Another Week @ SBC

I’m spending half of my life (this week, anyway) at the camp I spent every summer at growing up.  The week is half hanging out in a white trash castle (pictures to come) and half in a circus tent full of teens that smell like circus animals.  And it’s a GREAT week.  Here’s a picture of the ‘Spring Arbor Counterpart’ speaking to the circus creature scented teenagers.

Such a Shift

I’ve been driving back and forth between a camp & my home & my workplace for two days now… and I’m not a huge fan.  The hours are strange and I’ve eaten 5 out of 6 meals out of a bag/box.  Though tomorrow, I’m taking an overnight bag with me.  The camp has been gracious enough to give me a place to stay, so I’m thinking that maybe one trip per day could be kind of a nice change.  Now if I can only remember my shower shoes.  I’d really rather not pick up some life-altering disease on my feet.

Forgot One…

Another thing that’s right with the world…  I got a couple tickets to a Tigers game on Wednesday night that were well above & beyond what I’d have paid for.  I was maybe twenty-thirty feet from the batter’s box.  Talk about awesome.  I’m not even a baseball fan, but I found myself getting involved.  Which leads me to believe that the closer you sit, the more you like something.  Think about it… if you like a TV show, you sit close to the screen.  If it’s a teacher, you get closer to the front.  And If it’s a girl, you try to sit as close to her as possible without being on her.  And, after last night, I feel the same about baseball.  Maybe I’ll go again soon.

What’s Right With The World

I’ve been posting too many negative blog entries.  I know that.  It’s just hard not to scratch my chin and shake my head at the bad things.  Though… a few years ago, I went to a conference in Chicago with some friends and the topic for the event was “What’s Right With The World.”  So here’s my list of what’s right with the world.

Going Today – This place has some sort of musical item or piece of equipment for sale everyday.  With low prices and $5 shipping, I’m always tempted to buy.  Always.

Earthwood Strings – I’ve been using some really amazing guitar strings on my acoustic lately, and my fingers have started thanking me.  These are some sort of magical strings that feel soft and light, but sound big and boomy.

Google Documents – I hate microsoft office.  Not just because they’re “the man,” (that IS part of it), but also because it’s big and clunky like grandpa’s old Plymouth.  I want something easy and uncomplicated, something I can write a document in and save and open wherever I want, and something I don’t have to pay for.  Microsoft doesn’t really have any of that.  Google docs does… and then some.

Codex Sinaiticus – The world’s oldest, most complete Bible has been digitized and thrown onto the internet.  For free.  I haven’t seen it… the site has crashed more than a dozen times since it was put up five days ago.  If, by chance, you click and find the site up and running, have a good look.

Casey Kasem – Everybody knows who Casey Kasem is… Shaggy from Scooby-Doo.  But, strangely enough, he also hosted a radio show for 30 years.  Wild, I know.  Well, after three decades, he’s left his studio.  I post this here not because I’m glad he’s leaving, but more because it’s quite an accomplishment.

Maybe I can start being kinder on this blog.  I’m sure there are good things out there.  They just don’t drive in front of me, work with me, or interact with me on a regular basis.

Sitting On The Deck

I’ve spent the last 2 1/2 hrs sitting on the back deck.  It’s dirty and dusty and smells like rotting wild life out here, but it’s warm and the sun’s out.  I think I should spend about an hour with a hose and a power washer out here, but I don’t really think I’d do a whole lot of good, to be honest.  There’s a lot of grime & grunge caked & baked on everything.  I think it’s actually the pine dust from a gigantic tree next to the deck plus rain and heat that make it so gross out here.  I’m not sitting in a pig sty, but it’s not pristine.  And it would take several people a full day of scrubbing on hands and knees to clean it all up.  Mostly because I’ve just let things go so long.

There’s a girl I know that’s been making some pretty lame life choices lately.  I’m not calling her out… we all make mistakes, and I’m getting pretty good at that.  But after talking to her about the situation, it seems like she’s not just making mistakes, but willingly choosing to do the wrong thing.  And what’s more, she said that at first, she felt something telling her to stop.  But the longer she went and the more she ignored it, the less she felt.  And now it will take her a long time and a lot of work to get out of her situation.

I guess I should spend the time now and clean the deck this weekend.  The alternative would be to wait until it’s in shambles and repair things just before total devastation.  Doesn’t sound nearly as cool.  Also, doesn’t seem to be nearly as enjoyable.  I guess that’s like life, eh?

