Sunday, July 31, 2005

Hitched

Yesterday, I performed a wedding ceremony. She was beautiful. He wrote a song for their first dance. And so it goes.

The kicker on this one was that she's 18. Years old. He's 22 and graduated from college...but she graduated high school a year early (and started a year early) so she's been in the college environment for two years. I guess when you're not legal to drink alcohol people tend to wonder if you're "too young." Well, she is technically legal to drink alcohol within eyesight of her husband as he offically qualifies as her "legal guardian." Needless to say, there were a lot of jokes by bridesmaids and groomsmen over that little bit of information.

But, too young? It crossed my mind, too.

Since I do pre-marital counseling with the couples I perform ceremonies for I get to ask the hard questions and all that, and you know what I'm finding? That Christian teenagers are so much more savvy these days about their spiritual growth, their inisght into themselves and others, as well as realistic about other options that are available. In other words, they have their heads on straight about most aspects of their lives.

They certainly have their heads on straight at 18 much more so than I did even at 22. So, to everyone who asked: Yep. They're ready to do this and fully understand what they're getting into.

And, yep. She looked beautiful and happy and enjoyed all that comes along with being the bride. He looked sharp and cut up with his friends and enjoyed all that comes along with being the groom.

So, Godspeed Christy and Joshua. You both chose very wisely...but I hope you took some ID to Puerta Villarta, Christy...just in case you want some champagne to celebrate. Something tells me that even though the drinking age there is 16, you're still gonna need it!

Saturday, July 30, 2005

I'm Not So Sure...

In the local neighborhood bi-weekly newspaper, a kid who had a great high school career was drafted by a major league baseball team. He signed a contract with them. For some reason, the amount of his signing bonus was in the headline. How about "Local Kid Gets To Live The Dream" or something like that? Not "Local Kid Makes A Quarter-Mil To Throw Ball." Sure, it's news. Print it in the article if you like. But why does the paper think that's what we want to know about most? Or, even more concerning, is it what we want to know about most?

I also found out this week that there is a Christian ministry "headhunter." You know, in businesses how they have guys who recruit other businessmen who are good at what they do and try to help them land jobs with companies looking for businessmen who are good at what they do? Well, apparently, they have those for ministry, too. That didn't sit well with me, either, for some reason...and I can't imagine this guy is the only one doing that kind of work. Of course, I should probably be concerned that I am only finding out these guys exist after 17 years of doing this instead of not giving them a reason to call me over 17 years, but it still seems strange a job like that exists.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Living On The Edge

I went to bed early last night...before 10PM.

I slept in until 6:25AM this morning.

How do you know if you have mononucleosis? I've been exhausted lately.

It's either that or maybe I should eat better, sleep more, and get more exercise.

Nah. It's probably mono.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

I LOVE Stuff Like This

So, there's this guy who pokes fun at the art/museum crowd by making fake art works and then placing them in museums when nobody's looking. The funny thing is that it stays there for a few days before anybody notices. Here's one he snuck into the Brooklyn Museum on March 13 of this year:



It's called "Soldier With Spray Can." You can see the entire "hoax project" here. Just click "next" to see his exhibits.

Brilliantly funny.
The Weather Yesterday Got Me Thinking...

...about Fall.

It was rainy and overcast all day here yesterday. The high temperature was like 80 or something. For those of you NOT from Texas a July day like that is rare.

Anyway, it felt like Fall...my favorite time of year for a myriad of reasons, but the timer of the two most significant demarcations of Fall started ticking yesterday.

First, I saw where we are exactly 14 days from the start of school and all the excitement/anticipation/anxiety that brings to our community and kids.

Second, the media days for the Southeastern Conference started yesterday in my former hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. It's a rite of Fall there that lets you know football season is just around the corner. In fact, the Auburn Tigers will kick off at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 36 days, 12 hours, and 49 minutes.

*like Napoleon Dynamite*

Yessssssssssssssss.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Can't Buy What I Want Because It's Free

Long day at work yesterday. Not bad or difficult, mind you. Just long. Lots of meetings (4 to be exact).

Here's how it ended:

Hammock.
Book (until I got tired of reading).
iPod, listening to Pearl Jam once I put the book up.
Bullet popsicles in grape and cherry.
Breeze blowing in the alleged rain storms for today in north Texas.

The day couldn't have ended more beautifully.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Is It Really All That Bad To Be A Poser?

Okay...

So on my day off yesterday, on my PlayStation2, Auburn lost to Georgia Tech in the season opener 17-14. My daughters came home and unlocked several new dancers in Dance Dance Revolution Extreme. I drove my relatively new car to the batting cages so my oldest could get some practice time in. I used the cell phone to call to find out what to pick up from the grocery store. I finally finished loading up my iPod with over 2,000 songs from my CD collection (I'm still staunchly convinced that downloading/copying music you don't pay for is a chink in the Christian witness armor), 5 days of music, and still have 23 GB of space left on my machine.

It couldn't have been more "not me." Well, it could've been if I hadn't read half a book. Or could it be that it's "becoming me?"

Anyway, this thought crossed my mind:

Can you be really be very anti-establishment if you're sitting in your recliner listening to music on an iPod after a day of playing PlayStation2? I gotta admit it. I'm pretty much a poser.

I really can't deal with it right now, though. I have to go finish watering my lawn.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Come The Revolution...

We've never been big video gamers in my family. Girls and all.

