Rob Monti,
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tilapia Po'Boy recipe
So, my wife buys these breaded tilapia filets from Sam's Club. Usually, she bakes them in the oven until they're crispy on the outside, and I enjoy them with thorough doses of vinegar (I'm not really a seafood person).
Well, she had somewhere to go this evening, and graciously cooked up some of these tilapia filets for me to eat while she's out. This time around, however, the ol' take-it-with-vinegar routine just didn't seem appetizing. So, in the fine Monti tradition of improvisational gastronomy, I experimented with what we had on hand in the kitchen.
The result was (IMHO) delicious, and a welcome change of pace. If you're trying to get more fish in your diet and in a rut, try this for a quick and tasty meal.
Tilapia Po'Boy
Ingredients
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
So, my wife buys these breaded tilapia filets from Sam's Club. Usually, she bakes them in the oven until they're crispy on the outside, and I enjoy them with thorough doses of vinegar (I'm not really a seafood person).
Well, she had somewhere to go this evening, and graciously cooked up some of these tilapia filets for me to eat while she's out. This time around, however, the ol' take-it-with-vinegar routine just didn't seem appetizing. So, in the fine Monti tradition of improvisational gastronomy, I experimented with what we had on hand in the kitchen.
The result was (IMHO) delicious, and a welcome change of pace. If you're trying to get more fish in your diet and in a rut, try this for a quick and tasty meal.
Tilapia Po'Boy
Ingredients
- 1 breaded tilapia filet, baked until exterior is golden brown and crispy
- 3 slices of onion, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 long hot chili pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
- 1-2 t. soy sauce
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1/2 t. Tabasco sauce
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 small pat of butter
- Shredded Monterrey Jack or sharp white cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Crushed red pepper
- 1 Small Italian sandwich or hoagie roll, or (better yet) some ciabatta bread or about 4"-6" of a Louisiana baguette (whatever you use, be sure to toast it)
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a non-stick skillet.
- Over medium heat, add the onion and long hot chili pepper. Stir to make sure the oil/butter covers everything.
- Sautee until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add soy sauce, Tabasco, and lemon juice. Add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Stir.
- When this mixture has sauteed for just a moment more, fold in the tomato. Stir thoroughly. Continue to sautee until the tomato wilts a bit, then remove from heat.
- Take your toasted roll/bread, and spread a little mayonnaise on the inside. Place the baked tilapia filet on the bread, and spoon the sauteed vegetable mixture on top. Sprinkle just enough shredded cheese to give it a bit of a tang, and enjoy.
- Put a little Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya' Mama!) in the mayo, or substitute it for the salt and pepper in the sauteed veggie mix.
- Flatbread or a tortilla could make this a tasty wrap.
- If you want a healthier cheese option, feta might be a good choice.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: recipes, The MonT-SteR
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Voiceover recording FAIL!
While recording voiceovers for a training video at work this week, I got real frustrated. I use something akin to a Porta-Booth to do recording. While it does a good job approximating the quality of a full-blown soundbooth, it makes reading copy and controlling the computer a tad difficult sometimes. I just couldn't get situated, and so goof-ups were frequent and hard to recover from.
Witness the EPIC MonT-SteR Consternation&trade!
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
While recording voiceovers for a training video at work this week, I got real frustrated. I use something akin to a Porta-Booth to do recording. While it does a good job approximating the quality of a full-blown soundbooth, it makes reading copy and controlling the computer a tad difficult sometimes. I just couldn't get situated, and so goof-ups were frequent and hard to recover from.
Witness the EPIC MonT-SteR Consternation&trade!
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: fail, humor, The MonT-SteR
Saturday, July 19, 2008
MonT-SteR Cookin'
I just made my own guacamole for the first time based on a recipe by Dr. John La Puma. I customized it considerably for my own tastes, so I'm claiming this recipe as my own.
Let me know what you think!
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
I just made my own guacamole for the first time based on a recipe by Dr. John La Puma. I customized it considerably for my own tastes, so I'm claiming this recipe as my own.
MonT-SteR Guacamole
Ingredients- 3 avocados
- 2 small tomatillos
- Half a small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 Serrano chile peppers
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
- 1-2 tsps each of lemon and lime juice
- 1 tbsp of sour cream
- Salt to taste
- Mash up the avocados until they're a nice green paste (yucky visual, I know).
