text:
- Whitney Hopler Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 2011 3 Apr
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Tim Chester's recent book, Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free, (InterVarsity Press, 2010).
Pornography is all over the Internet. Even when people aren't looking for porn, they can still encounter it unexpectedly because it's so prevalent online. Many people in our culture give into porn's temptations and experience pain as a result, and Christians aren't immune to the problem. In fact, statistics show that about one in three Christians – men and women alike – reports being addicted to pornography.
If you're one of them, you may feel as if you simply can't give up your porn habit. But you can, with God's help, because God's grace is always greater than your sin. Here's how you can click away from Internet porn, for good:
Consider some reasons for giving up porn. You may get temporary pleasure from porn, but the pleasurable feelings will always fade. Then you can see the reality of how porn harms your life. Porn wrecks your view of sex because it presents sex in ways that don't reflect how real people make love. Porn wrecks your view of people, causing you to see them as objects to consume rather than as sisters and brothers in Christ to love and serve. Porn is a sin against your spouse if you're married. Porn enslaves you to an addiction, causing you to lust after more and more, but never giving you lasting fulfillment. Porn wastes your time, energy, and money. Porn use supports an industry that abuses people. Porn weakens your character and your relationship with God, drawing you deeper and deeper into sin.
Notice what triggers your porn use. Pay attention to what's going on in your life when you turn to porn. Are you dealing with stress, fatigue, boredom, loneliness, rejection, or some other issue? What does porn seem to provide for you: an escape, a reward, or a way to feel powerful or loved?
Replace porn's hollow promises with God's real promises. Face the reality that porn is a symptom of unbelief and idolatry, because by using porn you're desiring sex more than you want a right relationship with God. Compare what porn offers to what God offers you. Porn makes you feel accepted and appreciated, since the people in it appear to do whatever you want to fulfill your fantasies. But God offers real love that gives you true acceptance and appreciation – unconditionally and for free. Porn seems to provide a safe alternative to intimacy, with people showing you what's normally private. But God will bless you with real, loving relationships when you take the risks necessary to develop them. Porn may give you a temporary sense of refuge. But God alone can give you the lasting peace you need. Porn promises to reward you but disappoints when pleasurable feelings go away. God, however, is the source of all joy. Porn may make you think you're getting revenge on someone for not giving you the sex you want. But God wants to free you from being enslaved to a desire for sex and help you find something greater: the joy of knowing Him. Choose to embrace God's true promises instead of porn's false promises.
Confess and repent. Confess the sin of your porn use to God, and repent from it by turning away from a focus on yourself and toward a focus on worshiping God. Realize that by doing so, you're not denying yourself pleasure – you're fighting the temporary pleasure of porn with the lasting and greater pleasure of a right relationship with God that will bring you joy.
Replace a vicious cycle with a virtuous cycle. Pray for God to help you replace your desire for porn with a stronger desire to be holy. Stop fueling the vicious cycle of porn addiction by refusing to give into the temptation to use porn, and keep in mind that every time you resist temptation, you weaken its power over you. Begin a virtuous cycle of sexual purity by filling your mind with thoughts about God rather than porn, which you can do by making spiritual disciplines like Bible reading and prayer a habit.
Cope with your porn triggers in healthier ways. Now that you've already identified what triggers you to turn to porn and have committed to breaking your porn habit, it's time to respond to your porn triggers with other activities that can help you rather than harming you. If you've been using porn when you're stressed or tired, arrange your schedule so you can get more sleep and rest. If you've been using porn for a physical release, start to exercise regularly instead. If you've been turning to porn to deal with boredom, add some healthy adventure to your life, such as by working on a service project, traveling to a place you'd like to explore, or taking a class to learn a new skill.
Enlist others to support you and hold you accountable. Meet regularly with some fellow Christians you trust for support and accountability while you're healing from your porn habit and trying to establish healthy habits. Honestly confess the ways you've been struggling, and set goals to grow closer to God in specific ways.
Look beyond the ugliness of porn to see the beauty of a holy life. Ask God to give you a vision of what He wants your life to look like, and use that knowledge to motivate you to resist sin like porn use that can mess up God's great plans for you. Read the Bible often to keep God's visions of beauty, sex, marriage, and singleness in mind. Remember that God values inner beauty more than outer beauty, He created sex as a good way for married couples to unite in covenant love, and singleness is just as much of a gift from God as marriage because it offers unique opportunities to grow and serve. Choose to reject the false glory that porn tempts you with and instead embrace holiness to reflect more of God's real glory. Keep in mind that you're not really what porn may try to make you think you are – an animal, a pervert, an addict, a victim, or a fool – but you truly are a beloved person who God made in His image, who can reflect His glory in the world.
Adapted from Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free, copyright 2010 by Tim Chester. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Ill., www.ivpress.com.
Tim Chester is involved in The Crowded House, a church-planting initiative in Sheffield, England. He is the author of Awakening to a World of Need, The Promise of Salvation and The Message of Prayer.
Whitney Hopler is a full-time freelance writer and editor. You can visit her website at:http://whitneyhopler.naiwe.com/.
Publication date: April 3, 2011


text:
BBM coming to Windows phones later this year
After the debut of BBM on Apple and Android phones, Canadian firm BlackBerry is all set to extend the instant messaging service to Windows phones later this year as it seeks newer avenues for monetisation.
After the debut of BBM on Apple and Android phones, Canadian firm BlackBerry is all set to extend the instant messaging service to Windows phones later this year as it seeks newer avenues for monetisation.
Once exclusive to BlackBerry devices, the company last year made BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) available on rival platforms of Google's Android and Apple's iOS.
BBM, which competes with other popular messaging services like WhatsApp, Line and WeChat, has about 85 million monthly users and around 113 million global registered users as of March 2014.
The strategic move by BlackBerry will enable it to provide an open and flexible mobile environment to its customers, analysts say.
It will also help the embattled Canadian smart phone maker add more users to BBM, a move that could enable BlackBerry check losses and fund its turnaround efforts, they add.
In February 2014, the Waterloo (Ontario)-headquartered firm had announced that BBM is coming to Windows Phone and Nokia X platforms in the coming months.
BlackBerry President (Global Enterprise Services) John Sims, in a blog post, recently said: "We've expanded our BES10 and BBM messaging platform to include iOS and Android and later this year, we will add Windows Phone."
Sims, who earlier headed SAP's mobile services and telecom, added that the firm aims to continue to provide customers increased flexibility and choice in their mobile device environments.
"We're making this strategic move to continue providing the most open and flexible mobile environments for our customers," he said.
BlackBerry has time and again reiterated that it "believes that a corresponding increase in the user base for the BBM service could lead to increased opportunities for monetisation of services offered through the platform, through advertising or through the implementation of solutions by enterprise customers."
BlackBerry has also launched an eBBM Suite to extend the reach of BBM user base and as a strategy for monetising value of the BBM platform and its growing user population.
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Finance Ministry has issued Order for Payment of Salary advance for the Month of November 2016 to Non Gazetted Employees of Central Government after the announcement made by the Government
Finmin order for Payment of Salary advance
No. 25(30)/E.Coord/2016
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
New Delhi the 17th November 2016
Subject: Salary advance for the month of November 2016 to be paid to Non Gazetted employees of Central Government.
In terms of Rule 64 (2) of Central Government Account (Receipt & Payment) Rules, 1983, the President is pleased to release part salary, in advance, amounting to Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) by 23rd November 2016 from the salary for the month of November 2016 in the form of cash payout to all Non-Gazetted employees of Central Government.
2. Employees, who do not wish to receive the cash pay-out of the part salary advance amounting to Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) may give their option in the enclosed proforma to their respective Drawing & Disbursing Officer by 18th November 2016. In that case, their salary will be credited to their account on the last working day of November 2016, as usual. In case no option is received by the said date, it will be presumed that the employee has opted for cash pay-out and the payment thereof will be disbursed in cash accordingly. Residual part of their salary payable for the month of November 2016 will be released as per the existing procedure.
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For VCs in green tech, it's time for Plan B
Energy technology typically requires lots of time and money to commercialize, which is causing venture investors to adjust their strategies in clean tech.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Venture capitalists, who once thronged into clean technology, are finding that they need to rethink their strategies in order to succeed, with some of them apparently moving out of the field altogether.
There's often a mismatch between the large amount of money required to commercialize new energy technology and the capital to which a venture fund has access. As a result, venture investors are increasingly seeking to invest in green-tech start-ups that are less capital-hungry, a trend which will accelerate next year, according to experts.
Instead of getting all their money from venture capitalists, budding green-technology companies when starting out will be looking for money from large corporate partners to test out new technology or from alternative sources such as angel investors, families, or government grants.
Overall, investors say that because green-tech investing is very different from other fields, people need a different game plan than what worked in the venture capital-friendly industry of IT.
"The model is not going to work the way it sits right now," David Danielson, a former venture capitalist and program director for energy storage at the ARPA-E clean-energy research agency, said during a panel on venture capital and energy last week at MIT's Sloan school.