Not to mention that I never really got into video games back in the day when you wen to an arcade, lined your quarters up on a machine, and waited your turn to get some Mario-guy to jump over barrels, fight a gorilla and save a princess. It didn't get girls like hitting the ball (not that I gained that knowledge from my middle-school experience, but rather I'd heard that girls dug ballplayers so I focused my energies that way). I wasn't that good at the video games anyway, so for me, the arcade was like a Las Vegas casino: I could blow through $10 bucks in about 10 minutes and then griped about not having any money. Lesson learned.

We never got into it in the early years of ministry, either. We had a basic Nintendo for a while, then traded it for a croquet set...it got the teens who came over to interact outside instead of video gaming. Anyway, we missed the early Nintendo stuff, too.

Later, somebody gave us on old Nintendo 64 with a few games and we did pull it out on occasion when the girls had sleepovers or whatever. Mario Party was a big player. Tracy and I would make bets on Mario Kart (she was always Peach and I was always Toad) which she usually won.

But that was the extent of our involvement with video games. Too much expense and to me, the games seemed more about the graphics. I mean, when I watched kids play, it seemed more about randomly hitting buttons and then the guys on the screen would create all sorts of mayhem on the screen that seem LOOSELY based on what the players did with their controllers...but not much.

Making a long story boring, our girls have had a great summer. They've been on their best behavior, enjoyed each other's company, compliant around the house, reading a lot...they've just been good kids.

Tracy, being the excellent mom that she is, felt the desire to reward them with something they've been wanting...and the planets lined up: Finances are reasonable right now, sale on the video system they've been wanting, late summer time to kill, etc.

Enter Sony PlayStaion2. Yep. The words all run together on the box.

Anyway, enter Dance Dance Revolution Extreme. I don't know why "dance" is used twice. And is there any way that anything else can cause a revolution in the dance world after clogging? And, can any revolution actually NOT be extreme?

So, in my living room yesterday, there was dance.
And more dance.
It was revolutionary.
It was extreme.

But I can't really talk about that right now. It's my day off. Everyone is having a late summer sleep-in...Hey, I've been on my best behavior, enjoyed being good company, compliant around the house, read good books, been a good kid. The whole works. So, you'll have to excuse me. Me and my beloved Auburn Tigers have a date with destiny in the NCAA Football 2006 game.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

So, Today I'm Thinking...

...the longer I live here, the more I loathe the summer heat/drought.
...my entire music library (some 2,000 songs) takes up less than 25% of my iPod's disk drive, and it could play music for over 3 days straight and never repeat a song.
...we have short summers in our school district but yet most parents are ready for their kids to start school already.
...most kids aren't ready to start and never really got any rest.
...my dog Lloyd continues to crack me up with his over-the-top laziness that he overcomes by sheer charm.
...that I'm glad the National Hockey League got it's labor problem rectified, but I'm one of the few who cares.
...Lance Armstrong's accomplishment of winning the Tour de France for the 7th time is embarrasingly underrated by Americans.
...it's time to get back in shape, and me and a friend will start training for the White Rock half-marathon (in December) this week.
...I'd like to run the Napa full marathon next April, but I don't know if my body can take it since I fell apart when training runs got to 17 miles last time I trained.
...that I love seeing long-term investments of my ministry (last night, I saw someone I discipled 15 years ago perform a set of stand-up comedy that honors Him--and is still funny to anyone--at the Improv here) and am encouraged to see where some of those kids are with Christ these days.
...I have been taking a break from teaching this summer and I'm pretty much ready to dive back into it.
...I need to create a "space of my own" to write as kitchen tables or recliner don't give me that "serious work" mindset I think I might need.
...that it's time to go to work today.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Happy Emergent Day!

From today's files of being a day late and a dollar short, the Saturday edition of The Dallas Morning News has a scathing editorial on the op-ed page regarding the evils of the megachurch. An excerpt:

"These churches attract middle-age adults like iron fillings. If they can be spiritually filled there then bully for them. But my generation isn't in awe...In fact, many young Christians come to church to get asylum from worldliness...we want everything our parents didn't, and that seems increasingly to be summed up in the word 'meaning.'" Feel free to check out Chris Rainey's full-blown editorial here.

Also, for those of you who have no idea about the wealth of discussion (which, frankly, I'm tired of talking and ready to get acting on it) on future of the church and what the next generation is looking for, this is a good "primer." Check it out
here. (you might have to get a free registration to access the articles)

Anyway, if you're an adult, make sure you check these out. For many of you, it might be extremely eye-opening. For those of you tired of the "emergent" discussion already, just skip to the next entry.
Open Note To The Telemarketer Who Just Called My House at 8AM on a Saturday Morning

You called at 8AM on a Saturday morning. My wife was sleeping in after a long week, which, as I understand it, is a relatively normal occurrence on a Saturday morning for many Americans. Our kids were gone on an overnighter with their church student ministry, and I was enjoying time alone. What can I say? I'm an early riser.

Anyway, when you started off by telling me how much you could save me on my house payment each month, I was polite: "Sir, you've phoned my home at 8AM which is illegal in the state of Texas as I understand it, so could you please remove me from whatever list you have me on?"

When you responded, "Well, actually we've been trying to call you all week because we believe you can benefit from the financial services we provide..."

Well, what you need to know is that we've been screening your calls all week because of the minor miracle that is "Caller I.D." The only reason I answered it this time was to stop the phone from ringing. So, I'll admit I was getting a bit testy when I said, "Your convenience is of no concern to me when you're offering me a service I didn't ask for."

