We have a lot of idols in this society and no small number of them revolve around personal appearance and the effort to stay not only young but unnaturally fit. I recorded a podcast for Compassion365 on beauty that addressed a thought or two on this topic.

Now there’s nothing at all wrong with getting in shape and being healthy. I’d make the joke that I’m in shape and that that shape is slightly ovoid, but… oh wait I just did. There is however a problem when you push that past a healthy place and into “fighting and working against every natural instinct that there is” and when you try to look real good by feeling real bad. This obsession with becoming like the guy/girl in the ads can destroy people’s physical, economic, and mental health and all in pursuit of something that isn’t real.

Oh sure, the trainer in this video is real enough and he slaves away for hours every day to get and keep that reality. Like one gentleman said though, in referring to the workout machine ads, they take pros who have punished their bodies into shape and pose them with the machines, selling a falsehood. These ads for machines and pills and workout regimens promise that if you just do what they say then you’ll look just like the pictures they show you.

If you can get there, and I would imagine that there are some that do, though not many, then what?

Are you a better person? Will people respect and admire you? Will grown men slap you on the back and will beautiful women swoon (or vice versa)?

What they’re selling to you isn’t health, it’s an image, an idol. Being healthy is great, but shooting to end up like Mr. Universe or Chuck Norris by buying a bottle of pills or a stack of DVDs is short sighted and I’ll even go so far as to say foolish. I say that not just because of the fact that you will likely fail. I say that because chasing a certain appearance will not satisfy you even if you manage to attain it. More importantly, it won’t satisfy God either.

When Jon sent me the trailer earlier today, my first thought was of a passage from 1 Samuel 16.

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Many of us see a person on TV or walking down the street and say, “I want to be like him/her!” We’ll sacrifice time, money, whatever it takes to be pleasing in men’s eyes. How much effort do we put forth to be pleasing in God’s? How hard would you work, fighting against your “natural instincts” to sin? Do you have as big a heart for God as you do for being a perfect 10?

I Wanna Be Like Him! is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

From Whence He Came is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

ht to The Prodigal Jon

Penn Gets It… is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Things You Don’t Say to Your Wife is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

The very neighborly Fred Rogers gave children nearly 1,000 episodes of his Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood from the late sixties until his death in 2003. While younger MINE readers may not understand the significance of his show, the twenty- and thirtysomething crowd will surely recall the PBS show, and the whimsical, heartfelt lessons Mr. Rogers gave us.
(That, and an appreciation for cardigan sweaters.)
So that’s why we were more than a little shocked when PBS recently announced that it was discontinuing its regular syndication of the program. The axe falls next next month, apparently.

Save Mr, Rogers! is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Ganked from Hollywood Born: Booyah!

Oh and then there’s this piece of loveliness:

Booyah indeed… is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Parkour Training is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

George Carlin is set to be the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. I didn’t know there was such a thing. Apparently it’s only been around for eleven years. The comedians that have won it to date are:

1998 – Richard Pryor
1999 – Jonathan Winters
2000 – Carl Reiner
2001 – Whoopi Goldberg
2002 – Bob Newhart
2003 – Lily Tomlin
2004 – Lorne Michaels
2005 – Steve Martin
2006 – Neil Simon
2007 – Billy Crystal
2008 – George Carlin

PBS will be broadcasting the awards in Novemeber. That’s a pretty good list right there. Granted there are a whole bunch of funny folk that could be there. Carlin is certainly one of the funniest folks I know that are still drawing breath. He informed the sense of snark I have, thankfully balanced by a love of The Cos and Jerry Clower. I listened to every comic album I could lay my hands on by all three of these guys.

So before I bless you with some youtubery of the greatness that is Carlin, who has yet to be on the list that should be? Who will be on there in twenty-five years? Is there anyone that shouldn’t be?

My answers and some vids after the jump.

Language Warning (of course)

7 Words

Things That Come Off Your Body

Hippie Dippy Weatherman

Who should be on it? Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks
Who will be? Hopefully the above and in addition some “newer” comedians like Seinfeld and maube Seth Rogen.
Who shouldn’t be? Whoopi maybe? I mean she was funny back in the day, but is she in the same league as the others?

Mark Twain Prize is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Second of all if you’ll look over on my flickr sidebar you’ll see that I did indeed get my beer in the bottles. Once I’m sure they’re reasonably stable and am able to taste one I may be sending some out to the universe. Rhodester, Pat, and Ben I’m looking at you guys. Send me your addresses if you want one. Quantities are limited. Operators are standing by.

Thirdly.you should try Festina Peche by Dogfish Head. It’s about as tart as any beer has a right to be. This is not a fru-fru fruity beer. It’s incredibly refreshing. It won’t be my go to summer beer since it ain’t cheap, but it’s well worth checking out. What is my go to summer beer? Well in years past it’s pretty much been Sam Adam’s Summer Ale, but I tried Shock Top by A-B (I know I know) and it is indeed worthy and inexpensive.

Dogs and Beer is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Geekdad – Wired Blogs

Remote Controlled Air Jellyfish is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Podcasting – What’s the Fuss? is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Early John Carter on Mars test from the thirties.

Sci-fi Youtubery is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

National Sweater Day is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Get the Hang of it… is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

“Filming was completed on August 24, 2007 and it went into post-production on September 29. As of April 2007 the film is officially titled The Forbidden Kingdom, before it had been often referred to as The J & J Project (Because it’s the first joint project between Jackie Chan and Jet Li). Director Rob Minkoff (who previously helmed such films as The Lion King and the Stuart Little films) will be behind the camera while Yuen Woo Ping will handle the fight choreography. Film studios Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company, will share distributing duties.”

The Forbidden Kingdom is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

The one that kicked it off.

A very interesting combo.

My favorite Christmas duet.

Duets is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Phun is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Mna mna… is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Yngwie Malmsteen-Arpeggios From Hell


Joe Satriani – Surfing with the Alien


Stevie Ray Vaughan – Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)


Jeff Healey – While My Guitar Gently Weeps


B.B. King – Blues Boys Tune

Battle of the guitarists… is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Parkour – Simple Truths from Danny Pack on Vimeo.

Parkour – Simple Truths – Parkour on Vimeo

Parkour Training is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Now honesty is indeed the best policy so I’m not advocating that anyone lie to their spouse, but we’ve all said stupid things to our spouses I’m sure and perhaps we can learn from your stupidity example.

Things You Don’t Say to Your Wife is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.

Seriously, we had a lot of fun making this in one weekend on VHS about fifteen years ago.

Part One-

Part Two –

Part Three –

Outtakes –

From Whence He Came is a post from: Spiritual Tramp

If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to my RSS feed, either by reader or by e-mail. While you’re at it, connect with me on Twitter, too.