Chris Winn's Worldview

2008-01-09T19:53:00.000-06:00

Been a while...sorry.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and start to the new year.

It was great to see everyone we saw at Christmas, although we did not get to see everyone. As usual, we traversed the state in the effort to see everyone we could, but it is just impossible to see everyone. Alex had a great time, and travelled really well. That made our lives a lot more peaceful.

I worked on some Christmas songs on the guitar during November, but was not able to get them down to the point where I was comfortable playing them, so I did not play them. I did some jamming with my brothers and our dad, though. So, that was really cool.

I have been battling a sinus infection since late October (I remember being sick during the World Series). I seem to be getting better, but my voice is still hoarse and I still have a little congestion. As long as it keeps draining, I guess I will be OK.

The day before Thanksgiving, in Clarksville, I got a speeding ticket. So, in order to keep it off my driving record and my insurance, this past Saturday I attended the Driver Improvement Program, which is otherwise known as Leadfoot College...LOL. I graduated with flying colors (which means I stayed awake the entire time), and immediately blazed a trail back to Memphis. I left Alex with his Mimi and Papa (my parents), and he had a great time. Michelle stayed in Memphis, so Alex and I rode up together on Friday afternoon, and he slept the entire way. Made my life a lot more peaceful. Of course, the theme song to the trip was Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town"...LOL.

I got two books for Christmas, Eric Clapton's autobiography, and a biography of Warren Zevon, which was written with his permission by his ex-wife. I knew most of the stories in the Clapton book, and it was great to get even more in-depth info about them. I did not know much about Zevon, although I now feel like he and I are kindred spirits. Except for the wife-beating and the drug and alcohol addictions. It has been said that there is a fine line between genius and madness, and if that is the case, I would say that Zevon danced all over that line.

I am not sure if I have told this story here, but my guitar instructor once played in a band with Roy Marinell, who co-wrote Zevon's most famous song, "Werewolves of London". That is cool.

I am currently taking an intensive course entitled, "The History of Reformed Worship". The last day of class is next Wednesday, and the regular spring semester starts the next week. My class is going really well, and I enjoy it greatly.

Michelle is scheduled for another treatment on her back next week. The first one did not have much effect, so we are praying that this one will. This time, the injection will go directly into her spine.

Alex is doing real well. He enjoys the day-care he is going to, and we like it because he comes home exhausted and sleeps really well all night. He is taking small bites of real food, such as green beans and banannas. Tonight, I introduced him to the concept of fire. He watched me as I grilled dinner, and we had a lot of fun.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-12-20T23:03:00.000-06:00

It occurred to me that I never made my regular end-of-semester posting. I guess that's because I never that the semester would end. Or maybe, because once it did end, I was so miserable I did not want to talk about it. Anyway, I'll recap. Essentially, this was the least fulfilling semester ever. It was really hard adjusting to having Alex in our world, and I am not sure I ever really adjusted until the very end of the term.

The semester started off with a bang, having two big papers due the second week of classes. In order to complete them, I fell behind in my reading for all three of my classes, and never really caught up. Once Michelle went back to work in October, it really hit the fan. I was having a hard time separating from Alex, so I didn't really arrange much day care for him. Whenever I wasn't in class, I would take him with me to the office. Which prevented me from doing much school work, or church work. So, I knew that could not last. So, I started leaving him with his care-giver more often. Then, we discovered that she was in violation of basically every major law that governs in-home child care. So, we pulled him from there, and arranged for the woman that runs the nursery at the church where I work to watch him.

This was to be a great arrangement She was going to watch him at the church, so if anything were to happen, I would be right there. Plus, I could see him whenever I wanted; he was only a couple of minutes away. However, this care-giver started having some problems with high blood pressure, after only a week to two of watching him. So, we were back to square one, with no child care. The last few weeks of classes, we had a patchwork of friends watch him, but that meant me driving him out into the suburbs at the crack of dawn, and frequently getting to my classes (which are in mid-town) late. Some days, we could find no child-care at all, and I had to miss class. I missed one class twice, and each of my other two classes once each. That makes it tough to keep up.

Finally, by the end of the semester, we had found a reputable day-care where he could go. So, next semester should be much smoother. He has been going there all this week and is loving it. He gets to play with several other babies there, and gets a lot of personal attention. We are really happy with the situation now.

Back in October, the day after Michelle and I got our flu shots, I came down with a sinus infection. Unfortunately, it has never quite gone away. I went to the doctor yesterday, and discovered that in addition to the sinus infection, I have an infection in my lungs. The doctor was a little concerned that it could turn into pneumonia, so he gave me a strong antibiotic. I felt considerably better today. However, Michelle and I are not quite sure if we will be well enough to travel for Christmas. Two weekends ago, right before final exams, I came down with a stomach virus that knocked me out for a couple of days. It took about a week for Michelle to get it, and when she did, it was even worse. She missed several days of work, and just went back today. Which was the last full day of the semester for her. So, we have been just wrecked for quite a while.

She has a meeting early tomorrow morning, after which I am going to stop by with Alex for all her co-workers to meet. After that, I am going to drop him off at daycare, and Michelle and I are going to have some free time. Which will include a long nap for her, I think, and some guitar playing for me.

Also, during all this time, we have been searching for a new apartment. We found one that we really like, and signed the lease last week. We have been gradually moving stuff in, with the plan to move the big stuff (and be completely out of our old apartment) on the 29th. On the 27th, Michelle is going to have a treatment done on her back, because she has a ruptured disc. All of this has just been insane. We are praying that the treatment will work, so she can avoid surgery. If she has to have surgery, she will miss considerable time from work. I sort of dropped the idea to my senior pastor that if that happens, I may have to seek a full-time position somewhere. To which he replied that he may not let me leave...lol. Hopefully, everything will work out.

Alex is doing really well. I took him to the pediatrician today for his monthly RSV shot, and he weighed in at exactly 13 lbs, with some light clothes on. He seems to be getting ready to pop a tooth out; we are hoping it will be out before Christmas. That would be a great present for the grandparents. Also, in the biggest news of late, he no longer has to wear his heart monitor! YAY! He spent last Thursday night at the sleep lab, and got a great report. So, he no longer needs his monitor. The company that owns it is picking it up tomorrow. We are really excited! It was great to have it, since it gave us a lot of peace of mind, but we are glad that he no longer needs it. He is developing really well. He ate some Cheerios today for the first time. That was really exciting. He liked them a lot. We had dinner at a New-York style pizza place that recently opened nearby, and Alex licked some marinara sauce off my finger. He liked that, too. Although, marinara sauce is not exactly on the list of approved foods, so don't tell anyone. SHHHH! He is eating all his vegetables (except peas), and enjoys his cereals and fruits. He is doing so well!

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-12-19T23:38:00.000-06:00

This ad for the Apple Lisa, from around 1983-84, has recently found new life among Apple enthusiasts. See if you can identify the at-the-time unknown actor in the ad. Also, check out the mouse, which reminds me of both the first garage door opener and the first TV remote control I ever saw. Vintage!

2007-12-14T22:50:00.000-06:00

This afternoon, Michelle and I went to Sam's Club to get some stuff. Alex had fallen asleep in the car, but as soon as we went in the store, he woke up, opened his eyes and began to look around. I casually waved my hand in his direction, and said, "You do not need to see anything here. This is not the store you were looking for. You may go back to sleep now." He immediately closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Using the force on your own child is awesome!

2007-12-03T15:09:00.000-06:00

I forgot to tell a funny story that happened on Thanksgiving...

After we had eaten, my older brother Tim and I were upstairs in the loft of our parents' house. This is where my dad keeps his guitars, stereo, CD's, and books and other media-type stuff. I was strumming some chords when, out of nowhere, Tim sees the CD of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". He made a comment that we should slide across the floor on it, just for old times' sake.

FLASHBACK: When we were little kids (I was probably about 4-5, and Tim is almost two years older than I), we decided one day that we would use our dad's copy of this record as sort of a skateboard. So, we took the vinyl record out of its sleeve, and proceeded to start sliding around the floor on it. Soon after, our dad came into the room, and was none too pleased. Uh, actually, I guess you can say he was furious...LOL. One vinyl record, ruined. The term "time-out" wasn't en vogue back then, but you could say we were in time out. Probably for about two weeks. At least.

FLASH FORWARD: When Tim said that we should reprise our shenanigans, I said, "Follow me." I took the CD downstairs, and went to the entrance of the west (front) entrance of the kitchen. Dad was standing at the north (side) entrance. I then slid the CD's jewel case, face-up, across the kitchen floor, where it stopped at my dad's feet. He looked down, saw which CD it was, and started laughing. Our mom turned to see what was going on, and she also got the joke. Everyone else there had no idea what was going on, but our parents, Tim, and I were all laughing like crazy. Fun times, indeed.

2007-11-30T11:34:00.000-06:00

Well, given that it has been a month since I last posted, I guess I should make some kind of attempt at doing so.

Things got really crazy right after I last posted. The day after Michelle and I got our flu shots, we woke up really sick. I treated mine with OTC meds for about a week, and it seemed like I was better. However, as soon as I stopped taking anything, I got really sick again. So, I went to the doctor, and found that I had a sinus infection. The doctor said that it was purely coincidental that it came the day after the flu shot. Yeah, right. That's why they make you sign a disclaimer absolving them of responsibility if you get sick from the shot. Such is the state of American medicine. What a joke.

The weekend before Thanksgiving, we pawned Alex off on Michelle's parents and got out of town for a couple of days. We kind of did a Dick Cheney-type thing, which is to say that we stayed in a secure, undisclosed location...LOL. Alas, we did not shoot anyone while we were there. It was good to get out of town for a couple of days, although it was really strange to not have the baby with us. It was sort of surreal. There were several times when both Michelle and I could "hear" him cry, even though that was obviously impossible. One more reason to not be an empiricist, I suppose. Rationalism rules!

On the Saturday, Michelle found a an area where several of her favorite stores were concentrated, so she dropped me off at the nearest guitar shop, so I could dream whilst she spent...LOL. I played several Taylor acoustics, which all sounded fine enough, but there is just nothing quite like a Martin. Or my Epiphone. I also played a Guild 12-string, which really sounded great. Once I get considerably better with 6 strings, I want to play 12.

Among the many things that Alex's arrival has changed for me is my usual practice of picking a book or two to read during the semester just for fun. In the past, I have chosen a couple of books each semester, and each day, if I have done enough school work, I reward myself by reading some fun stuff. Now, with Alex in the picture, I have not been able to do that. So, I bought a book to read during our time away. I got "Revolution in the Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made." It was fun to trace the steps of the first Macintosh's development. I concluded that many of the people on the development team would today be diagnosed on the autism spectrum.

You may remember that last Thanksgiving, on the way home from Tullahoma, our Dodge Intrepid died. So, we approached this Thanksgiving with some trepidation, hopin our vehicles would emerge unscathed. Yeah, right. The week of Thanksgiving, I observed that the Explorer's serpentine belst was quite frayed, and in need of replacement. So, I ordered a belt online, and once it came in set about installing it. Turns out it was not the right belt, so after a trip to the parts store, where I had no small amount of trouble exchanging it for the correct one, I proceeded to install it upside down. So, this caused the belt to rub a hole in the lower radiator hose, which drained all the coolant out of the engine. After installing a new hose and refilling the coolant, the Explorer was once again road-worthy.

Thanksgiving itself was a lot of fun. We visited both families, and it was great to see everyone. Of course, we all ate too much, but I guess that is part of the fun. My dad's smoked turkey was awesome. He has truly become a grill-master.