At that point, the smart move is on saying, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you sir, and I'll remove you from our list." You didn't even have to be sorry and you could've pretended to remove me from your list. All you had to do was say it. But, no, you had to continue. "I really believe you'll be glad I called when you hear what we can do for you..."

Is it a bad Christian witness to say, "No offense, but this phone call is over," and then hang up?

I guess it's too late to worry about it now because that's what I did.

Frankly, I'm not sorry I did it, either.

Friday, July 22, 2005

There's Something Going On That's Not Quite Right

Ever get the feeling that there's something expressive and maybe even artistic that's supposed to be coming out of you that isn't (for whatever the reasons)? Yeah...that's how I feel today.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

iPod Fever

This cannot be healthy.

Yesterday, I load the iTunes software onto my computer and now I have this indescribable urge to rip every CD I own. It takes about 5 minutes (or more, depending on the length) to get one done so even if I burn 10 a day it'll still take a month.

It's going to take a while...but I'm now officially obsessed with the idea of having all my music in this little white hard-drive.

And, frankly, I don't have time to get into this now...but you'll be happy to know that I have a "grunge" library 2nd to none (over 250 songs) already loaded up. You gotta have your priorities, man. It'll be a while before we get to the "classic rock" library.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

We've Collectively Lost Our Minds

There was an article in the paper today about how busy kids are in the summers these days...what with all the sports camps and summer classes and art lessons and all that jazz.

Here's a quote from that article: "This (summer busyness) is something that society is telling us to do. Every moment must be filled productively. That compulsion--that's the story...If you ask most kids, they'd say they would like some time to relax. People have lost faith in themselves as parents. They've become so anxious. It's a real public health issue."

Rest.

We've lost the art of it somehow. We've lost our minds.

And, yes, faithful readers, I'll add that to the list of books I need to write.
I Know Who Dies In Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

Get this: My oldest daughter and I headed off to purchase the new Harry Potter release last Saturday morning at 9AM. My sister reserved her a copy since we were trying to conserve energy by going to bed at a decent hour--rather than hanging out until 2AM with the crowds trying to get it first--with all the wedding stuff going on. So, we slept in and picked it up with no hassle. They threw in some fake Harry Potter glasses and a green wrist bracelet with the release date on it and a poster left over from the party, too. So we got all the benefits plus we slept late.

Anyway, she couldn't read anything much on that Saturday as when we got ready and headed off to the wedding site. She was able to squeeze in two chapters before we made her go to sleep to rest for the big wedding day the next day.

Sunday she couldn't start reading until after the wedding. We got home at 6:30PM, went to dinner after about an hour of reading. She went to bed at a decent hour.

She read all day Monday and finished the book at 7:30 PM just as our flight was landing. She told me who died, and said the book was very good.

And I thought I was a voracious reader.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

NoCal Chronicles: Wrap-Up

(*long blog warning--since I'm still on California time*)

So, ummm, where were we?

Ah, yes, on the patio at my sister's pad. You remember, right? The 60 degree temperature soiree on the patio belonging to my higher-order life-liver sister Jilly and her barnstorming-pilot husband (foreshadowing: the key to quality literature) Shane.

So, that ended...and the two of them went out with their interesting friends and my family took over the house. We decided to get some highly recommended Chicago style deep-dish pizza at Zachary's. Their surrounding neighborhood is literally infested with good, locally owned restaurants. The pizza was good, but not worth the 40-minute wait.

The next day we headed off for the site of the wedding (after a leaky pipe nearly flooded her kitchen, but they left a key under the mat, called a contractor and left to get married. Nice story for later. Expensive story, but a nice story nonetheless). I found out that some places you think you'd like to live were actually very affordable because they were located in points that fog just came off the ocean and stayed put for many of the daylight hours. So, you could have a house on the beach no one would want to buy because it's never really sunny and it's always cold.

So, anyway, we got to the hotel. Nice folks at the Best Western Half Moon Bay Lodge, too. They goofed up the room reservations, and dangit, as luck would have it, they made it all better by giving us the Tower Suite. Naturally, Tracy and I were very forgiving of their little oversight.

After a brief rehearsal, we were off to Mezza Luna's Restaurant for what Shane thought was the after-rehearsal dinner. Turns out my sister had arranged for some old college buddies of his (as well as other family and friends) to come and celebrate his 30th birthday party as a surprise party...his birthday occurs on their honeymoon.

Note to Shane: Never, ever give Jilly a challenge that you could "never have a surprise party pulled over on you." He really was surprised, and I think pretty happy to see his friends, too.

The highlight of the night was a slide show my sister and friends put together. Here's the thing: Anybody can put together the right pictures and right captions and right music...but what everybody talked about afterwards went something like, "Just making a video like that shows just how much Jill loves Shane, and the content of that video, with Shane's obvious love for family and friends, shows how much he loves his family. That video only highlights how perfect they are for each other." I concurred.

Afterward, the screen was backlit and blue since someone left the video projector on, and, first, a friend of Shane's entertained some of the kids with hand shadows of various types. Then it escalated to those same kids dancing behind the screen, giving the crowd images of shadow dancers...which was funny enough. But then, some of Shane's fraternity brothers and high school started shadow dancing, and then, well, the rest bordered on an "R" rating. I should just leave it at that.

Sunday was the wedding day, and here are some snippets from the day:

You'd think that golfers (who I could see from my balcony) who paid the $150 to play a round of golf at the famous Half Moon Bay links course would be better, but the ones I saw really stunk. I think some golfers shoot 110 but pay that kind of change just to say they "played" that course.

