Upside of Down

Twitter Killed My Blog

2009-07-29T08:21:00.002-04:00

Hi. Remember me? I am sorry that I have not been around a lot (actually if you are paying attention you can see that I have not been around for over a year).

It's not you...it's me - actually it was Twitter.

I am not sure exactly sure how it happened. I mean we were just having casual conversations (of 140 characters or less) and suddenly I was ignoring posting things on the blog.

I want to tell you, I am a changed man. I mean I still fall down a lot, bump into walls, have random thoughts that usually escape without monitoring, but deep down I have changed. I want to pay greater attention to my blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

So this is what I am going to do - I am going to shut down 'Upside of Down' on blogspot and create a new environment.

I need a fresh start - a new blog, a new location, but all the witty banter about God, wife, family, friends, and a lot of randomness will still be there.

I hope you will be too...

I will post one last blog post on blogspot in the next few weeks telling the time / location.

Will you follow me there? I promise to be better at posting (not necessarily content, but definitely frequency)!

NoiseTrade Widget

2008-07-03T09:24:00.002-04:00

Email in Inbox this morning:

It was through the support and success you gave the Mockingbird experiment that inspired Derek, with the help of a few friends, to start NoiseTrade. Now any artist can freely distribute their music online, via NoiseTrade's remarkable and embeddable widget, offering fans the choice to tell 3 friends or to pay any amount in exchange for an immediate download.

Derek concludes, "If artists and fans realized how they could help each other and started making direct connections, without a middleman, the whole industry would change overnight. It would start a revolution."

Rather than over-charging for music, we want to let you choose your price or will give you the record for free in exchange for a little help. NoiseTrade believes it's time to stop applying the old rules to a new world. If we can work together, an environment is created for the long-term benefit of both fans and artists.

Thank you for your continued support of Derek and for participating in this grand experiment.

Check out NoiseTrade today!

No warning

2008-06-25T13:34:00.002-04:00

I have decided that I have reached the end of the Internet and will be taking a blogging hiatus...no good or bad reason. I'm just going to take a break for a while.

What can I use the 'extra' time for?

Water shortage empties pocketbooks

2008-06-19T20:26:00.002-04:00

Govenor Sonny Purdue put mandatory water restrictions on all homes throughout the state of Georgia this last year. The citizens of Georgia followed the regulations - stopped watering their yards and washing cars, shared shower and bath times, changed out normal toilets for low flow toilets, and turned the water off when brushing their teeth.

What was the result?

We conserved too much water according the city of Atlanta Water Board! What does that mean? It means that the city didn't make enough money off of the water usage and as a result they are raising the water and sewage rates!

Thanks Major Shirley Franklin...

Sleepless flights

2008-06-18T20:56:00.004-04:00

The last couple times we flew with Morgan to Denver to see the grandparents, we planned the flight to coinside with nap/bed time. What better way to spend 2.5-3 hours on a flight than with a sleeping 2 year old? That time provides a time for Jen and I to re-energize our souls by reading, talking, writing, watching television or a movie (Frontier Airlines), or napping.

Things did not quite work out that way this time!

This was the first time that we have flown since Matthew was born - I am thankful that airlines still are not charging for infants (2 years or younger) that sit in an adults lap. We headed to the airport on Friday night bound for Denver. We followed our usual MO - late flight so that Morgan (and now Matthew) would sleep.

Not so much

Morgan talked, laughed, screamed, hit, swung, and kicked (I want to say I'm sorry to the people that sat in front of us on both flights) the entire flight! As soon as the wheels went up, the little 2 year old devil horns sprouted from her head. It was totally weird.

There were many 'conversations' between Morgan and myself in the bathroom about how to behave and to listen to what Mommy and Daddy say. Nothing worked. We just grinned and beared it until we began our decent to 15,000 feet - at which time Morgan took a power nap for maybe 20 minutes to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the grandparents!

The flight home was pretty much a carbon copy of the flight out. I have come to the conclusion that we will not be flying out with Morgan anytime soon - so if you live out of driving range (5 hours) then you will need to fly to us!

Overdue Posts

2008-06-18T20:50:00.002-04:00

These last couple weeks have been extremely busy - maybe not physically, but mentally I have been extremely drained! Between work changes, traveling across country, exploding laundry detergent bottles, and Matthew going to school, Jen and I have not really had a moment to catch our breath.

So between tonight and this weekend, I plan on catching up on my blog posts. So the next posts will go out all in one night (maybe tonight?) or over the next few days. My goal is by Sunday to be caught up with 'past' posts and return to the usual inconsistent schedule.

Sound good?

Under Construction

2008-06-11T13:25:00.003-04:00

Excuse the changes that are making my blog extremely long (format-wise) and the redundancy. I'm trying to figure out all the add-ins and such. I'm still thinking a out moving to a new blog host...

Tired

2008-06-11T12:47:00.002-04:00

The once daily or twice daily blog posts dwindled to weekly posts. The weekly posts have dwindled even further to monthly posts. There is really no excuse, talking to some buddies lately I think I can be diagnosed with 'blogger's block'. There is a lot going on in my life, but nothing sticking to be 'blog-worthy' or really 'blog-ready'.

I sit down in front of blogger and nothing but random unconnected thoughts spew out. Maybe I need a change of scenery to write more?

I am sitting on the Light Rail from Littleton, CO to downtown Denver and can come up with different things to write about - again mostly random thoughts, but at least there is some sort of inter-relatedness (although I'm not real sure that is even possible). I am highly entertained by the conversations of those sitting around me and the different people getting on and off the train at each station (homeless, teenagers, business man, etc).

Maybe I should spend the day on the train and just post the smells, sights, and sounds of the 'daily commute' of Denver?

Hotter than the 12th level of Hell already

2008-06-05T13:27:00.002-04:00

In the mail yesterday I received my 'Certificate of Completion' from the nightmare of a marathon in October (a.k.a. 'Hotter Than Hell Fun Run'). Looking over the certificate, it states that I was a 'Participant of the 2007 Chicago Marathon'. Participant? How about "pissed off runner that trained for almost 2 years for a race that I was told I couldn't finish because of the Race Director's inability to get his head out of his arse"? I'm pretty sure that wasn't put on the certificate because the title was too long. They could have put "Survivor" and that would have been just as good.

I digress.

The reason for this post is not to rant and rave (any more than necessary), but to announce (ha! like anyone really cares) that I have figured out my training schedule for this year. It is simple - don't run outside in the heat! So, I will continue to exercise, but it will be 90% completed in-doors either on a treadmill (crap), elliptical (ugh), or a bike (ouch), plus some weights to get my 'swell' on!

Now I just need to find a race in the Fall and everything will be set!

Live Salty - the tattoo experience

2008-06-03T14:06:00.003-04:00

If you are a friend of Dustin Bryson and have his contact information you need to change your gmail status to reflect the launch of pcitylive.com! If for no other reason than below:

Click on the picture to read the small print - I want to see my name as a tattoo on his face! That is commitment!

Book Review: Jesus in the Margins

2008-06-02T01:00:00.004-04:00

Like most people in their mid-30s I was first introduced to Rick McKinley by Donald Miller in his book Blue Like Jazz. It was here that I first read about Rick’s passion to re-imagine church – to change the image of church for people that feel beyond reach. Pastor Rick and his wife moved to to establish a community “for people to discover the love of Christ in the reality of life,” (taken from his book’s back cover).

In Rick’s book, Jesus in the Margins, he explains how the encompassing love of Jesus reaches down into the margins of society. That He came to Earth for those broken souls that usually go unnoticed by mainstream society. Throughout the book, Rick walks the readers into the margins of life, showing them that it is in the margins that we see the image of God (Imago Dei incidentally is the name of the community started by he and his wife).

How many of you have seen the figurine of Jesus playing soccer, baseball, or football with the kids? This is the culturally agreed upon image of Christ most of us have in our heads – right or wrong. Rick’s description would be a harder sell in the Christian bookstores. He describes Jesus as a misfit in his family, town, and culture He grew up in (Chapters 2 and 3). Jesus grew up in a small, rural town amidst whispers, behind the back accusations, and branded an illegitimate child. He didn’t fit the status quo – he was a “friend of sinners” (p. 51).

Jesus in the Margins opens and closes with chapters devoted to real life stories of people. They share their stories of life: neglect, sexual abuse, growing up fatherless, success-driven personalities, and homelessness. Each story is my story, not because I have gone through each of these circumstances, but because ‘margin dwellers’ feel that they are alone and have no real expectation to be welcomed if someone knew their ‘real story’.