Danielson said that venture capitalists have told him they are getting out of green tech because it's taking longer to innovate around energy and materials than they originally expected. Venture capital investor Rob Day also sees more departures from green tech, saying that "generalist" venture capital companies which work in a number of industries are quietly moving on.
Recent data on venture capital investing points to a shift toward energy efficiency, an area which typically requires less money. In terms of number of deals, efficiency beat out solar and transportation in the third quarter. There was also a big drop in the average deal size from $35 million to $8 million. Overall, the third quarter saw a sharp drop in total dollars invested, although the year total for 2010 is expected to higher than in 2009.
Investing in energy efficiency, such as LED lighting, is a big shift from how green-tech companies got started earlier in the last decade. Many investors and entrepreneurs crowded into the solar and biofuels. But often tens or hundreds of millions of dollars is required to build a pilot facility to find out whether a technology works.
That puts clean-energy technologies in a "weird gap" where they are too expensive for venture capitalists to fund all the way through to commercialization and too risky for project financiers who work with tried and tested technologies, Ramana Nanda, assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, said during the panel.
Deep pockets needed
Start-ups themselves are altering their funding plans as well, with more of them seeking out deep pockets of large industrial companies, similar to how biotech start-ups have worked.
Six-year-old Ze-Gen, for example, is seeking to raise more money to build a pilot facility for its waste-to-energy gasification technology. But because building this sort of industrial plant requires a lot of capital, the company is looking for a "strategic partner," which would act as an investor able to bankroll many plants if the technology proves out at scale, said Neal Isaacson, the chief financial officer of Ze-Gen.
"We can't be chasing money from the VCs because the model isn't going to work," Isaacson said. "We need too much money and the payback is too long, it just doesn't fit the model."
An Ernst & Young analysis of DowJones Venture Source data found that 23 percent of the venture green-tech deals in the third quarter involved large corporations, including BASF, General Motors Venture Group, and Intel Capital. General Electric, meanwhile, teamed with four VC companies to launch a contest to attract the best ideas around the smart grid.
To get good returns, a number of venture capital companies have tried to invest in green-tech start-ups at a later stage in their development, Danielson said. Filling the gap for early-stage companies are wealthy individuals called angel investors or family funds, which tend to have a longer time frame for investing than the five or seven years of a venture capitalist.
Green-tech companies also need to be aware of government incentives to build factories or other facilities. Often, companies are using a combination of these sources which works very well, said John Harrington, the founder of Sheffield, which advises venture-capital companies, during the panel. First Solar, the very successful U.S. thin-film solar company, was funded in its early days by the investment arm of the Walton family behind Wal-Mart, he noted.
Venture investing overall has had relatively poor returns in the past 10 years, so the green-technology category is part of an overall trend, investors note. In its analysis of third-quarter data, the Cleantech group said investors are readjusting their expectations to get two to five times their money from successful ventures, rather than 10 times their money.
Bill Aulet, managing director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, during the panel said that the venture investors who came into energy early in the decade will most likely not have great "exits," in the form of a public offering or an acquisition. Often, that's because even with a great product, new technology historically does not get adopted quickly in energy.
"Energy is ultimately a commodity, not a value-added service. It's a regulated service because it touches all parts of society. It depends on capital-intensive infrastructure. It has exquisite supply chains," he said. "Those early funds that went in, now that we look back, [we can see] structurally, there's a reason they won't see great exits...and now they're adjusting their strategy."


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Dexter Russell S284-6 1/2, Sani-Safe Frosting Spatula - 6 1/2"
Built to be both tough and sanitary. A textured, slip-resistant, easy-to-clean polypropylene handle withstands both high and low temperatures. An impervious blade-to-handle seal provides the utmost in santiary qualification. Stain-free, high-carbon steel blade, with an individually ground and honed edge, excels in commercial use. Made in USA. Items marked with the NSF logo are NSF Certified.
Sani-Safe® (17433) 6-1/2" Frosting Spatula, stainless steel blade, textured, polypropylene handle, NSF Certified
Handle Material - Polypropylene
Handle Color - White
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Blade Material - Stainless Steel
Stain Free- Yes
Blade Size - 6 1/2"
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Microsoft could be hoping for an "Oprah effect" for its Surface tabletop computer.
Microsoft gave a demo of health-care applications designed for the Surface tabletop computer to media mogul Oprah Winfrey's production company for consideration for use in a new television show with Dr. Mehmet Oz. The doctor has been featured often on Winfrey's talk show and is famous for a series of best-selling health-care and weight-loss books he co-authored with Dr. Michael Roizen.
Marketers dream of having products endorsed by Winfrey because it can result in a dramatic increase in sales, the so-called "Oprah effect." The Microsoft demonstration was specifically for Winfrey's spinoff program with Dr. Oz, so it is unclear whether she will display the Surface on her show. The price tag for a Surface is US$12,000.
Microsoft didn't go after Winfrey solely as a way to raise mass-market awareness for the Surface. After initially targeting retail and hospitality segments, Microsoft has recently begun pitching the Surface to government, educational and health-care institutions, said Ken Mallit, solutions architect for the public sector at Microsoft.
At the CIO Summit, an annual get together in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft on Wednesday showed off some Surface applications that could appeal to such customers. Microsoft typically doesn't write the programs internally, instead partnering with third-party software developers.
One application lets users manipulate images of the body, turning and examining an image of the heart, for example.
A doctor might use such an application to explain to patients conditions they have and to depict how their physiology might differ from the standard. The doctor can erase parts of the heart or add arteries, for example, to show patients what their heart looks like compared to a normal one.
After seeing the health-care application at the CIO Summit, Daniel Duffy, CTO for Seattle University, imagined using it and the Surface as a teaching tool.
Mallit also demonstrated applications aimed at the education market. Some are learning tools meant to be fun. For example, a tick-tack-toe game requires a young student to answer a math or history question correctly before placing a square or circle on the board.
Other applications could be used to keep track of attendance. A student could be required to swipe his or her badge on the Surface when walking into a classroom and an application would record the student's presence. The teacher could then easily save attendance data. A teacher could also use the Surface in the front of the class room to show graphics in teaching material and then send that data to students' own computers.
Libraries are also logical Surface users, Mallit said. The Darien Public Library in Connecticut is using one and Microsoft has done a pilot application with the King County library system in Washington, although no Surface units are in place there.
In addition to education and health care, Microsoft sees an applications in government institutions. For the past eight months Microsoft has been developing an operations command-and-control application for the Air Force, although the military branch hasn't yet committed to buying units, Mallit said.
Despite shrinking IT budgets, government agencies are considering the Surface because while users may have to handle the development of front-end applications, they can draw on existing back-end systems like SharePoint and SQL databases, Mallit said.
The developer edition of the Surface, which includes a software developers kit, costs $15,000.
Matthew McLean, deputy chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, thinks it would be great to have a Surface in conference rooms. Workers could swipe their badges on the screen to authenticate them as users. Then they could pull up documents and share them with others at the meeting.
Since its launch last year, the Surface now has enough available applications to demonstrate its usefulness, he said. "Surface is a lot more quantifiable this year," he said.


text:
*The only thing that I spent money on was paint! I love nearly free!
Monday, June 25, 2012
"Hey There, Stumpy!"
*The only thing that I spent money on was paint! I love nearly free!
13 comments:
Such a cute idea! I have a tree in our backyard that we may be cutting down (bummer) but at least now I have a good idea of what to do with it. And I love that you painted it silver.ReplyDeleteReplies
You should totally do this! I grouping of these look great instead of a coffee table! I have another one that I plan on pairing with it (it's a bit taller). I would love to see pics if you do this!! I hope you have a blessed day!Delete
That is very cool! I see stumps people have set out for the trash men all the time. I often consider picking one or two up to make into something. I never even thought of stripping and painting them. Good idea!ReplyDelete
Why thank you Liz! It's amazing how much can be done with "trash" :) I hope you have a fabulous day!Delete
I LOVE that! What a great idea. It adds so much interest to the room.ReplyDelete
Love the stump and plan to make a cluster of three for our front room...if I have the room...or sell them...we'll see.ReplyDelete
On a side note. My dad used to heat our house (in Germany) with wood. I know that the wood in the forest is not a free for all. It is regulated. People get a share assigned by the forester and they have to clean out the share and pay for the wood they take. So take care where you get the wood from.
Where I lived they called that stuff Brennesseln....Hate it! They say that it doesn't sting in months with a "B" in it, but they LIED! One year, while sledding I came across a pile under the snow - YOWSERS!
Also worth mentioning is that it does make great fertilizer, if you're planning a garden. You take the "devil grass", put it in an old jute bag or old stockings - like a giant tea bag - and let it soak in water for a few days. (we did it in an old tub) and then use that water for our plants.Replies
Hey there! Thank you so much for the great advice!!! I will definitely use that for gardening!Delete
My landlord took me out to his property to get wood he owned, and I hunted a good one down :) He has so much junk he doesn't want which works out wonderfully for me and I won't get in trouble by the police :)
Now you've go me wanting to garden and show that Netto who's boss!!!
