Word Association for December 26th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Drape :: Window
2. Visitors :: Guests
3. Garage :: Car
4. Disney :: Magic
5. Among :: Friends
6. Trend :: Upward
7. Holiday :: Christmas
8. Lightbulb :: Burned Out
9. Zing! :: Electric
10. Efficient :: Butler

Thoughts on Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty

I’m sure by now that everyone is sick and tired of the Phil Robertson controversy.  Yet here I am to talk about it.  And what I have to say will probably offend just about everyone at some point, which is why I feel I need to weigh in.  Both sides of this controversy are right and both sides are wrong.

Now before we get too much further, I should point out that I have no love for Duck Dynasty.  In fact, I can’t stand the show.  When my roommate has the show on, I have to leave the room.  So I’m not coming at this as a fan of the show.

So, what did Phil say?  He had the nerve to paraphrase the Bible where it talks about homosexuality being a sin.  That got people up in arms, and A&E fired him over it, which then got Christians up in arms.

Let’s start by taking a look at what he said.  The verse he was paraphrasing was I Corinthians 6:9-10, and it says, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexuals offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”  For those of us who believe the Bible, it’s pretty clear.  Homosexuality is a sin as defined by God.  Believe me, I have heard all the verbal and mental gymnastics people try to go through to explain this and similar passages away.  If it weren’t a matter of life and death, or Heaven and Hell, it would be laughable.  It is very clear what the passage means.  You can call us hateful all we want, but this and other passages make it pretty clear how God feels on the matter.

But here is where I am going to shine the spotlight on my fellow Christians.  Why is Homosexuality the sin that dare not speak its name?  Look again at that list.  All sex outside of marriage is there.  And Paul goes down to some pretty basic sins.  While in the passage, Paul is talking about some people who weren’t living to God’s standards, he drills down to some basic sins.  Yet in today’s church, this is the one we focus on.

Think I’m exaggerating?  I can remember in the 80’s and 90’s when Christians would get upset with any depiction of a couple living together outside of marriage on TV.  Now, most people I know love Friends and The Big Bang Theory.  Those shows are full of off color jokes and sex between unmarried couples.  And before I start to sound like a high and mighty person, I’m right there with you.  I was laughing at a Big Bang rerun just last night, and I have the entire Friends series on DVD.  I’m not trying to throw stones, but why is this the cultural issue we are so fixated on right now?  And heck, while I laugh at those two shows, I get uncomfortable when a gay character shows up on a show I like or in a book I’m reading.  I’m right there with you.

And this is one place the Christian culture needs to change our outlook.  Yes, we need to call out sin, but we need to do it in a loving manner.  Look at Jesus.  He called everyone to repentance.  Those who were “sinners” of His day, he spent time with and loved.  He was hardest on the religious leaders.  Yet today, we seem to be the exact opposite.  We are hardest on those who are lost, ready to judge and write them off, and we tolerate sin in ourselves and others who are saved.  We need to remember that we are all sinners who have been saved and stop judging others because of their particular sin.

So let’s go back to the passage and a point I was sort of making a few minutes ago.  Look at that list again.  Are you not on it yet?  Then let’s bring in a few more sins from the Bible.  Lying.  Disobeying parents.  Still not there?  We can go to Jesus’ comments from Matthew 6 about how looking at a woman and lusting after her is committing adultery in your heart.  Or how you can murder someone in your heart.  I know I’m on this list  of sinners who will not inherit the Kingdom of God by now even if no one else is.

But Paul doesn’t stop with the verse I’ve already quoted.  He goes on in verse 11 to say, “And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  See.  We are all sinners.  And the penalty for all of our sin is death.  It’s not just homosexuals who will be sent to hell.  It’s the sexual immoral of all kinds.  It's the liars.  It’s those who disobey their parents.

Still, Paul continues by talking about what Jesus did for us.  And that’s what we are celebrating this Christmas - the beginning of that sacrifice.  God is completely just and holy and can’t abide our sin.  But He also sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin.  And what Paul is ultimately saying and really trying to communicate is that, while we need to call sin sin, we need to be compassionately calling people to repentance.  And there is no sin that is beyond God’s grace and mercy.

So let’s move on to the Freedom of Speech issue.  Actually, it has been refreshing to hear some of my liberal friends making the same statement I’ve been making for years.  While there is freedom of speech, we aren’t protected from the consequences of our actions.  In fact, the only thing we are protected from is being arrested for our speech by the government.  I’m actually going to paraphrase something that my friend Eric posted this morning.

1. Phil Robertson was free to say what he said.

2. The gay and lesbian community was free to respond and get upset.

3.  A&E was free to fire him as a result of what he said.

But this is where some people seem to stop, and there’s one more reaction here.

4. Christians are free to react to A&E firing Phil.

Yes, every person I just named above has freedom of speech.  And every person named above was right to exercise it.

The problem is that once again we are talking past each other.  Each side is so intent on making their point, they aren’t willing to listen and consider what the other person is saying.  Yes, I have seen name calling over this, even by people on my friend’s list at Facebook.  Just saying “Because Freedom of Speech shut up” is not helping anything (yes, I’m paraphrasing).

The entire point of freedom of speech is the ability to talk through these things.  However, if things are so nasty that one side stays silent, that’s not freedom of anything but power, intimidation, and bullying.  (Yes, I just said that.  Honestly, I have found some of the most intolerant people are those who preach tolerance and are anti-bullying.)  If you are going to convince anyone you are right and they are wrong, you have to engage calmly and rationally.  I know that never happens on the internet, but that should change.  Yes, I’m tilting at windmills here, but we could change that one person at a time.  If you stop name calling but engage in rational debate, truly listening to the other side, then you’ve done your part.  You are the only person you can control, but you are responsible for your own actions.

But back to the freedom of speech point.  While I certainly do agree that the government has done nothing to Phil, the fact that he has lost his job does have a rather chilling effect on free speech.  It will make others think twice before they say something.  There is nothing the government can or should do about it, but it is chilling and should be considered more rationally by those who love free speech.  Don't be so quick to dismiss someone losing their job for an unpopular opinion just because you happen to disagree with them.  The next time that happens, it might be you.

Okay, now I’m going to steal from my friend Karen.  I already noted that I’m not a fan of Duck Dynasty, but I do find it funny how many people are defending the show who would decry it’s equivalents like Real Housewives or Jersey Shore.  Yes, this family is Christian, but does that necessarily make it any better?  Oh, I get the concept of a guilty pleasure.  I watch some shows that are trashy, too.  But let’s not pretend this is anything other than what it is – a reality TV show where some savvy people are living in a fishbowl to make millions off of other people watching them..

Having said that, I do have a new respect for Phil Robertson because he took a stand despite the blowback he knew would come.  And now the rest of the family is standing with him.

Of course, the results should not have been a surprise.  Jesus predicted that the world would not tolerate those who stand with Him. John 15:18 says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."  And remember that they killed Him.

Still, it always amazes me when Christians react to the world behaving like the world.  The world doesn’t believe the Bible.  Therefore, we shouldn’t expect them to live by the Bible.  It’s really that simple.  I’m not saying we turn our back.  We are called to be salt and light.  But we need to be salt and light to a world that doesn’t believe like we do.  And we need to remember that when we engage them.  Just falling back on the Bible is not the way to do that.  (And yes, I know I spent half of this post on Bible verses.)