On Sunday morning, we left early so we could worship at Mt. Denson. It was great to see everyone there, especially since most of them had not seen Alex. Of course, everyone doted on him, so we did not have to do much with him, which enabled us to relax a bit.

Classes have ended for the semester. Next week is the reading period, which is when everyone does as much of the work they should have done throughout the semester as they can. Finals are the week after that. Two of my finals are take-home exams, and neither is very long. I also have a paper due for another class, so in all I have three papers to write and one exam to study for. Not too bad.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Godfather in 1 minute

2007-11-04T15:25:00.001-06:00

If you are a fan of "The Godfather" book and/or film, but don't want to invest several hours to either watch the film or read the book, this video is for you. The entire story is told in about 1 minute. Absolutely hilarious!

2007-10-29T09:41:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-10-23T17:37:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-10-17T20:43:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-10-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

"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...

2007-10-10T09:45:00.001-05:00

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

I should be studying but I would rather post pictures

2007-10-08T17:15:00.001-05:00

2007-10-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-10-06T12:14:00.001-05:00

Sweet potatoes are messy!

2007-10-04T16:00:00.001-05:00

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

2007-10-04T10:22:00.000-05:00

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)

2007-10-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

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...

2007-09-24T21:31:00.000-05:00

I worked a JV game tonight in downtown Memphis, which would have been uneventful if not for the trip there. I had never been to this stadium before, so I consulted Mapquest ahead of time. When I exited the interstate, Mapquest directed me to turn left, so I did. I continued down that road for a while, until I crossed the FRIGGING MISSISSPPI RIVER! Jeez. After a couple of minutes of breathing Arkansas air, I turned around. Once I got back to the interstate exit, I realized I should have initially turned right instead of left. Mapquest has steerd me wrong several times recently, and I am getting tired of it.

Alex goes to daycare tomorrow for the first time, and Michelle and I are kind of freaking out a bit. She is going back to work next week, and we wanted him to try to get used to being with other people. A friend of ours will be watching him in her home, along with two other kids.

My classes are really tough this semester, and although I am taking fewer hours than I did last semester, I am having to work a lot harder. Tomorrow is going to be a little fun, since I am the liturgist at morning chapel. One of my professors is the speaker for the day. I am looking forward to the service.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-09-20T15:25:00.000-05:00

Alex went to the doctor today for his 4-month checkup, and did fine. He weighed in at 10 lbs., 8 oz, and is 23.5 inches long. He got a clean bill of health, and several shots. The shots make him feel weird for a couple of days, but he will be fine.

I am having some tests run tomorrow, so today I am having to fast. That is no fun. I have not eaten since about 11:30 last night, and I am hungry! Oh well, this too shall pass.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-09-17T23:10:00.000-05:00

Post #400 since I accidentally erased the blog a few years ago...

My football game tonight was brutal. I think the final score was 42-6. When the score is like that, and the losing team is on my side of the field, it is a long night. To make it longer, i got lost on the way home and finding my way added about 20 minutes to the drive.

I wore a heavy brace on my right knee tonight due to the pain I am having. About 5 plays or so after the start of the game, I felt my knee pop really bad, and I was in pain the rest of the night. However, it never popped again, which was good. I also strained my right calf a little. I chalk that up to the fact that I did not get to stretch much before the game. That was due to the presence of a supervisor, who was there to watch me and the rest of my crew. He wanted to talk before the game, so I only stretched for about 2 minutes. I am going to rest the next couple of days, until Thursday night when I have another game.

Michelle is not much better. We think she is going to the doctor tomorrow, but are unsure. They need to review her charts from the ER visit Sunday before they see her. So, we'll see how it goes.

I am excited about KT Tunstall's new album, which is being released on Tuesday. Also, Pat Monahan, lead singer for the group Train, has a solo record coming out. I also pre-ordered the Eagles' new album a few weeks ago. The first single sounds like vintage country-rock, and I have been enjoying it.

I ordered a funny T-shirt recently. It shows a Venn diagram, with the vowels A,E,I,O, and U in the left circle, and all the consonants in the right circle. The middle (intersection) area contains a Y. So geeky, I could not resist.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-09-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

Alex and I are watching the Redskins-Eagles on MNF. He like to sit in his chair and act like a man.

2007-09-15T22:57:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention earlier that Alex has started sleeping in his own bed, in his room. Woo! Yay for me being able to sleep in MY own bed again! I had been sleeping on the couch for the past 3 months or so, and Alex had been sleeping in our bed, ever since he came home from the hospital. It's super-nice to be back in the bead again.

My football game Friday night was a lot of fun. My crew met at a central location, and rode together. In the course of the conversation along the way, it was revealed that one of my partners used to be a professional wrestler. LOL. He told some hilarious stories. The game wore me out, since the crown of the field was high enough to bury a vehicle or two. Every football field has a crown in the middle, which means the center of the field is a little higher than the sidelines. This is so rain can drain off the field. Usually, the crown is about a foot or so, but on this field, it had to have been at least 10 feet. It seemed like I must have run up and down that hill about 3,000 times. The game also went 2 overtimes, so I did not get back home until nearly midnight. Then I was up at the crack of dawn to work 4 flag-football games with 1st and 2nd graders. That was hilarious, except that by the end of the day my knee was killing me. It's still popping every time I move it. I'm gonna have serious trouble at some point, but I have been saying that for several years, so I just keep on trucking.

Michelle continues to have problems with her legs. The swelling seems to be getting worse. I think she will call the doctor again on Monday to see if there is anything we can do.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-09-14T17:44:00.000-05:00

2007-09-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

Alex has done a few really cool things in the past week or so. First, he has learned how to put his hand/thumb in his mouth. This is a good thing because instead of us having to always be at the ready with a pacifier, he can now pacify himself quite a bit. He sucks really loud a lot of the time, which is kind of cute (unless we are trying to sleep!).

Secondly, this morning he rolled over from his belly to his back for the first time. He has rolled from his back to his belly several times, but this was a first. I did a double-take when I noticed he had rolled over.

Michelle just sent me a picture of Alex holding his key ring. She says he picked it up on his own and started shaking it. That is hilarious.

Michelle went to the doctor yesterday to see about the infection in her leg. The diagnosis is that she was bitten by a spider. Yuck! She is on antibiotics, but we can't tell if they are doing any good. I hope she gets better soon.

I was supposed to work the clock at Houston High School tonight, which is about 20 minutes from where we live, but I got moved to a different game. However, an official broke his arm last week, so I got reassigned to his game. I will be the Line Judge tonight, which means that I will be at the line of scrimmage on the home team's side of the field, opposite the Head Linesman. The game is in Halls, TN, which is actually not part of our association. Apparently, the association there is short on officials, because we have been covering several of their games this year. It's a much longer drive for this game, but it's better to be on the field than to work the clock. The preferred hierarchy goes on field-->clock-->chain crew-->sitting at home.

Both of my JV games this week were in the rain. That's unfortunate because the supervisors do not come out to evaluate when it's raining (which is understandable). To my knowledge, my crew has not been evaluated yet this year. Although the referee is one of the more-respected people in the assocaition, so he may be reporting back to the bosses on the crew's performance.

I had a funny thing happen last night. I was the Head Linesman, which means that I was in charge of the the chain crew. My referee was immdiately upset with the chain crew, even before the game started. They were high school kids, and had their pants halfway down to the ground, iPods blaring. I gave them a quick tutorial on what to do, although they did not listen (as teens are apt to do). So, after the second play of the game, the referee fired them. Just told them to leave. We got some adults to work the chains, and unfortunately they did not do much better. But, I got through the game OK. I have fired a couple of chain crews in the past, but never so quickly. It was kind of funny. A good chain crew can make all the difference in how smoothly a game goes. I had a game last year where the crew wanted to quit, but I refused to let them. They were kids who thought it would be fun, then realized there was a little work and concentration involved, so they wanted out. I had spent the first quarter-and-a-half getting them straight, so I was not going to let them walk out on me. So, we made it through OK.

While I am ranting, let me give a shout out to Mike Clark. Mike is scheduling the umpires for a baseball tournament this weekend, and only got the final schedule from the tournament director YESTERDAY! That is absurd. I am sure Mike is pulling his hair out, trying to line up umpires at the last minute. We've had problems with that tournament director in the past, and I sort of half-jokingly told Mike to kick him in the knee for me. Jeez.

I got my first couple of papers of the semester back, and did well on them. It's nice to get off to a good start. Gotta keep the momentum up.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-09-05T23:12:00.000-05:00

"And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."

--From Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet

2007-09-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

Oh gosh, so much has been going on. Life is crazy, in a good way.

Last Thursday, Michelle cleaned out the Explorer, in preparation for us to leave town the next morning. I keep my baseball umpiring gear in a HUGE suitcase, and in the process of taking it out of the car, she twisted her knee really badly. She shook it off, although she was in a lo of pain.

The next morning, we left town kind of early, heading for Tullahoma. Michelle wanted to surprise her mother on her birthday by bringing Alex to the school where she teaches. So, after a fairly smooth trip, we got there. Michelle's mom flipped out when she saw Alex, and all the other teachers had a great time meeting him. That was a lot of fun.

Saturday, Michelle's dad and I put new brake pads on the Explorer, so it will now stop on a dime. Almost. It is definitely improved now. Cool. I had fun watching some college football that evening. Any day that Michigan, Notre Dame, and Tennessee all lose, with Georgia winning, is a great sports day for me. To boot, Memphis almost came back to beat Ole Miss. They came up just short :( All in all, it was a great sports day.

We had originally planned on worshiping at Mt. Denson on Sunday, but we were too sleep deprived to get up at the crack of dawn (which is what we would have needed to have done in order to get there). So, we slept in a bit, until the pain in Michelle's knee became so unbearable that she decided to go to the hospital. She spent the bulk of the morning there, and eventually got a prelimenary diagnosis of a torn ligament. The doctor told her to get an MRI once we got back to Memphis to confirm his diagnosis.

We were able to leave just in time to get to Dickson on schedule. Alex was baptized at the birthplace chapel at Montgomery Bell State Park, which is where the Cumberland Presbyterian church was founded in 1810. It was a wonderfully ecumenical ceremony, and Alex looked great in his suit that my grandmother had made for him. We had a great picnic afterward, and everyone had an awesome time. Some of us threw some football, and it was nice to get my old wing loosened up a bit. After a while, Alex decided that he had had enough of everyone pawing on him, and he spazzed out big time. It didn't help that it was over 100 degrees outside. So, I took him to the car, turned the AC up high, and let him chill.

Once we left to go back to Memphis, he was in full rage. He had just had too much stimulation the entire weekend, so he let loose. He cried constantly almost the entire way home. It took us seemingly forever to get back. Monday, he spen the whole day ticked off because he was too tired to sleep. Finally, Monday night he went down. And slept like a rock for about 12 hours. He was in a much better mood when he woke up.

I did not get any school work done all weekend, so on Monday I decided to go to my office to get some stuff done. It felt weird to labor on Labor Day, but I got done everything I needed for Tuesday's class (acts of the apostles). My plan was to do my stuff for today, yesterday afternoon--but Michelle needed to have her MRI, and by the time she got that done she needed to go to class herself. So, Alex and I hung out all afternoon, and into the night. Michelle got home about 8:30 or so. Once we got him transferred, I went to the office to do what I needed for today.

After the MRI, the diagnosis is torn meniscus in the knee. She should know definitively in the next day or so. Either way, she is looking at surgery to fix it. That sucks.

I stayed at the office until deep into the night, until I got everything done. I hope everything is good; I can't stand the thought of starting the semester behind the eight ball. It seemed that everything was fine. I went to class this morning about half-asleep, but I made it throught the day. I have ethics from 8-11, and Christian Ministry from 1:30-4:30. After lunch, I was REALLY ready for a nap, but I got stronger as class went on, and didn't crash until a little while ago.