I hope you have a blessed day!
Oh Good! Would hate to see you get in trouble!Delete
This is so cute and would work perfectly in my living room! The project looks easy to pull off too, and that's always good in my book. Between keeping up with my job at Dish and the rest of the household, I don't have a lot of time to do extensive projects. Thanks for including line by line instructions along with pictures too! I am the type of person that is lost without instructions; that's why I usually get my projects from HGTV and DIY Network, so I can record them to my DVR and replay steps when I inevitably get confused! Luckily, I have the Hopper DVR that comes with loads of recording space to accommodate all my project aspirations. There are so many cute DIY ideas that it makes it really hard to choose sometimes! I'm definitely going to try and attempt this one though. Can you use any kind of wood?ReplyDeleteReplies
Hey there! So glad you liked my tutorial! I believe you can use any kind of wood! The cool thing is, you can get so many different looks with different paints, and stains...the possibilities are endless! I have even seen them with legs drilled in the bottom! Let me know if there are any other questions I can help you with Max!Delete
I love the idea of natural wood in a modern home, rustic seems to have such a homey feel, thanks for the great inspiration! I am going to have to try this out!ReplyDelete
I know all too well of the stinging nettle (as it is known in England), I grew up in England and when playing in a garden with my sister I fell into a patch and got stung from head to toe when I was about 7 years old...it was awful, but, there is a plant that helps with the pain, called a dock leaf, it normally grows in the same area so maybe google to see if it is found in the part of Germany that you are living in?
Nettles make great tea too, if you can risk collecting them!Replies
Emily, thank you so much for your sweet, sweet comments! You made my day! Yes that Netto is horrible!! You poor thing! I shall check out that magic plant! I have a neighbor that picks elderfliowers and makes a simple syrup for a summer-time soda! Holy cow, It's amazing... i bet she would know how to make tea with it. i will have to ask! If you end up doing the stump I would love to see pics! I hope you have a very blessed day!Delete


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An often irreverent look at this week's other news ...
Duh, Winning: HP to Keep Its Dominant PC Business
HP announced this week that it would keep its PC business, ending a few months of speculation, or least something a bit more strident than utter disinterest. "HP objectively evaluated the strategic, financial, and operational impact of spinning off [its Personal Systems Group (PSG), which makes HP's PCs]," a press release concerning this issue reads. "It's clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees. HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger." HP's bizarre announcement that it might drop its market-dominant PC business led to the ouster of previous CEO Leo Apotheker, who was on the job less than a year and busy dismantling the once-proud company. This week's announcement was credited to new CEO Meg Whitman, whose most recent success was spending more money on a US political-office candidacy than anyone in history—in this case, for the governorship of California—and still losing badly to an underfunded opponent. (She spent $144 million of her own money and $178.5 million from contributors. Think about that for a second.) I see big things ahead for this company.
Windows Phone 7.5 Now Being Delivered to 100 Percent of Eligible Phones
Well, that was quick. After a less-than-stellar series of Windows Phone software updates early this year, Microsoft has turned things around rather nicely, announcing this week that the platform's first major update, Windows Phone 7.5 (code-named Mango), is now being delivered "to 100 percent of eligible phones around the world, regardless of carrier." This comes just a month after Microsoft and its wireless-carrier partners started scheduling the update deployment, and if you waited (and waited and waited) for previous updates, then you understand how amazing a change this is. Kudos to the Windows Phone team for getting it right this time. You've made Windows Phone look great, and by comparison, you've made Android—which is the most fragmented smartphone on the planet—look ridiculous. And that is exactly the positioning Windows Phone needs. (Minor caveat: The phrase "eligible phones" is somewhat telling, as there are a few revisions of a few first-gen Windows Phones that still don't have 7.5. But the vast majority are indeed now getting the update.)
Windows Phone "Apollo" Is Not Coming in Mid-2012, Obviously
The ever-reliable Engadget reports that a Nokia executive said—or as the publication writes, "confirmed"—in the presence of one of its bloggers that Windows Phone "Apollo," the next major update to Windows Phone that is widely expected to be version 8, will ship in mid-2012 and be "a very different game" when compared with today's Windows Phone OS. This suggests, but does not confirm, that Windows Phone 8 will be based on Windows 8. And I would take any talk about "mid-2012" with a grain of salt. That's an awfully aggressive date for the next version, which I don't expect to see before this time next year at the very earliest. Apparently, neither does Microsoft, which told the blogger sweatshop that the Nokia exec's timeline for Apollo was "inaccurate." That's a nice way of saying it, yes.
Samsung Sells More Smart Phones Than Apple
Korean electronics giant Samsung sold more smartphones in the most recent quarter than did industry-darling Apple and is in fact the only smartphone maker to experience year-over-year revenue growth in that same time period. So how do you report on this amazing story if you see the world through Apple-colored glasses? Like this: Samsung 3Q Profit Slides 23 Percent. You know, because that's the real story here. (And by the way, profits slid because of Samsung's non-smartphone businesses; its handset business is going gangbusters.) Samsung said that sales of its handsets jumped 300 percent in the quarter, far higher than Apple's 21 percent unit growth for the iPhone in the same time period—not that anyone else will actually notice that. But here's the math: Samsung sold 28 million smartphones in the quarter, much higher than Apple's 17 million units. And the company now controls 27.8 percent of the global market for smartphones, compared with Apple's 17 percent.
Not All Bad News for Netflix
Netflix might have lost 800,000 subscribers since instituting a price hike over the summer, but the 25 million customers who still use the service really use the service. According to researchers at Sandvine, Netflix subscribers now account for a whopping 32.7 percent of all Internet traffic during peak times in North America. "With so many Netflix-capable devices, the addressable market for the service is already enormous and will only increase, so it's hard to envision a scenario in which absolute levels of Netflix will decline," a Sandvine report notes, though it expects most future growth to come from outside the United States. In case you're wondering what the rest of the traffic looks like, Sandvine says that web surfing is number two during peak traffic times, with 29 percent of usage, while BitTorrent is number two overall, accounting for 23.3 of Internet traffic. BitTorrent? Really?
RIM Delays PlayBook Update
Does anyone still give a damn about Research In Motion's (RIM's) PlayBook? Anyone? You know, that thing that looks sort of like an iPad but is made by the people who make the BlackBerry? No? It doesn't come with email or calendaring, but instead requires you to use it in tandem with a BlackBerry handset? Not ringing any bells? Nothing? Then you won't care that RIM just delayed an important and overdue software update for the PlayBook that will add those missing features and a ton of other things. Yeah, I don't care either. Game over.
Nintendo Slashes Forecast as Wii Sales Fall Through the Floor
Speaking of games, remember when the Nintendo Wii was the dominant video game platform and slapped around the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as if they weren't even there? No, me neither. Because Nintendo's once-dominant Wii has virtually disappeared: The company warned this week that it would lose money in the first half of its current fiscal year with weaker-than-expected sales of all its video game devices, including portable systems like the DS and 3DS. The company sold just 3.35 million Wii consoles in the first half of the year and barely 3 million units of the new 3DS handheld gaming device. My advice to Nintendo is simple: Yes, please do continue developing your innovative and quirky hardware, but also be sure to port your best gaming titles and franchises to competing platforms, including the Xbox 360 and iOS/iPhone/iPod touch. Otherwise, you might be soon looking back on these financial results fondly.
This Week, on the Windows Weekly Podcast
Mary Jo, Leo, and I recorded a new episode of the Windows Weekly podcast on Thursday at the usual time Thursday. So it should be available for download by the end of the weekend on iTunes, the Zune Marketplace, and wherever else quality podcasts are found, in both audio and video formats.
But Wait, There's More
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Friendfeed, Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows, the SuperSite Blog. Coming soon: Windows 8 Secrets!


text:
30 percent rule still looms over uncapped year
With the salary cap disappearing in 2010, plenty of players still under contract might be looking for new deals.
If, after all, there's no spending limit and fewer free agents are available and guys are operating under deals done when a cap was in place, some of them might expect a big raise.
But there's a problem, as one league source pointed out in response to our recent suggestion that the decision of Steve Smith (the young, good one) to change agents could be a sign that he wants to strike it rich.
The 30 percent rule applies to the renegotiation of any contracts.
It means that the player's salary in 2010 can't be more than 30 percent greater than the player's salary in 2009. For players still operating under the minimum base salaries of a slotted rookie deal, that's a problem. A big problem.
But there's a loophole. NFL director of corporate communications Dan Masonson has confirmed for us that signing bonuses won't count toward the 30 percent rule. Still, it means that the bulk of a player's compensation would have to be funneled to him via a signing bonus, with limited base salaries in future years. While the player might be fine with that in 2010, the player might feel a lot differently in the out years of the deal.
Then there's the looming lockout. Why would a team want to front load a deal with a huge signing bonus in 2010 if there might be no football in 2011? Every player who receives such a deal is one less player who will have to face the prospect of living game check to game check with no game check.