- Add the onion, garlic, tomato, and tomatillo.
- Cut the chile peppers in half from top to bottom. Then, take a spoon and scoop out the seeds (this will reduce their spiciness a good bit -- thanks to Dr. La Puma for this tip). Mince the peppers and add to mixture.
- Add the sour cream, and the lemon and lime juice. Salt to taste. Stir thoroughly.
Let me know what you think!
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: recipes, The MonT-SteR
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Introducing Baby MonT-SteR #2
Here, friends, is the true reason for the recent dearth of postage on the MonT-SteR REPORT. I am a daddy all over again.
Our second son, Mark Christian Monti was born on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. and measured 21 in. long at birth.
Christi was nothing short of magnificent. Due to some complications, our first son (Robert) was born by c-section. Christi's goal was to deliver Mark naturally, but finding an OB/GYN practice that would allow a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) was tough. We eventually found one, and although they labeled Christi's pregnancy high-risk from the start (and made no pretense about their skepticism with regard to Christi's ability to deliver Mark naturally), she never wavered. Her labor was very intense and painful due to the fact that she had both back and front labor, but she persevered.
I married an amazing woman. And now we have an amazing family of four. I have two, count 'em, TWO sons, and I couldn't be happier.
Thank you, Jesus, for showing your grace and faithfulness to our family again.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Our second son, Mark Christian Monti was born on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. and measured 21 in. long at birth.
Christi was nothing short of magnificent. Due to some complications, our first son (Robert) was born by c-section. Christi's goal was to deliver Mark naturally, but finding an OB/GYN practice that would allow a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) was tough. We eventually found one, and although they labeled Christi's pregnancy high-risk from the start (and made no pretense about their skepticism with regard to Christi's ability to deliver Mark naturally), she never wavered. Her labor was very intense and painful due to the fact that she had both back and front labor, but she persevered.
I married an amazing woman. And now we have an amazing family of four. I have two, count 'em, TWO sons, and I couldn't be happier.
Thank you, Jesus, for showing your grace and faithfulness to our family again.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, baby, blessing, family, The MonT-SteR
Monday, November 05, 2007
Things that make you go hmmmm....
I received an e-mail update today from a local ministry, urging prayer for tomorrow's election. The message contained the following titillating tidbit:
Well, now, just who is this mysterious former senator? Would his first name happen to be George? And, if so, did this discussion regarding the efficacy of prayer (or the lack thereof) vis-a-vis elections come before or after the infamous "macaca" incident? If before, I wonder if Jim Webb's predecessor might now reconsider his stance on prayer?
Just a thought...
In other non-political news, the entire MonT-SteR CLAN goes to the baby doctor tomorrow to find out whether or not BabY MonT-SteR #2 will be a boy or a girl. I'm so excited!
I'll post the results of our ultrasound tomorrow...
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
I received an e-mail update today from a local ministry, urging prayer for tomorrow's election. The message contained the following titillating tidbit:
I once had a conversation with a U.S. Senator from Virginia, telling him how I had prayed for him and others and how I believed prayer had influenced a number of elections. I was surprised when he said to me, "I don't really believe prayer influences elections." While respecting his leadership, I politely disagreed with him, because I sensed he was courting trouble. Though he was heavily favored to win and even rumored to be a presidential candidate, he lost his next election to another man who serves as a Senator for the State of Virginia.
Well, now, just who is this mysterious former senator? Would his first name happen to be George? And, if so, did this discussion regarding the efficacy of prayer (or the lack thereof) vis-a-vis elections come before or after the infamous "macaca" incident? If before, I wonder if Jim Webb's predecessor might now reconsider his stance on prayer?
Just a thought...
In other non-political news, the entire MonT-SteR CLAN goes to the baby doctor tomorrow to find out whether or not BabY MonT-SteR #2 will be a boy or a girl. I'm so excited!
I'll post the results of our ultrasound tomorrow...
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, politics, prayer, The MonT-SteR
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Darth, I mean DEARTH of postage
The MonT-SteR has been on a bit of a hiatus lately for a couple of reasons:
To make a long story short, I have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When I sleep, the soft tissue in the back of my throat collapses, closing off my air passage, which in turn causes me to stop breathing. In order to make sure my body is getting enough oxygen, my brain has to wake me up during the night to force me to breathe. My sleep study showed that my brain was having to interrupt my sleep about once every four minutes to keep me breathing. No wonder I've been so tired!
