I got off work tonight at 7, so it has been great spending an evening with Michelle. After dinner, we played a game of Scrabble, which was a lot of fun. I wish she had not drawn so many bad letters, so it would have been a closer game.

The old movie Wargames is currently on TV, so I am watching it. It is one of my favorite movies of all time.

I have found that melting a peppermint candy cane into a cup of hot chocolate is incredible!! I have a new favorite treat.

I am working tomorrow and Saturday, which is not an appealing, as we are going to be really busy. Sunday afternoon, there is a Mary Kay party in my house, so I am scouting out places to watch football games.

I have not gotten very far in reading my first book for my Israel class. I guess it was just a little optimistic to think I could get any work done during Christmas time. I am going to get some work done tomorrow before I go to work.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Never before have I had so much trouble with anything. Since Christmas day, I have been trying to scan and upload into my blog a funny picture from my desk calendar. At first, I could not get the scanner to see the iBook, so I scanned the picture into Michelle's Gateway. For an unknown reason, Blogger would not let me upload the image (or any other), while using Mozilla. So, I decided to transfer the image to my thumbdrive, and upload it on the iBook, where I use Firefox. Since I have not been using the thumbdrive much lately, it was hard to find. In fact, it took me almost 20 minutes to find it. (Gotta remember to put it back into my backpack). So, I transferred the image to the thumbdrive, and tried to upload it onto the blog from the iBook. It took me several tries, but I finally got it--well, most of it. As you can see, the caption at the bottom is cut off--even though when I view the file, it is fine. Jeez. So, I re-scanned it, still to no avail. So, after wasting nearly an hour on something quite frivolous, I have given up.

The point of the exercise is that before Christmas, Michelle and I had several discussions about the merits of artificial Christmas trees vs. natural trees. She advocates artificial; I am all-natural. Before she saw this drawing, she put forth the [remote] possibility of a natural tree attracting some sort of live animal. I guess that is what makes this picture so hilarious to me. She also put forth an argument that her allergies would be aggravated by a natural tree in the house. As an allergy sufferer myself (3 kinds of grass, dogs, cats, plus dust), that was a much more convincing argument than the possibilities of live animals living in the tree. So, needless to say, we have an artificial tree. One with optical neon lights, no less.

Peace...

"I'm gonna rent myself a house
In the shade of the freeway
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning
And go to work each day
And when the evening rolls around
I'll go on home and lay my body down
And when the morning light comes streaming in
I'll get up and do it again
Amen.
Say it again
Amen."

--From Jackson Browne's Pretender

My life sucks today. It's Christmas Eve, and I am about to go work for close to 11 hours. I am saddened by this reality.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Proof positive that some people should not be allowed to own nice cars. The 1973 mustang was not necessarily the best vintage, but it deserves a better fate than this, nonetheless.

I have been going into work early every day this week, to pick up extra hours. There is one assistant manager whom I seem to piss off in various ways almost every day, and even he commented yesterday that I have been working really hard. The running joke around the store theses days is "How is Chris going to piss off Scott Today". My inability to not do stupid things that piss him off. Almost every day, it seems I find a new way to make him mad. Oh well, I will just keep trying harder.

We watched "The 40 Year Old Virgin" last night, and while no movie can ever surpass "Used Cars" on my list of the funniest movies ever made, it is definitely in the top five, if not top three. I was laughing so hard, I almost had an asthma attack. I started wheezing and coughing, but I could not stop laughing. Very funny, and I highly recommend it. The movie, not an asthma attack. LOL.

After lunch with Michelle, I will do some last-minute shopping, and then head to work.

The new ESPN commercial where Danica Patrick's race car gets towed from Dan Patrick's parking spot is not nearly as funny as it could be. Maybe that is because Danica Patrick has no personality, and if she were not a woman, would be no different than any number of borderline good drivers. Her celebrity is a media creation, although I do not blame the Indy Car series for promoting her, because it needs all the attention it can get. I wish open-wheel racing could regain some stature in America. It is my favorite form of racing.

While I am on a sports theme, let me say that for the first time, this year I watched more NASCAR than NFL. I think this is because here in Memphis, the Dallas Cowboys have been on my TV for 13 of the last 14 weeks. A mediocre team that gets more airtime than any other is a good reason for me to channel-surf. Add that to the fact that Monday Night Football's games this year have rarely featured good teams, and you have me watching other sports. The NFL needs to do a better job of putting the best teams on TV more often, instead of old retread teams that suck.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Countach. Enough said.

I made a few more changes to the blog. In the left column, I have added links to my calendar and my iMac page. On the iMac page, I am soon going to post some of my writings about Confucius and Immanuel Kant. I suspect this will not happen until after the first of the year. Things are just insane right now.

Yesterday was supposed to be my day off, but I volunteered to work 6 hours to make a few extra bucks. I am going in an hour or so early today to help out.

Last week, we began The Great Book Purge. We went through our books, and listed a bunch of them on Ebay. Several of them have sold already, which is cool. I am going to the Post Office this morning, in fact, to mail off another one. Perhaps the best thing about freeing up all this shelf space is that we now have a great excuse to buy more books. I cannot stand to see empty bookshelves. Or CD/DVD racks. LOL. I will reiterate the fact that 90% of all the money I have ever made, I have spent on movies, music, and books. The other 10% I wasted.

I am so excited about Christmas, even though we will be here instead of with our families. The idea of our first Christmas together just trips me out. I still have a few bucks in the gift budget, so I need to find time to go buy another gift for Michelle.

Michelle's Mary Kay career has gotten off to a good start. I am happy that she has decided to challenge herself in this way. She will grow in innumerable ways; Plus, it will bring in a few bucks, so that is great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Today is the "Day of Repair". First, this morning, we took Michelle's truck to the brake shop for new brake pads. After the guy tried his best to upgrade us to the premium Corvette brakes (for an Explorer!?!), I finally got him to agree to just the standard brakes. Of course, that was at 10:00 this morning, and as of now, 2:00 PM, the job is still not done. Jeez. Second, maintenance finally came to fix our kitchen light that electrocuted Michelle over 2 weeks ago. She flipped the switch, and blue flames shot out of the wall and shocked her so bad that for a couple of hours, every time she touched something it would buzz. So, they finally came to fix it. I forgot to mention that lat week, our home phone went dead. Luckily, the phone guy came immediately and fixed that. And people wonder why we want to buy our own home. LOL.

I am going to work in a little while, and I dread it. The store is going to be exceedingly busy, and it will be all week.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

We are watching the Dallas/Washington game, and just before halftime it is 28-0 Washington. I love a good bitch-slapping, at least when it is Dallas on the receiving end.

We may end up leaving a little before the end of the game, because we are going to the zoo to see the Christmas lights. That should be a lot of fun. There are supposed to be 2 real reindeer there.

Being the week before Christmas, I have to work almost every day this week. I think Tuesday is the only day off for me, and I may end up working so I can make a few extra bucks. So, it will be a long week. Yesterday, we were slammed all day, and it never let up. I guess that is a good problem.

One of Michelle's friends came over a few nights ago, so I grilled steaks. There is a meat store just down the street, and they have great prices. I also grilled some shrimp as an appetizer. I had never done shrimp before, and they turned out great, so that was nice. I really enjoy using my grill, although I have not used it much in the past several weeks. During the break, I am going to use it more.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace.

"Say if I could
Look into myself and reason
But I could never never see
Or make sense of the dealings
Turn around
Am I looking at salvation
Make me realize all that I am
You put the light inside this man

You're so fine
Lose my mind
And of the world seems to disappear
All of the problems
All of the fears
And all of the world seems to disappear"

--From the INXS song, Dissapear

It is a great feeling to be off from work, and off from school today. It has been several months since I had a whole day to myself. So, I am doing laundry...LOL.

Also, I have continued my CD ripping project. I am having so much fun with this.

All but one of my grades have been posted, so I am waiting impatiently. Looks like I will come up just short of the Dean's List, so I am a little saddened by that. However, I know I worked really hard this semester, so I am pleased with my effort. Except in Spanish; I could have worked harder there. I will next semester.

Michelle and I are going to the Memphis Zoo tonight to see the Christmas lights. That should be a lot of fun.

Michelle's best friend here, Sophia, is a Mary Kay rep, and has recruited Michelle to join their cult...LOL. So, please contact Michelle for all your skin-care needs.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Michelle checked this morning to see if her grades had been posted, and indeed they had. She earned 2 A's and a B, which is a great showing in her first semester of grad school. I am so proud of her.