How I’m Assuming I’m Being Taught A Lesson

Grace is a funny thing.  It comes along with patience.  It also shares a ride with aspirin & headphones in my line of work.  Somebody told me once that most of the time, grace is just not saying what you could.  I guess it comes down to the fact that I should probably just keep it shut and allow others to make mistakes.  But in some cases, the poor performance of others shows the same light on me.  So maybe in this instance, grace allows me to look bad for the sake of letting someone else figure it out.  Not like I/we don’t do that with Jesus daily.  I do dumb things all the time and then call on Jesus… doing not much more than giving him a bad rep.  And rarely does Jesus do anything but love and discipline from within that love.  Maybe I should be loving and out of that love, correct or help.  But then again, it’s early and I’d really rather just be a jerk & give terribly angry looks.

To The Good People Of Illinois…

I’m not talking about residents of Illinois.  I’m talking about commuters & vacationers from Illinois.  I’ve started a list of things on my commute that seem to keep happening.  I’ve talleyed many, many stupid moves on the freeway, and I’ve started a list of things that are sticking out as more than coincidences.  Today, I’m talking about one of those things.

I don’t want to be harsh or rude.  I just want for people to understand a few things about the highway system in Michigan.  I’ve drawn a very simple illustration so that the good commuting population of Illinois can understand it.  Maybe if you know someone from Illinois that uses the Michigan roadways, you could show them this illustration and maybe help them understand it.

Now That I Can Blink Again

I just finished a movie (maybe 5-6 minutes ago), and have been just checking my email as I do every night just before I go to bed.  Well, I heard a sound that I assumed was my dog at my bedroom door, because it sounded like sniffing and sighing… things my dog does normally.  But then I heard a noise that was somewhere between an umbrella opening and a fire cracker going off.  But it wasn’t coming from the same location.  It was going on 2 feet behind me.  I was too afraid (for real, i even jumped out of my chair and put shoes on… what on earth i was going to do with my shoes on, i’ll never know) to turn around and investigate, so I found a flashlight, turned on all the lights in the room and made sure to close all of the windows and check all the doors.  By the time I got around to looking out the window behind me, whatever animal, alien or abductor was prowling was (oh-so-lucky for me) gone.  It’s been probably five years since I’ve been that scared.  In fact, I think the last time I was that scared was actually eight years ago in Idaho.  If my brain ever turns back on from the recent shock, I’ll try to post that story.  Until next time, just be sure to check your doors & windows.  For real.

Just Some Good Ol’ Boys

Thinking I was a Duke boy last weekend, I got a speeding ticket for 10 mph over the limit.  The actual radar reading was for 18 mph over, but the state trooper (who was actually very kind) “cut me a break” and instead of getting a $150 ticket and two points on the ol’ license, I received a $110 ticket & one point.  If I understand correctly, after six points, I get a free ticket.  Is that right?  The one great part (if there could be a great part of a sad story) is that instead of having to drive all the way down to the state line to pay for my driving sin, I was totally able to pay online.  Oh, the wonders of the internet.  I bet we’ll be able to pay regular bills online eventually.  How amazing!

Here’s what I’ve Come Up With…

I came to a very difficult decision this morning on my 30 minute commute.  There’s a very strange pattern I’ve seen lately that has been somewhat disturbing to me.  People have been applying nascar decals onto their vehicles… and not nascar vehicles.  We’re talking about 89 Dodge Shadows, 91 Ford rangers and 97 Honda Accords.  These are not cars and trucks that should be associated, in any way imaginable, with nascar… or nascar’s good buddy, formula 1.  I get a little angry when I see somebody’s great-aunt Sylvia driving her vintage Crown Victoria down the freeway (at 56 mph in the fast lane, no less) with a sticker that shows her proud support of driving fast.  So my plan, which can be yours, too, if you’re interested, is this….

When you see a vehicle that has some sort of nascar logo or number or paraphenalia of any kind, give them a little bump.  Maybe pull up behind them and drag (follow so closely behind them that you are covered by their air stream).  Perhaps you could pass them on the left shoulder, then get directly in front of them and hit your brakes.  Or maybe just push them into the median.  The way I see it, if you’re in support of the event, then you’re in support of the behavior.  Let’s see how quickly the nascar fans scratch those stupid numbers off of their rear windows*.

*Most nascar fans can’t put their nascar bumper stickers on the bumpers due to rust, so the back windshield is normally where they’re permanently installed.