Monday, August 10, 2009

blogging officially retired indefinitely...

Saturday, June 20, 2009

life

I have learned I only have enough energy for a finite ammount of activities.

Since I've developed some significant new hobbies (to be explained later) and since iPhone has ordered me to ignore my laptop so I can spend more time with it (it's love language is touch but quality time doesn't hurt) my blogging has obviously suffered.

I have also learned that God's schedule runs at a much slower pace than my own so some things I planned on having wrapped up by the time I blogged are still a little pink in the middle and I don't want to share them until they are well done.

I look forward to rejoining the blogosphere and occaisionally posting my life again.

Thanks for welcoming me back with open pupils.

Topics to come:

  • Girth and Mirth: Big Ch-Ch-Changes so far in '09
  • A B.A. in History: Why Teddy Roosevelt is my Hero and he should be yours too
  • Mex.i.can drop the beat now: Cancun, Swine Flu, and Heaven
  • Your Best Life Now: Why I believe sweatpants must have existed before the fall of man
  • Come and Make Disciples: Top ten things I've learned about discipleship and mentoring in the last 6 months
  • You can't spell Change without Chan: My newest hero Francis

And much, much more... or less...

Thanks for your substantial financial support. Love you all internet explorers!

Monday, May 25, 2009

I May have been too ambitious with my former prediction... this one's for real...

Created by OnePlusYou

Sunday, April 19, 2009

May I blog again...

Not May 1... but maybe mid May...

Check back for HUGE changes that have happened over the last 4 months.

See you then!

Friday, December 12, 2008

it's the good advice that you just didn't take...

Ironic? Perhaps a little too ironic?

Some of the church staff and I went to go watch Role Models at the AMC theater a couple weeks ago...

I could not enjoy it at all. Not just because I felt like I needed a shower after it...

Was it because of the constant use of foul language from the mouths of and in front of young kids?

Was it because of the sarcastically cutting comments poking fun at organizations that try to help young people in need?

Was it because of the incessant, pervasive sexual humor, content and nudity?

Was it because I had to engage in an arm rest battle for the duration of the film?

No, I say! Nay! Not for any of these reasons. I couldn't enjoy any of this movie (which by the way was seriously, ridiculously dirty) because some parental units had decided to bring their daughter to this movie and sit her down right behind me. A daughter that could not have been more than 8 years old.

They brought an 8 year old girl to a movie with more hooters than a Hogwarts mail room. A movie with more 4 letter words than a 2nd grade spelling bee. A movie with more sex than the discovery channel. A movie that's harder for a 16 year old to get into than a parralel parking spot.

Really? You two thought this would be a great family movie to sit down to together? REALLY? The freakin movie is called Role Models! ROLE MODELS!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME MOTHER IRONY!!

I checked at the theater candy counter but they were fresh out of parent of the year sashes.

Monday, December 01, 2008

gracias para pulse...

After two years of meetings, agendas, prayers, and a few stress nightmares GLORYbound (the Texas Disctrict Lutheran Youth Gathering) has come and gone. I've never worked for so long on one project so it was definitely a new experience for me. One that I doubt that I will ever repeat. Not that I regret my role, I learned a ton about myself by cochairing, I just enjoy the actual event much more than the months of planning.
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Anyway, a couple of stats and highlights.
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-Our ER (experiential room) offered several servant events and throughout the course of the weekend our students prepared 105,800 meals for starving children, stuffed and prayed over 250 teddy bears for teen moms, made over 3,000 pages of braile bibles for the blind, and sponsored mosquito nets for malaria infected parts of Africa through compassion international.
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-Our Worship music was led by the Kari Jobe band from Southlake, TX. They totally brought it. The best worship I've been a part of in a while. It was great to be able to stand in the back and let loose praise to God.
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-My former room mate Josh Widener (altarpaint.com) created a progressive original art piece that turned out just awesome. Throughout the four general sessions it went from a stone heart, to a broken heart, to a living heart, to Christ's heart.
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-At each session we had a 5 minute testimony from someone. Highlight of the sessions for me. I can't even get into it, but this morning I cried like a baby during Angie's life story.
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-Our all volunteer staff was awesome all weekend long. I can't even express how impressed I was with the 40 or so staff who have labored so long to make this happen.
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-My heart was definitely broken by God this weekend and my prayer is that the students that attended return home with even half of what I came away with myself.
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-It was weird to have students from my church in attendence but not be their primary adult leader. I missed them. But, our adults that brought them I am quite sure did an excellent job.
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Anyway...
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It's over.
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Sadglad to see it go.
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But now mayhaps a return to normalcy. Mayhaps a return to consistent blogdom.
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I'm off to vacate for a few days.

Friday, November 14, 2008

James Bond surprise ending... spoiler warning

Do not go see the new Bond flick! The first hour is great but just as
the tension begins to rise, the awesomeness will send the entire
theater into a blackout. Literally, the entire complex's electricity supply was eliminated. All power had been absorbed into this action power sponge brit.
(actual bootleg photo of the end to the new Bond movie)

Today's theaters are apparantly not equipped to handle this new level
of awesome. Save yourself the stumbling through dark aisles and
awkward stranger whispers.

The one redeeming factor of this movie is that at the end, under cool
emergency lights, they handed out free passes to go see another movie.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mobile Blogging?

Dangerous technology has once again made life more interesting. I can
now blog "on the go" by utilizing my life partner (iPhone).

Could this open up my blog to a whole new world of constant life
updates? Could this make my laptop obsolete? Is everything changing
again?

I liked the Internet better when it was called the Pony Express.

When blogs were called diaries.

When blue tooth was something pirates would get if they were at sea
too long.

When blackberry was a fruit and so were apples.

When Internet dating was a method of setting a snare trap up for a
would be bride. Waiting patiently up on a tree limb for a female to
wander by and then casting a net over her and dragging her home.

When microwaves were called fire.

When calling someone involved yelling out the back door at the top of
your lungs.

When a laptop was a loin cloth.

Those were the days.

Now I can blog from anywhere within phone reception. Insane.

For my first mobile blog I have chosen to use my office, sitting in
front of my computer. What a stupid obsolete machine.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

young america...

Is it encouraging or discouraging that so much of young america turned out to vote?

part of me wants to be hopeful that if a presidential candidate can motivate america's next generation to get off their butt, volunteer, campaign, and vote then maybe he can inspire them to get off their butt and work for truth and justice.

but the cynical side of me wants to say that young america is doing what they've been trending towards for a while- the least they can do, that our "hired help culture" has extended all the way to the presidency.

