housekeeping

Harrisburg-area peeps, The Macaroni Grill will be opening on 04/11/05. Finally.

You are cordially invited to the Harbour Coffeehouse on Saturday, April 16th at 7:30pm to hear me bang on a drum, and another guy strum a guitar. It'll be great fun.

Well, Terry Schiavo has died. But things will not quiet down any time soon. I'm sure there will be a big to-do over her autopsy. Was she bulimic? Was she physically abused by her husband? All things that should be revealed in the autopsy. Methinks that they should skip the autopsy. This has dragged on long enough.

Bzzz Bzzz, Chop Chop

My beautiful tresses have been cut. For all the drama that I've relayed through my entries, you'd think that I was getting buzzed. But that's not the case. To the untrained eye, you might not even notice any difference. I arrived at the stylist's salon and introduced myself. She had some thoughts about what we could do and then we started thumbing through an issue of People Magazine (the Oscar review issue). She said "we could do your hair like Ashton's." I said no. We continued perusing the photos and talking and then we decided on a plan. Short and tight on the side and in back, short up top, but we didn't take it so short that you could plainly see the top of "widow's peak." She cut it like she cuts her nephew's hair, and he has a similar peak to mine. So it's short, but I don't think dramatically short. So there you go. Next time you see me, be sure to say something nice, otherwise I may develop a complex.

And if you're looking for a good cut, I would recommend her.

Today I spoke with the dude with the business opportunity to let him know that it wasn't the right opportunity for me. He was very nice and polite in accepting my rejection.

When is a pyramid not a pyramid.

Why when it's a circle of course. I listened to the webcast. You can too. Go to the Dussault Dream Team website. Click on the webcast link and select options two or three. Your ID is "dci team" and your password is "dussault" (it's the french version of "assault"). This isn't for me. It's a pyramid-like program where you buy the goods, then you get others to buy the goods, and then they get others to buy the goods, and so on. You get a rebate on what you purchase, and a piece of the pie from the rest of the "associates" in your circle. Not my cup-of-tea, thank you very much.

I'm still waiting for an enticing business opportunity like a Popeyes franchise on the west shore to come up. Heck, I've even thought about hosting a Pampered Chef party. Seriously. I think there are lots of single guys who like to cook and would buy that stuff. And definitely ladies too. But it just hasn't happened yet.

So I'll be sharing with my proposed "mentor" my decision this evening. And inviting him to come play soccer on Sunday.

Today I visit Kathy.

Who is Kathy? Kathy is the lady that will be cutting and dare I say, styling my hair this evening. It is important to note that Kathy does NOT work at Fantastic Sams. I estimate I have gotten my hair cut at Sams for maybe the past six or seven years. But I wanted something different. So my mum suggested Kathy. Stay tuned tomorrow to hear all about my hair cutting adventures.

Blog Fodder

Okay. Last week, I ran into a former Messiah grad at Borders. He wants to talk to me about a business opportunity that he has with a "fifth-year, $1.5 mill" company. For reasons unknown at this time, I have agreed. I am playing the role of healthy skeptic, but I'm trying to keep an open mind at the same time. I'd like to think that a Messiah grad is not going to try and hustle me.

So tomorrow, he's going to shoot me a link for a promo webcast of some sort that I think will give me a better idea of what the company. I'll see if I can't throw up a link here when I'm done. He seemed to imply that this opportunity has something to do with the internet and driving traffic to certain websites. So I'll be interested to see what the mechanics behind that are and what it will cost.

More information as it becomes available.

Make a note

I am pleased to announce the second stop on the "2005 International Dining Tour." For those of you unaware, our tour started this month with a stop in Ireland, thanks to Molly Brannigans. In April, we will shift our focus to Asia and the country of Thailand. Mark your calendars for dinner on Saturday, 04/09/05. Location to be determined in the next week or so.

Something very special occurred over the weekend. I bought fresh produce. Three apples to be exact. This is monumental. According to my records, this is the first time I have ever purchased fresh produce. EVER. I know. It's sad. But we should all be happy because it finally occurred. Now to make it a regular occurrence.

We had a slam-bam Easter service at church yesterday. Strings, brass, woodwinds and TIMPANI! It really sounded nice. They also chose some older musical selections which nicely captured the theme of Easter. And I got free flowers for my mum after service! Suh-weet.

Easter Sunday

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

What happens then?

