Update:

~ I have added the blog of one Ben Reynolds to my sidebar. I went to high school with Ben and he recently moved to Ottawa. He's quite a talented illustrator - check out his artwork if you have the time.

~ Lately I have been biking to work. I really enjoy the exercise, but getting passed by all these men and women with calves the size of boulders is beginning to wear down my self esteem.

~ Laurianne's birthday is on Thursday. If you're from the Ottawa area, and you care about Laurianne, you can meet her at Yesterday's on Sparks Street for a drink and some snacks between five and seven.

~ If you're not from the Ottawa area well wishes can be sent to her at laurianne_munezero@yahoo.ca

~ If you are from the Ottawa area but can't make it on that particular day please refer to the bullet above.

~ If you are from the Ottawa area, but don't care about Laurianne, then you are excused from attending.

~ If you are not from the Ottawa area, but happen to be in the Ottawa area on that particular day, you are welcome to drop by.

~ If you are from Russell, you can come too.

~ We recently watched Disturbia, a remake of Hitchcock's classic Rear Window. Usually remakes of classic movies are very very bad, because remaking classic cinema is pretty pointless - sort of like trying to redoVan Gogh's Starry Night. This movie, however, was different enough from the original that it worked . . . somewhat. Although lacking in the flair and subtleties of the original, it was mildly entertaining.

~ We also watched Hot Fuzz which is send-up satire of old cop movies and shows. It's a bit over-the-top bloody, but overall it is quite funny and enjoyable.

~ I've taken to reviewing movies on facebook. I'm fairly harsh and pretty economical with my stars - but only because it's more entertaining for me that way.

~ I should note that the bikers who pass me are passing me on road bikes. I'm on a mountain bike. My only advantage would be if we hit some rough mountain terrain. Unfortunately, there are no mountains between my home and my place of work.

~ If you have time, check out Dave Beldman's continuing guide to reading Job and his insightful analysis of new insights into DaVinci's Last Supper.

~ Actually, I'm kind of glad that there are no mountains between my home and my place of work.

~ Someone is knocking on my ceiling. Well, I guess they're knocking on their floor and I'm hearing it through my ceiling.

~ Alright, they stopped now.

~ I have twice come across books claiming that Ring around the Rosie originates from the period of the Black Death. However, the words of that rhyme were not written down until some time in the nineteenth century. The words seem to fit so well. Although, apparently there was no sneezing involved in the bubonic plague. Maybe the rhyme was written about the plague afterwards. It's hard to believe that it would remain unwritten for some four hundred years.

~ My cousin Jon Barnhoorn, his wife, Janice, and their two children, Stephen and Samuel, will be heading to Nigeria very soon for translation work with Wycliffe ministries. Please keep them in your prayers.