Dennis Reasinger - Plinky Answers

How is it going with my New Year's resolutions ?

2013-02-28T08:14:24-05:00

I'm doing a perfect job keeping them ! Not that I am so efficient and energetic as to be perfect in keeping promises; the truth of the matter is that I am such a bad procrastinator that I failed to make any resolutions. But, there is always next year.....

My ideal job.....

2013-01-09T18:31:45-05:00

I like what I do now which involves a lot of data entry and manipulation with excel spreadsheets. Although I am part of team I am also more or less a solitary worker; just me and my spreadsheet.

I won't go into details but a criticism I would make of my current job is that it is too much oriented around the idol of materialism: far too much emphasis on money and things. Don't get me wrong I do like money as much as the next person but I think our entire culture loves it far too much.

So my ideal job would probably be a lot like what I do now, lots of data and spreadsheets and would fit my basically introverted personality while still allowing for some friendly interaction with co-workers. And ideally would involve something more humanitarian than chasing after the big bucks.

Too much money ?

2012-12-02T09:32:43-05:00

Personally I find it hard to imagine having "too much" money because I always seem to "need" more than I have. But then I consider that there are so many people out there who are lacking basic needs such as food and shelter and then I consider the lavish lifestyles and obscene profits of the "1%" which leads me to conclude that; yes there is such as thing as "too much money".

The key thing to me though is that it is not easy to determine exactly what "too much" really is. Whatever amount of money a person has, they should put it to good use rather than wasting it or spending it frivolously. An important part of using money wisely and well is to follow the teachings and example of Jesus and other great religious figures and share the wealth by helping the poor and needy !

2012-10-05T18:09:05-05:00

For me Twitter is not a great way to keep in touch with people because very few of the people I know are on Twitter. It can be a time waste rof course but I look at it more as a news and information center. I follow many public figures, authors, theologians etc....

"I approve this message."

2012-10-05T18:00:11-05:00

Advertising influences my vote only insofar as the ads provide useful information on what the candidate wants to accomplish or has accomplished. I pretty much base my votes on my beliefs which tend to the left for the most part. An big exception is my pro-life stance; I abhor abortion. I used to be hawkish on military issues but over the years I have become convinced that war is at best futile and at worst an abomination to God and Humanity. So I guess the short answer would be that advertising has little influence on my vote....

2012-09-24T04:18:06-05:00

The weather I like best is neither too hot nor too cold but just right and with a light rain falling. If it is early early in the morning; that is the best !

On Faith

2012-08-04T06:49:30-05:00

Faith is not believing in the scientific, historical or legal veracity of facts. It is so much more than that....

People often think of faith as belief that something exists or is real. But there is more to it than mere acknowledgement of facts; faith is more of a verb than a noun. Faith is active ! It is trusting and acting on that trust; faith is belief that guides a person's life....

Rainy Days

2012-07-31T07:01:34-05:00

I love a rainy day. Sitting on the porch or wandering the backyard watching a storm come in is a favorite activity for me. Even is an early morning walk, still dark and a light rain is falling....

You're a movie star. What foods/items do you request for your dressing room?

2012-07-21T20:24:39-05:00

Pizza of course and Diet Coke of course....

What Olympic sport do you most enjoy watching?

2012-07-08T07:30:14-05:00

LOL ! That's an easy one. My favorite Olympic sport to watch would be Women's Figure Skating. I won't try to hide it; I'm not really a sports fan but I do like to ogle nice looking ladies prancing around in skimpy outfits....

My Best Hat Look

2012-03-18T07:27:40-05:00

I favor a black or khaki color baseball cap or military patrol cap. I don't like any sort of strange or outrageous graphics but a discreet logo that relates to me is good. In cold weather I generally wear a black watch cap. I'm open to the idea of a "Gatsby" hat but my wife says I don't look good in those, so I don't wear them.....

When I Started Using the Internet

2012-02-16T10:14:42-05:00

I was about 41 years old. Sometime in 1995 I started using the web regularly. I had some exposure prior to then at work but not extensive. My ISP was GNN (Global Network Navigator) which was absorbed into AOL and then discontinued. I used a Packard Bell computer. I loved to surf the web then and I still do; sometimes I stay on too long. Now I not only surf the web, I also use the web for paying bills, internet banking and shopping. I am online several hours everyday usually....

How Often I Travel

2012-02-16T04:22:19-05:00

Rarely, if you're talking about a long trip or vacation; because of financial and time constraints. When I was younger stationed in Germany I often went on weekend tours to places like Venice or locally on long walks. Now I visit my grand kids about monthly.Someday I would like to go on a long rail trip....

If I Were an Animal

2012-02-16T04:12:08-05:00

I would be a dog ! I like dogs and they have a long history of being part of the human family. I have two dogs now; I could fit right in.....

Advice I Wish I Received Earlier

2011-12-03T14:50:57-05:00

Probably someone did advise me to save money and avoid credit cards but I don't remember any specific advice like that. I may not have followed it any way, but for all the young people just starting out I say: build up a Savings starting now and avoid credit cards like a bad disease (if you can).

Bungee Jumping Versus Skydiving

2011-10-09T20:57:17-05:00

Oh my, is there a third option ?

I have done neither bungee jumping nor skydiving and I quite content with that. If for some odd reason I were to be compelled to do one or the other, I would prefer to go skydiving because I would prefer a smooth experience rather than getting bounced up and down like a yo-yo !

