Thoughts B4 Conviction N2 Action

Don't Look Down

2012-02-01T17:33:00.000-06:00

I don't remember ever feeling like I suffered from vertigo.
Well, except for that time in Paris. When I was in the sixth grade, living in West Germany, my parents sent my two older brothers and I on one day trip to Paris. The bus tour dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower for a couple of hours. On the second deck of the structure my brothers and I were playing around, looking down over the railings, and then whipping our heads around to stare at the top of the Tower our backs leaning against the railing, and then rolling back around towards the ground. For some reason this stupid maneuver began to make my stomach flip. That eventually led to my brief experience of being an eleven year old lost in Paris.
Outside of that incident I have never had a problem with heights. I've never been a fan of falling, but heights were not the issue.
Lately, however, that's not been the case. I've been getting really queasy with certain things; the top of a ladder, hanging Christmas lights on the roof, tightrope walking between the Twin Towers, or just watching YouTube clips. It's getting bad.
For instance:

Book: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

2012-01-31T18:41:00.002-06:00

I discovered John Green a couple years back. Back then, the author had just released his third young adult novel entitled Paper Towns. I heard about it from a hyperlink of a hyperlink of a website I once heard about from a website I regular read.

I found Paper Towns in local bookstore and I purchased it.

Began it.

Devoured it.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Finished it.

Told everyone I knew about it.

And then returned to the bookstore to purchase Green's two previous books Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines.

John Green's books share the stories of teenagers who arrive at life altering events. Events that most adults can relate to, and events that many teenagers are anticipating. And then in some of the most honest writing about teenagers I've ever read, the characters journey through their events. The stories are filled with emotion and humor that create some of the extremely enjoyable reading I've ever had.

In his latest release, The Fault In Our Stars, John introduces us to a group of teens who are dying. They are dying, like we are all dying, but their deaths have a side effect of cancer. It's a story of cancer, and death after life, and questions of life after death and love. It's an honest story mixed with a sense of hopefulness and hopelessness. It's brutally honest, and yet, it's beautifully honest.

I would suggest you go pick up this book today. I assume it'll cost more once it starts winning all the awards.

Song: Ho Hey by The Lumineers

2012-01-28T18:20:00.002-06:00

I heard this song on the soundtrack of a recent tv show. I'd share with you which show it was, but quite honestly it's not all that impressive of a show and I'd be embarrassed to openly admit that I've seen too many episodes. However, it has on more than one occasion led me down the path towards good or decent tunes. And the lead actress is kinda cute.
The song "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers is one of those songs. It's a rather simple song, but for some reason I resonated with the lyrics and melody, and now it's been stuck in my head for the past several days. I've liked this song well enough that I haven't even begun exploring the group's other music yet.
This Youtube clip is one of the best recordings of the song, although you can find a number of live performances online as well. Enjoy, the lyrics are down below:

'Ho Hey' by The Lumineers
Verse 1:
(Ho!) I've been trying to do it right(Hey!) I've been living a lonely life(Ho!) I've been sleeping here instead(Hey!)I've been sleeping in my bed,(Ho!) I've been sleeping in my bed (Hey!)
(Ho!)
Verse 2:(Ho!) So show me family(Hey!) Or the blood that I would bleed(Ho!) I don't know where I belong(Hey!) I don't know where I went wrong(Ho!) But I can write a song (Hey!)
Chorus:
1,2,3 I belong with you, you belong with me in my sweet heartI belong with you, you belong with me in my sweet (Ho!)
(hey!)(ho!)(hey!)
Verse 3:
(ho!) I don't think you're right for him(hey!) Look at what it might have been(ho!) Took the bus to china town(hey!) I've been standing on Canal(ho!) And Bowery (hey!)(ho!) You should be standing next to me (hey!)
Chorus:
1,2,3 I belong with you you belong with me in my sweet heartI belong with you, you belong with me in my sweet heart
The love we need is nowIts hope for someThis love we need it now
Chorus:I belong with you you belong with me in my sweet heartI belong with you you belong with me in my sweet (Ho!)
(Hey!)(Ho!)(Hey!)

Video: "Not Where You Saw"

2012-01-25T17:17:00.000-06:00

I think this video is ridiculously clever and hilarious.
It's two brothers watching childhood home movies. As they watch them they offer commentary on the movies as if they were legitimate Hollywood produced films.
I seriously wish I had some childhood home videos to do something like this:

If you enjoyed this video, make sure you watch all three.

2012 Goals: Scheduled TV Breaks

2012-01-06T18:44:00.001-06:00

I've fallen into a small routine that I don't really care for.

When I arrive home the first things I generally do are, kick off my shoes (just right of the front door), unload whatever I've hauled in with me (my backpack), turn on the TV (the silent apartment disturbs me) and grab something to drink (Dr. Pepper or a Capri-Sun and a bottle of water).

The shoes part I like, no need to track dirt around the place.

The backpack part I like, because it's silly to walk around your castle with a backpack strapped to your shoulders and one shouldn't leave their laptop in their car.

The beverage part I like, because I'm going to drink something ever night.

But the TV thing annoys me.

One of my annual goals is to read 40 books. And last year I just didn't think I read as much as I should have. I can do better. But not with the squawk box killing my attention span.

So I'm taking Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays off from my television.

Now again, I'm not legalistic with my annual goals, and there are a couple exceptions.

If I'm playing trivia on Wednesdays and there are televisions on every wall, I'm not going to be running around like a crazy man trying to avoid them.

And If the MLB playoffs and World Series are on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday...well...I've got to watch. However, in view of my first 2012 goal I won't talk about it.

My Girl Friday (#5): "cause God knows we're worth it"

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

I think this is beautiful...

My Girl Friday
- #1
- #2
- #3
- #4

2012 Goals: No Sports Conversations

2012-01-02T07:55:00.000-06:00

I really enjoy sports. I absolutely love baseball. But what I really am starting detest is when the only thing some people talk about is sports. In the great grand scheme of things sports mean nothing. Which isn't to say that depth of character, and the beauty of a story cannot be found in the realm of sports. But the conversations I typically find myself in are not those. Rather they're just a lot of noise about stats, and Monday morning quarterback decisions, and mutters about games that I know nobody in that conversation really has a concern about.
Fantasy sports have really pushed this to the next level. We talk about the scores and stats of games and players that we would never concern ourselves with otherwise. And we speak about them as if our lives really in balance.
And I guess I'm just frustrated that I'm easily drawn into these conversations. And I don't want to say that I think talking about sports is wrong. You and I go out to lunch and talk baseball for hours and I would complete enjoy that discussion.
It's just that I want my life to be about more. And I'm willing to purge this portion of my life, for the small percent of my time on earth, in hope that the Spirit of God might be powerfully displayed.
I want to have conversations in my life that have greater depth and worth.
I want my words to be filled with grace and truth, not stats and scores, so that that the powerful work of the Spirit in my life could possibly bring life change in someone else's.
I could have picked several of topics to ban myself from instead of sports. It could have been movies, or television, or food, or music, etc, etc, etc... But I chose sports because I think it's going to be incredibly difficult.
I'm not even sure how this plays itself out. Can I listen to others speak about sports? How do I politely excuse myself from engaging in a discussion (something I wrestled with today while speaking on the phone with my dad and he asked me about the 49ers and the NFL playoffs)? I'm foreseeing a couple of exceptions to this discipline, but I'm not looking to pursue this on a legalistic pursuit, so I'll be willing to offer grace to myself in certain scenarios.
And I'm sure that I'll fail with regular consistency.
I just think this is something I have to do.

2012 Goals

2012-01-01T22:00:00.001-06:00

For the past several years I've posted several of my yearly goals on this here blog. While I've not been very consistent with blogging I figured I still should continue this exercise. I had some goals for last year, which I was extremely successful and extremely unsuccessful. I hate failing, but I'm actually okay with my failure (it's becoming a lifetime habit). However, I'd like to do a little better this year.
So here are my goals for 2012:

No Sports Conversations

Scheduled TV Breaks

Read 40 Books
No Fast Food
Attend Andrew Peterson's Behold The Lamb of God Concert
Track Everything I Spend
Attend a Monti Event (and tell a story)
Visit a City I've Never Been To
Some of these might need a little explanation. I'm going to attempt to share a few thoughts on each of those over the next few days.

Stuck In My Head...

2011-12-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

Occupy Family

2011-12-02T11:19:00.001-06:00

Occupy Family

I Knew It Didn't Add Up!

2011-11-16T17:38:00.001-06:00

This is an interesting proposal: make higher learning math (middle and high school) an elective for the 1% of Americans who enjoy numbers and replacing those credits with classes full of logic puzzles and strategic games.

Watch the video and tell me what you think.