So where do we go from here?  As far as Duck Dynasty, I don’t care.  While I do have a new respect for the family, I still don’t want to watch the show.  But we as Christians need to rethink how we engage the world around us and look for the specs in our own eye before we attack the planks around us.  And everyone needs to take a deep breath and a step back before they engage in conversation, really wrestling through all the implications of what their actions and the actions of others mean in the bigger picture.

Word Association for December 19th

I should be in bed, but I'm doing word association instead.  (And I'm rhyming while doing it without meaning to, which is even scarier.)

1. Comedy :: Laughter
2. Warning :: Note
3. Bowling :: Pins
4. Picked :: Last
5. Shotgun :: Wedding
6. Accommodate :: Guests
7. Everybody :: Dance Now
8. Hypnotic :: Suggestion
9. Penthouse :: Apartment
10. Hockey :: Mask

Another Busy Weekend

Last weekend was a busy weekend.  See, my parents followed me down from Thanksgiving.  Well, maybe not really, but close to it since I came down on Tuesday and they came down on Thursday.  I didn’t see them that day – I went to dinner with my friend Chris instead.

However, we met up after work on Friday and went down to Glendale Centre Theatre to see A Christmas Carol.  It was wonderful!

Then Saturday was the real reason they’d come down.  Some good family friend’s youngest daughter was getting married just north of Bakersfield.  It’s a couple hour trip, but the weather decided to complicate it.  The most direct route was closed due to snow.  The indirect route was also closed due to snow, but fortunately we didn’t know about it and it had reopened before we got to the summit.  We arrived in plenty of time, but the flowers didn’t.  They were also delayed because of snow, and things got a late start.  Still, when things did get started, it was beautiful and a nice day all the way around.

Sunday, Mom and Dad went to church with me, and then we went back to the condo where they were properly impressed with my Christmas decorations.  They got some things done, then we played games and watched The Amazing Race together.

It’s put me really behind on Christmas – at least the shopping part of things.  But it was a nice weekend and a very nice visit all the way around.

Word Association for December 11th

Let's sneak in this week's word association, shall we?

1. Games :: Fun
2. Younger :: Older
3. Propose :: Meaning
4. Closer :: Come Closer
5. Cleaned :: Dishes
6. Fresh :: Smelling
7. Crunch :: Sit Up
8. Centers :: Department
9. Shiny! :: Stars
10. Horrific :: Sad

Wonderful Thanksgiving

I got to spend 5 full days with my family for Thanksgiving.  It was absolutely wonderful.

Naturally, we did the traditional Thanksgiving on Thursday.  My brother and sister-in-law hosted, and I got to make a cheesecake for one of our desserts.  My sister-in-law’s dad and step-mom were there as well.  As a family, we also went to the beach on Saturday.  Unlike Southern California, it’s rare to find a sunny day without wind, but that’s what we got.  There was fog creeping around, but we were in warm sun, so it was a very pleasant day.  And we went out for walks a couple of days.

I also spent a couple of nights with my brother and sister-in-law, which was nice.  I enjoyed getting to be around them for an extended relaxed time.

Plus that meant more time with my niece and nephew.  Have I mentioned how incredibly cute they are?  I mean, seriously, they are adorable!  Nope, not biased at all.  My niece always enjoys getting to spend time with me, and my nephew seemed to like having me around, too.  Since he’s only 10 months old, I wasn’t quite sure how he’d react since I haven’t been up for a few months, but he passed with flying colors.

And I get to do it all again in just a few weeks for Christmas.  Yikes, it’s coming fast.  I’m glad I got my decorating done before I left, but I have got to get going on shopping.

Random Update

I really feel like I am neglecting this blog.  So I’m going to fill you in on all the exciting things I’ve done.

Thrilled yet?

Honestly, I’ve been keeping pretty busy with work and the rest of life.  I’m still watching too much TV and need to find something to cut out, but I’ve been saying that for how many years now?

A week and a half ago, some good friends had a first birthday party for their little girl, which was a ton of fun.  Yes, I do mean that.  I got to catch up with a lot of mutual friends I haven’t seen in a long time.

This last weekend, I went to see The Lion King with a different friend – the Broadway version.  That was a blast.

And in the midst of all this, I’ve been decorating for Christmas.  It’s 29 days away, after all, and I’ll be with family for Thanksgiving as always.  I’m happy to say I’m done.  Now I just need to actually do my Christmas shopping….

So that’s pretty much it.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Word Association for November 25th

30 days to Christmas.  Let's celebrate with some word association.

1. Directions :: Lost
2. Juror :: Judge
3. Cheating :: Game
4. Fact :: Checker
5. Clue :: Mystery
6. Week :: End
7. Enthusiasm :: Excited
8. Smug :: Arrogant
9. Venture :: Forth
10. Bench :: Warmer

Word Association for November 19th

I can't believe I missed the last two weeks of word association.  But let's do this week's to make up for it.

1. Jealousy :: Green
2. Twin :: Sister
3. Logo :: Brand
4. Bang :: Gun
5. Darts :: Wall
6. Window :: Wall
7. Arcade :: Game
8. Sniff :: Cold
9. Tickets :: Play
10. Eraser :: Chalkboard

Unexpected Friend Visits

This last weekend, I got to visit with two friends unexpectedly.

The first was Matt, my friend from a decade ago who moved to Kentucky.  I hadn’t seen him in a little over 3 years, and in that time, he’s gotten married and had a daughter.  He and his family were in town for a week, so I got to see him and meet them.  They came over to the condo for an hour or so.  I would have loved for them to stay longer, but it was great to see them for any amount of time.

Then on Sunday just before I was going to get ready to go to ultimate Frisbee, Luke called.  He was passing through town, so we headed over to Cold Stone and hung out for about an hour.  He’s maybe half an hour away, but it was still great to catch up with him for a little while.

Other than that?  I’ve been working and that’s about it.  Nothing majorly excitingly going on.  Heck, I didn’t even leave my condo on Saturday, although now I kind of wish I had.  Sounds like I should see Thor before the next episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I’m not sure that will happen this weekend.

Month Old Concert Report

After my last mud run of the year, I went to a concert.  I know, that was a month ago and I’m just now talking about it.  That just shows how far behind I’ve let myself get.

And this in no way reflects how glad I am I went to the concert.

The mud run I did that morning was half way between home and the concert, so after getting cleaned up, I didn’t go home but straight to the concert site.  I found a nice shady spot and parked and read.  It was a pretty great afternoon.

I’d been eyeing the tickets sales on line, and I knew the seat I really wanted.  It was off to the side but still front row just cheaper than front and center.  It was still available at the door, so I bought it.

And the artists?  Steven Curtis Chapman, Laura Story, and Jason Gray.  I’m big fans of the guys, so I was super jazzed.  And I became a fan of Laura’s before the night was out, too.  Still not a fan of the CD of hers I’d already bought, but her other two are great.

The evening started with Steven coming out and doing “The Great Adventure” before introducing Jason who did a few songs.  Then Laura did a few.  Finally Steven did a medley of some of his hits over the years before intermission.

Once we came back it was all Steven all the time.  He mostly did songs from his new CD, but he did mix in a few classics.