I am enjoying my classes. The work load is insane, but I suppose it is grad school. LOL. I get a kick out the people that complain, and sometimes I wonder what they are doing there. Oh well. It has been a lot of fun showing pictures of Alex to everyone. No one escapes without seeing at least a few...LOL.

My friend "Boston" Ellen has moved to Chicago for grad school. She has her own apartment for the first time, and I am excited for her. Since she is a Cubs fan, I think I will start calling her "Northside" Ellen...LOL. Go girl!

Seeing my grandmother and Alex in their Braves gear last week reminded me of the funniest story ever. Several years ago, the Braves swept the Cubs in a 3-game series. The next day, my grandmother went to Verizon Wireless to pay her bill, and knowing that Kent would be there, she took a small broom with her. Once in the office, she started waving her broom around, making sure Kent knew that the Braves had swept his beloved Cubs. Granny, trash-talking one of my best friends...LOL. Absolutely hilarious! He has never forgotten it, either...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-08-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

Earlier tonight, Michelle noted that we will each start school tomorrow, for the first time, as parents. We are excited about the upcoming semester, and she made muffins to commemorate the first day of classes. YUM!

Someone who chose to remain anonymous pointed out to me that in regards to my earlier remarks about the band Journey, Jonathan Cain was not an original member of that band. Indeed, I meant Ross Valory, who founded the band with Neil Schon. Oops. I thought everything on the internet was true ;)

It was wonderful having my grandmother in town this weekend. She did a great job of spoiling Alex, and he has been fussy all day. He misses his time with her in the rocking chair!

Alex is going to be baptized this Sunday at Montgomery Bell State Park near Dickson. Our church was founded there, so it is a special place for us. It will be great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

A Sure Sign of the Apocolypse

2007-08-26T22:42:00.000-05:00

I never thought I would see the day that my son was dressed in a Braves outfit. I was glad that they waited until I was gone to do this...LOL.

2007-08-26T22:38:00.001-05:00

This is more like it. When we bought this a couple of months ago, the dodgers were in first place. Maybe he will give them some mojo.

2007-08-24T20:58:00.001-05:00

My grandmother came to town this weekend with the sole intention of spoiling Alex. She is doing a fine job so far...LOL.

2007-08-22T18:10:00.000-05:00

Alex had a rough time at the doctor's office Monday, and has not felt too well since. After sleeping abou 40 of the last 48 hours, he has some serious bed-head. The crusties on his face indicate a sloppy feeding, too. LOL.

2007-08-21T22:13:00.000-05:00

Sunday was Alex's 3-month birthday! May 19 seems like yesterday...

Yesterday, he saw the pediatrician, and checked out fine. He is now in the 20th percentile for weight, and 25th percentile for length. Last month, he was around the 10th percentile for both. So, he is improving every day. That's good. He got a couple of shots, so he has been a little grumpy. Not nearly as bad as last month, though, when he got 5 shots.

My grandmother is coming to visit this weekend. Alex told me yesterday that he is very excited about being rocked by his great-granny. He will have a lot fun, for sure.

Michelle and I continue to look at houses. One might be surprised at how difficult it is to find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood, which is located in the perfect part of town. So, we continue to search.

I found a drummer for my band, now we just need a singer. It will be later in the fall before any of us can work on anything together, so we are not really in a hurry. I am reminded that in the late 70's, Steve Perry was a singer without a band, while Neil Schon and Ross Valory had a band without a singer. Perry and the band both had the same manager, so Perry was brought into the band, which was called Journey. As I remember, they had a decent ballad or two...LOL.

Classes start for Michelle and I one week from today. I suppose I am ready, although I have one more book I'd like to read before summer is over. I highly doubt if I will get to it, though. Oh well. I am taking Christian Ethics, Christian Ministry, and the Acts of the Apostles. My Acts class is taught by my New Testament professor from last semester, who was one of my favorite. All three classes should be exciting, and I think it will be a great semester.

Football is ramping up, as scrimmage games have given way to jamborees. The regular season is fast approaching. I suppose I am now officially a Head Linesman. In years past, I have worked about equally as a Line Judge and a Head Linesman, but this year I am a Head Linesman in every game on my schedule. The schedule is fluid, and is subject to change, but it's interesting to note nonetheless. If you happen to be watching a football game on TV, the Head Linesman is the guy who stands at the line of scrimmage, on the far side of the field from the pressbox (this is almost always the visiting team's side). His primary responsibility is to be in charge of the chain crew. The Line Judge is the guy on the line of scrimmage on the near side, which is almost always the home team's side. The Line Judge has to run a lot more, because he is expected to spot the ball much more frequently, but the Head Linesman has more of headache trying to keep the chain crew straight. It's a bit of a promotion to be a Head Linesman, so I am OK with it. I just need to replace all my t-shirts that say, "Line Judge"...LOL.

Jaime Davis-Shockley, and old friend from Clarksville, has moved to Memphis. She is studying at the UT Pharmacy School here. Michelle and I are going to hook up with her soon to show her the sights. That will be fun.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-08-21T14:53:00.000-05:00

alex in his safari suit

2007-08-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

BATH TIME!

2007-08-20T19:12:00.000-05:00

I started assembling my Lego Batmobile tonight. After step two of about 719, I decided to take a break. Now, it's back to work.

2007-08-13T00:26:00.000-05:00

I did not realize that so many people read this blog. Since I announced that I was considering terminating it, I have gotten numerous requests to keep it going. Probably the funniest request was by a person who, instead of contacting me directly, went through an intermediary. That's funny. Anyway, I will try to keep it going. Maybe my desire to write will return soon.

On Saturday, I attended the Alumni Association's Vision Forum. It was as fun as all-day meetings can get, I suppose. I learned a lot about what directions the Association is moving in, and I was asked to be on the Board of Directors of the College of Arts and Sciences chapter. Since I went to the Forum with the desire to find a way to help, I was glad to accept. My exact role is TBA.

Last Friday, I worked a scrimmage game between Memphis University School and White Station. MUS is probably the best private school team in the area, and White Station is probably the best city school team. So, it was fun to work. Plus, since a bunch of officials showed up, we rotated in and out, and I only had to work about half the game. And, it cooled off considerably, so it was not too bad.

Several weeks ago, I was shocked and saddened to learn that my friend and fellow official Andy Cooper had apparently killed his ex-wife. I was shaken up pretty bad for a couple of weeks, and I still do not know what to think. All of this violence that has come into my life is throwing me for a loop. I just do not know how to handle it. I sent and email to Andy's brother, letting him know that I was praying for everyone involved. He sent me a nice response, and I appreciated that.

I think my lack of posting was due in some part to the violence that has come into my life this summer. I have just been numb a lot, and did not feel like putting anything down on paper (well, that is how it was done in the old days, anyway.) Idunno.

A family with 3 kids has moved in two doors down from us, and the kids have started coming to church with me. They are all great kids, and have been a ray of sunshine in our lives. They just moved here from Arkansas, and they seem to be getting settled in. They befriended another kid who lives nearby, and she came with us this morning. So, I carried 4 kids, one a complete stranger, to church...LOL. It was hilarious.

I was looking at Memphis' basketball schedule for the upcoming season, and I noticed that we play Austin Peay in November. We have got to make that game; it will be fun. Coach Calipari spoke at the Vision Forum, and it was like Elvis had walked into the building. He got a standing ovation at 8:30 on a Saturday morning, and I suppose that would be difficult to do. Consecutive Elite 8 appearances, and a preseason #1 ranking, will do that. I had never heard him speak before, and he was really funny.

I ran into Nathan Wheeler tonight; it was great to see him. We took our youth groups to the same place, without knowing we'd each be there. That was funny. He seems to be doing really well. I think this may be his last semester of seminary, or maybe he has one more. He's real close, either way.

I am proud that even with all the hubub of Alex's birth, I was able to read two books this summer. The first was called, "Sleeping Where I Fall", an autobiography by Peter Coyote. There are scant few people with whom I would trade lives, and I am not sure he is quite one of them, but he has led one of the most interesting lives I have ever read about, nonetheless. Truly amazing.

The other book I read was not quite so fun. It is called "The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter", by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. Singer is my favorite contemporary philosopher, and a Utilitarian. In their book, they examine the ethics of factory farming and eating food from factory farms. I have believed for quite some time that if people really knew what happens in factory farming, there would be mass protests and a lot of changes would be made. Same goes for executions. People would be appalled, I think.

I bought another book recently, "Wisdom of Our Fathers", by Tim Russert. I am going to try to read it before school starts, which is August 28. I am excited about the upcoming semester. It should be a great one.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-08-07T14:23:00.001-05:00

I was not aware that there was more than one line to be on.

2007-08-06T14:10:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday was my birthday, and the ladies in the office surprised me with cake and ice cream. Michelle had surprised me the previous Sunday night by showing up at youth group with cake. So, I got to celebrate twice! Cool!

Last Monday was also our 2nd anniversary. It seems crazy to think about how many ways things have changed in the past two years. I got married, graduated from college, started seminary, and saw the birth of my son. Wow!

Peace...

2007-08-06T13:42:00.000-05:00

For the few of you that may still check this blog, you will have noticed that it has been a long time since I have posted anything other than the occasional photograph. Things are just so insanely busy around the house that on the rare occasion that I bring my laptop home from work, I hardly ever turn it on. I feel a little guilty about blogging at work, since that is not what I am paid to do, so I have had a difficult time figuring out what I want to do. I have been considering abandoning the blog altogether; I just do not know right now. The funny thing is that I constantly find myself in interesting situations thinking, "I should post about this." I just never do.

My sister is making an offer on a house today! I hope she gets it for the price she wants. Michelle and I are looking for a house here in the Memphis area, and we are having problems similar to Jessica's in that we cannot find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood that is perfectly convienient to where we need to be. Wish us luck. Since the first day we moved to memphis, we have flip-flopped on whether to stay long-term. At this point, we are thinking of staying at least semi-long-term.

I am in the very early stages of forming a band. I have a violinist, flute/piccolo player, a clarinet player, my fledgling guitar, and possibly a drummer. We are looking for a singer or two. The band's name is "The Flying Lysosomes". It should be a lot of fun.

Alex weighed in the other day at 8 lbs., 7 oz. He is growing like crazy, mainly because he never stops eating...LOL. He is learning to hold his head up, and can smile and frown when either is appropriate. He is truly a blessing.

Football scrimmages have started, and the regular season is not too far away. My varsity schedule is coming in piece-by piece, and it is looking good. I am expecting to have a great season. I missed most of baseball this year, so it has been nice to be back on the field again. Although, the pre-season is also called the the "free-season" since we do not get paid for scrimmages. The worst thing in the world is to be working for free, and having some idiot coach screaming in my ear. Fortunatley, most coaches leave us alone in the scrimmages, since they are more worried about coaching their players than the officials...LOL. I did have one idiot screamer-type coach last week that made for a miserable day, especially since it was almost 100 degrees outside. And it was on a Saturday. Anyway, no big deal. I have a scrimmage this Friday night, and it should be a lot better.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Future Mac User

2007-08-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

2007-07-24T18:02:00.001-05:00

2007-06-28T17:45:00.000-05:00

you can't read the sign, but it says "all you can eat nuggets on wednesday nights." They must not have known I live in the neighborhood. This could be dangerous for them...lol.