So I had this thought this evening as I was reading about the latest in the Terri Shialvo story. And this was the thought: what is God going to accomplish/accomplishing through this situation? Here's what made me think. I was watching the news and they showed some protestors down in Florida. Well, in most situations like this, they don't necessarily cut to the audio track. It's mostly just voice-overs by news staff. Well they cut in to this lady and this is what she said: "hear our prayers." She was praying with her hands clasped and tears in her eyes.

And I was like, well I'm pretty sure he is hearing your prayers, but is what you are praying for, God's will? Or your desires? I have no doubt that there are a ton of folks who desire to see Terri's feeding tube reattached. And lots of them are probably Christians. But, are they praying that God's will be done?

It's so easy to pray for success and quick solutions. And while I think it's okay to pray for a specific result, I think you should also be open to, and even praying for God's will. Even under the knowledge that you may not get what you want.

I was reading

The Washington Post this morning. There was an article in there about a young marine from the town of Stuart, Virginia, who was killed in Iraq. There were the normal comments from his family and townsfolk, but one paragraph stood out to me:

His twin sisters, Brooke and Ashley, are attending college. He took out an insurance policy before he left for Iraq and directed that the money should pay for their educations. They are the future, he wrote in a letter he mailed to a family friend to be opened if "the worst" happened.

Healed

Tonight during a Maundy Thursday service, the following song came came to my mind.

We stutter and we stammer til You say us
A symphony of chaos til You play us
Phrases on the pages of unknown
Til You read us into poetry and prose

We are kept and we are captive til You free us
Vaguely unimagined til You dream us
Aimlessly unguided til You lead us home

By Your voice, we speak
By Your strength, no longer weak
We are no longer weak

By Your wounds we are healed
By Your wounds we are healed

Passed over and passed by until You claim us
Orphaned and abandoned til You name us
Hidden and disclosed til You expose our hearts

By Your death we live
It is by Your gift that we might give
That we might give

By Your wounds we are healed
(Tell me what kind of love is this...)
By Your wounds we are healed

What kind of love would take Your shame
And spill His blood for You
And save us by His wounds?

By Your wounds we are healed
(Tell me what kind of love is this...)
By Your wounds we are healed
-Nichole Nordeman

I'm hungry for steak.

I haven't had a steak in forever. I tried to talk my mom into steak for easter dinner, but steak for 12 is not in the budget.

My girl Sandra B. is coming out with a new movie this weekend. Here's an article in today's USA Today about Miss Congeniality.

And today, for the first time, I discovered that there was something called an ultra-marathoner. These guys routinely run over 100 miles a run. Read more.

Some people have been aware that I have been more careful of what I've been eating. I decided to make me a spreadsheet that listed out my calories along with all the other fun stuff that I consumed in a day. Perhaps you would like to see what I ate on Tuesday? Feel free to use this tool for yourself.

Lenten Thoughts

I've been thinking. As much as I tried to make the most of the Lenten season this year, I fell dreadfully short. I could have done so much more, but I didn't. But I'm trying to make up some ground here this week.

I've been thinking about forgiveness. I've been thinking about how I'm a crappy sinner. Scum of the earth, if you will. Yet God, the creator of the freakin' universe loves me. And he loved me so much, that he sent his Son, to die, so that I might live. And how do I thank him? Too often, I sin. Again, and again, and again. I'm human, and as such, I'm prone to stumbling.

But my God is faithful. Faithful to forgive. Faithful to forget. And He's merciful. I deserve hell. But He has given me hope. And a way out.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. And renew a right spirit within me."

It's raining.

Here's a link in today's USA Today about hymns. Rather timely, eh?

Here is a link to a new blog by my good friend Matt (who likes Dianne Taurasi). Check it out, check it out.

I've decided that the next driver who stops in front of me on an on-ramp waiting for a opening in traffic, is going to get passed.....ON THE RIGHT!! It's not that I'm not patient. No, I'm all about safety. And you're not going to merge safely when traffic is moving at 60 mph, and you aren't moving at all. So if you're in front of me on an on-ramp, please don't stop. Slow-rolling is okay, stoppage is not.

Hey, and will anybody outside of San Francisco be sad if Barry Bonds retires?

Says who?

There is an article in the April edition of CCM Magazine. Here's the title of the cover story: "Are Hymns the New Modern Worship?" Oi. Where do I start? Hymns have always been modern worship. In the 1700's, hymns were modern worship. In the 1800's too. Same for the 1900's. I was suprised to learn that hymns weren't yet considered modern worship this century. But it only took five years, right?

