Damn those flu shots. Last Monday, Michelle and I got flu shots, ostensibly to avoid getting sick. The next morning, we both woke up sick. Joy. So, the rest of the week was essentially worthless, at least in regards to getting anything productive done. I even turned in a football game Thursday night that I was supposed to work. I was, however, able to work my varsity game Friday.

To add to the misery of last week, we got the news that Michelle's great-grandmother passed away. She was about 95, and was a lot of fun to be around. She and Michelle were really close, and she will be missed. Michelle's mom was able to go to the funeral, but Michelle did not want to fly with her head stuffed up like it was. I am sorry that she was not able to go.

A couple of weeks ago, without telling me, Michelle ordered my Christmas present. She was very clandestine about the whole thing; she even had it delivered to her work so I would not see it. But, for whatever reason, once it arrived, she just had to tell me. First, she made me guess for a couple of days what it might be. The only clue that she would give me is that I had once said I would like one. That wasn't much of a clue, since there are tons of things I say I would like. So, after a couple of days of guessing, she finally revealed that she had gotten me a new computer. Not just any computer, but a really good iMac, loaded up with good stuff. She had even splurged and gotten me a wireless keyboard and wireless Mighty Mouse (Apple's 4-button mouse). Woo! So, I begged her to bring it home, and she did. So, while I was so miserably sick, I was able to enjoy getting it set up like I want it. Both of our laptops are showing signs of age, so it's good to have another hard drive to back up everything onto. Plus, I will be able to edit the videos I have taken of Alex, and make DVDs. That will be cool.

The stats on the iMac are: 250 GB HD, 1 GB RAM (I am upgrading to 3 GB), 2.33 GHz Intel Dual Core Processor. I am going to upgrade to the new OS (Leopard), which comes with Boot Camp, the program that allows Leopard and Windows to run on the same unit. So, I am also going to install Windows XP. Therefore, we will have the best of both worlds.

I have been having some pains in my neck and left shoulder, so I am going to a chiropractor to get checked out. It's been several years since I have gotten adjusted, so hopefully I can get straightened out again.

A friend of mine who is in grad school at the University of Chicago was struck by a taxi cab while she was crossing an intersection last week. Thankfully, she was not seriously injured, although she was shaken up quite a bit. Also, one of the kids in my youth group was hit by a car on Saturday. She, too, was very fortunate to have only been bruised and scraped.

The Red Sox finished off the Rockies last night. It's weird how they went 86 years without winning a series, and now have won twice in 4 years. The American League is so much better than the National League right now, it's just crazy. For so long, the NL was much better than the Al, so I guess they are due. I was glad that I was able to watch most of all 4 games. Last year, I was able to only see a few innings of the entire Series, and it drove me crazy. Michelle was able to make it through 3.5 games really well. During last night's game, she finally asked, "So, what game is this?" I told her it was Game 4, and with more than a little longing in her voice, she asked, "So, if Boston wins, it's over, right?" LOL. I am proud of her for making it that far. One day, I will teacher her the infield fly rule.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Last Friday was Alex's five month birthday, and he weighed in at 11 lbs., 8 oz. Woo! He is getting so big. Every time I pick him up, he seems to have gained some weight. He's such a big boy now...LOL.

I was (and still am) having some serious seperation issues, especially since Michelle has gone back to work full time. Alex goes to daycare on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when I am in class. The other days of the week, I had been hanging with him, instead of doing my school work. I would take him to the office with me, but I was not able to get much done. So, I finally gave in and made arrangements for him. The woman that runs the nursery at the church has agreed to come in 2-3 days a week and watch him, so I can get some work done. It's nice that he will be just down the hall and around the corner, so if anything happens, I can be right there.

Tonight, Michelle has class, so he and I are hanging out at home. He took a full bottle just a little while ago, after having taken one at about 2:30. So, he is napping now. While he is asleep, I am going to do some reading.

I think my parents are going to visit one day next week; that will be exciting. Alex told me that he needs to be spoiled by Mimi and Pa-Pa...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Yesterday at lunch, I decided to take my lunch and a guitar to a park near campus. After I had eaten, I got out the guitar, and started to strum. In less than 5 minutes, a ton of homeless people came out of the woods (from all directions) to hear the guy with the guitar. We exchanged hellos, and I continued playing. We all had a great time, and the music clearly lifted the spirits of several of them. In all, I played for about an hour in front of about 15-20 men. The whole thing was awesome. Michelle said that if I go on tour, she will print the T-shirts.

