... or Convert? I just bought an Alison Krauss CD from Cracker Barrel.
And Kansas City is out for the kid.
And I still haven't seen King Kong.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Nick-isms
Comment from Nick as we’re sitting around the dinner table munching on homemade nachos:
“Umm, this is good! Mama you’re a good cooker! I’m gonna be a good cooker too when I grow up and get a job.”
“Daddy, when I grow up, who’s gonna be my grandparents? And who’s going to be my mommy and daddy?”
You gotta love kids.
“Umm, this is good! Mama you’re a good cooker! I’m gonna be a good cooker too when I grow up and get a job.”
“Daddy, when I grow up, who’s gonna be my grandparents? And who’s going to be my mommy and daddy?”
You gotta love kids.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Power to the People
Several of the local brethren are without power tonight after an ice storm passed through. Luckily we weren't affected, though the dogwood tree in our yard was a casualty. We stopped by the Brooks' to find them sitting in the dark around a kerosene heater. Did I mention the giant redwood that was blocking their driveway? I'll let TMan tell yall about that. Greenville, Williamston, and Anderson were hit harder than Clemson, apparently. I know that Country Girl is without power, but her mom has electricity. I don't know about the Greenville brethren, or the Hughes, Higgingbotham, and Wakefield families. The Burdettes are OK too.
Potluck sure oughta be interesting tomorrow. I foresee lots of cold cuts and peanut butter sandwiches.
Potluck sure oughta be interesting tomorrow. I foresee lots of cold cuts and peanut butter sandwiches.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
1 Little 2Little 3 Resurrections...
Hey - the Recover post link really works!
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Rev 20:11-13, NKJV
This past Sabbath we heard a sermon from Rod King on Resurrections. I enjoy this type of sermon for a few reasons: 1) It shows God's incredible love and mercy in insuring that ALL humanity will have a chance to choose to receive His offer of salvation; 2) The Scriptures we covered are great for reviewing a "trunk of the tree" church doctrine; and 3) It helps me look forward to the day when I will see my daughter again.
Daughter? What daughter?
The M.R.S. and I had a daughter, Kierra Nicole, on August 13, 1997 during the sixth month of pregnancy. She didn't survive, but she didn't suffer either. She never took a breath. I can remember holding her tiny body in my hand; she was soooo small. I remember her perfectly formed hands and feet, and the fact that she had my nose. We had a little funeral for her, and I really remember only two things from that day: my mother-in-law bringing in a dress from a doll, because that was the only thing that would fit Kierra, and I remember her casket. It was about the size of one of my shoeboxes. The sight of the miniature coffin amidst the normal gravestones was incredibly surreal. It was almost like I was outside of my body watching the goings-on from afar. The M.R.S. took it pretty hard, but we've both recovered pretty well, I think. Forgive me for piggybacking on something the Burdette girls mentioned a while ago, but it's scary when I realize how infrequently I think of her. And I feel guilt also; not only don't I think of her enough, I remember how bummed out I was initially over the pregnancy and how inconvenient the pregnancy was to my life. So much for not being selfish and callous. But boy, am I gonna make it up to her! I'm going to be the daddy of daddies to her. I look forward to seeing and raising my little girl. Of course, I'll let mommy love her too. And change her diapers.
And just as uplifting is knowing that all who have lost children, parents, friends, and lovers will see them again as well. Think of the mistakes we've all made in relationships with others; people you've left on bad terms, never to see them again. People you've loved whom you hurt in one way or another. People we weren't able to help whose problems cost them their lives. Think of how good it will be to be able to help them; to repair damaged relationships; to be able to help them achieve the happiness which is available for all. God speed that day!
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Rev 20:11-13, NKJV
This past Sabbath we heard a sermon from Rod King on Resurrections. I enjoy this type of sermon for a few reasons: 1) It shows God's incredible love and mercy in insuring that ALL humanity will have a chance to choose to receive His offer of salvation; 2) The Scriptures we covered are great for reviewing a "trunk of the tree" church doctrine; and 3) It helps me look forward to the day when I will see my daughter again.
Daughter? What daughter?
The M.R.S. and I had a daughter, Kierra Nicole, on August 13, 1997 during the sixth month of pregnancy. She didn't survive, but she didn't suffer either. She never took a breath. I can remember holding her tiny body in my hand; she was soooo small. I remember her perfectly formed hands and feet, and the fact that she had my nose. We had a little funeral for her, and I really remember only two things from that day: my mother-in-law bringing in a dress from a doll, because that was the only thing that would fit Kierra, and I remember her casket. It was about the size of one of my shoeboxes. The sight of the miniature coffin amidst the normal gravestones was incredibly surreal. It was almost like I was outside of my body watching the goings-on from afar. The M.R.S. took it pretty hard, but we've both recovered pretty well, I think. Forgive me for piggybacking on something the Burdette girls mentioned a while ago, but it's scary when I realize how infrequently I think of her. And I feel guilt also; not only don't I think of her enough, I remember how bummed out I was initially over the pregnancy and how inconvenient the pregnancy was to my life. So much for not being selfish and callous. But boy, am I gonna make it up to her! I'm going to be the daddy of daddies to her. I look forward to seeing and raising my little girl. Of course, I'll let mommy love her too. And change her diapers.
And just as uplifting is knowing that all who have lost children, parents, friends, and lovers will see them again as well. Think of the mistakes we've all made in relationships with others; people you've left on bad terms, never to see them again. People you've loved whom you hurt in one way or another. People we weren't able to help whose problems cost them their lives. Think of how good it will be to be able to help them; to repair damaged relationships; to be able to help them achieve the happiness which is available for all. God speed that day!
Moving
Don't you love it? I came home Monday to find a notice from Family Housing. The University is shutting down our complex due to the rising operating/maintenance costs. It appears that some of the underground oil tanks are leaking, and must be dug up along with any contaminated soil. So far they've tested 7 of the duplexes, and found 2 oil tanks to be leaking. They had to dig 75 feet down to remove all the contaminated soil from the first duplex, which damaged the foundation and forced the demolition of the unit. The second duplex is scheduled to be demolished this month; it's leak did not descend as far as the first one but covered a larger area. According to figures shown at the "town" meeting last night, it cost Housing ~$360,000 to take care of the first duplex; the second is expected to cost about $150,000. There are also 36 townhouse units which need sprinkler units to be brought up to university standards. This is expected to cost another $150,000. It's estimated that to keep these facilities going would require us to pay more than $300 additional bucks per month in rent. They realized that isn't feasible, so they're shutting the units down. There are 98 families living here, and many of us went to a "town" meeting last night to hear from the Director of Housing. Needless to say, there was quite a bit of anger directed at her. I felt sorry for the lady. Anyhoo, we all have until June 30, 2006 to find new cribs. At least we have 6 months. So Tman, what are you doing around the end of June/beginning of July? lol
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Thanksgiving weekend
The M.R.S. and kids
Tryptophan.
Me and my neice Ashleigh
Nick, Ash, and cousin Queen
My older brother Ronnie with his neice and nephews
Cosa Nostra
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
H.G. & Me
I’ve been skimming H.G. Wells’ The Outline of History (yes, THAT H.G. Wells) and came across some interesting passages. I thought I’d share them with you. The italicized comments are Mr. Wells’ – the rest are mine.
We shall tell what men have believed about Jesus of Nazareth, but him we shall treat as being what he appeared to be, a man, just as a painter must needs paint him as a man. The documents that testify to his acts and teachings we shall treat as ordinary human documents… This is what we have already done in the case of Buddha, and what we shall do later with Muhammad. (Outline of history, page 497)
We are left, if we do strip this record of these difficult accessories (the great star that brought wise men, the massacre of the male infant children, the flight into Egypt, etc.) with the figure of a being, very human, very earnest and passionate, capable of swift anger, and teaching a new and simple and profound doctrine – namely, the universal loving Fatherhood of God and the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven… (page 498)
Now it is a matter of fact that in the gospels all that body of theological assertion which constitutes Christianity finds little support. There is, as the reader may see for himself, no clear and emphatic assertion in these books of the doctrines which Christian teachers of all denominations find generally necessary to salvation… …There is no evidence that the apostles of Jesus ever heard of the Trinity – at any rate from him. The observance of the Jewish Sabbath, again, transferred to the Mithraic Sun-day, is an important feature of many Christian cults; but Jesus deliberately broke the Sabbath, and said that it was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Nor did he say a word about the worship of his mother Mary, in the guise of Isis, the Queen of Heaven. All that is most characteristically Christian in worship and usage, he ignored. Sceptical[sic] writers have had the temerity to deny that Jesus can be called a Christian at all… (page 499)
As remarkable is the enormous prominence given by Jesus to the teaching of what he called the Kingdom of Heaven, and its comparative insignificance in the procedure and teaching of most of the Christian churches…This doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven, which was the main teaching of Jesus, and which plays so small a part in the Christian creeds, is certainly one of the most revolutionary doctrines that ever stirred and changed human thought… (page 499)
During this indefinite time (the first two centuries A.D) a considerable amount of a sort of theocrasia seems to have gone on between the Christian cult and the almost equally popular and widely diffused Mithraic cult, and the cult of Serapis-Isis-Horus. From the former it would seem the Christians adopted Sun-day as their chief day of worship instead of the Jewish Sabbath, the abundant use of candles in religious ceremonies, the legend of the adoration by the shepherds, and probably also those ideas and phrases, so distinctive of certain sects to this day, about being “washed in the blood” of Christ, and of Christ being a blood sacrifice… The contributions of the Alexandrine cult to Christian thought and practices were even more considerable. In the personality of Horus, who was at once the son of Serapis and identical with Serapis, it wa natural for the Christians to find an illumination analogue in their struggles with the Pauline mysteries. From that to the identification of Mary with Isis, and her elevation to a rank quasi-divine… was also a very natural step. Natural, too, was it for Christianity to adopt, almost insensibly, the practical methods of the popular religions of the time. Its priests took on the head-shaving and the characteristic garments of the Egyptian priests, because that sort of thing seemed to be the right way of distinguishing a priest. One accretion followed another. Almost insensibly the originally revolutionary teaching was buried under these customary acquisitions… (pages 512-513)
Jesus called himself the Son of God and also the Son of Man; but he laid little stress on who he was or what he was, and much upon the teachings of the Kingdom… (page 514)
Mr. Wells certainly did not share the COG view of who and what Jesus was, nor did he have the same understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven – but it’s interesting that he could see that that was the thrust of Jesus’ message while here on earth.
We shall tell what men have believed about Jesus of Nazareth, but him we shall treat as being what he appeared to be, a man, just as a painter must needs paint him as a man. The documents that testify to his acts and teachings we shall treat as ordinary human documents… This is what we have already done in the case of Buddha, and what we shall do later with Muhammad. (Outline of history, page 497)
We are left, if we do strip this record of these difficult accessories (the great star that brought wise men, the massacre of the male infant children, the flight into Egypt, etc.) with the figure of a being, very human, very earnest and passionate, capable of swift anger, and teaching a new and simple and profound doctrine – namely, the universal loving Fatherhood of God and the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven… (page 498)
Now it is a matter of fact that in the gospels all that body of theological assertion which constitutes Christianity finds little support. There is, as the reader may see for himself, no clear and emphatic assertion in these books of the doctrines which Christian teachers of all denominations find generally necessary to salvation… …There is no evidence that the apostles of Jesus ever heard of the Trinity – at any rate from him. The observance of the Jewish Sabbath, again, transferred to the Mithraic Sun-day, is an important feature of many Christian cults; but Jesus deliberately broke the Sabbath, and said that it was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Nor did he say a word about the worship of his mother Mary, in the guise of Isis, the Queen of Heaven. All that is most characteristically Christian in worship and usage, he ignored. Sceptical[sic] writers have had the temerity to deny that Jesus can be called a Christian at all… (page 499)
As remarkable is the enormous prominence given by Jesus to the teaching of what he called the Kingdom of Heaven, and its comparative insignificance in the procedure and teaching of most of the Christian churches…This doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven, which was the main teaching of Jesus, and which plays so small a part in the Christian creeds, is certainly one of the most revolutionary doctrines that ever stirred and changed human thought… (page 499)
During this indefinite time (the first two centuries A.D) a considerable amount of a sort of theocrasia seems to have gone on between the Christian cult and the almost equally popular and widely diffused Mithraic cult, and the cult of Serapis-Isis-Horus. From the former it would seem the Christians adopted Sun-day as their chief day of worship instead of the Jewish Sabbath, the abundant use of candles in religious ceremonies, the legend of the adoration by the shepherds, and probably also those ideas and phrases, so distinctive of certain sects to this day, about being “washed in the blood” of Christ, and of Christ being a blood sacrifice… The contributions of the Alexandrine cult to Christian thought and practices were even more considerable. In the personality of Horus, who was at once the son of Serapis and identical with Serapis, it wa natural for the Christians to find an illumination analogue in their struggles with the Pauline mysteries. From that to the identification of Mary with Isis, and her elevation to a rank quasi-divine… was also a very natural step. Natural, too, was it for Christianity to adopt, almost insensibly, the practical methods of the popular religions of the time. Its priests took on the head-shaving and the characteristic garments of the Egyptian priests, because that sort of thing seemed to be the right way of distinguishing a priest. One accretion followed another. Almost insensibly the originally revolutionary teaching was buried under these customary acquisitions… (pages 512-513)
Jesus called himself the Son of God and also the Son of Man; but he laid little stress on who he was or what he was, and much upon the teachings of the Kingdom… (page 514)
Mr. Wells certainly did not share the COG view of who and what Jesus was, nor did he have the same understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven – but it’s interesting that he could see that that was the thrust of Jesus’ message while here on earth.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Blue-eyed devil?
