Rob's Review: Quantum Leap (2022)

I’ve been looking forward to watching the new Quantum Leap series on NBC with a lot of hopefulness but also a lot of trepidation. I am an avid fan of the original, awesome Quantum Leap with the impeccably cast Scott Bakula and the wonderfully awesome Dean Stockwell. (I actually much prefer Bakula in this role to his role as Jonathan Archer in Enterprise.) Both were so amazingly perfect in their roles that it is hard to imagine that anyone could compare.

And it will be a comparison. You can’t step into their shoes without the inevitable comparisons. Fortunately the new series didn’t try to reboot the original but went with a continuation.

I have avoided spoilers and didn’t even watch trailers for the new show so that I could view the pilot without a lot of preconceptions. I was finally able to watch it last night and I have to say, I’m favorably impressed so far. They do a good job of honoring the source material but projecting it into the current day - thirty years after the original. The acting is good and I enjoy the dual plotlines with one following Ben (the new leaper) into the past while the other follows what is going on in Project Quantum Leap in the present.

I know Bakula has decided not to participate in this incarnation of the show... yet. But I hope he will change his mind in the future (or in the past, as the case may be.) Maybe we'll get more callbacks to the original, as well. Lots of promise in the pilot for that.

I’m still nervous because it’s a network show and I am concerned about network interference behind the scenes. But what has come across so far is pretty good and I’m excited to watch the upcoming season. I’m actually glad it’s a network show because that means more episodes a season than a streaming one.

If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d recommend giving it a shot.

My grade (so far): A

Wanna Get Away?

Why is everyone always trying to "get away"? 

I just got an email from an airline promoting airfares to help you "get away". The idea being, apparently, that you want to be somewhere other than where you are. That's certainly true sometimes. It's good to have a change of scenery and a change of pace every once in a while.

But if you're always feeling the need to get away, maybe there's something that needs to change about where you are.

Soundbites and Memes

There's something about images that lend authenticity to a statement, even if it's just a meme. But just because you read it in a meme and it might seem wise, doesn't make it true.

Even if it's funny.

Unfortunately, many people don't do the work to research a subject or to think critically because soundbites are catchier. 

The more you know...

I'm Not the Same Person I Used to Be

You've heard it said before - and you've probably said it yourself, "I'm not the same person I used to be."

And that's true. We are constantly shaped by our experiences, which (hopefully) bring some maturity and wisdom to the mix. 

So how long does it take before you're a different person? 5 years? 10? 30?

In some sense, you aren't even the same person you were yesterday. And you are certainly a different person than you were when you were 14 years old. Or 21. Or 30.

In another sense, there's a part of you that never changes. And that's good. Usually.

The trick is to change the parts of you that aren't where they need to be, while keeping the essential part of you the same.

Maybe the better question is: Who do you want to be tomorrow? And then, what do you need to begin to do today to become that person?

Retro-TV Review: Alias

I was talking with a friend the other day who is watching through the TV series Alias for the first time. This series was created by J.J. Abrams back in the early 2000s and ran for five seasons on ABC. Filled with improbable but highly entertaining adventures, this series featured Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow. She starts the series as a college student, who is really an undercover secret agent for an agency called SD-6. 

I won't spoil anything here, but it starts off as a kind of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (without the super powers) meets Mission: Impossible. But nothing is as it seems. Layers upon layers of fun, with a terrific supporting cast, including Bradley Cooper, who goes on to become a star in his own right.

Unfortunately, the series begins to flounder in later seasons due to a lack of direction (something Abrams will continue to struggle with later in his career), but it never ceases to be entertaining, and it's well worth your time if you haven't seen it before. I think it's currently streaming on Netflix. (I think I may have to rewatch it, myself!)

My Grade: A

Rob's Recommendation: Top the Tater

I like to highlight products that I love that other people might not have heard of. None of these are paid sponsorships (not that there's anything wrong with that!), but simply ads for things I like.

Now, if you don't live in the upper Midwest you're out of luck on this one, but if you do, you likely have at least heard of Top the Tater. According to their website, "it's more than a sour cream dip, it's a way of life." I would have to agree, as it is the best dip that I have ever had. It started out as a topping for baked potatoes, but we use it for chips. You can also dip pretzels, veggies, or whatever in it. I've even dipped kernels of popcorn in it. (Don't judge me.)