Seriously, maybe hymns get a bad rap because they're slow. Or maybe it's because many hymns share the same tune. Or maybe it's because the kids don't find them relevant anymore. I don't know. But I'll tell you what I do know. Hymns speak a lot of truth. Many times more so than some of the candy-coated "pop worship" that passes as worship today. And sure, maybe the tunes get used a lot. But don't look at the tunes, look at the words. Take a look at some of the stuff that the John and Charles Wesley wrote. It's good stuff.

Your website o' the day is the Cyber Hymnal. So you can look up some of that good stuff.

Priorities...

It's interesting to look at priorites that people have. In Florida and elsewhere, people are fighting to save the life of Terri Schialvo (Speaking of which, I was looking for an interview with her husband Michael to see what he had to say. I found this transcript from a CNN interview).

Meanwhile, back in Harrisburg, people are fighting to prevent a land owner from tearing down three "historic" homes in order to build some condos.

It's interesting to see what really gets people going. Some people are about saving lives, some people are about saving the enviroment, some people are about saving the whales, and some people are about saving old houses. What do you like to save?

More race stuff

Here's a link to the results from the races on Saturday. If you're looking for me, I'm 20 people up from the end of the 5k listing. And apparently, I didn't run quite as fast as I thought I did. I thought I was seven seconds better than what they recorded my time as. Nuts.

Actually, it's worse than nuts. It's probably more like...crap. I'm disappointed. Crap.

And here's a photo of my backside. I would be the one on the far left of the picture (black shorts, white long-sleeve shirt). Look at that form!!

I wish I had found this sooner..

Monday is MY Funday

Let's talk about Terri Shialvo. What is the problem with keeping this woman's breathing tube in? Notice I referred to her as a woman. That's because she's a human being, and deserves the appropriate respect that comes with the title of being a human being. Whether you're handicapped in some way or not, everybody deserve's life. So her husband finally won his battle and her feeding tube was removed. How long do you think it would take her to die? I learned that it would take her about two weeks to die from dehydration and malnutrition. TWO FREAKIN' WEEKS!! You cannot purposely starve someone like that and be all right in the head. I mentioned to a friend that that is worse than death by electric chair or lethal injection. At least those two are quick and usually over in five minutes or so. It's just wrong. There are a few good posts about it over on The Evangelical Outpost.

I've been pretty impressed with the way that the judicial branch of our government was able to come together so quickly to do something about it. Now, it never should have come to that, but it's encouraging to me that many of them are willing to take a stand.

Mad props to the Lady Flames of Liberty University. They beat Penn State last night in the NCAA first round. Jerry Falwell is so excited that he is dancing. I can't even imagine him dancing.

Went to the AAA Travel Show yesterday. Lots of old folks in the crowd. Got some free pens and some brochures for various travel entities. My favorite was from the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. That my friends, is a classy way to travel. Slow, but classy.

Runnin, Runnin and Runnin, Runnin

This morning I ran in the St. Joseph's Day 5k race. I ran the race, the entire way. One of my goals was no walking. The other goal was a sub 30:00 race. I must have been on crack when I came up with that one. I finished in 32:27, which was five seconds faster than the last race I ran in May of last year. I thought I would do better than I did. It was a little colder than I would have liked and I know that affected my breathing, but I'm not going to make any excuses. So my next race, my goal is going to sub 32:00. I think that's an attainable goal.

Special thanks to my gaggle of supporters that came out. That was cool.

A reminder for you Central Pennsylvanians, free Italian Ice at Rita's tomorrow to celebrate the first day of Spring. Yes it's true, Spring is finally here. Woo Hoo!!

Oooh, Messiah College and politics

Here's an interesting article in this morning's Patriot-News. Perhaps Mayor Reed gave the college a sweet deal on the college's "off-campus" housing and they didn't want to offend him, or make him raise the rent. = )

Wanted: Travel Friend

Mind The Gap is now accepting applications for the position of Travel Friend. Must be willing to travel to either Rome or Paris (leaning towards Rome at the moment) and be able to pay their own way. Unfortunately, this would include airfare as well. Trip will take place sometime this fall and be between four and seven days in length. Ideal candidates should have a sense of humor, not mind using foreign public transportation, and they should enjoy walking.

Please submit cover letter and resume to me.

And I quote:

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf of springtime.
-Martin Luther

Ahoy, matey. Watch out! I be thinking.

