Posts by Terry

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

THANKS TO ALL!

You've been--as they use to say in the days of Richard the Lionheart--boon companions.

21

A DAY IN THE LIFE

by Terry in

a day in the life.

i took a hot bath this morning.

then, after making my bed and saying "good morning" to my roommate, sana--i jumped on my bike and headed off to breakfast.sound exciting enough for you yet?

Terry

I do wonder.

I recently moved to the other side of town here in Ft. Worth.

I previously haunted the Camp Bowie Blvd. location and now I'm a "newbie" at the Hulen south location.

Why am I approachable? I have no idea!

I'm tall and probably have a sappy expression of goofy, good-natured altruism pasted on my face.

Or not.

STARBUCKS is a community watering hole. It attracts a certain type of person who arrives with a laptop and plugs in. Conviviality and sociable camaraderie go hand in hand.

If you know how to beat the high prices, its a pretty good spot for writing.

I have the Gold Card which entitles me to free refills. I buy a tall coffee-of-the-day and I'm good for hours. I don't spend $2 and yet get free Wi-Fi, an outdoors patio and shady umbrella :)

As a writer, I'm a people watcher. I have a tendency to snoop, too. . .

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

My understanding of the law is, in this instance, the principle of "restoration."

Namely, whatever the attack caused to lessen my well-being is what the Law would seek to restore.

For example: Doctor Bills, therapy, treatment, pain pills.

In my case, I don't have any of those problems. My bike wasn't damaged and my bites and lacerations were minimal to the point they are healing rather well.

I can't afford to hire a Johnny Cochran or "Jackie Chiles" for punitive damages because I can't demonstrate my life was altered in much of any way other than a terrifying five minutes of survival struggles :)

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

Anon 2,

I knew I had to get back out on the bicycle within the shortest time possible or I might develop a phobia about riding. That would take away the thing which is most pleasurable for me right now, and maybe the most conducive to health.

Fear is a strange animal which lives inside us all. I've come in contact with it a few times and I have to say, it simply makes me very ANGRY.

Anything which makes me feel fear immediately converts to ANGER.

I think this is something preventing me from a 'shut down' and gears a pro-active action on my part.

When it comes down to it, I'm very uncomfortable curling up into a ball and whimpering :)

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

Village Idiot-They start at around $700.

___________________________

I've seen them on the bike trails.
I could never afford a $700 anything!
It took me months to save for a move-in in a new place to live.

On the practical side, I do ride on city streets mostly (sidewalks when feasible) and I'd be invisible to traffic. It is probably not a pragmatic choice even if Santa peddled one under my imaginary tree this Christmas :)

They look like a lot of fun.

I still have my sense of balance. On a bike, that is--my mind hasn't been balanced in decades :)

21

A DAY IN THE LIFE

by Terry in

a day in the life.

i took a hot bath this morning.

then, after making my bed and saying "good morning" to my roommate, sana--i jumped on my bike and headed off to breakfast.sound exciting enough for you yet?

Terry

A DAY IN THE LIFE

I took a hot bath this morning. Then, after making my bed and saying "Good Morning" to my roommate, Sana--I jumped on my bike and headed off to breakfast.
Sound exciting enough for you yet? Stay tuned!

The Dixie house seems to cater to defunct older men which makes it great for breakfast. At $3.99 it's hard to beat sausage/bacon, eggs, toast, cream gravy, hash browns, strawberry preserves and coffee. (Okay, coffee IS extra.)

Still not exciting enough? Hang in there . . .
I didn't realize it was 59 degrees when I got on my bike after that hot bath! Immediately my shoulders became sore. I was baffled. That is, until I remembered having that truel to the death on Saturday morning with two vicious biting dogs! Swinging that bicycle back and forth must have wrenched a muscle--or something--(that's what older people always say: "I wrenched" a muscle."
So, after breakfast I headed for Starbucks, my home-away-from-home where I commence my writing for the day.
As I was sitting down, a fellow of about 45 smiled at me and spoke:

"How are you feeling this morning?"
"My shoulders are sore from fighting with a couple of stray dogs. I think I wrenched my neck."

He smiled and nodded. Then, he stood as I sat. He turned to face me and asked me another question:
"Do you believe in the power of prayer?"
___________
Now any of you who know me know I have a wide range of quips, comebacks, parries and thrusts at my disposal from a lifetime of smart-assery. But--I thought I'd be diplomatic--for a change.
I answered the way a politician answers: without saying anything.

"I was baptized in 1963 and I'm no stranger to prayer. I'm 68 and still alive in good health." (How's that for a diplomatic answer?)
So the man grins. He askes yet another question while still standing in front of me gazing down.
"Do you acknowledge the healing power of Jesus Christ?"
Well now, I was in such a good mood this morning, I just didn't feel at all like screwing around and spoiling this inquisitive fella's morning.

Now comes the part you've been waiting for. The good fellow with the ordinary face and kindly smile stepped closer and reached out and laid his hand upon my shoulder right there in the middle of Starbucks!
I don't know how you'd react to this--but I was suddenly having a great fun time! Where else but Texas can you get breakfast for under $4 plus your shoulder healed in Starbucks for free?

The next thing I know, this stranger summons his inner Benny Hinn and raises his right hand to Jesus as his left hand finds the sore spot in my shoulder unbidden, and he commences to beseech the miracles of heaven to flow into my anterior musculature as a soothing Balsam from Gildead. Or something.

His recitation, which included some rather colorful vocabulary usage such as "vexing affliction" and "unwarranted encounter with beasts of the field," and capped it off with a hearty "In the blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." (To which I joined in with a magnificent and stentorian "AAAAA-MEN!"

