A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..
1993’s Sleepless in Seattle really holds up well after a couple of decades. Oh sure the technology is outdated a bit. If Annie (played by Meg Ryan) wanted to research Sam (played by Tom Hanks) nowadays all she’d need to do is check out his various social media profiles, and of course Sam could sift thru all those responses he got from lonely & desperate ladies by spending an evening on Facebook himself. But the heart of the story still resonates, with both Hanks & Ryan at the peak of their impressive careers. Hanks may have won awards or been nominated for other performances (Philadelphia, Big, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13), but Sleepless in Seattle is undoubtedly one of his best. I saw the film while I was spending that summer taking some college classes (I figured I may as well be productive) and I’m pretty sure I even had a date, although I can’t remember her name.
I’m not exactly sure what to think or say about the whole Kim Davis thing. Davis, of course, is the Kentucky county clerk who recently spent some time in the clink after refusing to issue same sex marriage licenses. I have to tip my cap to Davis for her strong faith. Christians in various parts of the world have been persecuted for their beliefs for many many many years, and we know that persecution will only become worse and more widespread as we reach the end times. We also know that The Bible tells us that homosexuality is an abomination. However, I am confident in saying that 95% of Christians in Davis’ shoes would have either bit their tongue & issued the licenses, or just resigned from the job. I include myself in that vast majority. I understand Davis supporters who say that she absolutely did not break any laws. The “legality” of gay marriage is based on a Supreme Court ruling and NOT on any actual law passed by a legislative body. But let’s be honest…whether or not we agree with the technicalities, the fact is the Supreme Court has been overstepping its boundaries and making laws for decades, and legislators 
have allowed it to happen because they are too cowardly to take a stand on controversial issues and jeopardize their chance for re-election. That particular Pandora’s Box is open and we’re not going to get the animals back in the barn anytime soon…if ever. So the question then becomes did Kim Davis do the right thing given the fact that gay marriage is a reality whether one agrees with it or not?? Should she have issued the licenses anyway, thereby tacitly betraying her faith & denying Christ?? Should she have resigned due to the fact that, for personal reasons, she is unable to fulfill all of the duties of her position?? I don’t have the answers to those questions. I do know one thing…she should not have been put in jail. That was an extreme overreaction and only served to feed into the concerns that Christians have about mounting oppression in America. Whatever compromise was worked out allowing her to remain employed while not personally issuing same sex marriage licenses but permitting others in the clerk’s office to do so is what should have happened in the first place. This should have never been a story. I also think that folks on both sides of the issue have acted badly. Why did presidential candidate Mike Huckabee need to get involved?? Why did there have to be a press conference/pep rally upon Davis’ release from prison?? Conversely, the ugliness of non-Christians/haters has been abhorrent. Comments about Davis’ looks and her multiple marriages are out of line. No one knows what is in Kim Davis’ heart except God. She is a sinner just like the rest of us, but if she has given her heart to The Lord then her sin is washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Perhaps she came to Christ after the tumultuous path of life led her down some dark roads, including a few failed marriages?? I don’t know and neither do you, so name calling & insults only serve to betray the inherent malice of the Godless liberal mentality. No one in this debacle comes out looking particularly noble. It seems that this is a battle that will rage on, as the “LGBT community” clearly wants more than “fairness & equality” and Christians have finally awakened to the fact that they need to stand their ground against those who openly hate God and His teachings. We’re going to have to find some kind of common ground or everybody is just going to destroy each other.
Sometimes I feel like all I get done is unplugging, plugging in, & recharging various electronic devices…laptop, phone, CPAP machine, tablet, digital camera, electric shaver. I embrace technology even if I keep it at an arm’s length, but it strikes me how spoiled we’ve become by all of these “conveniences”. My mother has been gone for 15 years and I often ponder what she might think of all this cool yet oddly absurd stuff we can’t seem to live without these days.
It is amazing how late night TV has nosedived into mediocrity practically overnight. I checked out the first few episodes of Stephen Colbert’s version of The Late Show on CBS. Ehhhh…it’s alright. That’s pretty much how I feel about Seth Myers, James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel, & even the much celebrated Jimmy Fallon. None are appointment television for me. I may channel surf thru each show occasionally, but I am just as likely to turn off the television and either read a book for a bit or simply go to sleep. Are all of these guys that much 
less talented or interesting than Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Tom Snyder, or my man Craig Ferguson?? I don’t know. Probably not…they’re just different. I’m different. I am beginning to understand the aging process. I’m not the same person at 42 as I was at 22 or even 32. I think differently. I am entertained by different things. It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just life.
The second Republican debate will be airing on CNN this week and I urge anyone who cares about our country and isn’t a hardcore Democrat/socialist to tune in. I know it’s early in the process. I realize that a lot of people think they “don’t care about politics”. However, do you understand what a privilege it is to live in a country where we can all participate in the discussion and cast an equal vote?? My father has a saying: you may not get your way but you can have your say. Your candidate may not win. My candidate may not win. We may be uninspired by any candidate. But we all have an opportunity to voice an opinion. And if you are going to have an opinion shouldn’t it be an educated one?? The first debate was really interesting…maybe one of the most fun things I’ve seen on TV in months. I suspect the second debate will be just as fascinating. This is the future of our nation folks. For pete’s sake Modern Family and America’s Next Top Model can wait. DVR them if you must. Learn. Participate. Be informed. It’s important.
The Manofesto 