Time in southeast Wisconsin

In the late 90's I found my way down to southeast Wisconsin.  At first I stayed at a friends house but after a few months I got an apartment in Brookfield.  There are a lot of good shops and stores in the Milwaukee suburbs.  People are well dressed and the cars they drive are nice.  I liked what was there but I never felt like a full participant.  It is very easy for me to drift into areas of affluence and comfort but to actually be one of those people…uhm…not sure if that has happened yet.

After my room mate moved out of the area, I found another place to stay.  This time it was actually in Milwaukee.  I was in an upper room of a tiny brick house.  I was there for over a year.  The owner was quite a bit older than I and he was winding down his career.  His interest was strongly tied to his faith.  So I went along to several of his meetings where the Bible was proclaimed.

In some ways I like urban areas.  There are more things to do.  I would go to the IMAX theater, ride my bike, and discover parks.  There were always places to shop and places to eat.  It wasn't a bad experience.

Yet, I could not get connected like I needed too.  My roommate and a high school friend would ask when I was going to move into a better job.  It was an accusatory question.  They never provided introductions or a place to apply.  If these were the best friends I had, I wasn't feeling very good about myself.  Their words felt like rejection rather than words of encouragement.

Without any openings or possibilities, it seemed to me like the doors were closing.  So I moved back to the Fox Valley to be closer to family.  Inside of me there is really nothing that wants to go back to Milwaukee or the suburbs of southeast Wisconsin.  To me it is a closed, hard place that I did not find overly welcoming or inviting.

Keeping the wild in the wild

It saddens me when people want to remove all danger that is found outside.  I for one am glad there are dangers out there.  Like wolves in the state.  I would even go further and say that I hope one day we have mountain lions here.  Personally, the wild needs to have some wild to it.  Otherwise, things are just too safe and too predictable.  There is nothing to be on guard about.  Nothing to challenge man as top of the food chain.  Believe me.  I don't want a close and personal experience with a wolf, lion, or bear but I am glad that they are out there.  We need to keep some wild in the wilderness.

Be careful about your heros

Sometimes I catch myself admiring people and characters that are the total opposite of Christ.  For instance, in some of the films I have watched, the hero is fornicating, killing, and twisting things for his own advantage throughout the film.  At one point, I finally woke up.  Why am I admiring this man?  He is the opposite of what a Christian is suppose to be.  I became more discerning and began to do a better job of selecting my films.  Maybe you too need to be careful about your heros.

Not a fan of endorsements at LinkedIn

I am not liking endorsements of skills at LinkedIn.  Endorsements make it appear like the non-endorsed skills are not really skills that I have.  All of a sudden, a number of my listed skills are under suspicion as they don't have a thumbs up from someone.  What happens if I gained that skill on my own time?  What if the person(s) I worked with are not on LinkedIn or we are not connected for whatever reason?  Personally, I wish LinkedIn had never started this practice.

There is someone who endorsed me for one of my skills that I never worked with.  We meet at a networking event but he would never have seen me exhibit this particular skill.

As for now, I am not endorsing anyone's skills at LinkedIn because I see it as a cheapening of ones profile.  I don't want to play this game of constantly updating things on social media.  LinkedIn is trying to keep people busy at their website.

Thanksgiving 2012

There is much to be thankful for.  I am thankful for heaven.  A place where God is present.  My mansion and rooms are being made specifically for me.  Where there is no sin, no night, no tears.  I am deeply thankful to Jesus for paying my way to be with Him for all eternity.

I am also thankful for my wife, Brenda, who is helpful, supportive, and patient.

I am grateful for health, safety, food, shelter, clothing, and friendships.

It was wonderful taking a drive to North Carolina and another to Tennessee this year.  Viewing nature and creation as I drove through was outstanding.  I am glad the cars are paid for and running well.

My church family is another item I am thankful for.  They are helpful and loving.  My pastor is faithful in bringing the Word to us each week.  My other family has been giving and caring.

I am thankful for my dog, my home, my computer, my music, and my books.  These are wonderful additions to my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!