New TV

Well, we finally succumbed to popular opinion. Eliz and I broke down yesterday and got a flat panel tv. It was a long fight, but in the end, I guess there really wasn't much of a choice. Eventually it would come to pass. This is the less than fun story of how it started.

We had discussed getting a new tv ever since we had gotten married, about 2 years now

(yippee). But we were never really serious about it. Then recently, like the past two months, we decided to sell our old tv. We went through the conventional routes of Craig's list and what not, but had no luck. Then, my little sister Laura decided to move into a new and bigger place. Thus, she needed the tv. She took it off our hands, which was nice. However, we were left with a blank spot in the living room. Not something either of us were concerned about as we try not to watch too much tv anyhow. Man I know this is such a fun and exciting story for everyone out there. But,

yesterday we got a new tv and it wasn't because

we needed it, or really wanted it. No, it was because Eliz found the perfect TV table. A antique style, red tv stand. She loved it, and it was pretty cheap, so we bought it, got it home and then had to go get something to go o

n top of it. Needless to say it's not too bad, I do enjoy the newer, bigger tv. It makes Transformers look AWESOME, and the dork in me thinks it is worth it for that reason alone. But, top picture is the old one, and this is the new one, complete with awesome stand and fun

new side decorations. Why is it that when you get married nothing is ever an easy purchase. One thing always leads to another thing and then there is that damn accessory that must go with the previously purchased thing. Wow, has consumerism enveloped our lives. Too bad. We combated the new tv craze by establishing a "Reading Room" in our

house. This is a tv and stereo free room set up only for ready. It allows for peaceful times in our media infused life. It is quickly becoming one of my most favorite rooms. Even if reading turns into napping, I live it all the same. Comfortable and cozy, just the way it should be.

"Reading Room"

New Year, New You.

Yikes, a painful, almost three months since my last post. It seems time slips by during the rushed Holidays. Mine were pretty not too Shabby. I will give you the run down.

Halloween: Fine, went to Lafayette with wife's family

Thanksgiving: Took week off, ate too much, and redid my mother's bathroom

Christmas: Awkward at times, as all family gatherings tend to be, went to Dallas had a GREAT time there.

New Years: Skiing in Winter Park, Colorado. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Let me give you a quick run down on Winter Park ( and I mean quick). Skiing is great, Resort "town" kinda cool. Actual Town, not bad. Beer in the area...POOR. Public Transportation, awesome. Massages-Best I ever had! All in all a good way to ring in the new year.

Last but not least, I have decided to put my computer and my brain to the test and I edited a video for funsies. It is my first work, and I don't know if any shall follow. Have Fun!

SALUD!

This is basically a shout out "Thank You" to Colin and Liz Delaney.

Long day today, Monday, so I knew a beer was in my future. I popped the top of Samuel Adams Boston Ale and poured it into the wonderful house warming gift they got me five years ago. So, for that, I say thanks for the great mugs and I toast this beer to you two and the lovely family you have.

Clothes Make the Man

It's weird and humbling experience to see your old clothes hung up and ready to be redistributed. When you see the specific item you find yourself instantly transported back to a memory connecting that insignificant piece of cloth to a time in your life, be it bad or good it's still a part of you. Now it lays in wait, the old robe you wore on Christmas morning, those comfortable jeans that spent days breaking in, all for someone who needs them more.

I donated a large bag of my clothes to the Common Ground Community. They have a Clothing Closet where anyone can come in and take what they need with no limit. They also have a food pantry and a community meal on Weds. This only scratches the surface of their Ministry. They serve the cedar grove community and many "outdoor friends" with meals, food, and clothes. The children get homework help and everyone gets a good dose of Christian Love.

But, a few weeks ago I delivered the clothes in a large trash bag. Yesterday I took a walk around and found some of my pieces on hangers waiting for someone to get excited by prospects of new-to-them attire. I touched them, almost sad that they were no longer mine. However, even though I may never see the person who chooses my extras or see the benefits that are yielded from them, I know that feeling far out ways any inkling of longing to have my clothes back. Perhaps a new career was won with one of my old dress shirts, legs are now warm because of a pair of jeans, or a teenager has a "cool" new t-shirt to bum around in.

No matter what, the capacity of giving and love Common Ground Community has provided is, for lack of a better word, Amazing. ..."whatever you do to the least of mine, you do to me." Jesus' words from the bible. Whenever taken to heart can completely change who you are. It may just be the simple start of donating some clothes that will launch you into an all-out, full time, sell everything you have and move away type of Love. But, who knows...

(if you want to know more about the CGC or if you want to donate food and clothes, let me know and I will point you in the right direction)

Can You Come Out and Play?

It has been awhile and though nothing specifically blog worthy has come from life in the past couple of weeks a bunch of little things can come together as one good "update" blog.