My wife is convinced she’s married to a white man – although she’s the one with the pointy nose, thin lips, and green eyes. This belief is most often vocalized when I’m singing along with those country and 70s AM Gold compilations you see offered on television at 1 in the morning. Hey I can’t help it if my musical tastes cover several different genres. I tell her she doesn’t have anything to worry about until I come home and start singing bluegrass tunes. Incidentally, I DID almost but an Allison Krause and Union Station CD when I stopped by Cracker Barrel yesterday. Almost. Maybe she should start to worry now…
I had to make an impromptu trip to Anderson yesterday, and while I was there I stopped by the Ridgeway’s sign company. I ended up staying there for about an hour and met several of the people who work there. It’s kinda odd seeing people you know socially in a professional environment. All is I know is if I ever need a sign made, they’ll be the people I turn to. I even got to chat with Caesar the iguana for a while. Reptiles are sooo cool. Patti was surprised to find out that I wanted to be a herpetologist at one time. I wanted to curate a reptile exhibit in a major zoo or in a natural history museum. And here I am working with cotton. Go figure.
It was quite a pleasure seeing Desiree this past week. Nick didn’t want her to return to California. It was also nice to see Tom, as well as the other visitors we had at services. Mafia was a pretty fun game. I’ve just got to remember not to be taken in by Summer’s sad “y’all are pickin’ on me” faces. Mr. B., you would’ve put Johnny Cochran to shame in a courtroom.
I’m really considering skipping the San Antonio conference and driving to KC. What do I do? The San Diego trip in mid-January is a done deal though. Got my tix and everything… Nothing beats San Diego in January man, absolutely nothing. Except eating Pot Stickers at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch in San Diego in January. One of my co-workers wants us all to go whale watching while we’re there. Sounds cool to me.
One other thing I learned while in Anderson yesterday: it’s amazing just how much of a guy’s crack can be exposed to the world and him be completely unaware of it. And that’s all I have to say about that.
I had to make an impromptu trip to Anderson yesterday, and while I was there I stopped by the Ridgeway’s sign company. I ended up staying there for about an hour and met several of the people who work there. It’s kinda odd seeing people you know socially in a professional environment. All is I know is if I ever need a sign made, they’ll be the people I turn to. I even got to chat with Caesar the iguana for a while. Reptiles are sooo cool. Patti was surprised to find out that I wanted to be a herpetologist at one time. I wanted to curate a reptile exhibit in a major zoo or in a natural history museum. And here I am working with cotton. Go figure.
It was quite a pleasure seeing Desiree this past week. Nick didn’t want her to return to California. It was also nice to see Tom, as well as the other visitors we had at services. Mafia was a pretty fun game. I’ve just got to remember not to be taken in by Summer’s sad “y’all are pickin’ on me” faces. Mr. B., you would’ve put Johnny Cochran to shame in a courtroom.
I’m really considering skipping the San Antonio conference and driving to KC. What do I do? The San Diego trip in mid-January is a done deal though. Got my tix and everything… Nothing beats San Diego in January man, absolutely nothing. Except eating Pot Stickers at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch in San Diego in January. One of my co-workers wants us all to go whale watching while we’re there. Sounds cool to me.
One other thing I learned while in Anderson yesterday: it’s amazing just how much of a guy’s crack can be exposed to the world and him be completely unaware of it. And that’s all I have to say about that.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Troop 625
I was a Boy Scout once. If I remember correctly, it was for about 3 years, beginning somewhere around the time I was 12/13. I absolutely hated it. Boy Scout Troop 625, Clio, SC. Our meetings were on Wednesday nights @ 7 p.m.; our hut was a little wooden building about ½ mile from my house. There was this one house I had to walk past that had dogs. I still remember the fear of not knowing whether they were going to pick this week to chase me home or not. For some reason, they never seemed to bother me when I was on the way to Scout meeting. In my memories, the hut is always cold when I arrive, though I know that couldn’t have been the case in the spring/summer. The mind is funny that way. You ever wonder how many of your memories are actually memories, and how many of them are revisions of what REALLY happened?
Anyway, I was the first (and only) black member of the troop. My brother joined a couple of years later, but I was on my way out by then. My Scouting experience has been one of the few times I intensely felt like an outsider. I NEVER felt like I belonged. For one, I just wasn’t gung-ho on camping like most of the others. I couldn’t enjoy our canoe trips, or our tubing trips down the Chattooga River because of my inability to swim. Try spending 12 consecutive hours fighting panic and see how you like it. The biggest reason I think I never “fit in” is because of some preconceived racial/socioeconomic baggage I brought with me.
You see, the rest of my troop was white. And they went to Marlboro Academy, the private school in the county. Many of their parents taught in the public school system, but they sent their kids to the private school. We (the black kids) were taught that the reason the private school existed had nothing to do with academics – it was strictly an option to integration. In short, they didn’t want their kids interacting with US – which was fine, in that the public school and academy kids didn’t cross paths much. We assumed they didn’t like us, and called us n-----s when safely within the confines of their precious academy, so therefore we didn’t like them. I have no idea how accurate that picture is or was, but I do know that that’s the picture I had in my head as I tried to become part of the Scouts.
As a result, I held back. I was polite, somewhat friendly, etc. But I refused to completely “buy in”, so to speak, partially because I didn’t completely trust the other guys. Looking back, I never had any problems with any of the guys. Many of them went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I just couldn’t shake my preconceived notions. Couldn’t shake them. When we were having fun, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop – the racist joke (“No offense, Mike), the “accidental” use of a racial epithet… To my knowledge, it only happened once, and it was perpetrated by someone who came into the troop after I did. Even though I know better, there is still a large part of me that wishes I’d knocked him into next week. What made it worse is that I don’t (and didn’t then) think he said what he said to be mean – I think he thought what he was saying was acceptable and OK.
Once I got into high school sports my practices interfered with attending Scout meetings, and I eventually stopped going altogether. My brother pretty much stopped when I did. I do wish I could go back and interact with those fellas again without my biases. Most of them were good guys; several of them went to Clemson. We occasionally crossed paths, and exchanged pleasantries. I lament the missed opportunity to forge stronger and longer-lasting relationships.
Scouting wasn’t all bad though. We had a memorable campout on the beach, where I found out that sand gets EVERYWHERE. There was a five-mile hike, followed by the planting of hundreds of pine trees that ended up being very enjoyable; and there were trips to Carowinds that were quite pleasurable. And I did learn to tie a bunch of knots. I think the Scouts are a good thing; perhaps the boys will get to experience it.
Anyway, I was the first (and only) black member of the troop. My brother joined a couple of years later, but I was on my way out by then. My Scouting experience has been one of the few times I intensely felt like an outsider. I NEVER felt like I belonged. For one, I just wasn’t gung-ho on camping like most of the others. I couldn’t enjoy our canoe trips, or our tubing trips down the Chattooga River because of my inability to swim. Try spending 12 consecutive hours fighting panic and see how you like it. The biggest reason I think I never “fit in” is because of some preconceived racial/socioeconomic baggage I brought with me.
You see, the rest of my troop was white. And they went to Marlboro Academy, the private school in the county. Many of their parents taught in the public school system, but they sent their kids to the private school. We (the black kids) were taught that the reason the private school existed had nothing to do with academics – it was strictly an option to integration. In short, they didn’t want their kids interacting with US – which was fine, in that the public school and academy kids didn’t cross paths much. We assumed they didn’t like us, and called us n-----s when safely within the confines of their precious academy, so therefore we didn’t like them. I have no idea how accurate that picture is or was, but I do know that that’s the picture I had in my head as I tried to become part of the Scouts.
As a result, I held back. I was polite, somewhat friendly, etc. But I refused to completely “buy in”, so to speak, partially because I didn’t completely trust the other guys. Looking back, I never had any problems with any of the guys. Many of them went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I just couldn’t shake my preconceived notions. Couldn’t shake them. When we were having fun, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop – the racist joke (“No offense, Mike), the “accidental” use of a racial epithet… To my knowledge, it only happened once, and it was perpetrated by someone who came into the troop after I did. Even though I know better, there is still a large part of me that wishes I’d knocked him into next week. What made it worse is that I don’t (and didn’t then) think he said what he said to be mean – I think he thought what he was saying was acceptable and OK.
Once I got into high school sports my practices interfered with attending Scout meetings, and I eventually stopped going altogether. My brother pretty much stopped when I did. I do wish I could go back and interact with those fellas again without my biases. Most of them were good guys; several of them went to Clemson. We occasionally crossed paths, and exchanged pleasantries. I lament the missed opportunity to forge stronger and longer-lasting relationships.
Scouting wasn’t all bad though. We had a memorable campout on the beach, where I found out that sand gets EVERYWHERE. There was a five-mile hike, followed by the planting of hundreds of pine trees that ended up being very enjoyable; and there were trips to Carowinds that were quite pleasurable. And I did learn to tie a bunch of knots. I think the Scouts are a good thing; perhaps the boys will get to experience it.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Something I meant to post a while back...
A link to an article by Philip Skell, from Penn State U. it's entitled "Why do we Invoke Darwin?"
Not surprisingly, his article generated some responses. I also like his reply to those responses. I won't post the responses, but he has a link to them.
Not surprisingly, his article generated some responses. I also like his reply to those responses. I won't post the responses, but he has a link to them.
Post-op Deux
Noah’s procedure went quite smoothly. The docs called him back at 8, and the doc came to tell us everything went smoothly at 8:07. By 8:45 we were sitting in Cracker Barrel eating breakfast. Not bad, Medicus, not bad at all.
I was experiencing shoulder and neck fatigue last night and this morning, so I jokingly mentioned to the M.R.S. that maybe I should hit Jalen up for one of his Loritabs. Well, mother-in-law (who went to the doc’s with us) pulls out this Tylenol bottle and whips out a Loritab. She gives it to me and I take it on the way home. After about 15 minutes my neck and shoulders started to feel much better. I decided to lie down for a little while and take a short nap before going to work. This is around 10:00. Next thing I know it’s going on 2:30 p.m. and I’m just now coming to. I rush to my 3:30 seminar and still feel sluggish and drowsy @ 5:10. No more of those for me.
Thanks for all the well-wishes and prayers. I think I’m going home now. A nap sounds nice.
I was experiencing shoulder and neck fatigue last night and this morning, so I jokingly mentioned to the M.R.S. that maybe I should hit Jalen up for one of his Loritabs. Well, mother-in-law (who went to the doc’s with us) pulls out this Tylenol bottle and whips out a Loritab. She gives it to me and I take it on the way home. After about 15 minutes my neck and shoulders started to feel much better. I decided to lie down for a little while and take a short nap before going to work. This is around 10:00. Next thing I know it’s going on 2:30 p.m. and I’m just now coming to. I rush to my 3:30 seminar and still feel sluggish and drowsy @ 5:10. No more of those for me.
Thanks for all the well-wishes and prayers. I think I’m going home now. A nap sounds nice.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
20051117
So Nick drew a picture of the earth yesterday and showed it to us at the dinner table last night. It's a fairly good representation, overlooking the fact that he had Greenville and Clemson (30 miles apart) on different continents. He graciously labeled a few other key locations: American, Jamaica, and My Am Me (say it quickly). Apparently our Feast trip has made an indelible impression upon the young man. I love this kid.
Noah gets the tubes in his ears tomorrow morning. He can't eat after midnight, so I really hope he sleeps through the night and doesn't wake up looking for sustenance. I suggested stuffing him with a nice big bowl of oatmeal around 11. Let's pray it works.
We had our first frost this morning - almost six weeks before the end of the year. This year's weather has certainly not been normal. Oh well, it's back to homology searching for me. Technically it should be similarity searching, since the term homology assumes an ancestor/descendant relationship. Let me not bore you guys. Later!
Noah gets the tubes in his ears tomorrow morning. He can't eat after midnight, so I really hope he sleeps through the night and doesn't wake up looking for sustenance. I suggested stuffing him with a nice big bowl of oatmeal around 11. Let's pray it works.
We had our first frost this morning - almost six weeks before the end of the year. This year's weather has certainly not been normal. Oh well, it's back to homology searching for me. Technically it should be similarity searching, since the term homology assumes an ancestor/descendant relationship. Let me not bore you guys. Later!
Grrrrrrrrr
I am hating UNIX right now. And similarity searches. And labwork. And seminars.
OK. I feel better now.
OK. I feel better now.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Clemson/USC
I just received this in my Inbox. Of course it means nothing to you if you don’t live in SC. This year the game was only going to be available via Pay-per-View. Hmmm… I think I know some people who might want to watch. Maybe it’s time to have a social gathering at the crib!
One of the many benefits of living in University Housing is that from time to time you are able to enjoy additional amenities. We are pleased to announce that you will be able to view the Clemson/USC game in the comfort of your Clemson Home without having to pay the Pay-per-View cost. This event is presented in conjunction with the INC Group (providers of the Direct TV service on campus). They also are providing the link at Littlejohn where you may view the game in a larger setting. We hope you enjoy the game and we thank you for being a resident of University Family Housing.
Go Tigers!
One of the many benefits of living in University Housing is that from time to time you are able to enjoy additional amenities. We are pleased to announce that you will be able to view the Clemson/USC game in the comfort of your Clemson Home without having to pay the Pay-per-View cost. This event is presented in conjunction with the INC Group (providers of the Direct TV service on campus). They also are providing the link at Littlejohn where you may view the game in a larger setting. We hope you enjoy the game and we thank you for being a resident of University Family Housing.
Go Tigers!
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Post-Op
The surgery went well. Jalen had some debris removed from his left knee in a 45-minute arthroscopic procedure. We got some great news from the doc - the ACL was only partially torn, so the doc thinks it may heal on his own, removing the need for reconstructive surgery when he's done growing. They also found a slight tear of the lateral cruciate ligament, but it's very minor and should heal itself as well. Jalen was quite groggy afterward, but there appear to be no long-term negative effects. Everyone's prayers and well-wishes are greatly appreciated.