Failing Forward

2011-11-10T20:56:00.001-06:00

“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.”

- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I'm less concerned with new steps and new words as I am with next steps and next words. The future often resembles the violent sea that Jesus invited Peter to step out onto. I'd like to believe that I'd have the courage to move into the void. Sometimes life right now feels that way. The amazing thing is that I should be in a mass panic. And many friends and family would advice me to keep my eyes on the horizon for any rescue ships. Preparing myself to swim, and shout, and do whatever I could do to be rescued. But at this moment, I've never had more fun following Jesus. And tonight I'm content to just continue our little stroll. I feel like I've preached, and taught, and counseled, and encouraged, so many friends and teenagers to move in faith and trust in Jesus. "He is all you need." "He is able to do immeasurably more..." "He is our Rescue." Maybe, just maybe, this is where premises become precepts.

Murmuration

2011-11-09T18:34:00.001-06:00

I think I just added something to my bucket list.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

World Series 2012

2011-10-19T17:26:00.003-06:00

I'm looking for a better display this year than last. It's going to be a slug fest and the Red Birds have home field advantage. But I believe that my team can do it this year!

Go Rangers Go!

Random: I Think I Love You

2011-10-12T14:53:00.001-06:00

For some strange reason I've had some odd music stuck in my head lately. Last night it was Christopher Cross' 'Arthur's Theme'. Which, let's be honest, is an awesome song, and it doesn't even have to be 1981.
Today I've had The Partridge Family's 'I Think I Love You' stuck in my head. I don't know who gets credit for the song actually. Is it while whole Partridge family or just David Cassidy? I couldn't answer that question, as I've never actually seen one episode of The Partridge Family.
Maybe even more strange, I don't know where I've ever hear this song. I don't even know any lyrics beyond "I think I love you / so what are you so afraid of?". Are those the lyrics? I don't know, but that's what I've been singing.
How about you? What song has been stuck in your head lately?

Chart: Starships

2011-10-06T20:12:00.002-06:00

I really am not a big Science Fiction guy, but I feel like I really needed the following chart in my life. Which isn't to say that I don't watch and enjoy SciFy movies and tv shows, because I do. But I don't continually rewatch them, and learn more about those created worlds, and read the additional fiction work, and learn their made up languages.
It would, however, be honest of me to include the fact that I was really annoyed that the Serenity, you know...the Firefly model, wasn't included in this chart.
Oh well.
Don't judge me.
Also when I was younger, I can remember my brothers and I would draw detailed (at least my 8 year old brain thought they were) space ships. We'd also build space ships with our Legos.
Again. Don't judge me.

"I Google You"

2011-10-02T17:55:00.000-06:00

“I Google you
late at night when I don’t know what to do
I find photos
you’ve forgotten
you were in
put up by your friends

I Google you
when the day is done and everything is through
I read your journal
that you kept
that month in France
I’ve watched you dance

And I’m pleased your name is practically unique
it’s only you and
a would-be PhD in Chesapeake
who writes papers on
the structure of the sun
I’ve read each one

I know that I
should let you fade
but there’s that box
and there’s your name
somehow it never makes the pain
grow less or fade or disappear
I think that I should save my soul and
I should crawl back in my hole
But it’s too easy just to fold
and type your name again
I fear
I google you
Whenever I’m alone and feeling blue
And each scrap of information
That I gather
says you’ve found somebody new
And it really shouldn’t matter
ought to blow up my computer
but instead….
I google you.”

Written by Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods, Neverwhere and Stardust among many
Performed by Amanda Palmer.

Quote: John Green

2011-10-01T17:38:00.000-06:00

“Maybe our favorite quotations say more about us than about the stories and people we’re quoting.”

- John Green

"You are so beautiful to me..."

2011-09-08T20:50:00.000-06:00

Top: Darla & Alfalfa

Bottom: Brittany Ashton Holmes & Bug Hall

Not entirely sure why, but these two photos make me really happy. I love the movie The Little Rascals, and quote it at least once a day.

"We are he-man woman haters / We feed girls to alligators / Our clubhouse burned down mighty low / But we're got a plan to make some dough!"

"Quick, what's the number for 9-1-1?"

"Hey, my mom's here." "Whoopi!"

"We've got a dollar. We've got a dollar. We've got a dollar. Hey, hey, hey, hey."

"Finders keepers. Losers suck."

"I have two pickles. I have two pickles. I have two pickles today. Hey, hey."

Mmmm...Burrito

2011-09-06T17:37:00.001-06:00

I wish the small town I live in had a Chipotle. Heck, a quick Google search for Chipotles in the Raleigh area indicate only two Chipotles, way up on the north side of Raleigh. That sucks!
The video below really makes me hungry for some Chipotle too. That and a desire to listen to some Willie Nelson tunes. Also I've recently begun listening to Willie's son Lukas Nelson. Have you heard him? Enjoyable.
Actually what I think I really miss is not so much Chipotle burritos, but seriously I do miss those, but more so I miss that gang of friends who used to gather after an evening worship service and just grew to love one another. More often than not we'd congregate around a burrito bowl or some Red Robin fries. I've been thinking about that gang a lot lately. Some communities are hard to replace.

Harry Potter and How It Should Have Ended

2011-09-01T17:17:00.001-06:00

This cracked me up. And for the record it's this logical progression that I have always considered The Prisoner of Azkaban my least favorite of the Harry Potter novels.

Gotta Type

2011-08-31T20:48:00.001-06:00

I've been neglecting this blog of mine for some time now. And the weird thing is that I really enjoyed blogging when I was more regular. So I'm not entirely sure as to why I've not been as disciplined with it lately as I was once in the past.
Obviously, the rise of Twitter has certainly stolen some of my attention. Those stupid little thoughts that pop into my head that I used to write down in a daily "should blog about" list, are now quickly fleeing my cluttered mind through the occasional tweet. Which you might think would bring about some sense of peace and quiet for a mind that over thinks everything, and fixates on random nothings, but that's not necessarily the case. While I love the communication that can occur with Twitter the constant demand to share something interesting, or relevant, or funny is kind of a burden. Especially for that person who will debate for an hour whether or not to actually hit the 'tweet' button.
But then again, Twitter may not be the problem. Because I do over think and over analyze and over critique and over complicate almost every idea and thought that I generate. There have been numerous blog posts in the past couple of months that I have begun, only to find myself distracted by some other shinny object or found myself lost in a rabbit hole of a thought which leads me to an alternate conclusion or...or...or..., and what happens is I never finish. And then there are blog post that I have labored over, only to find myself deleting rather than publishing. Even with this post I've struggled a few times to just keep typing.
I suppose I could blame my lack of blogging on the fact that I've been real busy lately. But I'm not even going to use that excuse. Although it's true. I suppose. I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could find the time.
Whatever the reason for my lack of blogging discipline, be assured I'm going to be working harder at publishing.

School Takes A Lot

2011-07-21T23:18:00.000-06:00

This is a great Target commercial.
Also I love that the hamsters are named Lewis and Clark.

Album: Burlap To Cashmere

2011-07-21T11:23:00.001-06:00

I'm loving this album. I've only given it a few listens but I love I already love it.
Steven Delopoulos is perhaps one of my favorite songwriters.
You can buy Burlap To Cashmere's album at their website, here.

The Amazing Spider-Man

2011-07-21T08:52:00.000-06:00

Super excited. I thought Sam Raimi did a fairly decent job with the first Spider-Man, I loved the second, and was really disappointed in the third. I knew that Hollywood could do better. And the early peaks at The Amazing Spider-Man are looking great. I think this is going to give that other superhero a run for his money.

Greatest Pep Talk

2011-07-19T08:06:00.000-06:00

Some days you just need a little inspiration to go out and dominate your 'to-do list'. Here you go!

And if you've never seen Friday Night Lights, well, what's wrong with you?

"First try!"

2011-07-16T05:57:00.001-06:00

This is perhaps one of my most favorite Calvin & Hobbes cartoons ever. I remember when it was first published and I cut it out of the paper. I bet if I look around I still have that clipping; probably faded and stuck in a book.

Growing Up in 1 Minute

2011-07-15T15:28:00.001-06:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Grocery Shopping

2011-07-06T14:40:00.000-06:00

Waiting time into shopping time. Brilliant.

re:Build Joplin

2011-06-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

We left Sunday at noon and drove through the night, arriving in Joplin MO early this morning. We'll be here for the week to serve alongside Operation Blessing, doing whatever we can.
Please don't let time allow us to forget all the homes that were destroyed or damaged, or the numerous lives that were lost, or the families that have been displaced, or the jobs that have been lost.
If you would like to financially contribute to help rebuild Joplin this is a trusted church/organization I would recommend. And this is an additional organization I trust. Joplin could use help in one of two important ways: manual labor and financial support. Would you pray and consider both?
Consider this $20 t-shirt. $15 goes to towards efforts in the community.

