam and flotsam, the "I'll handle it later" and the "Not sure where to put it, but I want it" that really bollixes up the five-minute-to-company-ready plan.

I'm on that. As soon as one more post gets posted.

For .... ah, you know who you are!!

This was in addition to the three pies!

Photo mainly posted to show how cool the unlikely color combination works out. OK, 99% to show how the color combo works out!

Buffet - cold cuts, pot. salad, 2 kinds pasta, fried chicken, salad. Lets hear it for carryout!

Niece & granduncle - how about that wall color, eh?

Wore myself out tidying & cleaning & staging, but so worth it.  Things are Going To Be Different this time.  All the stuff I set in the garage to get out of th eway?  NO more than one out of ten things are going to be re-placed inside the house.  And ... mark my words ... this house is never gonna get beyond the "ready for company in 5 minutes" point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!