I'm a little (ok, VERY)disgusted at myself. I haven't gotten very much work done this semester. Where has the time gone? Apparently, much of it has been spent right here in front of the PC or in front of the telly. Anyway, it's time to pay the piper: I have a committee meeting Friday, in which I'll learn if my research project is sufficient to earn a degree, and whether or not I'll have to take anymore classes. If there's one thing I'd like to change about myself, it's my laziness. And my insecurities. And my desire to be liked by everyone. I guess I also need to work on my inability to count to one properly.
Heather L., if you read this, know that Mark thinks you look like Julia Roberts too.
The whole T.O. saga really makes me feel good about Monday's Dallas/Philly game.
So where's the Clemson/FSU viewing party going to be?
I'm a little (ok, VERY)disgusted at myself. I haven't gotten very much work done this semester. Where has the time gone? Apparently, much of it has been spent right here in front of the PC or in front of the telly. Anyway, it's time to pay the piper: I have a committee meeting Friday, in which I'll learn if my research project is sufficient to earn a degree, and whether or not I'll have to take anymore classes. If there's one thing I'd like to change about myself, it's my laziness. And my insecurities. And my desire to be liked by everyone. I guess I also need to work on my inability to count to one properly.
Heather L., if you read this, know that Mark thinks you look like Julia Roberts too.
The whole T.O. saga really makes me feel good about Monday's Dallas/Philly game.
So where's the Clemson/FSU viewing party going to be?
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Almost Friday
The NBA is back! The Miami Heat were making a run against the Indiana Pacers when Shaq stepped on Ron Artest's foot and rolled his ankle. Of course TNT showed the ankle bending at 90 degrees several times, in sloooow motion. That had to hurt - particularly with 350+ lbs. coming down on it. Miami just lost by three.
Jalen went to the doc today. It's official - his arthroscopic surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. No more sports for him for a while. The doc says that he's gonna need another surgery later on, after his skeleton has reached maturity. Whether that means no sports until then, I don't know. I even got to bring him home for dinner today. He stayed here for about 3.5 hours, and got a kick out of playing with Noah. Noah cried the first few times Jalen picked him up, but he seemed to be coming around by the time I took him home.
Jalen went to the doc today. It's official - his arthroscopic surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. No more sports for him for a while. The doc says that he's gonna need another surgery later on, after his skeleton has reached maturity. Whether that means no sports until then, I don't know. I even got to bring him home for dinner today. He stayed here for about 3.5 hours, and got a kick out of playing with Noah. Noah cried the first few times Jalen picked him up, but he seemed to be coming around by the time I took him home.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Sights
A view of Montego Bay from a hillside
On the streets of downtown Montego Bay
Ironshore - one of the wealthier residential areas
Chillin'
Joy, pure and unaldulterated
Noah stands!!!!
The boys by the end of the Feast
Some of the Jamaican brethren
Choir
Speakers/Ushers
And of course, the beach!
Gettin' my fix...
I should've captured all my thoughts on the Feast immediately upon returning. Dr. Scott Winnail and Mr. Wally Smith and Mr. Lascelles Frazier gave wonderful messages, each touching on various aspects of the meanings of the Holy Days, the final fulfillment of the days, and training to be servant rulers/judges and members of the family of God. We also had good sermonettes by members from different locales, and a couple of DVD sermons as well. I knew a couple of people who were celebrating their first Feast (one has only been attending services PERIOD for a coupla months), and I think the messages, particularly the messages given on the last day of the Feast and the Last Great Day, did a great job explaining the meanings of the Festivals in a way they could easily understand. Whenever we have visitors at services who don't have a COG background, I often wonder how some things come across to them. When we have a live speaker it's not as much a problem, as the live speaker can give a little background info on the topic, but when it's a video... I remember the jolt I felt when I heard someone mention 2nd and 3rd tithe without explaining what they were.
Nicholas had a wonderful Feast. He made quite a few friends (as usual), and did not limit himself to the kids he already knew. He now has friends in Jamaica and Canada to go with his U.S. contingent. He became particularly attached to little Rachel from Calgary. He wanted us to stay in MoBay until Sunday b/c that's how long Rachel was staying. He's already ready for next year's Feast. He said something quite touching on our flight from Atlanta to Miami on the way down. We were looking at the scenery below us when he says in a soft voice, "I wish Grandma could see this." Awwww... One day, son; one day.
The M.R.S. is still on Cloud 9. She got to hook-up with her "sister", and go shopping, and FINALLY make it to Jamaica. I'm planning to milk the FoT as long as I can.
Getting back into the real world has been a bit of a drag. I've got to put my nose to the grindstone for the remainder of this year and crank out some data, prepare for conferences, catch up on my labwork, and write a paper for submission to a journal. I've got to have a meeting sometime in the next two weeks to find out if I have to take any more classes or not, and to determine if my project is sufficient to earn a doctorate. Theoretically, my committee can decide that my project is insufficient and have me do something else, or they can make me take more classes. I don't think that's going to happen, but I'm a little nervous nonetheless.
I need to update my links. I read more blogs than I have listed, and I think the links should reflect that. Incidentally, I met another blogger, Jalpenojelly, at the Feast - though I didn't know she had a blog at the time. I'd even left a comment on it before leaving, but I didn't make the connection until I returned home. Oh to have back those brain cells I killed back in the day!
Nicholas had a wonderful Feast. He made quite a few friends (as usual), and did not limit himself to the kids he already knew. He now has friends in Jamaica and Canada to go with his U.S. contingent. He became particularly attached to little Rachel from Calgary. He wanted us to stay in MoBay until Sunday b/c that's how long Rachel was staying. He's already ready for next year's Feast. He said something quite touching on our flight from Atlanta to Miami on the way down. We were looking at the scenery below us when he says in a soft voice, "I wish Grandma could see this." Awwww... One day, son; one day.
The M.R.S. is still on Cloud 9. She got to hook-up with her "sister", and go shopping, and FINALLY make it to Jamaica. I'm planning to milk the FoT as long as I can.
Getting back into the real world has been a bit of a drag. I've got to put my nose to the grindstone for the remainder of this year and crank out some data, prepare for conferences, catch up on my labwork, and write a paper for submission to a journal. I've got to have a meeting sometime in the next two weeks to find out if I have to take any more classes or not, and to determine if my project is sufficient to earn a doctorate. Theoretically, my committee can decide that my project is insufficient and have me do something else, or they can make me take more classes. I don't think that's going to happen, but I'm a little nervous nonetheless.
I need to update my links. I read more blogs than I have listed, and I think the links should reflect that. Incidentally, I met another blogger, Jalpenojelly, at the Feast - though I didn't know she had a blog at the time. I'd even left a comment on it before leaving, but I didn't make the connection until I returned home. Oh to have back those brain cells I killed back in the day!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Visitors to MoBay
These are off the top of my head. I only listed family names; not all members of a family were necessarily present. Of course I'm forgetting some families, but this'll give you some idea of who was in Jamaica. I think we had a high of 224 people, with about 50-60 being local brethren.
Missouri - Cristal, Beyersdorfer, Millich, Burson, Jersett, Damon, White, West,
SC - Palmer
NC - Winnail
NY - Cartwright
TX - Mason, Marley, Riggs, Arnold, Hubbell, Myers
NB - Bashus, Pomicter, Karper, Tieken
OH - Bibb, Rawlings
KY - Rogers, Bunch, Woodward, Shirley something and her husband ...
GA - Grimes, Nicholson, Thrasher
Canada - Molnar, Remple, Wittingham, Trineri, von Hollen
Missouri - Cristal, Beyersdorfer, Millich, Burson, Jersett, Damon, White, West,
SC - Palmer
NC - Winnail
NY - Cartwright
TX - Mason, Marley, Riggs, Arnold, Hubbell, Myers
NB - Bashus, Pomicter, Karper, Tieken
OH - Bibb, Rawlings
KY - Rogers, Bunch, Woodward, Shirley something and her husband ...
GA - Grimes, Nicholson, Thrasher
Canada - Molnar, Remple, Wittingham, Trineri, von Hollen
Friday, October 28, 2005
Finally Home
Just got in about an hour ago. Jamaica was great. Getting there was not - we didn't get there until the afternoon service of the 1st day. Leaving was not - our Wednesday flight was cancelled due to Wilma and we didn't leave MoBay until this morning. Then we have to deal with U.S. Customs in Miami. Then we get to Atlanta, and the battery in our truck was dead. The Feast itself was totally terrific - more to come on that front later. I should probably go to bed now. Ciao.
PS: I gained 10+ pounds.
PS: I gained 10+ pounds.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Home Internet Access is the Worst Thing...
... that could have happened to me.
Atonement is now over, and so it's back to the FOT countdown. I finally got to see Mr. Rod McNair, as he delivered our sermon via video. It approached Atonement from a completely different perspective; he discussed different aspects of the spirit of self-indulgence, and ended up contrasting that spirit with the self-denial inherent in observing Atonement, and in a Christian's overall life. Along the way he touched on the symbolism of the OT ritual. He sounded quite a bit like his late father. Quite a bit. His hairstyle reminded me of his uncle Raymond. Today was a good day - and Ryan's has never tasted better.
I took a few pictures of my hometown while I was there (I guess it would be harder to take said pictures when I wasn't there). I took a few representative pics of the type of homes that line Clio's Main Street.
I've never asked, but I assume these homes were all built around the turn of the 20th century. Perhaps an architect out there can venture a guess. I especially love the large porches. I'd hate to have to heat one of those jokers though. Most of these homes are owned by members of the older families. Of course, we have our brick homes and trailer parks and dirt roads too, but these homes give Clio its character, I think.
To give you an idea of just how booming a metropolis it is, I took a pic looking east and looking west at the major intersection in town. Okay, so it's the ONLY intersection.
Please pay no attention to the dearth of businesses and the lack of pedestrian traffic. It was a dreary Monday, after all. Funny - I never thought I'd feel like a tourist in a place in which I'd spent 18 full years + summers.
In case you haven't yet realized how rural my hometown is, here's the view from my paternal grandmother's front door:
Yep, that's right. White Gold.
Here's the view from my maternal grandmother's front door:
That's a ginning facility for the aforementioned White Gold. I guess I was destined to end up working in cotton.
All of a sudden, an important question comes to mind: Why am I still up at 5 AM? I don't have a midterm today, like some. Why am I not sleepy? I should go to bed anyway, seeing as how I have a million and one errands to run tomorrow before sundown, not to mention staying awake in my 3:30 Genetics/Biochemistry seminar. *Yawn* I think I'll do just that. Ciao!
Atonement is now over, and so it's back to the FOT countdown. I finally got to see Mr. Rod McNair, as he delivered our sermon via video. It approached Atonement from a completely different perspective; he discussed different aspects of the spirit of self-indulgence, and ended up contrasting that spirit with the self-denial inherent in observing Atonement, and in a Christian's overall life. Along the way he touched on the symbolism of the OT ritual. He sounded quite a bit like his late father. Quite a bit. His hairstyle reminded me of his uncle Raymond. Today was a good day - and Ryan's has never tasted better.
I took a few pictures of my hometown while I was there (I guess it would be harder to take said pictures when I wasn't there). I took a few representative pics of the type of homes that line Clio's Main Street.
I've never asked, but I assume these homes were all built around the turn of the 20th century. Perhaps an architect out there can venture a guess. I especially love the large porches. I'd hate to have to heat one of those jokers though. Most of these homes are owned by members of the older families. Of course, we have our brick homes and trailer parks and dirt roads too, but these homes give Clio its character, I think.
To give you an idea of just how booming a metropolis it is, I took a pic looking east and looking west at the major intersection in town. Okay, so it's the ONLY intersection.
Please pay no attention to the dearth of businesses and the lack of pedestrian traffic. It was a dreary Monday, after all. Funny - I never thought I'd feel like a tourist in a place in which I'd spent 18 full years + summers.
In case you haven't yet realized how rural my hometown is, here's the view from my paternal grandmother's front door:
Yep, that's right. White Gold.
Here's the view from my maternal grandmother's front door:
That's a ginning facility for the aforementioned White Gold. I guess I was destined to end up working in cotton.
All of a sudden, an important question comes to mind: Why am I still up at 5 AM? I don't have a midterm today, like some. Why am I not sleepy? I should go to bed anyway, seeing as how I have a million and one errands to run tomorrow before sundown, not to mention staying awake in my 3:30 Genetics/Biochemistry seminar. *Yawn* I think I'll do just that. Ciao!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Look Homeward Angel
I hated that book.
While we were gone,the Internet fairy decided to drop off a cable modem at our apartment. I was forced to finally upgrade the computer from Windows 98 to Windows 2000. I was gonna go the XP route, but I didn't think I had enough RAM for that. So I'm sitting at the crib now, on a big Tuesday night, posting from Nick's room. Life is good.
The M.R.S. is on the phone with one of our friends from Cincy. I hear excitement, so they must be talking about Jamaica. We'll be seeing them and their boys Monday. Only six more days... six more days. Whoa. Where has the time gone? Not that I'm complaining...
Anyway, the trip to Clio was wonderful. We didn't do much but sit around and let everyone love on the boys. I took my dad's bicycle out Sunday and rode through my old stomping grounds. It was good to ride and see people without them recognizing who I was. It was bittersweet too - I realize more each time I go home that you can't go home again. I miss the innocence of my childhood. It's also sad to see how some people have turned out since high school. Drugs, poverty, having too many children at a young age, etc., have taken their toll on more than a few of the people I grew up with. One of my childhood playmates died the night I came home. He was 3 years older than me, but he lived right in front of my closest male cousin; we spent many an afternoon playing backyard basketball, three-man baseball, and just listening to music. His mom was my 3rd-grade teacher. I visited his family yesterday before I left and they all seemed to be doing about as well as could be expected. His older siblings moved away when I was a child, so I don't think they were expecting to see that "Little Mike" was 6'2", 217 lbs, with three kids of his own. My old teacher was really pleased to see me, and I her. I just wish it was under different circumstances. She pulled out an old high-school football team photo, and as I rattled off the names she began picking out pallbearers. So far I've been lucky with regards to losing close family members. My father's father died when I was too young to remember him, and my maternal grandfather died in '96. His was really the only family death that was of someone close to me.