In essence, OSA forces my body to operate at a higher metabolic rate during the night to get enough oxygen to my vital organs. For me, the unhappy side effect of this phenomenon has been an increase in blood pressure, combined with general fatigue due to poor sleep quality. So I have had little energy or enthusiasm for blogging -- it's been all I can do to attend to family and a few church matters after dragging myself home from work in the evening.
Thankfully, I received a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine last week (you can see me at right with my mask on, bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to Darth Vader) to treat my apnea. In essence, this machine forces a continuous stream of air through my nose into my air passage to keep it from collapsing while I'm asleep. It's taken some getting used to, but it's working. I can tell that my sleep quality has improved, and I'm far more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed during the day. My brain doesn't feel like it's in a fog anymore, and my wife LOVES the fact that she doesn't have to listen to me snore when I'm wearing it.
Anyway, friends, I share all this to explain and apologize for the silence around here in recent weeks and months, and to state that things ought to be picking up on tMR in the near future. I find that my energy level in the evening is increasing, and it's a gratifying feeling.
Look out, blogosphere. The MonT-SteR is back, and he's mad.... Well, I'm not really mad. I was just trying to be cool, actually funny -- not cool -- and, er, um... oh, never mind.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
The MonT-SteR has been on a bit of a hiatus lately for a couple of reasons:
- We had to make yet another trip to the ER this past Friday, because Christi was experiencing troubling symptoms again. Thankfully, all is well. As a bonus for our trouble, we got to see an ultrasound of the baby, who was REALLY cute! I'm hoping this was the last of these little excursions...
- Your One and Only Favorite, Friendly Neighborhood MonT-SteR™ was recently diagnosed with mild sleep apnea.
To make a long story short, I have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When I sleep, the soft tissue in the back of my throat collapses, closing off my air passage, which in turn causes me to stop breathing. In order to make sure my body is getting enough oxygen, my brain has to wake me up during the night to force me to breathe. My sleep study showed that my brain was having to interrupt my sleep about once every four minutes to keep me breathing. No wonder I've been so tired!
In essence, OSA forces my body to operate at a higher metabolic rate during the night to get enough oxygen to my vital organs. For me, the unhappy side effect of this phenomenon has been an increase in blood pressure, combined with general fatigue due to poor sleep quality. So I have had little energy or enthusiasm for blogging -- it's been all I can do to attend to family and a few church matters after dragging myself home from work in the evening.
Thankfully, I received a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine last week (you can see me at right with my mask on, bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to Darth Vader) to treat my apnea. In essence, this machine forces a continuous stream of air through my nose into my air passage to keep it from collapsing while I'm asleep. It's taken some getting used to, but it's working. I can tell that my sleep quality has improved, and I'm far more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed during the day. My brain doesn't feel like it's in a fog anymore, and my wife LOVES the fact that she doesn't have to listen to me snore when I'm wearing it.Anyway, friends, I share all this to explain and apologize for the silence around here in recent weeks and months, and to state that things ought to be picking up on tMR in the near future. I find that my energy level in the evening is increasing, and it's a gratifying feeling.
Look out, blogosphere. The MonT-SteR is back, and he's mad.... Well, I'm not really mad. I was just trying to be cool, actually funny -- not cool -- and, er, um... oh, never mind.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, sleep apnea, The MonT-SteR
Monday, June 04, 2007
Go MonT-SteR, it's your birthday...
That's right, friends. As of today, The MonT-SteR is yet another year into the thirty-somethings. Here is a l-o-n-g installment of From the MonT-SteR's Mouth, where I pontificate on being midway through this decade of my life and rant on some apologetical issues that have been front and center in the public recently.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
That's right, friends. As of today, The MonT-SteR is yet another year into the thirty-somethings. Here is a l-o-n-g installment of From the MonT-SteR's Mouth, where I pontificate on being midway through this decade of my life and rant on some apologetical issues that have been front and center in the public recently.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: apologetics, birthday, Kirk Cameron, Rational Response, Ray Comfort, The MonT-SteR
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Happy Birthday, tMR!
As of today, The MonT-SteR REPORT is a venerable 3 years old.
