Icewind's Ramblings

Only a person in Alaska would think of this! From the city of Anchorage where drunk driving used to be considered a sport in our time, comes this story.   Recently a routine police patrol parked outside a bar in Anchorage, Alaska. After last call the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk. The man stumbled around the parking lot for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing.   After what seemed an eternity in which he tried his keys on five different vehicles, the man managed to find his car and fall into it. He sat there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off. Finally, he started the car, switched the wipers on and off . . . it was a fine, lightly snowing night . . . flicked the blinkers on and off a couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained still for a few more minutes as some mor...

This morning I was watching Today Show and they did a really good piece looking back at this past year.   It covered almost any topic you can think of from world events, economy, sports, celebrities, deaths, and it was beautifully done.   I came away with several thoughts about the video and also about my own year in review. The most striking thing that jumped out at me was how much chaos and trouble there is all over the world.   The many conflicts going on in so many different regions and how they never seem to be resolved and continue year after year. The natural disasters that happened this past year seem almost unprecedented with the numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and droughts to affect so many countries and people.   One could almost think the ‘end of times’ was marching quickly and everyone needs to take a look at their lives and how they are living it.   It is an interesting ‘what if’ thought process when you look at what the Bible says...

I wanted to get my three daughters a little something for Christmas to put some positive thoughts to events over the last couple of years.   In Anchorage we had a nice large Barnes and Nobel bookstore that has a coffee shop and a nice sitting area to read.   It can be found with quite a few people hanging out and enjoying a good book or a cup of java.   I love coffee so decided I would stop for a cup while I was trying to do my Christmas shopping. I wanted to send my daughters a positive book that has always given me food for thought.   It is called "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. My thoughts were everyone can always use that little lift from a positive attitude and sharing that feeling with others around you. Being the good father I wanted to boost these young women's spirit and help them get through the tough times away from family many miles away.   My thought process was I wanted to spout all this positive stuff how they...