Piper Interviews Warren

2011-05-27T12:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a great interview between John Piper and Rick Warren. It's a little over a hour long (98:28) but it's worth a listen. Below is a brief intro to the whole video. To watch the whole video click HERE.

Video: Kindergarten Guitarist

2011-05-11T14:59:00.000-06:00

Yeah but can they play Stairway to Heaven?

Confession: Navy Seal

2011-05-10T08:01:00.000-06:00

Before the rumors go any further I want to make a confession: I was never a Navy SEAL.
Now it's obvious to me why many would mistakenly assume that I have been; my MacGyver like ingenuity, the strength I demonstrate every time I hammer a disc on the disc golf course, or even my ability to run really fast errands. But it would be a lie if I said that I ever served as a Navy SEAL.
Now if people were to suggest that I once served as an Air Force Special Forces that would be a different story. Same ending, but a different story.
And because I don't want to end up as a cautionary tale on Yahoo News I'd like to be clear that I was also never an Army Ranger, or a Green Beret, or a Delta force team member, or an AF Air Commando, and not even an elite Para Rescuer.
I'm sure that some of you are still doubting my confession. I can hear your conspiracy theories now: "Trevor must have been involved in some highly classified operations that require he deny all his training and service in our nations military." But it was just not true.
It is true that I have seen the movie Navy Seals, starring Charlie Sheen, and it was '80's awesome!'.
I also have seen Under Siege, starring Steven Seagal (which apparently the pastor in the story to the left used as the source of his fake Navy SEAL back story- click on picture to take you to the Yahoo page). Which begs the question: if you were going to create a fake history to your life, why would ever steal plot lines from a Steven Seagal movie?
If I was going to lift ideas for my fake identity from movies and I needed some military combat experience, I would 'borrow' from Red Dawn (which also starred Charlie Sheen and it's remake will release sometime this year). Primarily I would borrow from this movie so I could run around and yell "Wolverines!" whenever I wanted.
Nope, while I am a pastor (sadly in the article someone is quoted suggesting that it's pastors who most often lie about military careers and receiving military honors), I have never trained for, or seen combat. Unless you count those elementary school bus stop battles.
My only military service was as a civilian, as a child care provider for AF daycare. But between that and serving as a youth pastor, (and my extensive movies-about-war watching) I've seen and done things that are too gruesome to share on this here blog. So why would I ever need to lie about who I am?
However, now that I think about it, it's time for someone to bring back the Steven Seagal ponytail.

Fairy Tales

2011-04-28T20:57:00.000-06:00

“Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.”

G.K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles

Unbroken

2011-04-18T17:31:00.000-06:00

I had a friend recommend to me Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Have you read it? It's the true account of Louis Zamperini. Louie was an Olympic athlete who would later serve in WWII. I'm currently only halfway through this book and already Louie has shaken the hand of Hitler after his remarkable race and survived a brutal 47 days lost at sea, fighting hunger, thirst, Japanese fighter pilots shooting from the skies, and vicious sharks leaping at him on his raft and is currently enduring P.O.W. captivity.
Here was passage I read the other night that really struck me:

"The crash of Green Hornet had left Louie and Phil in the most desperate physical extremity, without food, water, or shelter. But on Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive them of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This self-respect and sense of self-worth, the innermost armament of the soul, lies at the heart of humanness; to be deprived of it is to be dehumanized, to be cleaved from, and cast below, mankind. Men subjected to dehumanizing treatment experience profound wretchedness and loneliness and find that hope is almost impossible to retain. Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by their captors and the circumstances in which they are forced to live. One American airmen, shot down and relentlessly debased by his Japanese captors, described the sate of mind that his captivity created: "I was literally becoming a lesser human being."
Few societies treasured dignity, and feared humiliation, as did the Japanese, for whom a loss of honor could merit suicide. This is likely one of the reasons why Japanese soldiers in World War II debased their prisoners with such zeal, seeking to take from them that which was most painful and destructive to lose. On Kwajalein, Louie and Phil learned a dark truth known to the doomed in Hitler's death camps, the slaves of the American South, and a hundred other generations of betrayed people. Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty. In places like Kwajalein, degradation could be as lethal as a bullet."

(Hillenbrand, Laura Unbroken 182-3)

This Was Delicious

2011-04-08T21:41:00.000-06:00

Dylan, a middle school student in my youth ministry, and I both ordered up one of these before heading over to the CIY's Believe conference. We both agreed. This was delicious.

2011 MLB Pre-Season Picks

2011-04-01T17:34:00.000-06:00

I wrote these picks down earlier in the week. As always, pre-season picks are complete guess work. Most likely I'll make some mid-season predictions as well, because these most likely will be shot by then.
Saying that, here are my MLB Pre-Season picks:

REGULAR SEASON
American League
East - Boston Red Sox
Central - Chicago White Sox
West - Texas Rangers
Wild Card - New York Yankees

National League
East - Atlanta Braves
Central - Cincinnati Reds
West - San Francisco Giants
Wild Card - Philadelphia Phillies

PLAYOFFS -
Boston Red Sox defeat Chicago White Sox
Texas Rangers defeat New York Yankees (again)

Atlanta Braves defeat Cincinnati Reds
San Francisco Giants defeat Philadelphia Phillies

PLAYOFFS - League Championships
Atlanta Braves defeat San Francisco Giants
Boston Red Sox defeat Texas Rangers

WORLD SERIES
Atlanta Braves defeat Boston Red Sox

What about you? What are you predictions?

Ira Glass on Storytelling

2011-03-28T15:36:00.000-06:00

(via Ben Arment)

Quote: John Green

2011-03-12T20:15:00.002-06:00

Flowchart: What Baseball Team Should I Root For?

2011-03-08T19:11:00.001-06:00

Flowchart: What Baseball Team Should I Root For?, originally uploaded by pcaputo1.

Little League

2011-03-05T18:58:00.000-06:00

This morning I got to spend some time helping out at a little league try out. It was such a blast. Not just running down a few fly balls and feeding the pitching machine. But be able to help hype up some young guys because they are getting to play the best game ever.
Sharing with them the art of rubbing dirt in their gloves.
Cheering them on when they let that grounder take a bad hop and hit them sharply in the chest.
Watching them finally get that ball to jump off their bats.
Good day.
Although I might ice up my knees a bit tonight and I need to remember to loosen up my arm before I throw now.

Video: Poor Jon Cryer

2011-03-03T14:22:00.000-06:00

I'll admit it, I'm fascinated by this whole Charlie Sheen drama.
It might be because he is Ricky "Wild Man" Vaughn.
Or it could be that, unfortunately, Carlos Irwin Estevez in these interviews reminds me of how someone I know in my life sounds.
Or it could just be some of the incredible sound clips Charlie Sheen's rattled off like:

"I am on a drug. It's called Charlie Sheen. It's not available. If you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body."
"I'm different. I have a different constitution, I have a different brain, I have a different heart. I got tiger blood, man. Dying's for fools, dying's for amateurs."
"I have a 10,000-year-old brain and the boogers of a 7-year-old. That's how I describe myself."

But one person I'd hate for us to forget in this whole drama is poor little Ducky. With CBS at war with Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer is suddenly out of the job. Look what he's had to resort to:

Quote: Jack Kerouac

2011-02-25T18:50:00.000-06:00

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square hole. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

- Jack Kerouac

My Girl Friday (#4)

2011-02-11T16:49:00.002-06:00

Saying Goodbye

2011-02-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

I just watched the final episode in what surely is going to be remembered as one of the best television shows ever. Friday Night Lights was beautifully filmed, and known for telling stories that its audience could relate to; almost personally remember. It also had a great cast and was able to do something that many high school dramas can't seem to accomplish - graduating a class and bringing in a fresh crop of great young actors; good enough to almost make you forget the previous.
Now to be fair it wasn't always a perfect show. There were a few times the writers didn't just make a mistake, but just straight up screwed up (remember the dead body from season 2?). Nevertheless the stories were compelling and inspiring.
And I might be stretching things just a bit, but I dare say that Eric and Tami Taylor is perhaps the greatest TV marriage we've ever seen. I'd match them up against Rob and Laura, or Cliff and Claire, or even Ricky and Lucy. But moving even further I'd dare say that the couple of Eric and Tami Taylor is the modern day equivalent to Atticus Finch; fair and righteous in a difficult world.
And the best part is that NBC starts the final season soon. You'll love it.

Photo: Mockingbird

2011-01-18T08:57:00.000-06:00

This photo makes me happy. It seems to confirm that Gregory Peck was Atticus Finch.