My Favorite Month

2011-08-05T21:09:14-05:00

My favorite month ? I will say December for various reasons, all centered on the holiday season. Even though it can be stressful, there is a certain excitement and anticipation throughout the month. I enjoy walking around, looking at stuff in stores and observing the people; there is way too much commercialization but still it can be interesting and enjoyable...

We always visit family on Christmas and have a great dinner courtesy of my sister in law. Now with the grand kids, it is even more fun....

What I like most about December though is that is when we Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Incarnation or the idea of God becoming one of us so that we can become like Him is to me a fascinating and awesome thing....

Living in Other Countries

2011-07-21T12:07:22-05:00

Have I ever lived outside the country I was born in....

Yes, I served in the U.S. Army from 1972-92. I was in Korea from 74-76, Stuttgart, Germany 1978-83, and Kaiserslautern, Germany from 1989-92. I'm a glad I had the opportunity to live overseas. My eldest daughter was born in Stuttgart and we were there when the Berlin Wall came down...

What I Worry About

2011-07-09T07:33:52-05:00

I tend to worry frequently about a lot of things. Being 57 years old I really ought to know better; worrying doesn't help ! Also, my experience so far has been that whatever happens is not nearly so catastrophic as I imagined it would be....

My favorite thing to worry about is money; I never have enough ! I think that particular anxiety is endemic amongst modern Americans but is generally unfounded....

On Public Speaking

2011-07-07T19:32:48-05:00

The idea of public speaking scares the hell out of me. When I was younger I joined the Toastmasters to help me gain self confidence. Speaking in front of the group was scary but also gave me a sort of rush. LOL ! I guess one could compare it to the rush people get from doing dangerous sports....

Sometimes in a class or small group I can really get into talking about an idea or issue and that I actually (sort of) enjoy; although it hasn't happened in a good while....

2011-07-07T19:14:12-05:00

What am I good at remembering and what do I always seem to forget ? Well to start off I will say that I tend to have a short attention span; frequently running on auto-pilot. How this came about I really don't know but it is probably exacerbated by looking at spreadsheets all day and trolling about the web in my off hours. I've been trying to do better though by walking a couple times a day (try to anyway) and reading books on my Kindle in lieu of lurking on the web.

Anyway, I notice that sometimes (fairly often) I will be in Wal-Mart or the Grocery store and suddenly I will be wondering what it was that I was supposed to get ? I started out with a specific mission but somehow somewhere in the process I got off track. Then I need to call my wife to ask her or else just guess.....

I also notice that when I am interrupted while doing a task with a request for information or to do something else; I will forget what I was doing prior to being interrupted. That can be a problem sometimes....

Conversely I will often suddenly remember some relatively obscure event in my past or an unusual fact or bit of information will come to mind. This is generally harmless and sometimes can be useful....

My Favorite Way to Start the Day

2011-06-13T20:30:24-05:00

The ideal start to my day is to leisurely surf the web whilst drinking a large mug of coffee with hazelnut creamer. Next up a manly breakfast at Bob Evans or the Waffle House of eggs, bacon, and all the other stuff they say one ought not eat. Yum !

My Favorite Way to Start the Day

2011-06-13T20:30:20-05:00

When I Can't Sleep

2011-06-02T03:55:18-05:00

I rarely have difficulty falling asleep because I habitually take a hit of Benadryl and a couple of Motrins about an hour before bedtime; zonks me right out ! Generally the only time I have trouble getting to sleep is (ironically) when I stay up too late and get lost in cyberspace.....

What I'm Saving Up to Buy

2011-05-30T06:39:27-05:00

I have a 401k plan for retirement but otherwise live paycheck to paycheck. I try to keep a few hundred in the bank but often I must "raid the cookie jar" to pay some bill or unexpected expense. And so it goes.....

How I'd spend $1,000

2011-03-10T19:56:33-05:00

Unless I had to pay bills or fix the car I would likely upgrade my computer...

My first job: U.S. Army

2011-03-10T19:48:00-05:00

I did have a couple of part time jobs when I was in high school; also mowed lawns and caddied some when I was a kid. My first real job was the Army. I enlisted right out of high school and stayed for twenty years. I was stationed in Germany twice and Korea once. I met my wife, also a soldier, on my second tour in Germany. We got married in Denmark and are living happily ever after....

Sunrise vs. Sunset

2011-03-10T06:23:39-05:00

What I really enjoy is to go walking in a park or quiet neighborhood very early in the morning and seeing the come up right about when I finish my walk. what's even better is an early morning walk whilst a light rain is falling....

The Most Expensive Thing I've Broken

2011-02-13T18:00:30-05:00

The most expensive thing I ever broke ? I had a car several years ago that I neglected to check the oil regularly. It was a cheap used car but still, I would say that would be the most expensive thing I ever broke. The engine totally seized up on the Autobahn ! That was scary as hell and a real pain in the ass ! Now I check my oil fairly often and get an oil change every three months....

My Carbon Footprint

2010-12-28T18:57:42-05:00

No. I agree that conservation, recycling etc are good things and I do try. But the "carbon footprint" thing makes no sense to me ! Carbon is one of the most common elements there is; practically ubiquitous. Nothing I do is going to increase or decrease the supply of carbon in the world; that is way above any human being's pay grade !