We got to the bluff at 11AM for the noon wedding. Here's a picture looking north at about that time. What was going on to our right were some musicians playing and some waiters handing out flutes of adult beverages. My daughters would later be handing out parasols:



I had this little speech I was going to give to Shane before the wedding...but his best man was his 7-year-old nephew and they were fiddling with some piece of clothing and then the music started for us to enter. I decided to simply sum it all up in four words, "Take care of her." I meant them, too. I love my sister a great deal, and she deserves the comfort and security of knowing he will choose to love her even if she acts unlovable. In retrospect, I really didn't need to say it. Just from what I know of him after just a few days together and from what his friends and family say about him, he'll simply take care of her because he truly loves her...not because some goofy big brother said to.

Here's a photo I snapped as we were headed to the place where we'd be walking from. You can tell how foggy it was over the ocean:



Anyway, here's what happened next: A bagpiper played a song, paused, and played a 2nd song. My daughters came up the path in the 1st photo above. My sister, looking every bit as beautiful as a bride should look and then some, followed. Shane teared up, but pretty much held it together. I made a joke, performed a ceremony that people seemed to enjoy, and they kissed. I introduced them. The people clapped and really meant it. Everybody followed the bagpiper down to the lawn gazebo and had cocktails and finger foods.

Then a fantastic reception:

Liz (a.k.a. "Aunt Sucker"), good friend of my sister and now adopted aunt, really cutting loose. I don't know if I've ever seen someone have so much fun at a party.

The couple hired a funk band. You know when they start with "Love Roller Coaster" that it's going to be a great party.

I watched my mom dance with her husband. It was the first time I'd ever seen it...and at first I thought, "How cute!" Then I realized the song that got them up and dancing was "Let's Get It On" the legendary Motown hit. Then it made me tense. It was cool to see my mom doing so well after a very tough year with chemo and all. It was cool seeing her have fun, too.

I got to know some of Shane's friends, too. I learned that everybody has funny stories from college, and I wondered why our lives lose that energy and sense of adventure and humor when we get older.

I could write a whole book on Vince. He was pretty "well-oiled" (my Uncle Jack's term) and Kelsey told him that he had to give her $20 every time he used the "f" word in front of her. She got $60 bucks off him. He's a huge baseball fan (with Giants season tickets) and couldn't believe a 14-year-old knew so much about baseball. We ran into him at the hotel restaurant later and he was trying to rally his friends into going out after they'd been partying pretty hard during the day. I found out later that Vince thinks there is a "pre" party, followed by the "party," followed by the "post-party." And if you don't show up at the post party, he calls at 2AM asking if you're mad at him and that's why you didn't come. His rally of the troops involved making up a story that Jill and Shane told him at the reception they were going to meet him at the Brewery. No one believed him. His story changed twice. No one bought it, but he was a crack up.

At one point, Trish, a good friend of my sister's (who was once Trish on One Life To Live, and currently does a radio show in Nashville), was trying to fix something that tore in her wedding dress. This involved my sister leaning over a chair and Trish lifting up the dress. Shane walked in and said, "Part of me says this is kinda hot, part of me says not to think that because it's your wife and your wedding day, part of me says not to say these things out loud because her brother's here...so I'm just going to say, 'Awkward," and move on." He did. Tracy has pictures. Those too might be rated "R."

Shane used a few classic moves on the dance floor that every guy who went to college uses when he's with his buddies. There's the "drink in one hand, other had straight above your head pointing at your friend" and then he used the "hand over his mouth and act like you're kissing your friend" move. Both classics. Both effective.

The dinner was four-courses. Someone made a joke that, "Is this ANOTHER thing those two cut corners on? Sheesh, what a bunch of cheapskates!" The words bisque, risotto, shrimp, beef tenderloin and other stuff that I don't know were all on the menu. I tried everything and liked it.

The band played Sweet Home Alabama. All of us Alabamians got together and kinda high fived. Liz tried to get me to dance, and since I haven't danced for real since Reagan was in the White House, she REALLY tried. She failed, but I think the photographers ran amok and I'm sure I'll see those photos again. Trish sang backup...apparently, when she isn't being on soap operas or radio or running her own business she sings backup in Nashville to prominent musicians.

The party lasted 4 or so hours and everyone was exhausted. Well, everyone but Vince, anyway. I don't know why but I really like having a valet go get my car.

I chatted with Jilly briefly yesterday and I don't know if they'll see this before they're off to Africa this morning...but...

It's been a long time since I had that much fun in one weekend, and I can't think of a better way to start a life together. You've both chosen very wisely...and Godspeed, Jilly and Shane. May the road rise to meet you; may the wind always be at your back...

Monday, July 18, 2005

San Francisco Photo Log

Since I've already blogged about most of this stuff, here's the photos that I didn't download until just now.

So, yeah, here's where we were last week


Land of the Free, Home of The Dead. Kelsey at famed Haight & Ashbury


The Black Hole: Kelsey going boldly into enemy territory


Me in the bastion of liberalism, part 1


Me in the bastion of liberalism, part 2


Could I Be More Touristy? Alcatraz From Pier 39

Saturday, July 16, 2005

So, yeah, about post #1,000

It's 1,000 posts for the McKinney Diner. I've told you before, I'm kinda big on milestones.

(Big segueway coming up here, don't miss it)

Speaking of being big on milestones...

Today is my 17th wedding anniversary.

Thank you, Tracy. You still rock my whole face off.
What The...?

