Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts

Sunday, July 30, 2017

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE MOVIES

BY STEVE DUN

Lately my blog has taken on a distinctly serious side as I have let the cultural and political climate America dominate much of my thinking.  I decided it was time to choose a far less serious topic that may engender comments but I suspect less earth-shattering or vitriolic.  I have passed beyond my 66th birthday and during that time I have seen lots of movies. This past weekend I racked my brain a bit to try and remember all of their titles--which eludes me; but the purpose was to try and ascertain my top 25 favorite movies of all-time. I will warn you that I am a sucker for history, sports movies, science fiction and creative comedy. So for what it's worth--which may not be much--here they are:

1. A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966)  This is my favorite movie of all time which you may never heard of.  Paul Scofield and this film garnered six Academy Awards in this story of Sir Thomas More's refusal to accede to Henry VIII's serial divorces and break with the Catholic Church.

2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS (TRILOGY) (2001  2002  2003)  I loved JRR Tolkien's classics as a teen and was spell-bound by Peter Jackson's on screen version. It's hard for me to separate the three since their part of an entire story but Two Towers was probably my favorite of the trio.

3. THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) Steve McQueen and James Garner starred in this exciting tale from World War 2.

4. SISTER ACT 1 AND 2 (1992 and  Sister Act 2-Back in the Habit 1993)  Whoopi Goldberg and her singing nuns made the church relevant and religion fun for tons of people.

5. JESUS OF NAZARETH (1977) Franco Zeferelli's miniseries was never theatrically released but it remains the best version ever of the life of Jesus.

6. STAR WARS-A NEW HOPE (1977)  I've loved almost of all of the Star Wars sagas, but the original has always remained my favorite.

7. TWISTER (1996) This movie's mix of excitement, drama and comedy and its fascinating tornados was a delight the first time I saw it on the wide screen and continues to be my most watched movie on the small screen.  I loved the flying cows.

8. THE LONGEST DAY (1962) Another classic WWII movie with an all-star cast and the second most watched movie by me over the years.

9. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)  Sheer fun with Johnny Depp

10. IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING (1949) Ray Milland starred in this baseball movie most of you never have seen.

 11. MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1964) Gene Hackman and the FBI take down the Ku Klux Klan in a movie every generation should watch.

 12. AMAZING GRACE (2006) Iaon Gruffod as William Wilberforce who brought down the slave trade in the British Empire.

 13. THE FIRM (1993) Tom Cruise as a young lawyer who breaks the power of a corrupt law firm. One of John Grisham's best books.
 
14. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) The first in the Indiana Jones series.  I could not leave the theater even to go to the bathroom.


15. HIDDEN FIGURES (2016) NASA, the space of the 60s and breaking the power of segregation with a powerful look at three of the smartest women in history.  The best new movie in the last year.

16. THE LION, WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (2005) CS Lewis' classic tale brought to life on the wide screen and true to the books I loved.

 17. THE PATRIOT  (2000)  Mel Gibson a Revolutionary War hero reminiscent of Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox
 18. EXODUS (1960) Paul Newman and others in Leon Uris' classic on the birth of Israel.


19. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) This is the only musical on my list.  Topol starred in this story of a Jewish family in changing Russia.  I loved the bottle dancers.  This was also the movie Dianne and I saw on our honeymoon, so it's got to be on the list.

 20. PATTON  (1970) George C. Scott in this classic bio of WWII's most brilliant and controversial general.

21. MONEY BALL (2011) I could have put a ton of baseball movies on the list but Brad Pitt's portrayal of Billy Bean who changed the face of modern baseball was a winner.

22. ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944) Cary Grant in this mystery/comedy made before I was born is still one of the funniest I have ever seen--especially with Teddy Roosevelt and the Panama Canal in his basement.

23. VON RYANS EXPRESS (1965)  A classic "escape" movie from WWII with Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard.

 24. HUNT FOR THE RED OCTOBER (1990) One of Tom Clancy's best--a submarine adventure with Sean Connery and Alex Baldwin.  Connery made many movies magnificent.

25. LINCOLN (2012) Daniel Day Lewis was masterful in his portrayal of Lincoln and the emancipation of the slaves at the end of the Civil War.

