The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[Wneighbor]

"be ordained online" licenses? Do you know anything about people who get those? Ever meet any?

Yes, I've known some. You know, I always think God works in ways that defy men's logic. But, I have also noted that He requires us to apply ourselves and develop a discipline habit with Him and in His Word.

In the old job of hiring engineering drafters and designers I would also have people apply with degrees or certificates from those on-line or mail-order places. I didn't hire them. From the people I met in ministry with those kind of credentials, I kind of got the same impression.

I think it goes back to the discipline statement. Part of learning spiritual discipline includes sitting under people with authority from whom we learn. I think with on-line you skip that step. You are accountable to no one not only as leadership but also as to your prayer and study habits.

Now, after saying all that, these classes I've taken have been through my church in Waco, we use classes on-line also. Like some of my homeschool friends also use on-line or correspondence classes. However, my pastor holds me accountable as all get-out and I have a female accountability partner with whom I share and pray with over all the garbage in my life. She thinks it's great that I've gotten involved in the Hobbit Hole because I have struggled not only with making friends up here but also in cultivating people who are just friends, and not ministry projects, in my life. You know, I made light of ministry stuff before today in the Hobbit Hole because it seems like people don't want to just be themselves if you tell 'em you're in ministry up front. And hopefully ya'll can all see that I'm really just a let-it-all hang out kind of minister.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

12 years as a lobbyist, public relations, corporate communications and community relations officer (for a major university and then for a giant institutional investor). Another 11 years working as a public policy analyst and writer of legislation in our state senate. It's a particularly tough area because you don't "do" anything specific, like a civil engineer, teacher, software writer, etc. To do this kind of work, usually you sell yourself to people who have problems with things they don't want to deal with themselves, and who actually build a job around you. And that gets tough, particularly in times like this.

I've long rued the day when I could've gotten into computer science in college on the "ground floor" (late 1970's). Didn't seem very interesting to an 18-22 year old leftist at the time (which is what I was in those days).

[Wneighbor]

Yeah, in the 70's I voted liberal too. I'd rather tell people about my dope habits and illegal activities than admit that. LOL

In the past, I have occasionally known when someone was needing someone of your PR, government relations and communication insight. Right now, the only people I know in need of lobbyists are Texas colleges. Some of the other areas I've heard need of over the years so I will let you know if anything reaches my ears. Unfortunately my displacement out of the central area of the state cuts off some of that. Sounds like something should turn up in Austin.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Last week I sent letters and resumes to 82 Republican Party orgs, PR firms, and lobbying firms in Austin (out of 802 total that I sent throughout the west). So my fishing expedition may yet yield a bite or two.

I could have a job tomorrow, if I wanted to represent the Homosexual Community, Environmentalists (far out kind), Animal Rights groups, Planned Parenthood, NARAL or that kind of thing up here. Almost every job in my field up here is for some kind of wacky leftist group.

There are a handful of conservative organizations up here, but they're very insular and don't like new ideas or fresh approaches -- even though they've been out of power and influence for a generation up here. I've approached them anyway, in the hopes that they have tired of the constant losing and are willing to try something or someone different. We'll see, there aren't very many of them up here and they don't get a lot of support -- even the state party up here is probably somewhere to the left of your democrats down there.

[JenB]

I think it's really cool that you're in ministry! I think the mail-order divinity degrees are very suspect. I come here for relaxation too, so leave it all behind when you come here. It's like - er - Cheers. Is that the right thing? "Where everybody knows your name"?

[HairOfTheDog]

I have been thinking about joining the militia-dudes that live up in Capital Forest. I am assuming they could use women, and the lifestyle sounds attractive sometimes.

Hullo! Nice day eh?

Got the fish-tank moved and cleaned, groomed my horse, but his neck is still kinda stiff from the shots Wed so I didn't work him long. He's pretty stoic, but I am pretty sensitive to him. He probably knows that if he could tell me clearly which things hurt and which things don't he would have to work harder.

Walking around out in the pasture I spotted Bay's ID tag that he lost some time ago... I am glad, now he has his address and phone number on again in case he gets out and runs down the road.

And Gidget got a new toy! - A tennis ball shaped like a stick. How cool is that?

[Wneighbor]

It's like - er - Cheers. Is that the right thing? "Where everybody knows your name"?

YES! Exactly.

I know that I can come here, be with friends who are like minded and relax.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Great shot of Gidget and toy. Just think of the chewing possibilities with that!

Twas a fine day (still is). Hope we get more.

the militia-dudes that live up in Capital Forest

That's the most unique reference to the black bears that I've yet seen.

[Overtaxed]

Sometimes I think about selling everything, putting a mobile home on my part of The Farm and being a dirt farmer.

[HairOfTheDog]

putting a mobile home on my part of The Farm and being a dirt farmer.

Move it out in the woods with a bunch of militia dudes and you've got yourself a novel.

[Wneighbor]

Last week I sent letters and resumes to 82 Republican Party orgs, PR firms, and lobbying firms in Austin

Well bubba, we'll just do some prayin' and maybe you'll get to be in a more suitable political climate. Although, Austin is the lib capital of Texas. I lived there for 6 years. I went there a lib.... I came out enlightened. Funny how being around so many lunatics can set the mid straight sometimes. er, maybe not always, but in this case anyway.

[HairOfTheDog]

We have militia dudes up in Capital Forest Scott, I have seen them!

[Overtaxed]

I'm not up on the militia dude situation in that part of the state. :)

[Wneighbor]

putting a mobile home on my part of The Farm and being a dirt farmer ................. Move it out in the woods with a bunch of militia dudes .....

And my thought has been to become one of those desert hermits that you find way out in the big bend area, New Mexico and Arizona. just scavenging and living away from tedious people.

[Wneighbor]

Maybe we ought to research these militia dudes a little more.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Well, I'll be.

No worse I'm sure than the peace nazi's downtown or the tax hikers on the hill. They're less likely to gouge a person I would bet.

Gary Locke's economy has finally reached it's natural result?

[Overtaxed]

On the other hand, getting involved with militia dudes might not fill my serene lifestyle criterion.

[Wneighbor]

Well, serenity might be lacking, true. Dirt farming, or desert rat definitely is more along the serene lines.

[Wneighbor]

On the other hand, getting involved with militia dudes might not fill my serene lifestyle criterion.

You know OT, it didn't dawn on me at first. That serene lifestyle almost sounds like an elf lifestyle. I thought you were more fond of dwarves, who, it seems to me, would be more along the lines of Hair's militia dudes.

[Overtaxed]

I'm sure the dwarves would prefer a serene lifestyle mining mithril over battling Balrogs and such.