Anyway, I guess it's approaching bedtime. To end on a positive note, I leave you with this:
HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS????
While we were gone,the Internet fairy decided to drop off a cable modem at our apartment. I was forced to finally upgrade the computer from Windows 98 to Windows 2000. I was gonna go the XP route, but I didn't think I had enough RAM for that. So I'm sitting at the crib now, on a big Tuesday night, posting from Nick's room. Life is good.
The M.R.S. is on the phone with one of our friends from Cincy. I hear excitement, so they must be talking about Jamaica. We'll be seeing them and their boys Monday. Only six more days... six more days. Whoa. Where has the time gone? Not that I'm complaining...
Anyway, the trip to Clio was wonderful. We didn't do much but sit around and let everyone love on the boys. I took my dad's bicycle out Sunday and rode through my old stomping grounds. It was good to ride and see people without them recognizing who I was. It was bittersweet too - I realize more each time I go home that you can't go home again. I miss the innocence of my childhood. It's also sad to see how some people have turned out since high school. Drugs, poverty, having too many children at a young age, etc., have taken their toll on more than a few of the people I grew up with. One of my childhood playmates died the night I came home. He was 3 years older than me, but he lived right in front of my closest male cousin; we spent many an afternoon playing backyard basketball, three-man baseball, and just listening to music. His mom was my 3rd-grade teacher. I visited his family yesterday before I left and they all seemed to be doing about as well as could be expected. His older siblings moved away when I was a child, so I don't think they were expecting to see that "Little Mike" was 6'2", 217 lbs, with three kids of his own. My old teacher was really pleased to see me, and I her. I just wish it was under different circumstances. She pulled out an old high-school football team photo, and as I rattled off the names she began picking out pallbearers. So far I've been lucky with regards to losing close family members. My father's father died when I was too young to remember him, and my maternal grandfather died in '96. His was really the only family death that was of someone close to me.
Anyway, I guess it's approaching bedtime. To end on a positive note, I leave you with this:
HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS????
Friday, October 07, 2005
There's no place like...
I’m going home tomorrow night! I haven’t seen the folks since the beginning of June. Noah’s changed so much since then. This’ll be their first time seeing him crawl, pull himself up, eat real food, etc. They’ll really get a kick out of seeing him. Perhaps Jalen will get to go; I’ll talk with his mom tonight. Right now I need to go gas up and get the oil changed before sundown. I need to pick up something for dinner too. Do I have time to squeeze in a game or two of hoops as well? Perhaps so, if I get off the computer.
I wish I were starting school over. I’d major in something like English, or History, or Computer Science. I’d love to design websites, and maintain something like LCGchat or Blogger.com. Another area that interests me is forensics. Why did my alma mater wait until this year to start its Forensic Science program? I don’t want to be out at crime scenes or anything like that – I’d be content doing the lab workups. That’s an avenue that’s still open to me, but I feel somewhat obligated to continue working in cotton, as that’s what’s paying the bills and putting me through school. We’ll see.
I’m looking forward to services tomorrow. The Winnails (Scott & fam) are coming down again. Nick and their son hit it off pretty well, so he’s excited too. We were double excited to find out they’re gonna be in Jamaica too. Dr. Winnail always delivers heartfelt sermons, and it’s sorta cool seeing someone under the age of 75 at the podium. (Just kidding old timers!!!) I remember when Mike Elertson visited us before moving to Canada – I thought he and his wife were a just a visiting couple; I had no idea there were ministers in my age group! That’s not completely true; I did know about Rod McNair, but I’d forgotten about him.
Shonta’s making a low-carb cheesecake for the pot-“success” (thanks, Mr. Bardo) tomorrow. We’ll head out for the old homestead that evening and stay until Monday. That way there’s no fussing from my mom about us spending all day Saturday in Charlotte or Walterboro.
SNAP!!! I was just informed that the abstract for the Plant & Animal Genomes Conference is due today. I guess I need to come up with one ASAP if I want to go to San Diego in January. See yall!
I wish I were starting school over. I’d major in something like English, or History, or Computer Science. I’d love to design websites, and maintain something like LCGchat or Blogger.com. Another area that interests me is forensics. Why did my alma mater wait until this year to start its Forensic Science program? I don’t want to be out at crime scenes or anything like that – I’d be content doing the lab workups. That’s an avenue that’s still open to me, but I feel somewhat obligated to continue working in cotton, as that’s what’s paying the bills and putting me through school. We’ll see.
I’m looking forward to services tomorrow. The Winnails (Scott & fam) are coming down again. Nick and their son hit it off pretty well, so he’s excited too. We were double excited to find out they’re gonna be in Jamaica too. Dr. Winnail always delivers heartfelt sermons, and it’s sorta cool seeing someone under the age of 75 at the podium. (Just kidding old timers!!!) I remember when Mike Elertson visited us before moving to Canada – I thought he and his wife were a just a visiting couple; I had no idea there were ministers in my age group! That’s not completely true; I did know about Rod McNair, but I’d forgotten about him.
Shonta’s making a low-carb cheesecake for the pot-“success” (thanks, Mr. Bardo) tomorrow. We’ll head out for the old homestead that evening and stay until Monday. That way there’s no fussing from my mom about us spending all day Saturday in Charlotte or Walterboro.
SNAP!!! I was just informed that the abstract for the Plant & Animal Genomes Conference is due today. I guess I need to come up with one ASAP if I want to go to San Diego in January. See yall!
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Seven - the number of completion
So today’s anniversary numero siete, and it’s getting close to 3 p.m. What’s a guy to do? I need to come up with something quick. I think we might try this new restaurant that’s opening today. I’ve got my eye on a 32 oz. Porterhouse. Medium. Ummm… I guess we should put on something nice since it’s our anniversary and all. Now to get rid of the kids for a couple of hours. Mother-in-law? Ashley? Summer? Mr. B? Tom? Rebecca? *crickets* No matter – we’ll dump ‘em somewhere.
14 days till the Feast of Tabernacles! 4.5 hours till Trumpets! I guess I should go prepare. See ya!
Addendum: I just accidentally replaced the previous post with this one. I hate it when that happens.
14 days till the Feast of Tabernacles! 4.5 hours till Trumpets! I guess I should go prepare. See ya!
Addendum: I just accidentally replaced the previous post with this one. I hate it when that happens.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
'Tis Only a Flesh Wound
Nick had an accident yesterday. Nothing major, if you ask me. We were crossing the street and he fell, skinning up his left elbow and left knee. Typical boy injuries. Well, not to dear old Nicholas. Nicholas was hopping on one leg, and keeping his left arm stiff as a board the rest of the night. Luckily he informed us that he would not be able to take a bath, as that would cause his bandages to become wet and lose their adhesion. The M.R.S. had a different opinion however; guess who won? I held Noah while the “OWWWs!” and “MAMA DON”T TOUCH ITs!!!” reverberated down the hall. He made it to school today, so I assume he’s going to pull through.
I’m disappointed in Miri Ben-Ari’s new CD. She’s a classically trained, Israeli-born violinist who now lives in the U.S. She plays on many rap recordings, and I was hoping that her new CD would be primarily instrumental. Unfortunately, it’s basically a who’s who of rap artists rapping, while she plays in the background. I did hear one instrumental, an interesting rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner”. Maybe her next CD will actually feature her playing.
The same day Annette posted the picture of her niece sleeping, I got a wonderful shot of Nicholas. I went to check up on him after placing him in the bed and tucking him in. This is what I found:
Notice that he’s still wrapped in the covers.
I’m disappointed in Miri Ben-Ari’s new CD. She’s a classically trained, Israeli-born violinist who now lives in the U.S. She plays on many rap recordings, and I was hoping that her new CD would be primarily instrumental. Unfortunately, it’s basically a who’s who of rap artists rapping, while she plays in the background. I did hear one instrumental, an interesting rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner”. Maybe her next CD will actually feature her playing.
The same day Annette posted the picture of her niece sleeping, I got a wonderful shot of Nicholas. I went to check up on him after placing him in the bed and tucking him in. This is what I found:
Notice that he’s still wrapped in the covers.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Just when I thought it couldn't get any better...
...on comes the extended mix of Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True".
I know you'll never admit it, but you like them too.
I know you'll never admit it, but you like them too.
092205
I didn't sleep well last night. Jalen was on my mind. I feel so powerless to guide him as he makes the transition from being a kid to becoming an adolescent. I so feel like I'm failing him. He's had a few failing grades this quarter because of not turning work in on time. I went and spoke with one of his teachers today, who stated that the failed assignment was an anomaly. However, he's had the same anomaly in almost all of his classes. Overall he's doing OK, but I need to address this before these "anomalies" become trends. Guys, PLEASE don't have kids if you aren't going to be there full-time.
Nick really made my day this morning. His class is covering the letter "D" this week. They have show-and-tell every Friday, and each student must bring an item that begins with the letter being studied that week. Well, the M.R.S. tells me yesterday that Nick wanted to take "Daddy" for show-and-tell! She told him to ask his teacher if it was OK, as I'd need to know what time I needed to be there. Anyway, his teacher suggested he bring a picture of me instead. So as we're leaving to go to school this morning, he is frantic b/c he forgot to get a picture. I was extremely touched. Of course, he then changed his mind and took a toy duck instead, but I was still happy.
I've FINALLY recovered from the Monday night football game. We OWN the Redskins - I think we'd won 15 of the last 16 games we'd played. And to lose the way we did... *sigh*... At least we have the scrub 49ers coming to town this week, so the natural order should be restored. And to lose like that on the night the Triplets are inducted into the Ring of Honor. Completely unacceptable, people.
I need to print Nick out the next coloring book (that's YES lessons for you and me). Great!!! Everyone just left the office, and "Burning Down the House" just came on XM radio. Lemme crank it up and get my sing on! It doesn't really matter that I have no idea what the lyrics are - except for "THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE DEGREES - BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE".
Summer, I just thought about that night at Renee's when "Baby Got Back" came on; we were commenting (or maybe it was just me)that the one line everyone knows from that song is "even white boys got to shout - Baby Got Back"... Or was that Ashley? Or was it you AND Ashley?
Rita - please disperse. Please.
Nick really made my day this morning. His class is covering the letter "D" this week. They have show-and-tell every Friday, and each student must bring an item that begins with the letter being studied that week. Well, the M.R.S. tells me yesterday that Nick wanted to take "Daddy" for show-and-tell! She told him to ask his teacher if it was OK, as I'd need to know what time I needed to be there. Anyway, his teacher suggested he bring a picture of me instead. So as we're leaving to go to school this morning, he is frantic b/c he forgot to get a picture. I was extremely touched. Of course, he then changed his mind and took a toy duck instead, but I was still happy.
I've FINALLY recovered from the Monday night football game. We OWN the Redskins - I think we'd won 15 of the last 16 games we'd played. And to lose the way we did... *sigh*... At least we have the scrub 49ers coming to town this week, so the natural order should be restored. And to lose like that on the night the Triplets are inducted into the Ring of Honor. Completely unacceptable, people.
I need to print Nick out the next coloring book (that's YES lessons for you and me). Great!!! Everyone just left the office, and "Burning Down the House" just came on XM radio. Lemme crank it up and get my sing on! It doesn't really matter that I have no idea what the lyrics are - except for "THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE DEGREES - BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE".
Summer, I just thought about that night at Renee's when "Baby Got Back" came on; we were commenting (or maybe it was just me)that the one line everyone knows from that song is "even white boys got to shout - Baby Got Back"... Or was that Ashley? Or was it you AND Ashley?
Rita - please disperse. Please.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Where's my Muse?
Ahhh, ABBA. "Dancing Queen" is helping me wind down. I'v been in the midst of a spell of writer's block for a few days. Perhaps the seminal Swedish band's harmonies can reach my inner Ernest Hemingway. Never mind. Now it's Motley Crue's "Looks that Kill." Great workout tune, but doesn't inspire me to put the pen to the pad, so to speak. Oh well - c'est la vie.
I'm finally settling back into a routine after being gone 3 of the last 5 weeks. I'm being requested by my department to go to DC October 2-3 on a recruiting trip to Howard University. Seeing as how HU is an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), and I'm one of two black grad students in the department, they really want me to go. The other black guy has to work and can't take off. I think I'm all traveled out though. Not to mention that I'd be hustling to get back in time for Trumpets - and there's the matter of my 7th wedding anniversary to deal with as well.
This past Sabbath was weird. Not the sermons, or the brethren. It was entirely me. I enjoyed my Sabbath, but I almost felt like I was somewhere else, while my body was on remote control. I think it was because I was tired from all the bus riding and whatnot. Rebel told me I looked really tired when we were at Russell Stover's. I guess that was all it was, b/c when I woke up Sunday morning to go to Cracker Barrel I was back to my normal self.
Well I've got to walk home and get dinner, so I'll stop here. I may come back tonight and pick up where I left off. I know - I can dazzle my adoring public with pictures of cotton fields... and charter buses... and cotton breeders... yadda yadda yadda...
I'm finally settling back into a routine after being gone 3 of the last 5 weeks. I'm being requested by my department to go to DC October 2-3 on a recruiting trip to Howard University. Seeing as how HU is an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), and I'm one of two black grad students in the department, they really want me to go. The other black guy has to work and can't take off. I think I'm all traveled out though. Not to mention that I'd be hustling to get back in time for Trumpets - and there's the matter of my 7th wedding anniversary to deal with as well.
This past Sabbath was weird. Not the sermons, or the brethren. It was entirely me. I enjoyed my Sabbath, but I almost felt like I was somewhere else, while my body was on remote control. I think it was because I was tired from all the bus riding and whatnot. Rebel told me I looked really tired when we were at Russell Stover's. I guess that was all it was, b/c when I woke up Sunday morning to go to Cracker Barrel I was back to my normal self.
