Vacation

Well, this is my last day in the state for a few weeks. Family vacations, with both sets. It is a blessing that we get along so well, and can enjoy spending extended time with each other. So, I will generally be away from electronic communications for two weeks. I may just leave my phone off. While I am at it, think I will take my watch off as well...I could care less what time it is down there. That is what is good about vacation, a break from the schedules of life. When Lisa and I were first married, vacations were events filled with the need to do things. Finally, after several years and a particularly brutal DisneyWorld vacation two years ago, we relish the vacation that is less crowded, less busy. That is what we did when I was a kid. Play, play, rest, eat when hungry, etc. I like the less commercialized places.

Intersting thing I read once about vacations. This is it in a nutshell. The change from holiday to vacation has more meaning than just in name only. Holiday has its origin in Holy Day. It was time of reflection, a time to reflect on God. We now take vacations, where we vacate from everything, responsibilities, stress, which are good. But we often put God on the back burner as well. We lump God in with the rest of the daily detritus we are trying to escape. If anything, the blessing to get away should be counted as such, and thanks should be given. I need to consider such things. Maybe I am not taking a vacation, but a holiday. Taking time to get connected with God without the clutter of the noisy lives we lead. Spending time with family...swimming, golfing, sandcastles, fishing...all good things, Godly things. We fall into a trap in our thinking on things secular and spiritual. We lose out on enriching spiritual experiences, when we head into something with our secular blinders on. God does not see such distinctions.

So anyway, see you guys on the flip-flop.

Let's Get Ready to RUMBLE

DISCLAIMER: For those of you who think I work really hard at my job, please, stop reading. I don't want to change your opinion!

That old saying that, "When the cat is away, the mice will play" was never any truer than yesterday. Seems that both my immediate supervisor and the manager of our department were out sick. Well, that does not happen too often and it became the impetus for a legendary event. All was well until after lunch, we were working happily, things quiet, etc. What happened next started a squeezie ball fight of epic porportions.

One of the said squeezie balls (see picture, upper left) flew into my cubicle. Well, I am too close to the wall to be hit from that angle, but I knew that this was an overture for battle. Then, about 4 more is succession came over, lobbed shots, but shots none the less. I quickly gathered up the ordinance and checked out the competition. My coworker Javey had started something he would regret. Andrew, sensing some action, wanted a piece too. Our cubicles are quardened off, 4 square cubicles forming a larger square, then another, etc. A regular cubicle village, with neat square blocks. Anyway, Andrew circled around the right, I went to the left, Javey in the corner facing us both. A small skirmish, we all took a bit of hits, and then some others joined the fray. After that, I sat back in the cube and proceeded to check out this laptop I was working on. Then, "BOOM", a very hard shot is volleyed at the office, then a few more. I am not hit, but the game is afoot. This time, Andrew, whose bloodlust had not been sated, fires at me. He's a mercenary...he has no loyalties.

This battle is a vertical battle. I get on my desk to see above my walls. It is Andrew, waiting. We circle one another, throw a few shots (Andrew throws like he is trying out for the Yankees AAA club). It gets more involved, with others in the mix. He nails me in the ear and as he runs, I climb my desk and hit him in the neck and ear, in what can only described as the perfect shot. A half second more, he is hidden behind a wall. I narrowly miss the wall and bust that big head of his. The highlight of this battle is when I circle around, find him on the desk in the cube next to me, ready to surprise me in my office.

Now, you are thinking he is dead to rights. I was. I threw 6 shots at him and went high everytime. I mean, I had just made an incredible shot, and I am missing these like Rick Vaughn without glasses. I was trying a sidearmed approach, around a windowed wall, so it just didn't work. He begins guffawing at me, but, in kharmic revenge, falls off of the desk and into the floor. He is fine, but, man, that was funny. So, this match is over. All is well.