"the house is dirty, who can we hire to clean it?"

"the car needs the oil changed, who can we hire to fix it?"

"I am hungry, who can we hire to feed me?"

"the lawn is long, who can we hire to mow it?"

(in my backyard) "the teenagers are not connecting with Jesus, who can we hire to lead them?"

"the country is unhappy, who can we hire for hope?"

well Mr. Obama, now it's your job. do it for us. the me-centered, instant gratification, consumer culture of young america has done all they probably will do, vote.

Monday, October 20, 2008

I think I'm a clone now...

Adam Griffin is by no means an uncommon name. In several ways I have run across myself in different places.

Sometimes I have to deal with some cases of mistaken identity and end up having to deal with crap that actually belongs to some other, less awesome, Adam Griffin.

For instance, when i check in at the office at our local high schools so that I can hang out on campus, they scan my driver's license.

Well, somewhere far away there is another, more sinister looking, facial haired Adam Griffin who is on their "do not let in" list. Every time I want to get on to a school campus, his picture pops up on a computer and some very sweet lady has to check and make sure I'm not him.

Or in another, more common mistake, I get a lot of emails intended for other Adam Griffins. Because I got in ground floor and wrapped up adamgriffin@gmail.com I tend to get various emails from others with slight variations in spelling (usually middle initials) or punctuation.

In the past I have received movie scripts, actor's reels, party invitations for Hollywood Adam Griffin who is a talent agent.

I have gotten invitations to ministry dinners for Fellowship Dallas Men's Ministry Adam Griffin.

I have gotten heart felt letters from Dad, intended for loving family Adam Griffin.

And now a new one to add to the list.

Hot, sought after, middle school, email dater Adam Griffin.

Here is an email I received a couple weeks ago with names deleted.

hey adam i was wondering if you wanted to go out with my friend in 6th grade? well if you say yes then tommorow meet me at bus 10. pls. hey if i was you then i would say yes. she is really pretty. she is kind of tall but she really likes you so pls say yes. it might be someone you know. well peace out my homie.

After I didn't reply, I got this one...

im srry but that was just a rumor that i liked u! so i dont care if you like me or not because i dont like you. so cya. oh and im running for president. so i wish u were older so you could vote 4 me

Total flashbacks to middle school romance. We were so much more mature back then.

Anyway, I thought it was hilarious.

Sorry other Adam. Hope you didn't miss out on meeting your soul mate at bus 10.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

national youth workers convention...

Got back from the NYWC this weekend in Sacramento. Such a good time... here are some of the highlights.

Pre-Convention outing...
+ We flew into San Jose airport a day before the conference and took our rental car up to San Francisco for the afternoon
+The Blue Angels were in town and busily buzzing the bay and the golden gate bridge
+San Fran Bay is gorgeous and the cities crowded architecture is excellent
+I chronicalled much of our journey with iPhone photos that I uploaded to Facebook so check them out there, if you're my friend

Snippy Convention Review Observations
+I miss Mike Yaconelli
+Normally we get a decent to sweet back pack or satchel at the convention, this years stiff, hemp like purse left me unimpressed
+The normal slew of giveaways normally greeting you from your seat were disapointingly absent
+I wish they would offer more seminars on issues that deal with working with individual student, ie. counseling, mentoring and less on programs
+Chris Tomlin and David Crowder were severely missed
+The magicians were lackluster
+The general session speakers were the best and most divers I've seen
+Taking our team was great but kept me from meeting new people and catching up with some old ones

General Session Observations...

General Session One: Bishop Sherwood
+Taught on how the Spirit leads Christ into the wilderness, not Satan, and how we should be open to the Spirit leading similarly so, into the wilderness
+It was a moving, engaging experience and was spot on for opening night

General Session Two: Jarrett Stevens, Andrew Marin, Shane Claiborne
+A new format gamble that I thought really worked out. Each speaker spoke for 18 minutes and you could text them questions during that time. Then we processed the talk with the people around us. With the remaining time the speaker answered some of the texted questions. It was great.
+The speakers didn't get to talk as long as you would of liked but they each had compelling topics
+Jarrett spoke on his recent shutting down of a "successful" ministry in order to follow the leading of God and how we easily get confused between the ends and means of ministry. We should all have the same end, but different means. We have a tendency to make the means our end.
+Andrew Marin sparked controversy as he discussed his ministry that builds bridges between the gay and lesbian community and the Christian church.
+Shane talked about Jesus and being more like him, like he does so well. Giving away everything we have. Also, reassured us that if America goes away, God does not. It was cool.

General Session Three: Phyllis Tickle
+The 75 year old Grandma got up and sandblasted us with "new rose" theology of the great emergence where all the distinguishable, denominational lines will be blurred in this next reformation that she believes happens every 500 years. (She was probably alive at the last one)
+Interesting. I don't buy it all and I think a lot of it is dangerous. But challenging none the less

Genveral Session Four: Mike Pilavachi
+What can you say? it was hilarious, insightful, and his british accent makes him sound much more intelligent than reality, and he's apparently pretty bright
+He talked about discipleship which I loved. Particularly he discussed how in the feeding of the 5000 Christ did the miracle using the hands of his disciples. Neat principle
+I rode the elevator back up with him in the hotel afterward. And of course made a nearly embarrassingly rude and sarcastic comment about how much I hated his talk.

General Session Five: Mark Yaconelli
+My favorite: Taught me a lot about prayer.
+Quote "For a long time I did youth work without God. It was easier that way."
+The ending was awesome! Involved him dancing in a 70's outfit to disco boogie music. Inexplicable
+I'm not gonna lie, I cried. Mainly, I think, because I absolutely loved his father. Completely my hero. And Mark's talk was very Mike.

General Session Six: Tony Campolo
+Politically unabashed. Refreshingly committed to Christ even in the face of an economic crisis. Very challenging in revealing idolatry.
+I took from it an understanding that America's faith is that America will be ok, and we will make it through and what it should be was faith that if America isn't here tomorrow that does not change Christ, who he is, or that he loves us.
+I don't normally resonate that much with Tony, but I totally did this time

General Session Seven: MarkO
+Sorry Mark... we had a plane to catch. You did a great job setting up a successful conference though and I thought Jeanie did a great job MC-ing as well.

I missed YS convention last year, really missed it.

I have a lot of junk, ideas, directions, discontentment floating around in my head right now and I need to get some of it written down. This helps a little. But I really have a lot to process.