Well I've got to walk home and get dinner, so I'll stop here. I may come back tonight and pick up where I left off. I know - I can dazzle my adoring public with pictures of cotton fields... and charter buses... and cotton breeders... yadda yadda yadda...
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Live from Tifton, GA
Made it to Tifton, my last stop. It's about 35 miles from Moultrie, GA, and not much farther to Tallahassee. Unfortunately, that makes Tifton about 4 hours away from Savannah. Incidentally, even though this morning was free time with which we could explore Savannah, I was scheduled for a meeting to last from 8-10 a.m. The meeting lasted until 11:30. We boarded the bus at noon. So much for seeing Savannah, other than the late-nite stroll I took along river street before I went to bed.
We pulled in to the Tifton experiment station for a catered dinner, and it was truly southern. Just about everything was fried. I don't know how much more fried food I can take this week. Anyway, they served cole slaw, potato salad, fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail, fried tilapia, fried grouper, fried catfish, fried crabs, fried oysters, french fries, and cheese grits. Ummm... My table was populated by a guy from India, one from Texas A & M by way of Michigan, one from Texas A & M by way of Idaho, and two Lubbock-area representatives. They were greatly amused by my obvious elation at being served grits. Not as much joy as I took in the grits, but they enjoyed them nonetheless.
After this repast, we were treated to a slide show chronicling this old breeder's international travels - complete with witty anectdotes. Following the slide show, we boarded our buses and went to the Courtyard Marriott; unfortunately, my roomate booked our rooms at the other Marriott. It was within walking distance though, so we eventually checked into our room. I sleep now.
We pulled in to the Tifton experiment station for a catered dinner, and it was truly southern. Just about everything was fried. I don't know how much more fried food I can take this week. Anyway, they served cole slaw, potato salad, fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail, fried tilapia, fried grouper, fried catfish, fried crabs, fried oysters, french fries, and cheese grits. Ummm... My table was populated by a guy from India, one from Texas A & M by way of Michigan, one from Texas A & M by way of Idaho, and two Lubbock-area representatives. They were greatly amused by my obvious elation at being served grits. Not as much joy as I took in the grits, but they enjoyed them nonetheless.
After this repast, we were treated to a slide show chronicling this old breeder's international travels - complete with witty anectdotes. Following the slide show, we boarded our buses and went to the Courtyard Marriott; unfortunately, my roomate booked our rooms at the other Marriott. It was within walking distance though, so we eventually checked into our room. I sleep now.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Must... Find... Internet...
I haven't had internet access the past few days and I'm going through withdrawal. Let me say that I will be returning to Savannah with the M.R.S. at some point - this place is quite enchanting. I probably won't be staying where I'm staying now - downtown in the Hyatt in the middle of the Historical District, but I'm sure there's a Motel 6 or something somewhere here. I've already seen enough cotton fields to last me a while, but there's still 2 more days to go. At least tonight we ate dinner in some lady named Paula Deen's restaurant. Apparently she has a cooking show on the Food Network and is famous for putting butter in everything. The creamed corn was the best I've ever had in my life, and the banana pudding wasn't bad either (though I'm sure it's not as good as Country Girl's). Oh well, I gotta run now.
Scary thought: Tman getting a job in Clemson - that means I'd see him more often. Help!!!
Scary thought: Tman getting a job in Clemson - that means I'd see him more often. Help!!!
Friday, September 09, 2005
Rambling...
In a column titled "Shock and Awe in America", syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker states, "No, he [Pres. Bush] didn't cause the hurricane, nor, by the way, did God in retribution against sin, or gays, or corruption - or whatever story the end-time gang is advancing this week." Now the major thrust of her column was to criticize the President's actions following Katrina's leveling of the Big Easy. I've heard everything from President Bush's failure to sign the Kyoto protocol to the diversion of levee funds to build a new casino given as reasons for the catastrophic destruction in the Gulf. I've heard numerous pundits emphatically deny that our sins had anything to do with the the tragedy. I don't presume to speak for God, nor will I definitively say that He directly caused this particular hurricane. I can say that at the least, He either allowed it, or He was powerless to stop it. I know the latter is not the case, but if it is, then it doesn't matter how we as individuals or nations live. If the former is the case, however...
I've stopped counting the number of times I've heard that some variation of "God wouldn't do such a thing". These thoughts (IMHO) are based upon two false premises: That any of us are truly "innocent", and Who and What God is. Deceived - yes. Ignorant - yes. Innocent - no. None of us. The Bible is full of examples of God punishing disobedient nations using catastrophes, famines, plagues, droughts, lack of peace, and subjugation. Once again, I'm not saying God targeted New Orleans, but there are most certainly plenty of precedents.
The people affected are certainly in need of any help we can give them. I feel helpless, but not nearly as helpless as I imagine the residents of New Orleans, Gulfport, and Biloxi feel. The suffering there is unimagineable to me. There are so many people out there like Heather who are in pain because their neighbors are in pain. There, but for the grace of God, go us. Everyone is wondering how we can prevent such a catastrophe in the future. The one sure way to prevent this type of thing, along with tsunamis, looting, rapes, murders, cancers, etc., is never broached - unless it's by the "religious crackpots."
On a lighter note, we took a pic after Jalen's game. They're 2-0, and have won their two games by a combined score of 80-12.
I've stopped counting the number of times I've heard that some variation of "God wouldn't do such a thing". These thoughts (IMHO) are based upon two false premises: That any of us are truly "innocent", and Who and What God is. Deceived - yes. Ignorant - yes. Innocent - no. None of us. The Bible is full of examples of God punishing disobedient nations using catastrophes, famines, plagues, droughts, lack of peace, and subjugation. Once again, I'm not saying God targeted New Orleans, but there are most certainly plenty of precedents.
The people affected are certainly in need of any help we can give them. I feel helpless, but not nearly as helpless as I imagine the residents of New Orleans, Gulfport, and Biloxi feel. The suffering there is unimagineable to me. There are so many people out there like Heather who are in pain because their neighbors are in pain. There, but for the grace of God, go us. Everyone is wondering how we can prevent such a catastrophe in the future. The one sure way to prevent this type of thing, along with tsunamis, looting, rapes, murders, cancers, etc., is never broached - unless it's by the "religious crackpots."
On a lighter note, we took a pic after Jalen's game. They're 2-0, and have won their two games by a combined score of 80-12.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Home again
I haven't posted in forever... Not much has changed. Nick's begun practicing soccer; Noah's pulling himself up and still puts everything in his mouth; New Orleans and Biloxi/Gulfsport are still in bad shape. I'll be leaving Sunday to go on the Southeast Cotton breeder's tour. We'll be touring (obviously) public and private breeding facilities and farms starting in Raleigh, NC and ending in Tifton, GA. I'll be gone until Friday; I wouldn't mind hooking up with some brethren in Atlanta on the way home and spending the night; I don't think that's gonna happen though. There was a slim chance of having the M.R.S. pick me up in Tifton and spending the weekend in the Live Oak, Fl. area, but my financial advisor (my wallet) strongly advised against it. *sigh*...
Monday, August 29, 2005
T-minus...
Ahhh Fresno! I had a great time meeting the brethren up there. A sizable portion of their congregation was out of town, but the small group of us present had a wonderful Sabbath together. Mr. Mora came up from the Bay area and gave a sermon on The Counsel of God - why we need it, how to go about seeking it, etc. Two other gentlemen drove up with him, and they both had interesting stories to tell. One was Mr. Millich's roommate @ Ambassador as a freshman. They both had stopped attending for years, but now have been attending LCG for about 4 or 5 years. I met a brother (who's also a brotha)from Statesboro, GA. I chastised him for not converting the entire Fresno congregation to grits, but he handled the rebuke well. Everyone was soooooo nice. After services, we sat around in a sort of semi-oval and potlucked. Food makes everything better.
The scheduled songleader was hospitalized Friday night with a possible heart attack, but he was released Sabbath morning. Turns out his heart is fine - but he has pneumonia. We (me and the Medards, who treated me like one of their kids - in a good way)went by to see the gentleman and his wife for a minute. The minute turned into several hours, by which time the Sabbath was over. We stopped back by the Medards to pick up my car and change clothes before hitting the road back to Bakersfield. "Mom & Dad" wouldn't let me leave without fixing me a couple of sandwiches, a bag of grapes, an apple turnover, and a bottle of high-quality H2O for the road. Did I mention they fixed me breakfast when I got there that morning? A nice bowl of real oatmeal, with raisins, brown sugar, sunflower seeds, grapes, coffee, milk, OJ, and an apple turnover. Needless to say, I'm going back to Fresno when I get the chance.
The Medards are an interesting couple. They are much like a certain Barbados-bound couple I know. Mrs. Medard likes to talk, and Mr. Medard doesn't say much - but when he does, it's funny! They are such an adorable couple. Mrs. Medard looks just like her brother Galyn. I mean JUST like him. Without that whole Y-chromosome thing though.
Other than that, I've been chillin' in the lab, and occasionally in the field. My allergies have been on overdrive since my first foray into the flowering test plots. Hopefully that'll change once I get back to SC.
Katrina is wreaking havoc on La & Miss. I pray that all the brethren got out in advance. Judging from the rescue missions I just saw, not all of the New Orleans residents did. I pray that they're all OK - well, as OK as one can be after losing possibly everything. Wasn't Katrina a tropical storm like a few days ago?
The scheduled songleader was hospitalized Friday night with a possible heart attack, but he was released Sabbath morning. Turns out his heart is fine - but he has pneumonia. We (me and the Medards, who treated me like one of their kids - in a good way)went by to see the gentleman and his wife for a minute. The minute turned into several hours, by which time the Sabbath was over. We stopped back by the Medards to pick up my car and change clothes before hitting the road back to Bakersfield. "Mom & Dad" wouldn't let me leave without fixing me a couple of sandwiches, a bag of grapes, an apple turnover, and a bottle of high-quality H2O for the road. Did I mention they fixed me breakfast when I got there that morning? A nice bowl of real oatmeal, with raisins, brown sugar, sunflower seeds, grapes, coffee, milk, OJ, and an apple turnover. Needless to say, I'm going back to Fresno when I get the chance.
The Medards are an interesting couple. They are much like a certain Barbados-bound couple I know. Mrs. Medard likes to talk, and Mr. Medard doesn't say much - but when he does, it's funny! They are such an adorable couple. Mrs. Medard looks just like her brother Galyn. I mean JUST like him. Without that whole Y-chromosome thing though.
Other than that, I've been chillin' in the lab, and occasionally in the field. My allergies have been on overdrive since my first foray into the flowering test plots. Hopefully that'll change once I get back to SC.
Katrina is wreaking havoc on La & Miss. I pray that all the brethren got out in advance. Judging from the rescue missions I just saw, not all of the New Orleans residents did. I pray that they're all OK - well, as OK as one can be after losing possibly everything. Wasn't Katrina a tropical storm like a few days ago?
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Well, I ain't!
I was playing around with the camera, holding it at arm's length, when I took this picture of myself. My co-worker here saw it and said I had my "I ain't pickin' no cotton" face on.
I bought the M.R.S. some flowers today; a bouquet of sunflowers and yellow roses.
She was quite surprised – and quite pleased. MAJOR brownie points for me. I miss that chick. Seriously. And the boys too… Noah with his single tooth – the M.R.S. tells me he’s flying all over the house in his little walker (we’ve got smooth tile floors now). Whenever I call I him babbling DA-DA in the background. *sniff* And then there’s Nick. The first time I called home he got on the phone and without even saying “hello” he blurts out “I miss you daddy.”*sniff* I’ve even got to talk with Jalen a few times since I’ve been here. He’s not going to Jamaica with us though. I made sure to let him know that if he changes his mind we’ve got a spot for him. *sigh* We’re even laying over for a few hours in his favorite city, Miami. He’s the starting left tackle for his football team, and his 1st cousin is the starting right tackle. Their first game is the day after I get back, so I’ll be able to catch him in action. I’ve got to do something about the 215 lbs he’s carrying around though. That’s just not healthy. Anyway, it was good to talk to him, and hopefully I’ll have him the weekend I get back. Clemson begins their football season, and my brother & family will be staying at our place. It would be great for us all to hang out for a couple of days.
Oh to be back in the arms of my green-eyed sweetheart! It’s hard to believe our 7th anniversary will be this October – the day before Trumpets. We got baptized a week before getting married, and then we were married the day before the FOT in ’98. The Feast in Panama City served as our honeymoon. We found out about 2T pretty late in the game, so we didn’t have much loot. We pretty much financed our honeymoon with wedding gifts! We stayed at this somewhat sketchy place called the Value Lodge, and Shonta got sick for a day or two midway through, and we spent the last few days of the Feast without car insurance, and made it home with just enough money to gas up in Commerce, GA and coast home on fumes. It was absolutely fantastic! I hate that PC’s no longer a site, as it remains a special place to us. After all, we’ve spent 71.4% of our Feasts there.
Well, it’s late now, and I’ve got to get here early tomorrow to play in massa’s fields. Toodle!
PS: Desiree, if you’re reading this, I’m probably going to Fresno (11 a.m. Services??) this Sabbath. Do you think you can get Jim M.’s mailing address for me? I’d greatly appreciate it.
.
I bought the M.R.S. some flowers today; a bouquet of sunflowers and yellow roses.