2007-06-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

I got a text message about 10 PM last night from Mike Clark, saying that former Northwest High basketball coach Willard Ross had been shot and killed earlier in the day. I went to the Leaf-Chronicle's webpage, read the horrific news, and tried all night to process it. I called a few people whom I thought would be interested, but, due to the late hour, didn't talk long to anyone.

Coach Ross was my favorite teacher in high school, and I am just sick about this. I was unable to get any sleep last night, and have not really done anything at work today. I am just sick. I want to puke.

For those who have seen the movie "Forrest Gump", think back to the scene where Forrest gets on the bus for the first time, and all the kids say things like, "seat's taken", "can't sit here", and the like. Then Jenny says that he can ride with her if he'd like. Coach Ross let me ride with him, no questions asked.

I remember that my bus would get to school about 6:50 each morning, and since the first class didn't start until 7:30, I would go to Coach Ross' office and hang out. We would read the paper and talk about the news and our beloved Celtics. We would look over the box scores of the previous days' baseball games, and talk about who was hot and who was not. Good times, indeed. His office was a safe place for me, a place I could go and never be ridiculed or made fun of. He took me for who I was, and for that I will always be grateful.

I understand he had just retired last year, and it sickens me that he was cheated out of the opportunity to spend his golden years with his grand kids. It sickens me that he and his wife were cheated out of the opportunity to spend those years with each other. It's just not fair.

In philosophy, the word "evil" is usually defined as "innocent suffering". Those who deny the existence of God often point to the presence of evil in the world as proof of the lack of a God. This is something that I have difficulty explaining away. The standard "everything happens for a reason" is woefully inadequate.

I never knew Coach Ross to say a cross word about anyone. I remember that he always called everyone by their last name, except for seniors, who he addressed by their first names. I guess he figured if you'd made it that far, you deserved a little respect. i remember that he gave me some tips on becoming a better umpire, and that I was grateful. I don't know that he ever umpired himself, but he had coached the girls' softball team, and probably knew what he liked and didn't like in an umpire. I remember that he asked me once to umpire the softball team's inter squad game. I remember that he paid me, and that he gave me a ride home afterward. I have never known any other coach to go out his way to help an umpire like that.

I remember that during the winter, when the P.E. class would stay inside, each person was assigned to a group, and each group would rotate among basketball, ping pong, badminton, other activities. I remember that since I excelled at ping pong, and was horrible at basketball, he would look the other way when I would stay at the ping pong station instead of moving to basketball. I remember appreciating that a great deal.

The man was quality, and he will be sorely missed.

Peace...

On the Mindless Menace of Violence

2007-06-26T15:30:00.000-05:00

The following is the text of a speech, entitled "On the Mindless Menace of Violence", given by Robert F. Kennedy at the City Club of Cleveland, April 5, 1968.

This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity, my only event of today, to speak briefly to you about the mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.

It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on in this country of ours.

Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet.

No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason.

Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of the law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of the life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded.

"Among free men," said Abraham Lincoln, "there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet; and those who take such appeal are sure to lose their cause and pay the costs."

Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far-off lands. We glorify killing on movie and television screens and call it entertainment. We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire whatever weapons and ammunition they desire.

Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them.

Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.

For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. This is the slow destruction of a child by hunger, and schools without books and homes without heat in the winter.

This is the breaking of a man's spirit by denying him the chance to stand as a father and as a man among other men. And this too afflicts us all.

I have not come here to propose a set of specific remedies nor is there a single set. For a broad and adequate outline we know what must be done. When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies, to be met not with cooperation but with conquest; to be subjugated and mastered.

We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens, men with whom we share a city, but not a community; men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in common effort. We learn to share only a common fear, only a common desire to retreat from each other, only a common impulse to meet disagreement with force. For all this, there are no final answers.

Yet we know what we must do. It is to achieve true justice among our fellow citizens. The question is not what programs we should seek to enact. The question is whether we can find in our own midst and in our own hearts that leadership of humane purpose that will recognize the terrible truths of our existence.

We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others. We must admit in ourselves that our own children's future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled or enriched by hatred or revenge.

Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land. Of course we cannot vanquish it with a program, nor with a resolution.

But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.

Surely, this bond of common faith, this bond of common goal, can begin to teach us something. Surely, we can learn, at least, to look at those around us as fellow men, and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again.

2007-06-19T22:36:00.000-05:00

Alex is 1 month old today. He has already grown and changed so much, it is incredible. He looks more like Michelle now than when he was first born. He still has his red hair like me, though :)

I had some family passing through town on Saturday. My grandparents, and my ubcle Don and aunt Lana Jo were on their way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and stopped for a while to visit. Alex enjoyed being held by his great-granny.

The morning of my first Father's Day as a father was spent at the E.R. We were worried that Alex was not eating enough, since he had been taking about 70-80 cc's at the hospital and had dropped down to only about 25 cc's at home. Turns out it was "user error" on the part of the parents. Every time he would make a sound, we would jump on him with a bottle. As a result, we were not giving him enough time to get hungry, so he would not eat much. After some instruction from the doctors and nurses, we now have him on a 4-hour eating schedule. We also have become better at burping him, which allows him to eat more. So, he is doing really well now. Growing like a weed.

Alex and I enjoyed watching the U.S. Open this weekend. I heard him say, "Tiger good, Mickelson bad." He is maturing so quickly, it's almost unbelievable ;).

Michelle's mom (henceforth, "Grammy") has been here since Sunday afternoon, and has been a godsend. She has helped out so much, it is crazy. Unfortunately, she has to leave tomorrow. Something about her son getting married in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we will be able to make it to the wedding. I am not sure if Alex is up for traveling.

We had a appointment at the pediatrician yesterday, and after that we took Alex by the church where I work. The ladies in the office have been wanting to see him, and they were overjoyed while he visited. The volunteer who worked today was a little jealous...LOL.

My parents are coming to visit Thursday. It will be nice to see them again. My dad tried to act like they were coming to visit us, but I told him I realize that Alex is the star of the show now...LOL.

My brother Tim called me Sunday night to wish me a happy Father's day. We had a great conversation, and he gave me some good advice. My friend Mike Clark, who has four kids, has experienced several Father's Days, and is a great father to his kids. Both those guys inspire me.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-06-15T08:35:00.000-05:00

Alex's first night at home was miserable for everyone, especially himself. Not long after he got home, we fed him, and it went downhill from there. He got some really bad gas, and struggled all night to get rid of it. And I mean all night. At 4:00 AM, we were ready to take him to the ER, but we held off, Thankfully, he started to fell a little better, so at 4:30, having given up on sleep, I went down the street to get the papers. When I got back, we gave him another dose of his medicine, and shortly after that, he was able to eat a little. After eating, he slept a little, and Michelle and I tried to get some sleep as well.

Michelle made coffee, and I made breakfast. We inhaled our food while he slept, then I took a shower. Michelle is doing the same now, and Alex is sleeping. Wow. These past 12 hours have flown by at 150 MPH. I hope things slow down soon.

I pre-mixed several bottles of formula, so he is ready to go when he wakes up.

I have some family who will be passing through Memphis tomorrow on their way to Hot Springs Arkansas, and they are planning on stopping by. Michelle parents are coming into town Sunday afternoon, and my parents are coming one day next week. It will be fun to see everyone. I know they are all excited to see Alex.

By the way, Alex told me yesterday, "Tiger Woods good, Phil Mickelson bad." I told him we would have fun watching the US Open all weekend. I remember that Norm Brumblay's first son was born on Super Bowl Sunday, and the first thing they did together was watch the game. That's sweet.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Alex is Home!

2007-06-14T21:26:00.000-05:00

We are super-excited to finally have Alex at home. We went to the hospital at 8:00, and we were out the door in about 45 minutes or so. Everything went really smooth, so that was good.

We gave him a bath, a new diaper, some dinner from mama, and now he is ready for bed. So are we. LOL.

Peace...

And Then There Were Three...

2007-06-14T07:50:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness. Oh wow. Whew. Hmm...

Tonight, finally, I truly become a father. Alex finishes his antibiotic at 7:30 tonight, and then he is coming home. Yay! Don't even ask me if I am in freak-out mode. No longer is the hospital responsible for his care, but we are. Michelle and I are both, at the same time, euphoric and mortified. LOL.

We talked last night, and came to the conclusion that if OUR parents can do it, we can do it, too. LOL.

Every hour last night, I would mention to Michelle that in one less hour, Alex would be at home. We tried to relax by watching a movie, and it helped some, but we were still freaking out.

We'd like to say thanks to everyone for their support. Thanks so much.

Peace,

Chris

2007-06-07T08:34:00.000-05:00

This morning, I saw where Lebron James' girlfriend is due to give birth one day next week, a day that James' team has a game scheduled. He said emphatically that if the baby does come on a game day, he would not attend the birth, and instead would play in the game. I have also recently heard Jeff Gordon say that if he needs to miss a race to attend the birth of his upcoming child, he would do so. Tiger Woods' wife is due to give birth during the British Open next month, and he has said he would skip it in order to be there for the birth.

There was a time when athletes rarely took time off from their sports to attend the birth of their children. The prevailing attitude was that the game was more important than the family. Then, a hockey player's wife died while giving birth, with the hockey player on the road. Attitudes began to shift, and now it is common for athletes to miss games in order to witness the birth of their children. In this light, I am incredulous that James, or anyone else, would miss the birth of a child in order to play. That seems screwed up.

2007-06-07T08:28:00.000-05:00

Here is a chart of the music I listened to last week.

2007-06-06T21:20:00.000-05:00

Michelle snapped some new pictures this morning, so we hope you enjoy them.

It has been interesting to monitor Alex's neighbors in the NICU. When he was first admitted, his neighbor was a baby named Terrance. Terrance was also born on the 19th, and he was also premature. Alex stayed in that bed for a few days, then he moved across the room. His neighbor became Whitman, who was born 11 weeks early, and had already been there about 4 weeks. While we were neighbors with Whitman, we became friendly with his parents. When things settle down, I think we will try to go out to dinner with them. Whitman went home on Memorial day, so Alex waved goodbye...LOL. Then, Terrance was moved into the spot Whitman had vacated, and he stayed there several days. Today, Terrance was moved somewhere else, and a girl moved in. I do not know what her name is.

Michelle and I adopted an attitude on the first day that we would encourage all the parents of children in the NICU. It seems that we are all in the same boat, so Michelle and I root for the other kids to get to go home.

I attended an iMovie workshop today at the Apple store. iMovie is the application that allows a user to edit and manipulate home videos, and turn them into entertaining movies. I am working on the footage I shot of Alex's birth. I think it will turn out great.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-06-05T14:52:00.000-05:00

I promised a couple of people yesterday that I would update the blog, so I apologize for the delay.

So much has happened since I last posted, it's crazy. When I last posted, we had become very encouraged by Alex's feedings. He seemed to be taking the bottle very well, so we thought it would be a matter days before he could coem home. Alas, he backtracked quite a bit. He stopped taking the bottle at all, so the nurses had to reinsert his feeding tube and he got his nourishment like that for several days. He also developed a fever, so he back on an I.V. antibiotic. Needless to say, at that point, we had become very DIScouraged...LOL.

However, in the last couple of days, he has really started to take the bottle. In fact, he is taking full bottles several times a day now. And, he has gained quite a bit of weight in just the last two days. He is at 5 lbs., 2.5 oz. So, this is once again very encouraging! I visited him alone a few nights ago, and asked the nurse to give me her opinion on how long it would be until he could come home. She told me to expect around the original due date, June 28. Which sort of makes sense, since that was the due date. So, we are anxiously awaiting his arrival.

