Voxdan

Taking another break?

Sure!  Why not?

The bottom line is that I just don’t have the time or energy or desire to keep this up right now.  Moreover, I am becoming more and more convicted that there are other things that I need to spend more time on.  While you might want to keep an eye out here every month or so just in case I post an update, don’t expect much more.

Lord willing, sooner or later I will be starting something new.  Christian apologetics is a passion of mine, along with a number of other topics within theology and Christendom.  I am finding that time spent elsewhere feels like time poorly spent, so I am now working on ways to remedy that situation.

Of course, I feel just as strongly today about everything this blog has been about as I ever have, if not more so.  I would still encourage you to visit each and every link and resource I have posted here. It’s just a matter of aligning priorities, passion and expertise and making the best use of one’s time.

Ultimately, I hope to perhaps put together a small, personal, apologetics/theology resource where I can share my thoughts, answer questions and objections, and “take every thought captive.”  We’ll see.

Thanks for reading.  Family and friends can keep an eye out for me on the family blog.  I will try to post there myself more often, if Alison will let me.  Until next time.

Kseniya Simonova’s Sand Art

Thanks to my dad, Gary, for sharing this one.

The following videos are of Kseniya Simonova, a 24 year old Ukrainian sand artist, who received international acclaim after winning the Ukraine’s Got Talent television program.  Her work is visually stunning and emotionally moving, if not entirely heart wrenching.

For more information, please see the following links.  The first one provides a good deal of information including an annotation of the events depicted it he first video.  It’s up to you whether you want to read them ahead of time or simply allow the artist alone to lead you along.

The second link is the Kseniya Simonova website, which offers little information, and I cannot be sure it is an official site.  But it does provide Facebook and Twitter links if your interested.

The third link is to a YouTube search for “Kseniya Simonova.”  I doubt these are all of her videos, and I suppose many of these are repeats, but it’s a start if you would like to see more.

Sand Requiem FAQ

Kseniya Simonova.com

Kseniya Simonova on YouTube

Enjoy!

A depiction in light and sand of Germany’s invasion and occupation of Ukraine during World War II.  Kseniya won the semi-finals with this piece.

Kseniya won the finals with this one.

What to buy me something for my birthday…

or just for the heck of it because I am so awesome?  I thought so.  All you have to do is head over to my Amazon.com Wishlist start buying me things.  Go ahead and bookmark the link while your there.  The coolest people all get me things at least once a month.  You want to be cool, don’t you?

Voxdan’s Amazon Wishlist

Happy New Year!

I pray that your 2010 will be filled with blessings, health, peace and prosperity.

Unfortunately, I fear that the new year will also bring new political and financial challenges unlike anything we - our country and even the world -  have ever experienced. I am sure the powers that be will continue to push off the inevitable as long as possible, meaning that 2011, 2012 and beyond will surely be, as the alleged Chinese curse says, interesting times.  This also means that as each new year passes, the price we end up paying will be greater and greater.  Hang in there.

I also would not be surprised to see at least one significant terrorist attack on US soil.  The stock market should be a bit of a roller coaster, but there should be plenty of bargains available and great speculative plays to be made.  The financial world is changing, regardless of what the pundits and so-called experts might say.  History is not on our side.  We’ll see how things play out in 2010, but don’t wait until frugality, saving, and a minimalist lifestyle become the popular thing to do.  By the time the sheeple catch on, it will be too late to make much of a difference.

What to do?  Financially, be as responsible as possible, making wise, safe investments with 70%-90% of your portfolio while seeking out some great speculative plays with 10% or more.  Don’t think that the dollar is a safe investment.  Read a good contrarian investment newsletter like the stuff from Casey that I have on the side of the blog, or a similar resource.

Politically, look for ways to vote with your money, time and resources.  Don’t pat yourself on the back for checking a box on a ballot.  Choose a few good organizations to support.  There are plenty out there and I might post something soon making a few recommendations.  Of course, I would encourage you to support just about anything Ron Paul endorses and other liberty-focused groups.  Consider letting go of overly-firm party affiliations and consider issues one at a time.  Think about the ways you have been thinking about things.  As noted on a previous post, think about moving your money to a local institution and supporting your local economy.  Buy local when you can.  Volunteer.  You get the picture.

