Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Lifes little reminders
28 days since I last posted a blog here. 28 days without what I felt to be "note-worthy" material. However, it was only 20 days since my last post before a friend of mine passed away. Seems I've had a lot of friends die in the last few years. Most of them my age (mid twenties) or younger and so yet again life decides to remind me, yet again, to value each day when I get news like this.
My friend was a fourty-seven year old father of three and a husband of over twenty years. His oldest son was someone I knew as well, having been only 5 years younger than myself. It was just so odd to hear he had passed. He was a friend of the family that we had met through church years ago. He was very down to earth and always smiled and said hello. His wife sang at my brother's wedding and his children grew up around us. I find out the news from my mother last Sunday afternoon. They had gone to church and heard the news. Again, he was fourty-seven and ironically enough had passed from a heart attack after losing over fifty pounds the last year or so. It is a terrible shame and I feel for the family, I truly do. I think about how I will miss my friend, even more, I think about his best friend (who also attended the same church) and how he feels. Those two did a lot together and were the same age. So many people I think about because of this and I pray for them. I guess that is a sure sign you led a wonderful life, when people think about all the others you have touched in your life and how they will feel after you are gone. We'll miss you Tommy.
My friend was a fourty-seven year old father of three and a husband of over twenty years. His oldest son was someone I knew as well, having been only 5 years younger than myself. It was just so odd to hear he had passed. He was a friend of the family that we had met through church years ago. He was very down to earth and always smiled and said hello. His wife sang at my brother's wedding and his children grew up around us. I find out the news from my mother last Sunday afternoon. They had gone to church and heard the news. Again, he was fourty-seven and ironically enough had passed from a heart attack after losing over fifty pounds the last year or so. It is a terrible shame and I feel for the family, I truly do. I think about how I will miss my friend, even more, I think about his best friend (who also attended the same church) and how he feels. Those two did a lot together and were the same age. So many people I think about because of this and I pray for them. I guess that is a sure sign you led a wonderful life, when people think about all the others you have touched in your life and how they will feel after you are gone. We'll miss you Tommy.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Licensed HAM?
For the past few weeks I have been taking an amateur radio ("HAM") class and had to miss a couple of classes as I was on vacation in Seaside, OR. However, we got in touch with some local "hams" down in Seaside and my Father, Brother, Sister-in-law and myself all got our Technician class license (which is the lowest grade of 3.) So the next step on the agenda is to find some good but not too pricey hand-held transceivers so we can talk to each other from different locations on our next family trip down to Yellowstone! w00t w00t!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
More fun than bargained for on vacation!!!
Seaside, Oregon...that's where my family and I have been going on vacation for the last 6 years. It's always entertaining with the shops, kite flying, fireworks, ocean activities and general small town feel. This year however, we got a lot more excitement than we bargained for.
Just as my brother and I were leaving the pool (it closes at 10pm) our resorts fire alarm goes off and the building is evacuated. While everyone is out on the boardwalk and beach front there are fireworks being blown off on the beach (which is illegal in OR) and everyone enjoyed it. However, the police arrived quickly and stopped the show. Meanwhile the fire department arrives promptly, finds no problem and we are allowed to return to our rooms. Just as everyone at the resort files back to their rooms from the beach front a fight breaks out randomly and 2 local boys try to jump a couple of young men from nearby Warrenton.
The best part about this whole this whole thing is the cops were close by when you needed them! Someone yelled for the police and the fight broke up instantly. The kid that started the fight limped off because he picked a fight with someone who knew how to handle himself and he body slammed this guy on the concrete sidewalk near the turn-around. Needless to say it was pretty funny. Wait...it gets better!
Now the police are getting statements and descriptions blah blah blah, all the while we find out that these 3 or 4 girls dropped these guys off and they were driving a white Ford Explorer. Soon after the police left the Explorer rolls through the turn-around at like 30mph most likely looking for their guy friends. Several people are all outside talking about this and the explorer rolls up again a few minutes later! This time though they have the windows down and they are playing the theme song from the "COPS" tv show! OMG was all I could think as I was nearly rolling on the ground. This Explorer rolled by 5 times in total within half an hour of the fight and they gave us the finger, made remarks etc. all the while bumpin' the "COPS" theme. They were actually trying to sing it ha ha ha.
It made me feel like I was watching "Bad Boys 2" where Martin Lawrence was trying to sing that song and no knows the words ya know? Just the damn chorus that sucks beyond all reason. Anyway, I felt compelled by "good form" to blog of my vacation adventure and state that this in NO way detracts from me wanting to vacation here. THE END!
Just as my brother and I were leaving the pool (it closes at 10pm) our resorts fire alarm goes off and the building is evacuated. While everyone is out on the boardwalk and beach front there are fireworks being blown off on the beach (which is illegal in OR) and everyone enjoyed it. However, the police arrived quickly and stopped the show. Meanwhile the fire department arrives promptly, finds no problem and we are allowed to return to our rooms. Just as everyone at the resort files back to their rooms from the beach front a fight breaks out randomly and 2 local boys try to jump a couple of young men from nearby Warrenton.
The best part about this whole this whole thing is the cops were close by when you needed them! Someone yelled for the police and the fight broke up instantly. The kid that started the fight limped off because he picked a fight with someone who knew how to handle himself and he body slammed this guy on the concrete sidewalk near the turn-around. Needless to say it was pretty funny. Wait...it gets better!