This past Saturday, Memphis played Austin Peay in baseball at Vanderbilt, as part of the first round of the national tournament. At the last minute that morning, I talked Michelle into making the road trip. We got started late, but we hit the road. When we got to Dickson, we were greeted by the mother of all thunderstorms. I remember Michelle commenting that she had no desire to sit in the rain watching a baseball game. I sort of laughed it off, saying that I thought the storm would pass south of Nashville. I hoped I sounded more confident than I really was.

We got to the game in the bottom of the third, only to find that all the tickets were sold out. With Vanderbilt being the #1 team in the nation for the bulk of the season, the local people were quite excited and had purchased most of the tickets. So, we found a scalper, who may have been the scariest looking dude either of us had ever met, and we negotiated a decent price for two ducats. About 5 minutes after we sat down, the aforementioned mother of all storms descended upon Hawkins field, the game was halted, and the crowd was quickly shuttled into the basketball gym. While there, we watched two Vandy basketball players shooting for about an hour. At that point, which was about 4:00, a Vandy official announed that the game would resume at 7:30 that night. Knowing that we could not be in Nashville all night, we proceeded to turn around and head home. We drove 3+ hours to Nashville, watched 5 minutes of baseball, an hour of basketball, ate at O'Charley's, then went home. That was absolutely insane. Oh well.

I downloaded the video podcast of the Steve Jobs-Bill Gates discussion that occured last week at the D5 conference. I listened to most of it today while driving around running errands. It was great to hear them tell some funny stories about the old days, and hearing them talk about the days ahead.

I am preaching Sunday at CrossRoads, so I have been working this week on a sermon. It is coming along pretty well. I hope it is coherent. The youth group is having a lock-in at the church on Friday night. That should be lots of fun.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-05-31T22:34:00.000-05:00

2007-05-31T13:11:00.001-05:00

2007-05-31T13:08:00.000-05:00

2007-05-28T21:31:00.001-05:00

We have been greatly encouraged by Alex's feedings of late. Yesterday, he took 15 ml from a bottle, which was the first time he took that much without any trouble. Today, he took a full bottle (40 ml) three seperate times! That is on top of what Michelle is giving him. When he shows that he can take a full bottle consistently for about 48 hrs., he can come home. So, we are anticipating him coming home soon; maybe by the end of the week!

I am in the process of taking some of the video of the birth, and making it into a movie. Once I do that, I will put it on YouTube for all to see.

I am going back to work tomorrow. Although it will be nice to get back into the swing of things, it will be strange not seeing Alex during the day.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-05-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

Look closely and see if you can tell the similarity between the two different guitars pictured below.

2007-05-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

2007-05-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

2007-05-28T09:05:00.000-05:00

2007-05-28T09:03:00.000-05:00

2007-05-28T09:02:00.001-05:00

2007-05-25T11:04:00.001-05:00

2007-05-25T00:08:00.000-05:00

We visited Alex twice today. This morning, heart rate slowed down momentarily, then resumed back to normal. We had been told that Alex does this several times a day, but this was the first time it had happened while we were there. So, naturally, we freaked. We know it's nothing to worry about. It usually happens while he is feeding, due to some reflux.

Tonight, he took Michelle's breast for the first time. We saw this as a major step forward for him. Not only did he take it, but he took it like an old veteran. He also took the pacifier for the first time. So, obviously, we were majorly excited! I also got to do "kangaroo care" for over an hour. This is where he lies on my bare chest, skin on skin. The purpose of this is that it puts him in a deep sleep, which helps with brain development and growth. That will help him put on weight.

I had another guitar lesson today, which was a lot of fun. I had not touched any of my guitars in the past week, so it was great to play again. I started learning Tom Petty's "Free Falling", and "Learning to Fly".

I plan on going back to work for a few hours tomorrow. It will be nice to get back into the swing of things.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-05-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

We went to visit Alex this morning, and it was great to hold him. In fact, I fell asleep while holding him. So, Michelle snapped a picture for proof. I anticipate taking many quick naps in the coming days.

He has yet to take a bottle, so he continues to be fed through a tube. When he learns to take a bottle, he should be able to come home. That will be great.

We have some friends from church who are planning to visit tonight, so that will be fun.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-05-21T21:40:00.001-05:00

2007-05-21T21:37:00.001-05:00

Alex Michael Winn (b. 19 May, 2007)

2007-05-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

At 10:03 P.M. Saturday night, Alex Michael Winn made his debut in this world. When Michelle was admitted to the hospital Thursday afternoon, the doctors did not know exactly how long they could keep him inside her, but they knew it would not be long. So, we felt good that he stayed as long as he did. Michelle's blodd pressure spiked once more Saturday night, so it was time for him to come out. Her BP immediately dropped to a more normal level.

We were gald to learn that all his bodily functions are working properly, although he ad some fluid in his lungs. For this, he was taken to the NICU, where he still is. The fluid is gone, but he has not yet learned to suck and swallow in rythm, so he is being fed through an IV. He will stay in the NICU until he learns this, which may be as little as a week, or as many as a few weeks. Apparently, when a baby is in the womb, it learns this sort of at the very end, and since he came 6 weeks early, he has not learned yet. But, he will. Otherwise, he is fine. Mama is doing fine, too. Dad is in freak-out mode.

It was great that so many people were able to come into town over the weekend. After everyone left last night, Michelle needed a nap, and I needed some fresh air, so while she slept, I went to a bar for a beer. I showed everyone Alex' pictures, and everyone said he was cute.

We visited Alex in the NICU this morning, and we each got to hold him. That was great. Afterward, Michelle decided to take a nap, and I came home to have some lunch and to take care of some stuff. When I got here, the house was obviously empty, and I got kind of sad. The insanity of everyone visiting was tiring but fun, and I realized I missed it. In a few minutes, I am going to run some errands, then head back to the hospital.

We really appreciate the calls, visits, and well-wishes. Thanks so much.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-05-18T09:36:00.000-05:00

Michelle was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternooon with extremely high blodd pressure. They cannot give her any medication for the blood pressure, so if it does not go down on its own, the baby will need to come out within the next couple of days. This is the scenario that the doctor anticipates.

Since we are at 33 weeks, 5 days (which is a little early), they have given the baby two steroid injections to promote the growth of his lungs. Each shot is equal to about 1 week of growth, so the idea is to get his lungs to the 36-week mark.

The phone number to the hospital room 901-516-6713. Feel free to call if you would like.

The doctor has said that she anticipates the baby coming within the next couple of days, so please keep us in your prayers.

Peace...

2007-05-16T21:34:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've rock and rolled...

Sorry to have been gone so long.

So much has been going on, I will try not to leave anything out. Actually, for the first time, I made an outline of what I am going to write in this post...LOL. Michelle thinks I am a freak. She's not the first person to share that view.

Obviously, I was glad for exams to finally get over. Whew. I had so much work to do the last couple of weeks, I thought I was gonna go insane. Anyway, it is now over.

One of the highlights of the semester was the field trip my Ecumenism class took over to Christian Brothers University on the night of our exam. Our actual "exam" was a series of three papers we wrote, so the field trip was more for fun and dialogue than anything else. The professor is a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools religious order (abbreviated FSB), which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The mission of the FSB is service through education to the poor. Here in Memphis, they run the Christian Brothers University and Christian Brothers High School. There are about 20 other universities around the country under their care. The Brothers live in community at CBU, and have taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. So, on our field trip we spent an evening with the Brothers in their community. First, we worshiped with them in their chapel, which was really neat. That was the first English-speaking RCC mass I had ever been to, and it was great. I really enjoyed listening to the liturgy, and following the movements of the priest. After worship, we repaired to their lounge, where we relaxed and hung out for a while. Since they're Catholic, I will leave it your imagination what "hanging out in a lounge" might mean...LOL. After that, we had dinner, then we had a round-table discussion for a couple of hours. All in all, it was a super night.

My New Testament final was kind of strange, in that it was much easier than I thought it would be. Still, it was friggin' hard. My theology final was kind of strange in that I was the first person finished. That never happens. In fact, when the professor said that we were welcome to stay the entire three hours, and the one person who does each semester usually makes an "A", I remarked, "Is that a necessary condition, or just a sufficient condition? If it's sufficient, I can chill all night." He just kind of chuckled.

The day after my last exam, I woke up at my normal time, about 4:30 AM. I fixed a bowl of cereal, and watched some Sportscenter. Then I realized the absurdity of my being awake, and then went back to bed until 10:30 that morning. That felt good. We cleaned up the place a little that afternoon, since Michelle's parents and brother were coming in to town the next day.

It was nice having them in town for a while. Her dad and I installed the car seat bases in each car, we hung some pictures in the nursery, fixed the hall closet door, and replaced the door to the second bathroom (it had to come off when we got the new washer and dryer). We may have re-shingled the roof also...LOL. We went to Whole Hog Cafe for lunch to have some BBQ, and it was great as always. After lunch, we went shopping at Target. Or, I should say that the women went shopping at Target, and the men went to the golf shop next door to hit some putts on the putting green. Once we got done with that, we went to Target to find the ladies. They were almost done, so we got out of there pretty quick.

My new job at the church is going really well. Actually, it's going better than I ever could have imagined. It's a great place to be.

I enjoy reading books that challenge my views, and this week I have been reading a book called, "God is Not Good: How Religion Poisons Everything", by Christopher Hitchens. It is certainly challenging, but I am working through the author's arguments, most of which are ad hominem fallacies. Not so hard to do that.

On my sister Jessica's recommendation, I recently got the newest CD from The Strokes. I listened to it a couple of times today, and I was kind of disappointed. Mostly because they sound exactly like The Killers. The Killers is one of my favorite newer bands, but I don't need a clone. Grr. I also recently got a couple of Green Day's older CD's, "Warning" and "Dookie". Good stuff. I also bought the John Mayer Trio's "Try!", and Johnny Lang's "Turn Around". "Try!" is as good as advertised; I am glad I finally got it. I have not listened to the Lang CD yet. The impetus that motivated me to buy all this music was the fact that BMG, for reasons unbeknownst to me, is giving me all kinds of free CD's. I hadn't bought anything from them in a couple of years, but I checked my account last week and found that I was due a bunch of free music. So, I am cashing in. Cool.

Back in the spring, I noticed that when I was umpiring, I was having some trouble picking up the ball off the bat. I didn't have any problems behind the plate, just seeing the ball off the bat while working the bases. Lately, I also noticed that I have been bumping into things. So, I made an appointment with an eye doctor for earlier today. While my vision is still 20/20, I have an astigmatism, which is blurring my vision. Astigmatism is where some of the light entering the eye does not reach all the way to the back, while some of the light does. In my case, the light entering vertically is not getting all the way to where it needs to be. So, the light waves are not focused as well as they should be. The end result was a prescription for glasses and contacts. I tried a bunch to insert the contacts, but still have not gotten it figured out. After I left the doctor's office, I went shopping for some glasses.

I am kind of bummed about the whole deal, but in reality I am fortunate to have gone this long with no problems.

We have an appointment with the OB-GYN on Friday. We will get a new ultrasound, which is exciting. What is not exciting is that the baby is still breech and gives no indication that he might want to turn around. If he is still breech toward the end, we will most likely schedule a C-section. So, we will see what happens. Regardless, the due date is June 28, which is fast approaching. I am not quite into full-on freak-out mode, but I am close...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

Mark Your Calendars

2007-04-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that when we were at the doctor's office, she said that for the next month, she will continue to monitor Michelle's false contractions, and that if they are less than 6 per hour, we should not worry. After a month, then all bets are off, and we should anticipate the baby coming anytime after that. Being that I am preaching on May 20th at Lebanon Church in Potts Camp, and May 27th at CrossRoads, we fully anticipate the baby coming around that time. LOL. If that is indeed how it works out, it will be wild.

