The Young Bostons: Dustin

dBlogIt has Moved!

July 2, 2008 – 10:35 pm
It is with great satisfaction that I present to you dBlogIt.com, the new home of dBlogIt! Yay! In addition to a place of it’s own I’ve moved the whole thing over to Movable Type (a professional publishing platform) in order to speed up page load time for you, my faithful readers. But that’s not all! (That sounds so spammy) I’ve also honed in on my topic, Manhood and Masculinity for the Christian Man. Expect my regular daily posting schedule to resume, but in a more focused and useful way. Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey, and thank you so much for reading and participating!

Posted in Blogging, News, Quick Posts, Web | Comments Off

I’ll Be Back Soon

June 27, 2008 – 1:05 am
I’m taking a brief hiatus from posting while I gear up for a new(ish) venture. Soon I’ll be moving the blog to it’s permanent home at dblogit.com. I’m also doing a special writing project and finishing up The Wilderness — a project that is a year in the making. Stick around, I’ll be back soon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Basic Tool Kits: 11 Essential Tools for the Household Handyman

June 23, 2008 – 11:20 pm
Basic tool kits are a beautiful thing. I know guys who probably have every tool known to man. In some cases you really do need an 800 piece tool set — but for the average guy like myself 11 tools will get the job done 95% of the time. Here’s my list of essential tools for the household handyman. Adjustable wrench In my experience a 6 inch adjustable wrench is too small. You need a 10 incher to get any real work done. You may be able to get by with a socket set if you’ve got one of these around, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Circular saw Put down the handsaw. You’re better off with a circular saw. First off, nobody wants to work that hard. Second, it’s a rare occasion that you actually need a handsaw. Drill and drill bits Everyone will tell you to get a cordless. Don’t. The batteries will die and ...

Posted in Home, Home Improvement, Manhood, Society | 1 Comment »

Our Chicken Coop

June 22, 2008 – 9:16 pm
Mary and I built this chicken coop over the weekend. It took us about 6 hours from start to finish. I trimmed up the roof and put some hinges on it. I still have yet to put the sides on the nesting area. The chicks seem to really like their new little home.

Posted in Environment, Home, Home Improvement, Recreation, Society, The Great Outdoors | 3 Comments »

The Benefits of Raising Your Own Chickens

June 21, 2008 – 1:34 pm
I’m positive I’ve blogged about this before. I remember cropping the photo. I remember hitting the publish button. But for the life of me I can’t find the post. I hope I didn’t delete it. Sorry if I’ve already said this. Today we’re going to look into buying some chickens. We’ve been considering it as a way to keep Kayla entertained live a more sustainable life. There are a number of reasons we’d want to raise chickens, here are a few: Eggs-a-plenty From what I’ve read a few hens will pump out more eggs than a family of four can handle. You can give the extras to your neighbors Fun for the family Kids love watching chicks grow up. Each little chicken has its own personality. They eat bugs We’ve got some spiders, roaches, and crickets that some chickens would probably love to munch on Natural gardeners Apparently these gals will take care of your weeds and produce some ...

Posted in Environment, Health, Recreation, Society, The Great Outdoors | 2 Comments »

Choosing a President: Environmental Stewardship

June 20, 2008 – 12:19 am
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2 What Christians do about the environment As Christians we’re called to be good stewards of the resources God gives us. God has provided us with money, homes, and food, but stewardship also applies to our natural resources. When we choose a political candidate we must keep that in mind. One of the first natural resources that comes to mind when I think about stewardship is fuel. This is especially poignant now that gas is over $4 a gallon. …it is wise policy to continue paring down our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, not only resulting from additional domestic refining capacity but also through the research and development of new sources of fuel and energy as well as clean and renewable energy sources. Make Your Vote Count. Frontline Books, 2008. Christians and environment voting — “envoting” Christians are also stewards ...

Posted in Environment, Politics, Society | 1 Comment »

How Can I Make dBlogIt More Useful for You?

June 18, 2008 – 8:38 pm
I’ve made a lot of changes to dBlogIt over the past year and I’d love to hear how you feel it’s going. I set up this little survey in an effort to keep improving the blog and to make it more effective in helping to improve your life. Just click the Take the Survey button below, and then select the “How Can I Make dBlogIt More Useful for You?” option from the drop down box. Take the Survey » Thanks for your feedback and props to ProBlogger for the idea to do a survey (and some of the text). Photo by Lee Creighton

Posted in Blogging, Computers, Web | Comments Off

Caring for Man’s Best Friend: How to Find a Missing Pet

June 18, 2008 – 7:34 am
We had quite the scare last night. Our dog, Kayla, went missing. She jumped out the window of our car to chase after a cat. We spent about an hour fighting about looking for her and a little more than an hour actually looking. Fortunately we found her about a mile north of where she escaped, deep into a sub division. This whole incident reminded me of some really important things: Pet ID Take detailed pictures of her that include any identifying marks Keep her license updated and make sure you have a copy of it on hand Get an ID tag for her with your current phone number and address. PetCo has tag kiosks that make this easy If your pet goes missing Stay calm and don’t fight Look at a map so you can cover the surrounding area systematically If you can have someone else look with you, split up Look for more than an hour I don’t think ...