I checked for mine, and only one has been posted, Jewish Thought. I earned an A there, which is pretty much what I expected. When the professor announces during class that he "likes to give A's, and will look ways to do that", it's hard not to make an A. LOL.

My other grades should be trickling in; the professors are required to have them submitted my next Monday.

I continue to rip cd's to my hard drive; I have ripped about 1200 songs so far. I having so much fun ripping and listening to music, I fell giddy. LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I have enjoyed the last 17 hours or so of my life immensely. After work last night, we went out to eat at our favorite place, The Belmont Grill, to celebrate the one year anniversary of my proposing marriage. We had wonderful food, and great times. After dinner, a stop at Starbucks for peppermint hot chocolate was in order...LOL.

When we got home, I started to rip some CD's to my laptop, and found myself listening to music for the first time since we moved here. Things have been so crazy the past few months, that I have not been able to sit down and absorb myself in music for more than 1 song at a time. That is a shame. Music is good for the soul. So, I spent all night (till after 3 AM) ripping CD's and listening to music. Oh the joy. This morning, I have continued to do the same, although I have got to do some laundry and clean up the apartment sometime today, because we have some friends coming over tonight.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Here is my blog post from one year ago:

She Said YES!!

A few minutes before 9 PM on Monday, December 13, 2004, I dropped to one knee, withdrew an engagement ring from my pocket, and I asked Michelle for her hand in marriage. Without hesitation, she said yes. Which is fortunate, because it would have been really awkward otherwise.

Anyway, we had already been planning the wedding, so most everything is set to go. It had taken me a while to find the right moment, so Michelle had really been on edge for a while.

The ceremony will be at the Clarksville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Clarksville TN, at 11:00 AM on July 30, 2005.

I have found that if a man gives a woman an engagement ring, he can get away with anything for a while. In the past few days, Michelle has bought me Eric Clapton's new DVD/CD combo, and the LOTR ROTK special edition. I have been thinking of taking her down to Mary's Music to see what I could get there...LOL.

I am in the process of putting together a wedding web site, so check it out as it becomes functional.

I stopped by the Leaf-Chronicle today to pick up a wedding packet. We will be announcing our engagement soon. We are going to announce it in the Leaf-Chronicle and the Tullahoma newspaper. Maybe the Tennessean, too.

We have a meeting with the photographer next Tuesday. Bill and his wife have been friends of mine for a long time, so we are glad to have them. The cake is going to be done by the mother of one of the kids from the youth group. We haven't completely decided on the caterer yet, but we are leaning strongly in one direction there.

I hope everyone wishes us well, and peace to all.

The Semester is OVER!!

I finished my Spanish final a while ago, and now my semester is finished! I feel kind of weird, knowing that I do not have to get up Wednesday and go to class. This semester really flew by; it feels like it just began. My grades this semester are borderline Ok-great. Assuming I get A's on my Judaic Studies papers, that will give me an A for the class (there were only 3 graded assignments the entire semester). In philosophy 1, I had an A- before the final, so assuming I made an A on the paper, I should be good there. In philosophy 2, I had a B+ before the final, and I feel like I probably got a B on the final. However, the professor said several times that class participation and attendance would count subjectively in the final analysis. Given that I only missed one day, and always had something to say, I may get bumped to an A there. Spanish did not go nearly as well, given that I did not do nearly enough work as I should have. I had a C+ before the final, but since I worked extra hard for the final, I may have gotten an A there. So, I will probably finish with a B- there. If all of these scenarios play out, I should make the Dean's list. That was my goal at the beginning of the semester.

My sister Jessica is graduating from the University of Tennessee this weekend. I am unspeakably proud of her. She will go on to do great things in computer software, and has already received several job offers. When the right one comes, I am sure she will be excited.

You may have noticed that I changed the look of the blog. The old design was getting really tired, so went with this one. I have not yet figured out how to get the sidebar to look right, so I will keep working on it.

It looks like we will not make it home for Christmas, as I have to work Christmas Eve, and Michelle has to work Dec. 26th. It will be kind of sad, but then again, part of getting married is leaving behind one's family and starting a new one. We are looking at visiting with our families in early January.

There are 3 books I have to read for my Israel trip class, and I am hoping to knock 2 of them out during the break. I bought one online, so it should be here in a few days.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

OK, I finished my long paper for Judaic Studies. Now, all I have left is to write the shorter paper, and study for my Spanish final. And to proof-read the long paper once more. But all of that will have to wait, as I must go to work now. I work until 11 tonight.

It is really cool when I make a specific game plan, stick to it, and get things done. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I normally just kind of have a general idea in my head about what I want to do for a day or two, what to work on, things like that. I think I may start making a more specific plan for each day, and each week. I have gotten a ton of stuff done in this past week, and having it all written on paper helped me, I think. Although, it looked quite over-bearing at the outset. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, now, so that is great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I took my philosophy #2 final, and I glad that's over. Whew! It was really tough, and I took almost the entire two hours. There was only one other person still working when I left. Usually, I am one of the first to get done.

After lunch, I am going to start working on my Judaic Studies paper(s). They are both due Monday, which is also the day of my Spanish final. Then, I will be done for the semester. So, I have got one LONG weekend of work ahead of me. I guess that's justice, since I did school-work only on maybe three weekends the entire semester. Next semester will probably be different.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Today is the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's assassanation. I have been working hard for the past couple of hours, studying for tomorrow's Philosophy final, but I think I will take a break and listen to some music. Such a sad day.

Peace...

My Spanish online homework is due at midnight tonight, and I just finished with about 7 minutes to spare!! Of course, I sort of slowed down while I was having my second glass of Chivas, but that's OK. 7 minutes is plenty of time.

Tomorrow morning, I am going to start on my Judaic Studies paper, at least the first one...LOL. I have to work from 3-11, and I am not looking forward to that. St some point tomorrow, I will have to find time to study for my Philosophy 2 final, which is Friday morning. I almost hate myself for not studying for it ahead of time. Almost.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

OK, I finished my Philosophy 1 final exam paper. Whew! A feel a nice sense of accomplishment. The assignment was to evaluate the morality Antigone's actions (defying Creon) in light of Aristotle's ethics, and Confucius' system. I hate assignments like that. Anyway, it's done, so after supper I am moving on to Spanish homework, then starting on my Judaic Studies paper. Wish me well...

OK, I got to the library a few minutes ago. It is hot enough to grow orchids in here. I am hoping that I will cool down in a few minutes, lest I lose weight due to the sauna-like conditions. Jeez.

I took part two of my Spanish exam earlier, and I feel I did fine. I also realized that I have got some online homework to do for Spanish tonight. Joy. I am going to finish my Philosophy 1 paper that I started last night, then do Spanish. After dinner, I am going to start my Judaic Studies paper (the first one, anyway).

I got the tentative itinerary (newly revised) for the Israel trip today. I am really excited about this trip. It promises to be great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

OK, Hell week has begun. In order for her to keep up with where I am going to be this week, Michelle made a really nice drawing of my schedule. However, when I tried to post it here, I could not get it to look right. So, I will give it to you in words.

Tonight, I am going to write a paper (which is the final exam) for Philosophy 1. This will be 4-6 pages comparing three different texts we have covered in class this semester (Antigone, Aristotle's Ethics, and the Analects of Confucius. No outside sources are needed, just the three texts. This paper is due Friday. I need to make an A on the paper to make an A for the class. Then, I will study for the second part of my Spanish test which began Monday (all of our tests cover two class periods). The Spanish test is tomorrow.

Tomorrow, after my Spanish test, I will write a paper for Judaic Studies, which is the final exam. This will be 3-5 pages contrasting any two topics covered by any of the authors we have read. I have no idea whatsoever what this paper will be about. Once I finish that paper, I will begin writing another paper for Judaic Studies, which is last assignment for the class. This paper will be 10-12 pages, with at least 3 outside sources per page expected. It can be about anything we have covered in class. I have no idea whatsoever what this paper will be about. Both of these papers are due next Monday.

Thursday, I will continue writing the second Judaic Studies paper, and then study for my Philosophy 2 final, which is Friday. I need to make an A on the final to make an A for the class. I have to work from 3-11 Thursday. I will hate that.