Okay, so I've been thinking about something. And the something is this. How much should I be willing to sacrifice for my non-Christian friends? Maybe a better way to ask it, is how much should I invest in my non-Christian friends?

As I've been thinking through it, I can't think of a limit. I have some non-Christian friends (heretofore referred to as NCF's, because I'm a slacker) who I've already invested in. The money it takes to share a meal together, or mini-golf, or a movie or whatever. It's all money that I've spent because I think they are worth it. I was even privileged enough to join an NCF on their first airplane flight EVER! And I've been wondering if I'm doing enough to reach out to them.

Now I'm not saying that throwing money at them is the answer, because it's not. However, my concern is that I (and we) do not commit enough resources to our NCF's. When was the last time you interacted with an NCF outside of work? I can honestly tell you that for me, it's been at least a month, if not longer. And I don't think I have any excuse. Now don't get me wrong, I am daily committed to praying for my NCF's, but I do enjoy the personal interactions as well.

All this to say what? Consider doubling whatever resources you currently expend on NCF's. Even if it's just time, that's great. Time is more valuable in many situations than money. We can't put a price on someone's salvation. So if I have to drag someone to Germany so that they can see God's love, so be it. I would hope that they could see the same love state-side, but sometimes it take a little more. And we have to be willing to step up.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

I lied tonight. Consciously. So I've been getting some estimates to get my hood repaired from my last Target experience. I got an estimate from the guys who fixed my car last month, and I was looking for something a bit cheaper. So I went to Maaco. Real nice guy. Wrote up an estimate for me which was half of what the other guys wanted. As I was on my way out, he asked me if I had had any other estimates. I said no. I walked out and audibly spoke the word "stupid." He must have seen the business card I had in my folder from the other shop. I'm such a dork. I felt so bad that I felt like turning around and going back in and apologizing. But I didn't. But when I got home, I called the guy and apolgized over the phone. He was very gracious, and as you can guess, very suprised that I had called. But I can't tell you how much better I felt after I had spoken with him. But I still felt like a dork. So there's my lying anecdote for 2005. And it officially qualifies as the worst moment in the past two weeks.

Apologies to anyone who has tried to enter my NCAA basketball pool. For some reason, ESPN is not recognizing or remembering the bracket I made yesterday. I'm working on it..

So I got an idea for a really cool business. What about if I opened a chocolate shop? Not a shop where I sell my own chocolate, but a shop where I sell lots of different types of chocolate. Not just American stuff, but Italian, German, Swiss and any other chocolate I can find. Good idea, eh? I think it's time to bring back the classic candy shop. Pardon the pun, but that would be SWEET!!

Oh Mr. Webster, what have we done?

Read here about the newest definition in Webster's Dictionary. Exciting, no?

Join the fun..

Click the pic to join my bracket group. you have to register with espn. the group password is "chicken."

The British are coming!

It's true. The England National Team is coming to the states this May for a whopping two games. They play the US in Chicago on 05/28, and then they play Columbia at the Meadowlands on 05/31. Woo Hoo! I think I may try to get to that Columbia game. (And for those who don't know, we're talking football (soccer) here).

Well, they announced the NCAA brackets last night. And Maryland will not be dancing this year. They didn't really deserve to cuz they had a high strength of schedule rating, and if they could've beat Clemson once..... So the Terps are in the NIT, playing that God powerhouse known as Oral Roberts University (ORU). And ORU can beat Maryland. So we'll have to see. Your fun fact for the day is that I have actually visited the campus of ORU. Back when I was in middle school, my family took a trip out to the midwest to visit some family and friends, and one of those stops included Tulsa, Oklahoma. So how about that?

Church n Candy

If you had attended one of the three morning services at West Shore Free Church, you would have gotten free candy.

And there is some significance as to the type of candy. As we prepare to move into our new building, we are starting a program where we take five minutes to pray for five people who we feel could be blessed by our new facilities and the outreach opportunities it will provide us. So the program is titled "Take 5." Hence the candy promotion.

So the bass player was eating one of the candy bars this morning. I said "do you like it?" He said it was okay. Then he said these sad words. "It would be better without the peanut butter." Wha, wha, wha? Dude is not a big fan of peanut butter. Then he had the audacity to say that peanut butter and chocolate are not good together. Crazy man, just crazy.