We are not supposed to do life alone. We are supposed to live life in community with other Christ followers – we are “wired” for community. We need each other – without community we cannot become all we were designed to be (we were created on purpose and with a purpose). Just because we are meant to be in community, does not mean community is always neat. Rick says that “community is messy” (p. 162). It is messy because those that live in “community are required to fall at Jesus’ feet and beg him for the love it takes to obey the ‘one another’ commands” (p. 162). We exist for God and for those in our community.

Rick’s life is his book. He writes with an honest voice, accepting that he cannot do anything for God to love him more or less. He accepted many years ago that reality is a tough place to be with or without Jesus – life is not fair, but God is in control. Rick says that “sin is our desire to run our own lives any way we want” (p. 65), and that no matter how many times he fails, that “grace…keeps coming my way…” (p. 68). This is what resonated with me the most – no matter how many times I try to do things my way; I’m going to screw things up; just as much as I make a mess of my life, “You are accepted because of what Christ has done for you, not because of what you can do for Christ” (p. 144).

Sandwich: A Song For 10 year old boys

2008-05-28T21:28:00.003-04:00

I was reading Shlog's post this afternoon and was reminded of a song that my step-father used to sing when I was a kid:

Scab sandwich with puss on top,
chicken vomit,
camel snot,
cat's eyeballs and chicken guts too,
a scab sandwich is the thing for you!

There really is nothing like grossing out your sisters and mother when you are 10 years old and this always did it!

There really is no reason for this post - it just fits the mood I am in tonight. Man, I am a little hungry though...

Who wants free movies?

2008-05-28T20:22:00.004-04:00

Why am I always a day late and dollar short?

After seeing a number of people talking about Redbox on Twitter and now my wife asking me about it, it was time to look into this little gem of a company further.

What did I find?

How about free movies on Wednesdays, $1 a night rentals, and movie drop-off at any Redbox that is convenient? With gas prices increasing and day care costs increasing, I believe we will now be able to afford movie night! Sweet!

I can't imagine...

2008-05-22T13:50:00.004-04:00

Life is not fair.

Most people have heard the news by now that tragedy took grasp of Steven Curtis Chapman and his family with the death of his daughter on Wednesday evening.

I can't imagine what his family is going through right now: the loss of his daughter, the guilt his son is feeling. It all just breaks my heart and puts me at a loss of words; actually, there are a few words that I have for this entire situation, but mostly I am just sick to my stomach.

Pray for the family and friends that are directly effected by this horrific accident!

I <3 a challenge

2008-05-21T15:23:00.000-04:00

Most of you (remember, there are only about 6 of you that read this blog. I love my family!) know that I love to read and write. I read a lot and write on a inconsistent basis. Recently though I have begun to write more regularly (not on the blog obviously, but for work and for 'fun').

On my night stand there is usually no less than 5 books stacked in the corner under my lamp - which drives Jen crazy! She likes her night stand to be orderly, I like to be able to knock things unto the floor when I reach for my blackberry at 2 AM - different strokes for different folks. Right now there are a couple books that are kicking my arse - both in reading and writing.

Reading:

I am reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell and eventually will do a book review. Most people have read the book or have at least heard of Rob Bell. I have listened to his podcast for Mars Hill for a while and have seen most, if not all of his Nooma videos. But this was the first time that I have actually read any of his books.

Let me tell you he is breaking my bones. I'll explain more once I am finished with the book, but let me say that I am only on the third chapter and I am totally in inner monologue conversations with him challenging me on all levels. I love a good challenge - that is the only way we grow!

Writing:

I am writing a book review of Rick McKinley's book Jesus in the Margins. I am writing the review for a blog/twitter buddy - can't tell you about the project he is working on now, but should be able to link to it in the near future!

Jesus in the Margins was also a great challenge. In response to the challenge, my definition of neighbor, community, and love has expanded. I'll post the review when it is 'safe' to do so.

Growth is hard, but well worth it!

Refrigerator Test

2008-05-21T14:01:00.001-04:00

I found this blog-stalking this afternoon and had to share. How well did you score?

You will be asked four questions and you must rely on your common sense to answer them correctly. It is said approximately 90% of the professionals tested get all of the questions wrong. But many pre-school children got several correct answers. This supposedly means most professionals have the brains of a four year old. What do 'they' know.

Q1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe and close the door. (This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.)

Q2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Wrong Answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the door.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. (This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your actions.)

Q3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend, except one. Which animal does not attend?

Correct Answer: The elephant, since it is still in the refrigerator. (This tests your memory.) [I prefer to think it tests my patience.]

Even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your abilities.

Q4. There is a river you must cross, but it is inhabited by crocodiles. How do you manage it?

Correct Answer: You swim across. All of the crocodiles are attending the meeting! (This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes) [My common sense tells me that if you cross crocodile infested waters you don’t get to make any more mistakes.

HT: Larry (Ode 17)

Senator Kennedy

2008-05-20T16:00:00.001-04:00

Please pray for Senator Kennedy and his family - he was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor this weekend. The tumor is a malignant glioma tumor - which means that the brain cancer is formed in the supportive tissue in the brain.

Here are a couple links from the American Brain Tumor Association explaining gliomas:

Gliomas (defined)

What patients and families need to know about gliomas.

Compassion Bloggers Trip #2 (Dominican Republic)

2008-05-16T15:17:00.003-04:00

Man - I would love to go on this trip! Go and check out the new web site for Compassionbloggers.com, while you are there pick up a widget, put one on your site and select the child or children that will be ever changed because of your love!

Favorite T-shirt

2008-05-15T12:37:00.003-04:00

I couldn't get a good picture of the shirt (besides my crappy cell phone), so I found something on Flickr that had the shirt's 'logo'.

Homes: Dwarf, Victorian, and Otherwise

2008-05-15T12:35:00.002-04:00

This past weekend we took a family trip to Savannah (Jen's parents, sister, and our clan of Lemmings, plus the dog). We were looking forward to a great weekend and were not disappointed. Here is a 'brief' recap of the trip:

New food places: original Chick-fil-a Dwarf House near the Atlanta airport (did you know this is the only Chick-fil-a that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?); Firefly Cafe' (food was fantastic);
Churchill's Pub and Restaurant (food not so good); Spanky's (the original chicken finger place on Tybee Island - food was good; you really can't mess up chicken fingers); Paula Deen's place, Lady and Sons for Mother's Day (food was a disappointment).
Savannah-time: horse-cart tour of Savannah - great history of the squares, the city, the homes, some ghost stories, etc (overall it was awesome); Tybee Island was great (imagine a non-commercialized Panama City minus the rednecks) - we'll be back for sure!; our accommodations were pretty cool - pretty much in walking distance of historic downtown Savannah - it was a 100+ year old Victorian house that pretty much looked like IKEA vomited within it;
Entertainment: Lulu's Chocolate Bar was freakin' tasty and the art work was 'out-there' (very cool); Jen and I had a date afternoon and saw 'What happens in Vegas' (deserves 2 1/2 star - but what do you expect with Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz? it was cute, but should have just rented it in a couple weeks); the alone time with Jen was awesome- Thanks Mimi, Papa, and Mama for putting up with screaming kids (oops!); we also watched 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil', I had seen it a couple times before coming to Savannah - Brian (FIL) said that if they would have seen the movie before the reservations in Savannah, we would have been somewhere else for the weekend!

We had a great time in Savannah and can't wait to get back (maybe next time Jen and I will get to go without the kids and will be able to experience it without being 'mommy and daddy')!

Political Cycle

2008-05-07T13:47:00.001-04:00

Growing up in the late 70s/early 80s my favorite toy was my Big Wheel.

I would spin out, slam on the brake, crash into anything moving or not moving, and generally raise havoc. The only problem with the Big Wheel was that after a week or two of racing my friends and crashing into the curb to stop, a portion of the front wheel would flatten out. From that point forward, the sound of wind blowing through my jacked up 1970's hair cut was replaced with the 'thwump, thwump, thwump' of the Big Wheel.

For the last 13 months the US has been bombarded with 'news' stories and commercials (radio, television, Internet, email, and phone), telling us how great or pitiful those running for the nomination to be President of the United States. Generally, I am a person with strong political views - I'm not going to bash you over the head for your beliefs, but will contribute to a 'discussion' if I am in the mood to rumble; especially if you are 'drinking the cool-aid' of a politician or political system and have done no research to understand 'your' belief. (Unfortunately, America is full of 'sheep-ole'.)