Friday is my Philosophy 2 final. After that, I will continue writing the Judaic Studies paper. I am off Friday night, so Michelle and I might go see a movie or something. Or, I may just work on my paper all night. That is the more likely scenario.

Saturday morning, I will continue working on the Judaic Studies paper, then I work from 3-11.

Sunday, it's church, then back to work. I will finish the Judaic Studies paper, then study for my Spanish final, which is comprehensive. After that, I will take a long breath, then probably start crying tears of joy, because the semester will be over and done.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I've been studying Spanish for most of the afternoon, so now I am just relaxing. We are going to my company Christmas party later, and that should be a lot of fun. I went back to work yesterday, mostly because I thought it would look a little weird if I missed a whole week of work, then showed up at the party...LOL.

This is going to be an extremely busy week, as the last week of classes always is. I need to write 1 long paper, 2 short papers, plus I have 1 final exam.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

This morning I realized I had not pulled any pages off my calendar since October 2. So, as I was pulling pages, I found a particularly funny one.

Damn, I have such a headache.

I feel a little better today, but not much. I don't think I will go to work this afternoon. I left Spanish class early yesterday, and emailed the prof to explain the situation. She was understanding, saying that she hoped I could make it to the test tomorrow. I think I may ask her if I can take it on Monday, since I have not been able to study at all for it. I have no idea what I am going to do for Judaic Studies, since I have a paper and a shorter essay both due soon, and have not started on either. Oh well.

I hope everyone is doing fine. Peace...

One advantage to being sick, and leaving Spanish class early today, is that when I got home, the U.K Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was being replayed on VH1. We watched most of it Sunday night, but I am thrilled to have just seen Alanis Morrissete sing Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" again. She was great. Also, the tributes to Pink Floyd and The Who are upcoming. Sweet. Even if I do feel like crap.

Peace...

I have been feeling quite miserable for the past few days, so I went to Health Services today to get checked out. The nurse almost had a spasm when she looked into my left ear, saying that I had one of the worst ear infections she had ever seen. She wondered aloud how I was not doubled over in pain. I responded that I was indeed in a great deal of pain. Have been since Saturday. Anyway, 1 Amoxicillin scrip later, and I was miserably on my way home.

I have a Spanish test Friday, and I see no possible way I can study tonight. I should get the results of last week's philosophy test tomorrow. The prof announced that he is going to drop the lowest test score. I made an A on the first test, and a B- on the second. I am fairly sure I made an A on this one. If I make an A on the final, I should get an A for the class. Cool.

When we were at Michelle's parents' house, her dad helped me fix my windshield wipers, and change the antifreeze in my truck. That was nice of him. What he doesn't know is that the next time we go there, I am bringing some new shocks and struts with me. LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

We got back from our Thanksgiving odyssey about 9 last night. Last year, after we nearly killed ourselves trying to please everyone by being everywhere at the same time, we vowed to never do that again. Our vow did not last long. We again tried to be everywhere and see everyone. So, by the time we got home, we were exhausted and irritable. Anyway, it was certainly great to be able to see everyone we did. It was also great to be back home.

On the way back home, we stopped in Jackson, TN for dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. My brother Steve gave me a gift certificate about 2-3 years ago, and I figured it was high time I use it. LOL. We proceeded to have one of the worst dining experiences ever. The hostess was quite snotty, and the waitress was incompetent. Also, I ordered my steak "well done" and it came bleeding so profusely that I wondered if the cow was still alive. So, I sent it back, and by the time it came again, Michelle was almost done with her meal. So, I guess it will be a long time before we eat at the Longhorn in Jackson again. Unless someone gives us a gift certificate.

I have a ton of work to do today. I have a quiz and a test in Spanish this week. I also have a Judaic Studies paper due soon, and I have not started on it. Also, there is always some philosophy to do.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Last week, we bought a new queen-size bed. We are really enjoying it. I have had trouble waking up in the mornings...LOL. We also put new tires on my truck, something that had needed to be done for about a year. The old tires were to the point where the steel belts were showing. That's bad. So, we got a set of BF Goodrich's put on, and everything is cool.

I have a major test tomorrow in Philosophy 2. I am so not ready. I also have a ton of Spanish to do. Lots of homework, some online workbook stuff, and we have a quiz Monday, then a test next Friday. Jeez.

I got the syllabus for my Israel trip next spring. I have to read 3 books by the time we leave. We also have several class meetings in January and February. This is going to be a lot of work. Michelle decided not to go, since there is no way the class will give her any credit toward her degree. Her decision saddens me a great deal, because it just won't be the same without her. But, I completely understand her decision.

We are saving up for a tour of Japan and China in 2008 that we would like to go on. We are really excited about this opportunity. I spoke with the man in charge of the tour, who lives in Iowa, and it turns out he knows my grandmother. That was so cool. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us.

My three-year-old cousin Claire is battling for her life right now. It was discovered that she had a tumor on her brain stem, and although that was removed, she is still in a lot of trouble. She is going to have a tracheotomy performed, and a feeding tube inserted into her stomach. No one should have to endure this, especially not a small child. Please pray for her and her parents.

I am making a QuickTime movie of her, so if you have any pictures of her, please send them to me. Thanks.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

It's been really busy here, so I have not had time to post in a while.

Michelle and my sister Jessica share the same birthday, which was this past Wednesday. Michelle and I went out last night to our favorite place, the Belmont Grill. One of her classmates, Sophia, met us there and all had a great time. The entire restaurant sang "Happy Birthday" to Michelle, but I missed it because I was in the bathroom checking football scores on my cellphone. Boo.

We went Christmas shopping yesterday, and we now are almost completely finished. The only gift remaining is Michelle's gift to me. I am hoping for a video iPod.

I registered for Spring 2006 classes this week. I will have several philosophy classes, a Spanish class, a math class, and my study trip to Israel over Spring Break. A total of 18 hours. Joy.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I needed a new flux capacitor to keep up with this Delorean.

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I am at the Apple Store, waiting for the iLife tutorial class to begin. I want to learn how to make cool video productions from the home movies we take.

I have concluded that the world would be a better place if everyone had a little more cowbell.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I have been pondering something for a couple of years now, and I have reached a decision on it. I have decided to pursue a PhD in philosophy after I finish seminary. As far as a career goes, I will seek a research/teaching position at the university level, and serve a small church on a part-time basis.

This will satisfy my need/desire to work on important issues within moral ethics (capital punishment, abortion, et al.), and provide job stability for my family. Job stability has become a rare commodity within my denomination, as several congregations have recently either fired or forced out their ministers. This is going to be a really long road, and I ask for your prayers of support.

Peace...

Sister Helen Prejean, author of the book "Dead Man Walking", is speaking here in Memphis later tonight, and Michelle and I are going. The movie based on her book has had a profound effect on my life, causing me to take a serious look at the way I view capital punishment. In fact, seeing that movie may have been the genesis of me becoming a philosopher. Although, it certainly was a delayed reaction!!

I also have a big test tomorrow in Philosophy 2, so I am nervous about that. As fate would have it, we have been talking about capital punishment, looking at it from the points of view of several different philosophers, including Kant, Mill, Confucius, and some other commentators.

I finally got my Judaic Studies paper back yesterday. It has been so long since we submitted these papers, that I cannot even remember when it was. Anyway, I got an A, so that was a big relief. Turns out the month of October has a ton of Jewish holidays, so the professor was not in class much the past few weeks.

There was a guest speaker, Elliot Chodoff, on campus last night, talking about the situation between Isreal and Palestine. It was quite interesting. Apparently, the pro-Palestine faction that was there had a counter-point meeting of their own later last night, but I did not go. Probably a good thing.

I have noticed that my comments have dropped to almost nil lately. It would be nice if people would start commenting again.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

What is wrong with this world?

Click here for the Longest Computer Start-Up Sound. This is hilarious.

At 3:00 today, I have a job interview. I am hoping to ditch my on-campus job for a better-paying gig somewhere else. Wish me luck.

Wednesday, I have a baseball game at Christian Brothers University. The head umpire in this area, Jim Herbert, will be there to evaluate me. This will go a long way in determining what my schedule looks like next season. Wish me luck.

I have a paper due soon in Philosophy 1. Wish me luck.

I seem to be needing a lot of luck. LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Our Jack-O-Lantern is sooo scary.