Honestly, I do have a huge complaint.  It could have been much longer.  I really would have liked to hear more from Jason and Steven.  Once I’ve listened to Laura’s CD’s a couple more times, I’m sure I would feel the same about her.  Still, it was a great evening, and I am so glad I went.  I’ve seen Jason a couple of times before touring with downhere, but I’d only seen Steven in concert once.  It was at the Anaheim stadium or whatever it is called where the hockey team plays.  It was a good concert, but I couldn’t see a thing.  This time, my seat was awesome!

No, I probably shouldn’t have been spending the money with my car repairs and all, but it was so worth it.

Word Association for November 1st

The week seems to be running away from me.  Here's this week's word association.

1. Poison :: Ivy
2. Las Vegas :: Gamble
3. Nanny :: State
4. Tablet :: Computer
5. Trail :: Hiking
6. Innocent :: Lost
7. Invited :: Party
8. Life :: Fun
9. Tormented :: Soul
10. Lousy :: Day

No, my day wasn't lousy, but that's what popped into my head.

Car Fixed - Finally

Considering I was without my car for a week, I did a remarkable job of getting to and from work.  God had really been providing for me because I have a co-worker who lives in my complex as well as one near me.  They start very early, so I had to get up and get out the door early, but I got four days of work in.  Friday, they both wound up not working, so I was stuck at home.  All told, I’m thankful.

Meanwhile, the mechanic had decided what I suspected all along, the problems I was having last weekend were related to a cable they had found that needed to be fixed.  They thought I could drive it with the cable as it was.  Obviously not.  So they ordered the part on Wednesday and it came in Friday.  They fixed it for me right away and then came and picked me up Friday afternoon.

They test drove it quite a bit, and I drove it all over town over the weekend as well as to and from work today.  I feel confident in finally say that it is fixed.  The cable needs to stretch a little, and it doesn’t always seem to register that it is in park, but that’s the only issue.  If it keeps acting up, I’ll have them take a look at it when I get my oil changed next time.  For the time being, I can get it into park when I need to.

The car is running great, the transmission is shifting just fine.  I think I can start putting this entire episode behind me.

Word Association for October 24th

Here's this week's word association.

1. dead :: Certain
2. bangs :: Hair
3. future :: Tense
4. holistic :: Medicine
5. circumstance :: Bad
6. past :: History
7. fan :: Air
8. happened :: To Be
9. room :: Living
10. awful :: Bad

The Continuing Saga of My Car Troubles

So, here’s a summary of my weekend.

Spencer was out of town this weekend, but my car was ready to be picked up.  Arranged to get a ride from Spencer’s to my mechanic, so I pick up my car.  I’m almost home when my check engine light comes on.  It’s still on the next morning, so I take my car back.  They keep it all day and fixed a couple of things (spark plugs, etc).  It’s fine Saturday night, but last night driving home from ultimate, the light comes on again.

Meanwhile, a couple of times, my transmission had shifted down to either first or neutral and stayed there.  It had concerned me, but when I was almost home from ultimate, it stayed there for the final half mile home.  Obviously, it’s not working right either.

I took a quick shower and dropped my car off at my mechanics, planning to go take Spencer’s car again.  Only it won’t start.  Most likely the battery, which he has known needs to be replaced soon but he hasn’t worried about.

Fortunately, I learned six months ago or so that one of my co-workers lives in my condo complex.  Even more fortunately, I have his phone number.  I got a ride in to work with him this morning.  The down side, we left an hour earlier than normal for me.  He normally starts even earlier than that, so if I’m going to keep getting a ride from him, I’m going to have to be leaving by 6 instead of 7:30 like I have been.  On the plus side, I can get to and from work.

I’m frustrated.  And tired.  Very tired.

I had nothing planned this weekend but relaxing at home.  Not sure about the relaxing part, but at least I had time to deal with all this.

Word Association for October 17th

Welcome to this week's word association.

1. Untraceable :: Signal
2. Senator :: Congressman
3. Humongous :: Big
4. Drinks :: are on the House
5. Ringing :: Endorsement
6. Overloaded :: Support System
7. Annoyed :: Sibling
8. Blondie :: Dagwood
9. Suits :: USA Network Show
10. Deadly :: Fire

That Dam Mud Run 2013

Sadly, we have reached that point in the year again – the time of my last mud run of the year.  Fortunately, the weather warmed up just enough that it was still pleasant out.  Not too hot; not too cold.

I did this one with a co-worker.  We’d done the obstacle run together back in July, but this was his first mud run.

This was the second year for this run at this location, but it’s put on by the people who do Irvine Lake, one of my favorites.  They really changed the course layout this year, skipping the part by the swim lagoon but focusing on the back half where all the mud was last year.

And that meant they really upped the mud factor.  There were lots and lots of mud pits.  In fact, I wouldn’t have minded a few different kinds of obstacles, but I feel like they are still determining what they can do at this location.

Anyway, we both got muddy and had fun.  As I always say, what else matters?

Some of the mud pits were pretty slick, too.  It was almost impossible to get out of them the sides were so slick.  But obviously we did make it out since we aren’t still in the mud.

It doesn’t seem quite as popular as some of the others I do yet.  Hopefully that will grow because it’s less than an hour from my house, always a plus since so many seem to be in Orange County.

Sadly, for the next six months I’m mud run less.  I know of a few happening, but I don’t want to risk the weather.  It could be fine or it could be very cold.  And if it’s cold, these are no fun at all.  So I’ll wait until spring.  I’m already eyeing my first mud run which could be the spring edition of Irvine Lake.

Youth Group Reunion

Last Sunday (yes, over a week ago.  I’m still catching up.), the first group of jr. highers I worked with at my old church held a reunion.  They invited staff, but I was the only one who could make it.

About half the group still lives in town, and I see them a few times a year as it is.  But the other half have moved out of the area, and I haven’t seen some of them in years.

It was great hanging out with everyone and especially catching up with those I hadn’t seen in a long time.  The house was full of kids as just they were invited as well.  They kept everyone on their toes, yet they behaved very well and played together with minimal fighting.

The visiting was also done around the Dodger’s game, and part of me had a great time teasing people about it.

It did mean I missed my ultimate Frisbee pick up game since they started at the same time, but it was worth it.  And I was very happy to be included in the invite to begin with.

Transmission Trouble

I was almost home from work last Wednesday when I felt a huge shake and heard a loud pop.  I still don’t quite know what I did, but I pulled over to the side of the road to find I was leaking something.  So I started calling for a  tow truck and then started calling friends.

The short version of the outcome is that I have a hole in my transmission and my car has been in the shop since then getting fixed.  Last I’d heard, they hoped to have it for me by Saturday.

Meanwhile, I’m thankful to be using Spencer’s car to get me to and from work.  It would be a double bummer to not have any income coming in while I have this huge expense going out.

I did consider trying to replace my car, but since I’m still working a temp job, I didn’t feel right about taking on a monthly expense.  Hopefully with the rebuilt transmission they are putting in, I can make my car last another year or two, which was my original goal.

Word Association for October 9th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Latch :: Door
2. Standard :: Deduction
3. 60 :: 61
4. Maple :: Syrup
5. Final :: Countdown
6. Bickering :: Fighting
7. Diner :: Roadside
8. Nasty :: Virus
9. Ohhh! :: Awwwww
10. Leeches :: Blood

TV Recap?