At least, that is what I thought. Ken, a suck up from across the carpet street, begins to volley into my office again. Only thing is, he is at the perfect angle, hitting me from the door side of my office. I am in his sights, and he hits me, my coffee cup and my plants. Well, this is war. I am beginning to feel like Al Pacino in the last Godfather..."Just when I think I am out, they PULL me back in!" I loft into his office, and then the battle is street side. Andrew, not liking Ken, gets into it as well. Ken, well, he is a suckup. He visits his supervisor's and upper manager's office at least 5 times a day. The manager loves him, Ken the yes man, the brown nose...etc. He is not despised, but he is the Newman to our collective Seinfeld. We all say his name in the same sardonic tone. So, that battle rages. I am telling you, it was like the Gaza Strip yesterday.

So, there you go. A bossless day and there will be some play. My favorite shot of the day happenend when I left. As I walked past Ken's office, he was on the phone. I lobbed a shot over his wall...I heard things falling and Ken being struck. That was the sweetest shot of the day.

Another Pic

This is Dakota, me boy!

First posted picture

This is my lovely daughter Sloane, last fall.

Three Day Weekend

Nothing like a three day weekend to lift your spirits. Course, they honestly seem to go by faster that the two day variety, but, all good none the less. Let me see if I can break this down.

Friday Night - Saw Tim Wilson at the Funny Bone comedy club. Lets just say my face hurt....he was HeeLarryUs. One of my favorite lines, "When we captured Saddam Hussein in that farm, I thought, when did the Oak Ridge Boys get to Iraq?" That had me going for a bit, I think it ended in a bit of light headed coughing. Good stuff

Saturday - house cleaning (always fun), playing with kids, a cookout at Tex's. Yes George, we had grilled meat, and yes, it was fantastic. Watched quite a bit of Live 8. I remember fondly the Live Aid show of '85. I remember "We are the World" in that same vein. I thought it was amazing, and wanted to see this one, for the acts and the history. Pink Floyd was reuiniting for the first time in 24 years. That is huge my friend, at least to me it is. The whole thing just didn't have that feeling of Live Aid. Live Aid felt like a difference was being made. Probably wasn't, but it felt like it. Live 8 felt like a big show of a lot of people. I think probably it is me more that anything. When you are 15, you believe a lot can be accomplished with the government. I think as you grow older, you lose those ideals. Seems that things are more jaded, you learn more than you want to know. Pink Floyd rocked though, although VH1 cut off the end of Gilmour's guitar solo on Comfortably Numb.....dumb move. ColdPlay and U2 also were amazing. Practiced our worship service at 10 p.m. til 11:30 p.m., all went well.

Sunday - Got there at 9 a.m. to go over the worship 1 more time. Still working fine, everything looks like it will go well. Getting into worship, Nick Taylor is working the media shout, I am working the sound board and giving Nick queues for working the PC stuff. We have a few others in the room, my daughter being one of them. Another young man there as well. We start practicing our song to record in Spanish. I have Nick getting ready to press record to make the mp3, and he is so focused on that, he is late with slides. However, we get it recorded, the church did very well. All is on point. Now, Rob D tells me that he will reinitiate the video conversation at communion time. He tries to, I see it, but it will not work. Hmmm, that is odd, it has worked well for the last two times. Try again, now answer. I check our wireless connection status, which is down from 11 to 1 - not good. It actually is fading from nothing to 1, neither of which is good. I am getting a bit nervous now. Generally, I would get tense, which I did. I would also let it show, which I kept in check. Jay begins and is made aware of the glitch, he begins with Sean Nine instead,with rolling pics from Afghanistan. Me, in the background, leaning over a Nick Taylor who will not move, trying to jumpstart the connection. I even turn the router off and back on, no luck. I have one helper following me closely, which is also not a good thing. Sloane had backed up to give me room, its like she's lived with me for almost 11 years! Now, Jay is done with Sean, I can work on the PC. I decide a reboot is in order. I probably should have done a release renew, but, I was not as clear as I could have been. One thing I definitely should have done was kill the projector, but no, I didn't. Now everyone is seeing the process of the reboot, and luckily, the password is not too difficult. I am aglow (code for those who know me). The connection kicks backup on reboot, and we get it going again. Jay gets the signal, we do the conversation with George, which looks like the trailer for "The Hulk" as George's camera shows only green. In the end, it worked. It was really cool, even with the technical difficulties. I retired to the men's room for some paper towels. Good stuff. Sunday evening was canceled and we just chilled out at home. I went and played some geetar later on that night.

