Where Psychology and (Xtian) Theology Meet

Do we really need another book about Psychology and Christianity? I say that because the book in question is only dealing with Christian theology. And the pros and cons about mixing the two have just about been done to death. I'm sure Psychology benefits from a spiritual perspective -- refer to the works of Jung as well as the concept of Spiritual Emergency (or, simply, Emergence). And, although there are fraud psychologists or psychiatrists out there, I would imagine that folks who dismiss psychology would be lumped into the same weird bin as Tom Cruise or these people. Anyway, this seems like a fairly good (or at least "fair" as in "fair minded") review of Why Psychology Needs Theology.

Where Psychology and Theology Meet By The Rev. Curtis Hart (July 6, 2006) One reviewer argues that Why Psychology Needs Theology betrays a lack of interdisciplinary dialogue Title: Why Psychology Needs Theology: A Radical-Reformation Perspective (206 pages. $24 paperback) Author: Alvin Dueck and Cameron Lee, eds. Publisher: Grand Rapids, Mich. Eerdmans, 2005. The goal of psychology, at least in part, is to enhance personal fulfillment. What modern psychologists ignore, though, is that self-denial is key to attaining this fulfillment... One drawback: The book's idiom -- an extended effort to arrive at a viable Christian psychology -- makes it quite inaccessible to non-Christians, particularly non-Protestants... [ Full Story ]

Barter Meister Meister Barter

This certainly eclipses any kind of trade I've made in my life to date. Even trading in the stock options from my last employer resulted in a gain that was less than a typical down payment.

Man Trades Items From Paper Clip to House By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Kyle MacDonald started his quest last July with an ad on Craigslist.org (July 10) - Taking a paper clip and turning it into a house sounds like a cheesy magic trick or a phony instance of resourcefulness on the 1980s TV show "MacGyver." Kyle MacDonald, however, has pulled it off. One year ago, the 26-year-old blogger from Montreal set out to barter one red paper clip for something and that thing for something else, over and over again until he had a house... [ Full Story ]

Friday Pet Blogging | Perch

Milo usually shuns publicity. This should be pretty much evident just by the sheer volume of Otis pics in the Milo & Otis portfolio. It's not that Otis is any more photogenic or loved than Milo. It's just that Milo has a tendency to avoid the limelight (or the digital camera's flash, as the case may be). But last night, Mrs. Brainwise was able to snap a whole bunch of pics while Milo sat politely on the ... um ... on the, well, on whatever that cat-scratching-post/tunnel-toy thing is. To paraphrase a Peanuts character: "Isn't he just the cutest thing?!"

"What are you staring at?"

See more images from this set. Support pet blogging! View more pet blogging posts! Here are some suggestions...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Quotable | Eyes Shut

I shut my eyes in order to see. -- Paul Gauguin (1848 - 1903), Post-Impressionist artist

Eyes wide shut ... That trick might work for art, and certainly for meditative contemplation. But it's downright dangerous during rush hour. (And it didn't help a particular flick much, neither).

Quotable | Devoted Tyrant

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side. --Aristotle, philosopher (384-322 BCE)

Wharton: Coffee Wars

Via the Knowledge@Wharton e-newsletter:

The Coffee Wars Heat Up: New Strategies to Jolt the Caffeine-Conscious Consumer Warren Buffett once called the cigarette the perfect product: "It costs a penny to make. Sell it for a dollar. It's addictive." Much the same could be said about coffee today. Even a costly coffee drink -- Starbucks sells its lattes for about $3.50, depending on the location -- consists of little more than a cup of water, a splash of milk, a spoonful of coffee grinds and 30 seconds of labor. Starbucks has managed to turn its customers' craving for caffeine into a $6.4 billion a year business. It already has about 6,000 company-owned coffeehouses and claims to open five more each day. All of which explains why so many sellers of fast food and drink seem intent on taking away some of its highly profitable market share... [Full Article | Play Audio | Download Audio] Published: April 19, 2006

Prior to 2003, I only rarely imbibed a cup of coffee. When I did get a proverbial cup of joe, it was usually as a pick-me-up halfway through a 6-hour drive, through the dead of night, to visit my parents. However, during the fall of 2003, I was hip deep in theater projects that kept me out late three or four nights out of the week, and I usually had to awake early to drive to my day job. So on those mornings that seemed to come far too soon, I would hit a Starbucks. Since that time, I have developed an at-least-one-cup-a-day habit. For a while, I could only drink one of those "fancy" drinks that drive Starbucks' popularity (and profits). But within the last year, I have been able to tone down, even though I still cannot take my coffee black. I now take my coffee -- iced or hot -- with a little (sugar-free) vanilla syrup and a bit of cream. And I can even brew and "season" my own coffee for the morning commute. But ... since I am currently on crutches, I find it too difficult to carry home-brewed java to my car. So I rely on the drive-thru at either a Starbucks or a Dunkin' Donuts. And I have to admit ... I prefer Starbucks' fare -- and service -- to that of Dunkin' Donuts. Should I feel guilty about any of this?