Rambling. Sorry.

All that being said. I am so sick and tired of this political cycle 'thwumping' through my head. The Democrat Party can't decide on who is going to best not be George Bush, and the Repuke-licans can't find someone to nominate that offers voters a voice for tomorrow. I still can't believe that we are going to have 7 months of this political unrest before the lesser of two evils is selected to lead our country.

BLAH...

It only took 3-4 weeks

2008-05-05T15:50:00.002-04:00

We have finally decided on which child we are going to sponsor through Compassion! Everyone meet the newest addition to our family!

We can't wait to get to know Olupot Najin from Uganda! We will introduce Morgan to Olupot (well at least to his picture - maybe one day we'll actually all get to meet each other face to face!) and get her to color some pictures for him.

We are so excited to be able to share our blessings with Olupot, and expect to be blessed by his letters, pictures, stories, and prayers.

Please add him to your prayers. If you are looking for a way to add to your life, while helping a child receive the assistance to reach their full potential please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion!

Prayer

2008-05-01T10:29:00.002-04:00

Seeing that today is the National Day of Prayer, I thought that I would share my new quote of the day.

Your prayer life is more important that you think, and is weaker than you think!

Prayer is our vertical connection with God and connects our souls. Stop and pray today. Say a short prayer in your cubicle; when you are stopped in traffic; as you walk to lunch or the bathroom. Pray for wisdom and strength; your community, city and state; world affairs and social justice (poverty, hunger, AIDS, malaria, and other conflicts)!

What sort of impact can you make with prayer?

If you have a prayer request, you can contact pinkhairedgirl.net via the button on the right side of the page.

Hometown Bandwagon

2008-04-29T13:50:00.001-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of professional sports, but I will on occasion jump on a bandwagon of a team that is outside of Atlanta. Typically all sports in Atlanta are terrible - an exception to the rule are the Braves, Georgia Force, and the Thrashers. So I guess that only leaves the Hawks and the Falcons.

Well, as of last night I am on the Hawks bandwagon! I turned the Hawks-Celtics game on last night and the Hawks were losing 13-3 and could do nothing about it, but then when I wake up this morning I found out that they won?!?! How the....?

The series is tied at 2-2, with two games left. Could the Hawks pull it off? Probably not, but if they do you can hear me say with gumption - GO HAWKS!

World Malaria Day

2008-04-25T11:10:00.002-04:00

According to the CDC,

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and
flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications
and die. Each year 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide,
and over one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Each day 1 person dies of Malaria every 30 seconds. That is 565,000 deaths per year that can easily be prevented by giving out insecticide-treated bed nets for kids and families to sleep under, as well as by giving anti-malarial drugs.

The fastest thing we can do is to buy bed nets for the people living in the malaria rampant areas (see map above).

Follow the links below to buy a net and save lives ($10 will buy one, $20 will buy two, you get the picture) --

Book Review: Consuming Jesus

2008-04-24T21:50:00.001-04:00

Totally challenging and rewarding!

It was an interesting read for me because of the timing of it - the
US in the midst of a political cycle that has two very similar groups of people (conservatives and liberals) vying for the seat of the
presidency telling us how different they are; at the same time, personally I am in the midst of some self
review. In the midst (I just like saying that word) of it all, this book was dropped at my front door.

This book has probably had more of an impact on how I look at my community than any other book on my bedside table. I struggled initially with the book because it slammed up against much of my previous notions (politically, culturally, and religiously). By the last chapter, my definition of community had changed from the limited view of community - the people in the area you live in that look like you, live like you, sound like you, and smell like you, to a new view of community that encompassed all people (no matter their social standings and their religious beliefs).

My favorite part of the book was the conclusion, A Nobler Vision of Patchwork Quilts and Church Potlucks. The chapter provided a vision for how the church the active part of the community, networking to serve and strengthen each piece.

Birthday Night 2008

2008-04-21T22:02:00.003-04:00

Checklist for the evening:

1. Childcare (free for us - screaming for Grandparents watching Matthew, sorry! Morgan eating pizza and having a great time with cousin Jackson)
2. Dinner (free)
3. Entertainment (free)

How?

This evening the church provided childcare and food for the volunteers in appreciation for having a "servant's heart" over the last year or so.

We had a great time laughing at the Tim Hawkins this evening. I wish he would have performed this song.

Weekend Recap

2008-04-21T14:54:00.002-04:00

1. No technology = happy family (I am enjoying not having my cell or crackberry turned on during the weekend - gives all of us peace)

2. Woke up on Saturday to Mickey Mouse pancakes (made by Jen and Morgan). Morgan sang 'Happy Birthday' to me which I loved! Although, I think we confused her; because we sang on Saturday then it MUST have been my birthday then (her thinking). This morning when Jen told her to tell me 'Happy Birthday' and give me my birthday card, she said 'No' it is Mimi's birthday today.

3. Took care of the Norris Clan's kiddos on Saturday to allow Christy and Brandon to have a 'date lunch' - it is our turn next!

4. Went to church on Sunday - Jen volunteered for the 2-3 year old class and it sounds like it is time to move on to the older kids; the sermon was on being a good 'steward'/tithing - the sermon was good and challenging.

5. Dinner and playtime at the Norris' house - Morgan woke up this morning asking if she could go back to their house to jump on the trampoline and ride the roller-coaster.

6. I decided that for my 33rd birthday that we would 'adopt' (this doesn't feel like the right word) a child through Compassion. I can't decide on either a child from Uganda or Haiti - still praying about it!

Awesome weekend!

Chinese poem

2008-04-18T15:27:00.001-04:00

The following Chinese poem was attributed to John M. Perkins in "Consuming Jesus" by Paul Metzger.

Go to the people
Live among them
Learn from them
Love them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have:
But of the best leaders
When their task is done
The people will remark
"We have done it ourselves."

The book took more time to finish than I had expected. I will try to get a review/quotes out by Monday (April 21). Although, I am planning another technology free weekend. We'll see how everything goes!

I guess there are no Krispy Kreme sales in Spain

2008-04-17T10:49:00.001-04:00

Here is my favorite news story of the day:

Spanish Moms Strapped for Cash After Charity Nude Calendar's Poor Sales

Here is the introduction to the article:

Seven middle-aged Spanish moms who posed for a tongue-in-cheek erotic calendar — a fundraiser for their children's tiny, rural school — are now saddled with debt and 5,000 unwanted copies.

When I was in school (both as a student and a teacher) the preferred method of raising money for the school was by selling candy bars, lollipops, wrapping paper, or Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Not once did a group of moms step up and offer to make an erotic calendar!

I continue to be grateful for many things in my life...

Google Searches

2008-04-15T15:39:00.001-04:00

These are my favorite google searches that people are using and then going to my blog:

1. I threw up and my throat hurts
2. Liver enzymes and running
3. Deny life insurance fatty liver
4. Upsides to the fair tax

The other searches are some what normal (read = boring).

Great Weekend

2008-04-14T14:21:00.001-04:00

After this last week of little sleep due to work related (not newborn or 2 year old related) mishaps. I decided that I was going to have a "technology free" weekend - no cell phone, no crackberry, and no work-computer. I could focus 100% of my time on family. Let me tell you. It. Was. Awesome!

The down side? I had almost 400 emails in my Inbox at work when I got in today. That was it. The world did not end; I didn't lose any sleep (at least no more than usual); and I didn't freak out and check my pocket or waist band when ever I heard a chirp or beep.

We had a great time in Auburn this weekend. We got to hang out with the whole gang, we played Wii (my first time), ate some awesome grub, and listened to some amazing vocals of the 5 kids and 5 dogs.

Fantastic!

"Bears attack local teens"

2008-04-10T01:03:00.002-04:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read this tonight. How could I have missed this the first time I read through the pages? I stopped and read it again,

"...two bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths..."

This was the end of the quote. Let me lead you back to the beginning. I found the story in the 2 Kings 2:23-24. Yep, the Bible. Here is the entire verse:

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road,
some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you
baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" 24
He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the
name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled
forty-two of the youths.

I found this verse reading Stuff Christians Like, a blog by Prodigal Jon. Each post is brilliantly written (as is everything else I have read on his other 2 sites). The posts in this specific blog are brilliant because they are truth - it may be ugly, embarrassing, convicting, but the things on the site are all laughable because we all know "that guy or girl".