Socially, consider making one of those charities you support one that responsibly cares for children around the world.  Whether you sponsor a child or financially support people who do, think about the impact you can have on widows, orphans, the homeless and the lost.  It may not seem like much, but it will be the world to the child or mother or father who is helped.

Health and wellness-wise, here it is: exercise 15-30 minutes a day.  Eat 5-6 small meals with a balanced measure of goof fats, protein and carbs regularly.  Drink A LOT of water (keep a 28-32 ounce container on you at all times).  Consider a couple of good supplements (fish oil or similar, a good multivitamin, vitamin D3, and some Kyolic Garlic would be a good start.  I also LOVE my Silver Solution).  Find support, motivation and encouragement somewhere, whether in a book, a group, or a friend or all of the above.  Set some life goals and get on with them.  Choose a new hobby and get on with it.  Get plenty of good sleep.

Preparedness-wise, GET PREPARED!  Check out SurvivalBlog.com and other resources.  Start by making a kit for power outages, then go from there.  Ideally, you need to have a kit in your car(s), a bug-out-bag for each adult member of your family and possibly for some youth, the largest store of food and water you can muster (this is a long term endeavor - start NOW), and a good convenience store in your house.  The possibilities are endless, as are the potential disasters.  don’t let yourself become obsessed, but get close.  Your location will have an effect on your preparedness.  Whether you are in the heart of downtown, or in the country you will have different priorities.  What are the potential dangers in your area?  Are you close to a tactical strike target? Floods?  Mudslides?  Earthquakes? The list goes on and on.  In addition to keeping an eye on Survival Blog, consider a resource like Making the Best of the Basics by James Talmage Stevens.  It is one of those all-in-one resources that can get you moving in the right direction quickly.  There are plenty of other good books and web sites out there, but don’t become one of those people who spends more time reading about preparedness than becoming prepared.  Read one or two books, follow one or two web sites, then get going.

Spiritually, seek God.  If you are a mature Christian, continue your walk, continue reforming under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  If you are an atheist, an agnostic, or of some other belief system, feel free to write and ask me anything you like.  Challenge me, ridicule me (but if you do I will probably post it), and do what you will.  I hope to put together an apologetics web site in the coming year that will make it easy to contact me.  Apologetics is a passion of mine that I have spent too little time faithfully pursuing. I will keep you posted as things develop.

Oh ya, work hard on developing a prayer habit.

Spend more time with your family.  If you have children, cherish every single moment you have with them, and realize they are a treasure beyond measure that you are responsible for.  Love them.  Think of new ways to love your spouse, and challenge yourself to know them more each day.  Let go of self, and change yourself for the better.  Let go of pride and old ways, and see yourself as others, and as God might see you.  It is never too early or too late to change, and to grow.  And for all of these people and for all of these situations, pray fervently and often, offering them all to God while asking Him to use you in every circumstance and relationship.

Put God first.

Also, pray that I can do these things too.

Happy New Year!

Busy Couple Weeks

I am just not in the mood to post lately.  Things have been busy around here, and I have been focusing on other things.  All of the recent activity with the children’s book has given me a second wind regarding the second book, which is due in about a month and a half.  This is good as I have had a hard time working my way through a couple of dead ends, but things are looking good at the moment.  I even think I figured out what my closing tear-jerker will be.  Yay!

Christmas is always busy - too busy - but this year it’s not that bad.  Presents are not playing nearly as significant a role as they have in the past, which is good because money is not playing nearly as significant role as it has in the past.  But let’s not think about that right now.  Waiting for two more gifts for the girls to be delivered this week, and then I have to find something for Alison’s stocking (we are just doing stockings for each other this year).  Have any ideas?  I am lost at the moment.  I also need to finish up my gift for my nephew which I am making, and get that shipped out asap.  I think if I can get it to the UPS store by Monday, I should be OK.