Not only is To Kill A Mockingbird one of my favorite books, I've loved the film long before I discovered it was a book. In fact, as I'm typing I can remember sixth grade Trevor taking home one of those Scholastic book order forms that teachers are always passing out. "Hey dad, that movie we watched, it's also a book." We had just moved to Germany, and I had just started in a new school, and had not yet made any new friends. Harper Lee was one of my best friends in sixth grade.

Which also reminds me that the first quarter of sixth grade is the only time I ever got straight A's.

Gregory Peck rehearsing lines with Mary Badham.

Trivia

2011-01-13T23:08:00.000-06:00

For about the past month I've been spending my Wednesday evenings playing Trivia at a local restaurant called Characters Quarters. CQ is a typical sports bar type place; you don't go there for the food and comfortable seating. But I like it because it's not a place where I think I'm expected to be and people with whom I'd normally hang out.
Back during the World Series I side saddled into a booth to watch the game. I chose this place in case the Rangers were going to have a bad game and I might slip a word unbecoming of a pastor. But on that given night some lady approached my booth and asked if I'd like to participate in the trivia competition. I really wanted to give the ball game my full attention, but since there wasn't many people in the restaurant I thought I should at least participate. So, hardly paying attention I came in fourth place that night, one point out of third place and the third place prize which would have covered my bill for the evening.
What?! They give out prizes for knowing useless information?
I was hooked. And I've been back every week since.
Okay, not every week, but definitely every week for the past month and a half.
Until a couple of weeks ago I would always bet way too many points on the last question and lose out on any prizes. And the last couple of weeks I've come in third place.
Usually I've named my team, which has consisted of just me or me and a friend, something stupid like "I Know Stuff" or "Well What Do You Know" or " I Don't Know. However, since the past few weeks I had been losing to a team called "Prestige Worldwide". In case you don't know "Prestige Worldwide" is from a Will Ferrell and John C Reilly movie.
Well last night I went to trivia with the intent on sending that team a message that I meant business. So I named my team "Shake-'N-Bake" which is from another Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly movie...that came first. I wanted them to catch the reference and know that on that night they would be dominated my vast knowledge of useless information.
And not only did I beat them last night I also dominated a team called "Sex Panthers" which is a reference to another Will Ferrell movie. Strangely enough "Sex Panthers" is a team made up of an older couple (60s?) and their adult daughter (late 20s) and her husband. They were fun to chat with.
So now I am not only the defending champion of trivia, but I am officially in the league. Quarterly they have larger contest which can result in cash prizes up to $5000. That's amazing. You can get paid to know useless crap. This is totally for me.

7 Billion...

2011-01-05T16:53:00.001-06:00

7 Billion is the new population of the world. And it's continuing to grow.
This is having major implications on everything. The environment. The economy. The political climate. The medical fields. The classrooms. And even the church.
We must begin to think, and imagine, and create, and live, and give, and share, and move differently. And isn't that exciting?

Goals for 2011

2010-12-31T20:41:00.000-06:00

I try to set goals for each year. Last year I didn't because life was in the middle of the chaos that comes with moving across country. But this 2011 I'll be making up for that lost year.
I like to set goals and not resolutions, because resolutions sound so permanent. As if I weren't to somehow miss my resolution on day one then I would be a complete failure. Which I'm sure makes sense to only me.
Basically I assume if I don't attempt something I'm only allowing life to come at me. I want to pursue life.

1. Read 45 Books. Normally my goal has been 40 books, and I generally reach it. So this year I thought I'd challenge myself a little more. In a couple of days I'll outline some of the books I plan to read and/or finish.

2. Enroll in a couple of courses at the local community college. One course on something that just interests me. And the second I'll listen to the recommendation of some advisors. (maybe I'll take a class and work on my Spanish. Or they offer a cake decorating course. They even have a blog writing class. Any suggestions?)

3. Watch half of all the movies on AFI's Top 100 Movies list, both lists, that I have left to watch. Only 27 more to go.

4. Get a pet. I'm thinking a fish.

5. Buy a bike and ride it.

6. Go to the doctors. A regular check up is probably wise. An appointment with an allergy and asthma specialist would also do me good.

7. Get a new phone. And, perhaps, new cell phone service.

8. Visit a city that I have never explored before. (Atlanta?, Baltimore?)

9. Visit 3 MLB ballparks I have never visited. (Atlanta? Washington? Baltimore?)

10. Run in the White Deer Dash 5K. (sometime in August).

11. Send more mail than I receive. Of course that's exaggerated, seeing how I get a ton of junk mail. Essentially I just think I should send more letters, postcards and thank you notes. Sub-goal: go to the post office and buy lots of stamps.

12. Organize and minimize my closet. I hate knowing that I own clothes that I never wear. I got to get rid of them. It's incredible how much crap can accumulate.

13. No Dr Pepper. I did this back in 2008 and am going to give it another go. What I learned then was that if I wasn't drinking DP I didn't choose to drink any soda. So essentially this is a no soda year. I figure that at some point in the year, probably at the start of July, I'll narrow down my drink options to just water.

14. Mission Trip. I don't necessarily want to commit to a mission trip in 2011, but I do want to be making plans for another mission trip by at least 2012. Perhaps taking students with me.

I may have another one or two, which I will add later if I choose so. What about you? Do you set yearly goals?

Quote: Cary Grant

2010-12-31T19:27:00.000-06:00

“You know I have about the same interest in jewelry as I have in politics, horse racing, modern poetry, and women who need weird excitement—none.”
- Cary Grant, “To Catch a Thief”

I watched North By Northwest today. Such a cool film.

AFI Top 100 Movies (Update)

2010-12-30T14:37:00.002-06:00

I'm getting closer to completing my goal of watching all movies on AFI's Top 100 Movies list. Both of them.
In the next couple of months I plan to make serious progress by seeing the movies that are easily accessible, like: Gone With The Wing, Schindler's List, The Deer Hunter, and a few others. Possibly with a little luck I might be able to find a few of these rarer films and actually have seen them all by the end of 2011.

Movies in red are the ones I've seen.

1998 List
1. Citizen Kane
2. Casablanca
3. The Godfather
4. Gone with the Wind
5. Lawrence of Arabia
6. The Wizard of Oz
7. The Graduate
8. On the Waterfront
9. Schindler’s List
10. Singin’ in the Rain
11. It’s a Wonderful Life
12. Sunset Boulevard
13. The Bridge on the River Kwai
14. Some Like it Hot
15. Star Wars
16. All About Eve
17. The African Queen
18. Psycho
19. Chinatown
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
21. The Grapes of Wrath
22. 2001: A Space Odyssey
23. The Maltese Falcon
24. Raging Bull
25. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
26. Dr. Strangelove
27. Bonnie and Clyde
28. Apocalypse Now
29. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
30. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
31. Annie Hall
32. The Godfather Part II
33. High Noon
34. To Kill a Mockingbird
35. It Happened One Night
36. Midnight Cowboy
37. The Best Years of Our Lives
38. Double Indemnity
39. Doctor Zhivago
40. North by Northwest
41. West Side Story
42. Rear Window
43. King Kong
44. The Birth of a Nation
45. A Street Car Named Desire
46. A Clockwork Orange
47. Taxi Driver
48. Jaws
49. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
50. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
51. The Philadelphia Story
52. From Here to Eternity
53. Amadeus
54. All Quiet on the Western Front
55. The Sound of Music
56. MASH
57. The Third Man
58. Fantasia
59. Rebel Without a Cause
60. Raiders of the Lost Ark
61. Vertigo
62. Tootsie
63. Stagecoach
64. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
65. The Silence of the Lambs
66. Network
67. The Manchurian Candidate
68. An American in Paris
69. Shane
70. The French Connection
71. Forrest Gump
72. Ben-Hur
73. Wuthering Heights
74. The Gold Rush
75. Dances with Wolves
76. City Lights
77. American Graffiti
78. Rocky
79. The Deer Hunter
80. The Wild Bunch
81. Modern Times
82. Giant
83. Platoon
84. Fargo
85. Duck Soup
86. Mutiny on the Bounty
87. Frankenstein
88. Easy Rider
89. Patton
90. The Jazz Singer
91. My Fair Lady
92. A Place in the Sun
93. The Apartment
94. Goodfellas
95. Pulp Fiction
96. The Searchers
97. Bringing Up Baby
98. Unforgiven
99. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
100. Yankee Doodle Dandy