I think that Jon is part robot. He has to be, there is no other way to explain how quickly and thought provoking each of the posts (plural) he puts up each day! I struggle to put post something once or twice a week and here is Jon (3 sites, multiple posts) - a posting machine.

Check out his Stuff Christian Like site - if you like what you are reading let him know. Besides posting, he is also writing a book (based on the Stuff Christian Like site). I've read the first chapter and can't wait to read the next ones!

I am back baby!

2008-04-08T13:44:00.001-04:00

Today I surprised myself. I have been slowly getting back into the whole exercise thing for the last month or so - I run, bike, walk, or stretch 3 days a week during my lunch break (it is too hard to run at home before work or after work and not miss out on time with my smokin' hot wife and 2 munchkins).

I decided that as soon as the month of April commenced, I would no longer run inside on the dreadmill or the elliptical, but that I would make the extra effort to run outside. Well, the first week of April was a wash. It rained pretty much everyday that I set aside to exercise. So I pushed back the calendar one more week, hoping for dry weather.

Today was the first day back running outside. The weather was nice (low to mid 60s) with a little humidity, but unfortunately, the pollen count was almost 3000! It didn't matter, I am beginning to hate the spare tire around my waist - at first it was nice because it kept me warm during the cooler months, but it is getting close to beach weather people! Oh, and my pants aren't fitting any more - it is time to step it up!

I planned to run/walk for 30 minutes today (4 minute run, 1 minute walk), but once I started running, I felt pretty good so I kept going.

Less than thirty minutes later I had completed 3.15 miles! Did I run the entire time? No, but most of it! I think I ended up running 2.8 miles and walked the other .35 miles.

It wasn't pretty running, but I am happy to report that I am back and looking for a race to work towards. Nothing more than a half or less than a 5K. I wonder if I can get my 5K time down to less than 25 minutes? hmm....

Porker

2008-04-07T14:36:00.001-04:00

Matthew just had his 1 month check up. He registered in the 86 percentile in weight and 76 percentile in height - he weighed in at 11 pounds, 11 ounces! That would mean that he put on one pound in one week!

Stuff White People Like - a blog like no other

2008-04-07T13:37:00.001-04:00

I am taking no credit for this post at all - it has been hijacked from Stuff White People Like, a hilarious blog that everyone must read.

The post today is talking about "free health care"

In spite of having access to the best health insurance and fanciest hospitals, white people are passionate about the idea of socialized medicine. So much so that they have memorized statistics and examples of how for-profit medicine has destroyed the United States.
But before you can exploit this information for personal gain, it’s important that you understand why white people are so in love with free health care.
The first and most obvious reason is “they have it Europe.” White people love all things European, this especially true of things that are unavailable in the United States (Rare Beers, Absinthe, legal marijuana, prostitution, soccer). The fact that it’s available in Canada isn’t really that impressive, but it does contribute to their willingness to threaten to move there.
These desires were only heightened in 2007 when Michael Moore released “Sicko,” a documentary that contrasts the health care industry in the United States with that of Canada, France and Cuba. As a general rule of thumb, white people are always extra passionate about issues that have been the subject of a Moore documentary. As a test, ask them about 9/11, Gun Control, or Health Care and then say “where did you get that information?” You will not be surprised at the results.
But the secret reason why all white people love socialized medicine is that they all love the idea of receiving health care without having a full-time job. This would allow them to work as a freelance designer/consultant/copywriter/photographer/blogger, open their own bookstore, stay at home with their kids, or be a part of an Internet start-up without having to worry about a benefits package. Though many of them would never follow this path, they appreciate having the option.
If you need to impress a white person, merely mention how you got hurt on a recent trip Canada/England/Sweden and though you were a foreigner you received excellent and free health care. They will be very impressed and likely tell you about how powerful drug and health care lobbies are destroying everything.
Though their passion for national health care runs deep, it is important to remember that white people are most in favor of it when they are healthy. They love the idea of everyone have equal access to the resources that will keep them alive, that is until they have to wait in line for an MRI.
This is very similar to the way that white people express their support for public schools when they don’t have children.

Glory

2008-04-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

Last night as I sat in the Men's Bible study for "In a Pit with a Lion", the leader of the evening went through one of the last chapters of the book and was saying that "God doesn't give us anything we can't handle". Now, I have heard this a number of times in church-world and I am sure I was warmed by this notion that God is looking out for my best interest.

But last night it took on a different meaning, bringing me to a new realization - that statement was 100% false; rather, I think the statement needs to be reworded to:

"God doesn't give us anything that HE can't handle"

We are selfish. We think that God is focusing on our problems and opportunities, and therefore He would never cause us pain, hurt, or embarrassment. When in fact, He is focusing on the opportunities that would bring glory to HIM. It is never about us, bringing glory to ourselves - it is about recognizing and going after the God-sized opportunities that surround us for HIM.

We aren't supposed to be relying on the strength that we have, because there will always be situations/opportunities that we will fail. We are supposed to rely on His strength and have the faith to understand that we aren't supposed to go alone, rather to go with the faith that He has our back.

Newest Add-ons (toys)

2008-03-28T14:32:00.001-04:00

This is my "official" list of add-ons for my Firefox browser. Why would anyone still be using IE?

ScribeFire Add-on for Firefox

2008-03-28T13:37:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to see if this add-on works...

This is pretty sweet! Now, I don't have to worry about going to blogger directly to post something, I can be on any page and when inspiration hits - WHAM! a blog post will appear....

do i use "..." too much?

....?

Tax Rebate

2008-03-27T10:07:00.002-04:00

I found this in my INBOX this morning:

President George Bush said each one of us would get a $600.00 tax rebate. It was previously slated to be $800.00, but they dropped it to a $600.00 tax rebate because of various budget problems. Now, if we spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China. If we spend it on computers, most of the money will go to Korea or India . If we spend it on gasoline, it will all go to the Arabs . . . and none of these scenarios will help the American economy.

We need to keep that money here in America . . . so the only way to keep that money here at home is to drink beer, gamble, or spend it on prostitution. Currently it seems that these are the only businesses still left in the U.S.

I'm Elliot Spitzer, and I approve this message.

795 Super-delegates

2008-03-25T15:34:00.003-04:00

For those that are politically minded, a quote for the day -

Unelected delegates thus have more than twice the votes of the richest state prize, California.

This quote is taken from an article in the Wall Street Journal by John Yoo titled, "The Democrat's Super Disaster". The article is talking about the unelected super-delegates power in Presidential elections (specifically the cluster #@#$@#$#%@ that is the 2008 Democrat Presidential Delegate).

The article in and of itself is not 100% accurate, but has some good parts to it overall.

Layers of the Earth

2008-03-24T12:57:00.004-04:00

Here is one of the many t-shirts I wish I had when I was still teaching. It details the layers of the Earth in a much more reasonable way than I ever could.

HT: Threadless

Purple crayons...

2008-03-24T10:32:00.006-04:00

As a teacher of middle school and high school aliens for nearly 7 years, I was told on a number of occasions that it was best not to grade my student's papers using a red pen. Why? Because it would wound the spirits of the kids that missed a lot of the questions to see all that red (the paper looks like it was bleeding).

So each year before the school year would start I would stock up on school supplies and I made sure that I had enough multicolored pens to survive the school year's grading and that I didn't wound anyone's spirits. Instead of papers being covered in red ink, the papers were covered in purples, blues, greens, browns, whatever color Crayola made I used (other than red of course).

Well, after the first week of the NCAA tourney, it looks like my brackets went through a kill zone! Look at all the red...

My spirit hurts just a little bit...

On our own...

2008-03-24T10:16:00.004-04:00

We have been blessed these last 2 weeks to have live-in grandparents and an aunt for the weekend to help out with Morgan and Matthew (as well as the kitchen, grocery store, Chuck E. Cheese, McDonalds, etc.). We knew those days would come to an end and Jen and I would have the house and all its demands to handle on our own at some point.

Well, as of 4 PM (EST) yesterday the house was officially empty - meaning that Jen and I were on our own!

The result?

We had McDonald's for dinner last night, put Morgan to bed at 7:45 (started at 6:30), and Jen and I were able to sit and watch television on the couch with Matthew in the swing. We thought things were going to go smoothly.