I've decided to post my weekly recaps/thoughts on my review blog from here on out.  So if you are looking for this week's, here's the link.

Sunday Friend Day

Not being content to spend part of Saturday in Pasadena, I headed back that way on Sunday.

It all started because Christy, a friend I grew up with, invited me to her place for a launch part of the new season of Once Upon a Time.  So I used that as an excuse to hand out with my friends Luke and Sarah on the way.

I got their early afternoon, and we headed out to a farmer’s market and grabbed some lunch while we were there.  Then it was back to their house for games.  I beat them at Clue – Master Detective, but then lost horribly at Settlers of Catan.  I hadn’t played either game in a long time, so it was fun to play them.  Heck, I haven’t played a game with friends in a long time, so that was fun.

Then I headed to Christy’s house.  She’d made dinner for us.  It was two friends, her, her husband, and myself.  We had fun chatting and the food was delicious.  Then we watched the recap and the new episode.  Nothing too earth shattering in it, but I already can’t wait for the next episode.

While this meant I wasn’t home much this weekend, it was still a very fun time.  This weekend, I don’t have much planned, and I’m looking forward to that, too, just for different reasons.

Gladiator Rock n Run - Rose Bowl

Last Saturday was the second of 3 mud runs I’m doing in 4 weeks.  I was back doing the Gladiator Rock n Run, but this time I was doing it in Pasadena in and around the Rose Bowl.

I had a choice, and I did the 10K.  I did this race and this distance two years ago, and I had a blast, so I wanted to do it again.

I wound up doing it by myself, but in some ways that was okay.  No pressure.  No pushing.  I could just go at my own pace.

The down side was I got assigned to the 7:30 wave instead of the 8:30 wave I signed up for.  They didn’t have enough people at 8:30, so they turned that into a 5K wave.  Still, that’s very early.  As in I had to wake up earlier than I do for work.  But I got there and was ready to run before they were ready to let us go, and that’s the important thing.

We started by running down the player’s entrance and into the Rose Bowl itself, where we then did the stairs a number of times.  Then it was out to the street around the Rose Bowl before leaving that and entering the park.  That was the part I remembered the most from two years ago and the part that I enjoyed the most.  And it’s only available on the 10K course.

They moved up the ice bath obstacle to near the beginning.  It wasn’t quite warm enough for that yet, especially at 7:30 in the morning.

But the mud doesn’t come into play until the last mile.  There isn’t much since they have to create dams for it.  But it was still fun, and I got muddier than I was expecting.  There was mud twice, once with barbed wire for us to crawl under and then a tunnel to crawl through and once with ropes and flags.  That second time, the mud was in dumpsters, which I wasn’t expecting and was kind of fun.  A creative way to get us muddy.

My only complaint is how low they put the barbed wire.  It is next to impossible to get down to crawl through the mud without getting scratched.  And the mud was too shallow at times, too.  If it were rope, I wouldn’t mind at all.  But since I got scratched, I wasn’t happy.

The hardest obstacle for me was the cinderblock burpees.  I have got to start exercising my upper body.  That’s all there is to it.  My lower back and calves were killing me for a couple days afterward.

And yet I’ll take the challenge and be back for more.  I’ve only missed one they have put on in Orange County and LA County, and that was the Rose Bowl last year.  It just about killed me.  I will be back.

Oh, the upside of starting early?  The huge group of people in the starting corral waiting to start when I was clean and on my way home.  That felt good.  As did the two hour nap I took that afternoon.

Weekly TV Recap for September 28th

The fall season is back in full force.  And I think I've already found one show I will be following.  Jury is still out on the other two new shows I started this week.

Dancing with the Stars – Just as I predicted, it’s going to take the judges really giving Bill Nye low scores to get him off the show.  I’ve got nothing against him, but he’s not in the same league as everyone else and doesn’t deserve to stick around based most of the field.  But he’s very popular, so we’ll see how long he lasts.

Castle – A bit of fun, especially with Pi.  He’s going to be a fun addition for however long he lasts.  I’m sure Castle almost dying will be part of what gets Beckett to move back to New York.  And Ryan is going to be a blast as a new dad, I can tell already.  I’d forgotten we had a cliffhanger coming.  Not too worried about it, but I’ll be glad when this show is back to episodic.  I’m about cliffhangered out and want new, fun material.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – It was a typical pilot in that it set up characters and the universe the show plans to explore.  But it was certainly fun, and I can already tell I’ll grow to love some of the characters.  The humor was great, too.  Joss, I’m giving you a fourth chance.  You’d better not break my heart again.

Survivor – Well, it didn’t take long for Cody to show his true colors.  And to think the returning players had a chance to vote him out when they could.  I only have sympathy for them because I have to put up with him.  Not surprised that Rupert didn’t make it, although I’m sorry to see him leave so soon.  And this is definitely messing with the normal strategy.  I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but I think I am.  It’s added another layer to the game I find intriguing.

The Big Bang Theory – The first episode was fine, but the second one was so funny.  Howard’s scenes totally stole the show.  Actually, totally stole both shows.  I did appreciate them giving Penny and Sheldon some good scenes together since I always love their relationship.  And Amy and Bernadette’s scenes in the first one were pretty good, too.

The Crazy Ones – I can see some potential here, especially with the relationship between Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar.  I wasn’t blown away by the pilot, but it is a pilot.  I’ll give it a couple weeks and see where it goes.

The Michael J. Fox Show – I feel like they are trying to be funny.  I can sense the funny is right there.  And yet I really didn’t laugh.  Can’t quite figure out what the issue is, but there it is.

Word Association for September 27th

Closing out the week with a little word association.

1. Laceration :: Wound
2. Shower :: Clean
3. Filed :: Paperwork
4. Possibility :: Endless
5. Horror :: Story
6. Entry :: to Event
7. Hospital :: Stay
8. Switched :: at Birth
9. Guilty :: Verdict
10. Mistake :: Made

Survivor Mud Run 2013

It had been two months.  It was time to get back in the mud.

Fortunately, I had a fun run scheduled for last weekend.  Spencer and I headed down to Lake Ellsinore for the Survivor Mud Run.  This is the third year in a row I’ve done this run, and it is worth it.

They have most of their obstacles in the middle, including their mud.  That gives you some long stretches to run, but it’s worth it.  The mud is plentiful, they make you crawl through all of it, and it is deep.  I got as muddy as always without even trying.

One highlight was definitely the pit after the tub crawl.  You got muddy no matter how hard you tried to avoid it.  It was deep and you had a drop off into the mud.  Not much you could do about it.

They also had some thick spots where you pretty much had to drop and roll.

As always, we took a detour through the lake, which was fun.  We spent some time cleaning off, but then the final mud pit – the one right before the finish line – got us again.

I had planned to arrive plenty early because they always have long lines to pick up your bib and drop off your bag.  That wasn’t an issue at all this year.  In fact, we had everything and were ready to run in about 20 minutes.  A definitely improvement over just barely being ready in time in the past.

It’s a long drive – 2 hours one way – and I was trying to decide if I thought it was worth it.  The answer is a resounding yes.  Can’t wait to go back again next year.

Ornament Signing

I’m falling behind in blogging again!