I mentioned last month that tMR would be shifting its focus a bit in the days to come. Well, those days have arrived. An e-mail I received from a friend sums up the need for change:
In 2002, tMR struck out with a specific purpose in mind. I stated that purpose in my original post, and I quote it again here:
Does this mean I won't talk about politics ever again? No -- I don't think I'm capable of making such a promise. ;) What it does mean is that my blog needs to be more God-focused. The Bible is a deep book. Lifetime upon lifetime has been spent mining its treasures, and they have never been exhausted. Mine is yet another lifetime called to be spent in like manner, and tMR is supposed to be an outlet for that adventure. Today, I'm rededicating it to that end.
To the readers of tMR who have come and gone over the past 3 years, thank you for visiting this little space on the Web. Please be sure to visit from time to time in the future. Things are about to get good around here. :)
Jesus, I humbly offer this blog to you anew. You are the one who gave me the inspiration for it to begin with. I pray that in the days to come it will be a tool in your hands -- ever sharper and more precise -- to bear much fruit for your kingdom. May my thoughts and meditations be pleasing in your sight. Amen.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
As of today, The MonT-SteR REPORT is a venerable 3 years old.
I mentioned last month that tMR would be shifting its focus a bit in the days to come. Well, those days have arrived. An e-mail I received from a friend sums up the need for change:
Things in culture land are growing more nasty. I glanced at your blog earlier today. It is refreshing by contrast. However, it looks to me that you like to mount your charger and sally forth with gusto to whatever excites your pet peeves. I agree with all you write, but I do not think you pick the most significant targets all the time. [Frontpage.com does a much better job in this respect. I wish you would read up on Islam, Russia, China, the war on terror, the economy, the threat of nuclear terrorism, etc. and comment on those topics. Of course, that assumes you have tons of time to expend on researching issues for your blog, which you don't.] Emotional exasperation with liberal nitwits seems to be the dominant note you strike, though your frustration at times is tempered with mercy and sweet reasonableness. The irenic note in the cultural wars is appreciated. I also wish you could work in the gospel some place so that those who are undecided between the Antichrist spirit and Christ can make the right choice. It is the gospel -- not conservative political commentary -- that is the power of God unto salvation. That's your true calling, not superficial cultural apologetics. May God grant you the spiritual passion to make your message life-giving and compelling.I received this e-mail at the end of July, and by the time it arrived in my inbox I had already considered that the focus of my blog had gone askew; my friend's missive only confirmed what I had been feeling.
In 2002, tMR struck out with a specific purpose in mind. I stated that purpose in my original post, and I quote it again here:
- I enjoy writing, and I enjoy helping other people to my opinion. ;) tMR will function as an outlet for me to express some of my ideas, opinions, and heartfelt emotions on current events, personal matters, and metaphysical topics. I am a Christian, and since I am adjured by Christ's command to love God with all my heart, strength, and mind, tMR will endeavor to reflect a genuinely Christian, Biblically-centered worldview.
- As a Christian, I want tMR to demonstrate a couple of things to surfers who may bump into my site:
1) Being a man or woman of faith does not mean that you check your brain out at the church door. Although Christian theism hinges upon truths which deal with the immaterial and/or the supernatural, it is not irrational. Faith is not the antithesis of reason -- the two go hand in hand, guiding and informing one another. God made us whole persons; we can't reflect all that He made us to be if we live as though faith and reason are mutually exclusive.
2) Being a man or woman of faith doesn't mean that you can't have any fun! I plan to have fun with tMR. Lots of it. I can be Mr. Serious, but I have a definite goofy side. Just ask my wife. :) - Above all else, I hope to persuade those who visit my site to consider and accept the claims of Jesus of Nazareth -- Son of God, Savior of all mankind. I know that Jesus is a controversial figure. I've alienated good friends by talking about Him. I've angered people by taking Him at His word that He is the only Way, Truth, and Life, and that none can come to the Father but through Him. But He has changed not only my own life, but those of countless billions across the past 20 centuries. I'd be crazy not to share something so wonderful, so fundamental to my own existence and well-being, with those I care about or encounter on a day-to-day basis.
Does this mean I won't talk about politics ever again? No -- I don't think I'm capable of making such a promise. ;) What it does mean is that my blog needs to be more God-focused. The Bible is a deep book. Lifetime upon lifetime has been spent mining its treasures, and they have never been exhausted. Mine is yet another lifetime called to be spent in like manner, and tMR is supposed to be an outlet for that adventure. Today, I'm rededicating it to that end.
