This is the guy.

This is the request.

At 9 AM this morning (Friday), our friend, Crotchety, goes under the surgeon’s knife. Phase one. He’s also scheduled for surgery next Tuesday. If you will, take some time and pray for Joe (his real-world name). Say a prayer for him each time you think of him in the days ahead. Visit his blog and leave a comment saying that you are praying for him. He will appreciate it.

FishHawk sent me an e-mail last evening, and I stopped working on a problem for a commercial customer to call Joe. I dialed his number (it’s on his blog) and he picked right up. Crotchety didn’t sound crotchety. He had had dialysis earlier and that takes a lot out of a body. He is optimistic and said he really appreciates our prayers.

I was going to post some awards today. In the greater scheme of things our Crotchety friend, Joe, is so much more important. Please pray.

My friend Sharbytes has tagged me. Okay, it was a couple of weeks ago and that was about the time the dreaded Antivirus System Pro infection took my computer down.

Sharkbytes hikes the trail.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person or persons who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random and/or revealing things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your post entry is up on your site.

So, here are six things about me. If you chose to read on, you can’t say that you weren’t warned.

1. I almost didn’t attend the birthday part where I met Sylvia. I had worked filling silo that Saturday and I was very tired. But Mel was my best friend, and I couldn’t let him down. So I went . . . it will be 52 years ago come September . . . you know the rest.

2. My first full-time job was as a TV cameraman. I also worked for IBM and Motorola fixing data processing equipment and selling two-way radio gear to county and local government units in southwest Michigan. I’ve been a broadcast engineer in TV and radio (AM, FM & shortwave) stations. The last twenty years of my full-time working career were in editing, writing and management.

3. I’ve been an Amateur Radio operator for 49 years.

4. Sylvia and I speak English and Spanish.

5. I have been a missionary (engineer) and a pastor (one year).

6. As my 40th birthday approached, I discovered I have Attention Deficit Disorder (distractibility type). It explains a lot. I’d rather listen to an audio book than read a “dead tree.”

Now I’m supposed to tag six other bloggers. (I am so looking forward to this. I can’t choose Lin, because Sharbytes already did.)

1. Clara, my sister, because after all these years I’m still discovering new things about her.

2. Mikki, Clara’s daughter, because I love to read anything this brilliant and witty English teacher writes.

3. Cacai, because she’s a special friend. It’s a delight to read her blog.

4. Star, because she is complex and has more layers than an onion she also has a heart of gold.

5. Vanilla, because the more I get to know about this guy, the more I like him. It turns out we have quite a bit in common. We’re also quite different.

6. Justine, because you never know what she’s apt to say. When you visit her blog, be prepared to be entertained.

Please don’t let us down. we want to know you better, and know your friends too.