Most grocery stores around here carry it, but I like to get the extra-large size at Sam's Club. If you haven't tried it and it's available near you, give it a try. 

Rob's Reviews: Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard

I had the opportunity the other day to try Dairy Queen's new limited-time offering, the Cinnamon-Roll Centers Blizzard Treat. It supposedly has "soft cinnamon roll center pieces and brown butter cinnamon topping" blended with their soft service ice cream.

I went into this one somewhat apprehensive, as I had read a bad review of this flavor online. So the bar was low, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. I liked the "brown butter cinnamon topping" flavoring which was pretty well mixed through the vanilla giving the whole thing a cinnamon brown sugar flavor. I'm not sure that I would describe the pieces of cinnamon roll centers soft, exactly. And there were crunchy bits of brown sugar or something there too. I feel like it could have used another iteration or two in the development of the flavor, but it wasn't bad - just not as good as I think it might have been. 

Would I get it again? Sure. It's was pretty good. Was it the best flavor of Blizzard ever? No. Cookie-dough still reigns supreme in my book. But this one was a nice change of pace. I would actually like to try the cookie-dough pieces in with the cinnamon flavored ice cream here.

Overall grade: B+

Why Fight?

When dealing with any problem that involves other people (and most of our problems do), it's amazing how many people begin their interaction in an adversarial manner. Instead, why not try to work together toward a solution? Assume that both you and the person you are dealing with want a satisfactory resolution to the problem.

Chances are, they do.

That's a Dumb Idea

What makes an idea dumb?

What if your "dumb idea" leads to a good idea? Maybe it wasn't so dumb to begin with. 

It could be that a lot of good ideas began as dumb ones. Maybe most of them.

Don't be afraid to share your ideas. 

Packers and Politics

Yesterday I chronicled how I ended up choosing to be a Green Bay Packers fan. For the past 33 years I have chosen root for them through the good times and the rough times (because that's what a true fan does). Sometimes someone on the team does something I don't like, either on or off the field, but I still support my team. I enjoy football as a game, but really, it's rooting for my team that I enjoy most about football. After the Packers are done playing for the season, I'm basically done with football. If they aren't in the Superbowl, I'll still watch and try to pick a team to root for, but mostly I just watch for the commercials.

The interesting thing is when you think about what it means to be a sports fan. They don't need me, in particular. And there's nothing I can do individually to really affect the outcome of any game, no matter how much or how loudly I cheer. I don't know any of them personally and I have no financial stake in their success or failure. And yet I have chosen to support them as my team.

Which is fine when it comes to sports. Really, most fandom is the same way.

But I got to wondering about politics and I was thinking that sometimes we treat our political parties the way we treat our favorite sports teams. We support them because we chose to sometime in the past. Maybe we support our party because that is who our friends support. And we watch the TV commentators on the cable news networks and boo the other "team". 

And sometimes we are loyal to our chosen party to a fault. We aren't always as discerning as we ought to be, just because we are supporting "our team". We have become "fans" of our political team.

People sometimes talk about sports becoming too political. I wonder if it's also the other way around. It may be that politics has become like a sport to us.

Something to think about.

A Packers Evangelist

I'm a Green Bay Packers fan because I chose to be. And because of the influence of a great friend.

I didn't watch football when I was growing up so I didn't really root for any team in particular. When I was attending Bethel, one of my best friends, Marty Fischer, was a big Green Bay Packers fan, having grown up near Green Bay. My other best friend, Kevin Orme, was a big Chicago Bears fan, having grown up in Wheaton, just outside of Chicago. Both tried to recruit me to cheer for their team. I told them that I would just be a fan of both teams! "Um... no. You can't do that," was the response. (It was later before I would fully understand why.)

When I would watch Packers games with Marty, he would talk to me throughout the game, giving me background on the players and the team. He would answer my questions about football, which were many and no doubt annoying. He shared his love of the Packers with me, and then he invited me to visit him at home over school break. While there, we visited the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame at historic Lambeau Field, and there was no going back.

A couple of observations about this. One today and one tomorrow.