Matthew gets fed at 10:00 and has the hiccups/spit ups until almost midnight. Morgan was up and in our bed by 3:45 and whispering ('Daddy pat me') until about 4:45ish. Then Matthew gets fed again some where shortly thereafter...which means he is grunting and making spit up noises until about 6:30ish. I wake up Jen and Morgan (who is still in our bed - and is actually drooling on my pillow), so that I can take Morgan to school and get on the road by 8:00.

Oh happy day! We survived the night and there were no major meltdowns this morning.

Good Friday

2008-03-21T10:41:00.004-04:00

The reason for our celebration on Sunday began today (Good Friday) more than 2000 years ago.

Hebrews 2:14-17
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

As good as chocolate Easter Bunnies taste, remember the reason to celebrate Easter is the ultimate sacrifice of Christ - given in place of us.

March Madness

2008-03-19T11:12:00.004-04:00

The Tourney starts tomorrow (which means the trash talk has already begun). Check out the link and watch my bracket come to life with the winners! I'm going old school and having the Hoyas come through and win it all!

St. Patrick was a Brit!!!!!

2008-03-17T15:56:00.002-04:00

Taken from Relevant Magazine's webpage:

St. Patrick's Day has become a cultural phenomenon in the United States, forever associated with Irish pride, copious amounts of alcohol consumption and those weird green milkshakes from McDonald’s. But, how much do you really know about where it all came from? Here are 10 facts you may not have known about St. Patrick's Day.

1. You Already Missed It
Though St. Patrick's Day generally takes place on March 17, the date is moved when it coincides with Holy Week. Because Easter falls early this year, Pope Benedict moved the date of St. Patrick's Day to March 15. Consider today a do-over.

2. St. Patrick Wasn't Irish
The archetypical symbol of all things Irish was actually a Brit. Patrick, whose real name was Maewyn Succat, was born around 378 in Roman-controlled Britain to a fairly affluent family. But, our next fact proves the age-old adage: Mo' Money, Mo' Problems.

3. St. Patrick Was a Slave
When he was 16, Irish marauders attacked Patrick's family's estate and kidnapped Patrick along with several of his father's vassals. Patrick was sold into slavery, and for six years worked as a shepherd before escaping to France.

4. St. Patrick Was Responsible for One of the Greatest Missionary Movement's of All Time
After escaping from slavery, Patrick devoted himself to studying theology and doctrine. He had a passion to return to the very people who had enslaved him. In spite of the objections of his diocese, who felt he was wasting his education, Patrick returned to Ireland after being ordained as a bishop at the age of 43. As he evangelized the people, Christianity took hold quickly. Within a few short years, Ireland became one of the foremost launching points for missionaries in the world. The Irish were responsible for evangelizing most of Western Europe.

5. St. Patrick Didn't Drive the Snakes Out of Ireland
Legend likes to see St. Patrick as a forerunner to modern-day hero Samuel L. Jackson, driving snakes off the metaphorical plane that was Ireland. However, snakes are not even indigenous to Ireland. The legend probably arose because the serpent was one of the symbols of the Celtic pagan religions.

6. St. Patrick Used the Shamrock to Explain the Trinity
The shamrock was considered a sacred plant by the Celtic religions, because it symbolized the rebirth of Spring. Patrick used the three-leafed plant to describe the unity of the Godhead.

7. Green Was Not the Original Color of St. Patrick's Day
The original color associated with St. Patrick was blue. Green was actually considered unlucky, because it was associated with mischevious spirits.

8. There Are More People of Irish Descent in the United States Than in Ireland
There are currently some 34 Million United States residents who claim Irish heritage. That's almost 10 times the population of Ireland. Of course, that number no doubt quadruples on St. Patrick's Day.

9. The First St. Patrick's Day Parade Took Place in Colonial New York
The St. Patrick's Day Parade is a tradition older than our country. In 1766, Irish members of the British colonial army marched through New York City to honor their patron saint.

10. The St. Patrick's Day Parade is the Longest Running Civilian Parade in the World
After that initial parade in 1762, individual Irish fraternal organizations held their own parades to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. In 1850, these parades united to form the one we know today. Yet, somehow, Regis Philbin has always been a part of it.

Audacity to Hope

2008-03-17T15:42:00.003-04:00

As most people around the world have seen on the news this last week, Rev. Jeremiah Wright has said some rather controversial things in his past from the pulpit in Chicago. Because on the limited remarks of which there is video, people are speculating that Obama has similar views on America and want to know how Obama could have Rev. Wright as a spiritual mentor.

I don't necessarily agree with Obama's stance on most "government" related issues, but think he is getting a raw deal for some of the comments the Rev. has made. I do like Obama's response to ABC News.

Reverend Wright is like “an old uncle who says things I don’t always agree with.” And the candidate said Saturday, “I completely reject” the statements Wright made in those sermons.

Here is the sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Wright from which Obama got the name of his book. You will be surprised if you get your news from the mainstream media or even talk radio - it pays to be well informed.

Go Eagles!!!

2008-03-17T11:35:00.002-04:00

My youngest sister found out this morning that she was accepted into the Clinical Psych PhD program at Southern Miss. This has been a long term prayer request for her to do well on the graduate tests, interviews, and acceptance - and the prayers have been answered with a resounding "GO FOR IT!"

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

Baby's Best Puppy

2008-03-15T19:11:00.001-04:00

Here is a close up of Matthew in one of his new outfits (this one is not too girly)! I was playing around with the digital macro setting.

We're not in Kansas anymore...

2008-03-14T22:29:00.002-04:00

Tonight a thunderstorm that was not supposed to bring much to the Atlanta area, apparently brought forth a possible tornado that whipped through downtown. Pieces of the Georgia Dome collapsed during the SEC Tourney - but don't worry the games tonight will continue on. Oh, and no one had major injuries.

Go Miss State! Go KY!

a Hope to believe in?

2008-03-12T21:59:00.001-04:00

How did Ed Norton become the big green?

The "Real" Tom Cruise

2008-03-12T14:24:00.003-04:00

ht: Flowerdust

This is how I picture Tom Cruise at his house. I got the link for how celebrities would look if they lived in Oklahoma from Flowerdust - be sure to check out the rest of the pictures. Some are awesome and not that much of a stretch from reality.

Readability...

2008-03-11T14:14:00.002-04:00

I was doing my daily blog stalking and came upon this blog reading level. I was sure that the reading level was preschool or lower, but some how it measured out as Genius.

Really? Weird...

ht: Bill LaMorey

Keep your pants zipped!

2008-03-10T15:18:00.002-04:00

The Governor of New York (and former District Attorney) was allegedly involved in a prostitution ring. It is sad that yet another man has fallen into a darkness that being unfaithful to his wife, himself, and his constituents seems to be a good decision.

Introducing Matthew Brian Lemmings

2008-03-07T23:01:00.004-05:00

Date: Friday March 7, 2008
Time: 3:27 PM (EST)
Weight: 8 pounds 12 ounces
Length: 20.75 inches

Jen and Matthew are doing awesome. Matthew is adjusting to his new world; while Jen and I are adjusting to having a newborn stay in our room. When Morgan was born, she had to stay the first 4 nights in the NICU.

I'm going to have to get used to the grunts, snorts, and other baby sounds. Man this is awesome and yet terrifying (I'm not real sure I'll sleep that much these next few nights).

All thoughts and prayers were (and are still) appreciated. We love each of you and are thankful for the support you have given us!

[edit - I removed the slide show from the post, because it was slowing down the loading of the page. So here is a link to the Picasa web albulm that contained the same pictures.]

We have pictures of almost everyone with Matthew; however, we are missing Christy, Brandon, Jackson, Kim, and the Olson clan! We expect to take care of those pictures soon.

On the road...

2008-03-07T14:37:00.002-05:00

We got to the hospital this morning around 6:15 and got "checked in". Got to the Labor and Delivery Room and began the process of sitting and waiting until Matthew pushes hard enough to get things going.

So far all things are going extremely well! Jen is kicking right along with her contractions (drugs I hear are great things). As of 2:30 PM (EST) we are about half way there, based on Jen's development and Matthew's positioning. We hope to meet Matthew in the next couple hours. It would be really cool if we could deliver Matthew before Morgan got picked up from school, so she could come in and meet the newest addition to our family.

Keep posted on the status of Matthew's arrival by checking back here and looking at the Twitter on the top right corner of the page! Thanks for the continued prayers and thoughts...

Countdown...

