What's Up...

Hello, friends. I sure am glad we have some global warming or I'd be freezing to death! Wow, this is the coldest that I can remember it being this early in a long time.

It is not a good time to be heating with fuel oil either. The price per gallon delivered was $2.94 last week when I called. It gripes me to pay that much for it... especially when gas has gotten back down to $1.62 a gallon! Seriously! I never thought I'd ever see that price again - at least not without someone coming up with a very viable replacement for petroleum in automobiles.

I tend to believe in conspiracy theories, and I have one of my own right now. I believe that the oil companies are pushing the price down to keep people from investing in research into alternate fuel sources and technologies. I doubt it is true - especially since I just made it up - and since the oil companies have rarely shown that tomorrow's dollars are as valuable to them as today's. Still, I pray that the prices stay low until there is a viable alternative. If I were a wealthy man that is where I would be spending my money....

Things have been interesting on many fronts lately, which is generally not a good thing. I have found that "interesting" often is an euphemism for "bad." Terry Pratchett said as much. "Their biggest curse is 'May you live in interesting times.'" I guess in some ways that is the case here, but I am learning that life is always an admixture of good and bad: even in the best of times there is a 'fly in the ointment.' But even in the bad there is some good to be thankful for. Knowing this is good defense against an unrealistic hope for perfection here. I'd say that it can also be a good defense against a bad attitude, but my own experience has shown me that I can use it as an excellent excuse for one. Oh well!

God is good, though, and patient, and for that I am most grateful. I'd have been cosmic vapor long ago had He not been. It is because of these characteristics that I have hope that the balance of bad versus good will soon be moving in a more positive direction, and hope is a good thing.

This afternoon I wrote another sonnet. I'm up to 22 now. I don't guess that is too bad, having started in September with them. The only problem that I am having with the poems right now is that I have just about expended all of my Roman Numeral knowledge. I managed to get through school without learning past the 30s, but I guess I'll have to learn them after all! Perhaps I'll post this latest one, but I need to check with the subject of the poem and make sure that she doesn't mind.

Tonight I am going to watch a performance at my parents' church. They are doing a singing Christmas tree or something like that. I can't remember exactly what it is called. Both of my parents and my Dad's sister are supposed to be in it. Unfortunately, my Mom has laryngitis and will not be singing tonight. I am a little disappointed, because I had looked forward to hearing her sing (she had a small solo), but I am sure that it will still be good. I am going to go with my pastor and his wife and another couple who are good friends from my church. I'll be meeting up with other family there too. I'll try to take a picture or two before they get things going.

That being said, I'd better go and get myself ready because it will be time to go soon. Hope your Advent season is going great and that all is well with you!