ive been in summer classes for 3 weeks now. one more to go and i am taking the month of july off (from school.. not work)
over lunch this week, my friend freddy (www.freddytandsusan.blogspot.com) were talking about comments left on blogs. my friend john and i were also discussing a stream of comments left on another blog that numbered well over the one hundred mark for one controversial “post”.
these conversations on “comments” made me realize the amount of comments (in person) and conversations , as well as emails i get regarding this blog. i appreciate them all and thank you for stopping by. i am also finding out , in very random ways, that more people read this than i realize. so dont be afraid to post a comment and let me know who you are. (it makes me less paranoid that way…)
it is my intention to start posting more frequently, as an excercise in discipline for myself mostly, possibly as often as once a week. so feel free to use the comment link on this site for discussion and interaction. i know that there are people reading who could have a lot to add, and possibly correct. interaction can be good and healthy, and i would love for this to be a place that promotes that.
or, if you would rather, keep emailing me and calling, or bringing it up over lunch. either way, thanks for dropping by.
-stephen
the lowercase 
June 22, 2006 at 9:14 pm
Sounds like a plan brother. I even posted a link to your blog on mine, just for good measure. Let the debates begin…
June 23, 2006 at 7:22 am
Hey Stephen Lee!
I’m just now figuring this whole thing out so, I just wanted to say hey! My computer skills went out the window Jan. 1! Hope all is well and maybe someday Phillip and I will get to meet your lovely wife, I’ve heard great things! Take care!
Mel-Martha
June 26, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Stephen,
Maybe if you post on more “controversial” subjects, then more people would leave comments. Here are a few suggestions:
1. How long should men’s shorts be?
2. How should we understand Christian liberty?
3. Are man-capris really just left over jams from the 80s?
4. Is is sinful to have a mullet?
5. Any post about what is superlative in any given category.
6. (Example from 5) Which diet is the best?
7. Did the Heat beat the Mavs, or was the series blown by the refs?
8. Is Albert Pujols the greatest modern slugger who has not been tainted by the steroids scandal?
9. Does Pujols use steroids?
10. Does anyone like AJ Pierzynski…I mean anybody – even his mom or dad?
11. Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player of all time? (See #5)
12. Is it sinful for me to use Q-Tips to clean out my ears, even though the box clearly states: “WARNING: Do not insert swab into ear canal.”?
June 26, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Just for clarification, suggestion 8 above may be understood as an example of a post conforming to suggestion 5, or, as a spin-off of 5 which would focus on the possibility (or impossibility, depending on your presuppositions,) of Pujols using steroids.
June 26, 2006 at 5:50 pm
1. How long should men’s shorts be?
they should be long enough so that, while seated, the length is at least within an inch of the top of the knee.
2. How should we understand Christian liberty?
i would love to explore this issue in a later blog, but for suffice it to say that one should at the very least try *to* understand christian liberty, as opposed to throwing the phrase around while spinning it to validate what one is going to do, or opposed to anyway.
3. Are man-capris really just left over jams from the 80s?
i am inclined to agree, but i think unless man-capri’s have floral patterns then they stand in their own fashion vulgarity
4. Is is sinful to have a mullet?
i do not know who “is” is, so i cannot discern his/her motives.
5. Any post about what is superlative in any given category.
that’s the best idea ever!!!
6. (Example from 5) Which diet is the best?
the healthy lifestyle diet
7. Did the Heat beat the Mavs, or was the series blown by the refs?
the mavs beat the mavs by not wanting it as much, and then blamed the refs, which was a smart move since their lack of soul was more obvious.
8. Is Albert Pujols the greatest modern slugger who has not been tainted by the steroids scandal?
stacking his numbers at this point in his career against everyone else…
yes.
9. Does Pujols use steroids?
i hope not, and I doubt it. he has too much “baby fat” on his body. Steroid use would, as far as I know, rid him of that as a by-product of their intended results.
10. Does anyone like AJ Pierzynski…I mean anybody – even his mom or dad?
for issues of integrity, I must refrain from answering this question due to the spanking the white sox just gave the cardinals last week.
11. Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player of all time? (See #5)
up to this point in time, without a doubt, and unequivocally, absolutely yes.(i see your #5, and raise you a number 13)
12. Is it sinful for me to use Q-Tips to clean out my ears, even though the box clearly states: “WARNING: Do not insert swab into ear canal.”?
i think that this a heart issue, why is it that you continue to use the q-tip if the box states not to? is it an issue of an anti-authority complex?
or perhaps you are being pulled into sin’s snare because of the q-tip company’s ploy to sell you something that will cause deafness, death, or upset stomach.