Now the police are getting statements and descriptions blah blah blah, all the while we find out that these 3 or 4 girls dropped these guys off and they were driving a white Ford Explorer. Soon after the police left the Explorer rolls through the turn-around at like 30mph most likely looking for their guy friends. Several people are all outside talking about this and the explorer rolls up again a few minutes later! This time though they have the windows down and they are playing the theme song from the "COPS" tv show! OMG was all I could think as I was nearly rolling on the ground. This Explorer rolled by 5 times in total within half an hour of the fight and they gave us the finger, made remarks etc. all the while bumpin' the "COPS" theme. They were actually trying to sing it ha ha ha.
It made me feel like I was watching "Bad Boys 2" where Martin Lawrence was trying to sing that song and no knows the words ya know? Just the damn chorus that sucks beyond all reason. Anyway, I felt compelled by "good form" to blog of my vacation adventure and state that this in NO way detracts from me wanting to vacation here. THE END!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
It is important to be happy
Recently someone I've known for years has finally found happiness. She started to open up and be honest with other but more importantly with herself. "To thine own self be true" is something I've always tried to live by and it totally works.
In the long run you will never be happy or accepted for who you really are if you can't accept you and be honest with yourself as well. Be honest to yourself and with others. Don't say what is "socially acceptable" or "sugar coat" what you really mean. Say what you think but say it in a way that is mature, thoughtful and well-founded. People aren't going to always agree with you, in fact they will rarely do so, but it is up to you to let people know where you stand and hold firm to that. Be open-minded and accepting of others and differences in all people, however, once you have made your convictions don't be afraid to stand by them and give them a voice.
Overcome your obstacles and criticism. All of us as people could do well to live our lives in a way that reflects the conversation I had with my parents the other day. We spoke of friends and family and those who have passed on and my father mentioned it was important to him to be remembered well when he is gone. He spoke of people remembering him as one who "didn't complain." I thought about that and realized that in the past I found it important to say things such as, "you shouldn't care what others think about you" in an attempt to "break the mold" as it were and be adventurous. Now I find myself wanting to live my life in a manner where people do remember me in a positive way. It is said that you aren't truly alive unless you are connecting. Whether that is with someone, something or yourself. What is connecting though?
I thought long and hard about what that meant and it is left entirely up to interpretation and with good reason. Connecting means something different to everyone, or at least it is felt differently to each individual. For me it is a sense of complete excitement. The feeling that I have to scream or run around out of pure excitement. That usually happens to me when I surprise someone with something they will love or seeing a friend I havn't seen in years. It could be any number of things but it all means the same thing, be happy.
Being happy shouldn't be hard work or embarrassing, find what makes you happy and go for it. Surround yourself with people that uplift you and make you feel good. Find a job or career that excites you and you find yourself working hard at just for the sake of doing hard work. Whatever it may be for you take it and take it now.
In the long run you will never be happy or accepted for who you really are if you can't accept you and be honest with yourself as well. Be honest to yourself and with others. Don't say what is "socially acceptable" or "sugar coat" what you really mean. Say what you think but say it in a way that is mature, thoughtful and well-founded. People aren't going to always agree with you, in fact they will rarely do so, but it is up to you to let people know where you stand and hold firm to that. Be open-minded and accepting of others and differences in all people, however, once you have made your convictions don't be afraid to stand by them and give them a voice.
Overcome your obstacles and criticism. All of us as people could do well to live our lives in a way that reflects the conversation I had with my parents the other day. We spoke of friends and family and those who have passed on and my father mentioned it was important to him to be remembered well when he is gone. He spoke of people remembering him as one who "didn't complain." I thought about that and realized that in the past I found it important to say things such as, "you shouldn't care what others think about you" in an attempt to "break the mold" as it were and be adventurous. Now I find myself wanting to live my life in a manner where people do remember me in a positive way. It is said that you aren't truly alive unless you are connecting. Whether that is with someone, something or yourself. What is connecting though?
I thought long and hard about what that meant and it is left entirely up to interpretation and with good reason. Connecting means something different to everyone, or at least it is felt differently to each individual. For me it is a sense of complete excitement. The feeling that I have to scream or run around out of pure excitement. That usually happens to me when I surprise someone with something they will love or seeing a friend I havn't seen in years. It could be any number of things but it all means the same thing, be happy.
Being happy shouldn't be hard work or embarrassing, find what makes you happy and go for it. Surround yourself with people that uplift you and make you feel good. Find a job or career that excites you and you find yourself working hard at just for the sake of doing hard work. Whatever it may be for you take it and take it now.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Interesting intro to crumbs of concern
Topics which may concern you unknowingly and my result in increasing concern once you realize said "crumbs" (or topics) are so concerning and that they may INDEED concern you. Having said that, my name is Chris Rutherford and this is the increasingly concerning blog I am starting to inform any and all readers of topics that concern me or you or all of us as human beings. Any of the future topics presented here may be subject to scrutiny as any "important" or "intellectual" thought may be. Occasionally you, the reader, may just find yourself picking apart these entries to figure out why I put them here. In any case, I will post things of nature that CONCERN me, not just in the sense that it affects me directly or indirectly but may be something that I find of concern. Sources may include stories I've heard, other blogs, publications of all sorts or theories and conjectures I've come up with in my own mind. Now, enough babbling, have some crumbs.
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