2007 List1. Citizen Kane
2. The Godfather
3. Casablanca
4. Raging Bull
5. Singin’ in the Rain
6. Gone with the Wind
7. Lawrence of Arabia
8. Schindler’s List
9. Vertigo
10. The Wizard of Oz
11. City Lights
12. The Searchers
13. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
14. Psycho
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey
16. Sunset Boulevard
17. The Graduate
18 The General
19 One the Waterfront
20. It’s a Wonderful Life
21. Chinatown
22. Some Like It Hot
23. The Grapes of Wrath
24. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
25. To Kill A Mockingbird
26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
27. High Noon
28. All About Eve
29. Double Indemnity
30. Apocalypse Now
31. The Maltese Falcon
32. The Godfather Part. II
33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
35. Annie Hall
36. The Bridge on the River Kwai
37. The Best Years of Our Lives
38. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
39. Dr. Strangelove
40. The Sound of Music
41. King Kong
42. Bonnie and Clyde
43. Midnight Cowboy
44. The Philadelphia Story
45. Shane
46. It Happened One Night
47. A Streetcar Named Desire
48. Rear Window
49. Intolerance
50. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
51. West Side Story
52. Taxi Driver
53. The Deer Hunter
54. MASH
55. North by Northwest
56. Jaws
57. Rocky
58. The Gold Rush
59. Nashville
60. Duck Soup
61. Sullivan’s Travels
62. American Graffiti
63. Cabaret
64. Network
65. The African Queen
66. Raiders of the Lost Ark
67. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
68. Unforgiven
69. Tootsie
70. A Clockwork Orange
71. Saving Private Ryan
72. The Shawshank Redemption
73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
74. The Silence of the Lambs
75. In the Hear of the Night
76. Forrest Gump
77. All the President’s Men
78. Modern Times
79. The Wild Bunch
80. The Apartment
81. Spartacus
82. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
83. Titanic
84: Easy Rider
85. A Night at the Opera
86. Platoon
87. 12 Angry Men
88. Bringing Up Baby
89. The Sixth Sense
90. Swing Time
91. Sophie’s Choice
92. Goodfellas
93. The French Connection
94. Pulp Fiction
95. The Last Picture Show
96. Do the Right Thing
97. Blade Runner
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy
99. Toy Story
100. Ben-Hur

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2010-12-24T00:44:00.001-06:00

Video: Countries Health & Wealth

2010-12-22T10:17:00.000-06:00

I watched this video over at Vince Antonucci's blog. It's a historical look at the progression of health and wealth in countries from 1810 to today. It's really interesting and demonstrated in a clever way.
"Pretty neat huh?"

R.I.P. Bob Feller

2010-12-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

Bob Feller died yesterday.
He was "The Heater from Van Meter."
"Bullet Bob"
"Rapid Robert"
He was a Hall of Fame pitcher for 18 years with the Cleveland Indians. 4 of those years were interrupted by his service in the Navy during WWII.
Bob Feller is the only pitcher to have ever pitch a no-hitter on opening day. It was one of three no-hitters during his career. And while his career ended with only 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts, many speculate that without his military participation he would have won over 300 games and had over 3,000 strikeouts. Sporting News once referred to his as 'the greatest pitcher of his time."
And I once met him way back in middle school. I still have the baseball I had sign; along with Jerry Koosman.

Video: Scrambled Eggs

2010-12-13T13:38:00.000-06:00

I always thought Yesterday was a great Beatles song, but who knew that the original lyrics were even better than the final product.

December 7th

2010-12-07T16:20:00.000-06:00

I spent some time today reading at www.PearlHarbor.org. Today is the 68th anniversary of Japan's surprise attach on the U.S. Naval base on Pearl Harbor Hawaii. There are some incredible eye witness accounts on the website.

Only one who was there can fully appreciate what took place. As a Pearl Harbor Survivor who was at ground zero on "battleship row," the morning of December 7, 1941, I feel, "if you didn't go through it, there's no words that can adequately describe it; if you were there, then no words are necessary."

John H. McGoran

Here are some great photos from http://www.pdnphotooftheday.com/2010/12/7564

The last photo is Edith Shain, holding the iconic WWII photo taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt. The photo is a young sailer kissing Edith in her nurse's uniform in Times Square on August 14, 1945.

Venn Diagram: Meaning of a Story/Poem

2010-11-20T17:33:00.000-06:00

I struggled with English classes in high school. I also struggled with writing classes (which you probably guessed if you read my last few blog posts). But I could never understand why the teacher would ask me what the author was trying to say. How was I supposed to know those random poets and obscure short story authors were trying to say? I always felt that those teachers were just making stuff up.

Video: Breakdancing

2010-11-16T12:09:00.000-06:00

'Cause I'm known for my rhythm and grace I've practicing my dance moves lately. Specifically I've been using this video to help me with my pop n' lock:

Photo: Bugged Out

2010-11-12T20:37:00.000-06:00

This photo just makes simply make me happy.

Video: SMS

2010-11-11T10:54:00.000-06:00

Okay, so this video has been out for a little while now, but I wanted to mention a couple things.
1. The video was recently highlighted by Yahoo (here).
2. Watch the piano in the background. It's playing along to the music.

Video: Celtics Fan Get Into Timeout Music

2010-11-09T11:01:00.001-06:00

I Suppose...

2010-11-04T16:03:00.000-06:00

I suppose if I am going to be murdered someday I should have a killer soundtrack (pardon the pun) playing as I depart life. If anyone finds this album on CD, please let me know.

Here are the songs on the album:

1. Music To Be Murdered By - Jeff Alexander

2. I'll Never Smile Again - Jeff Alexander

3. I Don't Stand A Ghost of a Chance With You - Jeff Alexander

4. After You've Gone - Jeff Alexander

5. Alfred Hitchcock TV Theme - Jeff Alexander

6. Suspicion - Jeff Alexander

7. Body and Soul - Jeff Alexander

8. Lover Come Back To Me - Jeff Alexander

9. I'll Walk Alone - Jeff Alexander

10. The Hour of Parting - Jeff Alexander

11. Look For A Star - Muir Mathieson

12. Thunderer - Muir Mathieson

13. Russian Dance - Muir Mathieson

14. Waltz - Muir Mathieson

15. Stillness - Muir Mathieson

16. Circus Mystery - Muir Mathieson

17. Circus of Horrors - Muir Mathieson

18. Look For A Star - Muir Mathieson

19. Circus Nocturne - Muir Mathieson

20. The Kill - Muir Mathieson

Video: Thriller Lights

2010-11-02T08:01:00.000-06:00

This is both ridiculous and awesome at the same time. And I'm not talking about the fact that this guy has three garages and a car port to the side of the house.

Also This Is Halloween by Marilyn Manson, Haunted Mansion from the Disney movie & Monster Mash.

"We're going to the 'ship! We're going to the 'ship!"

2010-10-22T22:34:00.000-06:00

"So we go to the 'ship right?"

Video: Election Cheat Sheet

2010-10-21T17:02:00.002-06:00

Having trouble keeping up with all the daily twist and turns of this year's election drama? Here's a recap:

An Irrational Fear

2010-10-13T18:23:00.000-06:00

This is incredible stupid.
It's not a secret to most people who know me that I love baseball. And of those who know of my love of baseball, most know that I root for those Lone Star State teams; the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.
But like I've said before (somewhere at sometime - maybe on this blog) I think it's wrong to like both the Rangers and Astros. You shouldn't like two teams from the relative same location. For instance you can't be a Yankee and a Met fan. And you can't be a Cubs and a White Sox fan. And you can't be Royals and Cardinals fan. And you can't...oh, I think you get it.
So I think you see my dilemma. I'm breaking the moral sports law that I often call others out on. I'm a hypocrite.
Here's how it happened. The earliest little league team I can remember being a part of was the Cardinals; we had those iconic uniforms with the two red birds on the baseball bat. I still have an affection for those uniforms.
But my first baseball game was at the 8th wonder of the world, the Astrodome, to see the Houston Astros play the Los Angeles Dodgers. If my memory serves me right Mike Scott out dueled Fernando Valenzuela, thanks to the home run by Jose Cru-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-z! It was awesome. Also my dad paid to have the scoreboard say happy birthday to me and my brothers.
During the 80s Nolan Ryan was a dominate pitcher for the Astros and I was always a pitcher in little league. At some point I began to idolize Ryan and tried to pitch just like him. I emulated his high kick and well placed fastball. I tried to always stare down my opposing batter.
But in 1989 Nolan explored free agency and landed up the road from Houston in the Dallas area to pitch for the Texas Rangers. Well of course I could not not root for him and his team. So I became a fan of the Rangers in addition to the Astros. Hence the beginning of my dilemma.
So to solve this problem I made a personal commitment: I would continue to cheer for both teams until one actually won the World Series. In case you don't know, neither team has ever won the World Series. And until recently when the Astros lost the White Sox in four games neither team had never even been to the World Series.