So, the Texas Rangers go on a little tear before the All-Star break. Pull within 5 games of the first-place Angels...kinda raises an eyebrow after I pronounced them dead about three weeks ago. Maybe there's a little life left in the boys after all...

Not so much.

Dangit. Two games, right here in Oakland (about 5 miles from where my sister lives). Four hits. IN TWO GAMES. Their pitchers are that good.

Open message to John Hart and the rest of the Rangers front office:

It's called pitching.
Go get us some.
Please.
NoCal Chronicles, Day 5

Tracy and I made a conscious choice to REST yesterday...to do pretty much nothing. We didn't really do much of anything except hang out. We didn't feel like fighting the peak tourist season crowds just to do Alcatraz (the girls have done it, but we haven't) since we'll likely be back here several times in the future and we could even do the night time version which we've heard is cool.

So, we just bummed around and put some songs on our iPods and goofed off with my sister and visited with family who are in town for a little "open house" they were having for everybody who hasn't seen Jilly's new digs.

So, I'm sorry I don't have much to report, but I can tell you this:

A glass of wine...
A Pacific Coast sunset...
60 degree temperatures...
Cheese...
Interesting people...
Good background music...
Outdoors on their backyard deck...

Well, it certainly doesn't suck.

Friday, July 15, 2005

NoCal Chronicles, Day 4

There's something terribly cool about starting your mornings with a half-mile walk to the local coffee shop, with your hippie-chick daughter, just chatting. It helps a great deal when it's 55 degrees, too. Hopefully, those'll be life long memories for her. They already are for me.

Charlotte the Scar (a.k.a. My Mom) and her husband arrived a little after 10AM and got their first tour of my sister's home here in Oakland. We visited and chatted, and then were off to do some awfully touristy stuff.

And boy, did we EVER do some touristy stuff.

Started out with a drive over the Bay Bridge to Fisherman's Wharf. Horribly crowded this time of year, too. Parking goes at the rate of $6 bucks per hour...but you get one hour validated if you eat at one of the restaurants in the area. Hey, six bucks is six bucks. We ate with The Scar...and it's pretty fun to pick up the tab for your mom. Of course, I still owe her huge considering she picked up the tab for my entire life until about age 22. The parking tab was $18.

Then we strolled (or at least tried to stroll...again, it was extremely crowded. Maybe that's normal all the time there but it seemed to me that it was extreme) past the pretty cool street performers: Three card monty, palm readers (who offered a free sample, which I found a bit disconcerting that you could only 'sample' your future), a slam poet, some "live" statues, various jugglers, and one scruffy loking guy with a sign that read, "Why lie? I need a beer!" and had a tip jar. It was all pretty harmless.

The fam then filed into the Ghiradelli chocolate store and grabbed some ice cream sundaes and got a free sample. It's actually cheaper to get the chocolate at the grocery stores...which I think takes all the novelty out of going to the factory. We then got through the awful 5PM traffic, across the bridge by 6PM and got back to Jill & Shane's.

Quick change for Kelsey (I only had to put on my baseball hat) to get into her Hank Blalock jersey and we were off to her first baseball game in a "foreign" park. We'd heard Oakland fans could be rowdy so we were a bit cautious...but there really wasn't any reason to be. Sure, we got a few "Go back to Texas!" kind of yells, but nothing to really worry about--it was pretty good-natured, anyway, like they felt like that's what they should say or something. It may have helped that their pitcher threw a freaking perfect game for 7 innings (after ours threw away a sure double play ball that would've at least kept the game interesting) and we lost 6-0. We never even got a runner to 2nd base...and we wound up seeing our team only get 2 hits. That's the chance you take in going to any sporting event, I guess.

Something that didn't stink about the baseball game: We got downright chilly in the 7th inning after the sun went down. I bet Texas fans would attend way more games if we had this kind of weather.

My sister's GPS in her car has routes to the baseball game the takes game traffic patterns into account and it gave us this back way to the game. Same thing for the way home. How great is that?

Anyway, it was a fun day...tiring...but fun. Except for the cold, hard reality that I paid $32 total dollars to stinking park my sister's car twice today. Ugh.

Thursday, July 14, 2005

NoCal Chronicles, Day 3

It was the day of the iPod. There's no other way to describe it...more on that in a second.

First, we ran some errands with my sister, winding up at Half Moon Bay (the location of the wedding on Sunday) and looking around a bit. A very beautiful setting on the Pacific Coast. The homes across the street run about 4 million bucks.

There are some benefits to having lived in an area for a while (he's lived in various places around here since college): My sister's barnstorming pilot fiance Shane brilliantly saved paying the valet at the Ritz-Carlton by using a little-known technical rule that if the public beach access parking lot is full, they've gotta let you park for free. Of course, you don't get the V.I.P. treatment, but you save the cash.

He also delivered on avoiding the public parking lot at our next stop: Another visit to Haight Ashbury. I knew my hippie-chick daughter Shelby would dig it, and Tracy would like it, too. Plus, Kelsey and I were on a time crunch the previous day so we didn't browse or people-watch as much as we would've liked. That time-warp of hippie culture is classic, too, although I'm not sure there's a place that lives on it's past as much as that area. The funniest thing in Tracy's brain was that there was a GAP store on one of the corners and the sheer irony of that. Shelby did dig the scene and definitely was attracted to the aspects of hippie fashion, with the flowing skirts, tie-dye apparel and big cloth purses...not to mention the shoes available. Tracy took a few photos, too, but less that I would've thought.

One of the strangest things was that there was a huge amount of Ralph Macchio memorabilia availabe in the area: Stickers, tatoos, buttons, the whole deal. What's up with the Karate Kid being everywhere down there?