 26. A FEW GOOD MEN (1992) A classic courtroom drama pitting Tom Cruise and Demi Moore against Jack Nicholson.  One of my most frequently watched movies.

What are some of your top movies?













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Thursday, May 15, 2014

NATALIE GRADUATES

BY STEVE DUNN

In just a short time, my granddaughter Natalie will graduate from high school.  I could not be prouder of her nor happier for her.  I can remember her when she was very young and very strong-willed and her strong-willed father called me for advice.  "What worked with you, Michael?" "Nothing" was his response.  "Good luck," was mine.

A voracious reader as a youngster and a gung ho Girl Scout.  She was enamored with House, and ga-ga over Les Mis.  Much to our joy, Natalie loved God early.  And then, of course, later she loved Dakota but not in the same way.  An artist's eye with a camera and a perceptive writer, over and over she gave me reasons for joy.  First she wanted to be a Park Ranger, but now a journalist.  But since she was president of her high school student council as a freshman--who knows. She'd certainly be an improvement over the current occupant--even now.

Natalie loved to play the Geek, but she was a stunner come prom time.   She was her Dad's golf partner since he had no sons, his chief marketer for Mikey's Burgers and Fries, and a great confidante to mom Melonie.  And a patient older sister with her younger sibling Ashley who kept beating her for a time at minigolf.

Because we lived so far apart (she in Michigan and I in Pennsylvania), most of our communication was by Facebook.  I remember one night when she got in  trouble for having a late night conversation with Grandpa, which I innocently mentioned to her Dad - who had banned her from Facebook for one of the usual teenage violations.

As she heads off into the more adult world, I just want to say,"Natalie, I love you. I am proud of you and happen to really like the you that you have become.  I will pray for your regularly.  And who knows, maybe some day you will become the fourth Dr. Dunn in this family.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

COMING OUT OF HIBERNATION






BY STEVE DUNN

I have been blogging now for six years.  In fact, LIFE MATTERS on Blogger was my very first venture into this dimension of internet publishing. For those blog alone I have posted 878 times.
Before entering the world of blogging, I published an email devotional called THRIVING IN CHRIST.
This was very popular, and was frequently forwarded to others, especially when I added a little social commentary to my scriptural reflections.  This devotional evolved into a blog by the same name, also on Blogger.  I do little devotional writing these days, so it is now published very infrequently.

I publish a number of other blogs, many tied to teaching, a number of which connect to my profession as a pastor,leadership developer, and church consultant.  These have occupied the bulk if my time this winter.  

This blog has always been my general interest blog, my ongoing dialogue with the culture on cultural and religious matters--and some trivial pursuits in both arenas. I have never professed to be a cultural expert, simply someone with an opinion and whose belief that our lives matter to God made the connection important.

The intensity of production of my professional blogs pushed this one to the end of my "to do" list.  Except for my semi-irreverent Steve's Digital Desk, I was spending very little time with the extraordinary stuff we find in ordinary daily living.

So it's time to come out of hibernation.  Hopefully after a few posts, you'll stop telling me to climb back into my cave.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

NATIONAL "NO-BRAINER" DAY

.According to the Ultimate Holiday website, today is National No Brainer Day.  The explanation? "A whole day devoted to obvious choices? It's a no brainer."  In honor of that, here are a few NO BRAINERS to me:

Saturday, October 6, 2012

COMING BACK TO WHAT I LOVE

These past six weeks I have done very little public blogging.  It has been one of those seasons when life was captured by a different set of priorities--far more immediate and demanding than an intentional person like myself was particularly comfortable with.  In mid July I completed nearly 11 years as the Lead Pastor of a wonderful congregation called the Church of God of Landisville.  My wife Dianne and I had sensed that God wanted us to move on to some other form and area of ministry.  I have been a local church pastor all but seven of the last 41 years, so I think we believed that we would still be pastoring but in a different context.  I also do training in evangelism and consulting in church mission and leadership. It's not at the level that I have tried to make a living off of it, but I have been somewhat busy in those venues of ministry.  I also am a part-time instructor for a seminary and spent the time preparing and now teaching a class of 16 students - 11 in a classroom and 5 on-line from another part of Pennsylvania.

What really captured my time was the sale of my house.  I knew that if I continued pastoring, ethically I needed to move out of the immediate area of my last parish and God confirmed that-allowing me to sell my home to a family in 28 days when they sold their 11 days later after only being on the market three. 

