An Early Return for My Annual Visitor

Each year, usually when the weather is like this in January or February, I get a visitor. She’s been coming around every year for at least five or six years, and this year she’s about a month early. She also has a boyfriend this year. Earlier this morning I heard a tapping on the sliding glass door in the dining room. When I went to look, there she was, a cardinal tapping on the door, then flying into it trying to get in, or seeing herself in its reflection. I’m not sure which.

Read more

Paranormal Activity

After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban “starter” tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. The concept was OK, but it’s been done before to much better effect. Overall, neither one of us found the movie scray at all.

Read more

CineBistro in Hyde Park

CineBistro is a concept created by Cobb Theaters. Each features an upscale, yet inviting and comfortable atmosphere in which to dine while watching a major motion picture. It was, for us, a pleasant experience, but I think to do the whole thing (dinner and movie), the cost is a bit high. We’ll see how well the concept can catch on. Lay thinks they won’t make it. I think they might.

Read more

The Conservative Bible – Because Jesus Was Just Too Liberal

Turns out the Bible is just too progressive in its views for some. So the Conservative Bible Project has been formed to use Wiki technology to create a whole new, and more conservative, translation of the Bible. The group cites a few reasons why the Bible is too progressive: “Lack of precision in the original language … lack of precision in modern language” and “translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one.”

Read more

Favorite Season

OK, I know that about this time every year I write something about Autumn being my favorite time of year. I know, Tampa, FL is not the place to be thinking about Autumn. I think we get our Autumn here in January, the time of year when these nasty live oaks dump a big portion of their leaves. Still, there is a rhythm that comes with the seasons no matter where one lives, and I love this time of year for the sense of “settling-in.”

Read more