I share all that to share this:
Here is my current irrational fear. Last night the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win their very first post season series ever. And I think they have, at least, a chance to beat the Yankees to win the American League Championship. If they could somehow win that series and then somehow overcome the Phillies (because let's be honest, there is no way the Giants beat the Phillies) then I would have to drop the Rangers from my list of teams to root for.
But I love cheering for both teams. I am nervous that I won't be able to anymore.

Like I said; this is stupid.

Smell Like A Monster

2010-10-11T09:16:00.002-06:00

That Grover is brilliant.

Playoffs!

2010-10-05T13:51:00.000-06:00

I believe I made the prediction before the season started that the Texas Rangers would make the playoffs this year. But if I was honest I wasn't sure I entirely believed that; I made the prediction more out of faith and hope than head knowledge. If I had were to have picked a team based on what my head was telling me and not my heart I thought the Rangers were going to have a good season, but fall short because the Angels or Mariners just had better seasons.
But that just never happened. In fact Texas lead most of the season, despite some injuries and stretches of "not their best baseball". Around the All-Star game it really did look like Rangers were going to coast into the post season. However, I have been saying that, while in full support of my team and a belief that anything can happen, more than likely the Rangers were not a World Series team.
Some days I just have trouble getting my head and heart to agree. But I'll be rooting along with all my heart tomorrow night as the Rangers open up their series against Tampa Bay. I will say that I don't think we have seen the Rangers playing their best baseball in the past few months, as they weren't really pressured in their division. I'm hoping they come into the playoffs rested and full of energy.
I will also admit that this being Bobby Cox's final year in Atlanta I am rooting for them as well (but not if they face Rangers in the WS).
Here are my MLB Play-off Predictions:

Wild Card Round
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays = Rays (in four)
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins = Yankees (in five)
Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies = Phillies (in four)
San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves = Braves (in four)

League Championship Series
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees = Rays (in six)
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves = Phillies (in seven)

World Series
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays = Phillies (in six)

Video: Fallon & Timberlake Rap History

2010-09-30T10:01:00.000-06:00

If I was asked which late night show I think is the best I would quickly answer "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". Here's an example of why I think so:

Video: CIY 2010 - Behind the Scenes

2010-09-19T13:46:00.000-06:00

Those friends over at CIY (Christ In Youth) pulled off a great Move Conference this past summer, which included several amazing videos and worship visuals. Here is a quick peak (5:43) into the production of those elements.

NFL 2010 Picks: Week 2

2010-09-17T14:39:00.000-06:00

Buffalo @ Green Bay = Packers
Baltimore @ Cincinnati = Ravens
Tampa Bay @ Carolina = Panthers
Kansas City @ Cleveland = Chiefs
Pittsburgh @ Tennessee = Titans
Chicago @ Dallas = Cowboys
Arizona @ Atlanta = Falcons
Philadelphia @ Detroit = Eagles
Miami @ Minnesota = Vikings
Seattle @ Denver = Broncos
St. Louis @ Oakland = Raiders
Houston @ Washington = Texans
New England @ New York Jets = Patriots
Jacksonville @ San Diego = Chargers
New York Giants @ Indianapolis = Colts
New Orleans @ San Francisco = Saints

Last Week's Record: 8-8
2010 Weekly Record: 8-8

Video: Time Lapse - Meadowland Transformation

2010-09-17T09:49:00.000-06:00

Just in case you didn't know; The Jets and Giants share a stadium known as the Meadowlands. This season they are in a newer Meadowlands stadium, right next to the old Meadowlands. Actually I think the new stadium is referred to as New Meadowlands.
I share that because this video is a time lapse recording of the past weekend when both teams played home games. Enjoy.

New Meadowlands Stadium Change Over Time-Lapse from Ken Friberg and Daniel Life on Vimeo.

NFL 2010 Picks: Week 1

2010-09-09T13:50:00.000-06:00

It's that time again! Time for you to endure my weekly blog posts of bad NFL picks. (I hope no one uses my picks as research for your Vegas bets - if you're using my picks for gambling research, please get help!, you have a problem).
Minnesota @ New Orleans = Saints
Cleveland @ Tampa Bay = Buccaneers
Miami @ Buffalo = Dolphins
Cincinnati @ New England = Patriots
Indianapolis @ Houston = Colts
Denver @ Jacksonville = Broncos
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh = Falcons
Oakland @ Tennessee = Titans
Carolina @ New York Giants = Giants
Detroit @ Chicago = Chicago
Arizona @ St Louis = Rams
Green Bay @ Philadelphia = Packers
San Francisco @ Seattle = 49ers
Dallas @ Washington = Cowboys
Baltimore @ New York Jets = Jets
San Diego @ Kansas City = Chargers

Video: Yo Gabba Gabba on Late Night

2010-09-02T12:32:00.000-06:00

Yo Gabba Gabba with The Roots preforming Kool and the Gang's Spirit of the Boogie on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon = quite possibly the greatest thing on late night TV ever!

Video: Reality Meets Gaming

2010-08-29T18:56:00.000-06:00

This video is wicked fun. I'd be more inclined to learn a real instrument if this is how you played it. But taking the time to master Rock Band seems like a waste of time.

My Girl Friday (#3)

2010-08-27T16:21:00.001-06:00

“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.”

- Albert Einstein

I bet Einstein once used gravitation as an excuse for his many affairs, but it didn't work. But if gravitation isn't the cause of love, then I cannot blame it for the lack of either.

Which is helpful for me to remember for these four reasons:

#1 Every time I think I'm falling in love, I'm probably just tripping things up.

#2 Apparently love is not that easy.

#3 I thought I was a zero gravitation guy living under the gravitational pull...but apparently it doesn't matter...so...

#4 If I believe you're out there, I'd better just get up, dust myself off, and keep on searching...

I'm attempting to defy gravity. Wanna meet at a moon bounce?

Video: Lady Trashes Cat

2010-08-24T21:05:00.000-06:00

I don't like cats. And it's not just because I'm highly allergic to them and they can trigger my asthma and kill me...oh wait...yeah that's exactly why I don't like cats. Well more accurately I don't like housecats, because lions, panthers, bobcats, tigers and lynxes are awesome!
But no matter how much I dislike housecats, or tabbycats, or alleycats, etc I still could never do this:

I feel I should also say I don't care for most house dogs. I don't care for pet hair all around the house. Goldfish are a perfect family pet, because they don't make messes and if you forget to feed them you just wish them farewell down the toilet.

Fare Thee Well: Bobby Thomson

2010-08-17T19:30:00.000-06:00

The Shot Heard Round the World

October 25, 1923 - August 16, 2010

"Now it is done. Now the story ends. And there is no way to tell it. The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again."

Believe 2011

2010-08-12T15:46:00.000-06:00

If you know me you know I love CIY (Christ In Youth). I choose the Bible college I attended largely because of it's proximity to CIY's headquarters. One of my main college goals, over graduating even mind you, was to have an internship with CIY.
Not only do I absolutely love their summer conference MOVE, but I believe they have the best middle school event in the nation: Believe. Believe is an incredibly powerful 2 day event that tours the nation specifically for middle school students. A Believe event is high energy, meeting students at their emotional, social and cognitive levels, which can impact the lives of middle schoolers for years to come.
I remember my first Believe event over 10 years ago, being stunned about the vision some had for a middle school program. The following year I took my first group of middle schoolers; one of many more. I'm looking forward to this coming spring and taking a gang of students to the Atlanta conference for a weekend.

The Sadness of Fearing Failure

2010-08-09T20:17:00.000-06:00

"I'm here to tell you that the fear of failure is the engine that has driven me throughout my entire life. It flies in the faces of all these sports psychologists who say you have to let go of your fears to be successful and that negative thoughts will diminish performance. But not wanting to disappoint my parents, and later my coaches, teammates and fans, is what pushed me to be successful ... The reason nobody caught me from behind is because I ran scared. People are always surprised how insecure I was. But I was always in search of that perfect game, and I never got it. Even if I caught 10 of 12 passes, or two or three touchdowns in the Super Bowl, I would dwell on the one pass I dropped ... If I have one single regret about my career standing here today, it's that I never took the time to enjoy it.''

-- Jerry Rice, in his Hall of Fame speech Saturday night.

As a 49er fan Jerry Rice is one of my favorite NFL players of all time. I was sad having to see him toward the end of his career in the uniform of a Raider and Seahawk. But I find this quote from his NFL Hall of Fame acceptance speech even more sad.

I think everyone has experienced this kind of 'motivating' fear before, and it never brings real life. The greatest NFL wide receiver to ever play the game never enjoyed what so many would do for free because he was constantly afraid to disappoint someone. If I was being really honest, I would say that I live this way fairly often.