She was quite surprised – and quite pleased. MAJOR brownie points for me. I miss that chick. Seriously. And the boys too… Noah with his single tooth – the M.R.S. tells me he’s flying all over the house in his little walker (we’ve got smooth tile floors now). Whenever I call I him babbling DA-DA in the background. *sniff* And then there’s Nick. The first time I called home he got on the phone and without even saying “hello” he blurts out “I miss you daddy.”*sniff* I’ve even got to talk with Jalen a few times since I’ve been here. He’s not going to Jamaica with us though. I made sure to let him know that if he changes his mind we’ve got a spot for him. *sigh* We’re even laying over for a few hours in his favorite city, Miami. He’s the starting left tackle for his football team, and his 1st cousin is the starting right tackle. Their first game is the day after I get back, so I’ll be able to catch him in action. I’ve got to do something about the 215 lbs he’s carrying around though. That’s just not healthy. Anyway, it was good to talk to him, and hopefully I’ll have him the weekend I get back. Clemson begins their football season, and my brother & family will be staying at our place. It would be great for us all to hang out for a couple of days.
Oh to be back in the arms of my green-eyed sweetheart! It’s hard to believe our 7th anniversary will be this October – the day before Trumpets. We got baptized a week before getting married, and then we were married the day before the FOT in ’98. The Feast in Panama City served as our honeymoon. We found out about 2T pretty late in the game, so we didn’t have much loot. We pretty much financed our honeymoon with wedding gifts! We stayed at this somewhat sketchy place called the Value Lodge, and Shonta got sick for a day or two midway through, and we spent the last few days of the Feast without car insurance, and made it home with just enough money to gas up in Commerce, GA and coast home on fumes. It was absolutely fantastic! I hate that PC’s no longer a site, as it remains a special place to us. After all, we’ve spent 71.4% of our Feasts there.
Well, it’s late now, and I’ve got to get here early tomorrow to play in massa’s fields. Toodle!
PS: Desiree, if you’re reading this, I’m probably going to Fresno (11 a.m. Services??) this Sabbath. Do you think you can get Jim M.’s mailing address for me? I’d greatly appreciate it.
.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Jam On It!
... Now Superman came to our town to see who he could rock
He blew away every crew he faced until he reached our block
His speakers were three stories woofers with woofers made of steel
And when we boys were sitting outside, he said "I boom for real
I'm faster than a speedin' bullet and when I'm on the set
I don't need no fans to cool my amp, I just use my super-breath
I can fly three times around the world without missing a beat
I socialize with X-ray eyes and ladies think it's sweet"
And then he turned the power on and the ground began to move
And all the buildings for miles around were swaying to the groove
And just when had fooled the crowd and swore he'd won the fight
We rocked his butt with a 12" cut called "Disco Kryptonite"...
Jam on It - Newcleus
I miss the 80s.
He blew away every crew he faced until he reached our block
His speakers were three stories woofers with woofers made of steel
And when we boys were sitting outside, he said "I boom for real
I'm faster than a speedin' bullet and when I'm on the set
I don't need no fans to cool my amp, I just use my super-breath
I can fly three times around the world without missing a beat
I socialize with X-ray eyes and ladies think it's sweet"
And then he turned the power on and the ground began to move
And all the buildings for miles around were swaying to the groove
And just when had fooled the crowd and swore he'd won the fight
We rocked his butt with a 12" cut called "Disco Kryptonite"...
Jam on It - Newcleus
I miss the 80s.
Resistance... is futile.
I’ve been here almost a week and I still can’t get used to some things – like the absence of sweet tea. Bakersfield reminds me a bit of the south, but L.A. is a different creature altogether. I went down there for services this past Sabbath and had a blast. I took a few pics of the mountains as I was leaving Bakersfield.
Mr. Meredith was there, and the Garden Grove congregation came up. There were several brethren from San Diego present as well. After services Jim Meredith invited me to join a group going to this Greek restaurant (Caesar’s) in Pasadena. The food was… interesting. I really enjoyed the rice and the beef tips; I wasn’t as fond of the grape-leaf-covered rice thingy served as an appetizer, and I don’t think I’m a big fan of hummus either. Jim must have reserved the place for us b/c we were the only customers present. There was lots of good conversation; I was sort of in the middle of our table, and constantly found myself engaged in conversations going on at both ends simultaneously. At our table were Daryl & Vicky, Ben & Stephan, Rachelle & Jake, Brandon & Lynette, and Greg & Karri. Oh yeah, Desiree too. I did a lot more listening than talking, but I don’t mind that – it helps me learn more about the people when I get to hear what they have to say. Some of you would be interested in knowing about the Napoleon Dynamite convo; let’s just say that people either love,love, love the movie, or they hate, hate, hate it. The Monsons definitely hate it. Lol
Afterwards, a group of us went to visit what was formerly known as Ambassador College in Pasadena. I’m not one to gush over architecture and landscaping, but the grounds were absolutely stunning in their beauty. I took a few pix, but the outdoor ones didn’t turn out too well. Desiree does a fine job describing our detour inside Ambassador auditorium. It was… in a word… surreal. Apparently we walked into the end of the Saturday night portion of Harvest Rock Church’s Catch the Fire conference. I kept waiting for a zombie-like participant to point at us and screech “Intruder!” at us before the masses assimilated us into the collective. After extricating ourselves from the Borg, we strolled across the campus until 10:00 or so, and then security informed us that the campus was closing.
I got back to my hotel around 12:30 and watched a little TV. By a little I mean until 5:30 a.m. I’ve got to stop doing that. Needless to say, I did not make it to the lab in Shafter until the afternoon.
Ah, the lab. Smack dab in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lush fields of cotton and dirt. My work the last two days has looked like crap, and my boss here has (strongly) hinted that I might need to come back for a couple of weeks in December. *sigh* At least I got a new hat out of the deal – I purchased a straw hat to protect me from the blazing sun as I start my field work Thursday. Unfortunately, they sprayed the fields with insecticide the day I got here so I haven’t begun the fieldwork portion of my visit.
So much for watching what I eat. I’ve had pretty much nothing but McDonald’s, Jack-in-the-Box, and Carl’s Jr. (Hardee’s for you southerners). Oh yeah, and plenty of Mexican. For lunch today I had a quesadilla lengua – that’s a “cow-tongue case-a-dee-ya” for my non-habla espanoling readers. It was actually really good!
I found out last night that I’m not the one you want to call if something’s wrong in the middle of the night. Noah’s got another ear infection, and the M.R.S. called me around 3 .a.m. Pacific time to let me know, and to ease her frazzled nerves. Apparently she decided I wasn’t much help when I started making random comments about the forest fire. “What forest fire?” might you ask? I don’t know. I have no recollection of said statements. I was a little more coherent when she called again at 5:58 a.m. And what was up with the wrong number call on the cell phone @ 7 a.m.???
Anyway, I’m out. Peace.
Mr. Meredith was there, and the Garden Grove congregation came up. There were several brethren from San Diego present as well. After services Jim Meredith invited me to join a group going to this Greek restaurant (Caesar’s) in Pasadena. The food was… interesting. I really enjoyed the rice and the beef tips; I wasn’t as fond of the grape-leaf-covered rice thingy served as an appetizer, and I don’t think I’m a big fan of hummus either. Jim must have reserved the place for us b/c we were the only customers present. There was lots of good conversation; I was sort of in the middle of our table, and constantly found myself engaged in conversations going on at both ends simultaneously. At our table were Daryl & Vicky, Ben & Stephan, Rachelle & Jake, Brandon & Lynette, and Greg & Karri. Oh yeah, Desiree too. I did a lot more listening than talking, but I don’t mind that – it helps me learn more about the people when I get to hear what they have to say. Some of you would be interested in knowing about the Napoleon Dynamite convo; let’s just say that people either love,love, love the movie, or they hate, hate, hate it. The Monsons definitely hate it. Lol
Afterwards, a group of us went to visit what was formerly known as Ambassador College in Pasadena. I’m not one to gush over architecture and landscaping, but the grounds were absolutely stunning in their beauty. I took a few pix, but the outdoor ones didn’t turn out too well. Desiree does a fine job describing our detour inside Ambassador auditorium. It was… in a word… surreal. Apparently we walked into the end of the Saturday night portion of Harvest Rock Church’s Catch the Fire conference. I kept waiting for a zombie-like participant to point at us and screech “Intruder!” at us before the masses assimilated us into the collective. After extricating ourselves from the Borg, we strolled across the campus until 10:00 or so, and then security informed us that the campus was closing.
I got back to my hotel around 12:30 and watched a little TV. By a little I mean until 5:30 a.m. I’ve got to stop doing that. Needless to say, I did not make it to the lab in Shafter until the afternoon.
Ah, the lab. Smack dab in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lush fields of cotton and dirt. My work the last two days has looked like crap, and my boss here has (strongly) hinted that I might need to come back for a couple of weeks in December. *sigh* At least I got a new hat out of the deal – I purchased a straw hat to protect me from the blazing sun as I start my field work Thursday. Unfortunately, they sprayed the fields with insecticide the day I got here so I haven’t begun the fieldwork portion of my visit.
So much for watching what I eat. I’ve had pretty much nothing but McDonald’s, Jack-in-the-Box, and Carl’s Jr. (Hardee’s for you southerners). Oh yeah, and plenty of Mexican. For lunch today I had a quesadilla lengua – that’s a “cow-tongue case-a-dee-ya” for my non-habla espanoling readers. It was actually really good!
I found out last night that I’m not the one you want to call if something’s wrong in the middle of the night. Noah’s got another ear infection, and the M.R.S. called me around 3 .a.m. Pacific time to let me know, and to ease her frazzled nerves. Apparently she decided I wasn’t much help when I started making random comments about the forest fire. “What forest fire?” might you ask? I don’t know. I have no recollection of said statements. I was a little more coherent when she called again at 5:58 a.m. And what was up with the wrong number call on the cell phone @ 7 a.m.???
Anyway, I’m out. Peace.
Friday, August 19, 2005
BOOYAH!
My gel looks good, so I can go full blast starting Sunday! I feel like letting out a Lil John/Usher-like "Yeah!" I think I'll celebrate by going to Denny's.
It's good to know that the week I spent in that hot greenhouse in April was not a waste.
It's good to know that the week I spent in that hot greenhouse in April was not a waste.
Almost Dinnertime...
T-2 hours till I break on up outta here. I'm kind of in a holding pattern at the moment - I need to wait and see if the gel I ran this morning looks good (meaning the DNA extractions I performed in April were successful) before I continue. If the gel image looks like crap, then I've got to do the extractions again, setting me back 4 or 5 days. I wanted to press on, but if there's no DNA in my samples, then I'd just be throwing away gov't $$$ on reagents - and so I sit. Gels work by forming a matrix through which the DNA molecules travel. The matrix is full of pores, and smaller fragments migrate through the pores more quickly than larger fragments. DNA has a slightly negative electrical charge, so the application of electricity forces the DNA through the gel matrix towards the positive pole. The separation comes as a result of varying fragment sizes. The following picture shows a gel; the row of bright spots across the top represent where the samples were loaded. The samples closest to the bottom are the smallest DNA fragments; the fragments increase in size as you go up. The last column of samples on the right are size markers; each band has a known size, and you use it to estimate the size of any particular band you might be interested in. You use a nasty mutagenic substance called ethidium bromide to visualize the DNA bands; the ethidium bromide binds to the DNA and flouresces in the presence of UV light.
Last night's blog ended rather abruptly - my labmate had taken care of my gel for me and was locking up as I began typing, so I had to leave. The same thing may happen today - everytime I try to type, I have to get up and do some work... Don't you hate that?
I'm heading down to LA tomorrow. I need to call Desiree, because I don't quite remember where the exit is off I-5, or "THE FIVE", as it's called out here. I'll try to take some pix. At least I don't have to worry about getting a duplicate sermon; Mr. Meredith's going to be speaking live. Oh well, I've got to go take a picture of my gel, and get ready to go to dinner. Ciao!
Last night's blog ended rather abruptly - my labmate had taken care of my gel for me and was locking up as I began typing, so I had to leave. The same thing may happen today - everytime I try to type, I have to get up and do some work... Don't you hate that?
I'm heading down to LA tomorrow. I need to call Desiree, because I don't quite remember where the exit is off I-5, or "THE FIVE", as it's called out here. I'll try to take some pix. At least I don't have to worry about getting a duplicate sermon; Mr. Meredith's going to be speaking live. Oh well, I've got to go take a picture of my gel, and get ready to go to dinner. Ciao!
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Bakersfield
Here I sit, 11 p.m. according to my inner Eastern Daylight Savings time clock, at work waiting for a gel to dry so I can use it in the morning. I'm also missing my family terribly... Absence most certainly does make the heart grow fonder...
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Monday, August 15, 2005
The Hotness
Well, my tickets are paid for and it's official - I'm off to Bakersfield Wednesday. That means two weeks of 100-degree temps, a trip to LA, and probably a trip to Fresno. I'm striving to win LCG's "Most Congregations Visited" award.
Yesterday I took the fam up to Charlotte for a picnic sponsored by HQ. We bothered my mother-in-law's Caravan because I need a new compressor for the AC unit in my vehicle. All was going well until we reached the town of Gaffney, where the rear driver's side tire blew. Luckily, we were only a few miles away from Super Wal-Mart. After dropping $75 we were able to continue on our way, arriving at the park around 1 o'clock.
The picnic was nice. It was quite hot outside, but under the pavillion is was manageable. We missed the burgers and hot dogs, setting up a mandatory dinner stop on the trip home. While there I got to watch a little softball, and play a scaled-down game of Ultimate. After working up a little sweat we were cooled off by a massive downpour. We got to meet a lot of new people and were able to spend time with old acquaintances as well. They should have these shindigs more often - only with more meat. lol
We were blessed to have the infamous Summa join us for the trip home. Once we hit Greenville we exited off and hit Tony Roma's, home of the best beef ribs in the Upstate. Nine or ten of us piled into a booth and ate like eating was going out of style. We had the privilege of being waited on by The Hotness, known to his mom as Kyle. He was the male embodiment of the blonde female stereotype (my apologies to any blonde females who might stumble across this. I'm sure none of you would fit the stereotype.). He wasn't stupid, just a little... I think ditzy is word I'm looking for. Just off-kilter enough to be a little endearing. He was pretty funny, and the female contingent at our table informed me that he was cute and had a dimple. Later on the adjective "hot" was used, and Kyle became The Hotness. He forgot to remove the used dishes from the table so that at one point, Chad had to sit his entree in his lap b/c there was nowhere else to put it. The splitting of the checks at the end of the meal was quite an adventure too - as he corrected the mistakes The Hotness told us we were lucky we got the right food! He was so likeable though that we all (I think)laughed.