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I got both of my tests back today. In Philosophy 1, I got an A, and in Philosophy 2, I got a B+. I was a little upset with myself on Philosophy 2, mainly because I did not pay attention to the instructions and cost myself an A. The instructions were to answer 1 question (yes, only one question on the entire test) from 2 different points of view. We were to answer it from Immanuel Kant's viewpoint using his Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative, and from John Stuart Mill's point of view using Act Utilitarianism. Then were supposed to give our own opinions about the question. This is where I screwed up, because I forgot to give my own opinion!! When have I ever failed to offer my opinion?? Dare I say "Never!"? Anyway, I was so proud of absolutely NAILING Kant's and Mill's viewpoint, that I strutted up to the prof's desk and with a smile, handed in my blue book. It was a few minutes later, while on the phone with Michelle, that it occurred to me what I had forgotten. At least I only lost a few points; nothing major. Anyhow, now I will have to work extra hard to make an A for the semester. I had pegged this class as an A at the beginning of the semester. My goal is to make 3 A's and a B, which would put me on the Dean's List. That will be cool.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

It feels like a Monday. Blah.

Fall Break will be officially over at 8 AM tomorrow, and it has been a ton of fun. Friday, as soon as I got out of class, we headed up to Missouri, to spend a couple of days relaxing. We had a nice dinner Friday at Lambert's Cafe. After dinner, we cruised around, listening to a high school football game on the radio. Saturday, we went to a corn maze, and had a blast. We came close to solving it twice, but had to give up. Neither of us had packed water, so we were a little dehydrated after spending over 2 hours working on the maze.

We ate at Lambert's again Saturday (given the option, I would eat there every day!), and then headed on home. We got back in time for me to see the second halfs of the Notre Dame/USC and Florida/LSU games. Flipping between those games, and the baseball playoff game was a hard work!

Tomorrow will be a busy day at school, as I will turn in a paper in Judaic Studies class, and will get back at least one, and maybe two philosophy tests. I have two philosophy classes, and it is a little difficult keeping them straight. One is at 8 AM, and the other is immediately afterward. So, I just refer to them in my mind as Philosophy 1 and 2. Simple enough.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I seem to be surrounded by paradoxes lately.

Michelle's interivew went great, although it was weird to see her on the news. Someone in one of her classes recognized her. That was strange.

This weekend is fall break, and it cannot come too soon. Mid-terms have been tough. I have one more test tomorrow, and a paper due next Wednesday. Thankfully, I have got most of my paper done. Just need to double-check a couple of things, and put my name on it.

We are going to Branson, Missouri this weekend. My favorite restaraunt in the world is there, Lambert's Throwed Roll Cafe. Michelle has never been, so I am trying to get her prepared for the insanity that is Lambert's. LOL. We are also going to visit a farm that has a corn maize and night-time golf. I have never been to a corn maze before, so it should be a lot of fun. Night golf is always great, too.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I decorated the rear window of Michelle's car.

A major story in the news here in Memphis involves a local high school student who was forced to give oral sex to three classmates. One of the accused is a star football player (one publication has him rated the 20th best college prospect in the country). The victim decided not to press rape charges, instead agreeing to a plea bargain where the football player plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. The football player was initially suspended from the team while the case was sorted out, his coach saying all along that the player should have been allowed to play. The player asked for a hearing in front of the school board, and his request was granted. Before the hearing took place, the school board decided to restore his eligibility (without a hearing).

Michelle got really upset about the situation, and sent an email the School Board, and to one of the local news stations. The School Board member who represents the high school where the girl and football player attend was quoted in the newspaper as saying, "I don't really want to get involved", said in an email that she "does not feel [the football player] is guilty of rape. So, the School Board member is under fire, and Michelle is pissed. The news station called Michelle earlier today, and arranged an interview. The interview is going to air on the news tonight at 6.

When this thing first started, I had horrific visions of Michelle staging a sit-in, and being arrested. I had a vision of her being dragged, against her will, across a street. So, I am glad that it has not gone that far. I also feel extremely proud of Michelle for standing up for what she believes, and voicing her opinion. I told her that many people who may share her opinion may not have the courage to speak up, so that she is speaking for them. Hoorah!! The first amendment is in action in the Winn household!!

Peace...

If Einstein was so smart, why didn't he figure out the speed of dark?

I have been exploring my new iBook for most of the day (I suppose I should get some work done at some point). Anyway, I have been having fun learning a bunch of new shortcuts and commands and things. I am really enjoying the iBook, and it makes me wish I had switched a long time ago. This Saturday at the Apple store, there is going to be a class for new converts. It should be a lot of fun.

I also have a new webpage. I will keep this blog active, but to see some other stuff from my worldview, please go to my page on .Mac. I have posted some of my writings, and some of my favorite pictures from the wedding. The original purpose of my getting on the web was to post some writings and papers and such, and now I finally have gotten around to doing it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Peace...

My new Apple iBook came tonight. I did not know it was here until about 9:30, when I got a call from the apartment office saying they had a package. I wish they had called earlier, when it came. Oh well.

I am disappointed that the previous owner did not clean up the hard drive--it still has all his junk on it. I would like to just reformat the hard drive, but he did not include the CD's. So, if he cannot produce them when I speak with him tomorrow, I will just have to remove everything piecemeal. Joy. Since I have no classes tomorrow, I can play around with it most of the day.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Apparently, Kenneth needs an English tutor as well.

A man wearing a hunting t-shirt at the zoo seems paradoxical.

I thought this was a funny paradox.

I beat the peg game @ Cracker Barrel...first time ever!

This morning, I officially joined the Cult of Mac. I was the winning bidder of an eBay auction of an Apple iBook G4. It has Mac OS 10.4 Tiger, 14" screen, 40GB hard drive, 256 MB RAM (I am already planning to upgrade to at least 512 MB), and DVD/CD-RW.

I have wanted an Apple for a long time, so I am mega-hyped. I cannot wait until it arrives. Whooo-hoooo!!!! There is an Apple retail store in Germantown, and I think it is my new favorite hangout. LOL. Michelle and I stopped in on our way home from church Sunday, and it was really cool.

The only bad thing about being a Mac owner is that I will lose my younger brother's free tech support. Oh wait...maybe since my iBook does not run windows, I WON'T NEED TECH SUPPORT!! Just maybe, anyway. LOL.

I am also expecting a package of cds and other stuff today, so I waiting impatiently for the UPS driver to show up. That will be cool.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

Kerry Wood, warming up for his rehab start in Nashville.

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I just set up my blog where I can send cam-phone pics to it. This is way cool. For the first picture, I decided to send an old friend from Clarksville.

Peace...

Our favorite friend @ dunbar cave

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I found a piece of video, showing Eric Clapton and John Mayer performing together on Larry King. They performed Clapton's song "Broken Hearted", which he wrote while grieving the loss of his son. He wrote "Tears in Heaven" and "Father's Eyes" at the same time. Here are the lyrics if you would like to follow along.

I hope everyone is doing great. Peace...

OK, we got our wedding pictures, so I thought I would share a few of them. Michelle also posted some on her blog.

Classes are going great, with the exception of me having some trouble in Spanish. I think the trouble is that I have not been working hard enough, so I will pick it up a notch or two. My philosophy classes are great, one of which is quickly getting intense. My Jewish Thought class is also really intense; it is my most difficult class. I need to be coming up with a paper topic soon for that class.

My football season has been great so far. I had a JV game last week, and two supervisors were there. My whole crew got a real good evaluation, so that bodes well for all of us. I basically work with the same crew all the time, and I really like the guys. So, that is a plus.

I have games this Saturday morning, then Michelle and I are going to meet her parents somewhere so they can give us a couch. I am not sure where we are going to meet, but I know I won't feel like driving too far. Hopefully, we can meet half-way somewhere.

I am going to BBQ some ribs this afternoon. I am excited. I have really fallen in love with BBQ-ing and grilling. Mmm-good.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Peace.

In one of my philosophy classes today, we talked about Pythagoras, who as you might know, brought us the Pythagorean theorem. What interested me is that he states that 10 is the very nature of number. I remember when I was about 9 or so, I realized that adding 1+2+3+4=10, and I thought that must mean something. Of course, I never went anywhere with the idea, but it intrigued me. Hmm.

While I was writing that paragraph, we realized our fish had died. *tears* There is much sadness in the house now. Boo-hoo. Luca now sleeps with the fishes permanently.

I have a meeting for work (job #3) in a few minutes, so I must go. I quit job #2 earlier today. Tomorrow is my last day there.

Peace...