July 4th - Began with some more relaxing. Cleaning followed, with a trip to the inlaws for some burgers. Nothing amazing at all about this day. Sloane went to spend the night with a friend, Dakota, Lisa and I want to see the fireworks at Camden Park....well, across the river, in the "S" curve of Burlington. Great views, good show, etc. Saw some stellar examples of parenting, as you often do at public events, but nothing major.

Anyway, that was it. Some relaxin', some work, all good.

Not being on the Mexico Mission Trip

Yeah, I am not going on the trip. I am not really thrilled with that. I had a wonderful time last year in Arizona, and had planned on doing the same in MeHiCo. It just did not work out, mainly because of my dwindled vacation days. I could miss my wife and kids for two weeks, one while on mission, and the other when they went on vacation that I did not have, or miss the mission trip and be with my wife and kids (although my wife probably wouldn't have minded it that much!) I chose family....I sincerely believe that the number one mission of a man is to be a husband and father first, a family builder. I've known too many PK's whose fathers were there for so many others and not their own.

Now, onto my small help with the mission trip. The group needed to be in Columbus at 5:30 a.m. this morning for their flight. We arranged for sleeping quarters last night at the McGuire's new church (miss them much). I got to sleep at their house. So here is the timeline, as I remember it.

Thursday, June 30
6:30 p.m. - Met at the building, picked up the van, got ready to go.
7:30 p.m. - Left the building
7:45 p.m. - Stopped at 16th street road Chevron for gas and snacks
8-9 p.m. - Has a spirited political discussion with a few of the teens in my van and George. At one point, they thought I was mad....passionate I say :-) Really, a nice conversation, all good, respectful, etc.
10:00 p.m. - Stop at a Pilot quick mart for essentials
11:00 p.m. - Torrential downpours while on I270. Good fun there, with some kickin' windshield wipers.
11:30 p.m. - Safe at the building. The have a sanctuasium, or a gymuary, whichever is best. We played some ball, met the McGuire's, ordered a pizza.
12:ish - Dana getting ready to follow Melinda to the house to get some sleep. I tell her, "Hang on, let me get my bag". I come back, she is gone, thinking I was coming home later with John, which I did.
1:00 a.m. - Sitting on the porch with John, Melinda and a sleeping aid, knowing I am gonna get about 3 hours, tops.

Got to add this. I called home when we got to the church. No answer. I am talking about 30 rings, no answer. Now, both Lisa and I are sound sleepers, but, I got a bit flustered. I kept trying for a bit and then quit. I was at the McGuire's, took a shower, called one last time. Still, no answer. Now, my mind tends to wander in situations like this, and I tend to think bad thoughts. So, I lay in bed, praying out loud. "God, I am getting uncomfortable with this. I just need to not worry. Let me know, help me out..." RRIINNGG, my cell phone goes off. I pick up, and it is a slightly peeved wife saying, "I am trying to sleep". I was never so happy to hear her get on my case!

4:30 a.m. - Up and at 'em, none too happy.
5:30 a.m. - they are dropped off at the airport. Hugs and disappointment as I know I am not leaving with them.

John had mentioned that maybe I should go back and get a bit more sleep before making the lonesome journey back to Huntington. I did need to get to work, but I took him up on it and slept from 6:30 to 8:30.

9:00 a.m. - Leave the McGuire's
9:15 a.m. - Almost take the wrong exit, make a quick cut back into traffic. In a 15 passenger Ford van, quick is relative, but I made it relatively smoothly.
Noon - Back in Huntington, taking the van back, getting lunch, going to the 1 p.m. meeting I was about to miss, etc.

That was my experience. Not anywhere near as cool as their's will be, but thought I would share.