Afterwards, we goodbye to our friend Aaron. I've got to adjust to Mr. Ridgeway's juke-joint style of hymn playing. Should be fun. We finally got Summa home around 11 - where I found there was a BODACIOUS bowl of blueberries waiting for me. Of course I drop the container when I got home and had blueberries all over the floor. That's what I get for coveting, I guess. Gotta go now and get caught up on everyone else's blogs...
Yesterday I took the fam up to Charlotte for a picnic sponsored by HQ. We bothered my mother-in-law's Caravan because I need a new compressor for the AC unit in my vehicle. All was going well until we reached the town of Gaffney, where the rear driver's side tire blew. Luckily, we were only a few miles away from Super Wal-Mart. After dropping $75 we were able to continue on our way, arriving at the park around 1 o'clock.
The picnic was nice. It was quite hot outside, but under the pavillion is was manageable. We missed the burgers and hot dogs, setting up a mandatory dinner stop on the trip home. While there I got to watch a little softball, and play a scaled-down game of Ultimate. After working up a little sweat we were cooled off by a massive downpour. We got to meet a lot of new people and were able to spend time with old acquaintances as well. They should have these shindigs more often - only with more meat. lol
We were blessed to have the infamous Summa join us for the trip home. Once we hit Greenville we exited off and hit Tony Roma's, home of the best beef ribs in the Upstate. Nine or ten of us piled into a booth and ate like eating was going out of style. We had the privilege of being waited on by The Hotness, known to his mom as Kyle. He was the male embodiment of the blonde female stereotype (my apologies to any blonde females who might stumble across this. I'm sure none of you would fit the stereotype.). He wasn't stupid, just a little... I think ditzy is word I'm looking for. Just off-kilter enough to be a little endearing. He was pretty funny, and the female contingent at our table informed me that he was cute and had a dimple. Later on the adjective "hot" was used, and Kyle became The Hotness. He forgot to remove the used dishes from the table so that at one point, Chad had to sit his entree in his lap b/c there was nowhere else to put it. The splitting of the checks at the end of the meal was quite an adventure too - as he corrected the mistakes The Hotness told us we were lucky we got the right food! He was so likeable though that we all (I think)laughed.
Afterwards, we goodbye to our friend Aaron. I've got to adjust to Mr. Ridgeway's juke-joint style of hymn playing. Should be fun. We finally got Summa home around 11 - where I found there was a BODACIOUS bowl of blueberries waiting for me. Of course I drop the container when I got home and had blueberries all over the floor. That's what I get for coveting, I guess. Gotta go now and get caught up on everyone else's blogs...
Thursday, August 11, 2005
American Justice
One of the shooters in the 1998 Jonesboro, Ark school shootings is being released from prison because he is 21 today. He will have no criminal record because he was a minor when the killings occurred. If the Feds hadn't used weapons charges against him he would have been released 3 years ago. His partner in the shootings has two years to go. The pair killed four students and one teacher.
This is justice?
This is justice?
Crocodile hunter wannabe
I find it funny that my parents have no idea what I do. Half the time they can't remember what I'm majoring in - they just remember it has something to do with cotton.
Ma: "What's your major again - biology?"
Me: "No Ma, it's genetics. I'm doing some research on cotton genetics."
Ma: "So & so asked about you today and I was trying to remember what you were taking. I knew it had something to do with cotton."
You would not believe how many times we've had this conversation - basically whenever anyone in my hometown asks how I'm doing.
So I'm pursuing a PhD in genetics. Some people "Oooo" and "Ahhh" when I say that, but it's not as sexy as it sounds. Labwork can be (and often is) repetitive and mundane. These comments are often followed by comments like, "So, you're cloning someone?" or , "So you're growing some Super Cotton?" Nah, what I do is nothing as glamorous as that. In a nutshell what I do is sequence (relatively) small portions of cotton DNA and look for a specific type of molecular marker called microsatellites. I use a perl script to detect the microsatellites in the sequence data. I'm finishing up that now; next, I'll use the markers to determine the genetic relationships among ~200 cotton varieties held by a cotton breeder in California. The characterization of this breeding stock will hopefully allow the breeder to make the most successful crosses, and streamline the breeding process. This will cut down on the 10-12 years it typically takes to develop a new variety and get it to market.
I never intended to work with plants. I wanted to be a herpetologist (one who studies reptiles and amphibians) and curate a reptile exhibit at a zoo or work at a natural history museum. When I was applying for graduate school, the lone herpetologist on staff told me he was retiring. I ended up in genetics because the opportunity to earn a PhD while getting paid basically fell in my lap. I had to apply for a fellowship, but the applying was basically a formality. I was a little worried, because my undergraduate grades weren't the best. As a matter of fact, I flunked out of Clemson as an undergrad. What's odd is that I'm prohibited from ever returning to Clemson as an undergraduate student - but I'm allowed to pursue a graduate degree here. Go figure. Luckily graduate school and undergraduate school admissions operate separately. Now I just have to graduate - if I don't, I'll never be able to pay off the student loans I've taken out!
Ma: "What's your major again - biology?"
Me: "No Ma, it's genetics. I'm doing some research on cotton genetics."
Ma: "So & so asked about you today and I was trying to remember what you were taking. I knew it had something to do with cotton."
You would not believe how many times we've had this conversation - basically whenever anyone in my hometown asks how I'm doing.
So I'm pursuing a PhD in genetics. Some people "Oooo" and "Ahhh" when I say that, but it's not as sexy as it sounds. Labwork can be (and often is) repetitive and mundane. These comments are often followed by comments like, "So, you're cloning someone?" or , "So you're growing some Super Cotton?" Nah, what I do is nothing as glamorous as that. In a nutshell what I do is sequence (relatively) small portions of cotton DNA and look for a specific type of molecular marker called microsatellites. I use a perl script to detect the microsatellites in the sequence data. I'm finishing up that now; next, I'll use the markers to determine the genetic relationships among ~200 cotton varieties held by a cotton breeder in California. The characterization of this breeding stock will hopefully allow the breeder to make the most successful crosses, and streamline the breeding process. This will cut down on the 10-12 years it typically takes to develop a new variety and get it to market.
I never intended to work with plants. I wanted to be a herpetologist (one who studies reptiles and amphibians) and curate a reptile exhibit at a zoo or work at a natural history museum. When I was applying for graduate school, the lone herpetologist on staff told me he was retiring. I ended up in genetics because the opportunity to earn a PhD while getting paid basically fell in my lap. I had to apply for a fellowship, but the applying was basically a formality. I was a little worried, because my undergraduate grades weren't the best. As a matter of fact, I flunked out of Clemson as an undergrad. What's odd is that I'm prohibited from ever returning to Clemson as an undergraduate student - but I'm allowed to pursue a graduate degree here. Go figure. Luckily graduate school and undergraduate school admissions operate separately. Now I just have to graduate - if I don't, I'll never be able to pay off the student loans I've taken out!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
The Ally
There you sit, motionless; mocking me with your silence. I hate you, and you revel in the knowledge that I need you nonetheless. I can hear you laughing at me as you sense my reluctance to engage you - yet engage you I must. I try to brace myself for the pain which is sure to come, but I'm never prepared when it does. I can already feel the pain searing my chest with every breath; my breathlessness reducing me to a quivering mahogany mass; the aching in my muscles as my body struggles fights oxygen deprivation. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of low endurance and love handles? Cursed track! With my last breath I spit at thee!
Yet, I need you. *sigh* You know I am at your mercy. You know that I need your help to counter the betrayal of my former ally, High Metabolism. Oh, if only I had foreseen his transformation into my mortal enemy You Can't Eat Just Any Old Thing Anymore. Yes, I know I was warned that this would happen, but at the height of my leanness I arrogantly dismissed the possibility. Now I pay for my hubris. Now I'm reduced to begging for help from you, a hated former enemy.
So help me, cursed track. Help me melt this layer of adipose tissue from my abs and obliques. Help me increase my stamina and improve my cardiovascular health. Release the 6-pack being held captive due to a few too many Mickey D's fries. I never forget a favor. Maybe one day I can even come to call you friend.
Yet, I need you. *sigh* You know I am at your mercy. You know that I need your help to counter the betrayal of my former ally, High Metabolism. Oh, if only I had foreseen his transformation into my mortal enemy You Can't Eat Just Any Old Thing Anymore. Yes, I know I was warned that this would happen, but at the height of my leanness I arrogantly dismissed the possibility. Now I pay for my hubris. Now I'm reduced to begging for help from you, a hated former enemy.
So help me, cursed track. Help me melt this layer of adipose tissue from my abs and obliques. Help me increase my stamina and improve my cardiovascular health. Release the 6-pack being held captive due to a few too many Mickey D's fries. I never forget a favor. Maybe one day I can even come to call you friend.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Are U Ready for Some Football???
It’s almost football season! I’ve been starved since the end of the NBA season. I follow baseball, but I don’t really watch it until the playoffs roll around. I broke down and watched the Miami/Chicago exhibition game last night. I must admit I was fascinated with the whole Ricky Williams situation and I wanted to see how he’d do. My Cowboys should be competitive this year – they’ll still probably lose two to the Eagles though. The M.R.S. will be happy if that happens. Oh, and college football – there’s nothing like it in the South. I’m trying to find some tickets for the Clemson/FSU game November 17th. It’s not easy rooting for the ‘Noles in the midst of all these Tiger crazies. Oh well. Clemson should be competitive this year too, though they’re so unpredictable they could win anywhere from 3 to 9 or 10 games. We’ll see.
It’s been interesting reading the comments about LYC. This was the first time since I’ve been in the church that our local congregation didn’t have a participant. One year one of our youths was sent home, but other than that, all of the returnees had nothing but praise for the camp. I’m a little disappointed that everything wasn’t perfect this year, but what is? I’m interested in knowing what was said there about some of the new directives that have been issued recently.
I’m really enjoying this respite from the 90+ degree temperatures. I don’t mind the rain so much. I actually like the almost daily afternoon thunderstorms. They clean the air, cool things down, and the lightning flashes are beautiful to watch. I might spray a little WD-40 on my old bike, knock off the spider webs, and get a little exercise today. Moving totally screwed up my exercise (semi) routine. I haven’t run, lifted any weights, or played any basketball since I moved. All my grand plans of playing Ultimate all summer have fallen by the wayside as well. I’ve got to do something today other than click the remote. I think I’ll go home and eat.
I had a shot of our new home here, but the address was clearly visible, and in this day & age that's not such a good idea.
It’s been interesting reading the comments about LYC. This was the first time since I’ve been in the church that our local congregation didn’t have a participant. One year one of our youths was sent home, but other than that, all of the returnees had nothing but praise for the camp. I’m a little disappointed that everything wasn’t perfect this year, but what is? I’m interested in knowing what was said there about some of the new directives that have been issued recently.
I’m really enjoying this respite from the 90+ degree temperatures. I don’t mind the rain so much. I actually like the almost daily afternoon thunderstorms. They clean the air, cool things down, and the lightning flashes are beautiful to watch. I might spray a little WD-40 on my old bike, knock off the spider webs, and get a little exercise today. Moving totally screwed up my exercise (semi) routine. I haven’t run, lifted any weights, or played any basketball since I moved. All my grand plans of playing Ultimate all summer have fallen by the wayside as well. I’ve got to do something today other than click the remote. I think I’ll go home and eat.
I had a shot of our new home here, but the address was clearly visible, and in this day & age that's not such a good idea.
????
| Your Summer Ride is a Toyota Prius |
 Sure you're a little sensible and quite green But no one enjoys outdoors more than you do! |
Friday, August 05, 2005
The big Three-Five
Remember when I said I was ready to give my car away? Well, that's what I did yesterday. I posted it on our local Freecycle listserv (www.freecycle.org). Within minutes I was inundated by emails, some from people in pretty desperate need of a car. The guy who got the car is a shadetree mechanic, and wanted to fix the car up for his daughter. She's got about 2.5 years before she reaches driving age, so he's got plenty of time to tinker with Red (the aforementioned car). He brought his wife and 3 of their kids: Kandi (the M.R.S.), Chelsea (12/13, the recipient), Noah (4), and Shane (2). We met them at the house we just moved out of and within 30 seconds Noah, Shane, and Nick were running around, picking up branches, having swordfights, and just being generally rambunctious. I've never seen Nick spend so much time or have as much fun playing in the yard as he did yesterday. My Noah looked on longingly. Don't worry son - you'll be playing with dirt and tree limbs before you know it. It took Johnny (the husband) about 20 minutes to hook up the car, and we made some small talk to give the boys a little extra play time. Eventually they left, and the smiles on their faces made my day.
So what else happened yesterday... Nick began kindergarten. Surprisingly, the M.R.S. didn't cry when we left him there, nor did I become nervous. I guess the previous year of 4-K acclimated more people than Nick.
Jalen had his orientation for 7th-graders last night. I met his teachers, and made a feeble attempt to have a constructive conversation with his mom. We made some small talk, but I did get to talk with Jalen a bit. I caught him up with what's been going on since we last talked. I found out that the reason he's a little hesitant to commit to Jamaica for the Feast is because he's afraid of flying. He had on a "King of the South" t-shirt on with a picture of the rapper T.I.; let's just say I was not thrilled at his mom's choice of clothes. I assume if he has the guys shirt, then he knows the guys music (especially given the airplay he gets here and on BET). This non-custodial parent things sucks BIG-TIME. Since he doesn't get any of my phone calls I mailed him a letter Wednesday. He didn't get it yesterday, but I told him to make sure he checked the mail today (just in case, you understand). It was good to see him, and to hear the teachers say the nice things they'd heard about him from his 6th-grade teachers.