I'm constantly evaluating most of everything I do under the lens of "what will [insert name] think". I'm afraid of disappointing people with the clothes I wear, the lessons I teach, trash in my car, and on and on and on; even down to what I'm typing up on this here blog post. It's exhausting to keep up with.

I really want to live a life where I don't look back and regret having missed out of real life. So I'm going to try and make it through the next hour...& morning...& day...& week...& year...& life...believing I'm defined by a God who already loves me and not my fears.

Video: Dancing In The Minefields

2010-07-29T21:47:00.000-06:00

Just in case you've been living under a rock...or...you just don't know who Andrew Peterson is...I thought I should remind you that his new album Counting Stars is now out. I'm a big fan of his. And I learned recently Donald Miller is too.
Below is Andrew's first video, entitled Dancing In The Minefields about the messiness and danger of living in relationships. I love the lyrical depth in Andrew's writings; he is always able to communicate truth to me.

Truck Stop

2010-07-27T23:09:00.000-06:00

Last night I drag my bald headed friend Gabe with me to a Durham Bulls. We were hoping to meet Tony Gwynn who was there signing autographs. However when we arrived the line for Tony was about 2 and a half hours. Unfortunately Tony was only going to be there for 2 hours. So we said forget it and just watched the game.

Gabe plays baseball, but didn't know who Tony Gwynn is; so not only do I share Jesus with the students in my church I get to share baseball. I love my job.

One Bull player blasted a home run which hit (actually it just went over) the scoreboard bull. Which, of course, means that he earned himself a free steak. I don't know where he gets his steak, or if comes with a salad, but I assume the appropriate people will tell him.

After the 7th inning I moved up to the empty seats right behind home plate. Meaning I moved up 20 rows. I couldn't see 20 seats back so I had to move forward. No one stopped me. So I took the above photo. Which is the scoreboard bull smoking, not from the homerun hit, but at the end of the game. However, when the previous mentioned player hit his homer the bull did the same thing.

This photo was take from my original seat, Section 207 Row W Seat 3. I wanted to share with you how pretty of a stadium for this Triple-A team is, ta da! If you look just to the right of the middle lights you'll see the full moon. No not some kid dropping trow in the outfield stands, but the actual moon in all it's green cheesiness.

So on the way home a rapid 18-wheeler attacked my car. It was my fault, I should have seen the vibration in the cup of water sitting in the cup holder. Okay, that's not true. We were stuck in some slow going traffic, due to the construction work in the left lanes (on the left side of the photo). Apparently at such high volumes of speed, 10-15 mph, the truck driver could no longer control the hurling mass of metal. So he parked it on my backside.
So you can see the damage to my Suzuki above. And below you can see the damage done to the tracker trailer. Ironically (or not, Alanis Morissette really messed with my ability to distinguish what's ironic) I drove away and he didn't. Yep, my Suzuki took down the Semi.

Also it should be noted that the truck driver's name is Dimmie. I've never heard that name before. Have you?

So Proud Of...

2010-07-21T15:57:00.002-06:00

I got these amazing friends...

Stepping Up to the Challenge

2010-07-20T21:29:00.000-06:00

Last week I took several high school students from my church to a Christ In Youth (CIY) conference in Cleveland TN. It was a fantastic week. We laughed. We danced. We cried...or at least I did, what can I say, I'm a crier.

I love life change. I especially love when that life change is spurred by an encounter with Jesus. And even more so when that life change occurs in students. I think my students had that moment. And it's amazing, because if you were to ask my on the last night of the conference I would have said that hadn't really, and that the week was more about the fun and games. But these kids have come back and after a few days they haven't crashed from their conference high...yet?...and are busy making plans to complete challenges and raise money for an organization called Active Water.

For instance, one student was challenged to organize a carnival in a 'under privileged neighbor'. He's formulating plans with others in the group.

Another two accepted a challenge to help some younger children learn to read. Tomorrow they

already start volunteering at the local library.

One was asked to lead a weekly Bible study with his family. And I'm so proud to have read the following on Facebook this evening.

RePost: Eric Epperson

2010-07-18T22:29:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd repost this blog post by Eric Epperson. Eric is on staff at Christ In Youth (CIY) as a program director for their summer conferences called Move. Specifically Eric lead the event I attended last week. I have to give him some serious kudos, especially after one of the speakers went down sick and he filled in at the last minute with a great message.
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Serving the Church Kool-Aid

I just witnessed one of the loudest MOVE sessions I have ever seen. When the night came to a close and Caleb Rowden and his band struck the final chord, the crowd noise alone rivaled a jet engine. It was the type of noise that rattles your eardrums, causing a swishing noise that sounds like something between wind and a banshee on ecstacy.

What I witnessed tonight was a moment... no, an experience. I'll put tonight, for those 1,400 people, up against any concert or sporting event in the country. It was that solid. The experience was happening right in front of us. It wasn't fake. We were all creating it. As a creative programmer, I couldn't be more excited about what our team pulled off. As a revolutionary, I was filled with expectations.

At MOVE, we love lights, guitar solos, film, and crowd noise that breaks 100 dB. But to say that we do all of those things for the sake of doing those things would be a lie. We crank up the speakers (this one goes to 11) because we desire to create moments that will propel students to do big things with their lives. Boil it all down and you see that we call Kingdom Workers.

But you ask, aren't you just brainwashing high school students? It's all crowd mentality stuff, right? Get them all worked up and serve them the Kool-Aid?

Maybe you can call it brainwashing. But I know better. I've walked the high schools were they live. I know what their home life is like. Life is too hard to live out the things we teach unless you are committed.

No, we don't serve Kool-Aid but we do serve vision. And plenty of it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I believe the students I worshiped with tonight can solve some of the big problems we face. $40K towards rescuing young girls from sex-trafficking? They did it. Feeding families Thanksgiving dinner by the hundreds? I've seen the newspaper clippings. They did that too. Putting a huge dent in the water crisis in Zambia? Give them time and they'll check it off the list as well.

I recently read a book by Allen Hertzke, a political science professor I know at the University of Oklahoma. The book, entitled "Freeing God's Children", is about religious persecution around the world. Dr. Hertzke states that there is no better network in the country better equipped to tackle the big political issues than... get this... the local church. Change won't come from major corporations or the political parties. The vision, and the mobilization, for change comes from the church.

That's why we do lights and loud music. Experience leads to change and change leads to action.

Please don't read this and thing I am bragging. It's not about MOVE. We're not the ones going out and making the big changes in communities all across the country. Dr. Hertzke is right. The church is doing that. All we are doing is providing the experience that points them in the right direction.

Is that forcing them to drink the Kool-Aid? I don't think so. But if it is... we'll be handing out refills tomorrow.

CIY:Move 2010

2010-07-10T20:58:00.000-06:00

I leave Monday morning with my high school students to Christ In Youth's Move Conference.
In high school I attended CIY conferences, always in Colorado. And then I choose the Bible college I attended, largely based on it's proximity to CIY's headquarters. I interned with CIY in the summer of 1999. And I've taken numerous students to Conference in the past.
But I'm really looking forward to taking my current students this summer. It's gonna be a great week. We are even throwing in some white water rafting during an extended recreation one day.

Andrew Peterson's "Dancing in the Mine Fields"

2010-07-06T20:43:00.000-06:00

I love this!

Andrew Peterson's "Dancing in the Mine Fields" (sorry the video's only at this linked website...go watch it!)

Andrew Peterson is one of my absolute favorite artist and he just released his very first video. He's been writing and playing music for almost 15 years now and this is his first video...about time. Also his new album is coming out soon, make sure you pick it up. http://www.andrew-peterson.com/.

Quote: Audrey Hepburn

2010-07-04T23:05:00.000-06:00

““For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness, For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people, For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry, For Beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day, For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.””

- Audrey Hepburn

Quote: Elizabeth Gilbert

2010-06-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

“Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be… a prudent insurance policy.”

- Elizabeth Gilbert

My Girl Friday (#2)

2010-06-25T21:55:00.000-06:00

I still believe that "walked" can be true. But until then I'll keep walking.

Just not in Chucks.

Because we're talking miles here, and one needs some good foot support.

Video: Chad Overman - "If I Go"

2010-06-22T09:35:00.001-06:00

I want to introduce you to a friend of mine; Chad Overman.

Chad and I were in a community group in San Antonio and at first I could only just tolerate Chad. For at least three reasons: (1) He just so pretty, (2) when he first went to shake my hand I reached out and he quickly turned his into a fist at the last second for a fist bump...this annoyed me for some reason, and (3) Chad has some long fingernails on his strumming hand which still creep me out.

But Chad's a great guy who has worked through some tough challenges and has gained some valued wisdom. After I somehow fell into the role of "leader" for that group I really appreciated Chad's insights and questions, especially when I wasn't as prepared as I should have been.