Last night I went to go see an actor named Stephen Rowe did a one man production called "Stand-up Mark." It was a dramatization of the gospel of Mark. It was very well done. He threw in some celebrity impersonations here and there (Jack Nicholson for one), and delivered his monologue with the New York mannerisms of a Dustin Hoffman. I enjoyed it. And did I mention it was free? Oh yeah!

Tonight we find out if someone took pity on my Maryland Terrapins and let them slide into the tourament. And if not, then we find out tomorrow who they play in the NIT.

God works

Okay, here's the scenario. Part of my new job responsibilities are paying for costs associated with recruiting. I pay for ads in papers, as well as to rent out meeting rooms in hotels for group interviews. So I was given an ad to pay yesterday which was a rather large amount. I knew that it was too much for the ad. I talked to the sales rep at the paper, and unless we wanted to drop the size of the ad, the cost would remain the same. So I decided to keep the ad as-is and I payed the paper and hung up the phone.

But it didn't feel right. And I was unsure as to whether I should call back and change the ad, or if I should keep it as is. I don't really have any direction on the size of ads, as my supervisor is currently out on leave. And then I got the brilliantest of brilliant ideas. I prayed. I prayed that God would help me figure out whether I should keep the ad as-is, or try to drop it in size.

A little later in the afternoon, I got a phone call from the sales rep. She said my card had been declined. Here's the God-thing: I was nowhere near the card max, and I had no idea why the card had declined. So I told her to drop the ad, because I didn't have any means to pay for it. What was more worrysome to me, was the fact that the ad was advertising a job fair we were having in the city later on in the week. So now I had no way to get the word out to people that we were even having a job fair.

But then an idea was brought to my mind. Call the sales rep back and ask to shrink the size of the ad, reprice it, and try to run it through again. So I did that, and with the repricing, it knocked $250.00 off the price. Unfortunately, the sales rep would not be able to tell me if the card went through until this morning. So I hadn't heard anything yet, and I decided to give the rep a call to check the status of the charge. It went through. God's awesome! We just have to ask for his help, and he's all over it. There was no reasonable answer for why the initial charge was declined. But he took care of things. Yay God!

Pennsylvania...Where Criminals never die.

The following was lifted from this morning's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

EXECUTION WARRANT. Gov. Ed. Rendell this week signed a warrant for the execution of Raymond Johnson, of Berks County.

Johnson's execution is scheduled for May 5, but most executions in Pennsylvania are stayed by a judge or postponed on appeal.

Johnson was convicted of killing Louis Combs, a rival drug dealer, according to a press release from the governor's office. Johnson, a 37-year-old inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Greene, was sentenced to death in 2000.

Governor Rendell has now signed 34 death warrants. None of the convicts has been put to death. The last Pennsylvanian to die by lethal injection at the state's hands was Gary Heidnik, who was put to death in 1999.

Why does he even bother signing the death warrant?

Kudos to M.K. who beat me last night in a good ol' fashioned game of bowling. If only I hadn't left so many open frames....

My Terps lost in the ACC tournament yesterday, which means that in all likelihood, this will be the first time in twelve years that they haven't gone to the NCAA tournament. Very disappointing. Oh well, there's always that thing they call the NIT. Maybe I could actually get tickets to that..

Technology is a pain in my bum

Earlier today, I typed the longest original blog entry I have ever typed since I started this blog. I went to publish it, and blogger crapped out on me. So I lost it all. So you just have to settle for a three point summary:
1. I scored U2 tickets
2. I avoid conflict. This causes pain, which I've come to realize is growing pain.
3. Fly US Airways (we need your money)

Everybody's doin' it..

Dude, even Rosie O'Donnell has a blog. She calls it "Once Adored."

Also, this fine gentleman named Jim has a blog. I met him at Passion '05 It's a little more refined than mine, so it's worth a gander.

Which reminds me, Passion '06 is now only like nine months away. YOu know you want to go....

And on a non-blog related note, this. It's worthy of a scratch of the head and a "Wha???"

Today is the day

That I attempt to purchase tickets to see U2 in the fall. As a member of U2.com, I get to participate in a "special" pre-sale before the rest of the free world. We'll see how it goes.

Also, today in history, Pancho Villa attacked the United States in 1917. Bad Pancho.

On the other side of the pond...

Somebody has suggested in England, that black children would learn better if they were separated from their caucasian counterparts. What's more interesting, is that the gentlemen who suggested it is himself black. Read more. I would be curious to read what the thoughts would be of the black community here in the States.