Last night, Michelle's class did not meet, so we pawned Alex off on some friends and went out on a date. We went to a really nice restaraunt that we can only afford when we have a buy 1-get one free coupon (even then, we spend too much). This was our third time going there, and every time it has been wonderful. Then, we went grocery shopping! YAY! What a date! LOL. We are just geeky enough to do that. Remember, our first date included a visit to a book store (she bought me Robert Frost; I bought her Ralph Waldo Emerson). Anyway, we got our groceries, took them home to put away, got some Starbucks, then picked up Alex. It was a fun night. Too bad I had class this morning; by the end of the day, Michelle and I were both exhausted.

Alex has an appointment with his apnea doctor tomorrow. After that, I think I will take him by seminary. I need to get a couple of books from the library, and a bunch of people want to see him, so it should be fun.

My grandmother called me the other day to tell me that she had gotten a new car. I am so happy for her; she had been needing one for 10 years or so! Now, she is riding in style. Cool.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

"A child arrived just the other day; he came to the world in the usual way. But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay; He learned to walk while I was away. He was talking before I knew it, and as he grew, he'd say, 'I'm gonna be like you, Dad, you know I'm gonna be like you."

Harry Chapin's lyrics have really haunted me the last couple of weeks, because I was definitely not around much. In fact, Michelle commented that she felt like a single mother. I almost cried. In fact, later, I did. With mid-terms, and taking on more responsibility at work, and football going crazy, I was gone more than I was home for the past couple of weeks. I am going to do better in the future. Of course, as I write this I am in my office. This is sick.

OK, so at least mid-terms have finally come and (mostly gone). I say mostly because my Acts professor was really slow about getting our test to us, so he gave us an extra couple of weeks. It is not due until next Tuesday, which is cool. Tomorrow, I am defending my paper in that class that I presented last week. Wish me luck.

In Christian Ministry class, we split up into groups several weeks ago, with each group being responsible for planning an entire worship service. My group will present its work this Wednesday. My role is to play the prelude and closing music on my guitar. This will be my first live performance ever, so wish me luck in that as well.

About 15 minutes after Alex came home from the hospital, Michelle started talking about having another baby. I have mostly put her on hold, until recently when she started really homing in on me about it. One night last week, in a half-asleep/half-awake stupor, she said that if I would agree to start trying soon, I could go to my favorite guitar shop and get whatever I wanted. Whatever I wanted. Of course, I replied that an open line of credit at the guitar shop would be a more equitable arrangement. The next day, I was at that guitar shop, telling the guys about my arrangement. One of them said with a straight face, "Dude, we could do that. Just put her Visa number on file, and we'll set you up." I said something to the effect that we shouldn't go getting crazy just yet. So, Michelle and I continue to be in dialogue about this.

This past weekend, I took my youth group to a weekend retreat near Camden, TN. We all had great fun, although the other adults were a little tired of "Smoke on the Water" and "Free Falling" by the end of the weekend...LOL.

Alex will be 5 months old this Friday. It's hard to believe...it seems just like yesterday. OK, no more cliches...LOL. He is rolling over more and more every day. Growing up so fast. He has an appointment with his apnea doctor tomorrow, and I am going to take him to the pediatrician on Friday to have him weighed. We figure he is between 12-13 lbs. now. When he first came home, he was just a limp little blob. Now, he feels really solid, and is getting heavier every day. It is great that he is so engaging; He likes to look around, and he responds to us by smiling and kind of laughing. He has started to make random sounds, so I think he is trying to say something. When I am playing guitar, he probably wants to yell out, "Free Bird!" Maybe, anyway.

I had my Epiphone AJ 500MNS up for sale, but took it off the market last week. It is kind of my favorite guitar in some ways (it is the easiest to play of the three), and it sounds really cool too. I will probably still sell it at some point, but just not now.

I think my career as a guitar tech has come to an end, before it ever started. Last week, I was restringing the Martin when I did something kind of dumb. After I removed the old strings, I decided to polish the guitar. So, I laid on a couple of thin coats of polish, and buffed it up real nice. Put a great shine on it. Then, I put on the new strings. Once I got the new strings on, and tuned it up, I started to play it. I noticed that the strings were really slick; so slick, in fact, that I could hardly hold a chord. I thought maybe it was the strings, since I was using a brand I had never used before. Elixer strings have a coating on the outside to reduce wear, which lengthens the life of the strings. Still, I could not imagine that the strings would be this slick. I could hardly play the guitar. Then, it occurred to me that I had put the new strings on with a bunch of polish on my hands. So, I had greased up my strings quite well. That put me in a quandry; should I cut the strings off, and waste $15, or should I try to play them until the wax wore off. I decided to try to play them, and although the wax seems to have worn off now, the strings do not sound real good. So, I think I ruined them. I am going to put on another set of Elixers to see how they will sound. This reminds me of the time I put Armor All on my motorcycle seat, even though it clearly says on the bottle not to do so. I slid around on the seat for two weeks before I was stationary again...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Peace...

