Word Association for February 13th

Welcome to this week's word association.

1. Judge:: jury
2. Detroit:: Michigan
3. Hyphen:: Dash
4. Get it right:: Correct
5. Pulsating:: Throbbing
6. Yoga:: Relax
7. Memorable:: Extrodinary
8. Financial advisor:: Accountant
9. Ten million:: Lots
10. I:: Me

Thoughts on a Saturday

Just trying to prove you never can tell when I'll show up around here.

Also, wanted to talk about the book I finished.

For the last couple weeks, I've been reading Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers. My roommate was given the book a couple months ago, and I thought it would be interesting reading given my work with youth at church.

The book focuses most on high schoolers. The basic premise is that adults have systematically abandonded youth, and that leads to pain and the behavior we see around us today. Most of the book is trying to prove this premise by talking about how that plays out in various aspects of teen's lives. There were chapters that were obvious, like family. But some of the chapters seemed to go too far. The chapter on morals doesn't place any of the blame on youth. This to me makes it feel too much like the rest of the world today. Sorry, but we are responsible for our own actions. Especially interested is that he doesn't even address the need for moral training. It's more cut and dry, but almost too far in defending bad behavior, even when saying it's bad. Does that make any sense?

The last couple chapters are proposed solutions. They are far too short and unreasonable. Make sure every teen has 3 or 4 adults who care about him/her? Right. In a town of almost 200,000, that's really going to happen. And everyone involved in young people's lives meeting regularly to make sure that happesn. Again, right....

Having said that, the book had lots of food for thought. And I'm going to loan it to the youth pastor at church tomorrow. I'll be interested to get his take on it since I still don't know where I stand on it myself.

And the Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down

Yep, it's another really rainy Friday here in Sunny Southern CA. And I guess this proves that they don't close campus at the drop of a hat, because I've worked all day and it's been pretty rainy all day.

I've been listening to Disney songs I downloaded into my iTunes for the last hour or so. Of course, that makes me miss Jeff all the more. That summer we were first roommates was so much fun listening to Disney while playing Monopoly or The Stock Market Game. I miss those times.

In other news, I get to be the meany at home again. One of my roommates asked if his friend who's moving out here (which is what prompted them all moving out here) could come out two weeks early and stay with us. He was willing to pay rent, which was a big enticement. But I just can't handle 5 of us in there right now. Four is pushing it some days. Top that with this guy's nickname (The Destroyer), and you see my hesitation. I feel badly, but I need to protect myself. After all, as soon as he pays me rent, he doesn't have to move out without a court order, which begins to get messy.

Have I mentioned recently that I want to live by myself? If only I could figure out a way to afford to do that.

Meanwhile, my roommates have applications filed out and sitting in the condo not turned in. I honestly wonder if they're really going to move out or not. At least all three of them. I think there's more trouble in the moving out paradise then I realize. Once again, I have no clue what's going on in my own place. What was I thinking when I bought this place?

In other subjects, I ran twice this week. Tuesday wasn't the impressive, but Thursday was most of a mile and a half. And I worked out with weights in the fitness center here on campus Monday and Wednesday. If I hadn't called my mom for advice on this roommate thing, I would have made three times this week. Let's see if I can keep it up next week.

And I finished my book. I'll try to make a post on it soon.

Thursday Threesome for February 10th

This week's edition is brought to us by Benjamin Franklin (one of my favorite quotes), and The Back Porch.

Onesome: Nothing is certain- Have you ever thought you had "Sure Thing?" Did it pay off or not?
Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I'm usually certain I have a sure thing about everything.

Twosome: But death- Do you belive in life after death?
I most certainly believe in Heaven and Hell.

Threesome: and taxes- Have you got all your tax documents squared away and ready to work on? Or are you one of the people at the post office on April 15th?
Everything I've gotten is sitting on my chest of drawers in my closet. And I'm thinking this is probably the best weekend for me to work on them, too. For one thing, it would let me work on them in February, which I saw I will every year but never do. Also, the next few weeks will be busy, busy, busy.

In Which I Am Sorry I Insisted Jeff Come Back

You may or may not remember, but when Jeff moved out in May, he left behind some stuff that wouldn't fit in his parent's trunk, including the chair we had out on the balcony. I looked around this summer, and they don't make that chair that size anywhere. In fact, I was treated as stupid for saying they ever had.

About a month ago, I called Jeff and told him it was well past time for him to come get the rest of his junk. After all, he'd said he'd be back in June to get it. He agreed. Well, Monday night was the night he came, and he surprised me by showing up with a truck. Seems that while he was happy to leave me the chair, his wife wasn't. So they flew to northern CA, borrowed a truck, and drove down here to pick up the stuff, including that chair. Not sure how it's getting back to Idaho, but it's no longer at the condo. And I'm rather sad about that. It was nice having a chair out on the balcony. I had fun sitting out there and reading when the weather was nice. And it created another room people could use, which in a place that small is a definite plus. Not sure what I'm going to do out there now. We'll just have to wait and see.

In spite of all that, I am glad to have the rest of the stuff out of my place. It was beyond time he got the rest of it. And he kept saying "That's where this has been," so I'm sure he's glad, too. And I was glad to see him again. Nice to catch up. I miss my friend Jeff. Still don't miss my messy roommate Jeff, however.