Kudos to the Messiah College women's basketball team who advanced to the Sweet 16 over the weekend. Unfortunately, their next game is against Scranton. We've historically had bad bad luck playing Scranton. Back in the day, there used to be a Mid Atlantic Conference Championship that pitted the Commonwealth League champs against the Centennial League champs. And Scranton collected Centennial titles like baseball cards. And we would lose to them in the championship game. They're that good. All that to say, that history is against us, but anything can happen. Go Lady Falcons!

Verse of the Day

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139.23-24

C'mon Spring!

It's 10:30 at night and my window is open, as well as the back screen door. It is sixty degrees out!! I am so excited that Spring is on the way. I have a bit of winterlike weather to soldier through, but it will be worth it.

I got a call tonight from my boy Isaac. He's out in Vegas for work. I seriously gave thought to flying out and hanging out with him for an evening. Unfortunately, my flight would arrive in Vegas at 9:00 and I would have to catch the red-eye back east just two hours later. I can't afford to take more than a few hours off of work, which is why I can only do the quick turnaround. But that would have been so sweet. He was describing what he saw out his window. He could see the Bellagio and the Luxor from where he was at. One of these days (hopefully in October), I'll make it to Vegas.

Only two more months until Hersheypark opens!!!!

So it was just another trip to Target.....

I was going to do some shopping, then head over to Costco to do some bulk shopping. Saw a chamois rag that I wanted to pick up for my car. Went for my wallet...not there. Not stolen. I left it at home. On the other side of the river. D'oh! So as I was having dinner later that night in Harrisburg, I went home to get the afore-mentioned wallet. I was sitting at a stop sign waiting to make a left with an older (late eighties, early nineties) F-150 in front of me. When the driver put his truck into first gear, it jumped back. Now, I'm used to a little rollback with manuals, but this was a jump. I might even go sofar as to describe it as a lurch. So the truck lurches back roughly two feet or so and hits my bumper. Okay, that's not a big deal, I myself have bumped cars before. And because I'm writing about it, it has to get better, right? Well, the impact of this mini-collision, causes the truck's tailgate to fall. On my hood. Now I hear you saying "Dude, does this story get any better?" It does. The driver started driving away. And the tailgate scrapes down and off the hood of my car. The driver doesn't know what happened. So I follow the truck. As I following, I'm frantically trying to find a pen to write down his license plate, if he decides to run. I continue to follow him rather slowly (think OJ and the Bronco) and wonder what kind of person the driver is. Mean and nasty? Gay? Southern Baptist? Somebody's grandmother? Well, the driver pulls into the Home Depot parking lot. As the driver gets out of the truck, I call out to him "Sir, excuse me, sir?" I call him over to my car and tell him what happened. He notes that I must have been close to his bumper to catch his tailgate. I tell him that his F-150 must be a bronco in disguise. He apologizes and offers to pay for the repairs. He knows a guy named Joe who he thinks can take care of things. We exchange names and phone numbers. He agreed to call me tomorrow (Tuesday) to see if we can find a mutual time to meet with Joe. Fortunately there's not a bunch of damage to my car, it's just a small dent and two scratches (one that may be able to be buffed out), so I may end up taking care of it myself if it's cheap enough. So that was my trip to Target.

**I apologize for the poorly written excuse of a paragraph above. That's what stream of consciousness looks like for me. Also, some of the above story was embellished, but only for entertainment purposes.

First star on the right and straight on til morning.

Here is your review of Oscar-nominated Finding Neverland. For those of you not in the know, Neverland is the story of J.M. Barrie and how he came to write one of the more popular children's stories of the past century. Mr. Barrie wrote Peter Pan, one of my favorite stories.

I enjoyed this movie. What was especially exciting, was that Johnny Depp was actually playing a normal person in this movie. No Jack Sparrow, no Edward Scissorhands. Just Jack. And I rather enjoyed his performance. Also, it's worth mentioning that I thought the children did a fine job in this film. One of them you will actually see again in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, being released later on this year. Besides Depp's performance, I also enjoyed what they did cinematicaly (is that a word?). While Depp was interacting with the children, they would actually enter the fantasy world they were pretending to be in. And it was cool they way they did it. And if you're familiar with the story of Peter Pan, you will definitely recognize some of the make believe scenes that they create.

I'm going to give this movie a "9." It would have gotten a ten if it had emotionally-moved me, but it didn't.

I'm a cowboy, baby.

