thoughts along the way

-I'm spending a few minutes today thinking about the difference between a freak boating accident and a boating accident.  Seems like a good enough day to finally do it.

For me it probably comes down to a bumping, cracking and/or rusting issue.  If your accident involves a bump from another boat or even an encounter with a rock or dock - that's probably a boating accident.  If it slowly leaks and sinks below, that's just sort of sad.

Now I'm not sure what has to happen to have that escalate into a freak boating accident.  This is what I'm hoping to have figured out before I go to bed tonight.

-Have you ever heard someone refered to as a female nurse?  What's that all about?

-For my money, Juaquin Phoenix was on something and really is an odd duck.  I'm just not sure he's putting on a show.

-I saw Chris Day speak to a group of people this week.  He's good at that.  You should watch him speak at you some day.

-I'm a little worried that we're putting money in to do ham research in our economic stimulus package.  Obviously that's going to help the economy, but it's just not kosher.

-See what I did?

-Turns out that St. Valentine was twice called in for domestic violence.  I personally feel like that should be addressed at some point tomorrow.

-If loving Leverage is wrong, well then I don't wanna be right.

Goodbye dear friend...

I had just bought eight mustards.  Oh sure that seems like a lot, but mustard lasts forever.  We also use mustard on the sandwiches that we take downtown on Saturdays.  I should also mention that mustard makes many a sandwich go from dry to delicious as if they contained some magical potion.

They cost $1.09 each.  I had a handful of 50 cent coupons.  I took them to Meijer where they promptly doubled them and charged me 9 cents per bottle.  I spent 72 cents on those eight bottles and walked away with four coupons for one dollar off my next purchase (you get one for every two bottles of mustard you buy) and a song in my heart.

Oh sure there were some other bargains I picked up that day...but soon the day would turn ugly.  The dark foreboding clouds loomed over our vehicle like Perez Hilton on a red carpet.  Something was amiss.

As I was loading my many bags of groceries while making sure my two and three year old bundles of joy weren't getting run over in the parking lot, I placed my coupon binder on top of the miniature van.

You probably see where this is going...

So today I begin anew.  I will seek out a new system.  I will build a binder that would scoff at my old binder, left somewhere on the side of a highway...hopefully into the arms of someone who will appreciate him more.

Goodbye old faithful friend - you've saved me hundreds and hundreds of dollars...but you're so much more than that....  I will make binder 2.0 and she will be bigger, faster, stronger....and probably neon.  You ever try to find a brown binder on the side of the highway?

2do lists

I read about an easy to use "to do" list system that I'm trying out.

You take pictures with your cellular phone camera to remind you of the things that you need to get done.  Then I just look at my saved pictures to see if I've left any picture notes for myself.

For instance:

I have to remember to have a laptop at Alpha tonight.

I also will need a thumbdrive to record the talk.

I need to remember to sober up Chris before his talk.

Checking my ego out

I was reading a book last night that mentioned an "ego wall".  It was a term that I hadn't heard in a long time.  You often hear about a doctor's ego wall, but I've never been in my doctor's office.  We sit around the waiting room reading about the Red Sox finally winning a World Series, and then we go into a room with a sink and a paper covered table.

I'm not sure I've ever been in a lawyers office and I haven't seen a plaque, award, diploma or blue ribbon hanging from any of the offices around here.

I used to have an ego car.  The grappler.  I'd take my wrestling trophies apart and mount the wrestler in place of my hood ornament. (remember those?)  The strange thing about having a wrestler as a hood ornament is how often people would steal them.  You'd think you'd steall the hood ornament from the guy with the I brake for volleyball bumper sticker.

Now I'm thinking of putting a humility wall together.  I'm thinking of finding my old Spanish grades and Jr. High pictures and hanging them up...to keep me grounded.  Maybe I can just have my bank account open on the wall with a running tally.

I just need to move my Sags stuff off the wall and make room for a few things that aren't awesome.

SNL

I think it's time Samberg and The Lonely Island guys got their own show.  Maybe it'd not be as great as the weekly digital shorts, but that's what they said about moving the 4 minute Simpsons shorts from the Tracy Ulman show to a full thirty minute show.

Kristin Wiig is without question the star of this cast.  A friend of mine said that she always plays the same character.  I should say a silly friend of mine said that.  Name one actor who has played as many memorable original characters as her, and can also do spot on impersonations.  If you say Darrel Hammond, I'll drive to your house and punch you in the larnyx. 

I've got to admit that Kenan Thompson has stepped it up a notch this year.  He's consistently caused me to ask the question, "How is he on this show?" which is several spots past me just throwing furniture and headbutting my toaster oven.  I guess that's better?