2008-03-05T20:32:00.004-05:00

"It has begun"

If all goes as planned, we will be holding Matthew in our arms on Friday afternoon/evening! Keep us (mostly Jen and Matthew) in your prayers! I'll keep everyone updated as we get closer...

New Word of the Week (WOTW)

2008-03-04T11:20:00.004-05:00

Morgan's new Word of the Week is.......(drumroll)....

"Dum-dum"

We don't use such childish words at home (we'll go big or go home on occasion), so I would have to say that the government school is the culprit! I know she is only 2 and she is just repeating words she hears (and that it will/could get worse), but come on. I was hoping that we could do without this new vocabulary until she was at least 11.

Fungus Amongus

2008-03-03T11:38:00.004-05:00

There is some nasty stuff going around! Here is the toll as of today:

Jackson - vomit
Brandon - nausea
Brian (me) - nausea
Dad - aching all over (no tummy issues)
Adam - nausea (maybe vomit)
Cole - vomit (hospital with IV)
Josh - snot, fever, vomit
Alyssa - snot, fever, vomit
Morgan - snot, cough, double ear infection (antibiotics)

Anyone else want to join in on the fun?

D.O.M.S

2008-02-29T12:07:00.004-05:00

So yesterday I headed back into the wide world of exercise. It was an easy day - I just wanted to do a quick warm up on the bike and work through a rotation on the weights.

Easy. Peasey. Right?

Not exactly. First off, the quick warm up on the bike was brutal. It was the longest 5 minutes at the 3rd level in my life. 5 minutes was all I could handle (maybe this working out thing is not such a good idea...). After the "warm up" I went through a typical upper body workout (shoulders, back, chest, biceps, triceps, etc.). The workout felt awesome! I was feeling like He-Man pushing the weights around.

Today? I need someone to hold the phone to my head. I can barely move my arms from my elbow down. I am trying to figure out what I can eat without having to use my arms.

My Dad suggested that I buy some soup, stick my face in it, blow bubbles and slurp away! That really sounds like the best plan at this point...

Here is my new wish list item:

D.O.M.S - Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness

*Unfortunately tomorrow is probably going to be worse than today! (2nd day of soreness is just a glimpse into what is in store for you the next day)

Random

2008-02-28T14:42:00.003-05:00

I am craving some Cold Stone Ice Cream today....yummy
My blackberry is busted - maybe I won't have to be on-call tonight
Missing the "Men's Retreat" (Benaiah 2008) this next weekend, but I'll be spending time with Morgan, Jen, and MATTHEW - so it makes it extremely worth it
Why is it that some groups at church (those that feel like they are not important to the church leaders) completely ignore possibilities to get hooked in with the church leaders?
Crap! I just got my blackberry back from the IT Department...it looks like I'll be on duty tonight...

It begins today (again...)

2008-02-28T11:11:00.004-05:00

In about an hour or so I'll be sweating to the oldies! I was hoping to have begun on Tuesday, but a sick 2 year old (whom shall remain nameless) kept me home because she was "sick" - and by sick I mean had a 100.8 temperature at 7:00 AM; had no temperature (well 98.8) and was running me ragged around the house, putting puzzles together, and watching Wiggles/Barney all morning and afternoon.

Last doctor appointment this afternoon? (updated)

2008-02-27T13:05:00.004-05:00

Jen has what could be the last doctor appointment this afternoon before Matthew arrives. We have continued to have great news with how well Matthew is doing (e.g., the approximate weight and size, based on Jen's belly is right on track; his heart rate is strong)!

We are hoping that after speaking with the doctor that we can get a specific date to be induced - and when I say we, I of course mean my beautiful, strong, patient wife. I think it would be awesome for Matthew to born on Friday (February 29th - a "Leap Day"). I think that would be an awesome birthday! No one in the immediate family thinks that having his birthday on the 29th is cool - they are all worried that he would never get to celebrate his birthday!

Hello?

We would celebrate it on March 1st and every 4 years would have a HUGE birthday on Feb. 29th! Plus it appears he could get a free pizza from Papa Johns. He could also join the Honor Society of Leap Year Babies! Check out Leapzine to meet all those lucky kids born on Leap Day!

Jen is hoping for Monday (March 3) as the day for delivery...I asked her to at least let me have this ONE thing - after all, she has gotten all the fun stuff throughout the pregnancy!

Edit (as of 3:15 PM, EST) - Well, it looks like there will be at least one more appointment for Jen and Matthew. My desire to have a Leap Year Baby was dashed this afternoon - because it is ALL about ME!

We'll keep everyone posted on any changes over the weekend! But as of now the next appointment time is set for Wednesday (3/5).

Kindergarten Cop

2008-02-27T12:23:00.002-05:00

That is just SO wrong.

Terminators?

2008-02-27T11:24:00.002-05:00

Could the Arnold Schwarzeneggers of the future soon be reality?

Intelligent machines deployed on battlefields around the world -- from mobile grenade launchers to rocket-firing drones -- can already identify and lock onto targets without human help.

Here is the article detailing "automated killers".

To Do List:

2008-02-25T13:11:00.003-05:00

1. ~~Paint Morgan's Room~~
2. ~~Paint hallway~~
3. ~~Finish door trim~~
4. ~~Put up hanging storage in garage~~
5. ~~Repaint Morgan's old room to be more "manly" for Matthew~~

The only thing we have left is for Matthew to be here.

My shoe...

2008-02-22T14:55:00.002-05:00

There really are no words to explain the weirdness of this article out of British Columbia. I think the first line of the article really does a good job in grabbing the reader's attention:

Three severed feet have washed ashore on B.C.'s Gulf Islands in the past six months -- all right feet, all in sneakers --in an increasingly bizarre mystery for police.

Here is the article.

My advice? If you have a size 12 shoe, don't go running with the right shoe on. Run bare footed, or at least squeeze into a size 9.5 or 10.

Staring at a buck seventy-five

2008-02-22T13:43:00.003-05:00

I have not run or exercised since October 7, 2007. For those of you that went through slow math in high school, that would be 138 days (3312 hours or 198720 minutes or 11923200 seconds). In that time, I have continued to eat as if I was actually exercising. The result?

I am staring at 175 pounds of blah!

The solution?

I am not waiting until March 1 to begin exercising again - beginning Tuesday (Feb. 26), I will begin the long trek of getting back in running shape. By running shape, I mean I would like to be able to run 3-5 miles without breathing too hard.

My ultimate running goal is to get my half-marathon (13.1 miles) time down between 1:30 - 1:45! That would be taking about 15-30 minutes off my run. A lofty goal, but so was the marathon, which I guess I never really finished - but it was not from lack of trying (stupid race organizers and 90+ degree weather).

I need to knock the dust and wipe the dried dog squeeze (long story, don't ask) off the shoes and start beating the pavement, grass, and sidewalks!

New Hard Drive

2008-02-20T12:11:00.005-05:00

Two weeks ago my computer crashed. It wasn't the "blue screen of death", it simply did not turn on. After emailing, chatting, and talking with a Dell representative for over 2 weeks, and then waiting for the Resource CDs to arrive, get lost, and then have to order new ones, it was discovered that my hard drive was beyond reviving. It had to be completely replaced!

Replacing a hard drive was not something I really wanted to do. I knew the financial, technical, and personal cost was going to be huge. Luckily, Jen and I bought an extended warranty for the computer when we purchased it from Dell in April '05. This warranty meant that no matter the cause of the hard drive crash, that as long as it was a defective hard drive, not a result of something I did to it, Dell would replace it.

Dude, I got a new Dell hard drive for FREE! (no financial cost)

The representative I was working with (his name was Rithin) said they would send the hard drive to a technician, who would come to the house and replace the drive at no cost to me and then ship the old one back to Dell, again at no cost to me. (no technical cost)

The hard drive was installed yesterday and I installed all the missing drivers and program applications that we use last night.

We are getting a new start! We have a blank hard drive, there are no bugs, caverns of missing data, or unwanted material - it is empty and waiting to be filled. Now comes the hard part - keeping the crap out of my new computer! It wasn't contents of the hard drive that caused it to crash, but it really slowed things down!

It occurred to me this morning that getting a fresh, new lease on life is what happens when we make the decision to follow Christ.

It does not matter what was in our past. All the records are completely removed! All those stupid things we did as teenagers or adults; the many things we had started and did not finish; the names we called ourselves, or names called by others no longer exist.