The above has nothing to do with this entry, but it's a good response to the question "Who do you think you are?"

I hope y'all don't mind, but I'm going to share some more from that book I've been re-reading. I'm currently in the chapter entitled "The Art of Reading People: Empathy." In this chapter, Ortberg discusses a term coined by Daniel Goleman. Emotional Economy is "the sum total of exchanges of feeling among us."

Every time two people make contact, they come away feeling either better and more energized or worse and more depleted. It is as if we carry our own little emotional ATMs around with us all the time, and at each encounter we are either making deposits or withdrawls on the vitality of those around us.

I need to better at realizing what people take away from interactions with me. If I'm down, chances are that they are going to walk away from or hang up the phone with just a bit more sadness than when we started our interaction. And I don't necessarily want that to happen. HOWEVER, if we as Christians are supposed to help each other bear their burdens, we are almost required to make emotional withdrawls when we stand by someone hurting or in need. But when we do that, I trust that God will direct deposit funds in our emotional account to strengthen us.

This whole concept of deposits and withdrawls leads to the revelation that there are certain people who are consistent depositors, and certain people who are consistent withdrawlers. Think about the people you enjoy being around and then think about the people you don't enjoy being around. What is it about these folks that attracts/repels you?

There are certain people whose company you love to pick, whose running commentary totally holds your attention, who makes you laugh out loud..
When you have a friend like this, she can say "Hey, I've got to drive up to the dump in Petaluma - wanna come along?" and you honestly can't think of anything in the world you'd rather do. By the same token, a boring or annoying person can offer to buy you an expensive dinner, followed by tickets to a great show, and in all honesty, you'd rather stay home and watch the Jello harden.

True that.

A washingtonpost.com article from: stephenmonserrate@yahoo.co.uk

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Personal Message:
Hey, here's an interesting editorial in today's Washington Post. Maryland legislators want to follow Pennsylvania's lead....

Pennsylvania's Slots Sleaze

IT TOOK LESS than six months from the date Pennsylvania legalized the expansion of slot machine gambling last year for state prosecutors to bring their first slots-related indictment. The mayor of Erie was accused of trying to enrich himself through a land deal at a proposed gambling site. He was charged with criminal conspiracy, conflict of interest and other corruption-related counts. Naturally, Maryland's slots advocates will gloss over that and other signs of sleaze oozing to the surface in Pennsylvania; they'll focus instead on the $1 billion in annual revenue that the Keystone State hopes to harvest from casinos and slots parlors a few years from now. But as lawmakers in Annapolis prepare to negotiate a political compromise on slots, they would be wise to examine Pennsylvania's experience, and the corruption that may slither southward.

As in Maryland, slots partisans in Pennsylvania, led by a popular first-term governor, moaned about losing potential income to neighboring states' casinos. Last July they passed slots legislation envisioning a vast empire of 61,000 machines at seven racetracks, two resort hotels and five other locations. Gov. Edward G. Rendell promised that revenue from slots, which would trim perhaps $300 from the property tax bill of an average homeowner, would improve Pennsylvania's "quality of life."

Instead, in the brief period since the slots bill passed, Pennsylvanians have been treated to a series of disquieting disclosures. Some involved the state's Gaming Control Board, a powerful body established to issue hugely profitable casino licenses and oversee the state's plunge into gambling. Mr. Rendell's first pick as board chairman was forced to resign before he started after the Philadelphia Daily News revealed he had helped an alleged underworld crime figure regain a boxing license at a casino in Connecticut. A short time later it was reported that another man with big-time ties to organized crime documented by the government -- and a felony fraud conviction in his past -- had bought a defunct 1,000-acre resort in hopes of developing it into a casino. Then there was the matter of Erie's mayor, Rick Filippi, who is in hot water for trying to acquire land near a proposed casino site where MTR Gaming Group Inc. wants to build an $80 million horse-racing track and entertainment complex. "It has nothing to do with us," Ted Arneault, MTR's chief executive, told the Associated Press. "If you really think about it, his problems would have existed if IBM was going to build a plant there."

Well, not exactly. In state after state, slots have fostered an atmosphere of corruption and a seedy mingling of monied interests, huge potential profits and susceptible politicians. The competition to secure a license and to locate a casino strategically can amount to a scramble for a permit to print money. "Casino licenses are extremely valuable, and there are often a limited number of them, so bidding is going to be very fierce and very competitive," said Bill Thompson of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, who has studied states' experiences with gambling. "It's extremely hard to keep the corruption out."