First, it was the "evangelistic" fervor of a friend who shared his passion and love for his team with me that led me to become a Packers fan. There is a strong parallel here for Christ-followers who want to share about Jesus with someone else. 

The most effective way to really evangelize (ie. share your faith with someone) is to come alongside them as a friend and explain over time why you love Jesus. As you share your passion and love with them, answer questions and so on, you can't help but influence them to explore the claims of Christ. Perhaps they will learn to love Jesus, as well, and choose become a follower of Hims. 

But you're going to have to start sharing. 

Pattern Recognition Plusses and Dangers

The human brain is an amazing thing. I came across an article discouraging the use of all-caps for worship lyrics projection. (The entire post is at churchmotiongraphics.com if you're interested). The part that really struck me was this:

"The way we read quickly, typically at a rate of three to four words per second, is to comprehend words by their shape and not by their individual letters. A fitting example of this can be found in the following paragraph. Notice how even though the letters between the first and last letters of the word are mixed up, you can still swiftly read the sentences without much hesitation: 

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

This is possible because the first and last letters of a word create a visual boundary that helps our brains recognize the word."

This is really great when it comes to reading (especially when reading something written by someone who may sometimes mix up letters), but I wonder if we do that in other areas of our life to our detriment. Sometimes we see something and immediately jump to a conclusion about what it represents because it reminds us of something else. It may be an event, an object... or even a person.

It often pays to take your time to see what is really in front of you instead of just what you think is there. It's usually better to make a good decision than a fast one.

Rob's Review: Eggo Frosted Maple Flavor Pop-Tarts

Okay, I was extremely skeptical about this when I first saw them in the store. Maybe it's the idea of something with "egg" in the name in my Pop-tart that was unappealing, or the yellow color on the box, but I was initially a little repulsed by the idea at first. After thinking about "frosted maple flavor" and knowing how much I like maple syrup, I thought I'd give them a shot.

I sometimes heat up my Pop-Tarts in the microwave, but thought I'd try these straight out of the box. I was pleasantly surprised by how great these are. Typically I default to the brown sugar cinnamon flavor Pop-tarts which are still unsurpassed, but these are a strong contender for second place, if not a tie for first! I don't know what makes it "Eggo" other than the branding, but the flavor is great. It's got a nice maple flavor without being overpowering.

One of the things I enjoy about Pop-tarts is that they are relatively weather-proof. In other words, I can take some in my backpack to a cross country meet and not worry about them melting. If they get hot, great! If they freeze, no problem. They are nice and portable, if a little fragile for riding around in a backpack. Maybe I can find a Tupperware sandwich carrier or something to keep them in.

If you're a Pop-Tarts kind of person, you should definitely check these out. They're a winner.

The Key to Retirement

 

Why do people want to retire?

Usually it's because their job or occupation isn't compelling enough to continue to work at, or they are physically unable to keep up with the demands of your profession. Often it's a desire for more discretionary time for family, travel, etc.

The danger is when retirement (at whatever age) becomes all self-focused: "It's about my time and I can do what I want when I want. I earned a break. I deserve it. I just want to have fun." After a while, that lifestyle becomes kind of empty.

The happiest retirees I know are the ones who are engaged in some type of service to other people - through church, community, one-on-one, and so on. They find meaning, purpose and fulfillment by giving of their time and energy.

That principle is true for everyone, whether you are retired or not. 

Happiness Is...

How would you finish that sentence?

I'm prepping a new message (sermon) series that will be debuting a week from Sunday on happiness. The title of the series is "What Makes You Happy" (based on a series Andy Stanley did a number of years ago). 

The title begs the question: What makes you happy? Have you ever really stopped to think about it?

My guess is that what really makes you happy is not what might first come to mind. And it's probably not just one thing. 

It's worth taking some time to really consider it. You might even want to write it down; make a list. 

If you never really identify what makes you happy, you may end up wasting a lot of time and energy pursuing the wrong thing. 

(Of course, you can always join us for our series, or listen online via our podcast and see if you agree with my conclusions or not.)

The Most Important Thing You Did Today

What's the most important thing you did today? 

How do you know? Who decides?

Maybe it's not what you think. The most important thing is usually not the urgent thing. 

What turns out to be most important is probably not a big accomplishment, but a small, steady investment of time or energy into something that will pay off over the long haul.