Anyway, upon our return, we grabbed some dinner and then the technological fun began. Shane and Jilly gave our family iPods for being a part of the wedding festivities. The girls got the "minis" in pink and green, and so they spent the rest of the night loading their CD's on the drives...

Tracy and I will work on ours later, maybe tonight. Mine is this 30 gig deal with color screen and the whole works. I think it holds something like 7,500 songs and photos or something ridiculous like that. It even has some sort of tv feature...when I get some time I'll fiddle with it. Anyway, the bigger concern is who I'm becoming. Let's be honest here, shall we? A new car, a cell phone and now an iPod all in one month? I fear unknown of what's next...

Charlotte the Scar (a.k.a. My Mom) and her husband got in town late last night and we'll spend some time sightseeing with them today, and then Kelsey and I are off to the Rangers baseball game tonight...they're actually in town to play the Oakland A's.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

NoCal Chronicles, Day 2

Yesterday, Kelsey and I headed off to a couple of "side" sightseeing tours before Tracy and Shelby got in town last night.

The first: University of California at Berkeley. I'm not sure of any real reason I wanted to go other than the reality that I'd heard it was a beautiful campus laced with hippies. Well, it was a beautiful campus, that's for sure. It was surprisingly filled with garden-variety college students heading to class or lunch...so maybe the university higher-ups keep them hidden anytime they think visitors might be coming. Anyway, the only bastion of blatant liberalism I could find was that there was a bistro in the library called "The Free Speech Movement Cafe." I had my picture made by it.

(unfortunately, the Mac G4 I'm using this on, when using the Internet Explorer browser, doesn't support the latest Blogger graphics so there'll be no photo posting until I return...sorry)

I also had my picture made by a sign that read, "Summer Jobs To Defeat The Bush Agenda." There was a phone number to call, too. I was wearing a Texas Rangers baseball cap, so I think if anyone were to try to use that photo against me if I were to ever run for public office, well, it'd be a wash. Maybe I could actually use the photo to FURTHER my political career! Oh, wait...I don't believe government changes hearts and minds, so maybe I'll stick with my current line of work rather than public service.

Then we crossed over the Bay Bridge to the intersection of Haight & Ashbury. Since I'd introduced Kelsey to the San Francisco based jam band The Grateful Dead only two days ago, I figured that was a good field trip. It was filled with guitar players with cases open playing for tips. Tie-dye was only prevalent in the stores making money off t-shirts...the locals are more into dreadlocks these days. Kelsey got a good shirt: "Haight/Ashbury: Land of the Free, Home of the Dead." Nice.

I'm amused to no end by my sister and her fiance. They're getting married this weekend and have all sorts of errands to run and are in the middle of various decorations to their home. I've also discoverd that my higher-order life-liver sister's neatnick tendencies (think Monica from the show "Friends") are pretty funny to toy with. I find myself thinking about putting glasses on tables with no coaster just to set her off. The serious side of that is that she's a very good hostess and makes sure her guests are happy and comfy. That may just be a lost art in our world.

Shelby had a wonderful day yesterday...one of those days she'll remember for a very long time. I won't steal her blog thunder, but maybe next week she'll tell you in her own words...but as I dad, sometimes it can be very difficult to keep a poker face when you're as proud of your child as you can possibly be.

Today, I think we're off to the site of this weekend's wedding to tag along with my sister as she takes a lot of stuff to store there for this weekend and after that I'm not really sure...but driving around with the GPS sure makes heading out and doing stuff less intimidating...

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

NoCal Chronicles, Day 1

The plane trip out was uneventful. Minor delay out of Dallas as our plane was coming from Atlanta, which was set back a bit due to air traffic control problems due to hurricane Dennis. No biggie.

A few observations:

Having a 13-year-old at the window seat, tapping on your shoulder every 30 seconds to show you something outside of that window, will slow you down considerably when trying to read a book.

Trying to get that same 13-year-old to understand that whatever she's pointing at that excites her so much is impossible for you to see due to the reality that you're looking at it from an entirely different angle simply can't be done.

Open message to native Texans: I think you're going to have to understand that your state simply offers little by way of aestetics compared to most other states. Yes. Yes. We all know about the Hill Country/Riverwalk/Lake Whatever blah blah blah but the harsh reality is that the state is hot, flat, brown generally depressing to look at. Bigger is not always better when the substance of bigger is hot, flat and brown.

There's a "heat wave" here in Oakland. It's going up to 90 today. Due to the nature of the place, though, it's going up to 100 or so about 20 miles east of us. It's going to be 65 about 20 miles south and west. I think TV weatherpersons could do real well here by saying, "The high today is going to be somewhere between 65 and 100, and some parts of the area will get plenty of sunshine, others some clouds, and others somewhat rainy." They really can't miss.

I don't know how they get used to television here. Everything "live" comes on at like 5PM. So, for example, when the All-Star game home run hitting contest came on at 5PM, we could watch the whole thing and go to dinner afterwards. Usually, when I want to watch something like that, I go to bed right afterwards.

If what my sister tells me is even close to accurate, the housing dollar doesn't buy much per square foot here. Texas kicks butt against California in that regard. Some serious butt-kicking, too.

I'm a big fan of the daily miracle that is a newspaper. I like reading different perspectives on the same news, and you really get a different perspective in reading political insights in the Bay Area...even if I disagree with some stuff it's pretty cool to have to compare and contrast with what we usually get.

