Thursday Threesome for September 21st

And here I was going to be out the door by now. But let's get this done really fast, shall we? Brought to us this week by Baskin Robbins and The Back Porch.

Onesome: Ice-- skating? Yes? No? Rinks? Ponds? No way?
It's been a long time since I did it, but I used to enjoy it when I did. Always rinks because, even where I grew up in Northern CA, it never got cold enough for a pond to freeze over.

Twosome: Cream-- soda? The work of evil scientists or a true pleasure in life ?
I enjoy it, but there are other drinks I like more. So is nuetral an acceptable answer?

Threesome: Social-- Are you considered to be a social person? ...or are you more likely to not be comfortable with a bunch of people around you? ...and wait a moment: how about in a classroom situation? Is that different for you?
I am uncomfortable in a situation with lots of people I don't know. However, give me a good group of friends, and I'll be a very social person. Of course, I love to read and watch TV, which are very anti-social activities. Classrooms don't make an difference for me.

Today Be...

Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day.

This blog be in full support of celebrating it.

If ye be wanting more fun, check out the crazy lad and lassies at Jix today.

ARRRRR

Word Association for September 17th

How long has it been since I did one of these?

1. Running :: Walking
2. Alternative :: Medicine
3. Cope :: Pain
4. Lots :: Big (as in the store)
5. Sympathetic :: Character
6. Barn :: Red
7. Totally :: Radical
8. Baby :: Faced
9. Undeniable :: You
10. Watermelon :: Summer

Long Overdue Major Catch Up

So it's been over two weeks since I post anything about my life? Yikes! I am getting lazy, aren't I?

So what would you like to know?

I've decided three day weekends should be mandatory every weekend. We can get by on a 32 hour work week, right? Labor Day weekend was absolutely wonderful. I slept in every day (despite setting an alarm for church Sunday). And the extra day off was nice and relaxing. I actually felt human by the time Monday night hit. I had been feeling pretty lousy the week before.

And I hung out with friends lots. Kurt and Kellie set up a game night with their friends for Saturday night. And then some friends got together for a BBQ on Monday. Both were lots of fun.

I am indeed sharing the worship leading responsibilities for youth group. It's nice. Keeps the pressure off me and gives the youth some variety.

My car spent last Thursday at the Honda dealership. The compressor on my AC decided to give up the ghost and they had to overnight a new one to the dealership. The good news? It was covered by the warrenty.

And I got a new battery for my car, too. I saved $20 by going to Sears. Of course, it took them two hours to install it while I waited. Maybe it would have been just as cheap to have Honda do it while they had my car afterall.

This week, I got pulled over by a cop for the first time. Why? Because of my tinted windows. When I bought my car, I paid to have the deal tint my windows. The car came back with the driver and passenger side windows tinted. I questioned this, but was told I was ok because I got it that way from the dealer. Obviously, I was lied to. Now I'll have to pay to have it fixed. I asked a friend who is a cop about it, and he was shocked. He says they never pull anyone over for that or write the ticket for it. That must be why I've survived six years with out getting a ticket for it.

The worst part of the whole thing? It happened right by church right before the mid-week adult Bible study started. And Kurt saw me. He was already giving me a hard time about it. I wonder how many people saw me.

I saw the wound care specialist Tuesday. She says that I should be healed within a month. Sure hope so. And she told me that the time it's taken me to heal isn't abnormal for where the wound is.

Wednesday night I went over to some friend's for dinner. They are trying to sell their place and move out of town since he has a job as a pastor in that town. It was nice to catch up with them once more before they leave. I don't see them more then three or four times a year, but I will certainly miss having them around.

And I think that hits the exciting events for the last couple of weeks. Maybe now that I've posted this my lazy streak will have passed.

Thursday Threesome for September 14th

Brought to us this week by the first thing you see and The Back Porch.

Onesome: Common-- Quick and easy: the most common name you can think of! Okay, let's make it a first (given) name...
John

Twosome: Household-- cleaners? What is your "go to" cleanser when you have to clean the place up? Are you a Lysol Junkie, an Orange Blossom Special or maybe a Bleach it to Death type? Come on, come clean !
What's a cleanser? Seriously, I guess I'd have to go with Formula 409.

Threesome: Products-- come and products go. What's on your list as a "wanna' have" for this Fall (no, not for Christmas; we'll save that for later).
There are a few books by favorite authors coming out I know I will have to get. That's about it.

Five Years Ago

I'll never forget that phone call. I was getting ready for work when Donald called to ask if I had the TV on. Since I didn't, I turned it on and stared for the next 15 minutes trying to figure out what was going on.

Since I live on the West Coast, the news was already several hours old. The events had happened while I was still asleep.

I wasn't sure if we'd work that day or not, so I came in. We did because we had work that needed to get done. And, frankly, in California, we weren't that effected.

The thing that freaked me out the most was the fact that I had been in Virginia two days before for Trixie Camp. And some of the attendees were supposed to be traveling home that day. I remember reading the boards and waiting for word as everyone checked in and the releaf when the last few people did.

That night, I went home and watched the coverage for several hours. When I couldn't take it any more, I watched Toy Story.

Living in CA, it didn't effect me on a day by day basis. I could pretty much go about my life and just hear about it on the news. Yet it bothered me as an American. My country was under attack.

Of course, I also found a new apartment to move into that day. Even with everyone else going on in the world, life went on here.

And that seems to be the lesson we've learned five years later. Yes, it was horrid, but life goes on. How many have been directly effected by what's going on? We all whine about gas prices, but that's about it.

And the lack of daily reminders seems to drive our current political climate. We don't feel the urgency we once did, so now we bicker and fight about everything.

And there are some people who refuse to believe the obvious. Apparently Andy Rooney asked last night why we haven't tried to learn why the terrorists hate us. Personally, I take them at their word. Just a week and a half ago, they told us to convert to Islam or die. Seems pretty simple to me. They hate us because we aren't Muslim.

Why look for a deeper meaning when they hand one to us?

By the way, if they are waiting for an answer from me, I have one for them. I WILL NOT SUBMIT! You can continue to attack. Kill me if you think it will do any good. But I will not submit to you and your terror ways.

For more, read this excellent editorial. It nails much of what is wrong with our country's response to this.

Thursday Threesome for September 7th

If it's been a week since I posted, it must be time for the Thursday Threesome again.

Onesome: How-- many Apples in your orchard? Didn't we just ask this one? Are you a Mac-o-phile, a Windows user, or one of those penguin people (Linux users)?
If you did ask this before, it's been so long I've forgotten. I'm a Windows user, by default. Default of work using it and that being what Josh helped me get for hom.

Twosome: High is-- what in height for your family? Are you a tall group? ...a short stack? ...or a mixed lot?
My brother is the giant at 6 feet. We're all fairly short.

Threesome: Up-- ...and down and all around: Labor Day marked the end of Summer for those of us in the US (regardless of how the plants felt what with the temperatures out West and hurricanes in the East). How about you: what signals the change of seasons this time of year for you?
When the air starts feeling crisper and it actually cools off at night.