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...
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
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...
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...
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
"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
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
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...
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...
Monday, August 27, 2007
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...
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...
Sunday, August 26, 2007
A Sure Sign of the Apocolypse
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
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...
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...
Monday, August 20, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
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...
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...
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
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...
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...
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...
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
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