So Dianne and I have spent mid-August until just six days ago--sorting, packing, downsizing, moving my office and several rooms of furniture and possessions into storage--while both of us working.  Not much time left over.

I love blogging and see it, among other things as a ministry.  So this is just to tell you--I'm back and will be picking up speed.  Thank you for your patience during this hiatus and for not un-subscribing.

Friday, September 30, 2011

15,001

Yesterday's blog post "That's Baseball" chronicled a historic day in sports.  It also WAS a historical event.  I began writing LIFE MATTERS on March 3, 2009  There have been 568 posts in that time.  With this post the 15,000th and 15,000st persons  viewed LIFE MATTERS.

This was the entire text of that first post: My purpose has not changed three years later.

Many people think Christians have closed minds, more concerned with being the moral police than good neighbors. I believe that Christians are called to reflect the character of Christ--which means that loving God and loving my neighbor are two sides of the same coin. Rather than exhibiting a closed mind, it is important for me to possess the mind of Christ. The Christ portrayed in the Gospels possessed clarity and a deep commitment to the truth. That meant that he was open to people's questions and even taught the truth by asking questions, not merely making pronouncements. A mind committed to knowing and living by the truth is essential to being a genuine Christ follower. Having a mind assumes that you are required to think, ask questions, reflect, and respond. It also implies that your actions and values are the result of well-examined, open-minded (to the truth) conviction. As a sign I once saw on a campus minister's door proclaimed: JESUS CAME TO TAKE AWAY YOUR SINS, NOT YOUR MIND. (I welcome your questions and conversations at sdunnpastor@coglandisville.org)

My purpose has not changed three years later. - Steve


Friday, November 5, 2010

STOP IT !!!!!

All of us in the helping professions have occasionally just wanted to let go and say what Bob Newhart says in this video. Forgive me, but this is hilarious.



Find more videos like this on Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church

Monday, April 19, 2010

MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS -DOUBLING GAP, METS VS CARDS, REDEEMED REJECTION



This is where my week will ultimately take me, Doubling Gap Center. Doubling Gap is the retreat and conference center for the Eastern Regional Conference of the Churches of God, located near Newville PA. It is also the home of Camp Yolijwa. Originally a famous hotel with mineral springs, it was secured by the Churches of God in 1935 to become the home of its fledgling church camping ministry. (You can learn more about this magnificent place by going to: camp yolijwa Along with a number of other persons from my congregation we will be attending the annual conference sessions of the ERC: a time of church business, prayer, inspiration, equipping, worship, and fellowship. People rarely like attending business meetings, but this "gathering of the church" is far more than something so mundane. By the time it ends Saturday at lunch time, many of us will have a special time of blessing from God. I will return in June to serve as a Head Counselor on the staff of the Youth Camp. That will be far more grueling, but in many ways more rewarding. I look forward to my time at Doubling Gap.

The Mets and the Cardinals put together a twenty inning extra inning game Saturday. Fortunately it started at 4:15 in the afternoon or they might have watched the sun rise on the Mississippi before the last out was made. Six hours and 53 minutes before Jose Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to give the Mets a 2-1 victory. Cardinals' utility man Joe Mather was pressed into service on the mound when Tony LaRussa ran out of pitchers. Poor Joe will probably never get another chance to pitch in his career that now sports an 0-1 pitching record. Perhaps the real hero was Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who caught all 20 innings (a superhuman effort by baseball standards) and gunned down David Wright in the 14th inning as he attempted to steal second, prolonging the game even further. Alas, Yadier's efforts were for naught, but he was behind the plate 24 hours later in the final game of this series.

Yesterday's sermon was called "Redeemed Rejection." Rejection is with us from the beginning of life until life's, but thankfully God allows us to overcome rejection with a fresh start. We "redeem rejection" when we choose to live by the truth of God's New Creation and stop living the lie that comes from people who do not value us God does.