I thinki Seth Myers is peaking.  He went from uncomfortable to comfortable to good...and I think he's getting better.  He pulled off "Really?" this week solo.  That counts for something.

I miss Chris Parnell - I think he was the underrated everyman. 

Watching Steve Martin try to do sketch comedy again made me a little sad.  It's sort of like watching Robin Williams try to go crazy or be funny on a talk show like in the good old days...only with out the coke...or the material. 

I'm wondering if they've stopped trying on their cold openings.  I've heard they just throw those and the walk ons for new update together at the last minute.  They'll actually start with thirty or forty sketches and work their way down to just a few...and then throw together something to start the show.  Seems odd. 

If they did an entire show dedicated to two A Holes, I'd be ok with that.  I'd kind of like to follow those two around some day and just enjoy the show wherever they go.

I'm not sure why, I just feel like I should think about Saturday Night Live every once in a while.  It keeps me in touch with the people.

I'm on a boat...

Parker

Today is take your daughter to work day.  If you're looking around and wondering why your daughter didn't come with you today, there are probably one or two reasons why.

1.  You don't have a daughter
2.  It's really just take your daughter to work day for me

I have a bunch of work I need to get done before I spend the evening working with a group of leaders in their ministry.  I can't really take the morning off.  Annie is volunteering at Cooper's school.  Griffin is learning Physics at school...or whatever it is you learn in second grade.  That leaves cute little Parker.

So I get to spend the first half of my day with the cutest little girl on the planet.

That's not such a bad day.

wheelhouse

My old friend and mentor came by the Vineyard last night to teach a class.

I know this guy is great.  Annie knows this guy is great.  Not many other people around here know he's great...yet.

I was dying to hear him, but I was also a part of our Alpha class.  Sadly I missed it.  My friend Chuck did not.

He came to me after the class almost glowing.  He said that my friend was great (that makes three of us now).  He went on and on about how engaging, smart and motivational the class was.  At one point he said, "we need to figure out how to get this guy teaching more classes around here"

Cut to this morning.

I talked with my friend who started off apologizing for how bad the class went.  He wanted me to apologize for him to Chuck.  He felt like it wasns't interesting, engaging or very effective...and he was wrong.

This guy was born to teach and to lead.  He's the single best motivator/teacher/leader I've ever been around.  He was in his sweet spot, and I wish I had a chance to see him.  For him it wasn't very good, but for the folks sitting in his room - it was great.

It's good when people are working in their strengths - so what are your strengths?

oops

"should I go to the bathroom real quick before I leave?"

This was the question I asked myself before I left work last night.

"no" was my answer...

"Are you sure?"  I quickly countered.

"yup - and quit bugging me" was the beginning of a long awkward ride home with myself.

Two hours and fifteen minutes later I pulled into my freshly shoveled driveway.  That was about two hours and one minute longer than normal...

There are two things you can take from this tale:
1.  I really had to go #1 when I got home
2.  Annie is the greatest wife on this, or any other, planet

step away from the trunk

A friend of mine often talks about his struggle to step away from the trunk and crawl out to where the "fruit" hangs out.

Swinging for the fences - stepping out in faith - grip & rip - risking it all...

There's something both exciting and rare about someone who goes for it.

It almost doesn't matter what "it" is.   It's awe inspiring to see someone step out and face failure/ridicule/danger.

I honestly don't know anyone who cares enough about the environment or going green to really go for it.  I thought I did until I got the Green channel.  It showed up for free for a month and I liked watching the show with Ed Begley, Jr.  He would often meet with people and help them to make their house more efficient.  Often times he'd meet with a couple that felt like they were doing their part...only to find out that they were using more energy than "their share".  They had their recycling bucket...and maybe some of those funny looking bulbs...but apparently that just doesn't really cut it.   In a world where doing a little makes you stand out, it was interesting to see a show about this guy who really did care enough to change his entire lifestyle...because he was willing to make more than the typical plastic bucket in his kitchen kind of change.

I know some folks that care about injustice around the world, but I can only name one that's picked up and moved across the planet to do something about it.  It's hard.  It's a commitment.  It's beyond the norm.

It's easy to "care" about the environment or injustice - it's an entirely different thing to adjust your life around pro-actively seeking out significant change.

Which leads to the question - what is significant?  At what point am I doing more than writing/talking/meeting about something - and stepping into actual change?

At what point to I gain credibility?

Can I talk about simplicity when I have a tv bigger than 27 inches?

Can I wear the cause t-shirt or bracelet if I've never really done anything more than buy a t-shirt or bracelet?

I'm not sure...I'm just sort of wondering...or is it wandering?

Great Game