To the readers of tMR who have come and gone over the past 3 years, thank you for visiting this little space on the Web. Please be sure to visit from time to time in the future. Things are about to get good around here. :)
Jesus, I humbly offer this blog to you anew. You are the one who gave me the inspiration for it to begin with. I pray that in the days to come it will be a tool in your hands -- ever sharper and more precise -- to bear much fruit for your kingdom. May my thoughts and meditations be pleasing in your sight. Amen.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, The MonT-SteR
Saturday, July 23, 2005
A day in the life...
My good friend Adam left a tongue-in-cheek comment on one of my posts:
Did I get a little sarcastic there?
At any rate, to humor my friend, here is a day in the life of The MonT-SteR (Friday, 7/22, to be exact):
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
My good friend Adam left a tongue-in-cheek comment on one of my posts:
Rob,He's being funny, but it is something of a commentary on how much of the blogosphere has been taken over by narcissistic teenagers who set aside their homework to kvetch and moan about their tortured love lives, write "OMG" all the time, tell us what music they're listening to as they type profundities about their favorite video game, flavor of bubble gum, or the latest shoe sale, and generally view their existence as a complex and witty TV sitcom that the world really wants to know about.
What's with all the DEEP stuff?! :) how about a blog on:
what you had for lunch
a great funny moment at the office
an awkward web cam shot you had to quickly remove
what you had for dinner
how you slept
what movies you saw and how you rate them?
All these questions and more would give us more insight into the mind and heart of the MonT-SteR (I still don't know really how you are typing that).
Did I get a little sarcastic there?
At any rate, to humor my friend, here is a day in the life of The MonT-SteR (Friday, 7/22, to be exact):
- OMG (oh my goodness), I woke up late this morning for work. I was, like, TOTALLY running around in my boxers trying to get ready. I couldn't find my keys, and even though Christi made lunch for me, I was in such a rush that I forgot to get it. That SO blows, but it's all good because all the traffic lights on Indian River Rd. were blinking, which means I went straight to the interstate from my apartment in UNDER TWO MINUTES. I got to the office just in time. Woot woot!
- Work was really busy, but OMG -- it's SO COOL, cuz like I'm doing, like, lots of creative stuff now. I do it all day, and I do it on a 2GHz dual-processor Mac. Talk about, like, some major office BLING. :^)
- I had a chicken wrap from Chik-Fil-A for lunch. YUM! But God told me not to eat it until after I had prayed some on my lunch hour. That was like SOOOOO hard because I was, like SO HUNGRY I wanted to eat a brontosaurus or something. But I had a good prayer time. God loves me WOOT WOOT!
- I finished work around 6:30, but Christi called and said she was sleeping so I thought OMG I have time to play around with my kewl Mac. So I did. Then I got some pizza at Y-Not and went home to eat it with my honey.
- After we ate we spent some nice time together but OMG it was like, I could NOT keep my eyes open! So I read for a bit and then went to sleep.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: The MonT-SteR
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Faith under fire
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." -James 1:2-4
It's a sore trial that I'm encountering. Not the sort where my faith is so assailed that I teeter on the brink of apostasy. No, friends, I will never renounce my faith in Jesus Christ. The trial here is this: How radically am I willing to be in obedience to the teachings and example of Jesus? Do I have what it takes to live His Word, even when everything within my soul screams in protest against it? Or will I compartmentalize His teachings, living some but ignoring those too hard or demanding for my comfort?
It is said that we are all on equal footing before the Cross. Sin is sin, and without exception we have all fallen short of God's glory. Yet God's love is demonstrated to us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ALL of us -- including those who have so grievously wounded me and others I love. If He extends His forgiveness to such people, shouldn't I do the same?
"Whoever would be My disciple," the Rabbi says, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Master, where else can I go? You have the words of life. Though the road ahead looks daunting, I will go where you lead.
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." -James 1:2-4
It's a sore trial that I'm encountering. Not the sort where my faith is so assailed that I teeter on the brink of apostasy. No, friends, I will never renounce my faith in Jesus Christ. The trial here is this: How radically am I willing to be in obedience to the teachings and example of Jesus? Do I have what it takes to live His Word, even when everything within my soul screams in protest against it? Or will I compartmentalize His teachings, living some but ignoring those too hard or demanding for my comfort?