Hopefully you aren't still reading this dribble. This sucker is long and assuredly boring if you weren't there and probably even if you were.

Love you! Much to blog... blogging again soon.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

midhigh retreat goofiness...

Some of my mid school students teaching me how to use the webcam on my new laptop.

Total goofiness...

Fun games to play while watching...

1. how many times does abby "fall" off her chair

2. how many times are noses picked or ears wet willied

3. how many different hands touch my face/head

4. how long does it take for me to completely de-evolve into a 12 year old boy...

video

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Passage Bible: Month One

For over a year now I have been discipling 3 men. They are now all sophomores in college. We have been on a lot of adventures together and dealt with a lot of our junk individually.

Leading them in being more like Christ has been one of my greatest joys. I truly do love them all and I can't wait to see what God has in store for them.

I wanted to share with you our latest and definitely grandest undertaking.

The Passage Bible.

I got each of them a bible as a gift. (and one for me)

But not just any bible, a special bible.

ESV makes these really awesome journal bibles that have two columns of scripture and one column of journal space on each page. So this bible is ideal for writing thoughts, interpretations, journal entries, etc.

I got each of my boys one of these bibles.

But not just any journal bible.

This one we are reading through together in a year. Each night we individually read 2 or so chapters in the Old Testament, 1 or so Psalms and 1 or so chapters in the New Testament. At the end of the year we will have read the OT once, and the NT and Psalms twice.

But these aren't just any journal bibles we are reading through in a year.

At the end of the year our plan is to invite 4 new men into our Passage Bible passing. At the end of this year we will hand off the bibles to 4 new guys that will commit to reading our passage bible in that next year, journaling and wrestling their way through it, seeing and commenting on our thoughts. Those four guys will also be asked to make the commitment to pass on the bible when they are done.

I am trying to teach them that what they learn, discern or receive should not and does not terminate on them.

For me, personally, this has so far been a great experience. One, for the accountability and motivation to journey through the text every night but also marking up a bible in order to one day not too far off, hand it off to another guy and being able to say, I have read, journaled and prayed through this every night for a year with you in mind to read it next, and then to invite him to join me on the same journey. That is the aspect of discipleship that gets me pumped.

It's also been a great joy for me to write in my bible for someone else. Not for me. It's new.

Imagine if we can get all these guys to re-up and do it again next year. Two years from now we could be passing on 8 bibles. In three years 16. In four, 32 men could be exploring God together with a man-fishing mindset.

Sure that is idealistic and I'm sure dudes will be dudes, but still.

What if?

What if just one of our bibles keeps getting passed?

What if?

We are one month in and, God willing, we have a long, long way to go...




Thursday, September 11, 2008

please....

...somebody tell me what to do...

Saturday, August 30, 2008

for your fyi....

The new September/October issue of YouthWorker Journal is out.

I was honored enough to get an article published about guys in student ministry and the complications of them working with girls. It was really an article asking churches to consider gender needs when making youth ministry staff additions, particularly in multi-staff situations.

Pick it up... let me know what you think.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

once broken, twice shy...

Having your drivers side window smashed in and some of your personal items stolen leaves you a little paranoid every time you want to leave your car by itself.

It's like after you get pulled over, for a while you're constantly checking your mirrors.

Or if your dog isn't quite house trained yet and you worry that every time you get home it will be just in time to clean up the next puddle or pile.

Or like when your girlfriend has cheated on you with your best friend while you were out of town but you stay with her. Then she cheats on you with a close acquaintance but you give her another chance. But every time you leave her alone she cheats on you with anybody she can get her hands on. But you stay with her because she has HBO and a sweet collection of original star wars memorabilia in mint condition and still in the packaging. That is until you can't take the constant paranoia of who she is cheating on you with now and the checker at the grocery store winks at her knowingly and you are left with no choice but to grow a mustache that curls at both ends and run out and tie her to the railroad tracks.

Leaving your car alone after a break-in is kind of like that.

Although sometimes your paranoia is warranted.

I had a delicious speaking gig the other night.

Very prestigious.

It was at the a very fancy Hilton hotel.

It was our annual girls night and I was invited to speak about "What boys need"

It was a great time, and I think it went pretty well.

That is until I went to leave the hotel.

I walked out to the parking lot only to NOT be able to find my car where I had parked it.

I clicked my key chain buttons but no reassuring honks could be heard.

The parking lot was not that full so I knew I could not have misplaced it. I parked it under a light just for this reason! (It's a little known fact that car thieves are afraid of lights, and hand puppets btw)

I walked calmly back to the hotel consoled by the fact that if I was stranded at least it was at a girls night at a nice hotel and would probably make a good story in the morning.

As I walked I mentally and emotionally came to grips with the fact that my car had either been stolen or had begun to dislike me so much that it ran off with some little European convertible.

On my stroll to the lobby I noticed a sign in the parking lot. ALL UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLES WILL BE TOWED.

You know you are having a bad night when the thought that your car was towed is good news.

So I calmly addressed the concierge. "I've been here less than an hour and my car is gone. Did you have it towed or something?"

Slightly blank and confused stare...

"My car is missing, a silver Nissan Xterra." I repeated with slightly more emphasis.

"Oh I'm so sorry," he replied, "this happens here with some regularity." Which is almost verbatim the words the police officer used to "console" while we stood in the shattered glass from my car just a few days ago. My heart actually sank a little.

But my heart should have waited for him to finish his sentence.

He went on, "We have two identical parking lots and I'm confident if you check the other one you will find your vehicle."

"Oh yeah!" I said, "I should have mentioned I'm a moron. Good night!"

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

if you're a good neighbor, why aren't you here...

People are always asking me... "Adam, how did you get to be so incredibly hard core and tough."

I'm always telling people "I'm too legitimate to quit-imate, a straight up thuggin' suburban cowboy." But I say it under my breath through my teeth so that when they lean in to hear it I surprise attack them with an ultimate punch* to the eyes. (the eyes are the groin of the face)

Sometimes being involved in the shadowy side of life has it's perks. Like street cred at the local Starbucks (free venti upgrades on waters), intimidating the local cougar community at the grocery store, and of course being naturally good and Rhythmic Auditory Phraseology (RAP to the layman)

Sometimes it has its downside though too.

Today my car got broken into. For real. They took my GPS my iPod and my wallet.

The alarm didn't go off even though they smashed my window. The police came and stayed for all of 5 minutes. The insurance company I pay a Benjamin a month can't help me out.