So keep an eye on this angle as the uncapped year begins. Plenty of players under contract will want more money. It's unlikely that many will get it.


text:
So what happened? Well, as is usually the case with bad judgement, I was feeling awesome. The day started out beautiful. Trails were slow and soft but rideable. I had everything dialed in. I rode with a peloton of six other cyclists and felt like I wasn't even working. The wind picked up over the course of the afternoon and began to drift in the trails with the 6 inches of dry snow that fell the day before. By Flathorn Lake, at about mile 30, all of us were off and pushing, and the group started to spread out. Evening fell and the light became really flat. Because I was pushing, I was not paying much attention to the trail, instead looking out at the beautiful alpenglow on Mount Susitna and the ground blizzards tearing across the lake like sand in the desert. Suddenly, my front wheel dropped sharply into a trench just as I was stepping forward with my right foot. I fell backward onto my butt and my right leg plunged up to my upper thigh in frigid water. My leg dangled over unknown depths of the lake as I frantically clawed backward up the trench. The overturned bike had also punched through the thin ice with one handlebar, but I left it there until I was securely on solid ice. I laid on my stomach, reached down and pulled it up by the rear wheel. A right pogie and a mitten that was stuck inside were completely soaked and the outside of my bivy bag was superficially wet. I'm pretty sure I lost a half-eaten bag of MnMs to the frigid depths of Flathorn Lake. But, much more concerningly, I had taken on tons of water inside my gators, boots, and both socks.
Now, I don't need lectures. I know how serious this is. At this point, I had to make quick decisions. I was out in the middle of a frozen lake in a fierce headwind and ground blizzards with temperatures already dipping below zero. I decided at that point that my best option was to get out of the wind and get into my bag in an area where I could build a fire, and I knew of a nice sheltered area between Flathorn Lake and the Dismal Swamp, about a mile away. However, on foot, pushing a bike through soft snow, a mile is quite a distance. By the time I got to the sheltered spot, by boot was frozen on. I could not even unhook the Velcro on my gators, let alone undo the laces and zipper and pull my foot out of a completely waterproof boot. So I was faced with a boot stuck to my leg and water sloshing around inside. What I should have done at that point was build a fire, wrap my sleeping bag around my body and try to melt enough of the ice to free my foot. But that's hindsight. What I did do was get this idea inside my head that my foot was perfectly warm even with the water inside my boot. I thought with the vapor barrier sock and insulated boot, my body heat would warm the water and create an equilibrium that I could work with, at least until the next checkpoint. Especially since I was walking at that point, and with all of the drifting snow, there didn't seem to be any end in sight to walking. I managed to wet my boot last year and walk for several hours in similar temperatures with no problems. Thus, the bad judgment. I thought I was fine.
The next seven hours were great. The soft trails set up enough to ride again, and I was feeling so strong that I alternated riding and running every 10 minutes just to keep my foot warm. I continued to wiggle by toes and they continued to wiggle for me. The temperature dropped to 25 below zero on the Yentna River. The fierce headwind drove the windchill down to minus a lot, but I never felt the effects of the extreme temperature. To deal with my frozen pogie and mitten, I put my left mitten on my right hand and rode with only a fleece glove on my left hand. I procured a new bag of MnMs and ate, and rode, and ran, and felt great. I knew I had a long layover at Yentna waiting for me, but I still didn't believe my race was over.
I arrived at the checkpoint at about 2:30 a.m. I was in 13th place. I sat down in the doorway and went to work removing my boot. Even sitting next to a wood stove, it still took me 10 minutes just to work the gator free, then the laces, finally the zipper. When I tried to remove my foot, I realized that my sock was frozen inside my boot. And as I worked the sock down to simply try to remove my foot, I realized with no shortage of trepidation that my foot was frozen to my vapor barrier sock.
It took nearly a half hour to get my foot out of my boot. The tips of my toes were rigid and white, but I was not yet willing to admit to myself what I had done. I quickly slipped on my bootie, went in the next room to check in, ate a meal and settled down for a nap.
I felt no pain as I slept, for the first two hours. Geoff arrived at about 5 a.m. and I told him I was worried I had frostbite. We moved upstairs and it was about then that the thaw set in. For three hours, I laid on the floor on top of my sleeping bag in a hot room, writhing in agony. Hard to explain that pain. Like the "screaming barfies," drawn out for three solid hours. I drew blood from by palms by clenching my fists so tight. By the time I stood up again, I could hardly walk.
I hobbled down the stairs to let the checker know about my situation. I showed him my foot, which still didn't look that bad. The sun shown brightly outside. The thermometer had climbed to 12 below. It looked absolutely beautiful. I so, so wanted to go out there and ride. "It's up to you what you want to do," the checker told me. And I'm ashamed to admit that I, after going through what I had gone through with the thaw, and knowing perfectly well that I absolutely had frostbite, and still had a wet boot, socks, mitten and pogie, seriously considered continuing in the race. Tim Hewitt, a man who has walked to Nome three times and has set out this year to do it a fourth time, who has to be one of the toughest men on Earth, walked up to me and said, with sincere sadness in his eyes, "You can't go on."
And that was it. Geoff, who was upstairs wheezing and coughing and struggling with a cold that had turned into a more serious respiratory illness, mulled over continuing for several hours before deciding to scratch and fly out with me. It was a horrible morning. The lodge owners and other racers were very kind, but I was in a state of disbelief, mostly about my foot and how much the condition had deteriorated over the morning. But dropping out of the race weighed very heavily on my mind. And I had to question my own mental state, and just how tied up I'd become in this whole thing, when I was more disappointed about leaving the race than I was about the fact that I had just sustained a fairly serious injury.
Looking back, I know what I should have done. Taken my boot off immediately, crawled into my partially wet bivy on the lake ice, and awaited help which was very close behind, in the form of other racers. I've mulled over all my options and I realize there was, with the gear I had with me, no way I could have saved my race. Falling into the pressure crack, because I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, was my fatal mistake. But I absolutely could have avoided frostbite, and now have to question whether the misguided hope that I could save my race led me to drive on when it was clearly not the smart move.
This race has no margin for error. I love it still but I'm extremely disappointed right now, with concern about my upcoming recovery, and a fair amount of self-loathing for the decisions I made. It will take some time, some time when I'm on crutches and unable to ride my bike, but I'll work through this. As always, it's another life experience. I can't say I haven't learned a lot.
I want to say thanks to Scott for tracking me during my short time on the trail, to Sean Grady for his offer to help, to everyone who helped gear me up for the race and everyone who supported me. I'm sorry I let you guys down.
129 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 12:19 PM
I want you to know now what you will undoubtedly realize at some point in the future - you've let no one down.
Like many, I was excited about your race and followed it on your blog and by spot. The one thing that I can say for all of us is that I am glad that you are wrong. Your mistake was not "fatal", just a setback to overcome. Don't get down on yourself - there are plenty of adventures ahead.
Big Boned
I feel so bad for you. You did not let anyone down at all.ReplyDelete
The way you wrote this post it was almost like a I went through the ordeal with you.
I know what it feels like to drop out of a race (Rez, SU) and think you could have done things different. Just know time heals the soul and the foot.
I think we got our money's worth sister- that's some big deal adventure living. What is really is though, and excuse my french, is very f*&king scary.ReplyDelete
There are a lot of anonymous followers of your writings, Jill...and I have been one of them. I too hope to ride the Iditabike one day and so pull a lot of inspiration from your blog. Congrats on getting to the start (I know it's all ways the hardest for me) and glad to hear you get to keep all your toes!ReplyDelete
Oh Jill, you poor thing! I'm so sorry and I hope your toes heal up quickly. Please don't feel that you've let anyone down, that's just crazy, girl. The fact that you entered this race for a second time is so incredibly courageous! What happened to you could have happened to any racer out there. It's unfortunate, but you and Geoff are both alive and (more or less) well, so please don't be too hard on yourself.ReplyDelete
There is no way you could let me down, ever. You are so courageous and I have a deep respect for the decision you made. It was the smartest one! When I heard you scratched and the reason you did, I knew that the decision was probably one of the most difficult to make.ReplyDelete
I hope you start feeling better soon and that you don't have any more pain! I love you so much and am so proud of you for making the smartest and best decision for your health and safety.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 12:41 PM
I don't think anyone will question your toughness or your courage. I knew when I read that you had scratched that something really bad had happened.ReplyDelete
Good luck on your recovery.
NO SELF LOATHING!!! It's not like you did something horribly and obviously stupid. Hindsight is 20/20. I'm so sad to see this as a lurker/reader of your blog, so I can't even imagine how you feel. But, as a neutral third party, I can assure you that I see no reason why you should be feeling self loathing.ReplyDelete
It might sound strange but I sensed something happened before you posted this story.ReplyDelete
Your health is for important than a race, although, if there is emotional attachments, accepting the reality can be difficult.
I think you should make a goal to bike some other countries, I just visited Crete, and during the time of February Crete could be challenging and beautiful to cycle.
I met this guy from Finland back early in 2008 in Egypt, and was biking all of Africa from North to South, he had sponsors who paid for all his gear, before that he biked from Thailand to Finland through Iran.