It is said that we are all on equal footing before the Cross. Sin is sin, and without exception we have all fallen short of God's glory. Yet God's love is demonstrated to us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ALL of us -- including those who have so grievously wounded me and others I love. If He extends His forgiveness to such people, shouldn't I do the same?
"Whoever would be My disciple," the Rabbi says, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Master, where else can I go? You have the words of life. Though the road ahead looks daunting, I will go where you lead.
Labels: faithfulness, The MonT-SteR
Saturday, April 30, 2005
For a change of pace...
"Um, excuse me, Rob, but weren't you going to do a series on Hell? And what about that vaunted 'expose' on EVP? Can't you finish what you start?"
I know, I know. I hate to admit it, but you're right. I guess that's why I'm on the short list for the "2005 Blogger with the Attention Span of a Housefly" award. A dubious distinction, to be sure.
At any rate, I felt compelled to do a public service for devotees of the Apple Macintosh. Long-time readers of tMR know that The MonT-SteR is an unapologetic Mac partisan. This is why I recently lobbied the powers that be at my place of employment to purchase a Mac for me. I'm gradually becoming a one-man corporate design department, and I suggested that a Mac would be preferable to my existing Wintel machine (which routinely crashes when I perfom complex, RAM-hungry operations like OPENING WINDOWS EXPLORER -- sheesh!) for creative authoring. Apparently, my initial request wasn't enough to convince them, because they came back and said, "Give us compelling reasons to buy a Mac, and we'll consider it." What, my own personal preference isn't compelling enough?
So The MonT-SteR set about doing research. With the help of the only two other Mac partisans at my company, I came up with a concise case to justify the purchase. The overarching argument of the case is that the Mac's superior power and speed, combined with its greater reliability, yield enhanced productivity.
At the risk of alienating PC users and the ensuing hail of hate e-mail some of them may hurl in my virtual direction, I'm posting a copy of the case here. My hope is that other Mac partisans who have to survive in the corporate Wintel wilderness may find the information useful. It doesn't contain anything that's not already available on the Web, but it does put some powerful information in one compact, tidy package.
And so without further ado, here it is in PDF format and as a Word doc.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
"Um, excuse me, Rob, but weren't you going to do a series on Hell? And what about that vaunted 'expose' on EVP? Can't you finish what you start?"
I know, I know. I hate to admit it, but you're right. I guess that's why I'm on the short list for the "2005 Blogger with the Attention Span of a Housefly" award. A dubious distinction, to be sure.
At any rate, I felt compelled to do a public service for devotees of the Apple Macintosh. Long-time readers of tMR know that The MonT-SteR is an unapologetic Mac partisan. This is why I recently lobbied the powers that be at my place of employment to purchase a Mac for me. I'm gradually becoming a one-man corporate design department, and I suggested that a Mac would be preferable to my existing Wintel machine (which routinely crashes when I perfom complex, RAM-hungry operations like OPENING WINDOWS EXPLORER -- sheesh!) for creative authoring. Apparently, my initial request wasn't enough to convince them, because they came back and said, "Give us compelling reasons to buy a Mac, and we'll consider it." What, my own personal preference isn't compelling enough?
So The MonT-SteR set about doing research. With the help of the only two other Mac partisans at my company, I came up with a concise case to justify the purchase. The overarching argument of the case is that the Mac's superior power and speed, combined with its greater reliability, yield enhanced productivity.
At the risk of alienating PC users and the ensuing hail of hate e-mail some of them may hurl in my virtual direction, I'm posting a copy of the case here. My hope is that other Mac partisans who have to survive in the corporate Wintel wilderness may find the information useful. It doesn't contain anything that's not already available on the Web, but it does put some powerful information in one compact, tidy package.
And so without further ado, here it is in PDF format and as a Word doc.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: Apple, Macintosh, The MonT-SteR
Saturday, June 19, 2004
A MonT-SteR sized apology
Dear tMR Readers,
You have no doubt noticed that my blog has been a vacuum of inactivity since my last post on May 10th. I apologize for that. The MonT-SteR has been very occupied since that time. The photo below explains why:
As you can see, there is a new bouncing BabY MonT-SteR in my household; it was one month ago today that he entered the world. And the picture accurately represents what has been happening in the MonT-SteR household since BabY MonT-SteR arrived -- Daddy or Mommy catching a desperately needed nap while Baby takes a snooze. Actually, I didn't intend to fall asleep here. It just kind of happens these days. As Bill Cosby said, "Those of you with children, you'll understand."