So I conducted my own investigation. After fingerprinting, taking DNA samples and doing a thorough body fluid check on the inside of the vehicle using the black light from my forensic kit: I reconstructed the shattered window using elmer's glue and a picture of what the window should like I found in the xterrra manual.

Then using my tv detective knowledge I thought, "Hmm, who would want my credit cards, my license, an iPod of music I like, and a GPS that already has my address programmed in as HOME." This most logical of approaches that I've learned from hours of watching Columbo made ME the primary suspect. My fingerprints and tiny head hairs were all over the interior of the vehicle too!

Needless to say I dropped the investigation at that point. I'm probably going to lay low for a while until the heat blows over.

It's just plastic thought. Nothing irreplaceable was taken so it is all good.

I do need to get a new window for my hoopdy, though.

I'm also trying to think if there is anyway I can kill a couple birds with a minimum amount of stones as I replace my suburban living requirements. Could it be possible that there is an apparatus out there that can function as both an iPod and a GPS? That would be awesome! Someone should definitely invent that. That is so impossible though. It would be like bacon, sausage and pork chops all coming from the same magical animal. Keep dreaming I guess...

*The Ultimate Punch requires simultaneously punching with both fists and one leg creating a three pronged unstoppable attach as demonstrated by Andy Sandberg in the oscar award winning drama Hot Rod.

Monday, August 18, 2008

I'm in a glass case of emotion...

I sit in the library.

In the library I sit.

Inside my own little private library glass box.

A room with four chairs and a table. Walls of glass and a window to the outside.

Outside my glass fortress of solitude are many library patrons going about their literary quests and public internet searches.

As I sit inside my glass walled office up runs a little boy.

He is probably about 8 years old.

He runs up and slams into the glass.

He is shaken but not stirred. He puts his hands and nose on the glass and he looks me dead in the eye with a shy smile.

His smile slowly turns to fear. As he looks around the inside of my transparent prison.

I couldn't figure out his panic look. He looked from wall to wall then back at me and he was very clearly disturbed.

Then he saw the door into the room. And I could read his lips say "OH!" as he smiled at me and ran off again.

Apparently he thought I was some kind of library zoo exhibit or just a human trapped in a glass bubble. Luckily he was here to run to my rescue.

Friday, August 15, 2008

this just in...

Because of his utter Olympic dominance, Michael Phelps will now be taking over all the duties for the American Olympic team including but not limited to: 100 meter dash, pole vault, wrestling, and women's badminton. He will also be replacing Misty May, Kobe Bryant and the entire women's softball team.

With all these gold medals in the bag and assurance of being one of the most decorated athletes of all time he is guaranteed to be traded from the US aquatic team to the NY Jets freeing up Brett Favre to follow his dream of synchronised swimming dominance.

In the wake of Michael's gold medal sweep and a Superbowl victory we will have an epic Olympic scandal. Of course the world will find out that the female Chinese gymnasts were actually 7 years old. This scandal will only be over-shadowed by the breaking news that when he was 15 years old Phelps received a torso implant giving him an obviously unfair advantage.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

there's no way of knowing, which direction we are going...

Everything should be getting about back to abnormal.
Back from the last trip, vacation, and staff retreat.

Now to be taken to task...
Blogs to come, perhaps a semi-regular format change. Perhaps not.
Anyway, time to dive again into the waters of suburban student ministry.

Monday, July 21, 2008

A Dark Knight's Tale...

I know I've not blogged lately. Between trips to and fro, prepping for fall, 2 new guys moving into the house (welcome Gary and John), and my daily unicycle lessons I've been fairly busy. Honestly I've been thinking about retiring so that I could get released and maybe get a job at a rival church after Lamb of God retires my number. I'm just nervous about my legacy.

Anyway I have a lot too blog about but for now, fairly short and sweet.

Saw Batman and I kid you not, it was one my favorite movies ever. The plot is so thick you'll need a steak knife and some back up teeth just to make it through.

I declare this move the best Christian Bale movie since Newsies!

When people first told me how awesome Heath Ledger is in the movie I assumed it was due to some "timely death over-ration" much like Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and snuffleupagus have received.

But I was wrong. Very wrong. He - was - awesome... I'm talking strong BATMAN POW! awesome. I couldn't even come close to naming 10 things I hated about his performance. He was no Adam West, but he was greatness.

Not to mention the brilliant job the writers did on making the entire movie encounter moral dilemma, after moral dilemma.

Needless to say, I also deeply resonated with a man who's upstanding reputation and actions affect whether or not his convictions and beliefs merit any credence.

Anyway... I recommend it (not for kids) but I definitely recommend it.

Make sure you wait to the credits. At the end WALL-E rolls out and asks Bruce Wayne to join the Justice League.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

navajo kickball...

We are back. Have been for several days.

Haven't had time to shave yet, let alone get a good nights sleep or even blog...

Tons happening right now though... too much to blog about currently...

1. We had a great trip I'll post about later
2. Also... one of my 14 year old boys has a growth in his abdomen that may or may not be cancer or possibly crohn's disease. Please pray for him.

I'll leave you with this little tidbit of a story from our mission to the navajo reservation.

I was playing kickball with some of the neighborhood kids. Many of them junior gang members and a pretty tough crowd, but who doesn't like kickball right?

Well my team was up to kick.

The young lady pitching sends the over sized rubber ball hurdling towards us. The pitch rolls towards the boy kicking for our squadron when it suddenly takes a mean, bouncy, left turn and rolls way outside the batters box.

He angrily picks it up and sends it sailing back toward the pitcher.

I offer some small calming sentiment saying, "It's ok man, that's just a wild pitch."

He looks at me... eyes as wide as saucers... then he looks at the pitcher...

"Did you hear what he just called you?"

Friday, June 20, 2008

I will be in Window Rock Arizona until the 28th.
First Mission Trip of the year! Prayers appreciated!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

the dangers of suburban biking...

I am quite sure that I have no right to complain.

I'm sure that back when cave men were riding their ten speed huffys through the prehistoric jungles and caves they had to avoid TRex, pterodactyls, and saber tooth tigers.

I'm sure in the old west, cowboys who were wrangling their herds while riding their schwinns were desperately avoiding apache ambushes, raging bulls, and lashing rattlers.

I may not have to encounter the same level of imminent danger that those who trekked before me have endured, but my suburban bike ride yesterday was not without it's own perils.