The universe can be strange upon dishing out direction, discernment is crucial.
You let no one down. Not even yourself.ReplyDelete
Mistakes happen and they often lead to learning.
That is what happened and is still happening as you think through it all.
Best wishes for a smooth recovery of both your toes and your mind. Don't beat yourself up over this because that will just be a waste of your time.
Learn from it.
Heal up from it.
Continue on down the path.
Hey Jill,ReplyDelete
Just doing what you did is more than most of have tried, getting beat down by nature happens to the best out there.
I just started reading your book that Amblus lent me, great read so far.
I hope you have a speedy recovery and keep us posted!
So few of us put ourselves in the position to touch death, an area where wrong decisions can actually be fatal. This race is one of those places and to even attempt it and survive it means you have won. Self loathing is natural, I have my fair share after something doesn't go as planned, but Jill, everything happens for a reason and things are as they were meant to be.]ReplyDelete
Congrats on the experience.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Stepping into the crack may have been a mistake, but thank goodness it wasn't fatal. You took action, you got yourself to shelter and will live to ride again. We're all sad for you (and for ourselves because tracking your race was so much fun), but in the greater scheme of things, this was a successful end. You've let no one down, and you'll eventually realize that. You've inspired so many people with your training, your blog, and your book. I partially blame you for my husband being out on the trail this year, but because of your book I have a better understanding of the race and how and why he's there. Thanks!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Next year: extra sox and down booties. Not much weight or space, but they will save your feet if they get wet in the back country. Remember, you could be more disappointed than you are now. Be glad you still have 10 toes. One more thing, you still rock.ReplyDelete
Bless your heart, I wish I knew you well enough to give you a big hub! But I can tell you that it will be ok. Of course you are disappointed but you haven't lost a thing by trying, not even your toes. We all learn our life lessons with the hard stuff, not the stuff that's a piece of cake. So heal up and like everyone else has said, cut yourself some slack. You are alive and well and life will feel good again soon.ReplyDelete
This post made me cry. You did not let anyone down! There is no way that you can plan for every possible situation. You really can't know what the right thing to do is, until you do the wrong thing.ReplyDelete
The important thing is that you got yourself out of there and with all of your toes. I think you did just fine. And I have no doubt you'll be out there again next year!
First off, you let nobody down. You learned more this year than last.
Learning is a bitch though, no doubt about it.
Thanks for being so open with your story. No room for error, dang that's a tough game up there. You sound to have been in prime shape for it.
Heal up well and be patient!
Hope your foot heals up quickly! Learning is such a hard thing sometimes. It seems to me just toeing the line in this race is a pretty awesome accomplishment!!ReplyDelete
You are amazing. So sorry. I hope your heart will heal as fast as your toes and I'm so happy you get to keep them.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 1:39 PM
I haven't commented here before, but read your blog every day. You are an amazing athlete and I read in awe of you every day, especially today!ReplyDelete
Sending out good thoughts for a fast recovery!
You will take what you have learned from this and go on to great things. What seems like an ending is really not at all.ReplyDelete
Thanks for letting us blog readers follow along this time too. Hope your toes heal up fast. That sounded awful (the description of the pain), by the way. So sorry about that. Take care.ReplyDelete
Jill, sorry about what seems a disaster. You'll heal and as always, the journey is what makes these things worth while. Heal up! These things are tough to get over.ReplyDelete
Jill, GeoffReplyDelete
You are still our adventure heroes!!
Hopefully you both recover soon.
The Netherlands
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Jill, you are still my hero. I can hear your sorrow and guilt. You have nothing to be sorry for or guilty about. Shit happens.ReplyDelete
Please get well soon and keep blogging, I enjoy your voice and your pictures so much.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Harrowing! !!!!ReplyDelete
You're still my female cycling hero. :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Jill, I am sorry to hear that you and Geoff both had to scratch, and I am very happy to hear that you are both ultimately alright. I look forward to seeing you in May, provided you are still going to be coming down this way. BryanReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Jill, I feel with you. To break a race could be harder than finish them. But, please keep blogging and give us further wunderful pictutres from Alaska.ReplyDelete
Good luck on your recovery, Urs
It is a pity you had to abandon, but you were wise to realize you had to take care of yourself first. You let no one down.ReplyDelete
I hope the recovery goes well, and you reconnect with your adventurous side when the time is right.
I hope you will recover soon and be back to riding your bike.
Good luck with your next adventure.
Wish you all the Best.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 2:41 PM
I am glad your foot will recover! I have no doubt this race injury will lead you to think about the race and yourself differently! Death waits for the voyager in Alaska. You bumped up against it again...and survived, again! Hooray for that! Thank God.ReplyDelete
I am wincing for the pain you had to go through when your foot thawed.ReplyDelete
Jill, you are such an inspiration to me, on and off your bike!!
If there is anything I can do for you guys let me know! I would still like to take ya'll out to dinner if there is time before I leave for Vegas Sunday night!
"Coulda shoulda woulda" is never a good mental game to go through Jill. The fact is you learned first hand how difficult Alaska weather can be and you paid a price for it. There is certainly no one to blame. So please don't feel like you let anyone down. You certainly didn't.ReplyDelete
Take care of yourself and if there's anything you need from someone in Anchorage, just yell. I would be more than happy to help out however I can.
Take it slow and healing will come.
My best to you and Geoff.
So sorry to hear about the accident, but also glad to read that everything will be okay and you'll be back on the bike soon.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the great post.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Well, you might have let someone down if you went and froze your foot off in the middle of nowhere then died! Glad the story is WAY happier than that.ReplyDelete
Get better - maybe we'll see you in Seattle this June with Team Fatty?
Steve P.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 3:41 PM
You didn't let me down! I remember the feeling I'd get hiking sometimes, despite feeling a blister developing: "I need to see what's over that hill; I have to check out what's around the bend. Just a little bit more . . ." So I'm thinking if I multiplied that by about, oh, 10,000, I'd be somewhere approaching how you must feel, given the training and gear and emotional prep this race requires.ReplyDelete
I've enjoyed reading this blog, plan on buying your book, and following you on whatever journeys are coming up just around that bend. Rest up, be well, and please don't beat yourself up. Not conducive to healing. ;)
I'm just pissed about having to leave those m&ms at the lake!ReplyDelete
Seriously, you've let no one down. You are inspiring. You are a hero. Deal with those internal demons of disappointment as best as you can and get back on that bike as soon as you can.
Take care,
You definitely didn't let anyone down! Having done what you have done is so amazing to think about, survive in a barren cold that is so easily fatal. Many of us live vicariously through your amazing stories, and even if this race was short, it was no less amazing. Take care of yourself and keep riding.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Jill - I'm so sorry to hear about your mishap. I know you will be back on the bike soon and shreddin' - since you're one of the stubborn ones :) Good luck with your recovery.ReplyDelete
We'd only be let down if your pride kept you on the course. We are glad you listened to wisdom instead.ReplyDelete
God is good
You are one tough lady. Sucks for you. I feel bad. But I am beyond impressed.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 4:46 PM
You live large daily and we all admire you for it. Don't worry about this! Just get well and march on when you do. Getting to keep your toes = getting to keep riding.ReplyDelete
Sorry to hear about your accident and dropping out the race. Your story told through your blog is an inspiration and a reality check. If it weren't for your honest prose describing the highs, lows and dangers of endurance racing, anyone might think they could do it. Hope you're soon better and pedalling again.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 5:21 PM
it'll make you stronger. all of it. it'll make you stronger.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Frost bite is viscous,ReplyDelete
shortcoming destinations sought,
but your heart and ambition,
lead others where they could not.
Don't be too hard on yourself,
you'll see that in the end,
a little wisdom carries,
more miles yet to spin.
I think Psychalist said it exactly right, and gave me an epiphany about why your writing is so awesome and draws in so many, even people (like me) who are almost nothing like you. You show what it's like to be a human striving to accomplish inhuman feats, and the fact that you're honest enough to share all of the parts of that striving (and that you don't win all the time) just kind of makes you that much more appealing as a writer (and probably as a person, but I haven't met you so I won't go that far). Good vibes your way for quick healing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Well woman, it looks like your luck ran out. All those close calls, falls, crashes, and mishaps that you've avoided getting injured in over the past year finally caught up with you, and at the worst possible time too(during The Big Race). Look on the bright side though, even though you might be gimpy for awhile it still beats the alternative if you fell in and drowned. ESPECIALLY for the poor divers who woulda been stuck fishing your sorry ass out the lake in the middle of winter.ReplyDelete
I can relate, because I broke my ankle and leg falling down a hill in the snow while hiking last March, and had to walk over a mile to get out of the woods. I'm still mad at myself for being so stupid, not because of the actual injury, but more for the money it cost me in medical bills and time lost from work. I've got screws permanently in my ankle holding it together, and there's alot of things I'll never be able to do again, but I can still hike and ride my bike, which is good enough for me. As a matter of fact I did a 7 mile hike on crutches, and a 40 mile bike ride, in between surgeries while my leg was still healing last year.