Howdy!!

I have been meaning to post for a while now, but things have been insanely busy, so...

The wedding was indescribable. About the only thing I remember was when I was up front, and after the attendants had gotten into their positions, I saw Michelle and her dad come around the corner. They stood there for a few seconds, waiting for the wedding march to start before coming up front. It was the most surreal moment of my life.

We enjoyed the honeymoon a great deal. We mainly just relaxed, reading and doing some light sight-seeing.

When we got back from the honeymoon, we began the move to Memphis. We loaded up the truck, and headed down the road. We have been in our new place for several weeks now, and we really like it.

We quickly found employment, so we were glad of that. Michelle got a nanny job about 10 minutes from home, and she really likes the family. I am actually working 3 jobs!! I got a job at the campus recreation center, working in the weight room. It is incredibly boring, because I don't really do anything. I just do the best I can do at trying to find things to do, to stave off the boredom. My other campus job starts this Tuesday. I will be working in the Annual Giving campaign, which consists of call alumni and asking them to make donations. This job pays a little better than the rec center job, so I am liking that.

I am also refereeing football, of course. Since I am new in the association here, I was not expecting to get many games. However, I have got a really good schedule this year, so that is really nice. I had a game last night, and I also have a game tonight. Many schools here do not have their own fields, so they use city municipal fields. So, we have high school football on Saturdays.

We have not found a church home here; we are still looking around. We are visiting a church tomorrow that we heard about from one of Michelle's classmates.

My class schedule is not too bad this semester; it could certainly be harder. Things are still going to be tough, because I am working too much. So, I am just going to do the best I can. I have 2 philosophy classes, 1 class in the Judaic Studies program, and Spanish. The Judaic Studies program is sponsoring a trip to Israel over spring break, and Michelle and I are both signed up. We are really looking forward to it. I am sure it will be something that we will always remember.

I hope everyone is doing well. I will post again soon. Peace...

Haven't felt like posting in quite a while. Looks like this blog is going to be a VERY sporadically updated thing.

The wedding is drawing near, and most everything has been finalized. We have already started packing for the move to Memphis. Earlier today, I scheduled the gas and water to be turned on August 15.

Our new address is:

Chris and Michelle Winn
1035 Ray Blanton Cove
Memphis, TN 38152

When we get Memphis phone numbers, we will pass them along.

We went to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers last week, and it was incredible. One of the best shows I have ever seen. Tom played a variety of guitars, mostly Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters. He played a Rickenbacher on one tune, a 12-string acoustic on "Handle With Care", and a huge Epiphone electric on a couple of songs. Mike Campbell also played an eclectic mix of instruments, mostly fenders, but also a Gibson Les Paul on one song, and two different mandolins.

The playlist was:

Listen to Her Heart

--I love this song. One of my favs. Not sure which album it's from, but it was early.

You Don't Know How it Feels

--From "Wildfowers". Great video. Was it a man or a woman? Both? Idunno.

Breakdown

--Very early hit. Great song.

Turn This Car Around

--To be included on a new album coming out later this year. Must have been inspired by a long car trip with his kids.

Free Falling

--I thought he would save this crowd favorite for later in the show. During this song, two women approached us and asked if we would like to have their tickets. They said they got their tickets from The Black Crows (the opening act), and didn't want to stay for the rest. So, we got to move down the 15th row, center stage. Way cool!!

I Won't Back Down

--Co-written by Jeff Lynne and Ringo Starr. Great song and video.

Mary Jane's Last Dance

--Thoughts of the video still weird me out. Great song, though.

Handle With Care

--The lights were down between songs, but when I saw TP pick up the 12-string acoustic, I guessed this song would be next. Much to our delight, I was right. Probably our favorite song of the concert.

Running Back to You

--A new song, I think also to be included on upcoming LP.

Breakout Melinda

--I don't know anything about this song.

Learning to Fly

--Probably my absolute favorite TP song. He played it way slow.

Don't Come Around Here No More

--Everyone except me loves to go to Wonderland. The video received numerous awards, including "Best Special Effects". Funny thing was that it had NO special effects. Anyway, I have never cared for this song.

Refugee

--From the 1979 breakout "Damn the Torpedoes" LP. My older cousin Cindi had this record (on vinyl!), and I used to listen to it all the time when I was a kid. Awesome.

Running Down a Dream

--One of his best videos, and he has a had a ton of great ones

Encores:

You Wreck Me

--I love this song!! I was singing it facetiously to Michelle at the show.

American Girl

--I think this was their first hit single. If it wasn't the first, it was certainly very early in their career.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Preaching at the Clarksville church was, in a word, surreal. I was really nervous, but I think everything went fine. The second service was videotaped, and the technician gave me a copy. Although, I don't think I will ever watch it--that would be weird.

I would like to thank everyone for the well-wishes--your encouragement means a great deal to me. Thank you.

The past couple of months, while I have not been posting, have been busy for me. I have read two really good book (A History of God by Karen Armstrong, and God's Politics, by Jim Wallis. Michelle and I are busy finalizing plans for the wedding. I think everything is in place--we are just hoping nothing falls apart. LOL.

Michelle is taking her GRE at the moment. She didn't really study for it, but she took a practice test and scored really high. So, we are confident that she will do well. She actually doesn't need it for her graduate program, but she is thinking that employers might like to see a score later on. So, she is taking it. I am not going to bother--when you are working for God, He doesn't care what your test scores are!! LOL. Someone should have told that to the Phariseess--Oh wait, Jesus did. Unfortunately, they did not listen. LOL.

We got our housing assignment in Memphis, and we got the unit we wanted. That is cool. It is a 2 bedroom townhouse, with a community pool and a garden plot. We move in August 15, and classes start August 29. Cool.

Instead of going to Boston for the honeymoon, we have decided to stay at her parents' cabin on the Ocoee. We will take day trips to Atlanta and North Carolina, and around East Tennessee as well. We figure we will save about $750 by doing this. We are going to a Braves game on my birthday, August 1. That will be nice. I think they are playing the Pirates. Grrr, matey.

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer. I know I am, it has been fantabulous so far!! Peace...

Before Michelle's graduation, we ate at Olive Garden. As you can see, she wore her cap and gown. Several people offered her congradulations. Others just stared.

Saturday, Michelle had a wedding shower while I umpired at Clarksville High. I got hit 3 times during my plate game. Jeez, I was getting pissed off. Sometimes I forget that getting hit occasionally is part of the game. A couple of cold beers afterward soothed my pain...LOL.

Yesterday, Michelle got the news that her great-grandmother had died the previous day. Her mother waited to tell her, so as not to dampen the mood of the shower. Classy move. Michelle was sad all day, as expected, and was having back pain. I wasn't much help, since all I was interested in was the two car races on TV. It was incredible to see Danika Patrick lead several laps and then finish 4th in the Indy 500.

We enjoyed grilling burgers at Tim's house last night. We had some trouble getting the fire started, but once it was going, everything went fine. We even grilled some corn on the cob, which neither of us had done before, and it turned out great. Cool.

Today, I am just gonna relax a bit. I am gonna go see Michelle in a little while. We do not have anything planned today, so it is a free day.

I spent most of last week working on a new sermon. I had gotten most of my original sermon written, then realized I had used the wrong scripture. My denomination uses the lectionary in the Common Book of Worship, which provides the suggested scriptures for each Sunday. It allows the minister to cover the entire Bible in 3 years. So, I went back and started over. I am never really happy with my sermons, and this one is no exception. I am going to work on it some more tomorrow. Hopefully, I will have something decent by Sunday.

I am not sure if the Common Book of Worship is a Presbyterian thing, or if other denominations use it. I have always used my senior pastor's book when I needed it. Last week, I stopped by the Lifeway bookstore in town, which caters mostly to Southern Baptists, and they did not have a copy. Although, they did order one for me. They were nice enough to give me a 20% discount since I qualify as a minister.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their holiday. Peace...

OK, so I guess that cancellation thing did not last long.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to preach at the Clarksville church on June 5th, while the minister is on vacation. Without hesitating, I said "yes", then thought, "Oh, crap! What have I gotten myself into?" The ladies of the church where I work are giving Michelle a shower that day, and I am supposed to go with Mike Clark to a Sounds game. Plus, the idea of preaching at the church where I grew up makes me REAL nervous. In fact, when I first answered the call to the ministry, I decided early on that I would never preach there. The whole thing about a prophet not being accepted in his own land and all (not that I am a prophet or anything, but you get the idea). So, please pray for me.