Since I'm explaining why The MonT-SteR has taken another hiatus, I might as well turn this entry into a formal birth announcement:
Robert Etienne Monti was born by c-section at Sentara-Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, VA on Wednesday, May 19, 2004 at 9:50pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. and measured 21 in. at birth. Mom and Dad both give thanks to God for seeing the whole family safely through a trying labor, and for blessing us with such a beautiful, precious baby boy.
And how is parenthood, you ask? To answer that question, I have to describe a dream I had shortly before we found out that Christi was pregnant. I dreamt that I was carrying a baby girl around our apartment. She was dressed in one of those little pink sleepers, and she was so cute that to look at her was to just go to pieces inside. In fact, I was actually surprised in the dream by how intensely I loved this tiny bundle I was holding -- so much so that my affection for her was more like a sharp pang. The emotion was also indescribably warm, and very pleasant to feel. I loved loving this little baby that way.
Parenthood is like that dream. I find myself "going to pieces" several times a week, moved to tears as I hold my newborn son. He is my angel. But for the dream I had, I never would have guessed that I would be so enamored with my children. Little Robert is my precious son, and my life with him is unspeakably blessed.
Psalm 127 says that children are a reward from God, and that a house full of them is a recipe for happiness. I am not so naive as to forget that there will be challenging days ahead as Robert matriculates through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. But I am indeed happy, as Scripture foretells. Now that Robert is here, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Dear tMR Readers,
You have no doubt noticed that my blog has been a vacuum of inactivity since my last post on May 10th. I apologize for that. The MonT-SteR has been very occupied since that time. The photo below explains why:
As you can see, there is a new bouncing BabY MonT-SteR in my household; it was one month ago today that he entered the world. And the picture accurately represents what has been happening in the MonT-SteR household since BabY MonT-SteR arrived -- Daddy or Mommy catching a desperately needed nap while Baby takes a snooze. Actually, I didn't intend to fall asleep here. It just kind of happens these days. As Bill Cosby said, "Those of you with children, you'll understand."
Since I'm explaining why The MonT-SteR has taken another hiatus, I might as well turn this entry into a formal birth announcement:
And how is parenthood, you ask? To answer that question, I have to describe a dream I had shortly before we found out that Christi was pregnant. I dreamt that I was carrying a baby girl around our apartment. She was dressed in one of those little pink sleepers, and she was so cute that to look at her was to just go to pieces inside. In fact, I was actually surprised in the dream by how intensely I loved this tiny bundle I was holding -- so much so that my affection for her was more like a sharp pang. The emotion was also indescribably warm, and very pleasant to feel. I loved loving this little baby that way.
Parenthood is like that dream. I find myself "going to pieces" several times a week, moved to tears as I hold my newborn son. He is my angel. But for the dream I had, I never would have guessed that I would be so enamored with my children. Little Robert is my precious son, and my life with him is unspeakably blessed.
Psalm 127 says that children are a reward from God, and that a house full of them is a recipe for happiness. I am not so naive as to forget that there will be challenging days ahead as Robert matriculates through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. But I am indeed happy, as Scripture foretells. Now that Robert is here, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, The MonT-SteR
Monday, February 23, 2004
A slice of the MonT-SteR's journal
An entry in my personal journal from February 1, 2004:
Here's a personal musing on C.S. Lewis from my own Christian perspective:
Food for thought ...
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
An entry in my personal journal from February 1, 2004:
In my earlier days as a believer, I majored on the miraculous power of God. My constant hope and expectation was to see the might of the Most High crash dramatically through barriers of human limitation and demonic machination. With time and growth, I came to witness the unrelenting subversiveness of the quiet, patient exercise of His power. Even the trickle of the tiniest stream has the ability to carve canyons over time.
I think, however, that my pendulum may have swung too far in one direction. A fellow student in one of my missions classes said, "I'm tired of a powerless Gospel." That's the way I feel today. Whether it comes by trickle or tempest, God's power is available to His children. I've lost sight of that. I don't live as though it's true.
No more.