In Maryland's House of Delegates, some anti-slots lawmakers from Baltimore and from Prince George's County voted for the slots bill last week because it would keep casinos out of their jurisdictions -- while cutting them in on the profits. But once gambling money and interests are allowed in, their insidious influence may not be so easily quarantined. Before consenting to a final slots bill, Maryland lawmakers should ponder Pennsylvania's experience and carefully weigh the stakes.

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And in minor-celebrity news...

Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen are getting divorced. It's a sorry state when "irreconciable differences" is just a check-box on a standard petition for dissolution of marriage form. They don't even have to state what those differences are.

Boo on you Weight Watchers.

So I went to my neighborhood Weight Watchers location last night to get my free BMI. As you may recall, yesterday was the "Great American Weigh In." So I traipse in the door, only to find that there is a meeting currently going on taking up approximately 89% of the space available in the room. I make my way along the back wall to the weigh-in desk and ask for my free BMI. Disapointment starts....HERE. Theresa (who lost 30 pounds in six weeks, according to her nametag) asked for my height. Then she told me to stand on the scale. She didn't have me take off my jacket, or my shoes. She just told me to stand on the scale. So I did. Based on my weight with jacket and shoes, my BMI was a 30. However, I weighed myself at Messiah later that evening, and according to the chart I was given, I was more like a 28. PLUS, I was hoping they were going to a technical measurement (where they actually measure fat in three locations using calipers, but they didn't do that). So I left disappointed.

I think I need to have my brakes checked. There's some unsettling scraping/screeching going on in the back.

A nice follow up to "Taxi Driver"

Here's the trailer for the new Jimmy Fallon picture coming out in April. If you saw game four of the series, you may have noticed Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon out celebrating on the field with the Sox when they won game four. They were filming this movie. It's called Fever Pitch.

On my list of things to do today...

1. Work
2. Eat
3. Return library book
4. Go to chiropractor
5. Find out what my BMI is.

Yes, today, I'm not only taking initative by doing five things in one day, one of those things is finding my BMI. What is your BMI you ask? BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It's a tool used to determine how your weight lines up with your height, and I believe it's more fluid than the old fashioned way of using a chart.

Anywho, today is the Great American Weigh-In at Weight Watchers. And as part of this special day, they're giving people the opportunity to find out what their BMI is.....for free. And since "free" is one of my favorite words, I'm gonna check it out. Tune in tomorrow where I report my findings.

Unveiled FAces

So I'm re-reading this book by John Ortberg (which astute readers will know that I mentioned in previous entries). Talks about communities, it does. And the chapter I just finished up was titled Unveiled Faces: Authenticy. It talks about how common it is for human beans to hide their true selves behind a mask. But hiding behind the masks means that we end up holding part of ourselves back and that hinders authentic, or real community. So you end up hanging out with people, but little do you know that one person is frustrated with you because of something you said, and another person is inwardly disappointed because you didn't invite them to a certain event. And here's where the problem lies.

When we keep our masks on, we don't let anyone know what's going on. If I'm ticked at somebody because of something they did, they aren't going to know it unless I tell them. And I need to tell them. Cuz here's what happens if I don't: it eats me up. I don't think it's a stretch to say that it affects my entire life. I end up dwelling on it and it affects my communication with that person. And the opposite holds true. If someone has done something to hurt me, I need to let that person know that. Cuz if that person doesn't know what they did, they may continue to do it, and it's my fault because I didn't tell them.

So, here's what I've done. I've contracted some truth-tellers to help me out. These truth-tellers are there to let me know if I've done something wrong. And the most important part? I have to be open and willing to hear and accept what they have to say.

I'll leave y'all with a quote from the book:

You can only be loved to the extent that you are known. You can only be completely loved if you are completely known.
-John Ortberg

For my LOTR fans..

Click here.

Your opinion is important to us..

Okay kids, put on your thinking caps. I have an honest question for you. Knowing what you know about me, what do you think would be an ideal job for me? I've blogged in the past how I've been considering doing something other than human resources. So I'm looking for some honest input on what you think would be a good job for me. Please drop your suggestions in the comment area.

I was watching a show on PBS last night and it followed the California Zephyr, which is an Amtrak train as it traveled west. It traveled from Denver to Emeryville, CA. It's a trip I think I would like to take. Traveling over mountains and through the Continental Divide, through canyons and along rivers. It all looked really cool.