-stephen
June 26, 2006 at 7:07 pm
See?!? Controversial things garner comments. Now I will critique your responses. Yes, this is a shameless attempt to increase your comments tally and draw in more people. I will designate Stephen’s comments with (S) and mine with (J).
1. How long should men’s shorts be?
(S) they should be long enough so that, while seated, the length is at least within an inch of the top of the knee.
(J) I can live with that, but would add that when seated, the length MUST be within one inch of the knee to eliminate the libertines who would push the envelope and “flirt” with hotpants or capris.
2. How should we understand Christian liberty?
(S) i would love to explore this issue in a later blog, but for suffice it to say that one should at the very least try *to* understand christian liberty, as opposed to throwing the phrase around while spinning it to validate what one is going to do, or opposed to anyway.
(J) I agree, but would have emphasized *try* instead of “to.”
3. Are man-capris really just left over jams from the 80s?
(S) i am inclined to agree, but i think unless man-capri’s have floral patterns then they stand in their own fashion vulgarity
(J) I only have one question Stephen; What are the man-capris possessing? Boo-Yah! (Kim Possible)
4. Is is sinful to have a mullet?
(S) i do not know who “is” is, so i cannot discern his/her motives.
(J) The second “is” was clearly intended to be an “it.” Stop avoiding the question.
5. Any post about what is superlative in any given category.
(S) that’s the best idea ever!!!
(J) Thank you.
6. (Example from 5) Which diet is the best?
(S) the healthy lifestyle diet
(J) I am forced to disagree with you on principle. Otherwise my theory about topics of superlatives being controversial and lending themselves to drawing out comments would prove to be wrong.
7. Did the Heat beat the Mavs, or was the series blown by the refs?
(S) the mavs beat the mavs by not wanting it as much, and then blamed the refs, which was a smart move since their lack of soul was more obvious.
(J) The refs beat the Mavs. I wish you could have watched the games, which from your answer, it is clear that you did not.
8. Is Albert Pujols the greatest modern slugger who has not been tainted by the steroids scandal?
(S) stacking his numbers at this point in his career against everyone else…
yes.
(J) I disagree. I submit Jeff Blauser as the best modern slugger…hey – it’s subjective! (Remember #5.)
9. Does Pujols use steroids?
(S) i hope not, and I doubt it. he has too much “baby fat” on his body. Steroid use would, as far as I know, rid him of that as a by-product of their intended results.
(J) Maybe he takes children’s chewable steroids. Have you ever thought about that? Oh, and is the “as far as I know” comment a veiled attempt to deny your own steroid use? Oh, and I just wanted to point out that you capitalized the “I” in that sentence.
10. Does anyone like AJ Pierzynski…I mean anybody – even his mom or dad?
(S) for issues of integrity, I must refrain from answering this question due to the spanking the white sox just gave the cardinals last week.
(J) I will say what your intergrity prohibits you from saying – “NO!”
11. Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player of all time? (See #5)
(S) up to this point in time, without a doubt, and unequivocally, absolutely yes.(i see your #5, and raise you a number 13)
(J) Well, I agree with you, but in the spirit of disagreement, I must point out that you failed to offer a thirteen.
12. Is it sinful for me to use Q-Tips to clean out my ears, even though the box clearly states: “WARNING: Do not insert swab into ear canal.”?
(S) i think that this a heart issue, why is it that you continue to use the q-tip if the box states not to? is it an issue of an anti-authority complex?
or perhaps you are being pulled into sin’s snare because of the q-tip company’s ploy to sell you something that will cause deafness, death, or upset stomach.
(J) I think you meant to say “this is a heart issue,” rather than “this a heart issue.” (Yes I am bitter about is-is.) Also, who are you to judge me. Remove the plank from your own eye, you hypocrite. I am this close to reporting you to your ISP and suing you! Umm, just kidding…wrong blog.
June 26, 2006 at 7:39 pm
“Who are you to judge me,” should end with a question mark: “Who are you to judge me?” Now you can’t avoid the tough issues by nit-picking.
June 26, 2006 at 9:00 pm
the verdict of the jury in my house says the comedic banter between you two is very entertaining. we would like to point out that while it is not a sin to use a Q-tip to clean out ones ears, it might be sinful not to as you might lead others into the pit of poor hygiene. however we would like to assert that in fact using a car key to clean out ones ears is indeed a sin and would place one in the first level.
brando and sunny
ps-
keep up the posts and comments.
June 30, 2006 at 2:32 pm
No hate mail…just love!