There was...
  • The Stray Tennis Ball Projectile- as I passed the tennis courts at the park I had to dodge speeding tennis balls that were launched over the court fences. I felt slightly like a contender avoiding Helga's assaulting ball launcher.
  • The Fearless Ducks- For the average pedestrian, dog walker, or baby stroller jogger (who for some reason crack me up) these ducks will always grant the right of way. But not yesterday, not for me. As I cruised through the park down MY sidewalk, a whole flock of ducks just sat there and stared at me. Blank, annoying, Aflac advertising stares. I weaved in, out and around their feathered butts preserving their poultry lives and risking my own. I cussed in an unintelligible Donald Duck/Christmas Story sentence of absolute frustration.
  • The Hard of Hearing Grandma- It is always awkward when I'm cruising at 60mph down the side walk and I quickly approach a walker from behind. I don't want to yell. I don't want to hit the grass to get around them and risk heading over my handle bars. I try to shift gears so they just hear me coming and move aside. Unfortunately, yesterday, this geriatric meandering gray haired grandma sauntered out in front of me while I was at full speed. I tried saying "Excuse me." I said it louder. I quickly said it louder still. She continued ignoring me walking down the narrow path. I changed my tone to a warning "Watch out!" and still she heard me not. I had to slam my brakes, and awkwardly hop off the bike, narrowly missing her elderly derrière. As I slammed into the fence next to her. Finally she noticed me. "Oh my!" she uttered in a way only grandmas can. I went out and bought her some spy-gear rear view sunglasses so hopefully now we can avoid future incidents.
  • The Hand Holding Red Rover Couple- Similar experience to Grandma, but these couples take up the whole path by holding hands and then wait to the last possible second to let go of each other to let me pass. Every time it happens I prepare to have to make a split second decision about which one I will slam into if they don't let go in time. It's not very Darwinian. I usually just go with who looks more annoying from behind.
  • The Mystery Voice- This one just kind of freaked me out to the point where I almost fell over. As I passed a guy walking the opposite direction I gave my customary head nod and hello. This large muscle bound, African American, mustached man replied with the highest pitched "Hey!" I've ever heard nearly sending me careening over the curb and into the street out of sheer shock.
  • Other dangers that make the honorable mention list- the leash less dog (I will kick you one day rover so beware), the stray black cat running out in front of me, the teenage couple who think no one can smell the pot they are smoking, the teenage couple making out in their car who apparently think their windows are more tinted than they actually are, and of course the family of four walking toward me around the blind corner who get to see me in full sweaty panic face mode.
In summary- yeah it's pretty hard and dangerous riding bikes in the suburbs. I'll probably start carrying a machete when I ride. Or a Rhodesian fighting stick (very deadly).

Monday, June 16, 2008

why the packers will go undefeated in 2008...

I'm so ready for the NFL to start back up again. Under my Pj's I've been wearing my shoulder pads and a cup just to gear up for the upcoming season.

AND, I'm glad to announce that the Green Bay Packers will not lose a game in '08.

For one simple reason...

All the drama has been surrounding the fact that Favre has retired and Rodgers will be taking over as the QB.

Rest at ease packer nation.

Rodgers will be the greatest quarterback of all time.

How do I know this?

Because ARodg is a Young Life leader back in his home town of Chico CA.

He reminds me a lot of me. Except for the fact that he is a world class athlete and I can pull a muscle trying to get out of bed in the morning.

Knowing that the Packers newly crowned heir to the thrown is a bible believing Christian who has dedicated his life to reaching kids for Christ who would never darken the door of a church is great news for the pack.

If God is now on our team, who can defeat us?

We know that the Cowboys are America's team. They represent materialism and self centeredness.

We know that the Vikings are Satan's team. Cause they're evil... They are kind of scary cause they sold their soul to the devil to get Adrian and Allen.

We know the Bears are nothing to worry about because they are cursed with Uncle Rico's disease. Always searching for a time machine to get back to the 80's when they were shuffling to hot tubs with their soul mate's.

But the Lions? Could they challenge us to be God's team?

Sure Detroit's Kitna is a famous FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) advocate but if FCA and Young Life were members of the animal kingdom, FCA would be a Koala Bear and YL would be a Hip-Hoppopotamus. They are both awesome animals that have a reputation for being cute but are in actuality feisty beasts. But everyone knows if there was ever a battle royal that the Koala would get eaten for breakfast.

Therefore, I predict a 16-0 season for Green Bay!

For serious, I think it is awesome that Aaron is a supporter for YL. His annual fund raising golf tournament even raises money for the organization. I really do wish him really, really well and I have faith that he absolutely can be great.

Mad props ARodg, for being a Packer and a YL leader. Two things that I hold in very high regard.

Here's a recent quote from Rodgers...

"I love what I do, but football doesn't make up who I am," he said. "I'm more than just a football player. That and my faith in Christ, I think kind of grounds me, makes me realize there's more than just this game.

"If I get wrapped up in it, the highs and lows, the pressures, the failures, the successes, I'll probably make myself go crazy."

Sunday, June 08, 2008

on wisconsin...

A week or so ago I took a trip to Wisconsin for my buddy Matt and Amy's wedding. A couple of the highlights included...
  • chilling with old college buddies (BREVO) at the reception
  • feeling dwarfed next to Aaron Kampman in the airport
  • an alma mater tour
  • although I think it was consensual... trying to get the lake Michigan sea gulls to stop "making sweet bird love" on the hood of my rental car while I sat in a parking lot...
  • being in the same hotel as the national female roller derby convention
  • lunch with sister dearest
  • running into random blasts from the pasts and even a few cousins
  • and movie night... about which i have some thoughts
My friend Nancy was nice enough to accompany me to the wedding and to a pre-ceremony movie night.

We went to see Ironman at Marcus Cinema in Mequon. (I don't care what you say, I like that movie)

As we walked into the theater we were greeted by a smiling man in a business casual polo who approached us rather awkwardly. I thought at first that he wanted to solicit some movie promotion.

"North Point bank would like to buy your movie tickets tonight." He said as he handed us two free movie passes. I was in shock. I really didn't know what to say. Or even if I could really take the offer seriously. But when I got the counter they took our passes and we walked around to enter the theater.

As we got to the ticket tearer (underrated career choice by the way) another similarly dressed gentleman approached us.

"North Point bank would like to buy you popcorn." At this point it was just too good to be true. What a brilliant advertising ploy.