Posted in Friends and Family, Home | 1 Comment »

Why Men Hate Chick Flicks and How to Avoid Watching Them

June 16, 2008 – 10:37 pm
Chick flicks make me want to vomit. I try to avoid them at all costs but I’ve never tried to express why. In the time that it took Mary to watch 27 Dresses I came up with a few reasons: Predictable First of all, every plot is pretty much the same. Here’s an example: Knight in Shining Armor (KISA) is engaged to be married. Somehow the “unexpected” Mousy Girl (MG) happens to catch his eye. She is abnormally beautiful when she takes off her glasses. They work together and begin to fall in love. He cancels the engagement. Some huge and entirely “unforeseeable” event occurs which causes KISA to go back to his ex-fiance. MG realizes that she is actually in love with KISA but by this time he is getting on a plane to fly to Hawaii where ALL weddings take place. MG gets to him in the nick of ...

Posted in Arts, Manhood, Marriage, Movies, Rants, Reviews, Society | 1 Comment »

The ABC’s of Sleep Deprivation

June 16, 2008 – 1:10 am
Who hates sleep? Me. I’d rather spend the night awake blogging or coding. I have no desire to sleep at all. This obviously causes some problems with family and work so I set out to convince myself that I need sleep. What I came up with is the ABC’s of sleep deprivation: Attention When I don’t sleep I have the attention span of a 2 year old Belligerence I get cranky and take it out on my wife and kids Congruence It’s hard to get up for work after a late night and I usually end up late for the carpool Disposition Lack of sleep makes me feel insecure and melancholy Energy My body feels fatigued and no amount of caffeine can help me stay awake Fellowship I don’t want to talk to or hang out with anyone Gumption Initiative or motivation plummet Health Not sleeping is bad for me and I know it Intellect I’m dumber when I’m tired It’s 12:35 AM and I’m too tired to finish ...

Posted in Health, Society | 4 Comments »

The Joy of Smoking a Tobacco Pipe

June 14, 2008 – 7:43 pm
I’ve discovered the joy of pipe smoking. It’s in the rhythmical puffing. The quiet “shh shh shh” it makes as air is drawn through the chamber. The smell of the tobacco. The slow and steady inhales through my mouth and nose. The intermittent sighs–a draw of peaceful solitude. It’s like waking up at my uncle’s cabin, or like basking in the sun on the lake as the water laps at the sides of the boat. It ranks in just after sex and Lake Powell. It is the ultimate in intense relaxation and it should be counted as ritual “man time.” It breeds wonderful analysis. As if the tobacco was laced with hints of ingenuity and reason and introspection and wisdom that goes far beyond my own. Breathing through that Briar is like breathing life. Photo by ifyr

Posted in Life, Recreation, Society | 3 Comments »

Scripture Verses for Building Self Esteem

June 13, 2008 – 12:04 am
The Bible has so many incredible things to say regarding our identity. Here are just a few of them for you to meditate on. 1 John 3:1-2 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave ...

Posted in Health, Life, Society, Spirituality | Comments Off

Get Rid of Low Self Esteem Once and For All: Part 3

June 12, 2008 – 11:58 pm
If you want a balanced self esteem you’ll need to learn a few new skills. I know it’s totally lame, but bow staff skills can only get you so far. Quick note It was brought to my attention that some of you might be ashamed to read a “self-help” article. If this applies to you, there is a solution. Simply click one of the following links to change the title to something more “un-self-helply” (this won’t work from feed readers). Title 1 Title 2 Reset 7 Activities for building self esteem Practicing the following activities will help you to move toward a balanced self-esteem. Reexamine your expectations, goals, and priorities as they arise Avoid dwelling on the negative Give frequent encouragement, compliments, and respect to others Listen and communicate Meditate regularly on God’s word Avoid destructive tendencies that can contribute to low self esteem Spend time with your church community Try not to obsess about this list. You don’t need to “strive.” Just let ...

Posted in Health, Life, Society, Spirituality | Comments Off

Get Rid of Low Self Esteem Once and For All: Part 2

June 10, 2008 – 9:51 pm
When self-doubt strikes I often wonder why. Truth is it’s probably not one single event that made you feel inferior. It’s more likely several issues acting at once. In order to deliver a sweet Judo chop to the throat of low self esteem you’ll have to know thy enemy, like any true couch warrior would. Aha! I know present to you step two, my young apprentice! The 7 causes of low self esteem According to Collins1 there are basically 7 causes of low self esteem: Faulty theology Sin Past experiences Parent-child relationships Unrealistic expectations Faulty thinking Community influences Faulty theology Faulty theology is when you don’t clearly understand what the bible has to say about YOU. Specifically it’s an incorrect view of yourself as God sees you. You may have heard the statement “God don’t make junk,” well, that’s Biblical. The Bible has a TON2 of great stuff to say about our identity in Christ, or who we are in God’s ...