Almost a week and a half ago (see what I mean?), I went to a Hallmark ornament signing.  And the best part?  It was here in town at the store I shop at the most.

The artist was one I didn’t have many ornaments from, but I do have quite a few pieces that all the artists have worked on, so I still have a lot I wanted to get signed.  Well, 9, anyway.  I did manage to get them all signed, but I stayed all day to do it.

We were having some late summer heat, so it got hot outside the store where most of us were waiting.  But I learned about some fun Hallmark stuff from before I started collecting.  No, I’m not going to go out and buy it, but it is nice to know about it.

The store had some fun with a racing theme since the artist is known for his car ornaments.  And they had an old car for him to make his grand entrance at the beginning of the day.

He was a great sport.  He stayed late to sign everything people wanted signed at the end of the day.  And he took a late lunch as well for the collectors.

Overall, it was a long day and a hot day, but it was fun as well.  Now I can start thinking about the ornament I’ll buy at Debut in just a couple of weeks.

Weekly TV Recap for September 21st

Dancing with the Stars – So should we start taking bets on how low the judges are going to have to score Bill Nye before he really leaves?  He’s the weakest, at least after week one.  But he’s also the most popular, so he’ll have that going for him.  Overall, this is a very strong field.  I’m very curious to see how the season plays out.

Covert Affairs – Well, they finally showed us the scene with Annie being shot in the elevator.  And, as I figured, it was all her faking her death.  At least they told us that before we had our 4 week break.  I’m curious to see what happens next with Henry.  That story has been strong.  But seriously?  They always seem to do something that annoys me.

Suits – They’ve wrapped up some of the major storylines so far this season in very satisfying ways.  The lawsuit has been dropped and Rachel made her choice of law schools.  (Like she was going to chose the one that wrote her out of the show.)  But Louis now being about to find out Mike’s secret?  That’s not going to be good news at all.

Survivor – The returning players were stupid.  First, they didn’t vote out Colton when they had the chance.  I don’t get the whole “I don’t know you, so I’m voting you out” thing.  Go with the guy you know who is a complete jerk.  I won’t feel sorry for them with any drama coming up.  I’ll just feel sorry for us for having to put up with it.  Then the whole over celebrating thing was a bit much.  I don’t blame the tribe of loved ones for recognizing that fact.  Still, I think this is going to be a very interesting season.  Like what will happen to the guy alliance when the two tribes merge.  And how personal will this game get at the end.

Wipeout – There were some seriously disgusting jobs and puns in this episode.

Word Association for September 19th

Time for this week's word association?  I think so.

1. Medication :: Prescription
2. Communication :: Talking
3. Freshest :: Vegetable
4. Home remedy :: Honey
5. Notebook :: Journal
6. Cheerful :: Person
7. Nurse :: Sick
8. Shirt :: Pants
9. Dress :: Up
10. Gift :: Christmas

Family Excitement

Last week, my brother had an emergency appendectamony.  I got a text about it Monday night as they were waiting for the surgery to start.

No, I didn’t go up or anything.  Thanks to phone calls and text messages, I was able to keep up on what was happening.  Isn’t modern technology grand?  He has had some complications, but his surgeon has things under control now, and he is on the slow road to recovery.

The ironic thing in all this is that he is now the age I was when I had my appendix out seven years ago.  Don’t know if that’s a sign of anything or not.  We think it was just a coincidence, but it is funny.

As I say, he is doing better now, although he isn’t recovering as quickly as he would like.

Meantime, I got to have dinner with my parents last night.  They are heading down to a wedding in the extended family this weekend, so they stopped on their way by.  Actually, we had dinner in Burbank after I got out of work.  After we’d eaten, we sat on a bench and chatted for another couple hour.  It was a great visit.

Weekly TV Recap for September 14th

Covert Affairs – Looks like I was right.  The opening scene of the season is also going to be our summer break cliffhanger.  I’m just glad we’ve only got a few weeks to wait for the fall season to start.  I was shocked when they killed Teo.  All bets are going to be off now to get Henry.

Suits – And the drama continues.  I was not expecting all of them to be sued for malpractice, although I can certainly see it.  But the dysfunction is something we love.  And Rachel and Mike?  How can such a smart guy be so stupid?

Royal Pains – I was expecting major cliffhangers, and they didn’t deliver.  Not that I’m complaining.  They wrapped up most of the storylines this season.  I am glad to see that Evan and Paige are going to work on their marriage.  Obviously, I love that couple.  I was afraid with the marriage not being valid they’d just decide to split.  I’m most curious to see what Hank will be like when he returns next summer.  And how surprising is it to find a summer season of the show that actually represents a summer.  This is a first.

Wipeout – The hotties did worse than normal, but my favorite was the unhappy Lost fan.  Seeing as how I agree with him much of the time, is it really a surprise?  And the jokes they managed to make from that show were great.

Burn Notice – I was so worried when they started talking about killing one of the characters.  Fortunately, I had guessed they might do exactly what they did, so I was prepared and okay with it.  Still, those were some emotional scenes as the characters said goodbye.  What that means is that overall, I did like it.  And I love the little things they throw in to fans like the references to the opening, C4, and yogurt.  Well done.

Graceland – A good wrap up of many of the plots, although I'm not sure how I feel about Briggs seeming to get away with everything until the cliffhanger.  I'm going to have to see how I'm feeling next summer.  I might be back, or I might say it was a great first season and leave it at that.

Word Association for September 12th

I should be in bed.  And instead, what am I doing?  That's right - word association.

1. Sacred :: God
2. Distill :: Beer
3. Haunting :: Ghost
4. Delete :: Computer
5. People :: Crowd
6. Corrupt :: Politician
7. Hanger :: Shirt
8. Gotham :: City
9. Igloo :: Cold
10. Spanish :: Language

Weekly TV Recap for September 7th

Summer Camp – Really, was there any question who would win?  I was expecting the guys all along.  I’m curious why they brought the rest of the campers back unless it was to give away the prize at the end.  Oh, and something tells me it was really two or three weeks instead of all summer like they keep talking.

Covert Affairs – Another intense episode.  Annie is in some serious trouble even if she can get to Henry first.  And what is Auggie going to do?  Still no idea why they had to give us the teaser – twice – about Annie being shot.  This season is intense enough as it is.

Suits – So we’ve ended the murder trial.  But I have a feeling things are going to be just as messy next week if not more so.  Poor Jessica has been so used at this point.  Still, it was nice to see them all in the courtroom.  And Donna getting to deliver the bad news twice?  Priceless.

Melissa & Joey – Well, it wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it might be.  Still, I’m not happy about the drunk/love potion portion of getting them together.  At least it doesn’t look like it will stick, so I may keep watching.

Royal Pains – The fallout from Hank’s drug use continues, which is a good thing at least.  It’s better than just moving on to something else.  Poor Paige with Evan winning.  I fee so sorry for her.  Something tells me we are going to have several big cliffhangers next week.

Wipeout – A few pretty funny moments, although I was very disappointed with the Disney prince.  He gave all of us DisNerds a bad name.

Burn Notice – They are teasing that someone dies before it is all over.  Sorry, but that’s not going to make me happy.  But it won’t be Fi, at least not right away.  She’s just too obvious.  They had better really turn things around by next week.  That’s all I’m saying.