Michelle recently graduated from college, and I am SO proud of her. She has decided to go to grad school at Memphis, with an eye towards becoming an elementary school teacher. We are really excited.

I am registered for classes this fall, and I am really excited. Michelle was in a used book store a couple of weeks ago, and picked up a couple of philosophy books she thought I would be interested in. Turns out, I need that book for one of my classes. She paid 50 cents for it!! Cool.

I am going to go for now, but I am going to start posting again. Probably with veracity. Peace...

As you may have noticed, I have not posted in quite some time. The simple reason is that I have basically lost interest in the blog. So, I am basically suspending it for now--if I decide to pick it back up, I will try to let everyone know. Peace...

I have decided that my next computer will be an Apple iBook. I have been thinking about this for about a year now, and it just makes sense. I do not, however, wish to join the Apple "cult" that most Apple owners belong to...LOL. Since my younger brother is a Microsoft drone, and my sister is a Linux geek, I just want to start fights at holiday dinners...LOL.

My game yesterday at Motlow was cancelled. We are supposed to take the youth group to a Nashville Sounds game tonight, but the weather does not look good. I really hope we get to go, but I am not optimistic about it. Oh well.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

Gene Washer has been taking pictures at Rossview Middle School games, and posting them on his website. I stole some of the better ones, and posted them below. LOL.

My game at Motlow tomorrow got moved to Saturday, which I cannot work. Bummer.

Mike Clark and I worked at Rossview tonight, and had tons of fun. You see things in middle school ball that happen nowhere else. LOL. Such as a runner on second trying to steal third, while someone else is already on third. LOL.

I hope everyone has a wonderful night. Peace...

#16 is taking one for the team. Ouch!

During a break in the action, I am pondering the benefits of a nap.

I have no idea why the head coach would be walking around the plate while the batter is up there, but in middle school ball, anything is possible...LOL

Michelle says this is her favorite angle...LOL

Tom Petty tickets go on sale today, so we are heading over to Kroger's to pick up a pair. The concert is July 13, and we are really excited. Also, there is a "major concert announcement" at 5 PM today. All they said yesterday was that the show would be at a "smaller venue" than Starwood, and that the act is "one of the greatest ever". That tells me it's at the Ryman, but I do not know who it could be. Michelle thinks its Bob Dylan, and that seems plausible to me. I am really hoping it's Eric Clapton.

I have a doubleheader starting at 5 tonight, so I will not be able to hear the announcement. Michelle is going to be listening, and she will fill me in later.

My game last night at Portland was really funny. Funny in that I did not have a good game. I missed several strikes, and a balk. Funny thing was that no one complained about anything. Wow. That doesn't happen often. I think it was largely because when an umpire looks like he knows what he is doing, walks on the field with clean shoes and a good uniform, and looks like he has been there before, that will sometimes buy some credibility. I was just glad to get out of there.

I hope everyone has a great day. Peace...

Yesterday, I worked a doubleheader at Columbia State. I had the plate the first game, and in the second inning, I got hit square in the face with a 92-mph fastball. The catcher called a curveball, but the pitcher got it wrong, and the catcher did not have time to react, so it me right between the eyes. I was basically knocked out, although I never went down. I was dizzy for a long time after that, and have not been quite right since. The rest of the day yesterday is kind of a blur. I forgot the count once, and let a guy stay at the plate with 4 balls. On the fifth ball, he decided to mosey on down to first. This morning, I woke up in a cold sweat thinking I needed a sub for a middle school game tonight at Rossview. The only problems with that were 1) There is no game at Rossview tonight and, 2) I originally had a game tonight, but I lined up a sub almost two weeks ago. Jeez. A while later, I realized I am double-booked for tomorrow. Which is not much of a problem because it is supposed to rain like crazy, so I don't think anyone is going to play anyhow. Just in case, I am lining up a sub for one of the assignments.

I took Michelle to the doctor in Murfreesboro early this morning. She made an appointment to get her tonsils taken out. They have been bothering her for the past several days, and at one point were bleeding. So, they must go. Every time we get one medical bill paid off, it seems something else comes up. Jeez, will it ever end? I dunno. I just want her to fell well.

On the way back, we were talking about the upcoming weekend. I did not have any games scheduled, so she proposed that we go to Tullahoma and spend the weekend with her parents. That way, she could work on invitations while I do some stuff with her car. As soon as the words "it might be nice to have a weekend off" left my lips, I suddenly got the urge to call the guy who assigns my high school games to see if he had anything available. Later, when Michelle was getting something from her room and I was waiting in the car, he called back. When she got to the car, I had the calendar out and was going full speed. When it was all over, I picked up a doubleheader in Macon County on Friday, a single game at Pope John Paul II Saturday morning, and a doubleheader at Portland Saturday afternoon. 4 games added to the docket, just like that. Michelle accused me of doing anything I could to avoid having to spend the weekend with her mother. I am not sure if I ever denied that accusation...LOL. I just told her that I was working hard for the family, trying to make a few bucks. The I got her to take me to lunch for Mexican food. LOL. Anything I can do for a free meal.

Tomorrow, I have a game at Portland, so it will be a little weird to go there twice in a few days. I am back at Columbia St. next Monday, so that will be weird too. Normally, an umpire does not like to see the same school too often, but sometimes that is just how it works out.

Tonight, we have church, so we are excited. Tonight is the last night of the Wednesday night program for this semester. We will continue meeting on our own on Wednesdays after tonight.

I hop everyone has a great day. Peace...

Michelle and I saw several interesting things while we were in Louisville this weekend.

First, there is either a topless bar or an adult bookstore on almost every corner. Apparently, smut is big business there. On one corner, we saw a topless bar. Next door to the topless bar was the county's Board of Education. Next door to the BOA was an elementary school. Next door to that was a high school. Jeez.

Second, the students at Bellarmine University are allowed to drink on campus. There were at least 100-200 students at the game, and nearly all of them were openly drinking. Most of them were visibly drunk. Wow. Some of the guys hanging out on the first base side noticed that my Gatorade bottle was getting empty, and they offered me beer about 4-5 times throughout the game. Wow. It was all just insane.

We came to the conclusion that there are apparently no rules in Louisville regarding moral conduct, so we eliminate all Louisville colleges from the list of possibilities for our children. LOL.

"Life is full of hellos and goodbyes; I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again"--From Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye to Hollywood".

Peace...

I got home from Louisville a little while ago, and found a letter from the University of Memphis in today's mail. I knew that this was my acceptance/rejection letter, so I was nervous before opening it. I was super-glad to see that I was accepted. I was getting really worried, because I had sent in my application months ago, and had not heard anything. Wow! Cool! I am really excited about Memphis!!

I was in Louisville today for a conference doubleheader at Bellarmine University. Michelle came along, and we had a great time. The games were not too hard, although my plate game went 10 or 11 innings. The scoreboard did not go above 9, so I lost count. I think it was 10. Anyway, it was good to finally get back home. Louisville is a long way to drive.

Tomorrow, we have worship in the morning, and round two of marital counseling after lunch.

Monday, I have a game at Vol State, and Tuesday, a game at Columbia State. It promises to be a busy week.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Peace...

I guess I must have hexed myself yesterday when I wrote about how I have not had too many rainouts this year. As I wrote that, it was 75 degrees and sunny outside. By yesterday afternoon, it was raining buckets, so my games last night were cancelled. My games today were also rained out. LOL. One day I will learn to keep my mouth shut. Of course, the logician in me realizes that this is a fallacious argument of the "false cause" variety. LOL. I just wish it would stop raining.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

My games Saturday at Kentucky Wesleyan went real well; I was glad I didn't screw anything up this time. This Saturday, I have a doubleheader at Bellamine, a Catholic school in Louisville. In fact, last night Michelle and I were looking at my upcoming schedule, and I have baseball every night from now until April 23, except for Sundays and Wednesdays. I will be busy. And tired. Of course, some of those games will be rained out, but hopefully, not too many. This has been a pretty good year so far in the rain department, as I have had a few rainouts, but not too many.

Today is the funeral for Sharon Roden, the mother of one of my youth. She had cancer for several years, and last week took a turn for the worse. She passed away on Friday. It's not fair to die so young, but life often is not fair. I was asked to read some scripture during the service, which obviously is a great honor. One thing I have trouble adjusting to as a minister is in worship services where I am participating, I have difficulty worshiping myself. I am always worried about being in the right place at the right time, and saying the right thing. I am trying to work on it.