Posted in Health, Life, Society, Spirituality | 1 Comment »

Get Rid of Low Self Esteem Once and For All: Part 1

June 9, 2008 – 10:34 pm
It doesn’t matter who you are, we all go through times of low self esteem. The good news is that you can work through it. As a man I’ve occasionally doubted my ability to provide for my family; I’ve sometimes wondered whether I was a good husband and father. At work I’ve gone through times where I honestly believed that everyone was absolutely annoyed with me; I thought I’d get fired any day. As a Christian I’ve been overly critical that my under-performance in church-related activities would prevent me from joining in planting a church. It’s a process but this kind of self-doubt can be turned into a healthy, balanced, and Godly type of confidence. What is Self Esteem? Self-esteem is the confidence and satisfaction a person has in him/herself1. It includes a person’s subjective appraisal of himself or herself as intrinsically positive or negative to some degree2. There are several aspects ...

Posted in Health, Life, Society | 3 Comments »

My Blog Blueprint: Part 3

June 7, 2008 – 12:23 pm
As if I don’t already overshare enough it’s time to discuss the areas that will make this blog successful and the issues that are holding it back. It’s like I am a glutton for punishment. Yes, everybody, here are more of my shortcomings. Issues D. Keith Robinson, of internet fame, once said that a successful blog is Well written Frequently updated Consistent Open Responsive Well designed Aware of its audience Varied in topic Personal Thick skinned Honest Accountable Funny I don’t want to reinvent the wheel so I will use those qualities as a basis for this blog. As Lorelle pointed out there are many other criteria for a successful blog. Due to the now-forming nature of this blog I’ve got to add a couple more: Present sound logical cases Be well organized and clutter-free These could both fit into Keith’s list but I thought it would be better to split them out as they fit well with my objectives. Present Position/SWOT Analysis Strengths The arguments that I present are typically ...

Posted in Arts, Blogging | 1 Comment »

Choosing a President: National Debt

June 6, 2008 – 12:06 am
[display_podcast] In this podcast I address the need to select a President that is concerned about eliminating National debt. I also talk about the benefits of a recession. Referenced links Romans 13:8 Matthew 6:12 The Debt to the Penny and Who Holds It The good recession Are recessions good for you? Are recessions good for the economy? The good news about recession Photo by bbaltimor

Posted in Politics, Society | 1 Comment »

My Blog Blueprint: Part 2

June 5, 2008 – 8:36 am
This part of the My Blog Blueprint series will address my Vision and Goals for the blog. They still feel a little rough, but here’s what I came up with. Vision Within the next 2-3 years I would like to: Develop solid reasoning for “core competencies”, e.g. politics, religion, etc. Create an archive of “synthetic manifestos”–or conclusions–for reference Tap the collective mind of readers through discussion to round out each conclusion Goals I can measure my progress by the completion of the following goals: 12 completed manifestos per year, 1 per month At least 3 posts per week which contain abstracts of a core competency Some discussion about each abstract End result: a hard-cover book of logical manifestos It was much easier to write the Vision and Goals than the Mission Statement and Values. So much so that if felt almost haphazard. I’m sure this will be revised in the final Blog Blueprint. I’ll at least wrack my brain thinking about it ...

Posted in Arts, Blogging, Home, Personal Organization | 2 Comments »

My Blog Blueprint: Part 1

June 4, 2008 – 9:54 pm
I’ve been growing discontent with my blog. The content, traffic, and discussion are decent but I feel unsatisfied. When I happened past the Strategic Blogging series on ProBlogger I knew that I needed a Blog Blueprint. I don’t intend on monetizing this blog in any way shape or form but I think the process will be useful. After about two hours of thinking and writing and re-writing here’s what I came up with for the first part. Mission Statement To document my analyses, philosophies, and beliefs and to organize them into cohesive, referential conclusions. Values The fundamental tenets of Christianity Well thought and logically sound arguments Learning through teaching others True to my Mission Statement, this is merely a portion of the final product. I hope to end up with a full-fledged Blog Blueprint. Update: Added another value–6/5/8 Photo by G.Chris Clark

Posted in Arts, Blogging, Home, Personal Organization | 4 Comments »

What Everybody Ought to Know About Neck and Shoulder Pain

June 2, 2008 – 5:18 am
Before you start any research on treatment or causes of shoulder pain and neck pain you need to know one thing: God can heal it. I know it sounds crazy but I saw it first hand this week. Last Sunday Mary and I prayed for an older man who had had either a cyst or tumor in his right shoulder. I forget which it was. He was scheduled for an MRI. Today at church I asked him how his shoulder was feeling. He exclaimed that it was feeling great. When he went in for his appointment the doctor was astonished to find that his shoulder was completely fine! He was able to cancel the MRI. I know that “healing churches” have had a bad rap so I wanted to tell you how different my experience with healing has been. My church is part of a movement of churches founded by the former ...

Posted in Health, Society, Spirituality | Comments Off