I said Ali and I were only doing stockings, but that is not entirely accurate.  We are taking the money we would normally spend and using it for some other things that the family needs.  I’ve become quite the prepper, and both my larder and stock room are slowly filling up.  We will use some of the funds to continue that endeavor.  I encourage all of you to do the same.  Whether you feel that we are in for some gruesome times or you just want to be prepared for that earthquake or power outage, there is really no excuse for not being prepared.  If the power goes out, you will be so pleased when less than one minute later you have light and after a few hours, you have heat.  On the other end of the spectrum, if for some reason (e.g. pandemic, terrorist attack, natural disaster, etc.), delivery trucks are not able to make it to the market for a couple weeks, your water supply is shut off or contaminated, or worse, you will be more than relieved to have your water stored, your pantry full, and your guns loaded.  But that’s enough of that for now.

I have a dream: to own about 20-40 acres in the south-central Colorado Rockies where I can build a secluded dome home.  A place we can retreat to two or three months a year, where we can teach the girls to be more self-reliant, where we can relax and tune out, where we can escape for writing weekends, and a whole lot more.  I have no idea how this will come about, but my mind is bending, so let’s wait and see.

Kyle and Kelli are coming home tomorrow (Friday afternoon).  We’re all excited to see them and I know they are excited to be back, even if it is only for a little while.  It will be good to see them.  Let’s pray for a safe flight from Scotland.  British Airways has decided to make everyone’s holiday lovely by going on strike.  Hopefully this won’t hurt us.  We’ll see.

It’s time for bed.  In the coming weeks and months you will be seeing a new web site for Alison, a new web site for our children’s books, and who knows what else.  I will also be starting a new workout routine in the next couple weeks which I am excited - and a little scared - about.  Sticking with things like this has never been a strength of mine.  However, it simply must be done, so start praying for me now please.  I am fortunate that I have a quick, simple (though freaking hard) workout that has worked well for me in the past and I seem to have some decent genes in me when it comes to losing weight.  Thanks dad.

I’ll keep you posted.

Whatcha Doinin?

That’s how Abby used to ask me what’s up.  Let me tell ya. A ton and not so much, all at the same time.

Where’s God?

Just got a copy of the David C Cook Summer catalog in the mail.  I expected my book to be in there, but what I did not expect was a full page on the centerfold!  That was surprising, and has served to take this whole thing to the next level “reality” wise.  We started shopping this book before Abby was born, over 4 years ago.  It has been accepted and rejected and rejected after being accepted more than enough.  I am so grateful that Cook has embraced this little child’s search for God and hope to bring more books to print in this same series in the years ahead.  Soon we will be putting up a Web site, offering giveaways, and doing whatever we can to get you people to pre-order asap!  In fact, why not go pre-order it right now!

What else?  Well, I got my father-in-law to go to his first Hockey game and I think he likes it.  We had seats on the blue line, on the glass, which was a blast.  I had never sat on the glass before, so I was grateful for the experience.  That said, I think around the red line (center ice), first row, club level (second level) will be my favorite place to sit.  I love watching the plays develop and seeing the whole ice.  I’m actually going to be sitting in just such a place in late December for an Avs game.  Can’t wait.

What make the club level even better is access to, well, the club level.  You get in the gate a half hour earlier than everyone else, you usually get the best parking, and you get to eat the best of the arena food available.  I am particularly looking forward the hot chop sandwich and home-made potato chip stand.  I’ll let you know how it is.

Let’s not forget the Nuggets.  After falling in love with this squad last January during my “begin to adopt your new home teams” phase, I have the DVR set to record just about all of their games.  Win or lose, they are almost always exciting to watch.  Even when their down by a dozen, as soon as Birdman (great article, btw - go read it)comes off the bench, the place (and most of Colorado) erupts and jumps to their feet - I know I do.

So, I am also thrilled to report that, for the first time, I will be sitting in the front row - ON THE FLOOR - for the December 23 game against the Hawks.  I will be somewhere around there foul line and, with any luck, the Birdman will dive into the crowd for a loose ball, land on me and then be required by law (granted, a strange law) to be my friend and go places with me and stuff.

Well, the girls just got home so I best be moving on.  Talk again soon.