So once we got our popcorn we headed to our theater only to meet one more bank employee. This time a rather gorgeous, young, blond, polo-ed vixen.

"North Point bank would like me to make out with you in the back row." Could this night get any better!? I submit that it could not!

Ok... I made that last one up.

But I wish you could have been there. Not just cause the movie and popcorn was comped, but because every single person in that theater was ecstatically, deliriously, psychotically happy.

Strangers were high fiving, smiling ear to ear, making conversations and snacking on free buttery snacks while they accompanied each other into theaters full of mirthy movie goers. I've never seen so many middle aged people with child like joy.

Unexpected benefits. Not cause we earned them. Not cause we filled out a survey. Not even cause we were residents. Just given freely.

So grace. (with a little bit of solid, well done advertising) But still, so grace. And such a grace response from the people in the theater.

Awesomeness.

It made me wish my church could afford (in some ways more than just financially) to do something like that in our materialistic suburb of complacency and comfort.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

oompa loompa doompadee doom...

I had a dream...

One of my strangest ever...

Keep in mind, a man can not be held responsible for what he dreams about...

I had a dream...

I had a dream that the back of my closet had a door in it. A secret door.

Inside that door was another door.

Inside that door was Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory.

The room where the chubby kid falls in the chocolate river and everything was edible.

The room was full of oompa loompas hard at work.

In my dream... again... where I can't be held responsible...

I wielded a sniper rifle and slowly picked off oompa loopas from my closet door vantage point.

I'm pretty sure there is a similar scenario in a deleted scene in the original.

Monday, June 02, 2008

I was not prepared...

Tonight I had the honor of being on an Eagle Scout court for one of my students. I got to play a part in a tremendous rite of passage event.

Unfortunately and fortunately I had to spend a couple hours with a super district master grand poobah of boy scouts.

Over the years of doing youth work some community positions have been unwittingly villainized by me at times. Coaches, band directors, parents, and scout masters are among them. I've had too many battles for a student's priorities with these type people who each believes that their own agenda should be the most important one to the student.

And what makes me any different? (I hope a lot but maybe not)

Anyway it made me think of a couple things.

For one thing, it made me reflect on what I learned during the couple of years that I lasted as a boy scout.

Some of my reminiscence...
  1. The time I punched a fellow troop member right in the face... We were setting up a tent and he was really ticking me off by not helping and laughing at me do it all by myself. So I jacked him in his eye. He ran off crying. Lesson learned: When one punch sends an older kid away crying there is a very satisfying feeling that accompanies the action.
  2. The time someone left a trail of Nacho cheese Doritos into my tent... While I slept my "friends" covered me in Doritos and laughed hysterically when I woke up in the middle of the night with a raccoon on top of me. Lesson learned: Sometimes things are only funny when they happen to other people.
  3. The time our troop united to avenge our honor... A boy scout named Damien (parents were asking for trouble) from another troop stole one of our guys wallets. So, under the guidance and encouragement of our troop leader, we snuck into his tent and completely destroyed his stuff. Lesson learned: Adults aren't perfect, and they sometimes don't know any better than I do.
  4. The time I made my fingers bleed all over the place... My "friends" and I took a widdling merit badge class and in the process sliced open our fingers over and over again for an entire weekend. Lesson learned: Knives are to be played with only if you have a good supply of band aids or you already have a first aid merit badge.
  5. The time my "friends" threw a bullet into the fire right in front of me without telling me... They had stolen some 22 shells from the firing range, and without letting me know, they through it into the fire and then ran for cover leaving me there wondering what was going on until the fire in front of me exploded with a loud gun shot bang. Lesson learned: when everyone else runs, you should run too.
  6. The time my camp stove cooking partner pressed a flaming hot metal spatula against my cheek... We were making pancakes out in the woods and this idiot asked me if the spatula was hot and proceeded to hold it against my cheek leaving me a nice spatula brand that thankfully wasn't permanent. I should have/would have punched him, but I didn't have to. The Scout leader ran over and pushed him so hard the kid fell over backwards, smacked his head on a rock next to the fire. He cracked the rock in half and bloodied the back of his head. Lesson learned: um...
Basically in my troop we told dirty jokes, played with fire, knives, guns, bows and arrows, and really fostered any already pre-existing delinquent tendencies. That really sums it up.

Here's the thing.

I do not believe that my experience with scouting accurately reflects the philosophy of BSA.

Sure they are reputed for having pedophilic leaders and the geekiest dorks as the most committed members, but I don't believe that to be the overarching reality and not even a little bit true of the great majority.

Just because the men and boys that I knew came with the label of "boy scouts" does not mean that they portrayed the ideal of their claimed ethos.

It made me wonder how many people have had a similar experience with followers of Christ. How many people have rejected or turned away from Christ because all they knew of him was what absolute screw ups and delinquents his acclaimed followers can be? How has his name been tarnished by self proclaimed Christians who live only for themselves.

Friday, May 30, 2008

I want to ride my bicycle... you're not going to like me when I'm angry...

Today I purchased a brand new bicycle.

I know what you're wondering - No I didn't get the spandex shorts with the added butt pad, but I am going to start pinning a little piece of paper with a number on it to the front of my shirts and do everything I can to speed past walkers and steal dixie cup beverages out of their hands.

Monday will mark the beginning of me biking to work. We'll see how it goes.

Yes, I'm getting greener, leaner, cleaner, and cheaper.

I know what you are thinking- "Adam, what are you going to do with all the excess millions of dollars you would have spent on gas?" Well I'll tell you I don't know right now but I'd like to think I'll give some to church, some to whatever african country's charity is trendy that week, and the majority of it I will spend on little debbie snacks to make up for the thousands of pounds I will lose by biking everywhere.

I know what you are thinking- "Adam, are you becoming some kind of mega- uber- super- hippie, liberal, environmentalist, green, granola guy who only where's clothes made at organic hemp farms?" Well I promise you that whenever possible I will run over wild life with my bike to help maintain a bipartisan bicycling experience. I will also start hunting the local beaver population so that I can keep the "right to bare arms" crowd happy while simultaneously saving an untold number of lovely trees from vicious beaver attacks to keep the "make sure there will be some habitats left" people happy.

I know what you are wondering- "Adam, what are you going to do with your soon to be certainly lean and mean biking muscles and well chiseled buttocks?" Well I'll tell you. I will put out the vibe and all females will be sucked in like a tractor beam, like the migrating salmon of capistrano.

Although, there is a big problem with buying any new thing. Now I have to accesorize.