Monday, April 12, 2010

MONDAY MORNING MEANDERINGS - THE MASTERS, MR OBAMA, THE TIGERS ARE WINNING, AND A WORD FROM THE WORD
















The 2010
Masters
had more than a little drama, with seven men "in the hunt" for the Green Jacket right up to the end. Much of the focus was on Tiger Woods and his comeback, but there were plenty of stories. Fred Couples made a bid to be the oldest man to win the Masters and I confess, I was rooting for the "Old Guy." Maybe that's because at age 59, I have begun to empathize with those old guys just a little. But the winner was Phil Mickelson, not generally one of my favorites. However, you had to be glad for him. He was one the "Good Guys." Whereas Tiger took time off to get his addictions under control and mend his marriage, Phil took time off to be at the side of his wife (and also his mother) who were battling breast cancer. You had to admire his priorities and smile a bit when he got a little of his heavenly reward early at Augusta.

The 2009 Detroit Tigers left many of us heartbroken when they let the Minnesota Twins overtake them at season's end for the Central Division title. By Sunday they reeled off their















fourth win in a row, taking 4 out of 5 from the Royals and the Indians. A lot of offense was generated despite Johnny Damon's non-productivity. Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera provided a whole lot of power. But nothing was more fun than watching Carlos Guillen win a Sunday slugfest when he scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch (is that a "walk off wild pitch"?). The Tigers were so much fun this week that I largely ignored my fantasy baseball teams.

When I pay attention to the news, I keep hearing assessments of Mr. Obama's performance as President. Personally, I still think the best thing is to pray for him to be a wise and godly leader and stop spreading all the urban legends. Likewise, Democrats need to give him a break. He is not the Messiah (that job has already been taken quite well, thank you.)

Just so this blog post has some redeeming value, let me leave you with a verse that I find gives me focus and hope. It's Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Monday, April 5, 2010

MONDAY MORNING MEDITATIONS - BUTLER BULLDOGS, OPENING DAY, PRAYING FOR HAITI, FACEBOOK






Still praying for Haiti, of all the important things going on in the world - from healthcare to the Iraqi elections, to the Final Four an the Masters, to our on again-off again economy, I hope we have lot let Haiti to totally slip off our radar. As both the rainy season in Haiti and the hurricane season in the Caribbean rev up, we must understand the potential for further misery in Haiti could materialize in a moment. Keep praying for Haiti.

The Butler Bulldogs pulled off a tough victory againstt Tom Izzel's always tough Michigan State Spartans. 25 victories in a row and their first ever appearance in the Final Four could turn into their first ever NCAA Championship. Tonight could provide just that reality. But what is particularly classy is that the night before that big semi-final game, Butler coach Brad Stevens and his wife fulfilled a commitment they made a year ago when they knew only that the Final Four was coming to Indianapolis. They hosted a gala fundraiser for Coaches Against Cancer. Class act!

Opening Day (every baseball fan knows exactly "what" is opening). The longest season in major sports commences today (actually the first game was yesterday but today is the real opening day.) I have been waiting this with eager anticipation. Can Jim Leyland's Tigers bounce back from the heart-breaking end of the 2009 season when the Twins won a division playoff game to make it into the postseason. Traded Placido Polanco and Curtis Granderson - to the Phillies who I have affection for and the Yankees who I do not. Here's my picks. NATIONAL LEAGUE - East: Phillies; Central: Cardinals: West: Rockies; Wild Card: Giants AMERICAN LEAGUE - East: Yankees; Central: Tigers; West: Angels: Wild Card: Red Sox. The Twins and Tampa Bay could mess up my American League prognostications and maybe the Dodgers in the NL. World Series (I hate to say it) Yankees vs Phillies and the winner - Yankees.

Finally mowed the lawn Saturday. The onion grass was driving me nuts.

Facebook - I finally crossed the 300 threshold on friends and the church's page hit 87. Is all this social networking really necessary? Maybe not the trivial stuff, but a free society thrives on communication and the exchange of ideas. Probably more socially redeeming than texting. I feel a blog post coming on.

Monday, February 22, 2010

MONDAY MORNING MEDITATIONS -TIGER WOODS, SNOW TALK, AND PERFECTIONISTS

Last Friday Tiger Woods apologized. Unfortunately the apology was packaged as an infomercial, staged on a Friday when it was certain to compete with the current PGA tour stop (ironically the Accenture Match Play, one of his sponsors who chose to cancel Tiger's contract rather than be identified with his moral difficulties). It was an act of controlled communication that seemed to be devoid of true contrition and intent on not making his mea culpa any more painful than it needed to be. It left many a person wondering if anything had really changed inside of Woods that might make them once again truly respect him. Tiger's approach to an apology didn't communicate that he respected the sensibilities of his fans or the golfing public. One wonders whether the absence of his wife from the proceedings was saying she didn't buy it either.