Graceland – You don’t think that maybe, just maybe, the tape will prove you acted in self-defense against a stupid agent?  But instead you have to try to destroy evidence and run?  However, it makes for better TV, and I am certainly curious to see how they are going to wrap things up, if they even are, next week.

Word Association for September 5th

Time for this week's word association.

1. Teacher :: Student
2. Activity :: Game
3. Scared :: Creepy
4. Suction :: Cup
5. Impossible :: Situation
6. Terrestrial :: Earth
7. Humongous :: Sandwich
8. Cheekbones :: Face
9. Dream :: Sleep
10. Fog :: Morning

Brunch in Downtown Disney

It was a long weekend, and I really didn’t do much.  Sunday was my normal church and ultimate Frisbee.  Monday, I didn’t even leave the condo.  But Saturday….

Saturday, I went down to Downtown Disney and met up with some friends for brunch.  It was the weekend of the half marathon, so Shirley and Doug were down for the 5K.  Angelique came with a friend, as did Sue Ann and her friend Heidi.

As always we were at the Storyteller Café.  It’s a bit pricey, but it’s fun.  We always get the buffet after all.  And that included Caramel French Toast this time.  Yum!

We sat around talking for over an hour after we had finished.  None of us really wanted to go.

And when we were done, Angelique and I did hit the stores to look for pins and ornaments.  Surprisingly, we didn’t find any of either to buy, but Angelique did find a figure of Gus and Jacque she needed.

I must admit it was killing me seeing the people walking around with the shirts and medals from the race.  They’ve introduced a 10K this year and a double dare if you do that on Saturday and the half on Sunday.  Seriously thought about signing up, but it sold out quickly.  In fact, their races are getting to the point where you have to sign up immediately or you miss out.  Camp Pendleton was less crazy this year.  Anyway, I was wishing I were doing it even though I’m not sure when I would have trained for it.

In fact, I’m still debating about the half marathon in town in November.  If I hadn’t signed up for three mud runs in the next few weeks, I might do it.  But I don’t know when I’ll get my training in.

Anyway, on my way home, I took a detour through Glendale and visited with my friend Chris.  Hadn’t seen him in a few months, so it was good to catch up.  He was in the middle of doing the double dare, so I got to hear about how it was going.

I will admit the one thing that wasn’t making me jealous was the weather.  It was hot and muggy this weekend, unusually so for California.  It would have been killer to be out there running in it that far.

Still, overall, I think I wish I had run.

Weekly TV Recap for August 31st

Summer Camp – So much drama, and yet Chris still stayed.  I’m quite curious to see how this all shakes out next week.  It’s not going to be pretty, I’m sure.

Covert Affairs – Annie and Auggie broke up?  Say it ain’t so!  And we still aren’t to Annie getting shot.  Seriously, can we get there already?  Actually, I’m just wondering how many more weeks we have before the “summer finale” considering it starts up again in mid-October.  And obviously I’ve forgotten how long ago Auggie was blinded because he clearly wasn’t in that flashback.

Suits – I was not expecting that twist at the end at all.  Seriously?  The lawyers contracted for the murders?  WOW!  That’s going to make things very interesting for the next few episodes.  And poor Donna.  She shouldn’t have to feel so guilty over all this.  As she said, she didn’t know.  I hope she is heavily involved in bringing them down.  But now I am concerned about how the merger is going to play out.

Melissa and Joey – Well, I can see where part two is going to go, and I'm not that impressed.  They are going to leave us with a cliffhanger of did they or didn't they do it for real or just the spell.  Yawn.  This has been a disappointing season over all.

Royal Pains – Part of me is glad that Hank wasn’t addicted to pain drugs.  And part of me feels like that was a cheat ending.  I hope that Paige and Evan can work things out quickly.  And yes, my heart fell when we hit the cliffhanger.  I seriously hope we aren’t about to lose a second patient.

Word Association for August 29th

Here's this week's word association.

1. 64 :: 65
2. Dark :: Light
3. Honor :: Obey
4. Crystal :: Castle
5. Postscript :: Letter
6. Things :: Collect
7. Fever :: Hot
8. Bare :: Naked
9. Thump :: Crash
10. Point of view :: Novel

Gregg Hurwitz Launch Party

Thursday night, I went to the launch party for Gregg Hurwitz’s latest stand alone thriller.

I know, I know, me reading thrillers.  It’s outside my norm, that’s for sure.  But something about his books appeals to me – probably the ordinariness of his heroes.  That also makes them more nail biting.  I definitely have to be in the right mood, but when I am, I love them.

Anyway, it was over in Santa Monica, and I headed out there after work.  I got there super early, so I sat in my car and read.

It was at this cute independent bookstore.  Also small.  In fact, we took over the food courtyard outside for the reading part of the evening.

Note to self, if I ever go back there, be sure to plan on dinner in that courtyard.  Several of the places sounded good.

Then again, I still could have grabbed dinner once I found the place since things started half an hour late.  I was definitely wishing I had brought my book inside since I probably could have finished it while I was waiting.

Once things did start, Gregg was entertaining.  I snagged a spot near the front to get my book signed early, which was nice since that meant I could head for home.

His schedule doesn’t have many Southern California stops in it, at least not right now, so I made this a priority.  Now, to find the right mood and plenty of time to read the book.

Weekly TV Recap for August 24th

Covert Affairs - Well, Henry will be after all of them now.  This just keeps getting better and better.  I am quite anxious to see where it all leads.

Suits - That was pretty much what I was expecting when Harvey told Jessica what he was planning.  And I don't think he'll be able to make up for it in the short term.  I hope he has a long term plan for making peace because otherwise she will never trust him again.

Melissa & Joey - Storyline with adults?  Been there done that.  I think they are giving the kids the better stories right now.

Royal Pains - So once again they teased the cliffhanger in the preview from last week.  When are they going to stop doing that?  And poor Paige.  I hope Evan can really make it up to her.  I see what happened, but it was still so painful to watch.  Then again, I do love Paige, so this storyline isn't making me the most excited right now.

Necessary Roughness - Stop with the 72 hours earlier non-sense!  I didn't need to see that.  And I would have sworn in a preview that we saw agents coming for Dr. Dani.  Glad I was wrong about that.  I really liked the finale.  If the show comes back, I'll definitely watch.  And if it doesn't?  That would be a great finale as far as I am concerned.

Wipeout - I really liked what they did with the time traveler.  Way too funny.  I was sorry when he go eliminated.

Burn Notice - The episode felt way too familiar, like they had done it before.  I'm talking everything in the warehouse.  But I appear to be the only one who felt that way.  Interesting twists they are doing with the story right now.  I don't see how they will resolve it in two more episodes.

Graceland - I'm actually feeling sorry for Briggs right now.  He's in so much trouble on so many fronts.  And I find myself rooting for him to get out of it.  But I think things are about to turn dark for everyone.

Word Association for August 21st

Here's this week's word association.

1. Karma :: Bad
2. Detail :: Art
3. Conversation :: Talk
4. Optimistic :: Hopeful
5. Social :: People
6. Approval :: Denied
7. Tab :: Over
8. PM :: Afternoon
9. Share :: Group
10. Cheat :: Test

Weekly TV Recap for August 17th

Summer Camp – If you send the same person again and again, the other team will keep them to disrupt your team, and they will continue to get angrier at you time and time again.  It’s that simple.  Figure it out.