It Can Be More Than Just a Job

I listened to a fascinating episode of the At the Table with Patrick Lencioni podcast this morning titled "Vocation Over Vacation" (Episode 142 if you want to look it up). They made the point that your vocation is at it's core about helping others, rather than simply doing a "job". (Their discussion was much more nuanced than my summary sentence here.)

Sometimes it's necessary to have just a "job" - something that just pays the bills. But it's possible to find meaning and purpose within most any job, as well. 

What you are employed to do right now may not be your "calling" or become your lifelong vocation, but it can become a way to serve in the meantime. That's the way my job at Walmart was. I started working there just to pay the bills (ie. it was just a job), but I ended up meeting wonderful people and learning so much and helping so many. It wasn't my long-term vocation, but it was my vocation for a time. And it was valuable and helpful in shaping me into the person I am today.

 Something appropriate to ponder on Labor Day.

Non-scrolling Recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes

I've always liked pancakes primarily because of the add-ins. I like blueberry or bananas or chocolate chips in my pancakes - heck, why not all three! 

But last year I came across a great recipe for pancakes that are good with no add-ins - and at least as good as anything you can get at iHop (which have some pretty good ones, too). This recipe was shared with me by a friend, Gina Ausmus, who made these for a cross country breakfast run at her house last summer. The recipe makes a lot, so we typically cut it in half (unless you're making for a large group, like a bunch of cross country runners!) 

We don't usually have buttermilk on hand, but I try to always have some powdered buttermilk mix which works great as a substitute. The recipe isn't that complex, but it turns out some amazing pancakes that are tons better than any of the box mixes. These have become a family favorite. You can add any add-ins that you want, but they're great just as they are.

Here's the original and my adapted 1/2 recipe.

Full recipe:

2 1/2 C Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

4 tsp Soda

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Sugar 

Mix together, add: 

1 qt. Buttermilk (4 Cups)

3 Eggs

4 Tbsp Butter, melted

    makes 20 medium cakes

Half recipe:

1 1/4 C Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 Tbsp Sugar

Mix together, add: 

1/2 qt. Buttermilk (2 cups)

1 1/5 Eggs (hard to do! - I just use 2 small ones)

2 Tbsp Butter, melted

    makes 10 medium cakes

Rob's Reviews: Spider-Man - No Way Home

It's National Cinema Day, which is an attempt to get people to see movies on a typically slow day for theaters due to it being Labor Day weekend. So many or most theaters are offering movie tickets for $3. GTI Cinema in North Branch (and Cambridge) is going one better and offering most of their concessions for $3, as well. So I'm heading down with some students to see Spider-Man: No Way Home once again.

This movie ranks as maybe the best Spider-Man movies of the nine that have been made so far. It is great on its own, but if you've seen any of the others - particularly the movies with Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield - you will enjoy it even more. It's a real treat for the fans and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. It's the "More Fun" edition with 11 extra minutes, so that's a nice bonus, but I'd see it again anyway.

I don't want to talk much about it because of spoilers. But if you enjoy the character, you'll love the movie. If you haven't watched it, it has my highest recommendation. (I only give and A+ to a movie I'd want to watch repeatedly.)

My grade: A+

A Critical Critique

What is the difference between critiquing someone and being critical? 

I think a critique is more other-centered while criticism is self-centered. A critique is offered to help someone else to improve something, while a criticism is more about the critic - "Here's what I think..." or "Here's why I think you're wrong." "Here's what I think you should change." That kind of thing. That's a critical person.

The problem comes when people get these mixed up. They think they are offering a critique but really it's a criticism. A critique needs to be asked for or permission given for it to be received. Unwanted or unasked-for critiques are just criticisms. 

What do you think of this? (Asking for a critique here.)

Ready to Run

Our first Cross Country meet of the season is today. In my devotions this morning I was reading Psalm 19 and verses 4 and 5 jumped out at me. 

Psalm 19:4-5 (NLT2)
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. ⁵ It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

We have a lot of eager athletes ready to run the race today, but it's the ones who are ready - who put in the work. Maybe that's why the verse talks about a "great athlete". It's possible that greatness is related to readiness. 

What race do you need to get ready for?