Michelle has lined up a job with a church in Memphis. She will be the Director of Children's ministry there. That position will also require her to preach occasionally when the senior pastor is away. She is really excited about the opportunity. I am just glad that she is willing to support that shiftless fiancee of hers. LOL.

For the past 2 weeks or so, I have been pounding Kent relentlessly with trash talk about how Tiger Woods would win the Masters. Kent's favorite golfer is Phil Mickelson, and Tiger is mine. LOL. I kept sending him text messages with stuff like "my guy is better than your guy", and so on. LOL. We love to have fun with each other like that.

I hope everyone has a great day. Peace...

Last night, I saw what may have been the funniest thing I have ever seen on a baseball field. In the second game, Mike was behind the plate. The area around home plate was really dusty, so much so that if someone breathed, the plate would get covered in dust. Mike called a couple of pitches that went against Rossview, so their fans, in a move straight out of Little League, started chirping for him to clean the plate. So, he did. When he finished, the crowd game him a standing ovation. Absolutely hilarious. I told Mike that if it had been me, I probably would have taken my plate brush and thrown it into the crowd, to let them know that I would not be cleaning it the rest of the night. LOL. That just shows Mike is probably a better person than I am. I know he is a better umpire.

Today, I am going to try to fix the wipers on my truck. I also am going to put new brake pads on it. Yay.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

I am absolutely wasted this morning. I could hardly get out of bed this morning, my legs are so tired. I remember the days when I could umpire 6 games in one day, and keep on trucking the rest of the week. No more. Now, anything more than 2-3 days in a row, and my legs are jelly. I guess I am getting old.

I started a new book last week, called "God's Politics". It is about how politicians on both sides of the aisle use religion to their benefit. Obviously, the Republicans have a stranglehold on religion at this time. I heard Bill Clinton use a line out of the book the other day--that was hilarious. I am really loving the book so far.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

My weekend series at Kentucky Wesleyan was certainly eventful. We got up there Friday night in the midst of a torrential downpour, so I doubted if they would play the next day. We delayed the first game two hours, and by that time the field was OK. I was on the bases the first game Saturday, and it was uneventful. I was behind the plate for the second game, and during the 8th inning, I had to eject the coach for the visiting team. A batter for the home team had gotten hit by the pitch, and the coach thought the guy had leaned into the pitch. He got belligerent with me, and when he screamed "chicken-shit!!), he had to go. Oh well.

It got even more exciting Sunday. The coach who got ejected sat out the first game as a suspension. I was on the plate that game, and it went fine. However, in the second game, I really screwed up bad. Jeez. There was a runner on second, so I was in "C" position, behind the mound and to the third base side. The batter hit a long fly ball to dead centerfield, so I moved closer to third to get into position for a possible play there. After that, I can honestly say that I do not know what happened. I must have fallen asleep or passed out. I dunno. The next thing I knew, the runner who started on second was still there, and the batter was standing on first. The first base coach asked if the centerfielder had caught the ball, or if he had dropped it. I said, "Yeah", not knowing what he had done. So, the batter stayed on first. That sent the defense (visiting team) into a frenzy. The second baseman went nuts, and told me that his "coach would straighten me out". I told him that if he opened his mouth again, I would straighten HIM out. Anyway, the coach (same guy that I ejected the night before) comes flying towards me in a furious rage. I listened to his argument, still not knowing what had happened, or how I was going to fix the situation. After he lost his steam, I asked him if he wanted me to ask my partner for help. He said yes. So, I went to my partner, and he had no clue either. It wasn't his responsibility, his responsibility was to make sure the runner on second did not leave too early, so he wasn't looking for the catch. I told him that I had a gut feeling that the guy must have caught the ball, then dropped it when he was trying to throw it back in. Otherwise, the runner on second would have run to third without tagging up. He said, "whadda ya wanna do?". I told him that if we changed the call, it would look like he had changed it, and that the offensive team's coach would come after him, and that I did not want to do that to him. He said it was OK, he could handle it. I still wasn't sure that I wanted to do that to him, but I knew we had to get the call right. Even if I didn't know hat the right call actually was. Going on my gut feeling, I changed the call. As expected, the other coach went after my partner. He didn't stay on him for too long, thankfully. I still do not know what I was doing on that play. Maybe I looked away too quickly--I dunno. Anyway, things settled down, and the rest of the game went without incident. Only later did I find out that Michelle, who was in the stands, got into a bit of a confrontation with some of the fans. They were giving me a hard time, and rightfully so. But she doesn't stand for that, so she let them know they needed to put a lid on it. LOL. She ended up stomping out of the ballpark. Jeez. I gotta teach her that razzing the ump is part of the game. LOL. I appreciate her sticking up for me, though. LOL.

Wow. So, the weekend was certainly not un-eventful. In all of my years of umpiring, I do not think I have ever screwed up something as bad as that. I was embarrassed. I was just glad that I was able to get refocused, to increase my intensity, and to get through the rest of the game without messing anything else up.

I got home last night to find several voice mails and emails, all concerning baseball. I spent probably two hours on the phone, getting stuff worked out. I picked up two high school games this week, and another college conference doubleheader on Saturday. As it turns out, I will be at Kentucky Wesleyan again. They may get tired of seeing me. LOL. Anyway, one of the high school games I picked up was tonight in Springfield. I must say that after yesterday's debacle, I worked one of the best games I have ever worked in my life. My intensity has never been higher. I knew going into it that I was better than what I showed Sunday, and I was going to prove it to myself. If I can't do better than what I did Sunday, I should quit. That was ridiculous. I am glad that I am past it--my next game is tomorrow.

Today, I finished reading my book about the Pharisees' guide to holiness. It was a great reminder of how we often put up barriers to the grace of Christ. We just need to keep it simple. Remember that Christ died for our sins, and that as long as we believe that, we will be fine. I remembered an old joke about the goings-on at the Pearly Gates. Imagine St. Peter there at his desk, with Heaven's roll book in front of him. Paul comes into the office complaining that there are too many people inside, and looks at the roll book. Indeed, he concludes, there are way too many people inside than in the book. He tells Peter to investigate what is going on, and to file his report by Friday. So, Friday comes and Paul is demanding answers. Peter says, "It's that guy Jesus again, letting people in through the back gate!". LOL. When I first heard this, I pictured Jesus hiding in the bushes by the back fence, whispering, "Psst. Hey, you. I can help you. Salvation lies within here. Jump onboard. Come on in." LOL.

The auction for my laptop ended without meeting the minimum price, so I have decided to sell it to the woman that Michelle nannies for. She has agreed to give me the minimum I was asking for, so that is good. I am going to reload the OS and the other software back onto it. I hope she enjoys it. I will be getting a new one after the wedding, so I am going to start shopping. Actually, I already have. LOL.

Saturday, during my games, Pope John Paul II passed away. There is not much I can say that has not already been said, so let me say this: I think the fact that Terry Schiavo and the Pope passed away within a few days of each other was no coincidence. I think there is a message here. The message is that we as Americans no longer appreciate life as much as we may have. A lot of people talk about dying with dignity, but there is no dignity in starving to death. I am not in a position to judge, but I will say that it is my opinion that some people with have to answer for their actions in this situation. "What you have done to the least of me, you have done to me" is maybe the most important verse in the New Testament. It is the entire ministry of Christ in one sentence. Terry Schiavo was among the least of us, as she could not defend herself against her muderous, adulterer husband. The whole thing was despicable, and makes me want to puke. That is all I will say about it.



I join all those mourning the loss of the Pope, and I pray that the next Pope will continue this Pope's mission of mercy, peace, and reconciliation.


I hope everyone has a great night. Peace...

The Ebay auction for my laptop ends tonight. If you would like to check it out, click on this link. Right now, there are 19 watchers, so that bodes well.

I am leaving in a while for my weekend conference series at Kentucky Wesleyan. I am working with guys that I have worked with before, and that I have confidence in. So, I am excited. Things should go well. If it will stop raining, that is.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Peace...

I have a doubleheader today at Motlow, and the forecast is good, so that is good news. Michelle is riding with me, so she can spend the day at their parents' house working on wedding stuff.