Covert Affairs – So Henry has a tail.  Who could it be?  And whose side is the son really on?  What does this have to do with Jai’s death?  I mean, really, who was behind it.  It’s been a season and a half.  Isn’t it about time we found that out?

Suits – Is Harvey going to go back to Jessica’s side of things?  If not, that knife in the back is going to be very bitter for her.  And how will she respond when she learns about Harvey’s plans?  Will they ever get their client out from under these murder charges?  And could Donna be any funnier with her scenes this year?

Melissa & Joey – So that explains the comments from a couple weeks ago about running for state senate.  Really, when will sitcoms realize they need to put that kind of stuff in order.  It’s annoying.  Funny episode overall, especially with Lenox’s prison penpal.

Royal Pains – So is that it for Boris for the season?  Paige is looking like she is feeling left out of the group right now.  I hope she doesn’t take it out on Evan when he is trying to spend time with her.  Glad they are going somewhere with Hank as the addict storyline, although I don’t think they have too many more episodes left this season.  Already!

Necessary Roughness – So Uncle Jesse is the bad guy after all.  Why has he turned on Dani like this?  Or was she going to be a fall guy the entire time?  It’s a shame because I loved V3, so I’m sorry it looks like this will be a one season storyline.  Oh well, it has certainly been a blast.

Wipeout – Obviously, they needed again to fill their female winners quotient, so they made an episode that a woman was sure to win.  Still, it was as always.

Burn Notice – Obviously, I've been anti-Carlos all season.  We're supposed to be because we want Fi and Michael together when the show ends (and I certainly do).  But how that break up was hard.  Michael is heading down a dark path, and I hope he can be redeemed before the season is over.

Graceland – So Briggs is obviously after the guy who killed his girlfriend and the other agents.  And that's why he's doing what he's doing.  But now he's in a world of trouble having to prove he didn't kill the guy on purpose.  I actually like this twist and I might even be glad I stuck with the show.  We'll see what next week brings.

Job Update

It’s been a while since I talked about work.  Mainly because I really have nothing to say.

I’m still temping at a company in Burbank.  I’ve been there 11 months now, which is rather hard to believe.  Still no word on hiring me and still no word on when I might leave.

Of course, I did leave for a week, or at least three days.

I got a lead on a temp to hire job in Sylmar, which would be half the drive from home.  So I left my current job with the understanding that I could come back in this other job didn’t work out.

After three days, they decided to hire in house instead of someone from outside, so I was done.  Bummer.  But true to their word, the company I’ve been working for took me back.  So when I returned from Wisconsin, I started back here.

They were thrilled to see me.  Everyone welcomed me back warmly, but my boss most of all.  She really was happy to see me again because she’d been swamped and had projects for me to work on.  That really made me feel great, and since it is why I am here, I was happy to help out.

At some point, I really do want a permanent job.  But in the mean time, this is doing very well for me.

Wisconsin Wedding Weekend

This last weekend, I headed out to Wisconsin for the wedding of my former roommate Daniel.  The main reason I even thought about going was because I had airline miles that were set to expire – enough for a free ticket one way.  I figured this was my best chance to use them.

I had a fabulous time.

Frankly, I’m not sure why I didn’t think I would.  I was already friends with all of the groomsmen but one, and he was a great guy, too.  I hadn’t seen most of them in a couple of years, so it was a lot of fun catching up with them.

And, despite it being the weekend of a wedding, most of the weekend was hurry up and wait, which means we had plenty of time to relax and hang out.  A highlight for me was a lengthy conversation with the best man about pop culture and Christianity.  Made me wish all over again he still lived in California.  We just generally laughed and had a good time together.

The weather was nice most of the weekend, too.  I spent some time out on the porch reading on Friday.  Upper 70’s with little to no humidity.  I guess they’d had really bad winds a couple days before I arrived.

And then there was the day of the wedding itself.  It rained off and on all day, which was a bummer since the ceremony itself was supposed to be outside.  I will hand it to the staff of the venue, however.  When they got word we were holding it in the back up indoor location, they had things ready to go in minutes.  That’s impressive.

And Daniel and his bride looked so happy together.  Frankly, they seem like a great match to me.

I really wasn’t ready to come home when the weekend was over.  It was a great time with friends I don’t know when I will see again.  That made the parting hard.

Word Association for August 14th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Games :: Fun and
2. Fame :: Fortune
3. Construct :: Build
4. Pants :: Shirt
5. Outlier :: Shows
6. Column :: Roman
7. Circus :: Clown
8. Remedy :: Sick
9. Other :: Woman
10. Outlet :: Plug

Weekly TV Recap - August 10th

I only got a few shows watched this week, so I'll have to get going next week and get caught up.

Summer Camp - I can understand Chris' reaction to being banished twice.  Especially since he didn't participate in the challenge.  I would be in his shoes as well.  I really did think the women were going to send him home based on how he was talking, so the outcome was a surprise to me.

Covert Affairs - So if the end game just to kill the son?  That's sure what it seems like right now.  Talk about vengeance and nothing else on the mind.  And was I supposed to recognize the guy at the end because I sure didn't?  This is shaping up to be my favorite season yet.

Suits - Wow the tension is getting high.  I keep waiting for it to explode, but it still isn't doing that.  And I'm definitely feeling sorry for Jessica.  Then again, I never really felt sorry for Harvey last season when she didn't make him the name partner, so what do I know?  And Donna's scenes?  Such wonderful comic relief.

Last Summer League Game

Because of various tournaments, the summer league schedule has gotten shortened.  Unfortunately, that means I'm missing the tournament this weekend.  The only games I'm going to miss are the tournament this season, too.  Otherwise, I would have had a perfect attendance record.

Anyway, Wednesday night was our last regular game.  I wasn't expecting much since we were 2-6 and they were ranked 3rd at 6-2.  But they were missing some of their best players.

Mind you, they were still good.  We went zone defense on them part way through the first half, and that's the only reason it was close.

Even so, it was 6-11 at one point.  But we fought back.  In fact, you could tell when our mentality turned around when we got two in a row.

And we kept scoring.  We finally finished when the lights went out.  We almost scored point 17.  But since the lights went out we won at 16-14.  That's right, we won!

Personally, I dropped a disc that would have been a score.  It came in fast.  It had to come in fast.  I knew it would come in fast.  And yet I still dropped it.

However, I threw a score late in the game.  I do that less than I score, so I was thrilled with that.  Especially since it wasn't the best idea, which I realized after I threw it.  It was a pretty blind throw, but the arc was correct and the guy got it no problem.

Word Association for August 7th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Weird :: Science
2. Balance :: Sheet
3. Personal :: Finance
4. Reproduction :: Copier
5. Distraction :: Internet
6. Articulate :: Speaker
7. Shovel :: Hole
8. Column :: Newspaper
9. Drastic :: Solution
10. Bombastic :: Personality

TV Recap for August 3rd

Covert Affairs – So, I wonder if the son’s loyalties are really with the CIA or if he is playing Annie.  And how long before Henry gets suspicious.  What about the guy Annie killed?  What did Joan take from his safe?  Will she reconcile with her husband?  Is he gone for good?  Yeah, this season has lots of intriguing questions and for once I feel like they are telling a good connected story.  Now, if they tie this in to Jai’s murder….

