Amplify New $5 Dollar Men

Two things I've heard and seen this week go into today's title. This week is National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week, and on the radio station I listen to at work the announcers have been interviewing FFA officers around this area, and this year's national theme is "Amplify"! As for the second part, I'm not sure if nobody has pointed out to the people working at Pizza Hut on North Broadway the "u" fell off of "menu" or whether it hasn't been deemed worth bothering to fix, as though to people who drive by it's an attention getter.


Our daughter Sarah got a birthday card yesterday from her oldest cousin (in this area) Patrick, Margaret's oldest child. I am so glad that he has not forgotten his family ... neither have I, but it must seem to some people they never hear from me. And on this day that's also the swan song of Soul'd Out (a radio program that's been on our local Christian radio station for twelve years, and now the hosts are switching to another ministry) I want to start rectifying that. It's just that ... this year in itself ... has been such a slow start for me. Pray, please, that I be lifted out of it.


Finished my first John Brunner novel the other day, Times Without Number. This 1969 tale set in an alternate history where the Spanish Armada won against England nigh four centuries before and time travel has the potential to create a new reality -- or destroy it -- isn't the easiest story to follow, but the main character Don Miguel along with Brunner's own writing helps us to look at current crises in our world with science fiction elements. Those of us who pooh-pooh "sci-fi" may not find that so easy even when other elements of the piece are long forgettable. Because they never happened.


Jeffrey's got another sleepover tomorrow night (he and the others going will get picked up after school) and Saturday we'll he having Sarah's emoji-themed birthday party at our house with some of her friends. Sunday is her actual birthday -- she'll be ten. TEN, I tell you! DOUBLE DIGITS! -- and after church we'll be taking her out for dinner at the location of her choice as we do whoever's birthday it is in our house choice. And as I write this on what I've also heard today is National Chili Day (who comes up with these things?) I think I will settle down for an early lunch.


An early lunch for ME, David