TV Tuesday for February 8th

This week, we're discussing the Super Bowl. Ask me if I'm surprised. Nope, not in the least. :)

1. How much of this year's Super Bowl did you watch? Do you watch any of the pre-game hype?
I watched almost all of it, but it was more background. I was talking to my family for a while, then was doing stuff on my computer. So, unlike last year where I really watched it, this year I only partically watched it. And I stopped watching with about a minute to go to start watching the Happy Days reunion from Thursday.

2. What was your favorite commercial during the Super Bowl? Least favorite?
My favorite would have to be the Bud Light or which ever beer company it was where the pilot of the plane jumped out after the beer. I also liked the one, or what I followed of it, with the cat and the spaghetti sauce. And the career builder/ape ads were pretty good as well. Least favorite was the one of the web site (godaddy?) that only aired once instead of twice. Forget last year, it was just sick and wrong.

3. Did you like the half-time show?
I have yet to find a half-time show I loved, but this one seemed fine to me. Of course, I was hardly paying attention.

4. What's your favorite food to eat while watching the Super Bowl?
Chips or other snack type food. Which I didn't do this year.

~ BONUS ~ A lot has been made over the years about the post-Super Bowl slot to highlight or launch TV shows. It was the post-Super Bowl spot that brought us the A-Team and the Wonder Years. Do you stay up to watch the post-Super Bowl shows? What is the most memorable post-Super Bowl show you've seen?
I think I've only seen two. Alias from two years ago and Survivor All-Stars from last year. Take that back. Survivor Australia started after the Super Bowl, too, didn't it? Anyway, Alias would be my choice because it changed so much of the show. No necessarily for the better, either.

Where Did the Weekend Go?

Is it Monday already? More importantly, is it the end of the day Monday already? Time is just flying by.

Of course, the fact that I spent so much of my weekend watching TV probably didn't help. Which brings me to a major decision. I am giving up on Joey. I just don't find it funny. And I'm going to save CSI and Without a Trace until summer reruns. I just don't have the time right now to watch everything I'd like to watch. Of course, we'll see. I may change my mind once my roommates have moved out and I find out what my new roommates viewing habits are. But cutting out two and a half hours of TV has got to do something to help out my schedule.

Of course, it wasn't all watching TV this weekend. I also watched Phantom of the Opera with the game night crew. I thought it was really well done, but I don't have any of the music and have only seen the play once. Debbie wasn't happy with some of the changes they made. Of course, I'm the one who pointed out a major change that she missed....

After that we went out to Baja Fresh for dinner then played killer Uno with the Muppet cards. Best part of that? I won!!!! Seriously, it was loads of fun.

Sunday I helped Stu move for an hour or so. Basically, the big things that were left. And he's moving in with an old friend of mine I hadn't seen for a long time. Nice to see him every so briefly. I had the Super Bowl, but in the background while doing other things. And finished off with a few more hours of TV and 3 chapters in my book. Non-fiction sure takes longer to read then fiction. Especially when I'm not having time to read.

Word Association for February 6th

A Super Bowl Sunday edition, taken from here.

1. Shelter:: Building
2. Karate Kid:: 80's Movie
3. Andrew:: Peter's brother
4. Rib:: Steak
5. Push it:: Envelope
6. Creep:: Jerk
7. Chainlink:: Fense
8. Squash:: Pumpkin
9. No mercy:: Judgement
10. Superhero:: Superman

Time for an Update

Where does the time go? It's Friday already! Of course, it also feels like a long week.

Let's see, what to report.

I have one roommate who has promised to leave March 1st, the other two will give me 30 days notice minimum after they find a place. So I might have them as long as April.

Tuesday night, I went over to some friends for dinner. Didn't know them super well, and it was a great evening. They just got married a couple months ago, and I was their first dinner guest. I feel so honored. And we played Scrabble. I stunk, but it was fun. I'm really rotten at that game.

And of course, there's the notice that Enterprise will be ending after this season. About time! The show is slow and boring. I would have given up on it long ago if not for the convention coming over to watch it. And it'll mean another free night next year, too.

Having said that, I really enjoyed last week's episode and can't wait to see what happens next on the episode that airs tonight.

And I wasn't getting sick last week. I was just over tired. And maybe over stressed? Either way, I was feeling that way this afternoon, but I'm better tonight. I think I need to cut something out of my life. I hear work volunteering.... :)

The rest of my life is still in a holding pattern until I figure out what happens next. I'll let you know as soon as I do.

Thursday Threesome for February 3rd

Yep. I'm still here. Which makes doing today's Thursday Threesome a little easier. For the record, it's brought to us by e-zines and the people at The Back Porch (who are advertising for their e-zine today.)

Onesome: All-- all the world's a stage... So what types of issues put you on your soapbox?
Liberals being hypocritical. And them being jerks anymore. Ask my "real life" friends. I seem to be going off on a regular basis these days. I really should do a rant about that around here, shouldn't I?

Twosome: Things-- what sort of things are you most likely to purchase "spur of the moment" when shopping?
Something on sale. Paperback books.

Threesome: Girl-- sugar and spice and everything nice? Come now, what are YOU really made of?
Molecules.