Where I live in southcentral Pennsylvania the talk again was snow. 40 inches due March 7th (I think they said they were quoting the venerable Farmer's Almanac. We did get 40 inches about two weeks ago. I'm hoping that Alamanac got the date of its prediction wrong. I'm more than a little weary of the abundance of snow. It can't melt fast enough for me. I want to be on the golf course sooner than later. At the current melting rate, I might not see grass until the end of March. One more snowstorm and I might have to wait until late April to tee off.

In church this Sunday I spoke about conflict resolution. Some of the most difficult people to deal with in conflict are perfectionists. They actually think they live in a world that can be whipped into shape instead of a broken one that needs patient healing. As a result, they create conflict by their unrealistic attitudes and inhibit conflict resolution until they get over their "mad" about the need to deal with problems in the first place. Then there are the people who believe if they ignore a conflict, it will simply go away. They are difficult to deal with in conflict because you have to catch them first.

With all this in mind, I put my hope in Paul's promise found in Romans 8.28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." Tiger may remain unrepentant, but hopefully I will remember that humility is essential to real change. I may have that snowstorm nonetheless, and I will learn to live with the reality that "to everything there is a reason and a time to every purpose under heaven"(Ecclesiastes 3). The things that create conflict are bound to come. I can learn to do what is right in conflict instead of simply what is easy.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

ENTER THE DIALOGUE

I would be honored if you signed up as a FOLLOWER to this blog and regularly entered the dialogue of ideas and questions that I pose. It's very simple. Just click the appropriate items in the box to the right.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

FACEBOOK, PHILLIES, AND ELECTIONS

This weekend I opened my email to discover a message from Facebook. Natalie Dunn wanted to be my friend. Natalie is my 13 year old granddaughter, who lives in Michigan. For all you grandparent types, that's more than 650 miles from Landisville PA and so I don't get many opportunities to get involved in her life. (Now I know she likes pancakes and wants to be a park ranger.) Facebook has its limitations and even its hazards, but I am grateful for the technology that allows me to have a stronger relationship with my granddaughter.

I am reminded of how computers and email revolutionized overseas mission work. Instead of being isolated and dependent on mail that often took weeks, missionaries were able to communicate back home in real time. Supporters and mission boards could now respond to needs with greater promptness and pray for real and specific issues at the exact time those prayer were needed most.

Cliff Lee was not as sharp last night but Chase Utley was devastating and the Phillies stepped back from the brink with a win over the Yankees. Chase is the new "Mr. October" (sorry Reggie). Four of my friends were at the game (one Yankees fan in the bunch)and each had his take on what made the game special (this time the Yankee fan saying "what it"?) So back to the Bronx. Can the Phillies win two more?

Election Day. Get out and vote.

Reminder - A Good Question meets tomorrow night from 7-9 upstairs at the Black Knight in Landisville. Join us.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

FACEBOOK

Scott McKnight shares a book review that has me wanting to go out and read the book. As a Facebooker who uses it for social networking and a little pastoring, I am intrigued. More to follow. McKnight writes ...

Anyone, and I mean anyone, who can help us think about how the gospel and the church and life itself is being reshaped (or influenced or revolutionized) by social media like Facebook is worth listening to. Jesse Rice's new book, The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community , is not only worth listening to but it's worth church staffs reading together to discuss.

The Church of Facebook does not approach the subject with a holier-than-thou critical attitude, it doesn't bring in Bible and theology to make it sound Christian... the sort of approach that may sound right but be short on critical analysis. My summary statement:

Facebook is a spontaneous ordering of humans that both benefits us and is reshaping our sense of community and provides us with challenges ...

The Church of Facebook explains through (what I'd call) social psychology how the Facebook phenomenon arose (spontaneous order is his term -- great story to begin the book) and what it provides for 300 million people (connection, not to be confused with community) and how it is illuminating so many things about life (like relationships) and how we are adapting to it in so many ways ... and then he offers some warnings about how to live in a Facebook world as followers of Christ.