There was a bumper sticker that said, "Stereotypes De-Humanize." I thought that was a bit strong.

Those "in-dash" navigation systems are pretty darn cool if you ask me.

I walked to a small shopping area to grab a paper and some coffee this morning. My choice was Starbucks, or Peet's Coffee across the street and a block further. I chose Peet's. The only discernable difference was that the colors of Peet's were maroon everywhere Starbucks has green. Other than that, nothing. They even looked the same inside.

Well, I know it's afternoon when I'm posting...but there's not much that can be done about that. Hope I don't throw off the routines of my loyal readership too much with my excursion. But speaking of throwing off routines, Kelsey and I are off to Haight/Ashbury & Cal Berkeley in a few minutes! I'll try to take some photos...

Monday, July 11, 2005

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay, Wastin' Tiiiiiiiiime

I'm off to the Bay Area today for my higher-order life-liver sister Jilly's wedding. Of course, the wedding's next Sunday, so I'm going to take some real vacation time (as opposed to my working vacation in Auburn) and "do" San Francisco. I'll be blogging, but right now, I gotta go pack.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

My Weekend

When you're in ministry, sometimes your weekends can get away from you. I mean, I woke up this morning and I couldn't believe my weekend was over (when you're in ministry, you pretty much work all day Sunday, so that's really equivalent to everyone else's "Monday").

First, some tickets to the baseball game fell into our lap courtesy of a family friend. One of the ways I spend time with my oldest daughter is at the baseball games. The pace is great for hanging out, and we both love the game so I'll take every chance I can get to be there with her.

The tickets were courtesy of a family friend. His company has GREAT seats so we were treated to "corporate" ballgame rather than "Joe Guy" ballgame. You know, instead of paying $10 to park and walk half a mile, he just showed a pass and we walked across the street. Free programs instead of not even bothering with the programs. Sitting in the shade instead of the late evening heat. The works.

The game itself was bizarre in all sorts of ways. The 2nd pitch was fouled off and smacked a 4-year-old in the face...which can really bum out an entire section (the usher told us later that her face was swollen, but teeth/head/etc. were all fine). Then, the same guy caught TWO foul balls in like two innings. There were four broken bats, and another batter let his bat go into the crowd. The home team gave up six runs in the 2nd inning so it looked to be a blowout. Then the Rangers stormed back and won in the bottom of the ninth on three throwing errors. The crowd was waving their free T-shirts like crazy one the first error occurred and the atmosphere was incredibly fun for the last 15 minutes of pitching changes and all that. Couldn't ask for a better time.

Afterward, this friend stopped by the restaurant chain he works for and "shopped" it. You know, acted like a customer at the drive-thru to guage how well the staff/cooks/restaurant was doing. I was fascinated by it all. I think I asked about 45 questions on the way home as to how much effort goes into things we take for granted...and how orchestrated that experience is. It was very cool to hear about it from somebody who is in charge of all that stuff. I'm still fascinated by it. Plus, we got free chicken out of the deal!

I didn't feel like blogging yesterday, primarily as by the time I'd read the paper and been in the Word a bit, it was time for breakfast with a young couple who is getting married in the fall. I know her very well, and she wants me to get to know him better before I perform the ceremony. That's a very good sign...and they are pretty fun, so breakfast was enjoyable.

I checked out the Weather Channel to see how Hurricane Dennis is faring. I have friends and family that'll be affected by it (not to mention it's heading straight for my favorite beach vacation destination). When hurricanes are afoot, there's no beating the Weather Channel's coverage. I'm fascinated by hurricanes and the fact that reporters stand in them...largely because I don't have to deal with them, I think.

Then I had a final pre-marital counseling session with another couple getting married in three weeks. That's always the hardest one because it's the least "romantic" or "fun" (you talk about handling life-difficulties as a couple, which is decidedly not "fun"--but much needed)...plus they were tired as they were having a plethora of showers and stuff while they were here for the weekend. They're on the right track, though...they've chosen well. Like the rest of us, it'll be up to the decisions they make day to day.

Last night, I took the girls to a buffet pizza joint for dinner as Tracy had a wedding to shoot. I can't put my finger on it (even after getting a tutorial on restaurant management), but I always have fun taking my girls there. For whatever reason, it's something we've always enjoyed doing more than most places we go out to.

Watched the baseball team win again (they're trying to climb back in this pennant race and now have the number down to a reasonable pre-All-Star game digit) and went to bed.

Today, it'll be church, go for the pre-vacation mowing, baseball game, church again, packing, and it's off to SF for a vacation centered around Jilly's wedding. That should have PLENTY of blog material. I should wear a t-shirt that says, "I'm Blogging All Of This" just to forewarn Jilly and Shane's friends and family.

Saturday, July 09, 2005

So Sue Me

For some reason...I just didn't want to blog today.

Is it ironic that I did?

Friday, July 08, 2005

Today, I Am A Londoner



"We will show, by our spirit and dignity, and by our quiet but true strength that there is in the British people, that our values will long outlast theirs. The purpose of terrorism is just that, it is to terrorize people, and we will not be terrorized."--Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
Not Quite Right

Does it bother anyone else that a prominent pastor/author in Houston was labeled as "a rising evangelical star" in today's Dallas Morning News?

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Sometimes, The Light Bulb Just Turns On

Got this in the mail (an actual posted letter) yesterday and it was very encouraging. I've known this particular teen since she was in 6th grade...she was led to the Lord by one of my senior high students, had a spiritually unsupportive family situation, was starving for attention and bordered on obnoxious.