Recently I was asked a questions that had not been directed to me in many years. "Can you come out and play?" Let me back date this, Eliz and I have been getting to know some of the neighborhood kids. Call it a mission, getting involved in the neighborhood, or having fun with kids, whatever, we are doing it. This involves roughly seven to ten kidos that like to drop by and say hello. One of whom, knocked on our door early Saturday morning, knowing it was just the two of us and no children of our own. Joey, the quick minded seven year old from two houses down, looked up at me Saturday morning ruffled hair and inquired if was free for some recreational time. Which came out as "can you come out and play?" I silently laughed at the query, declined, and then went to watch my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. It felt good to be instantly transported back to my younger years when request such as that were how you pleasantly asked parents permission to run the streets with their children. I think I am going to start asking my friends no matter the age if they would like to "come out and play." Because really, now we just ask if they want to Hang Out, and how boring does that sound. I say bring on the PLAY!

Secondly, this week I made pizza on the grill for the second time. This involves making the pizza dough from scratch. Which, truthfully, means the kitchen is spattered with flour, water, yeast, and quite frankly, sticky mess. But, the grill is suppose to simulate a wood oven.

Everything is cooked on the oven the crust and the toppings. It turned out ok. We have our friends Scott and Sarah over and I think they enjoyed it. It may not beat Johnny's, but the ingredients are fresh, and it looks pretty cool cooking on the grill. Oh, and I happen to have a picture for you.

It's not the worst pizza I have eaten. In fact, it's better than that major chain which makes their pizzas WAY too greasy, who shall remain nameless (Pizza Hut, yeah, it's them, you know).

I think I am going to try to carry my camera around and take more photos my week. That way my next post will be my week in photos. Hmm, I like that idea. Maybe I will actually do it. Here's a starter. A picture of my beautiful wife and HER cat doing what she (the cat) does best, get in the way.

Follow Up on "Paybacks"

So, from reading my previous post of "Paybacks" you may of heard or read about how the Coffee and Grinder went AWOL last weekend. Well, apparently, the owners of Coffee and Grinder were also willing put the story out there in the WWW. So here is a link to how it went down from their perspective. This is from a buddy of mine, Scott's, blog Called Igniting Vision. The post can be found "Coffee and Grinder Take a Holiday". Enjoy.

Man's Worst Feature

Have you ever noticed how ugly knees are. It doesn't matter to whom they belong, there still ugly. I mean you can have a big, fat dude standing next to Claudia Schiffer and the one thing in common is...ugly knees.

These Belong To Eva Longoria

These Guys will have your running for the hills.

See what I mean. Come On, I know people have "fetishes" but really, knees give me the creeps. I am not saying I wouldn't disregard someone because of the condition of their knees, but don't expect me to dabble them with whip cream and lick it off, I mean, I married, so I wouldn't do that with you anyway. Too bad there isn't a way to work out or condition your knees so they look more like a muscle or a puppy. How cool would it be to have a couple of cute puppy faces preceding you as you walk down the road instead of moving bone. When people whistle at you the knees are the first to turn. Course, it would change the old adage "my dogs are barking." We would have to come up with another term for our feet...maybe we use mules, the are another animal overworked and under appreciated. We can say "my mules sure are a baying." I think it would fit in at a NASCAR convention.

Knees Knees

Everywhere I turn

Knees Knees

You fail to make me yearn

Knees Knees

You're as ugly as sin

Knees Knees

I can't wait for winter again.

Paybacks

Last weekend I came home after a hard saturday of running sound at church, hanging with friends, and missing my wife (as she had been in South Africa for a mission trip). I arrived at the house around 11:00 pm. I saw the incredibly awful movie District Nine, save yourself the time and money and skip it.

As I opened the door, only about two feet, a felt a catch as if there was something blocking the door. I looked down to see our comfy, yellow couch in the way...This was odd and my first thought was "Oh crap, someone broke in." Needless to say I was part right. I looked around and found my entire living room had been moved and rearranged. Immediately my mind took me to the guilty culprits. Each attempt to contact them ended with a seemingly innocent voicemail or an unanswered texts. I laughed, then plotted my revenge.

Today that revenge was enacted! The two perpetrators, dear

friends of mine, know not of this blog, and as no one really reads it anyway, I feel this little bread crumb or physical evidence shall not betray me. But, these friends of mine are quite the coffee connoisseurs. So, using means of my own, I gained entry into their home and temporarily "removed" their coffee grinder and maker. The idea is for them to come home, from camping ( a four day adventure) to no means of making an eye opening beverage. However, this was only step one.

Step two involved taking the maker and grinder around the cit

y on photo vacation for the two appliances. Pictures of th

em enjoying the local sites and activities will be emailed to th

em, from an anonymous email address. They will eventually get them back, but not without a little bit of a wait...and hopefully a laugh.

These are some of the pictures, with some dark roasted captions too:

Having an afternoon pick me up

Cooling down.

Meeting New Friends.

This Game Just Got Interesting, or at Least Involved

Ring Ring

I am afraid God is calling and I don't know how long I can keep ignoring the call. I just spent the weekend working at Common-ground with the youth of Grace Community UMC. It was pretty awesome and we did some good work.

But, I feel the urge to do more and I am afraid where it will end. If I jump into the pool is there any way other than the deep end, hole heart, mind, and energy. We are talking about a life makeover. And that is the scary part...