Logocentric (adj).Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
I have always enjoyed the longer distance running and skiing. The Marathon in Summer Olympics and the 50km Mass Start in the Winter. My wife can't understand how I can watch the same race for several hours. But they are fascinating to me. I like the Downhill Slalom, Bobsled and Luge sports. Attending a Winter Olympics remains on my bucket list.
My favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics are the Luge, Bobsled, Figure Skating and curling. Initially, I thought I would be bored with curling but I'm not. It's fascinating how they determine each glide's angle and potential score.
When my children were younger we built them a luge course, they loved it. We were lucky that winter to have lots of snow to build up the walls and with some help with pallets that we covered with snow, it kept them and the neighborhood kids busy until it warmed up and melted. I was a lot more at ease with the luge course than I was when they decided to try arial jumps off our house roof. Never a dull moment when you live in Maine.
I am reading ESV through the Bible this time. Like you, I've explored a bunch of translations. My church uses NIV but my women's Bible study group (part of the same church) varies based on what Bible study we're doing.
Hope you enjoy the Olympics! I agree that the every four year thing makes them feel more special.
I read the New American Bible, which is a Catholic Bible. (NABRE) They include Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, which generally aren't included in other versions of the Bible. I would be curious to read an orthodox bible or the Ethiopian Bible as I hear they have differences as well.
As for the Olympics, I love the Winter Olympics. I'm just crossing my fingers I have time to watch!
In terms of the original texts the NASB has the best reputation among conservative scholars. It looks at more translations, has a sensible hierarchy of text selection and the best principles for approaching the translation task. It favors original texts when possible. The ESV and NKJV are on a similar level. The Net Bible gives the best overview of the discussions in its commentary. The NIV renders the original text to make it more readable. It is a more functional text which is why many churches use it but it is also less precise. Greek or Russian orthodox are more Septuagint orientated and there is a considerable amount of ethical or emotional rendering to the text.The disadvantage of the NASB is that it loses much of the Hebrew poetical style in its effort to be precise as this does not translate into the English
I'm very fortunate to have met some practicing and humble Christians. Truly humble people seek to serve, not attain power and influence. The actions of many Christians make me run the opposite way... as fast as I can.
In his book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee states: "Nothing has done greater damage to our Christian testimony than our trying to be right and demanding right of others. We become preoccupied with what is and what is not right. We ask ourselves,' Have we been justly or unjustly treated?' and we think thus to vindicate our actions. But that is not our standard. The whole question for us is one of crossbearing".
Jeff, this is an excellent book. Perhaps one for your reading list?
"Blog Harbor" PROMPT (DAY 5): A lot of people are talking about the revival of the 90's sitcom ROSEANNE. What other 90's popular sitcoms would you like (or have preferred) to see brought back? Some ideas: The 70's Show. Friends, The Fresh Prince, Freaks and Geeks, King of the Hill, The Drew Carey Show, Ally McBeal, Married with Children. What others can you think of?
While I think my favorite 90s sitcoms were Friends, Cheers, and Frasier, with a combined total of 770 episodes it's pretty hard to argue that they didn't have a good run... and one could even make the argument that all of them in one way or another, said everything they had to say (sometimes several times over!). So for this challenge, I tried looking at 90s sitcoms that I really loved but where I felt like there's still room for them to tell more stories. Just Shoot Me! ran for seven seasons and (only) 171 episodes, and I think it could have easily gone for another hundred and been on par with the other three.
For those who aren't familiar with the series, Maya (Laura San Giacomo) is a hard-hitting serious journalist who, after being fired from yet another news job, is left with no other choice but to get a job at her father Jack's fashion magazine "Blush," where hijinks ensue with the eccentric and wealthy Jack (George Segal), his secretary Dennis (David Spade), the head photographer Elliot (Enrico Colantoni), and ex-model-turned-editor Nina (Wendy Malick).
The cast had amazing chemistry and this show had some of the most memorable and hilarious episodes of television I've ever seen. In the second season, there's an episode where Nina has an important radio interview to discuss serious feminist issues and she buys a word-a-day calendar to sound smarter... which Dennis and Elliot replace with a fake one so that she uses nonsensical words while trying to sound smart. When it first aired, I don't think I've ever laughed harder at an episode of television. There was also an episode in the third season where Dennis switches the cards on two of Elliot's birthday gifts, leading Elliot to believe that his buddy got him a video game system and his love interest Maya got him a box of kinky sex toys. You can imagine what happens when Maya (thinking he knows she was the one that bought the video game system), invites him over to "play" later that night.
The success of the show probably isn't a big surprise considering it was the brainchild of sitcom super-producer Steven Levitan (Modern Family, Wings, Fraiser, Men Behaving Badly, Stark Raving Mad, etc.), who, you know, seems to have a knack for situational comedy.
Other 90s sitcoms that were on my list of potentials for this prompt include: Home Improvement, Saved By The Bell, 3rd Rock From The Sun, The Drew Carey Show, NewsRadio, and the three listed above.
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