By the way, all the pictures of Morgan (thousands upon thousands), my music and videos, and the really important stuff was kept on our external hard drive. (no personal cost - other than time)

Rebel-Yankee Test

2008-02-15T10:46:00.003-05:00

Go check out how deep your Southern blood runs or how fast your chicken-yellow Yankee blood hides. Take the test here.

I scored: 65% Dixie.Well under the Mason-Dixon Line

You ever get LOST in ALIAS?

2008-02-14T14:36:00.002-05:00

There are some strong overlaps between the two of the best atypical television series 'Lost' and 'Alias'. It makes sense with JJ Abrams being the creator of 'Alias' and co-creator of 'Lost'.

I found some overlaps on lostpedia:

In a season four episode ('Alias'), during Eric Weiss's birthday party, Drive Shaft's "You All Everybody" can be heard in the background.
During one scene set in LAX, an announcement for "Oceanic Airlines Sydney to Los Angeles" can be heard over the loudspeaker.
In the last season of Alias, a pregnant Sydney is kidnapped and finds herself in an operating room. In Lost, Claire has had an almost identical experience.

You All Everbody

2008-02-14T14:30:00.001-05:00

Which Lost Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

The weirdest thing about this is that I had the song "You All Everybody" stuck in my head all day yesterday. Weird.

Royale with Cheese

2008-02-14T13:19:00.003-05:00

I forgot my lunch today (left-overs from Dinner at the Diner - another plus!). I remembered to bring the extra clothes that were set out for Morgan to take to school (just in case of an accident). And I remembered to take the Valentine's Day stuff for Morgan's class (her 'friends').
But my lunch? Apparently it was the furtherest thing from my mind.

So I walked to McDonald's and ordered a #2 (Quarter Pounder with Cheese). On my way I called Jen to say 'hi'. She asked that I get something healthy from McDonald's. Is that even possible?

I think she read this article today that says eating at fast food restaurants can harm your liver. I probably don't need any additional help from anywhere in putting more stress on my liver. Maybe I should have gone to Subway to eat, but I had to answer my craving for french fries.

McDonald's fries are awesome! I'm not real sure, but I don't think there are any better french fries on planet Earth.

The cuteness of a 2 year old

2008-02-14T12:52:00.002-05:00

Every Wednesday night our church cooks dinner (Dinner at the Diner) for $5 per adult. Jen and I look forward to Dinner at the Diner every week for many reasons, one being that is one less night we have to figure out what to have for dinner.

Morgan:
Cole not at dinner?

Me:
No sweetie, Cole's daddy is sick. So Cole stayed home with Mr. Adam and Mrs. Jenny.

Morgan:
Cole's daddy is sick.

Me:
Yes, Mr. Adam is sick.

Morgan:
We pray for Mr. Adam.

Me:
(looking at Jen and smiling) Okay, let's pray that Mr. Adam feels better.

Usually we pray at night and do a sing-songy prayer, and if prompted by Morgan we'll pray for everybody she knows (plus all the pets). But last night was different, this was the first time that she wanted to say a prayer that someone would feel better.

Morgan already is blowing my mind at 2 years old. What are we in store for as she gets older?

Swim with Gentle Giants

2008-02-12T13:35:00.000-05:00

From the Georgia Aquarium email newsletter:

Swim or SCUBA dive with whale sharks, zebra sharks, sawfish, leopard whiprays and bowmouth guitarfish (just to name a few) in the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit. No experience is necessary for the swim program, but certification is required to SCUBA dive.

Sounds awesome! I wonder if my SCUBA certification from Couples Resorts from 2002 will work here in Atlanta?

Rules from Mom...

2008-02-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

I remember growing up and hearing from my Mom at least once or twice a week that if I empty the ice cube trays that I need to refill it and NOT just put it back in the freezer empty.

Apparently, not everyone's mother got through to them. This afternoon when I went to get ice, the ice repository and one of the ice cube trays were both empty! How rude...

Mom, thanks for keeping me in check!

Heart strings

2008-02-12T12:51:00.000-05:00

This picture is killing me - it makes my heart break. But it also gives me hope that lives are being changed.

There are a group of bloggers from around the US (maybe the world?) traveling with Compassion to Uganda showing the lives of the children living in extreme poverty (financial, education, and nourishment).

Here are three blogger's view from Uganda

Heather
Carlos
Ann

Happy Pancake Day!

2008-02-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

Today (February 12th) from 7 AM to 10 PM, IHOP is giving away one free short stack of buttermilk pancakes!

The catch?

They ask you make a donation to support your local Children's Miracle Network! Last year on Pancake Day the Children's Miracle Network raised more than $625,000, the goal this year is $750,000.

Find your nearest IHOP and go help make a difference!

It is with regrets...

2008-02-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the Libertarian Party delivering a funeral wreath to the RNC on Feb. 6th following the victories of John McCain on Super Tuesday. Attached to this wreath a note that read in part -

We simply felt the need to express our heartfelt sympathy for the Republican Party as they undergo this tough time within their party.

Check out the rest of the note here.

Coming home early?

2008-02-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

The pains of pregnant-motherhood began to take hold of Jen this weekend. Today we are 36 weeks pregnant, but Matthew has decided now was the time to start knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell alerting us that he is about ready.

We are excited and a bit freaked out that Matthew is getting closer to arrival! Please keep us in your prayers (okay, mostly Jen, as she has to think back to the lamaze breathing class we took when pregnant with Morgan); and as we are finish getting our home ready for Matthew's arrival in the next couple weeks.

It would be okay if he comes early, but Jen really needs another week to get her work stuff in order before being out. And I need at least another week to mentally prepare myself for changing diapers, projectile pooping, spit up, and sleepless nights.

We will keep everyone posted if the situation changes and we head to the hospital!

Strike?

2008-02-08T14:28:00.000-05:00

I see rumblings amidst the blog-o-sphere, but can't find anything to support the rumors. Has the writer's strike ended? Can we finally get back to mediocre television?

Here is a link to how many shows are left for this season's schedule.

Deeds, not Creeds

2008-02-06T12:13:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts after Super-Duper Tuesday:

The government is not the answer to the problems within our society (e.g., lack of fresh water/food, homelessness, education disparities, economic woes, civil rights). The answer to these problems are the People that make up society. Its the "People of the United States" that makes us great, not the government (and for those that haven't figured it out yet - we live in a representative republic, NOT a democracy).

Society and culture is never going to be changed as a result of laws passed - you can't legislate morality. In order for a change to take place within a culture / society, there has to be a heart transformation of the people. The basis of the heart transformation must come from the local church. Not the church that focuses on the hot-button issues of politics (church and national), but the church whose focus is beyond their walls, creating and strengthening authentic relationships among its community (both inside and outside its walls).

Rick Warren thinks it is time for a Second Reformation within the Church.

He wants to promote personal responsibility and restore civility in American culture.
"I just think we're becoming too rude," he said. "You have no right to demonize someone just because you disagree with them."

Changing the culture, he said, is not done only through politics but also through things like art, music and sports.

"Outside the Beltway politics is just not that important. No kid in America has a poster of a politician on their wall," he said.

Go Vote!

2008-02-05T14:04:00.000-05:00

Stop reading your emails and surfing the Internet at work. If you are going to avoid doing work, at least go do your civic doo-tee and vote for someone or something!

If you don't vote you can't complain!

gulp...

2008-02-04T12:37:00.000-05:00

Umm.....

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

Do you really need another reason NOT to put Frau Rodham-Clinton in the White House?

Hair, Nail, and a Close Shave

2008-02-04T11:16:00.000-05:00

This weekend was eventful in the Lemmings' Casa.

Hair
After months of screaming and crying while brushing Morgan's hair (or having to use a slimy gallon of No More Tangles), Morgan had her first haircut! The last couple times I cut my hair, Morgan told me that she needed a haircut too. So on Saturday morning we decided to go for it - I mean how hard could it be to cut a 2 year old's hair?

We told Morgan that we were going to cut her hair and she was very enthusiastic, until she had to stay still for more than 2 seconds. She actually did a great job listening to me (my job was to entertain her), while Jen had the hard job of not making her hair zig-zaggy! You can check out the new hair cut here.

Nail
After 6 weeks of having a purple nail, the drama has ended. Friday night while eating at Five Guys (which is awesome - until you look at the calories of the food), I jammed my finger on the portable wooden highchair, preventing Morgan from slamming to the floor. I knew immediately that my nail was soon to come off, and by the time we were heading to the car (5-10 minutes later), I had 10 fingers and 9 nails.