I was sucking up the numinous powers of celestial succor like chocolate milk through a straw! It's the most fun I've had since I found a $20 bill in the pocket of an old pair of pants.

My benefactor was interrupted by another man he'd been waiting on, and they immediately went off to another part of Starbucks to talk 'bidness'.
And that was that!
Except, it wasn't. . .

My shoulder instantly improved and the pain in my neck vanished as sure as I'm sitting here--no shit!

Now isn't that dandy?

Post Script:
I just sneezed. A lady sitting to my right smiled at me and offered a warm, "God Bless You!"

I can see this is going to be one of the good days!

12

EITHER or NEITHER or BOTH? FORGIVENESS vs ATONEMENT

by Terry in

on (new testament scholar) bart ehrman's blog, the topic of luke's view of the purpose of jesus'.

death has been discussed.. in that discussion, ehrman points out how luke did not set forth the idea of atonement, rather luke set forth the idea of forgiveness.. on the other hand, mark and paul teach atonement.. these two points of view have been "mashed together" into a package deal, apparently, throughout history by theologians.. _________________________.

someone pays a debt owed by another.

Terry

On (New Testament scholar) Bart Ehrman's blog, the topic of LUKE's view of the purpose of Jesus'

death has been discussed.

In that discussion, Ehrman points out how LUKE did not set forth the idea of ATONEMENT, rather LUKE set forth the idea of FORGIVENESS.

On the other hand, Mark and Paul teach ATONEMENT.

These two points of view have been "mashed together" into a package deal, apparently, throughout history by theologians.

_________________________

Ehrman uses the following example to illustrate the inherent difference between the two views.

"Here’s the difference between atonement and free forgiveness. Suppose you owe me a thousand dollars. But you don’t have a thousand dollars to pay me back.

There are two ways we could deal with this (apart from my taking you to court).

1. On one hand, you could find someone who would be willing to pay your thousand dollars for you. If they did so, I would accept the payment and then let you off the hook. I wouldn’t care who paid the money, so long as I got paid.

2. Alternatively, on the other hand, I could simply tell you not to worry about it, that I don’t need the money and you don’t have to repay me.

The first option is like atonement. Someone pays a debt owed by another.

The second option is like forgiveness. I forgive you and your debt and no one pays it.

______

Mark, and Paul, have a doctrine of atonement. Jesus’ death is a death “for the sake of others.” He dies in the place of others. His death is a sacrifice that pays the debt that is owed by others.

Luke does not have a doctrine of the atonement. For him, Jesus’ death makes you realize how you have sinned against God and you turn to God and beg his forgiveness, and he forgives you. No one pays your debt; God simply forgives it."

________________________________

Before the formation of our current canon, early church fathers did not notice the difference between how Luke and Mark viewed the death of Jesus. It has been a modern discovery by scholars.
Now that this difference is known, only the fundamentalists choose to ignore it.

Luke insists that you need to accept the fact that Jesus was God’s messiah, the Son of God. Otherwise, you don’t really believe in God.

Matthew definitely has a doctrine of atonement, and John too, though in a different way.

Using the thousand dollar example, each one of us owes God a thousand dollars. So God pays himself a thousand dollars and we’re all off the hook. That is atonement.

______

I find this distinction with a difference to be rather interesting and a new idea (for myself) which had not occurred to me at all.

I'm interested to know what YOU think.

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

What a grisly tale!

Horrifying to think these things are possible. But, they are--and worse.

Sorry about your canine encounters.

I'm 68, if I went down even once, I think I'd be out of commission from now on.

A cracked rib never heals. I had a broken collar bone when I was 14, and that was a bicycle accident from hitting a patch of ice.

If I had any wisdom, I could listen to these stories and take heed--viewing them as my last chance to escape being laid up for the rest of my senescence! But, the prospect of being an "indoor" guy disgust me. So--what the hell?

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

Wow!

Terrific responses and some very helpful hints. I enjoyed (if that's the right choice of words) the recounting of dog-related incidents. Apparently, this is a common problem faced over a wide spectrum of humanity and dog-dom.

I'm going by the bike shop today and getting the high-octane pepper spray in a fast draw holster and laser scope :)

I'm undeterred about bicycling, however. There are few things in this life at my age which I so thoroughly enjoy.

On a lighter note, I told my story to an old guy in a white beard who had asked me about my teeth marks. When I finished I told him how much I enjoy bike-riding. I asked him what he enjoys most in the whole wide world.

He scratched his bewhiskered chin and his face brightened.

Enthusiastically he replied, "Taking a big shit first thing in the morning!"

Well, I can't possibly top that!

48

OF DOGS AND BITES AND BIKES AND THINGS

by Terry in

the thought suddenly struck me plain and obvious: "these dogs won't stop until i'm good and bloody.".

there were two of them; a mixed breed of boxer and pit bull; clean, white--collared, tagged and--for some inexplicable reason, ferociously intent on tearing me to shreds!.

ah, but i'm getting ahead of myself.

Terry

I was simply and stupidly unprepared.

I won't be unprepared a second time.

I have a kid's water gun filled with ammonia. A dog's sense of smell is about 40 times greater than a human's. One squirt on the end of their snout should render them useless.

But. . .

Just in case, I now carry--for extreme life and death attacks, a very long and vicious folding knife (totally legal).

It won't be a first resort; only a last resort.

Thanks for everybody's kind words and admonitions. I appreciate it.

LIVE AND LEARN!