Yesterday, we went to the public library. We each picked up a book, mine is on the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also got a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I am sort of reading a book on the scrolls, but it is incessantly boring, so I am not getting very far with it. Maybe the video will be better. I also got several CD's--Elton John, U2, Steely Dan (which is not one person, in case you are wondering), Dwight Yoakam, and Brian Wilson's Smile. All cool. I ripped them all onto my hard drive for later review.

I called Greg Walker's radio show for the first time in what seems like forever yesterday. We ended up talking more about the wedding than we did about sports. Which is how almost all of my conversations go these days. I can't wait for the wedding to be over, if for nothing else than I would like to talk about something else for a change...LOL.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

I have a doubleheader today at Motlow, and the forecast is good, so that is good news. Michelle is riding with me, so she can spend the day at their parents' house working on wedding stuff.

Yesterday, we went to the public library. We each picked up a book, mine is on the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also got a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I am sort of reading a book on the scrolls, but it is incessantly boring, so I am not getting very far with it. Maybe the video will be better. I also got several CD's--Elton John, U2, Steely Dan (which is not one person, in case you are wondering), Dwight Yoakam, and Brian Wilson's Smile. All cool. I ripped them all onto my hard drive for later review.

I called Greg Walker's radio show for the first time in what seems like forever yesterday. We ended up talking more about the wedding than we did about sports. Which is how almost all of my conversations go these days. I can't wait for the wedding to be over, if for nothing else than I would like to talk about something else for a change...LOL.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

I have a doubleheader today at Motlow, and the forecast is good, so that is good news. Michelle is riding with me, so she can spend the day at their parents' house working on wedding stuff.

Yesterday, we went to the public library. We each picked up a book, mine is on the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also got a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I am sort of reading a book on the scrolls, but it is incessantly boring, so I am not getting very far with it. Maybe the video will be better. I also got several CD's--Elton John, U2, Steely Dan (which is not one person, in case you are wondering), Dwight Yoakam, and Brian Wilson's Smile. All cool. I ripped them all onto my hard drive for later review.

I called Greg Walker's radio show for the first time in what seems like forever yesterday. We ended up talking more about the wedding than we did about sports. Which is how almost all of my conversations go these days. I can't wait for the wedding to be over, if for nothing else than I would like to talk about something else for a change...LOL.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

I have a doubleheader today at Motlow, and the forecast is good, so that is good news. Michelle is riding with me, so she can spend the day at their parents' house working on wedding stuff.

Yesterday, we went to the public library. We each picked up a book, mine is on the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also got a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I am sort of reading a book on the scrolls, but it is incessantly boring, so I am not getting very far with it. Maybe the video will be better. I also got several CD's--Elton John, U2, Steely Dan (which is not one person, in case you are wondering), Dwight Yoakam, and Brian Wilson's Smile. All cool. I ripped them all onto my hard drive for later review.

I called Greg Walker's radio show for the first time in what seems like forever yesterday. We ended up talking more about the wedding than we did about sports. Which is how almost all of my conversations go these days. I can't wait for the wedding to be over, if for nothing else than I would like to talk about something else for a change...LOL.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

I was supposed to have a doubleheader today at Mid-Continent, but it was rained out. Hopefully, my games tomorrow at Motlow will go as scheduled. Also, I have a conference series this weekend, and I really hope it stays dry for that.

As part of my journey through Holy Week, I finished reading my book about Mel Gibson's Passion film. The book consisted of about 25 essays written by various scholars, theologians, and philosophers, representing many different backgrounds and viewpoints. It was great to read about other peoples' opinions of the controversial film. I also watched a movie about Paul, the apostle. While watching it, I remembered that I had a book called "The Pharisees' Guide to Total Holiness", so I started reading it. I have finished the first three chapters, and since it is relatively short, I should be able to finish it by the end of the week.

Yesterday was simply awesome. After a great worship service, Michelle and I came back to Clarksville for my family's picnic. It was great to see everyone, although I sort of grew tired of fielding questions about the wedding. I just told everyone that I am trying to stay sane, and engaged...LOL.

I woke up today with a bit of a scratchy throat, and I hope it does not progress to anything more. I think it is just the crazy weather. After being 75 degrees Saturday, it has been cold and rainy since yesterday. Boo.

I read where the drummer for the 80s band Crowded House committed suicide over the weekend. I have been listening to their music this morning, although a few minutes ago I qued up some Billy Joel. Cool.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Peace...

Hannah Grace Clark was delivered into this world at 7:46 AM today. Michelle and I went by the hospital to visit, and both mother and child are doing well. Papa is as proud as could be. The miracle of birth is a wondrous thing, to be sure.

"But Jesus called for the children, saying, 'Let the little children come to me. Do not stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children. I tell you the truth, you must accept God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it.'"

Peace...

I've been busy moving more files tonight. I have got almost everything moved. Somehow, in moving everything last night, I lost all my stuff in MS Outlook. All my contacts, address book, and email messages. So, tonight, I did a system restore, and now I have everything back in place. Cool. I was kind of worried there for a while.

It is now 2:30 AM in Knoxville, and I am IMing with a maniacal umpire friend of mine who lives there. Jordan Ferrell is the next coming of the Chris Winn/Mike Clark combo. That guy is falt out nuts about umpiring. He is one of the very few bright young umps we have in the area. We need to develop more guys like him, beacuse Mike and I are not going to be around forever. I enjoy talking with him, and working with him.

While I have been moving files, I have also been backing up all my digital pictures onto CDs. I have filled 4 CDs so far. Probaly have enough pics for about 2 more.

I have also been listening to Eric Clapton for the last 3 hours or so. He is without question my favorite artist of all time. I love all his music--the blues, the pop, the jazz, the country--just all of it. Yippee. It is not often I get a huge block of time free to listen to all his stuff, so I enjoy it when I do. Right now, I am at the beginning of a 13 minute live version of "Old Love". Way cool.

I am going to continue moving stuff, so once again, I hope everyone has a great night.

Peace...

Michelle and I went to the Maundy Thursday service tonight, and it was great. Other than the fact that she is wrecked with sinus problems. Communion was a little weird for me, though, in that I was asked to help serve. Normally when I take communion, I sort of go off into this other place mentally, really focused and self-centered. Helping serve, I did not get this chance. Although it was nice to help others get closer to their faith, so I guess that is just part of being a minister--sacrificing oneself for others.

Michelle and I have been talking about possible baby names. NO, SHE IS NOT PREGNANT AT THIS TIME!!!!!! Although, if the wedding date gets moved up, you may know why---LOL!!

I think we have settled on a boy name--Zephenius Euphrates Winn. We have not quite decided on a girl name as of now.

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening. Peace...

I have been up all night moving files from my laptop to my desktop. Yes, I am preparing to sell the laptop.

I had planned on moving all my stuff using an ethernet cord, but I could not figure out how to do it. So, I am doing it the slow way, using my jumpdrive--156 MB at a time.

About an hour ago, I thought of the line from the movie "The Sting", where Paul Newman's character made a late-night booty call, and she asked him what he was doing there at that hour. He replied, "It's 2 AM and I don't know nobody". That line inspired Bob Seger to write his hit single, "We've Got Tonight". One of the best lines in the history of cinema.

Peace...

Ever since we last week when we saw the TPAC production of Billy Joel's rock musical "Movin' Out", I have been listening to a lot of his music. I have long been a fan of Billy Joel, but it occured to me that I had not listened to anything of his in a couple of years. I remember that when I was in Youth Group in high school, we listened to and analyized Joel's "Keeping the Faith". I am sure Rusty thought it must have had a religious connection, but when we dissected it, we realized it was basically about growing up, drinking beer with your buddies, and a young man's never-ending quest to get laid. I also remember that was the first and last time we listened to pop music in Youth Group. LOL.

This deer came wandering throught the campground on Saturday. I was standing less than 6 feet from her.

At the youth retreat, I hosted a ping-pong tournament as part of the recreation. Here, Laura Byrd is playing a guy from another church. I beat Laura in the semi-finals, on my way to the championship. I sort of felt bad for winning my own tournament. Sort of.

About 20 hours into the 30 Hour Famine, somehow I was able to smile.

As part of out 30 Hour Famine, one of our fundraisers was a "battle of the coin jars". Michelle and I each had a jar, and we got the youth to donate their change. I agreed to shave my legs if Michelle had won. Michelle agreed to drink a "Fear Factor"-type concoction if she lost (which she did). I, however, waived her penalty and did not make her do anything crazy.