Here's a personal musing on C.S. Lewis from my own Christian perspective:
Friday, January 10, 2003
I'm reading Mere Christianity right now, and had a few thoughts on the timelessness of God. C.S. Lewis says that reality for God is beyond any sort of timeline, i.e., past, present, and future. For Him, all is Now. Anything less would cause God to lose some of His reality. Once present becomes past for us, it is no longer something we can experience or know directly. Reality, for us, is limited to the instant. For God, all is current reality. What we call tomorrow and cannot see, He calls Now�to Him, it is just as visible, just as experiential, as the instant is to us. The same goes for the past. Hence, as Scripture says, 1000 years with the Lord is as but 1 day, and vice versa.
I mention all this in relationship to prophecy. Since God is timeless, the knowledge He bestows to His people is timeless as well. Thus, predictive prophecy is made possible. Since tomorrow is Now for God, He can give us tomorrow's information Now. The gift of prophecy can often be the means by which the timelessness belonging uniquely to God breaks into the time-bound reality we all know. The prophet's lips can be a window on the timeless, and his words harbingers of the eternal. God uses those who prophesy to minister His own unique perspective (one which we cannot gain on our own) to the Body of Christ. It is the inbreaking of the eternal on the finite�an opportunity for time-bound humanity to see tomorrow Now with some of the clarity that God alone enjoys.
Food for thought ...
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: C.S. Lewis, Christianity, The MonT-SteR
Friday, January 23, 2004
Well, lookee here!
I am home with a touch of flu today. I checked in with the folks at work via Web mail, and in the process did a bit of browsing. Lo and behold, here's an article about the research of Russian scientists who conclude (gasp!) that the parting of the Red Sea was physically possible.
I'll let the article speak for itself, particularly the poignant little quote at the end. The Scripture referenced in the article is Exodus 14:21 (you can read the entire passage in The Message Translation or the New American Standard Bible).
Blessings,
Rob
I am home with a touch of flu today. I checked in with the folks at work via Web mail, and in the process did a bit of browsing. Lo and behold, here's an article about the research of Russian scientists who conclude (gasp!) that the parting of the Red Sea was physically possible.
I'll let the article speak for itself, particularly the poignant little quote at the end. The Scripture referenced in the article is Exodus 14:21 (you can read the entire passage in The Message Translation or the New American Standard Bible).
Blessings,
Rob
Labels: The MonT-SteR
Sunday, November 16, 2003
Quote of the week
"If you ever compare one of my habits to a European oboist again, there'll be trouble!"
-- The MonT-SteR to his wife
"If you ever compare one of my habits to a European oboist again, there'll be trouble!"
-- The MonT-SteR to his wife
Labels: The MonT-SteR
Saturday, October 18, 2003
George Bailey Lassos Stork!
For those tMR readers who are classic Christmas movie neophytes, the title of this entry is pulled from the portion of "It's A Wonderful Life" where George learns from his wife, Mary, that she's pregnant (or "on the nest," as Jimmy Stewart's alter ego puts it).
Why am I citing this portion of the perennial Yuletide favorite? Because, dear friends, The MonT-SteR has lassoed a stork as well. That's right -- ere next Independence Day, there will be a bAbY MonT-SteR on the scene. I'm going to be a father! WOO HOO!
I had planned to share some other personal profundities borne of pensive reflection on the matter, but my energy level is not sufficient to the task. Not only that, but Mrs. MonT-SteR is snoozing here on the couch nearby, and I need to get Mommy in the bed. So the profundities will have to wait until at least tomorrow. I'm sure The MonT-SteR REPORT's modest readership will find some innovative way to get by until then.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
For those tMR readers who are classic Christmas movie neophytes, the title of this entry is pulled from the portion of "It's A Wonderful Life" where George learns from his wife, Mary, that she's pregnant (or "on the nest," as Jimmy Stewart's alter ego puts it).
Why am I citing this portion of the perennial Yuletide favorite? Because, dear friends, The MonT-SteR has lassoed a stork as well. That's right -- ere next Independence Day, there will be a bAbY MonT-SteR on the scene. I'm going to be a father! WOO HOO!
I had planned to share some other personal profundities borne of pensive reflection on the matter, but my energy level is not sufficient to the task. Not only that, but Mrs. MonT-SteR is snoozing here on the couch nearby, and I need to get Mommy in the bed. So the profundities will have to wait until at least tomorrow. I'm sure The MonT-SteR REPORT's modest readership will find some innovative way to get by until then.
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
Labels: announcements, The MonT-SteR