Last year for me was just a temporary setback, and I feel like a stronger person having gone through it. I'm still out there alive and kicking, and you will be again too.
I have read your blog since the summer and really enjoyed following you training journey. I admire your tenacity to get out in any condition. I live in Wyoming and I know, sometimes it's hard to get out.
I also wanted to share with you that you made the right decision and, while it's hard, you can't second guess yourself on anything you did. My boyfriend is currently spending his 10th day at University Hospital in SLC for severe frostbite on both feet and one hand. He got that way doing a trans-Teton ski trip where his feet got wet during the day and then it got really cold during the nite. He did everything right too, but this was the outcome and I am so glad it's not your outcome as well. He is hoping to keep everything and will have to have some skin grafts and PT in the future. He also said the pain of his feet thawing was one of the worst thing he has ever experienced.
Heal well and heal fully. Keep wiggling those toes and then keep them warm.
Best to you,
Lori B.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Jill, you didn't let anyone down. I admire what you did and what you tried to do.ReplyDelete
Just keep the faith and get better.
We are all pulling for you.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 6:15 PM
You didn't let us down, stay strong. There is plenty of time for more adventures. You are amazing.ReplyDelete
There is nothing like the pain of frostbit feet thawing out, it's unbarable. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope you heal quickly and Geoff feels better soon.ReplyDelete
Jill...I regret that I couldn't get on sooner to comment. First of all...you have not let anyone down.ReplyDelete
Don't spend too much time second guessing yourself and the decisions that you made.
You did what you thought was the right thing at that particular time.
It's very easy for people to sit back and criticize for decisions made, but how many of them would have even put themselves at that risk.
I know that you will recover just fine. You will have to work to keep your tootsies warmer in the future. Growing up in northern Minnesota and playing hockey outside along with winter camping, ice fishing, and other crazy youthful adventures, I nipped my toes more than once and yes I do struggle now to keep them warm.
Jill...you will do marvelous no matter what. You will recover and you will be back again next year.
Don't be hard on yourself. Don't second yourself...You did what you felt you needed to do and what anyone else thinks does not matter.
You Rock!! I wish you a very speedy recovery Jill.
I am so glad that you and your toes are OK... how f@*&ing scary.ReplyDelete
That is all that matters... that you are OK.
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 6:36 PM
You gave it you best shot, but a cruel twist of fate cut you race short. You don't need to apologize for that.ReplyDelete
Theodore Roosevelt said it best...
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who point out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweet and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
Congrats on making the right decision to pull out when you did. It's difficult to admit it's time to quit. I think most people that found themselves in the same situation you found yourself would choose what you did....to keep moving down the trail. It's probably not the decision you'd make the second time, but it's what most people would do. At the time it must have felt right. Put it behind you and don't beat yourself up over it.ReplyDelete
It was sad to read that both you and Geoff had scratched!
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Jill.. best of luck in your recovery, I am a fan of your blog although I have never commented before, I think I'll order a copy of your book at last,ReplyDelete
Head up Jill, you're still a hero to all of your readers. Heck a lot of them probably wouldn't go out the front door if it was -10, nevermind hike-a-bike across Alaska in -who knows how cold. Get well and take care.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Jill- An adventure is only that if there is a serious risk involved. You played the game the way it is suppose to be played, and you will gain from playing. And you will be back. So sorry it didn't work out better. BobMReplyDelete
WOW, as always you are a huge inspiration to us other riders out there all over the world. Thank you.ReplyDelete
Get yourself well. maybe some Comfrey salve and any supplimentaion that will help restore and keep that capillary bed ready for nxt year. thx for all those great pics!!ReplyDelete
Wow, that sucks. Like another poster said though, you probably learned more from this year's race than last year's. Get better and soldier on. Temporary setbacks suck, but at least they are just that - temporary.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Dear Jill,ReplyDelete
I am so glad to hear that you are safe! Frostbite, even though its horrible, is nothing compared to the alternative. Thank you for writing, we all look up to you and are so relieved that you live to tell another day!
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Mike in WI said...ReplyDelete
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
In this case I think Abraham Lincoln is full of shit. If you died early in years how could you continue to count...
Mike Stahl, Reedsburg WI
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Jill.ReplyDelete
You definitely did not let anyone down. You are amazing and you wrote a great account of your experience on that first day even while you are injured and disappointed. I hope you get better soon. I am sending warm and happy thoughts your way. I am very glad that you and Geoff are well and warm. All your fans in Wisconsin are rooting for you!
Jill, I have been in awe of you since I first discovered your blog. After reading what you have been through, I am in even more awe. You are tough.ReplyDelete
"A life without tragedy would not be worth living." Ed Abbey
I've said this before and I will say it again. You are my hero. I look forward to your quick recovery and future adventures.ReplyDelete
What a story...I cannot even imagine what that was like. Like so many others said, you are a true hero, and everyone makes mistakes. Wishing you a quick recovery....you'll be back at it in no time!ReplyDelete
looks like it's time for a pedicure, dear.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 9:21 PM
jill! i'm so happy you're alive and well! (relatively speaking) i'm sorry that you guys had to bail, but as someone who loves you both, am so glad that you made the right decision - sounds like tim hewitt needs a thank you note :) i am also stoked it was only your leg that fell in and not all of you. i miss you guys, and hope to still see you in utah this spring! may = party in the desert xxoo jenReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I am glad you are able to keep your toes; and more so that you are alive to write the tale. Your compassion, humility, and long dedication to extraordinary physical and mental challenges whilst traveling a long and unconventional path continues to inspire new and familiar readers.ReplyDelete
Thank you for writing with your heart. I wish you the best, and please keep writing.
p.s. Keep us posted on the toes! :)
Oh Jill....I'm the 74th person to comment so I don't even know if you'll see this....I am filled with sadness for you as I can feel your disappointment when I read your words. And - you can't have POSSIBLY let ANYONE down. I, and I am so sure everyone else reading this, am just so glad that you are at least safe. Your toes look terribly sore. I have had (mild) frostbite before, but nothing like that.ReplyDelete
Your writing continues to amaze - this post was a gripper. I'm so sorry for you and Geoff that this didn't end the way you wanted it to. But as you said yourself - you had nothing to prove.
Wow Jill what a scary episode, so glad you are on the mend... amazing how the mind can get so focused on the goal that blocks out some of the wisdom we need to recall on. Well u learned and now you move forward, You and Geoff had a tough weekend but This too shall pass :-)ReplyDelete
God Bless you guys!, Speedy recovery!
Ouch! Ya, you definitely did the right thing. No question!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 11:30 PM
1. I wish you a quick recovery, and hope the toes do well. Maybe we should all join in and get you a wii fit, so you can hula hoop and keep in shape :)ReplyDelete
2. When reading the story, I am SOOOOO glad you didn't turn into a fish under that ice! I had the occasion to pull a friend of mine out from under the ice years and years back. It was not a fun thing, and I was right there to do it. With no one there for you, well.......
Get well quick Jill, and am sure glad things didn't turn out worse, and look somewhat promising.
Hi Jill, I am so glad you're ok. Be well.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Didn't let me down, Jill. Just taking the first step in that race is more of a challenge than most people get in a lifetime, and when your experience went south, you still turned it around to help others. From reading your post, I know what I will and won't do if I'm ever confronted with that kind of a cold-weather, wet-foot scenario.ReplyDelete
I'm sorry the race didn't run the way you envisioned it, but you should be proud of all you did to prepare, and the learnings you took out of it. Will keep fingers crossed your toes recover.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 12:40 AM
I´m deeply sorry. Hope you will recovery soon.ReplyDelete
Best regards to you and Geoff
You certainly know without all these comments that you've done about the best possible out there. But you have now done just the best possible thing having written in detail about this case. This may save somebody else from something much worse (although it is certainly true that only rare geniuses are able to learn from others' errors in cases like this...)
Just a month back an icebiker from Russia scored much worse in a similar situation. Plunged a hand and a foot in water, then ran away on the adrenaline not feeling yet anything bad, then had 4 fingers less for the rest of his life. Report here (text in Russian, but the terrible pictures do not need translation). You have done much better - and you were alone. Keep up! And please keep up your blog.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 1:17 AM
Jill, You let nobody down. A few weeks back when you had that guy commenting on your blog about drama I thought to myself: Jill doesn't realize the domino effect from her blog. When I read about your big miles in the foul weather I'm totally inspired. This motivates me to ride my bike to work in the snow in the middle of the night. Initially people thought I was out of my mind but one by one they've come around. Now out of 30 people I work with at least 10 have started riding recreationally. I'm sure they inspire their freinds and neighbors as well. Now multiply that by all your readers. It's like that old vidal sasoon add "and so on, and so on..." This goes on & on creating healthier, happier people who are probably a lot nicer all because you have the guts to put yourself out there.ReplyDelete
Steve in Vermont
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Jill, if my 3 month old daughter were to ever ask me someday who would be a good hero--you would be among the top picks. You have amazing pluck, write beautifully and honestly, and if you still have the itch to ride incredibly long distances to find out what's real there's always that nutty north to south race coming up in the lower 48. No pressure ridges and you can ride a lighter bike. Best wishes!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 1:35 AM
Your story, your blog, all those comments, this community, thats's just amazing...
was gutted for you Jill.Of course as you know i was there myself a few years back,even the mat-su bit.ReplyDelete
it heals quick and you will be back riding soon.