I need to get...
  • a basket and matching handle bar tassels
  • a horn with the honking ball
  • a helmet that looks like hair
  • an mp3 of the wicked witch song from the Wizard of Oz

Thursday, May 29, 2008

brilliant... and good information to know...

25

This short survey will tell you approximately how many five year old children you could fight at once. Results are based on physical prowess, training, swarm-combatting experience, and the flexibility of your moral compass. Here are the ground rules:

  • You are in an enclosed area roughly the size of a basketball court
  • There are no weapons or foreign objects
  • Everyone is wearing a cup (so no kicks to the groin)
  • The children are merciless and will show no fear
  • If a child is knocked unconscious, he is "out." The same goes for you.

Monday, May 26, 2008

poop d-o-double-g...

We have now lived in our house for a month. In that month my dog Charlie has not chewed up anything, escaped, killed any woodland creatures, or defecated inside the home. He has had a clean criminal record and has been completely without incident. That is until today.

Charlie is a very, very smart dog. It's part of his charm. He can escape anything he wants to. He learns tricks easily. He's usually very obedient.

One of the ways he demonstrates his canine intelligence is in his bathroom habits. For as long as I have had Charlie he has always had very uncommonly polite pooping habits. He always poops as far away from activity areas as possible. Here at the house that means in the back, back corner of the yard by the fence is his dumping ground.

When we take a long walk he does the same thing. Say we walk for 5 miles, when hit 2.5 and turn around to head home, that's when he jumps off the path to leave a turd marker.

Well today he was left in the house all day as Troy was at work and I was returning from a quick vaca to Wisconsin (which is worthy of it's own post to be posted later) to find that Charlie had once again practiced his tradition of poopy placement.

He pooped as far away from his activity area as possible. It just so happens that when he is locked inside the house apparently the farthest place from his and my room is in a corner in Troy's upstairs bedroom.

That is where he left a pile of earth's most rank, disgusting brown excrement ever conceived by canine kind.

The "Days without incident" board just went from 31 back to 0...

Could have been worse though, he could have taken the dump in my room. Good boy!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Into the wild...

I don't know how I will ever be able to tell the whole story of what it was like to be homeless. To have an office and a car but no "home."

It was excellent.

Liberating.

A once in a lifetime experience.

I didn't miss tv. I didn't miss my bed (I actually slept better). I did miss Charlie. It didn't take long before I started talking to myself (I know it's freaky but it's very natural when you're homeless) I prayed more. I read more. I got to know my city better. I began to recognize the other homeless in town and see them around. I did laundry at the laundromat (so much faster than doing it at home)

For a month I rotated between my office, sleeping in my car for a while, sleeping in a vacant office a buddy of mine had for a while, and during my days when I wasn't working I spent my time in a library.

It was simple. And simply beautiful. I'll never be able to tell all the lessons I learned. But for a month or two I was free and comfortable like never before.

Now I'm in my new house. Back to consumer culture. Back to bills.

I included some pictures of my travels and a video of my new place.

If you ever have the chance to be homeless (not for real, but maybe) I highly recommend it.


Here's the Library I spent my days in... here's my sunset before I head to the park before the gate closes and set up my car tent (pictured below)

Here's my makeshift home/closet

Here's my vacant office home. So simple. So private.

The Laundromat
The new pad... the first floor at least...

Monday, May 12, 2008

night swimming...

My head is swimming with possibilities. Ones that I have trouble articulating in written or verbal forms.

I have entered a period in my life of unrivaled clarity of professional vocation and parallel desires personally.

I have slowed.

I feel like Harold Crick must have felt when he stopped counting brush strokes.

I think it can be traced to one thing and one thing only.

I have prayed in more consistency and fervor and sincerity than I have in recent memory.

Sincere prayers with palpable answers.

The more I pray, however, the more I am frustrated with how much I don't pray.

I need prayer.

I also have a running list of blog stories that I have not had the time or energy to write up yet.

Hopefully I will post some soon.

Friday, April 25, 2008

in the house...

We finally have internet and tv at the casa, but we are heading into two of the busiest weeks of my year. I'll be out of commission a lot before things can get back to normal in blog world and in real world.

I've got three retreats, a conference, a fundraiser, sharing the faith night with my 8th graders, confirmation, and I'm preaching big church all in the next two weeks. Not to mention the NFL draft is tomorrow.

Here are a couple pics of the new pad.

We are loving it. In fact, last night we had a room mate reunion. 5 of the 6 guys Troy and I have lived with over the last 3 years came over for some ping pong, rock band, halo 3, the Office, LOST - a whole lot of fun.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Internet being installed at home on Wednesday...

Blogging soon to follow...

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

real quick...

we have no internet at the house yet (that's right, I'm in the house)

our internet it church keeps collapsing like a toddler wearing butter shoes on a frozen lake...

much to blog...

sooo soon I hope...

stand by...

Saturday, March 29, 2008

new development...

It looks like there are very few things that can stop us now. As long as there are no more surprises and everything remains on schedule, we will be home owners in just over a week!

WOO!

Thanks for all your prayers. Seriously, thanks.

Here is a pic of the place. The yard is enormous and the house isn't too shabby either... I'll get you all some interiors and maybe a little video in the next few weeks here.

Monday, March 24, 2008

I am a rock, I am an island...

This Easter was perhaps my most historic and turbulent ever. A few things that happened this weekend; I aced a midterm, flunked a final, wrote 5 papers, completed week two of homelessness, tracked my dog down after he dug a tunnel out of his yard, saved a sweet screaming puppy from a vicious Charlie attack, fed hundreds of people pancakes, and experienced several more, very momentous events that should not be public blog fodder but have left me emotionally discombobulated.

I kind of felt like the kid from Easter Island.

(I know that is a reference that two people in the world will get, but that's how I roll. For the rest of you... He was a "bit" character on the mid 90's cartoon show The Critic. The kid from Easter Island attended the United Nations Private School: Teaching Brotherhood and Tolerance to Those Who Can Afford It along with Marty, the critics son. Anyway, the kid from Easter Island had a giant stone head and he could never go to parties cause he couldn't fit through the door. Also, sittups in gym class were a struggle for him. I kind of relate to that kid today.)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

kirk to engineering...

Well the inspection will not go down in history as the best ever by any means. Our courtship with this house is not over yet though. We won't give up that easy!

Although we may have to schedule an intervention. It is possible that this house has a problem with crack. We will have to see if it can overcome the crack problem. If it is just a crack baby we will probably be ok. But if it is a full on crack dealer, we may have to walk away.