She grew in Christ. Her heart changed over the last 7 years.

She's now a counselor at a Christian summer camp and about to head off to college in the Fall.

Anyway, here's what got me:

"Then this week there was one girl who is a daily struggle, and she's found in my constant prayers. She even has a such a rough home life that I have to talk to the director tomorrow. And I see the fake imitation injuries for attention and though I want to give her attention and love I can't baby her.

I guess I'm just saying it's a difficult week, and sometimes I really can't do this. I appreciate and respect even more what you do, serving in mininstry--even when you feel like you're not always up to it.

I appreciate and love you so much as a great role model and mentor. I'm sure I was one of the students that you also may have had a hard time loving--and you weren't getting rid of me in a week! So I guess all I am saying is 'thanks.' Thank you for always loving me."

When the light bulb goes off in a teen's head and they "get it," well...I don't know that there's a better encouragement in ministry.

And maybe we should all encourage each other more.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

So, Today I'm Thinking...

...that my friend Wes is a jinx to the Rangers baseball team (they've given up like 20 runs the last two times he went to see them play).
...that my friend Bailey, who always sees the glass as 3/4 empty, must be going nuts that her vacation to the Gulf Coast is getting hit not by one, but TWO tropical storms this week.
...that my friends Amanda, Katie, Kate, Heather, and Jordan are off to Russia on a mission trip tomorrow.
...that my friend Jessica just got back last night from a mission trip to New Guinea that I really can't wait to hear about.
...that having two nights in a row "off" when compared to the usual three nights out per week is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
...yesterday was a really nice day at work: my annual review was good, teens popped in the office, and I got some important stuff done, too.
...for all intents and purposes, Lance Armstrong may make this Tour de France officially over about two weeks before it's conclusion.
...I've got some pretty important decisions to make regarding high school Bible studies before this fall.
...I've got some pretty good studying for my Sunday School class lessons this fall.
...I'm no lawyer, but I can't see how the recent Supreme Court decision regarding iminent domain is constitutional.
...when you own a home, there's always something that needs doing that you'd really rather not do.
...I'm thinking about eliminating the blog links of people who haven't blogged in two months, or maybe even one month.
...I'm pretty stoked about my trip to San Francisco next week.
...I'm thinking about reading one "classic" a month from Barnes & Noble (they're very inexpensive) since I threw away my high school and first three years of college English classes.
...I've been in a pretty good mood lately and I'm wondering if it doesn't have to do with the reality that my car has air conditioning and it starts every time I put the key in it.
...that I've got to get going. I've got a lot to do today.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

A Modern-Day Walden

It gets lost in the hullabaloo of the July 4 celebration, but Henry David Thoreau set out to live more simply on the same date by living at Walden Pond for two years. He's admired for it, and the accolades he got for writing about his experience and thoughts are well worth it.

The ideals are noble. The application, especially in current American society, is a bit more complicated.

If you've got any realistic suggestions on how we can "Walden-ize" our warp-speed lives, I'm all ears. Please don't mention getting rid of cable television, though. I think we all need to get in on the steps of the pool instead of diving higgledy-piggledy into the deep end...

Monday, July 04, 2005

Before The Hot Dogs and Kabooms...


IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America


When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refuted his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. --And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

--John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton



Wow.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

"Good Old Days" Syndrome?

When I was younger, the G-8 Concert to raise awareness for poverty in Africa would've been very high on my radar. Live Aid was...and I remember very distinctly watching it all-day on MTV. I even gave some of my college cash to the cause that day.

I tried to watch the event, trying to be a good global citizen and all that jazz...

But MTV wrecked it for me.

I mean, is there any way to just show the bands live like you did 20 some years ago without 40 different camera angles being cut to every 6 seconds? Oh yeah, could you please shut your mouths about how "cool" the event is? We know it's cool, and I'd rather hear the bands and see the images than listen to your "vj's" (do they still call them that?) cut in to tell me how cool it is and how awesome the crowds are?

Maybe I'm just getting old.

But I liked MTV better before they became The Establishment...back when they were thumbing their nose at The Establishment and taking themselves too seriously.

Saturday, July 02, 2005

How I Feel Today



Yes, I got my cell phone yesterday.

I'll spend today loading Social Distortion, Ramones and Violent Femmes ring tones on it...if you've gotta roll with The Man, you may as well do it as anti-authority as possible.

But why does this seem as ironic as listening to punk rock riding around in a minivan?
Go Lance, Go

The last two times I visited Holland, the Tour de France was a big part of the television viewing there. I kinda got into the Tour a bit especially since American Lance Armstrong was dominating and that was half the fun of it.

I generally admire excellence in whatever form it takes, and as the Tour started today in Challans, France, I'm really hoping that Lance will win for an unprecedented 7th time.

Even though we'll know a LOT more about the race during the first serious mountain stage on Day 10, here's to you, Lance. Rock on.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Five On The First

I started polling my readership each month on five things I'd be interested to know about them and their lives...so for today, the question is, "What 5 websites do you hit frequently that maybe I should have links to but don't?"

I'd answer the question myself, but the sites I go are all linked already...and I'm looking for new ones, hence the "five on the first" question this month!
Books I Read In June

Sorry to bother you...this is for record keeping purposes:

A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian McLaren
The Church On The Other Side, by Brian McLaren
A Christian Manifesto, by Francis A. Schaeffer
Blog, by Hugh Hewitt
Stories of Emergence, edited by Mike Yaconelli
Perspectives: A Life Guide for Twentysomethings, by Colin Creel.