June 30, 2006 at 5:19 pm
CAUTION – THE BELOW MAY TURN THE STOMACH OF SOME. PLEASE BE WARNED.
I would like to just point out that I have in fact tested the q tip issue. After buying said tips and reading the instructions (I, too, was unsure as to their use or application beforehand), I was also disappointed in reading the warning. In protest, I therefore refused to clean out my ears for around 9 months to determine whether q tips were, in fact, necessary.
I am now here to tell you, unequivically, that they are not. God has designed your ears to slowly eject foreign particles captured by your ear funk. I am not deaf, nor did fungus begin growing in my ear. There were a few unfortunate occassions in which my wife threw up a little bit in her mouth upon inspection of my ears around month 9, but other than those little messes, there were no significant side effects.
In fact, I actually found that the ear sludge, when removed by pinky-finger (which we all know is infintiely safer and more user-friendly than the q-tip), can also serve several other usages such as wood glue, play-dough (when collected over time), and a delightful demi glaze for pork dishes.
My wife is going to divorce me when she reads that.
June 30, 2006 at 5:26 pm
CAUTION – THE BELOW MAY TURN THE STOMACH OF SOME. PLEASE BE WARNED.
I would like to just point out that I have in fact tested the q tip issue. After buying said tips and reading the instructions (I, too, was unsure as to their use or application beforehand), I was also disappointed in reading the warning. In protest, I therefore refused to clean out my ears for around 9 months to determine whether q tips were, in fact, necessary.
I am now here to tell you, unequivically, that they are not. God has designed your ears to slowly eject foreign particles captured by your ear funk. I am not deaf, nor did fungus begin growing in my ear. There were a few unfortunate occassions in which my wife threw up a little bit in her mouth upon inspection of my ears around month 9, but other than those little messes, there were no significant side effects.
In fact, I actually found that the ear sludge, when removed by pinky-finger (which we all know is infintiely safer and more user-friendly than the q-tip), can also serve several other usages such as wood glue, play-dough (when collected over time), and a delightful demi glaze for pork dishes.
i have got to post a new entry… quickly…
My wife is going to divorce me when she reads that.
lol.. i hope not…. she still married you after that mission trip in 2000…(ahh memories…)
-stephen
July 2, 2006 at 10:03 pm
you all have too much time on your hands……
July 4, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Phillip has raised some points that I feel need further clarification. To that end, I am posting a WebMD article below. This doctor knows all about otolaryngology:
What’s the best way to get rid of ear wax?
By Robert K. Jackler, MD
June 5, 2000 —
One thing you definitely don’t want to do is get rid of all your earwax. Earwax isn’t dirt. It’s a normal secretion that protects your ear, just the way other kinds of wax protect your car.
If water gets in your ear canal — while you’re swimming or taking a shower, for instance — earwax will cause the water to bead up and move away from your eardrum. Then the slipperiness of the wax encourages the water to run out of the canal. In addition, earwax is slightly acidic, which discourages bacterial or fungal growth in the moist, dark ear canal. Without earwax, it would be much harder to avoid ear infections.
In a way, it’s part of a self-cleaning system. Most people don’t need to do any ear maintenance at all. Earwax slowly migrates toward the opening of the ear canal and is sloughed off. If you want, you can take a washcloth and, using your finger, gently wash the opening of your ear.
Whatever you do, don’t poke a cotton swab into your ear. A swab may remove a little wax, but it’s also likely to push some deeper into the ear canal. Because the canal is hourglass-shaped, earwax can create a plug that won’t come out on its own. Most of my patients with impacted earwax created the problem themselves with cotton swabs.
A small minority of people do produce unusually large amounts of earwax. If your ear canal keeps getting clogged, you may need to see your doctor occasionally to have it removed. Most physicians use jets of carefully-controlled water to rinse out the ear canal and remove impacted wax. Ear specialists use a magnifying scope and a small instrument to remove wax.
Can you do it yourself? Sure, though it’s a good idea to check with your physician first. Removing wax on your own is not recommended if you have a history of ear infections or other ear problems such as a hole in the eardrum.
To remove excess wax, you’ll need a kit of wax-dissolving drops and a rubber bulb syringe, both of which are available at almost any pharmacy. The kits usually come with instructions, which you should follow carefully.
Remember not to use cotton swabs in your ears, and the chances are they’ll take good care of themselves.
Robert K. Jackler, MD, is professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. He is also the editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Otology.
2000 Healtheon/WebMD. All rights reserved.
July 10, 2006 at 2:46 pm
enough on ear wax and qtips.
on to more important issues… what and when is the best way to remove nose hair?