There's more to be said about Facebook, and more will be said over the next few years, but this is a fine book and one that penetrates deeply into the Facebook world and then comes out to explain to us what is going on in that world.

Read McKnight's original blog at ....

http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/2009/10/young-christian-authors-jesse.html

Monday, August 17, 2009

FEEL FREE TO POST COMMENTS

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Thursday, August 6, 2009

FIFTEEN BOOKS (PLUS ONE) I WOULD KEEP IN MY LIBRARY

A while back I suggested that we share the books we would keep in our library. In addition to my NIV/Message Parallel Bible, I would keep these 16 volumes that have significantly impacted me and continue to do so.

1. CS Lewis MERE CHRISTIANITY
2. John Ortberg IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER, GET OUT OF THE BOAT
3. Dallas Willard HEARING GOD
4. Rebecca Pippert HOPE HAS ITS REASONS
5. Mark Buchanan THE REST OF GOD
6. Jim Cymbala FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE
7. Ruth Haley Barton RESTORING THE SOUL OF YOUR SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
8. Tim Hansel HOLY SWEAT
9. Douglas Rumford SOUL-SHAPING (out-of-print(
10. Robert Lewis THE CHURCH OF IRRESISTIBLE INFLUENCE
11. Dietrich Bonhoeffer THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
12. Gordon Stuart and Douglas Fee HOW TO READ THE BIBLE FOR ALL ITS WORTH
13. Reggie McNeal THE PRESENT FUTURE
14. Calvin Miller ONCE UPON A TREE
15. Andy Stanley THE BEST QUESTION EVER
16. Oswald Chambers MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

Later I will share the 15 fiction books I would retain.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

WHAT'S ON YOUR SHELF?


Recently I have begun thinning out my library. I have always been a book lover and my shelves are filled with books about Christianity, church leadership, spiritual formation, the church in society, evangelism and apologetics, preaching, etc. The shelves in my study are filled. I have read almost all of these in part or the whole. The chances of my reading them a second time are slim, so now I am placing them in other libraries and giving them away.

The key now is what books should I keep? If you were to keep just 5-10 books out of your personal library, what would they be?

Monday, July 20, 2009

EARL'S - GALLUP NEW MEXICO


Last week I took an 18-person mission team to conduct a Vacation Bible School at our Navajo sister church in Tsaile AZ. This is the third team I've taken since becoming the Lead (Senior) Pastor at the church. The teams always fly into Albuquerque NM where we rent vans and SUVs and then travel the final 4 1/2 hours to Tsaile, which is located in the Lukachukai Mountains of southeast Arizona.

Our journey ALWAYS takes us through Gallup, New Mexico and our vehicles ALWAYS stop (both going to Tsaile and returning from) at Earl's. The attraction isn't specifically the food, although the food is very good and moderately priced. It's not the service, although this is one of the friendlier and more accomodating serving staff I have encountered.

No, for our team - it is the Navajo jewelry and pottery. Earl's is surrounded on two sides tables of items created by Navajo artists - sand paintings, beautiful pottery, necklaces, bracelets, rings. All lovingly crafted and priced in affordable ways - so affordable that after several years I have a nice collection of Navajo pottery.

But inside, there's more - craftspersons, that is. As you eat, Navajos come up and display their creations. You barter right at the table, after you have had a chance to look at things closely and talk with the artist themselves. Most of the "indoor" craftpersons seem to be persons just trying to make a modest living off of the shopping habits of tourists. The outdoor artists are more small business owners, complete with descriptions of the provenance of each item and a credit card reader to expedite the transaction.

My teams love the place - from its Navajo tacos to its ice cream to its pottery and necklaces. Earl's is one of those places, you just want to come back to.

Do you have a favorite place(s)? Feel free to post a response.

Friday, July 17, 2009

TOP TEN THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A FATHER

10. "You used to be really smart, what happened?"
9. "Why do you suck in your gut when the babysitter arrives?"
8. "Was your Dad a nag, too?"
7. "Grandma says you were a problem child."
6. "Stop hogging the Nintendo!!!!!!!"
5. "Why did you stick out your tongue at Mom?"
4. "I'm going to drop at of school and tatoo my face."
3. "Why should I get a job, are you out of money?"
2. "Dad, we don't have enough money. You need to get another job."
1. "Dad, can I borrow your credit card?"