Earlier today, I stopped by a music shop that I had never been to before, Fiddler's Green. It possibly had the best vibe of any music shop I have ever been in. Inside was the largest collection of authentic hippies I have seen since I was a kid and my parents' friends would come around...LOL. Seriously, it was impossible to tell who worked there, and who was just hanging out. The 100-lb. dog that was asleep in the middle of the showroom floor gave the place some extra mojo. I might have to start hanging out there myself...LOL. To Michelle's delight, I DID NOT buy any strings. I am known to buy a lot of strings...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-24T10:21:00.000-05:00

We went to the doctor yesterday for a regularly scheduled visit, and got a clean bill of health for mom and baby. We go back in two weeks, at which time we will get a new ultrasound picture. June 28 is fast approaching. We have a baby swing that I am going to assemble tomorrow. That should be fun; I like putting stuff together. However, I am a bit leery of these stories I hear about fathers staying up all night on Christmas Eve, assembling toys...LOL. Ah, who am I kidding? That's half the fun.

Last night in my Ecumenism class, I gave a presentation on the Church's history of missions to Native Americans. This project actually grew out of a project I did several years ago while at Austin Peay. This time, the presentation grew to an hour and half (instead the 15 minutes that it started from). Although, the dialogue was so great that I think we could have gone for at least another hour or so. It went really well, and after I was done the class gave me a standing ovation...LOL. That was something. One man, who is about to graduate in a couple of weeks, said that my presentation was the highlight of his entire time in seminary. That was incredible. I was glad to get it over with, because I had been working on it for the entire semester. It was a great relief.

Several days ago, I saw some kids outside playing with water squirt guns. I SO wanted to join them, but had too many other things to do. As Uncle Bob says, "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."

This being the 20th anniversary of the movie "Dirty Dancing", I saw where there is going to be a line of baby clothes, primarily onesies, that say, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." We have got to get one of those...LOL.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-22T16:04:00.000-05:00

Music Update...

Days of Yore

2007-04-22T07:56:00.000-05:00

It sure has been an interesting weekend of baseball. Friday, I worked a game between Jackson Christian School and Evangelical Christian School (from Memphis). The game was played at a neutral site (Memphis University School). Anyway, my partner was late arriving, and whenever that happens, it usually goes downhill from there. However, the game went pretty smoothly until the bottom of the sixth inning when I missed a call at first base. Joy. I asked my partner what he saw, and thankfully he overturned my call. At least we eventually got it right...lol.

Yesterday, I worked at First Assembly Christian School. We finished the last three innings of a varsity game that had been delayed due to weather, then played two JV games. My partner called me Thursday to let me know he'd like to work the plate for the shortened game, and the first JV game. I said something to the effect of, "Go ahead, Cowboy."...lol. I remember when I was young and insane, and would always do that. I always wanted to work the plate. Mostly because I felt I was the best umpire in the world, and I figured if I was behind the plate, then everything would be under control and nothing could go wrong. These days, I try to AVOID working the plate as much as I can...lol.

Working 2.5 games yesterday reminded me of the days when Mike Clark and I would often work a doubleheader in the morning at one school, then another doubleheader at a different school later that night. We used to do that all the time. Those were crazy days, indeed. Lots of fun. We may have even made a few bucks, too.

A couple of weeks ago, as I was getting ready to start a game, the outsole of my right plate shoe fell off. Just fell off. My plate shoes were 11 years old, so I guess it was about time. Anyway, I worked that game essentially with one shoe. I had been telling Michelle for three years that I needed new shoes, but it always seemed that something else would come up. So, when I got home that night, I showed her my shoe that had disintegrated, and ordered a new pair. I wore them yesterday for the first time, and I love them. They are so comfortable! I may be getting back behind the plate more often now...hehe. I also got a new pair of pants.

It was really great to be back on the field. These games were my first high school games of the year. I told the assigner back in the spring that I was not going to work high school ball at all, because I needed to be around the house a lot to take care of Michelle. I have worked several games in the middle school Christian league, and those games are nice because I get no flack from the coaches or parents, and the games only last about an hour and 15 minutes or so. However, the level of play is only slightly higher than what we used to call Little League. So, it was nice to call some competitive games again. The only reason I ended up working the games this weekend was that because of heavy rain, a bunch of games needed to be made up, and the assignor was desperate. So, he dragged the bottom of the barrel to get me. We are supposed to get more rain the next several days, so I may end up working a few more. We'll see.

The other day I caught myself thinking about how my umpiring career arc is going in the same direction as Mike's. We both had a period where we literally drove all over the country to work as many games as possible. Didn't matter when or where; have game, will travel. Then, when Mike got married and started having kids, he started traveling less and less. Finally, he got to the point where he doesn't work much at all; he'd rather watch his oldest boy play t-ball. I am no longer travelling anywhere outside of town to work games, and have really lowered the total number of games I am working. I can see myself in a few years not working much at all, and going to my son's games instead. Michelle sees me coaching his team, but I don't know about that. I'll still work the occasional game, but I no longer have the desire to work every day, or to drive all over the country to do it.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-19T21:57:00.000-05:00

I emailed a paper to one of my professors today, and may have been a little over-dramatic about it. In my message, I told him he could "print this out, and kill a tree if you desire, but the blood of the creation will not be on my hands!"...LOL. Before class tonight, we got a chuckle out of it.

Tomorrow is going to be a light day. Just a little work at the office, then Michelle and I are going to work on the nursery. In the afternoon, I have a high school baseball game. Speaking of baseball, Saturday is going to be crazy. Starting at 10 AM, I am working the last 3 innings of a game that was suspended due to weather last week. Then, there is a full varsity game, and the day will conclude with a JV game. That's a lot of baseball in one day. Should be fun.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-19T15:27:00.000-05:00

2007-04-19T12:45:00.001-05:00

2007-04-18T08:14:00.000-05:00

My sister turned me on to a software program called Last.fm, which tracks the music played on a computer and/or iPod. The chart below is not exactly accurate, as I did not have the iPod feature turned on, but it is a moderately decent representation of the music I am listening to these days. However, the majority of the music I listen to is via the iPod, so the chart will get more accurate when that info is uploaded.

I am going to take the Blazer to a glass shop this morning, because someone broke out one of the rear windows. They didn't take anything, so I think they broke it just to be mean. Some other people in the area have reported the same problem. Joy.

I will spend the rest of the day working on a paper for my theology class. The paper is due tomorrow, and I have not yet begun to write. It does not have to be too long, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, I have found that waiting until the last minute to do something in grad school is even less wise than it was as an undergrad. Not a good habit to be in.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Michelle seems to think I have an unhealthy addiction to the music of Avril Lavigne. Hmm...

We got some really good news from the doctor last Friday. For several months, all signs had been pointing toward a premature birth, but on Friday the doctor said she thinks it will go full-term. Given that she said this with a smile on her face, and with confidence, our spirits were really lifted. So, that was really encouraging.

We worshiped at CrossRoads for the first time yesterday. It was really great; everyone there has welcomed us with open arms. All th women were excited to talk to Michelle about the baby, and I met a guy who is a long-time football official in the local association. He showed me his state championship ring, and I told him I was working toward one of those. His son is an umpire in the major leagues, so we talked baseball for a few minutes, too. That was cool.

The youth group had its first meeting last night, and I think it went really well. The kids all seem to be really excited, so that is encouraging. I am in the process of putting together some big plans for the summer.

In the months leading up to the wedding, I started having some really crazy dreams. Which was doubly weird because I normally can go years without having a dream that I remember. So, to have several dreams over the course of just a few months or so was freaky. Anyway, I have started to have some strange dreams again. While I do not think any dream can compare in craziness to my Darth Vader/Rolling Stones dream, the one I had recently is still strange.

I dreamt that the youth group and I were playing golf at Augusta National Golf Club, and Tiger Woods was playing with us. We had a couple of visitors in our group, kids that were not regular attenders, but happened to be with us on this day. When Tiger discovered that one of his irons was missing, and the two visitors were gone, he informed me that the two visitors were suspected by the police of bludgeoning an old woman to death with a golf club somewhere in another state. I was livid that Tiger had not informed me of this before, so I started cursing him like a dog. After a while, everything settled down, and we continued our round of golf. Neither the visitors, nor Tiger's iron, ever reappeared. I told you it was strange!!

I spent the morning working at the church, and got a ton of stuff done. That always feels great. I have some work to do before ecuminism class tonight, so I need to get on that. It's hard to believe that there are only two more weeks of classes! After that, there is a reading period for one week, then final exams. My first semester is almost over! It has flown by so quickly, it is astounding.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-14T18:16:00.000-05:00

Michelle and I attended a parenting class all day today (about 8 hours' worth!). It was really enjoyable. Probably the funniest part was the exercise where the men and women broke off into separate rooms, and listed their top ten concerns of pregnancy. The men's list included things like 'How am I going to pay for this', 'Loss of social life', 'dealing with in-laws', etc. The women's list included 'weight gain', 'heart burn', 'fatigue', 'mood swings', etc. Very interesting. We also learned how to change a diaper, and how to give the baby a bath. All in all, it was well worth the time and money to do it.

Tonight, I am going to assemble the crib, and the toy organizer. Hopefully, the nursery will start to take shape after that. Still a lot of work to go, though.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

I was at work on Wednesday, and a strange thing happened. One of the teachers from the Wesley School (a school for special-needs kids that uses the church's facilities) popped into my office, and said, "Excuse me, but don't you have a divinity degree?" I replied that I was currently in seminary, working on a M.Div. She then asked me if it was OK if she asked me a question (ostensibly a theological one). So, I said, "sure", sort of curious as to what she would think I would be qualified to help her with. Then, she asked, "Could you explain gnosticism to me?" Thankfully, it was mid-morning, and I was well-caffeinated by then. This was not anything near what I would have expected. Still, I perked up, because it just so happens that I had written an essay on the topic a couple of weeks ago. Per my norm, I prefaced my answer with a story, then told her what I knew. Then, I picked out the 4 books on the subject that I own, and offered to allow her to "check them out" (I treat my books as sort of a 'lender's library'). She stammerd a, "No thanks", as if to say she had gotten more than what she had bargained for. I just had to laugh. Still, I found my class notes on the subject, and Xeroxed them. She said that would suffice. LOL.

Yesterday, after lunch, I stopped by the guitar shop to pick up a new stand and some strings. I observed that they had an Eric Clapton signature model on the wall, so it got my attention. Clapton has 3 Martin signature models, and this one is the model that he played on the "Unplugged" album. That model had been out of production since about the mid-50s, and Martin did not know he was going to play it that night. So, he played it, the album became HUGE, and Martin offred to re-issue the guitar as an EC signature model. Cool. This led to he and Martin collaborating on two other signature modles, so EC is the only artist with 3 Martin signature models. Cool stuff. Anyway, when I saw that the guitar's price tag said, "Ask for assistance", I could not resist myself and said, "Can someone float me about 2/3 the price of this? That would be of great assistance!"

I was supposed to have a baseball game this afternoon, but it got rained out. Which was kinda good, since I have not felt well all day. So, Michelle and I have just been hanging out at home this afternoon. If I felt better, it would be nice. Oh well.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-04-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

I got an email yesterday from my grandmother, and the entire text read, "YOUR BLOG NEEDS UPDATING!!!!!!!!!!" Obviously, Granny still has quite a bit of spunk in her...LOL. Anyway, here I am.

Our wireless router at home died last week (it was a sudden and painless passing), so I have been having connectivity disfunction. My brother Steve sent me my old router that he broke and then allegedly fixed, although I have not been able to get that up and running yet. Joy.