When the nail fell off, I put it in my pocket to take a picture of it (I know...I'm gross), but forgot about it until this morning. I am wearing the same jeans today as I did on Friday (they are jeans...get over it, they don't need to be washed until they can stand up in the corner on their own), on the way back from the break room I put my hand in my pocket and it felt like something bit me. Yep, it was my own discarded finger nail! (Gross!)

Shave
The only interest I had with the Super Bowl this weekend was to watch the commercials; hoping that this year's commercials were not as uncreative and boring as last year;s (there are always a couple that are really good, but I'm beginning to think that they are good relative to how poor the others are as a whole).

So I taped (DVR/TiVO) the game last night when we sat down for dinner and when the night was quiet (Morgan was finally asleep) I went through the game at break neck speed, only stopping for the commercials. I caught up with "live" television the beginning of the 4th quarter, which as it turned out was when the game actually got interesting. I typically don't care too much for professional football, but will watch the Championship Series (same M.O. for most pro sports).

If I end up pulling for a team it is usually the underdog, and tonight the game did not disappoint. It was good to see "the other" Manning earn some respect and beat the "best team in football"! So I am jumping on the Giants bandwagon for the next day and a half.

At least the game was entertaining and not a complete blow out! Plaxico Burress really put his team on the line predicting that the Patriots would only get 17 points...

"We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said before chuckling about it. "OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for scoring more points."

It appears that Plaxico may have actually known what he was talking about. For those that were living under a rock, the final score was 17-14.

Unrelated
I have almost finished painting the upstairs hall (just needs some touch up paint), and will move on to finishing the door trim sometime this week or upcoming weekend. I am so ready to get the painting done in the house (other than the 20 foot walls in the great room - all is done)!

Have you ever seen Lorraine?

2008-02-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

After watching this, I am not real sure these actually aren't the lyrics.

Who represents me?

2008-02-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

Here is a site that can help you figure out which of the presidential hopefuls really represents your core beliefs. You can take the short quiz or you can search how those running for president feel about specific issue (explore the candidates).

Why does my wallet echo when I open it?

2008-01-31T18:14:00.000-05:00

With the due date of Matthew lurking around the corner and the fact that I will now have a beautiful wife, 2 adorable kids (making an assumption for Matthew based on Morgan), 2 weird cats, a needy dog, and more personalities that I care to identify to take care of - does anybody know of someone that is looking for a freelance writer?

It is either being a freelance writer or stocking shelves at Costco at midnight.

America's Most Miserable Cities

2008-01-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

Imagine living in a city with the country's highest rate for violent crime and the second-highest unemployment rate. As an added kicker you need more Superfund dollars allocated to your city to clean up contaminated toxic waste sites than just about any other metro.Unfortunately, this nightmare is a reality for the residents of Detroit.

Here is the list:

1. Detroit, MI
2. Stockton, CA
3. Flint, MI
4. New York, NY
5. Philadelphia, PA
6. Chicago, IL
7. Los Angeles, CA
8. Modesto, CA
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Providence, RI

Do you agree with the list? Which would you change? Any place you want to add?

Spirit of the Marathon

2008-01-27T21:20:00.000-05:00

"Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever non-ficition feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the movie brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries.

As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports move, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumpf; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike."

The movie is having a special encore around the United States on February 21. I got my ticket tonight to go watch it at the Mall of Georgia. I am really looking forward to the movie - they were having special showings at this year's Chicago Marathon, but I didn't have time to watch it (between resting my feet and hanging out with my kick arse support team - a.k.a., the fam!).

The 2007 Chicago Marathon may have had a number of huge mistakes, but my road getting there had some huge accomplishments (physical, mental, and a whole lot of spiritual). Who knows? Maybe watching this will actually motivate me to get off my duff and get out there and start running.

Get your tickets here!

Kiss you on the brain in the shadow of the train

2008-01-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

Saturday night Jen and I were able to get away for what will probably be the last date night we have before Matthew is born. The choice of movie before me was either 27 dresses or Juno.

Juno was the movie choice and let me tell you it did not disappoint. Jen and I both thought it was great. If you have not seen the movie be sure to watch it somehow - movie theater, Internet download, rental, whatever.

Jen and I then went to three different restaurants to find dinner. We first tried Bahama Breeze, but were told it would be somewhere between a 60-75 minute wait (no thanks!). We then tried Bugaboo Creek, the wait was shorter (20 minutes), but after having our tastebuds set for some "bahamian" food, a steak house was not exactly what either of us really wanted. Finally we agreed up Provino's (an Italian chain - 5 minute wait time). The food was decent, but at 8:00 and after a phone call from Jen's mom that Morgan was being a terror (I mean 2 year old - screaming in the bath tub that she wanted Mommy to get her out and dry her off), as long as the wait was short it would do.

After dinner we went next door to The Melting Pot for dessert and continued the relaxing night. We had the Pure Chocolate Fondue. Strangely enough I was told by Jen that it tasted like hot chocolate - who knew!

It was great to spend some quiet time with Jen. We are both really excited (and scared) about introducing Matthew to our family. In 4-6 very short weeks we will have our newest blessing screaming, pooping, peeing, and eating his way into our hearts and yours. We can't wait!

Wanna Dunk?

2008-01-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

A brilliant use of YouTube!

This is who Rudy needs to watch. This dude can fly!

Insensitive?

2008-01-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

My sister is interviewing for a graduate program today and just text messaged me.

There is an applicant that has been a Buddhist monk for the past five years.

Why was it that my first reaction to her was to text back?

Wow - go punch him in the throat and see what happens.

sequence of serendipitous events

2008-01-24T13:32:00.000-05:00

An Australian girl spontaneously switched blood groups and adopted her donor's immune system following a liver transplant in the first known case of its type, doctors treating her said Thursday.
Demi-Lee Brennan was aged nine and seriously ill with liver failure when she received the transplant, doctors at a top Sydney children's hospital told AFP.

Nine months later it was discovered that she had changed blood types and her immune system had switched over to that of the donor after stem cells from the new liver migrated to her bone marrow.

She is now a healthy 15-year-old, Michael Stormon, a hepatologist treating her, told AFP. Stormon said he had given several presentations on the case around the world and had heard of none like it.
"It is extremely unusual -- in fact we don't know of any other instance in which this happened," Stormon told AFP from the Children's Hospital.
"In effect she had had a bone marrow transplant. The majority of her immune system had also switched over to that of the donor."

An article on the case was published in Thursday's edition of the leading US medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine.

Doctors who treated Brennan say she is now only under treatment as an outpatient and are interested to know if the case could have other applications in transplant surgery, where rejection of donor organs by the recipient's immune system is a major hurdle.

Stormon said it appeared that Brennan may have been fortunate because a "sequence of serendipitous events", including a post-transplantation infection, may have given the stem cells from her donor's liver the chance to proliferate.

The task now was to establish whether the same sort of outcome could be replicated in other transplant patients, he said.

Ummm...How about a good ole-fashion miracle? That is awesome!

I am praying that my PSC does not push me down the halls towards a liver transplant. I started taking some medications for my liver enzymes about a year ago (I think), whatever the time frame, the results of the last two blood tests ROCKED!

All my enzymes were 100% in the normal range - this hasn't happened in the last 7-8 years.

the Dream continues

2008-01-22T14:36:00.000-05:00

It was appropriate that yesterday (the day we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) I received my copy of Dr. Paul’s Metzger’s latest book, Consuming Jesus: Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church.

I flipped through the book last night and see that it is going to be a book that I will really need to hold on with both hands! In the first 6 pages of the introduction there were already 7-10 footnotes.

Snow Angel, Part 2

2008-01-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

Don't Eat Yellow Snow...

2008-01-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

We really didn't think we needed to teach Morgan about yellow snow while living in Atlanta, but I guess you never really know what to plan for.

Seeing Spots...

2008-01-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

This what happens when Morgan goes to bed late and get up early...

More Snow...

2008-01-19T12:22:00.000-05:00

It is quite unusual for the Atlanta are to have snow, but to have it twice in one week is throwing the news media for a curve ball! All morning, at least since I've been up (7-ish), the news coverage is 90%+ snow fall in the Atlanta/N. Georgia area.

The snow is absolutely beautiful! Here are a couple shots from this morning.

The shot was taken at about 10:30

This was taken about 11:50.