It it is even possible, you are more of a hero to me now than before. Take care.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 2:55 AM
Jill, you are awesome. You didn't let anyone down - I think you inspire more than one here.ReplyDelete
Jill I'm so sorry for you, I hope all will be fine as we say in ItalyReplyDelete
In bocca al lupo!!
Jill you haven't let anyone down and we all make mistakes. If we are not making mistakes we are not learning anything.ReplyDelete
Get well, there is next year.
I just want you to know that you entirely succeeded in your adventure.ReplyDelete
It's always so hard when you realize you cannot see things through to the desired conclusion, especially when so much time and energy has gone into preparation. But, going out there and giving it the best shot is all you can do.
You may have made a simple mistake -- it may have been entirely out of your control. It doesn't matter.
What matters is that you try it again next year.
I'm really glad that you and Geoff are OK.ReplyDelete
I understand what it's like to train so hard for something and not be able to finish. I crashed out of the 24 hour World Championships when they were in British Columbia and I remember how horrible it felt. I remember feeling like all of my hard work had been for nothing, and seeing all the other racers finish the next day made me feel really left out.
But bad races just make the good races that much better.
Take care of your toes and I can't wait to read about what you will be doing next!
I agree with several people on here that your rides (even this one that you're obviously disappointed with) are inspiring and important to people. Just as I think it's a great thing that you inspire so many people to follow their own adventures and get outside and do something wild, I find it wonderful that your reaction to this mess might inspire people to understand that it's OK to modify your expectations while out there.ReplyDelete
You went from "needing" to run the race to needing to fix a major problem (a wet leg) to eventually coming to understand that no race is as important as your own body and well-being. As we've all seen over the years (and have ample bookshelf-space taken up proving), many, many people get that decision wrong and we only hear about them in books about their mistakes.
You're clearly disappointed that the race didn't go as planned. I hope that you can eventually come to understand that you have taught people that these adventures don't need to be life-or-death and that turning away to take care of yourself is very hard, but CAN be done. I hope, in the coming months, to read you posting not "I scratched early in the race, oh man..." and instead give us (and yourself), "I scratched early in the race because it was what I needed to do. And now I get to have the rest of my life, my foot, and many more adventures!"
I say CONGRATULATIONS on a great, important, and wonderfully inspirational scratch.
Get well soon. Keep inspiring us all. You can see from all these posts that you obviously didn't let anyone down. And we're all here to keep reading.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 7:24 AM
Your toes look like little kernels of popcorn just before they're about to pop !.ReplyDelete
Just remember, as a writer there ARE no bad experiences. Even though you didn't finish the race you can now write about your recovery from frostbite, which might make for a better story. If you had finished an uneventfull race it would have probably made for a possibly boring Iditarod Part Deux story. Now, you can wow everybody with the story of surviving a dunking and frostbite.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 7:31 AM
Sorry about your DNF.ReplyDelete
The good news is you live to fight another day.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 8:03 AM
At least you have a good story to tell. Seems like whenever I injure myself it's doing something mundane like stepping off a curb or popping my neck.ReplyDelete
Frostbite in Alaska in the winter while riding a 300 mile race is a way cooler story.
You had me in tears, reading this post. You are so brave!ReplyDelete
You didn't let anyone down. Concentrate on getting better. You are an inspiration to me and I'm sure all your readers.ReplyDelete
I'll echo the posts above and just say keep on the road to recovery. It's just a small setback instead of the end of your racing bikes. Get those toes better and when you can get back on that hourse.ReplyDelete
Something others have missed though and I just thought of is this.
So if you go back to that lake after the thaw and use M&Ms as bait will you catch a really big Lake Trout?
Keep on keeping on, your writing is an insparation to the world.
Bummer. I know you are so disappointed, but of course it's far better to have all of your toes for the rest of your life. You haven't let anyone down! Recover well, so we can all go on to the next vicarious adventure, through you. Best wishes - MaryReplyDelete
Just caught this post on Bedrock. I will have my kids read this for sure. Glad you are ok.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Hi Jill, VW Dave here. I've not posted for awhile, but felt compelled to send something to help cheer you up : )ReplyDelete
First off, let me say again what's been said so beautifully and compassionately in the previous postings; Your attempt, and Geoff's too, was nothing short of miraculous. Miraculous to be at the start line after a grueling year of training and miraculous for showing us that the attempt to live your dreams is just as important as fulfilling the dream itself.
Secondly, it was not your fault. Be mad at Mother Nature, if you will, but don't take it out on yourself. It could have happened to anyone. You will incorporate that experience in your writings, so it won't go to waste.
And lastly, I found this Haiku that I never sent you. The inspiration came from a camping trip you took last year. I don't remember the specifics but it is obvious that you were having a difficulty getting a fire started...
cold dormant wet wood
release your heat for me now!
please ... perhaps ... maybe?
This poem brings up an important point, who's to say that you could have gotten a fire started even if you tried? I mean, where do you find wood? Dry wood? How do you start wet wood? You don't.
Jill, I'll end with a gentle reminder ... Don't second guess yourself. You did what you thought best at the time, end of story. There will be another story to tell and we'll all enjoy reading about it. Life, with all its awful truths, is still a beautiful thing.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM
The only person you may have let down is you; with time, you'll hopefully come to realize you didn't really do that, either. Everyone who pushes themselves like you do will sooner or later fail spectacularly -- it happens to all of us. It's all part of the journey.ReplyDelete
You have such an admirable adventuring spirit and are generous to share that with the world. Don't beat yourself up too much. While you are superwoman in my book, no one can get everything right all the time.
I wish you a full and speedy mental and physical recovery.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 10:09 AM
In 20 years the disappointment will turn into another story of the journey of life. Right now I'm sure it's hard to see any positive from this, but time has a funny way of turning disappointing situations into character building milestones.ReplyDelete
Oh Jill, I am so very sorry. Fingers crossed that the toes heal beautifully. I'm very glad that you stopped.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Your feet are cute ;-)ReplyDelete
All the best for a speedy recovery.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 2:28 PM
I will never again complain about cold feet. Ever. :)
I have been enjoying your stories and pictures for years now, and hope that you'll still write despite your injury.
I have a feeling this is just another chapter for you...just don't beat yourself up too badly. I also suspect that this injury will bring you into contact with folks you may have not otherwise known.
Ok...now I'll put down my $1.89 crystal ball.
Kindest regards & take care,
John in Kansas City
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 3:07 PM
We all learn from our mistakes. You will be better for it in your next adventure. I hope you have a fast recovery.ReplyDelete
Jill I hope you and Geoff get well real soon. As one of your readers has already put it. You are an inspiration to all of us who read your blog. Take care.ReplyDelete
I'm the guy in the Salt Lake ICU that my girlfriend Lori B mentioned in an earlier comment -- you made all of the important right decisions. We all do things on the trail that we wish we hadn't. That's not a mistake, that's life.ReplyDelete
All in all, continuing to walk and ride may have been the smartest thing you did. As soon as those wet feet hit the air, you were going to be in trouble. If you couldn't get them rewarmed or if you couldn't get your frozen boot back on the situation would have significantly elevated in severity.
Deciding to pull out of the race is also in the running for best decision you could make. You're not talking about a race with aid stations every 5k. The racing gods do not take kindly to racers who don't respect the challenge before them. Once you head out that door there's no turning back. As someone dealing with much more severe frostbite, I can assure you that it's not worth it. I've gotten lucky and will be keeping all of my toes. Before the special treatment they use here in Salt Lake, I was looking at a mid-foot amputation and the loss of all 10 toes.
There's no shame in pulling out when you did, or in any of the decisions you made. I just wish you luck in finding a strategy to keep your toes warm in the future so that you can continue to participate in these races. The biggest challenge for both of us is likely in finding how far we can go in the cold without putting our feet at further risk. With frostbite, you only get lucky once. The second time the cold plays for keeps.
I've been lurking your blog (and Geoff's) for some time, and was following your progress with great interest. I'm saddened that your adventure was cut short, but more than grateful that you are both ok. Thanks for all the inspiration (and the truly wonderful writing). Quick recovery to you both. (Hope to see you here in UT for Wasatch ;).
--Lloyd in Sandy
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM
John in Kansas said:ReplyDelete
" I also suspect that this injury will bring you into contact with folks you may have not otherwise known."
Yeah, like ER doctors, nurses, frostbite specialists, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists. Falling into the drink is a helluva way to expand your circle of aquaintances !.
While you're laying around waiting for your foot to heal you'll have plenty of time to think...like how do seals and polar bears keep from getting frostbite ?.