Also Chad married a great gal, Jamie.

And his dad was once a motivational speaker!!!

Here's Chad's video for a song off his upcoming album Songs For The Searchers. Buy it here.

Time Comforts

2010-06-21T21:21:00.000-06:00

12:34
11:11
10:10
2:22
1:23
3:45
Apparently there are some times of the day that I find really comforting. Times when all the numbers are the same or when they are in some sort of sequential order just seem better to me. When I happen to look at a clock and it reads these times I get slightly giddy and all right in the world.
Now if it's a normal time like 1:20 or 12:54 or some other random time that doesn't fit the previously mentioned criteria there's no big. I can look at the clock and be just fine. I'm not a freak.
However, if it's 12:33 or 11:10 or 3:44 somethings off. When the time is just a minute away from one of the comfort times I feel the need to sit and wait until the time changes to a more comforting time.
Please don't think I'm weird.

Photo: Jus' Checkin'

2010-06-20T14:49:00.000-06:00

I completely get this cartoon. Some days keeping up with all the accounts is exhausting. However, I still contend that it beats a 100 phone calls and writing out a letter by hand (an excruciatingly painful activity for me). So I'll keep "jus' checkin'".

(thanks)

Photo: My Nephew Keaton

2010-06-14T19:58:00.000-06:00

This is my nephew Keaton.
How cute is this kid?
In my family we play a game called "Dibs". The last to call "dibs" has to change the diaper, or give the bath, or wade out through the mud to get the kid. It's a race with horrible repercussions for the loser. (We're a real maternal breed.)
"Dibs".

FYI.

Video: What's My Motivation?

2010-06-14T14:37:00.000-06:00

This is interesting.

Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose

I've been dwelling on those three factors all afternoon.

My Girl Friday (#1)

2010-06-11T23:39:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking for some time that I should probably start putting pen to paper on some thoughts that I don't tend to share much. But just the thought of actually scribbling something out is cramping my writing hand, so let's just type it up on this here blog. A lot of times these thoughts just end up floating around in the primordial soup that is my mind and never solidify themselves. (In fact I'm thinking that I need to establish several blogging thought lines and this might be a good first start.)
I'm going to call these "My Girl Friday" because I'll publish them only on Fridays and because His Girl Friday is a fun movie, which is free to watch at Hulu.
I usually don't share my 'single-and-looking' thinking because I don't want to be one of those obnoxious guys who seem to only think and talk and whine and complain and muse about their singleness. I loathe the fact that I'll be that guy just on Fridays. There have been a few of those people in my life and when they begin down this path I generally find an excuse to leave the room. (And if you find an excuse to not read along with, I'm okay with that.)
Honestly though I necessarily don't mind being single, it affords me many things. I can decide last minute to not fly to my brother's wedding, but drive cross country and catch a couple of baseball games along the way. I go to movies when I want, and the movies I want. I can work late without disappointing anyone. And so many other scenarios; things that I think Paul would agree with when he wrote about it being better not to marry.
However, while I'm still rocking the single life at age 31, if you would have told me as a child, as a teenager, as a college student, in my twenties that I would be single at this age I would have thought that was nuts. Maybe it's the wedding season, and the numerous friends getting married this year that is spurring some of this, but truth be told I really do want to be married someday. I don't think I was meant for singleness.
Let me wrap this post up.
I don't know exactly how this will all look, but we'll figure it out. Let me know if it get's annoying.

(tbc)

Story: In Construction

2010-06-07T20:30:00.000-06:00

At my brother's wedding recently I was hanging out with some great high school friends of mine. As it tends to happen stories of days gone by were told. And we told a lot. One that my good friend Ryan Charest and I laughed at was about a last minute decision to attend a concert.

[The following story is in no way an endorsement for poor decision making. If you learn from this you're an idiot and I'm surprised you were able to learn from this.]

Ryan and I had just gotten off a 8 hour shift at the McDonald's we worked at, and because we were always hanging out, we started driving around trying to figure out what kind of trouble we could get into. Because the crowd of ladies at the local ice cream place didn't seem to capture our attention we decided to attend a concert.
My youth pastor, Bob Cole, had this musician he really liked. At least he played this Christian artist's music video once a year during a Wednesday night youth group meeting. But for the life of me I can't remember the artist name. Neither could Ryan.
The only problem was the concert started in half an hour and Ryan and I needed to swing by my place and find something other than our McDonald's uniform to wear. Now that I think about it, we actually thought we could successfully hit on girls in our McDonald's gear. Which only tells you just how cool we were. Or weren't.
After a quick stop at my house and a quicker change of clothes, we contacted our friend (and youth pastor's son) Brian Cole, and convinced him to join us. Then like Bo and Luke we skidded across the hood of my 4-cylinder Isuzu I-Mark and headed out.
However, despite our quick stop, our problem only had gotten bigger. Or shorter. I don't know. The concert was in Spearfish, and we were in Rapid City, which according to Google Maps is 48.1 miles away, or 51 minutes. And we only had 30 minutes to make it in time. Plus we needed to stop off in Black Hawk (which was along the way) and pick up Brian.
But it wasn't like we were in a hurry. We didn't really even care about the music, per se. We were just bored and being late was better than doing nothing. So as we travel in our nonchalant manner, we were listening to music and singing and laughing and telling stories and just being teenagers.
That is until I looked down and noticed my speedometer. We were rolling down the road at 115 mph. I said, "hey guys, we're look how fast we're going." We marveled at this for about 10 seconds. Then I noticed something else. "Hey guys. We're going 115 in construction." Yep that's right. I was driving 115 mph in construction. I kept going for another minute, because I wanted to continue to look like I intended to be traveling that fast. But then I quickly slowed down to a more respectable speed of, like, 85 mph.
When we arrived at the concert location we learned that we were an hour early. I swore to myself that I would never speed like that ever again. That was until a few months later. But I promise I've only driven that fast twice.
Again I can't remember who the musician was, but Ryan and I did remember that his guitarist name was George. We could remember because we spent the evening singing between songs, "George. George. George of the jungle. Friend to you and me. Watch out for that tree!" [Remember that? I put the youtube clip at the end to remind you, just in case.]
I don't attempt to explain our behavior, except to say that we were problem strung out on Mellow Yellow and candy cigarettes.
Later we traveled home at a reasonable speed. As we passed other vehicles we would turn on the dome light in my Isuzu I-Mark and start pumping our arms like we were running past them. Then while passing what seemed like the 15th vehicle I notice flashing red and blue lights in my rear view mirror.
I started to panic. I speed up to pull in front of the car we were passing and began to slow down on the shoulder. "I don't think I speeding. Is pretending to run past other vehicles with the dome light on illegal?" None of us knew.
But the state trooper didn't pull me over. In fact he just sped past me at a ridiculous and unsafe speed.
Now I was scared to death, or at least scared to get a ticket. I continued on at a slower than speed limit pace. Then all the cars we had just passed began passing us. Finally the last car passed us and as it did a middle aged woman flipped on her dome light, pretended to be running past us, stopped, then pointed and laughed at us. She was awesome!
That's all the story we tell, but I'm sure we ended up crashing in one of our basements and watching Billy Madison.

#RoadTrip2010 - By The Numbers

2010-06-04T23:51:00.000-06:00

7 Days
5 Days of Travel
2590+ miles
$12 total in tolls
9 States
11 stops for gas
1 choco taco
1 wedding
1 cigar
1 1am breakfast
1 trip up and down the Gateway Arch
2 gnomes
1 frisbee golf course w/ 9 holes
2 rounds of frisbee golf
2 frisbee discs found
2 MLB games
25 Runs scored
48 Hits
8 Homeruns
1 Error
1 Movie
1 "best movie theater ever"

Okay, to be honest, I didn't really count things as I went along. And I can't really think of anything else I could accurately count. So I'm going to end this list.

Road Trip 2010

2010-05-26T19:27:00.000-06:00

Garner, North Carolina to Blair, Nebraska

With several stops along the way.

Tomorrow I hitting the road and going to be brother's wedding in Nebraska. I know, right? Nebraska?
Here's the route: do you know of any good stops along the way.
I'll be twittering and twitpic-ing along the way. Even photos of these tiny gnomes someone put in my car. (http://tweetphoto.com/23650357) Maybe you'll see them at a ball game?

Dennis Hopper & I

2010-05-25T22:38:00.000-06:00

"There are moments that I`ve had some real brilliance, you know. But I think they are moments. And sometimes, in a career, moments are enough. I never felt I played the great part. I never felt that I directed the great movie. And I can`t say that it`s anybody`s fault but my own." - D.I.

I'd love to sit down with this guy and have a few Dr Peppers. I mean seriously, he was in Speed!