Anything else happen? Oh yeah, I turned 35 yesterday. I received several surprise e-cards and phone calls, including one from my maternal grandmother. She usually sends me $5 for my birthday, but this year the date slipped up on her. She's not doing too bad for a soon-to-be 86 year-old. One more year in this place and I will have spent exactly half of my life in Clio and half in the Clemson area. I wanna go home before this place becomes home. I forgot - there are no jobs there. *sigh*
Oh well, I guess that wraps up another edition of This is My Life... Tune in (probably) Monday for the next episode... Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel...
So what else happened yesterday... Nick began kindergarten. Surprisingly, the M.R.S. didn't cry when we left him there, nor did I become nervous. I guess the previous year of 4-K acclimated more people than Nick.
Jalen had his orientation for 7th-graders last night. I met his teachers, and made a feeble attempt to have a constructive conversation with his mom. We made some small talk, but I did get to talk with Jalen a bit. I caught him up with what's been going on since we last talked. I found out that the reason he's a little hesitant to commit to Jamaica for the Feast is because he's afraid of flying. He had on a "King of the South" t-shirt on with a picture of the rapper T.I.; let's just say I was not thrilled at his mom's choice of clothes. I assume if he has the guys shirt, then he knows the guys music (especially given the airplay he gets here and on BET). This non-custodial parent things sucks BIG-TIME. Since he doesn't get any of my phone calls I mailed him a letter Wednesday. He didn't get it yesterday, but I told him to make sure he checked the mail today (just in case, you understand). It was good to see him, and to hear the teachers say the nice things they'd heard about him from his 6th-grade teachers.
Anything else happen? Oh yeah, I turned 35 yesterday. I received several surprise e-cards and phone calls, including one from my maternal grandmother. She usually sends me $5 for my birthday, but this year the date slipped up on her. She's not doing too bad for a soon-to-be 86 year-old. One more year in this place and I will have spent exactly half of my life in Clio and half in the Clemson area. I wanna go home before this place becomes home. I forgot - there are no jobs there. *sigh*
Oh well, I guess that wraps up another edition of This is My Life... Tune in (probably) Monday for the next episode... Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel...
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Charles Dickens I ain't
I deeply admire people who write well. I don't think I could ever become a writer. I've written some technical stuff, but that type of writing doesn't have to be entertaining. I care too much about people's feelings to write mean things; I lack the creativity to create fiction (other than with my mouth). I care enough about my privacy to not put the juicy details of my life on the Web. Therefore, I don't expect this blog to blow up and amass a following. However, I've discovered that updating this thing is quite fun. I think Desiree has my favorite writing style of those I link to. I think Summer's is the most fun to read. Annette's is entertaining because I find her lab experiences interesting. The rest of you have work to do. (Just kidding - I enjoy checking out all your blogs daily.)
I see the M.R.S. has just pulled up outside, and since it's 94 degrees out there I probably shouldn't keep her waiting. More to come later...
I see the M.R.S. has just pulled up outside, and since it's 94 degrees out there I probably shouldn't keep her waiting. More to come later...
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Craving Fat Greens and Collard Backs
Moving was a beast! It was hot and tiring. I found myself struggling to keep my frustration in check. Towards the end I was getting quite short-tempered, which, if you know me, is not my usual persona. (Desiree, does that sentence have too many commas?) We're mostly moved now; we've got to go back and pick up a few odds and ends and clean up the place. It's amazing the amount of junk one accumulates over time. I've also got to figure out what to do with my car. Perhaps someone will take it off my hands. At this point I'd give it away. It's a 1993 Chevy Cavalier with 220,000+ miles, bad gaskets, transmission fluid leak, and a dead battery. Any takers? BIG UPS (props, kudos, etc.)to the entire Brooks clan! Without their help, Shonta and I would still be loading that 14' U-haul truck while at the same time feeding and entertaining Nick and Noah. They came through big-time! Tom was a Superman, Ashley helped Shonta 'relax', and Rebecca failed miserably at being a supervisor, but was great at being a busy little worker bee. Thanks again guys. You don't know how much we appreciate you and the things you do. The mother-in-law brought by our kids, a couple of fans, and a small window unit Shonta used to have. The fans and A/C made quite a difference to my temperament, along with the Papa Johns cheese and beef pizzas we sucked down around midnight.
We registered Nick for kindergarten at Clemson Elementary this morning. He was soooo excited! He also was excited about riding in the U-haul with me to return that sucker. He was quite fascinated by the mirrors for some reason. His teachers seem nice and quite capable. He saw a few kids he knew from soccer and basketball, and he can't wait until Thursday for the first day of school. The kids also have an awesome playground, and Nick was quite pleased to find out that they get TWO recesses. The school is having a "Boo-Hoo" breakfast Thursday for parents to get to know each other as their kids begin their academic journey. I'll have to remember to bring hankies for the M.R.S.
Afterwards, we went by the old house and picked up a few of the remaining boxes. We had a surprisingly nice lunch at Walmart - where else can you feed 3 people for $8.00? I think I might put some chickenfeet on tonight. They're pretty easy to cook, and Nick and I can bond whilst sucking the skin and cartilage from Foghorn Leghorn & Friends. That's pretty much all they consist of. Hmmm... I wonder how they taste fried?
I guess I'll take the fam out for dinner someplace cheap tonight. (Mama don't eat no chickenfeet.) Perhaps I'll introduce them to the Moe's Southwest Grill which just opened up. Yeah, brownie points for me. Life is good. Whoops! I'm about to miss Pardon the Interuption, so I'd better make tracks. It's a wonderful thing to live 1 minute from the job!
We registered Nick for kindergarten at Clemson Elementary this morning. He was soooo excited! He also was excited about riding in the U-haul with me to return that sucker. He was quite fascinated by the mirrors for some reason. His teachers seem nice and quite capable. He saw a few kids he knew from soccer and basketball, and he can't wait until Thursday for the first day of school. The kids also have an awesome playground, and Nick was quite pleased to find out that they get TWO recesses. The school is having a "Boo-Hoo" breakfast Thursday for parents to get to know each other as their kids begin their academic journey. I'll have to remember to bring hankies for the M.R.S.
Afterwards, we went by the old house and picked up a few of the remaining boxes. We had a surprisingly nice lunch at Walmart - where else can you feed 3 people for $8.00? I think I might put some chickenfeet on tonight. They're pretty easy to cook, and Nick and I can bond whilst sucking the skin and cartilage from Foghorn Leghorn & Friends. That's pretty much all they consist of. Hmmm... I wonder how they taste fried?
I guess I'll take the fam out for dinner someplace cheap tonight. (Mama don't eat no chickenfeet.) Perhaps I'll introduce them to the Moe's Southwest Grill which just opened up. Yeah, brownie points for me. Life is good. Whoops! I'm about to miss Pardon the Interuption, so I'd better make tracks. It's a wonderful thing to live 1 minute from the job!
Friday, July 29, 2005
Is there a babysitter in the house?
Our $2.00 theater has 3 movies showing, 2 of which I want to see badly:
1. War of the Worlds
2. Star Wars Episode III
3. Mr. & Mrs. Smith
I don't really care about # 3, but the M.R.S. wants to see it also. Hopefully we can at least squeeze the first two in after we finish moving Monday. If only we had a babysitter *hint, hint*... (insert protracted sigh here)
1. War of the Worlds
2. Star Wars Episode III
3. Mr. & Mrs. Smith
I don't really care about # 3, but the M.R.S. wants to see it also. Hopefully we can at least squeeze the first two in after we finish moving Monday. If only we had a babysitter *hint, hint*... (insert protracted sigh here)
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Para Tomas tambien
1. The Gambler - Kenny Rogers
2. He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
3. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
4. Elvira - Oak Ridge Boys
5. Countin' Flowers on the Wall - Statler Brothers
6. Ghost Riders in the Sky - Johnny Cash
7. Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
8. Crazy - Patsy Cline
9. He'll Have to Go - Jim Reeves
10. You Needed Me - Anne Murray
11. Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue - Crystal Gayle
12. On the Road Again - Willie Nelson
13. Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
14. Mama He's Crazy - The Judds
15. Angel of the Morning - Juice Newton
16. Lookin' for Love - Johnny Lee
17. Take this job and shove it - Johnny Paycheck
18. Swingin' - John Anderson
I know I'm bordering on sacrilege for not including anything by Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Mickey Gilley, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Emmylou Harris, etc... Please forgive me. I may as well make it an even 20, so...
19. Lucille - Kenny Rogers
20. Mountain Music - Alabama
2. He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
3. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
4. Elvira - Oak Ridge Boys
5. Countin' Flowers on the Wall - Statler Brothers
6. Ghost Riders in the Sky - Johnny Cash
7. Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
8. Crazy - Patsy Cline
9. He'll Have to Go - Jim Reeves
10. You Needed Me - Anne Murray
11. Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue - Crystal Gayle
12. On the Road Again - Willie Nelson
13. Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
14. Mama He's Crazy - The Judds
15. Angel of the Morning - Juice Newton
16. Lookin' for Love - Johnny Lee
17. Take this job and shove it - Johnny Paycheck
18. Swingin' - John Anderson
I know I'm bordering on sacrilege for not including anything by Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Mickey Gilley, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Emmylou Harris, etc... Please forgive me. I may as well make it an even 20, so...
19. Lucille - Kenny Rogers
20. Mountain Music - Alabama
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
For Tom
This is not an "essentials" list, just some faves:
Hair Band Songs
1. Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
2. Mama Weer All Crazee Now - Quiet Riot
3. Round and Round - Ratt
4. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'N Roses
5. Paradise City - Guns 'N Roses
6. Back for More - Ratt
7. Smokin' in the Boys' Room - Motley Crue
8. Looks that Kill - Motley Crue
9. The Final Countdown - Europe
10. Nobody's Fool - Cinderella
11. Metal Health - Quiet Riot
12. Rock you like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
13. Shot in the Dark - Ozzy Osborne
14. Into the Fire - Dokken
15. Why Can't this be Love - Van Halen
17. Jump - Panama
Hair Band Songs
1. Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
2. Mama Weer All Crazee Now - Quiet Riot
3. Round and Round - Ratt
4. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'N Roses
5. Paradise City - Guns 'N Roses
6. Back for More - Ratt
7. Smokin' in the Boys' Room - Motley Crue
8. Looks that Kill - Motley Crue
9. The Final Countdown - Europe
10. Nobody's Fool - Cinderella
11. Metal Health - Quiet Riot
12. Rock you like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
13. Shot in the Dark - Ozzy Osborne
14. Into the Fire - Dokken
15. Why Can't this be Love - Van Halen
17. Jump - Panama
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Old Skool Hip-Hop Essentials
1. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaata & the Soul Sonic Force (released in '81/'82, this song remains one of, if not THE most popular hip-hop songs of all time.)
2. Rock Box - Run-DMC (Early release by ground-breaking rap trio; one of the first rap videos I remember seeing as a youth. First rap song I remember to utilize rock & roll guitar riffs.)
3. Roxanne, Roxanne - UTFO (Classic '84 release which spawned numerous answer records from the likes of Roxanne Shante and the Real Roxanne.)
4. Friends - Whodini (Another classic from around '84/'85.)
5. Paid in Full - Eric B. & Rakim (Probably my favorite song from what is considered a CLASSIC album. Released circa 1986.)
6. Jam On It - Newcleus (Ahhh, the wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki song. This song will never grow old.)
7. I Need Love - LL Cool J (The first, and still most popular, rap ballad by the young, brash, Kangol-wearing James Todd Smith. ca 1984.)
8. Don't Believe the Hype - Public Enemy (A response to negative press. Chuck D and a pre-Bridgette Nielsen Flava Flav in their respective primes. Released around '87/'88)
9. The Message - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (First socially conscious rap song to have mass appeal - released sometime around '82)
10. Fat Boys - The Fat Boys (Imagine that!)
11. The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff - Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (The last song I remember that gave the DJ his due, instead of focusing on the MC. And yes, it's THAT Fresh Prince. 1986)
12. Just a Friend - Biz Markie (Crossover hit for a talented artist who never took himself too seriously. 1989/90)
Believe it or not, dear reader, rap has not always been the total crapfest that it is now. Next up - Mike P. tackles classic country and hair bands!
2. Rock Box - Run-DMC (Early release by ground-breaking rap trio; one of the first rap videos I remember seeing as a youth. First rap song I remember to utilize rock & roll guitar riffs.)
3. Roxanne, Roxanne - UTFO (Classic '84 release which spawned numerous answer records from the likes of Roxanne Shante and the Real Roxanne.)
4. Friends - Whodini (Another classic from around '84/'85.)
5. Paid in Full - Eric B. & Rakim (Probably my favorite song from what is considered a CLASSIC album. Released circa 1986.)
6. Jam On It - Newcleus (Ahhh, the wikki-wikki-wikki-wikki song. This song will never grow old.)
7. I Need Love - LL Cool J (The first, and still most popular, rap ballad by the young, brash, Kangol-wearing James Todd Smith. ca 1984.)
8. Don't Believe the Hype - Public Enemy (A response to negative press. Chuck D and a pre-Bridgette Nielsen Flava Flav in their respective primes. Released around '87/'88)
9. The Message - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (First socially conscious rap song to have mass appeal - released sometime around '82)
10. Fat Boys - The Fat Boys (Imagine that!)
11. The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff - Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (The last song I remember that gave the DJ his due, instead of focusing on the MC. And yes, it's THAT Fresh Prince. 1986)
12. Just a Friend - Biz Markie (Crossover hit for a talented artist who never took himself too seriously. 1989/90)
Believe it or not, dear reader, rap has not always been the total crapfest that it is now. Next up - Mike P. tackles classic country and hair bands!
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