It seems that there may be more efficient ways to tear down a wall.

I should be studying but I would rather post pictures

Another busy Saturday...

I have been at the office all day, working on stuff. I worked on a paper for my Acts class, and have almost got that finished. Which is good, because I have to present it on Tuesday. I also finished my sermon for tonight (I am going going up near Reelfoot Lake to speak at a youth retreat.). While I am gone, Michelle and her friend Aimee will be out, tearing up the local malls. Aimee's husband is going to watch Alex.

I have seen no college football today, and I am starting to get the DT's. i told Michelle that from now on, before I agree to speaking engagements, I am going to consult my college football calendar. It's a shame to miss the UT-UGA game. I also haven't seen much of the baseball playoffs, but in some way that's OK because I am still sick about the nose-dive that the Dodgers did in the last month of the season. Another wasted year. Not since 1988 have the Dodgers done anything good. Oh well, I could be like Kent, a long-suffering Cubs fan. I remind him that 1988 is a lot more recent than 1908...the last year the Cubs won the World Series...LOL. Next year marks a century, baby!

The picture of Alex that I uploaded this morning is absolutely hilarious! Sweet potatoes and little kids do not mix...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Sweet potatoes are messy!

did you ever think you'd see this in my car's window?

I have been thinking about what I said earlier, about my perception that a life lost before it has reached its potential may generate an increased level of sadness among many people. That is my perception, and it may well be wrong. If it is correct, I am not sure that I agree with it. It seems to me that an elderly person, who has lived a life full of happiness and sadness, because she has experienced more throughout her life, stands to lose more upon death. An infant, on the other hand, has had comparatively fewer happiness/sadness experiences, so she seems to lose less upon her death. Not that I am advocating the death of infants or anything like that (a very special one happens to live in my house!), it's just a thought.

I am going to Nashville tonight for a meeting with my ministerial committee. Yeah, driving 3.5 hours for a 30 minute meeting, then driving 3.5 hours back home. During mid-terms. I must be insane.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Crime in the City (Who Still Likes Country-Rock after 35 Years?, pt. 1)

The University of Memphis family is mourning the loss of one of its own. Taylor Bradford, 21, as shot and killed outside of a campus dormitory Sunday night. Memphis is full of violent crime, in fact, one report last week said it leads the nation. However, it seems that a college campus should be a safe place, but those at the U of M know it is not. A couple of years ago, someone was regularly robbing people at gunpoint near campus, and the police report section of the campus paper is always full.

Sunday night, a couple of hours before Bradford was killed, I was speaking to my youth group about violence. In particular, we were talking about the tragedy of Columbine High School. I said something to the effect that when a life ends before it has reached its potential, there seems to be an increased level of sadness. Little did I know what would happen later that night, just a few miles away.

I find it hard to believe that mid-terms are here. I got my assignments today, and although I will be busy this week, I think I can manage. In my Christian Ministry class, we have a list of 10 questions, and we can pick any 9 to write essays on. 2-2.5 pages each, so that will be manageable. In ethics class, we have an exam next week. The professor gave us a list of about 50 things to be responsible for, and about half of them I am OK with right now. So, I will work on the other half, then brush up on the better half. I should be OK.

Who still likes country-rock after 35 years? I do, that's for sure. I bought John Fogerty's new album yesterday, and am quite thrilled with it. It is his best work since "Centerfield". The funny thing is, he has made amends with his old record label, Fantasy, and it was released on one of Fantasy's subsideries. If you are unfamiliar with the story of him and Fantasy Records, just Google it.

I am also anxiously awaiting the Eagles' new album. 2 discs, 20 songs. I guess since they have not released a full studio album since "The Long Run" in 1979, they felt like they had some catching up to do...LOL. The first single, "How Long", is a cover of an old J.D. Souther (an Eagles frequent flyer) tune.

Knowing that mid-term work would start tonight after dinner, today during lunch I hung out at a couple of guitar shops for a while. It was a lot of fun. I have learned how to play Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water", so I plugged in a St. Blues electric, turned it up to 1.5, and let it rip. That was cool. It's nice having two guitar shops within 5 minutes of campus. Dangerous, too...LOL.

I was listening last week to an old Neil Young song called, "Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero part 1), from his album "Freedom". Great social commentary.

Alex is growing up so much every day. He is eating squash now! He also seems to like it. He also has been eating rice cereal for awhile, and is doing fine with that. Michelle went back to work Monday of this week, so he is in daycare two days a week while I am in class. He seems to be doing well there, so we are excited about that. It also seems that he may be ready to cut a tooth. I will keep you posted on that.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...