Friday Pet Blogging | Monk

I have not gotten around to uploading the most recent kitty pics to my Flickr account, but I do have this cute little image I snapped with my camera phone:

Otis Monks Around

Doesn't he look like a little monk? Or maybe a Jedi! Support pet blogging! View more pet blogging posts! Here are some suggestions...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Post-Surgery

Thanks for all the well-wishes and good thoughts. The surgery went well: No problems, surprises, or complications. My foot does hurt like the blazes, though, and I have a prescription for percocet. I honestly cannot tell if it's really doing anything. But as long as I am on the meds, I am not allowed to drive. So ... I might not be returning to work on Monday (Mrs. Brainwise has all but prohibited me from going to the office until Tuesday), but fortunately I can work from home. I'm not supposed to get the cast wet. And since the Northeast is currently being pummelled by rain, I'm pretty much in full home mode. There was, however, a brief respite from the downpours. Mrs. Brainwise took me to Doylestown so that we could get a gluten-free pizza from Jules Thin Crust. Now that was just what I needed! I have to see the doctor in about two weeks to have this cast, which feels like a heavy anchor masquerading as a boot, and some surgical clips, removed. The doctor will then re-cast my foot. I don't know if the new cast will be as heavy, but I will have to wear it for another six weeks.

Friday Pet Blogging | Foot

Friday Pet Blogging returns to Prophet or Madman! The masses rejoice! I apologize for the gap in my pet blogging posts. As you may know, my left foot is broken, and it is serious enough to require surgery. And since the Brainwise household is totally preoccupied with feet, we thought this would be a good photo to share today:

"Evil is afoot!"

Well, not evil so much as mischevious. It's Otis' foot! And it's not broken, thank goodness. Support pet blogging! View more pet blogging posts! Here are some suggestions...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for previous Milo & Otis appearances (currently up-to-date through Sept 2005. I'll finish the updates soon, I hope!). Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday.

Pre-Surgery Details

I called the hospital at 9:30am this morning as instructed... and left a message. My message was promptly returned ... at 11:14am. Let me back up a bit. I have to vent because the person who called me yesterday used the home number instead of my mobile. So there was no way for me to get the call until after 7pm or so. All she said in the messages was: "This is [name not posted]. Please call me at [number not posted] for instructions regarding your appointment this Thursday. Call me before 3:30pm today or after 9:00am tomorrow morning." First of all, I don't have an appointment scheduled for Thursday. I have surgery. It is an out-patient procedure, yes, but it is still surgery. Second, she requested that I return the call before 3:30pm. Would you like to hazard a guess as to when she dropped that message? Hmmmm? Oh, about 2:57pm. How do you like that window? I might have been able to squeeze through that window had she contacted me via cell, but ... I had to wait until this morning. So, almost two hours after I made my return call, she wins the little game of phone tag and hits me with the following instructions for my "appointment."

1. She will call me after 3pm today and give me the exact time I need to be on location at the hospital. (She doesn't know yet?!).

   Update [06-21-2006 02:18pm]: I just got off the phone. My arrival time is set for 9:15AM. Let me see ... my phone log indicates that the call came through at 2:13pm ... that means the hospital was a whole 47 minutes early in getting back to me. Whoa!

2. Location = 2nd Floor --> Surgical Short Stay. (Remember: It's a "short" stay ... now go read the next item.)
3. The procedure will take about 4 - 5 hours from start to finish. (Well, it's a good thing I cleared my schedule for this "short" stay).
4. I will need someone to "take care of me" after the procedure, and to drive me home. (I hope Mrs. Brainwise cleared her schedule, too).
5. No eating after midnight tonight ... no breakfast tomorrow. (What? No morning coffee? Well, maybe I'll be able to sleep through the procedure without any anesthesia. Ummm ... Probably not.)
6. Do not take anti-imflammatories ... no vitamins ... no supplements of any kind after midnight tonight through tomorrow.
7. I have to use a black pen or marker and write "Yes" on my left foot. (I am tempted to use a red marker to write "NO!" on my right foot ... and maybe both of my arms.)

Oh joy. [This post is a follow-up to My Left Foot.]