Spring break last week was wonderful and refreshing. Monday was the first full day of baseball season, so I went to work early, and got home in time to see the last half of the early games, then watched the majority of a couple more throughout the night. The next day, I was talking with my dad, and he said something about the NCAA men's basketball championship game, which had also been the night before. I think I may have said something like, "Oh, really. Didn't realize that was on." LOL. I do feel a little out of my element living in a basketball town, when baseball and football are where it's at for me.

I also got a lot of important work done last week; primarily my exegesis paper that is due next week. I have a couple of shorter papers due this week that I am still working on (or thinking of working on), so I should be able to get those knocked out soon. My exegesis of the parable of the Lost (aka "prodigal", although "prodigal" and "lost" do not mean the same thing) Son is probably my best paper all semester. I am not quite happy with the opening paragraph, so I am going to revisit it before I turn it in. Otherwise, I think it's solid.

The first paragraph of the preeminent account of the first month of World War I, The Guns of August, took its author, Barbara Tuchman, EIGHT HOURS to write. Ever since I discovered that, I have taken extra pains to make my opening paragraphs better.

I remember that last year, having spent spring break in Israel, I came back exhausted. It took me probably a full week to recover, and I got a little behind on some stuff. I had a paper in my ethics class that the professor graciously gave me an extension on, but I still did not do well on it. I think I made a C or a C+ or something. Oh well. This year, I came back to class "tanned and rested", as they say in the political world.

My fellow Israel travelers are getting together soon for a reunion, but it is on a night when I have class, so I will not be able to attend. ***sadness***

I preached my last sermon at Lebanon Church on Sunday. I was quite melancholy afterward. I was sad to go, but I am very excited at the opportunity at CrossRoads church. My first full meeting with the youth is this Sunday night. I am stoked!

Since Sunday's worship was earlier than normal, and there was no Sunday School, at 10:00 AM we suddenly realized that we had the entire day in front of us. We briefly entertained the idea of rolling to Clarksville for my family's gathering, but we reminded ourselves that when the doctor said for Michelle to "take it easy", he meant it. So, she took a nap while I watched the Masters. I guess it just wouldn't be fair if Tiger won all of them. Congrats to Zach Johnson.

Nathan Wheeler, who was formerly the Youth Minister at Clarksville Church and is currently the Youth Minister at Faith Presbyterian in Germantown, led his group in a 30 hour famine last weekend. We stopped by to see them right at the very end; I think they had about 7 minutes remaining in their fast. It was great to see them, and great to hear that they had raised over $1800 for World Vision. AWESOME!

While we were eating lunch Sunday, the baby noticably dropped lower in Michelle's belly. We sort of freaked out just a little, until we did some research and found that this is normal, with one caveat. Apparently, when the baby drops like this, it tends to be born about 4-6 weeks after doing so. And, since we are at this time 11 weeks short of the due date, this means the baby would arrive several weeks early. We are trying to get as close to 40 weeks as possible, so we are a little anxious now. But, the baby will come when he wants to, and there's not much we can do about it, so we try not to worry.

I hope everyone is doing well.

2007-03-28T22:21:00.000-05:00

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes into hours?"--From Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

Michelle and I were riding in the Explorer today when Lightfoot's song "Sundown" came on the radio. I started thinking about his anthem "Fitzgerald", which tells a narrative of the shipwreck. I especially started thinking about the above line, which questions God's existence. One topic many non-believers often raise is the problem of evil, with evil being defined as "innocent suffering". These people often ask why, if God exists, would God allow innocent people to suffer. I have read mnay philosophers and theologians give various explanations for this, and so far, I have not come across one that I can believe. So, I am working on one myself. When I finish it, I will let you know.

Peace,

Chris

2007-03-28T07:28:00.000-05:00

This is so freaky, I just had to buy the album. This might just be the funniest thing I have ever seen!

2007-03-26T15:57:00.000-05:00

This past weekend can only be summed up with a "WOW!".

We rolled to Clarksville on Friday, and it was exciting to be going back home. We hung out at my grandparents' house for a while, until my grandmother and Michelle started talking about going to Hobby Lobby. I knew I had to get out of there, so I went over to my parents' house. When I got there, my dad was setting up his latest toy. His new sub-woofer produces enough bass to make the neighbors think Ft. Campbell is shooting artillery. My mom seriously thinks the foundation of the house is going to crack...LOL.

Anyway, I Steve played my guitar for a while, and I enjoyed watching him. He is becoming a maestro. Mike Clark had begged me to umpire a single game on Friday night, and a double-header on Saturday. So, after hanging out for a while, I headed over to Heritage Park and worked an uneventful game. After the game, I picked up Michelle and we went to Johnny's to satisfy our jones.

Saturday morning, I worked my two games while Michelle literally was "showered" with baby gifts. We have so much stuff now, it is insane. The Clarksville church and Mt. Denson, under the direction of my mother and grandmother, threw her an incredible shower. Oh my. I was hoping to come by towards the end to say hello to everyone, but my games ran long so I missed almost everyone.

While we were cleaning up, Mike called me to ask if there was any way I could run over to Richview and umpire another game. There had been a mix-up due to a team scheduling a game without calling him to get umpires. Mike was already about to go out of his mind, having to schedule over 70 games that weekend. There just aren't enough umpires to cover that many games, but somehow he got it done. Another example of why we have one the best associations anywhere.

Speaking of umpires, we heard over the weekend that Jordan Ferrell got a job in the minor leagues. We are so proud of him. I remember talking to Mike about Jordan several years ago, and we both said he would go as far as he wanted to. We enjoyed working with him, helping him get get started. We certainly wish him all the best.

I also heard that Jessica Hester's Auburn University JROTC team recently won a prestigious competition. She is on a full ride scholarship, with a Marine Corps option. She will be a great Marine, and will serve the country well.

We rolled back to Memphis Saturday night, and were exhausted by the time we got here. Michelle woke up at 3:30 AM Sunday morning with her hips and knees hurting. She was still in pain later in the morning, so I went to church alone. I informed the congregation that I would be leaving after Easter Sunday. Everyone wished us well. It will be tough leaving them.

I went by Crossroads today, and moved some of my office things. My new office is amazing! I should be able to get a lot of work done in there. It's a great enviornment. The church secretary, Martha, informed me that some of the youth have already come by and given their stamp of approval. Apparently, they really like the couch...LOL. I have still got some more stuff to move in, but it won't take long.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-22T09:11:00.000-05:00

I changed the "Music" section of the blog to reflect the songs and artists that I have recently listened to, instead of links to artists' web sites. This will give anyone who happens to care a better glimpse into the music that is in current rotation in my world.

Michelle and I are eagerly awaiting the journey to Clarksville tomorrow. We are looking forward to a fun weekend. Normally, I write my sermon for the week on Friday, but since we are travelling tommorrow, I will do that today.

There is a luncheon for Cumberland Presbyterians at seminary today. Once again, whoever said there was no such thing as a free lunch must not have known me...LOL. The other day, I was walking somewhere on campus and a woman I do not know stopped me and said, "Hey, aren't you the new student that is a Cumberland Presbyterian?" I continue to be singled out as if I were the chosen one...LOL. It kind of disturbs me; I do not want any special attention, I just want to do my work and move along. I guess since the seminary is sponsored by the CP church, and there are not actually too many CP's around, they want to make a big deal of the few that are there. Whatever.

I also have some reading to do for tonight's class, so I am going to get on that.

We ate breakfast a while ago, so it is now getting to the baby. He is really moving around, and we can see Michelle's belly shifting as he moves. This is so cool! He really likes to eat, and gets active afterward. Today marks the beginning of week 27. This is the last week of the second trimester. Time is really moving along fast. June 28 will be here before we know. And probably before we are ready.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

I have a meeting later this morning with the professor of my Interchurch Relations class. The class is a class on ecumenism, which is the movement that promotes unity among the world's Christian churches. We will be meeting in order to discuss my semester project (each student is required to do a project of some kind). My project will be a furthering of a project I first did a couple of years ago. My project will be based on a Powerpoint presentation, showing pictures that tell the story of the Church's treatment of Native Americans. The slides are set to the music of The Eagles' "The Last Resort". After the slideshow, I will talk for about 45 minutes or so, then take questions. I have been working really hard on this, and I think it will go well. The presentation is not until April 23; Today's meeting is just so I can show the professor my progress.

I also have a short response paper I need to write for my research class today. I am going to do that after my meeting.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

Michelle was having some serious pains Saturday morning, so called the doctor and were told to go to the E.R. So, after spending a few hours there, we were sent home with an apparent U.T.I. I know she was miserable, and in a lot of pain. A funny thing happened on the way home, and it gave us a chuckle.

We dropped her prescriptions off at Walgreens, and then went to Sonic so she could take care of her corn dog jones (this week's craving). After we ordered, and while we were waiting for the food, I kind of almost dozed off. When the waitress came with the food, I was about 30 seconds from being fully asleep. So, I did not have a tip ready, and didn't think about it until a few minutes later. That was about the same time that I realized I had not ordered anything to drink, so I made a second order for a drink. A different person brought my drink to me, and I gave him a tip, and money for the first waitress. I asked him if he would give that part to her. He said sure. A couple of minutes later, the original waitress came outside, and kind of peered around the corner of our car. She was completely freaked out. I lowered the window, and although she did not come real close, she was within hearing range. She said something to the effect of "Uh, what's up? Why did you give me money via that other guy?" So, I told her I had been half-asleep and wanted to make sure I tipped her. She had a quizzical look on her face, and was just freaked out. I think maybe since she was about 15, she thought a greasy old man was trying to hit on her. Idunno. It was hilarious.

Today, we interviewed a childcare provider for the baby, and we came to an agreement with her. So, that is exciting. She keeps just a few kids, in her home in Germantown. We are really comfortable with her. She lives about 10 minutes from CrossRoads, so that will be convenient. After we spoke with her, we went by the church so Michelle could see the inside. I showed her around, and she met the church staff. I think she is really going to like it there. We are both excited.

It looks like I am going to have a meeting with the parents of the youth this Sunday, and probably start working full-speed the week after Easter. I have been busy getting some ideas together, and trying to formulate a plan. I remember when I started at Mount Denson, I had absolutely no experience, no materials, and no plan. It all seemed to work out, though. LOL. This time, I would like to have a plan, though.

We joined Blockbuster video's online program back a few weeks ago, and are really enjoying it. We have watched several really good movies that we ordinarily would not have had time to see in the theatre. Last night, we watched "Fast Food Nation". While some of it hyberbole, for sure, it makes me sick to think of what goes on in the meat industry. Special interest groups purchase the lawmakers in this country (on behalf of ALL industries), so it should not be too surprising to know that the rules are set up in order for corporations to make the quickest buck possible, regardless of the consequences. When it comes to the meat we eat, I will always remember how my biology teacher in high school told us that after taking a bacteriology class in college, she ate no meat for several years. I have enjoyed cutting back on my own meat consumption; I just feel better.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-18T16:11:00.000-05:00

Do these two albums look similar? Sure they do. I heard that 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Patti Smith's album "Horses" has been a big influence on KT Tunstall. Tunstall's song "Suddenly I See" was reportedly directly inspired by Smith. Cool.

2007-03-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

Michelle and I just found out that there was a shooting at a restaurant that I had once eaten in. When I went there, sometime last summer, neither of us had ever been there, and we didn't know what it was about. I quickly found out. I walked in, and soon observed someone asleep on the pool table. As I was eating, the phone rang, and someone brought it to him and woke him up to take the call. He never sat up, just mumbled into the phone for a few minutes and then went back to sleep. Typical Memphis.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-16T08:38:00.000-05:00

When I saw this car a couple of weeks ago, I almost freaked. This is a 1976 Ford LTD. Back in the day, my dad had a car almost exactly like this. I think his may have been a 1977, and I remember it being either silver or light grey. Ah, the memories.