Suits – More intrigue here, too.  Louis working with the 5th year will be interesting and problematic.  But how cute are Mike and Rachel together?  And Donna?  She gets all the best lines, and on this show that’s really saying something.

Melissa & Joey - Better than last week, although there were still plenty of moments I didn't care for.  I may be taking this off my DVR.

Royal Pains - So, how long is it going to be before HankMed realizes what a mistake they made selling out?  That's what keeps going through my mind as we watch the season unfold.  My guess is, that will be a season ending cliffhanger.

Necessary Roughness - At this point, I am wondering who is after what at V3.  Dani has landed herself in a huge, big mess.  My guess is things aren't what they appear.  But I'm worried about  her assistant.  Did she get fired or worse?  I thought TK was doing well, but then he wound up being engaged to that woman?  I think she's trouble, but we'll see.

Wipeout - Not sure I have to say about it.  Other than it is too bad Texas won since their ego will get bigger as a result.

Burn Notice - This James guy is seeming to become worse and worse news with every episode.  And I see no way that Michael and Co will be able to take him down.  But I often think that in the middle of an episode, and they prove me wrong so I'm sure they'll do that again.

Monday's Ultimate Game

That’s right, I had a Friday ultimate Frisbee game followed by a Monday ultimate Frisbee game.  There were several differences between the games, however.

First, more of the team showed up.  We only had one female sub, but we had several men on the sidelines on any given point.

Second, we won!  Oh, we made it dramatic.  We started out behind and stayed that way for the first half.  At one point in the second half, we were down 9-13.  But we struggled back and took the win 19-17.

I have now won as many summer league games this year as I have the last two years combined.  Or, if you want to go in the last 12 months, as many as last summer league and Men’s beach league combined.

Sounds like our game next week, our final regular game, will be against a really good team.  We’ll see how that goes.

Busy but Good Weekend

I was joking to when I got to work on Monday about how I drove right by work both days of the weekend.

Saturday, I went to a play at Glendale Centre Theatre.  They were doing a production of The 39 Steps, which is based on a Hitchcock play.  The twist is, it only involves four people playing all the parts.  And they were brilliant at it.  A new wig and change of clothes was all it took.  The acting was wonderful, and I never had trouble following the story.  At times, I was in awe of how the actors could change characters so completely within seconds.

Then Sunday I went down to the Greek Theater to see Amy Grant in concert.  Believe it or not, I’d never done that before.  Plus she was touring with Brandon Heath, who I also like.  I really enjoyed the show, more than I thought I would.  She jumped around between her new stuff and her older stuff, going back to her 1982 release for a couple of her songs in the second half.  It was a fun night and Brandon’s songs were great, too.  Only did 5 of them, but I enjoyed it.

I should have worn long pants instead of shorts and brought a sweatshirt, but other than that, it was perfect.

My favorite moment?  When she did “Thy Word,” She just sang it her and her guitar.  You could hear all of us singing along.  It was magical.

Last Friday's Game

Last Friday night was another ultimate Frisbee game.  And, in something new this year, it was party Friday, which meant more than two games on the field and pizza for all!

We had 8 people show up to this game, meaning our women were savage, and one of the male subs was playing with a bruised rib.

And we started out down 0-4.  But then we struggled back.  And here’s where I already lost track of the score, but at this point it doesn’t matter.  The end result was we lost by 4 or 5 points.

But you know what makes the game a complete success?  I got a D on one point.  Again, they were hucking it deep to my guy and it was just a bad throw that I was able to get in front of and intercept.  Still, it always makes me feel good.

Then, on a different point, I scored.  We were near the end zone, and my defended stopped guarding me to double team someone else.  So I ran straight to the open side, and the person with the disc threw it to me.  Nice and easy score.  Still, I was thrilled.

Afterward, I visited with a few friends who were there and watched the end of one game which went on forever.

While we aren’t going well point wise, I really do enjoy the team, which makes it fun.  Plus it is ultimate.  How bad could it truly be?

Word Association for July 29th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Packing :: Vacation
2. Rent :: Apartment
3. Inspire :: Confidence
4. Anti-social :: Rude
5. Common :: Law
6. Repeats :: Reruns
7. Dracula :: Blood
8. Cross :: Bow
9. Short sighted :: Impatient
10. Corrupt :: Politician (but I repeat myself)

TV Recap for July 27th

Covert Affairs – The show has gotten really good this season.  At least in these two episodes they are really focusing on the storyline and advancing that well.  Can’t wait to see where this is all going.  Finally really pulling me in.

Suits – Poor Louis again.  The guy is a jerk, but they totally disregard him as well.  At least Mike and Harvey are back together.  But Harvey aiming to take Jessica down is still going to create all kinds of conflict.  I can’t wait!

Melissa & Joey – I hated that episode.  I always hope they will focus on the kids, but this was bad all the way around.

Royal Pains – Evan campaigning in making me cringe, but I enjoyed the rest of the episode.  Divya living with Jeremiah is going to be very interesting to watch.  And I like how they have a new plan to figure out what is in the house that is causing all this conflict.

Necessary Roughness – Another show that has really hit its stride this season.  I’d say that this is the last we’ve seen of the Hawks.  Very interested to see where the problems at V3 lead.

Wipeout – I knew the circus guy was going to win.  It was way too obvious because he's just athletic enough.  So many great puns, however.  I really enjoyed the episode for that reason.

Summer Camp – I wish I could remember who is was who voted the "wrong way" the first week.  Was it Mike or Mikey?  I know it wasn't Chris, but everyone has been gunning for him ever since.  Yet they couldn't get rid of him this week.  Oh, and I would have hated to be part of the challenge this week.  So now we've got a women working with the guys and a guy working with the women.  This will get interesting fast.

Burn Notice – I don’t like episodes where a character is interrogated for the entire episode.  No matter what show tries to do it, I find it boring and hard to watch.

Graceland – So it looks like the guy really is dealing drugs.  Or is it all part of some ruse we don’t know about yet.  Still, my guess is he really is dirty.  And I don’t see where the show goes from here to keep it going long term if it is as straightforward as it looks now.

And a Mud Run

So I followed up my ultimate game last Friday night with, what else?, a mud run.  I had learned about one just half an hour from me when I got a great discount code for it.  And since I was looking for one I could do with a couple of friends before one of them left at the end of the summer, this was perfect.  Plus my roommate joined us as well.

We got there late, but that wasn’t an issue because it was a very small mud run.  In fact, there were no more than 12 in our wave, and we finished near the front.  Most of the time, we didn’t see anyone else while we were on the course.

Maybe it was the lack of crowds, but it just didn’t quite feel like an official mud run.  Or maybe it had to do with the lack of mud out there.  It was definitely more run early on.

On the other hand, they had water slides.  We slid down tarps into water pits at the bottom.  This was definitely fun.  I’m remembering just how much I love water slides.  I need to go on them more often.

All told, we had fun and we got muddy, so that was all that truly matters, right?

Afterward, we hit up a steak place not too far from me.  I used to eat there years ago, but I hadn’t gone back since I loved right down the street.  It was just as good as I remembered.  Now I need to figure out a time to go back.