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Sorry to hear about your journeys early end but I'm glad nothing to life altering happened.ReplyDelete
I'm about half way through your book and have to say I have read many on ultras (cycling, running, adventure racing ) and can tell you yours is one of the best . I plan on buying a few more copies for friends as I'm sure they will enjoy your writing style and non-ego base view.
Keep on living as you see fit and I look forward to your future books.
Dallas " I see a pugsley in my near future." Sigurdur
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 5:50 PM
like bizyah said..."there's no shame in pulling out."ReplyDelete
Although Geoff's and your participation in this event did not go as planned, both of you displayed a stout-hearted effort.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 7:36 PM
I am so greatful you are OK and will be able to write of your adventures again one day. Best wishes to you and Geoff on a speedy recovery.
well, you let me down.ReplyDelete
my bookie is looking for me now..
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Hi Jill,ReplyDelete
You are an absolutely fantastic cyclist, ultra-tough rider and one very nice woman. I read your story with great interest, of course. I'm glad to hear you will keep your toes..and having been in a similar situation, I think I can advise that you will get over the feeling of disappointment. Remember, your friends feel disappointment FOR you but not IN you. We love and support you. My journey is also over again, this year on the ITI. I'll get over it and heal up, too. There are more adventures out there...heal up and go get 'em.
Anne Ver Hoef
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2009 at 1:00 AM
Hey Jill,ReplyDelete
Sick plot twist. Can't wait for the resolution. But don't rush it!
You're an inspiration to us all to live life to the fullest. I'm very thankful you're alive and get to keep all your body parts! Godspeed.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Wow, Jill you have come so far from the young woman I met in college that was so timid and often run by fear! Congratulations on so fully conquering your fears and accomplishing so much in this crazy field of endurance snow biking. Best of luck in your recovery!ReplyDelete
Chris W
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Hi Jill,ReplyDelete
Just think what your TOES look like ....and visualize last year my FACE looked like that!! Things could have been worse. I kept all my facial parts and you will keep all your toes. Just take very good care of them and follow through with all the recommendations.
Anne Ver Hoef
Ciao Jill,ReplyDelete
Hope you'll get well soon, so I'll keep on dreaming of Alaska reading your blog.
How did I miss this post? Wow! Those look so bad! You are so persistent!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2009 at 8:29 PM
JIll. loved reading your adventures. So very sorry that your toes and foot are in that condition-even more sorry you have to feel the pain of leaving the event. I was so happy that you met my good friend, Catherine. I know she;ll tell me how wonderful you are. Hang in there. I've have frost bite on my toes and feet and the pain is unimaginable. Take really good care of them. You need them. Keep on writing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2009 at 8:29 PM
JIll. loved reading your adventures. So very sorry that your toes and foot are in that condition-even more sorry you have to feel the pain of leaving the event. I was so happy that you met my good friend, Catherine. I know she;ll tell me how wonderful you are. Hang in there. I've have frost bite on my toes and feet and the pain is unimaginable. Take really good care of them. You need them. Keep on writing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 7, 2009 at 2:38 PM
I've seen numerous cases of frostbite here in the Interior. A young healthy person, like yourself, will spring back from a cold weather injury.ReplyDelete
This is a good example of an experianced individual with good equipment can still be vulnerable.
I love your writing and believe you could still spin a book out of your latest adventure.
- AnonymousMarch 13, 2009 at 3:33 PM
like many of your silent readers and admirers I wished you luck and success for your ride. So I can only share your worry and disappointment about this early end and the serious harm on your feet. I wish you a fast recovery both in health and mind. Who knows what´s this good for. For me it is still unbelievable to ride a bike below minus 10°.
- AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Glad to hear you will be recovering from the frostbite without any lasting effect. One time while road cycling in winter at 25F I got minor frostbite of my lungs. Ouch! For the next three days every breath was high pain. But ceasing to breathe while it healed didn't seem like a viable alternative. Some of the things we learn from experience we would rather not know.ReplyDelete


text:
Pastors, your position is a demanding one, and those demands bring unique struggles on your family. A pastor's wife bears a great burden, but she usually enters into the ministry willingly. A pastor's children, though, are carried on the current of their parents' calling. It is often a life of singular struggle and uncommon needs. These struggles often stem from the failures of the father. This isn't to cast full blame on pastors for their children's problems. But it is to say that pastors need to work to be good dads.
My own father has worked hard at this. He had his blind spots and weaknesses, and they have been a source of tension between him and me. But to this day, in his 33rd and last year of pastoral ministry, he has never stopped trying to be a better father. As I wrote this I thought of his failures, yes, but I also thought of successes. Lots of them. I also thought of dozens of conversations with fellow PKs about such struggles and their own relationships with their fathers. So know that my writing does not stem from bitterness of heart or some jaded desire to expose a good man's faults. I love my dad. My desire is to see struggles avoided or defeated for other pastors and PKs.
So here are seven of the most significant ways a pastor can be a good father to his children. Pastors, your child needs . . .
1. A dad, not a pastor
Yes, you are called to pastor your family, but PKs want a dad—-someone who plays with them, protects them, makes them laugh, loves their mom, gives hugs, pays attention, teaches them how to build a budget and change the oil and field a ground ball. We want committed love and warmth. We want a dad who's not a workaholic. It's hypocritical to call your congregation to a life of love, sacrifice, and passionate gospel living while neglecting your own family. If a mortgage broker or salesman works too much at 60 hours a week, so do you. Leave work and be present for your kids. Your children will spit on your pastoring if they miss out on your fathering.
2. Conversation, not sermons
Sermons are an effective way to communicate biblical truth to a congregation, but not to your kids (or wife). Preaching at your children will stunt their view of Scripture, dull their interest, and squelch what passion you are trying to stir. Speak TO your children about the Bible in a way that's interesting, applicable, and conversational. Help them see the Bible as a normal part of life. Rather than teach lessons, imbue your conversation with biblical worldview to help your children shape their life lenses. That way they'll think they, too, can interact with this important book. Sermons at home separate them from the Word by implying that only the learned can understand it.
3. Your interest in their hobbies
Jonathan Edwards may be your homeboy or Seth Godin your muse, but your first-grade daughter doesn't give a flip. Her love language is playing Barbies and dancing to Taylor Swift. Your son wants to build a Lego fort, beat you soundly at Modern Warfare on Xbox, or learn how to run a 10-yard out pattern. Your hobbies are yours alone, but engaging your children's interests speaks love that matters deeply to them.
4. To be studied
It gets harder to share time with kids as they get older. So study them as hard as you study your Greek lexicon. They're more important, anyway. Would your high school son appreciate going out to pizza with you or chilling on the couch and watching college football on a Saturday afternoon? Does your teenage daughter want you to take her shopping or to coffee? Maybe they don't want recreation but just help—-so talk through their friend challenges or algebra problems, whichever are the most pressing. LEARN these things, even if it seems like there are no right answers. Teenagers are hard; they treat parents like idiots all the time. But these acts, when done consistently, add up. Make them a pattern so that when your kids are done thinking you are a moron they have a path to walk with you.
5. Consistency from you
No one can call hypocrisy on you faster than your kids (and wife), and nothing will undermine you in the home faster. If you stand in the pulpit on Sunday and talk about grace after spending Friday and Saturday griping at your family, grace looks awfully cheap and unappealing to your son in the second row. If, however, you treat your son as if you need his grace and forgiveness for your crappy attitude, it may open a door to God's grace. (And use phrases like "crappy attitude"; it sounds more like you actually know what you're apologizing for.)
If you act like the great shepherd in the pulpit but the hired hand who runs away at home, your children will see church and all it entails as phony because you are phony. If you encourage a life of joy but are morose or exhort your people toward a life of sacrifice but are lazy and spendthrifty, nobody will notice faster than those in your home. To your family, your interactions with God and them are far more important than your Sunday sermons.
6. Grace to fail
Pastors speak much about grace. It is the basis of our salvation and the source of hope. But when the rubber meets the road, do you offer enough of it to your children? PKs feel enormous pressure to be "good" and to be confident in all things biblical. But we are often not good and often lack confidence in biblical realities. We sin and doubt like everyone else, but when we do, the road to restoration and peace often feels like an impossible one to travel. Are we allowed the same grace to fail and to doubt (assuming you preach grace to your congregation)?
7. A single moral standard
One of the graces PKs need is a single moral standard. Too many PKs feel the pressure of their fathers' priestly profession in our moral lives. The pastor and elder qualifications in 1 Timothy and Titus feel like a threat: "If you screw up, your father not only looks bad, he will be out of a job." But those standards are the same ones that every Christian should be held to (other than the ability to teach). Nobody else's dad is at risk of being unemployed if his kid is rebellious, but mine is. The additional pressure to be morally upstanding does not help my heart. It creates a convoluted soul environment in which temptation to rebel and temptation to be a hypocrite battle the desire to honor Jesus and my dad.
You have heard that it was said PKs should be holier than their peers, and their parents should raise them better, but Jesus says to us all, "Be holy for I am holy." So it should be.
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