We have to schedule an appointment with an engineer. Fingers crossed. Prayers appreciated. Love this house. Want this house. But I've said that before and it hasn't worked out.

We'll see soon.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

it's a big, big house with lots and lots of rooms...

We signed another contract on another house. This one is by far my favorite so far and I really feel good about it.

Please pray that our inspection goes well. If it gets a good inspection then we are almost home free.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

funny or sad? or genius...

WICHITA, Kan. - Authorities are considering charges in the bizarre case of a woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for two years — so long that her body was stuck to the seat by the time the boyfriend finally called police.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the 35-year-old Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat. She initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.

"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."

Whipple said investigators planned to present their report Wednesday to the county attorney, who will determine whether any charges should be filed against the woman's 36-year-old boyfriend.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said. "It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself."

He told investigators he brought his girlfriend food and water, and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom.

"And her reply would be, `Maybe tomorrow,'" Whipple said. "According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom."

The boyfriend called police on Feb. 27 to report that "there was something wrong with his girlfriend," Whipple said, adding that he never explained why it took him two years to call.
Police found the clothed woman sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to her mid-thigh. She was "somewhat disoriented," and her legs looked like they had atrophied, Whipple said.
"She said that she didn't need any help, that she was OK and did not want to leave," he said.
She was reported in fair condition at a hospital in Wichita, about 150 miles southeast of Ness City. Whipple said she has refused to cooperate with medical providers or law enforcement investigators.

Authorities said they did not know if she was mentally or physically disabled.
Police have declined to release the couple's names, but the house where authorities say the incident happened is listed in public records as the residence of Kory McFarren. No one answered his home phone number.

The case has been the buzz of Ness City, said James Ellis, a neighbor.
"I don't think anybody can make any sense out of it," he said.
Ellis said he had known the woman since she was a child but that he had not seen her for at least six years.

He said she had a tough childhood after her mother died at a young age and apparently was usually kept inside the house as she grew up. At one time the woman worked for a long-term care facility, he said, but he did not know what kind of work she did there.

"It really doesn't surprise me," Ellis said. "What surprises me is somebody wasn't called in a bit earlier."

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

knock and the door will be opened...

Hey you blog reader. Pray. For real this time. Hard.

Another offer goes in.

Another house. I really like this one. A lot.

Pray... please...

thy will... my house?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

ladder later...

We lost the bidding war on the house we were trying to get.

My life feels very much like a game of chutes and ladders lately.

Yesterday's events landed me in a big pile of chute.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

it's where the heart is...

In 24 hours I will be officially homeless.

We are almost all packed and very deeply moved.

Here's what I need from YOU...

We have an offer in on another house and we should find out tomorrow (Monday) if we get it. Please shoot a prayer out for us that God's will be done in our situation and that direction is provided for us in the home buyers market.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

but I wanna watch brett fauvrah...

My whole life I have loved the Packers. I have what some would call an unhealthy, bordering on idolatrous, relationship with this franchise.
For as long as I can remember my affections have surrounded mainly their quarterback who hasn't missed a start since before I can remember.

Today... he retired.

It had to happen sometime.

Sometime was today.

I love you Brett.

Call me.

PS... Aaron Rodgers... please don't spare us all to death this season.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

truly, you have a dizzying intellect...

Went on a Young Life leadership retreat this last weekend.

It was very Young Life. Lots of games. Lots of cool peeps.

Although I'm a "Youth Guy" and people often assume that means that I love playing games, that is a severe misnomer. I USUALLY HATE GAMES... especially participating in them.

During a Saturday afternoon team competition I was signed up for the "bat race relay"

This incredibly creative and popular game involves putting your forehead on one end of a bat and spinning in circles with the other end of the bat on the ground. then running to tag the next team mate. The dizzied running and near vomitous looks on your face entertain all the onlookers.

I've done this game many times before. I'm not easily dizzied. Maybe for a second but then I straighten and run embarrassment free back to my team. In the past that is how it worked.

Not so much this time...

I spun my 11 tight circles. I stood up to sprint back to my waiting team. Instead, I sprinted at a quickly worsening angle to the left. My body gradually leaned more and more to the left until I crashed hard, strong hard, into the turf - much to the entertainment of 300 strangers.

I was so dizzy that even after I hit the ground my body wanted to continue moving to the left. I felt my head pressing into the dirt hoping to flip my vertigo-ed body heals over head not realizing that the earth's crust stood sternly opposed to that idea.

I shakily got to my feet and sprinted, still at a very V8-less angle, toward my team. But I missed.

I ran straight into the team next door. People dodged me like bowling pins. I was able to put the brakes on just before trampling a young guy in a wheel chair who looked up at me in terror as I screeched to a blushing halt on my tip toes leaning over his chair.

I learned my lesson though. The real key to winning this game is NEVER PLAYING IT AGAIN!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

ding dong the house is dead...

in some kind of divine irony two houses died this week...

one...

the house I used to live in on 2499 mysteriously burned down this week (it was vacant)

I also found out from my fireman buddy who at one time lived with us there, that a man that had lived there long before us had committed suicide in my bathroom. Which now explains why I never felt alone in the shower. And why when my mirror would steam up an invisible finger would write AVENGE ME!!

two...

the house we were all ready to move into and close on Monday, is going down the tubes. It needed $20,000 in foundation repair. So... um... nope...

back to square one on the house hunt.

The bigger problem is, I have to be out of our current house by the 10th of March.

Where will Charlie and I live until we purchase a house?

No one really knows...

Sunday, February 17, 2008

clutterd desk cluttered mind, empty desk...

Tomorrow (Monday) is already shaping up to be one the busiest days of my life.

It's all my fault.

It is too late to do anything about it now.

It's on!

Me verses you Monday!

But if I could go back in time to Thursday, I would march right into my office where I was sitting at my desk avoiding important tasks for more leisurely ones, "Monday Adam" would spin "Thursday Adam" around in his desk chair and round house kick him in the gallbladder out of revenge for all the crap that needs to get done and hasn't.

Stupid "past me"... you are such a jerk to "future me" sometimes it's almost not worth having you around.

And just wait till "Monday Adam" finds out that "Sunday Adam" wasted time blogging. He is going to be LIVID!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

what time is it...

Happy valentines week everyone!

Here's a valentimes treat for you and oh how true it is...

Sunday, February 10, 2008

pics of the new pad...