2007-03-16T05:59:00.000-05:00

The last couple of days have been insane. I essentially locked myself in a hole in order to study for my Theology mid-term last night. Unfortunately, I am not sure it did much good. Anyway, I am glad it's Friday. Today, I am going to do some reading for my exegesis paper, then enjoy the Friday. I'm planning on watching some of the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational this afternoon. I also need to write my sermon for Sunday. I already kind of have it in my head, so I just need to get it down on paper.

Tuesday night, I got a call from Crossroads Church, and I was offered the position of Director of Youth Ministries. I immediately accepted. This is an incredibly exciting time for me, and Michelle, too. I am working out an exit strategy with the Potts Camp church, but it looks like I will start at Crossroads the week after Easter. I am going by there this morning to fill out paperwork and stuff, and to meet the office staff. Oh, boy. I am so excited. I think this will be a great opportunity.

Michelle and I are looking foward to being in Clarksville next weekend for the baby shower. I was originally going to umpire some baseball games, but I decided just to chill with my friends and family instead. It will be nice to be back home.

Last night, we went to Babies R Us, and ordered a crib. It was kind of exciting to do that. I look forward to putting it together. I hear a lot of dads complaining about how they do not like to put stuff together on Christmas Eve, (The "Some assembly required" label being a bane of society) but I look forward to that. Those opportunites seem to be some of the fun parts of being a dad.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-12T15:23:00.000-05:00

Today has been essentially worthless. I got up at about 4:30 this morning, and read for a while. Then I watched the movie "Crash", which was really good. After that, Michelle and I went to the grocery store to re-stock. We looked like we were preparing for Y2K when we walked out...LOL. Since then, we have just kind of lain around all day. I have class at 5:30, so I imagine I will get a burst of energy in a while.

Speaking of imagining, I read today where there is a tribute album to be released soon, featuring various artists covering the songs of John Lennon. The proceeds from the album will benefit Amnesty International's campaign to end the Darfur genocide. Willie Nelson is doing "Imagine", so there is the connection. Michelle and I drive each other crazy making wild jumps in our conversations without announcing the connections...LOL.

Anyway, speaking of music, tonight the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2007 will be inducted. We were able to visit the Hall in 2004, and it was great. However, until Kiss, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Yes, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Styx, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest are ALL elected, the Hall is a bit of a fraud and carries with it a tremendous defiecientcy. There are probably some other artists that have also been snubbed, but those are the ones I can name off the top of my head. Are The Police in? Sting as a solo artist? They should be.

Michelle and I were greatly saddened over the weekend to learn of the death of Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston. Boston is one of our favorite bands, and Delp's passing came as a shock to us. Boston was supposed to release a new album soon, with a summer tour this year. That would have been a great show.

My second interview with Crossroads Church yesterday went quite well. It was a grueling interview, as I had questions being fired at me from about 12 different people. It was tough, but I thought all the questions were relevant and fair. So, I left encouraged. I should hear something back from them by tomorrow.

Michelle and I were watching a show about newborn babies on TV earlier today, and the grandfather of one said that he had made an investment in his own son, and being able to hold the grandson was the dividend. That was tremendous. I know my parents made a tremendous investment in me, so I am glad that will also see a return on that investment. I know that there are many returns on such an investment, but having a grandchild must be one of the better ones.

We were wondering earlier today how the grandparents will act when they get the word that we are heading to the hospital for the delivery. We both felt that all of the grandparents would probably jump right into their cars and hit the road. If that's how it works out, that would certainly be great. We want to share our excitement with everyone, that's for sure. But, if people cannot make it into town for a while, that's cool too. We'll see how things work out.

When we were on our way to church yesterday, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Michelle was rubbing her belly. I smiled and asked her if it seems surreal to have a living creature moving around inside her. She started laughing and said it certainly does. I know it seems surreal to me just to think about her having a baby inside her.

2007-03-10T08:44:00.000-06:00

Lazing around on a Saturday morning...

Michelle and I are going to Babies R US later for the gear and gadgets special. It should be a lot of fun.

The ink cartridge in our printer went dry, and it's been a big inconvienience. I didn't realize how much I used the printer until now. We gotta get a new cartridge.

We have a mound of laundry that could block the view of Manute Bol. Gotta get on that today.

Last night, we enjoyed a wonderful night out. We went to dinner at a nicer-than-normal place, and it was cool that we had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch didn't know me. Anyway, it was great. It was nice to dress up a bit. Afterward, we went to Build-A-Bear, and made a bear for the baby. We dressed him in a baseball uniform, and he looks great. He even has a fielder's glove, ball, and a bat. LOL.

Michelle noticed that one of the brake lights in the Explorer is out, so I am going to replace both of them today.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-09T09:10:00.000-06:00

You have probably noticed that I have made some changes to the blog. It's a work in progress.

I am the library today, working on my Theology mid-term. The great thing about being at the library on Fridays is that, since there are no classes all day, the library is a ghost-town. Library etiquette has completely gone away (at least in my own experience), so trying to get any work done during the week can be an exercise in futility. But, on Fridays, it is joyfully silent.

Michelle is baby-sitting the younger boy that she used to nanny for. I am going to meet them around lunch time; it will be neat to see him.

I read an article in USA Today yesterday about a new book titled Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--and Doesn't by Stephen Prothero. Prothero is the chair of the religion department at Boston University. In his book, Prothero points out that the vast majority of Americans hold a stunningly low level of knowledge about the world's religions. He reminds us that being ignorant of these matters prevents us from truly understanding many of the world's events, and argues that a religiously knowledgeable society is a better one.

Included in the book is a 15-question quiz, which he says his students fail every year. Michelle and I took it, and we did "OK". Which is to say that we passed.

If you like, take it and see how you do. Check your answers here. Add up your total points, then multiply by two for your final score (as a percentage of 100).

1 point each: Name the Four Christian Gospels.

1 point: Name a sacred text of Hinduism

1 point: What is the name of the holy book of Islam?

1 point: Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?

1 point: President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. What Bible story was he invoking?

1 point each: What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?

1 point: What is the Golden Rule?

2 points: "God helps those who help themselves." Is this in the Bible? If so, where?

2 points: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." Does this appear in the Bible?

10 points: Name the Ten Commandments.

4 points: Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

7 points: What are the Seven Sacraments of Catholicism?

1 point each: The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own "clause." What are its two religion clauses?

2 points: What is Ramadan? In what religion is it celebrated?

7 points: Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear. Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.

CHARACTERS:

Adam and Eve

Noah

Paul

Moses

Jesus

Abraham

Serpent

STORIES:

Exodus

Binding of Isaac

Olive Branch

Garden of Eden

Parting of the Red Sea

Road to Damascus

Garden of Gethsemane

2007-03-06T13:43:00.000-06:00

Last week, I got a welcome package from the Alumni Association. It consisted of an ink pen, a lapel pin, a window sticker, and my membership card. It still feels weird to see the "University of Memphis Alumni" sticker on the car. Makes me proud. One day, I might have a "Memphis Theological Seminary Alumni" sticker on the car. Or, one that says "clergy". That will be REAL weird.

I keep threatening to "out" Michelle's whereabouts to the Austin Peay Alumni Association, but I don't think she would ever forgive me. She cannot stand that place.

This morning, Greg Walker was featured on the ESPN radio show, "Mike and Mike in the Morning". Greg's epic radio broadcast of the last few seconds of Austin Peay's loss Saturday to Eastern Illinois has drawn national attention. Absolutely epic.

Peace...

2007-03-06T10:48:00.000-06:00

Last night at about 9:30, I got a call from the head of the Staff Parish Relations Committee from Crossroads Church, saying that the full committee wants to meet with me this Sunday afternoon. It sounds like I made a really good impression on the sub-committee that I met with this past Sunday. So, I spent a night in restless quasi-sleep, wondering what is going to happen. If the church calls me to the position, I still do not know if I will accept it. It's all so strange and surreal. I inquired about this position long before I had even heard about Lebanon Church, and at that time I was VERY excited about it. I did not hear anything from Crossroads for several weeks, and by that time I had preached at Potts Camp for a couple of weeks and fallen in love with it. I really feel a strong calling there, so I just do not know what I am going to do.

I say that, but maybe that's not really true. Michelle pointed out last night that if it is weighing this heavily on my heart, then it must be what I truly in my heart want to do. Idunno. I'm going to stay in prayer over it all week, and hopefully I will figure out the direction I am supposed to move in. Trying to discern God's will is a difficult task, indeed.

Mike Clark keeps talking about how Lily will still not sleep through the night, and how that is driving him crazy. I am hoping that our little one does better, but I doubt it...LOL.

I am studying for my New Testament mid-term tonight, and just got kicked out of the library. It closes every day at 11:00 for chapel services. So, I am going to go to chapel, and then come back and get some work done.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-05T14:35:00.000-06:00

Michelle and I met with a pediatrician this morning, and we both were impressed. So, we decided to go with this one. We are also in the process of choosing a nursery, so we should have a decision made on that in the next week or two.

My interview at Crossroads church yesterday went very well. I was told that a decision was going to be made in the next couple of days, and that I should expect a phone call Tuesday night to let me know of their decision. If they call me, I will have a big decision to make. Still do not know what I would do.

There is an interesting summer class being offered at MTS. It is a two-week intensive course entitled, "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking": Bob Dylan on the Bible, Sin & Virtue. "Intensive" means that it meets every day, for about 4 hours each session.

The course description is:

"The course proposes to look at how Dylan used Biblical references in his lyrics as an artist, his vision of sin, and his understanding of virtue. Special consideration will be given to his "Christian albums" for their soteriological content. A multimedia approach will be taken, utilizing musical recordings, documentaries, and taped interviews. Class participants will also be encouraged to prepare musical performances of Dylan's works."

Michelle is encouraging me to take it, although it will be during the last two weeks before the baby is due. I cannot imagine being able to concentrate during that time. Registration is at the end of this month, so I still have some time to think about it.

I need to finish a powerpoint presentation that I will be giving in my Interchurch Relations class tonight. I only have about 4-5 more slides to go, so it is almost done. I also have a mid-term in New Testament class tomorrow night. I am almost ready for that.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...

2007-03-02T08:31:00.000-06:00

So much is going on these days, it's crazy. But I embrace the insanity. Most of the time. LOL.

I had a job interview with Cingular Wireless earlier this week, and it went really well. I was told to expect a second interview, so I am awaiting that call. I also have an interview this Sunday afternoon at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Collierville, which is looking for a Youth Minister. I applied for that position before I had even heard of the church at Potts Camp. I have really come to think of myself as being called to the church at Potts Camp, so if I am offered the position at Crossroads, I don't know what I am going to do. There are also a couple of other things that I am looking into that would allow me to continue preaching at Potts Camp.

My first mid-term exam (New Testament class) is next Tuesday, so I am getting ready for that. It counts for 40% of the grade, so I need to do well.

Due to me taking on more work, I decided to drop my Church History class. This will allow me to maintain my sanity.

On Wednesday, I went to the dentist for a cleaning, and ended up having two teeth pulled. So, my mouth has been sore the last couple of days, but it feels better this morning. I am going to try to resume eating normal food today.

We toured a day-care center yesterday, and today we are looking at another one. We also have an appointment with the OB. Tonight, we are baby-sitting. So, it will be a full day today.

I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...