World Cup

I get that people like soccer. If that's the case, then they should probably watch the World Cup. Having said that, I'm not.

I just don't care. I've never seen the evangelistic fervor more prevalent than in a soccer fan telling me how horrible it is that I'm not going to watch the World Cup. "It's the most popular sport in the world!" Really? I'd never heard that.

I hear the same thing from NASCAR fans. I wonder, can so many people with so few teeth be wrong?

I've decided to go with the - it's very popular - ergo, it's very good.

For years Baywatch was the best tv show in the World.

You have your pick for best singer of all time - Mariah, Michael Bolton, the Spice Girls...

Fahrenheit 9/11 is the all time best documentary.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the all time best movie.

The Da Vinci Code is the best movie in the world right now.

Elvis has the most popular stamp ever sold - well, that one really does make sense...

O.K., I get it....a lot of people like the world cup....so obviously it's the best...that just stands to reason. Popular = Awesome - just ask Britney Spears

How can I argue with that logic?

So let's all go out and celebrate our teams victory with a knife fight in the parking lot, followed by looting and setting our cars on fire.

natural born griller

The day o’ grilling was yesterday. Had a mediocre breakfast (the food) with some fun people…followed by a cookout with fun people….followed by a cookout with fun people. Three meals + Zero in my house + two from the grill = Pretty good day

There’s something about food that’s cooked outside on a grill that just makes it way better. You’d think we’d have the same technology indoors…but we don’t. If you say, “what about the George Foreman Grill?” you should probably go sit in the corner.

Is it the not quite clean, not quite non-rusty quality that makes the hamburgers so delicious to my stomach? Can you imagine eating something that was prepared by a pan that was left outside and then cleaned with a steel brush? “Yeah, we brushed off the rotted beef that was left on here from the last time we did this”

Is it the idea of an open flame? Maybe this thing will explode….I feel like the Baldwin brother (they’re interchangeable) that was in backdraft every time I grill out.

I love the grill. Not my grill….it’s currently the home of 27 birds from around my neighborhood. I’m also one propane tank short (it’s in State College being used by people far more in need of grilling than I) I was so into grilling for awhile that I actually made tater tots on the grill once. Brilliant!

Thank you grill. I love your wonderfulness.

Grill
A haiku

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You’re anything but profane
I’d like mine well done

watch out

I don't watch American Idol because I don't like karaoke.

I don't watch E.R., C.S.I., or 24 because I like words in my titles.

I don't watch Desperate Housewives because I don't like soap operas.

I do watch the Apprentice, but I'm not sure why???

I don't watch sunsets because I'm a guy and I forget that they happen just about every night.

I do watch the clock, because I want to show up on time.

I don't watch clowns, because they kind of creep me out.

I do watch mimes because it's fun to think of my friend Courtney doing mimery (it's a word) on the means streets of Chicago (or chi-town as Romey would call it)

I watch Griff when he's hearing about a surprise and gets all excited, because that's the best.

I watch Annie when she's laughing really hard or being funny, because that's also the best.

I watch Coop as he takes a few steps and then falls.

I watch golf when Tiger Woods is playing, because like all the Red Sox fans that have popped up in the last couple of years...I love riding the bandwagon.

I watch Seinfeld re-runs even though I've seen them all 27 times.

I watch for awkward moments throughout my day...and love them.

I don't watch Fear Factor because eating gross food while wearing a thong isn't something I like to watch.

I probably ought to think through the stuff I watch and don't watch. Or better yet, I ought to think through the stuff I tend to focus on...

Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I can't believe I just saw that...

I slow down a little when I see an accident.
I rationalize it as a reminder of what could be. The reality is there's just something both cliche and true about looking at a car accident. You can't not. I do this with a lot of things...

If I were running into a mall to get my glasses fixed and saw a stage in the food court with some guy competing in an air guitar contest...I'd have to watch. I just would.

Someone tells me that Craig cut all his hair off...so I stop by his office to see.

I'm in my car in the middle of the day and Jim Rome is on the radio (he's the Jim J. Bullock of sports talk radio)...and I pause to listen. "Jason from the D, read your prepared statement while I make one comment 17 times in a row - rack 'em and out"

I'm flipping through the channels and see on the Jimmy Kimmel show a clip that young Dan Kalbach told me about earlier in the day...of what's his name -the gray haired fella - winning the world's greatest karaoke contest and then a crowd shot with David Hasselhoff crying. Brilliant!

Hasselhoff, car accidents, bad haircuts or Jim Rome - they all suck me into their black hole of - I can't believe I'm actually watching/hearing this... What is that all about?

the politics of faith

Does your faith play a role in your political views?
Do your political views play a role in your faith?

I'm guessing one of these seems really obvious to you. Some of you might be thinking, 'why would he even put that other question up there?'

I can only speak to the Christian experience here...

I've seen a lot of people change their voting habits after making a decision to be a follower of Jesus. I'd say I've seen dozens, if not hundreds. You'd have to come to the conclusion that their faith took priority over their politics. Because of that priority, their political views changed. (in these instances)

I've also seen people who grew up with political leanings - and they generally ignore the basic views of their faith when it comes to a few issues. (they're not changing their vote for nothin')

I'd argue that their politics are their faith. They're not placing their faith in anything. They might agree with a lot of the basics of their faith....but ultimately they're following their politics or themselves.

"It's nice that this religion agrees with me on these points. I don't agree with them on these.
Basically I believe in me...and it just so happens that this faith agrees with me a bunch." My faith is in myself - or my political party - or the political party that I grew up in (it happens) and I could never switch...

I just think it's interesting....

I also think The Office is interesting....and by interesting I mean the best show on tv right now.

two men walking

two weeks ago I had one walking son and one crawling son. Today I have two walking sons. In two weeks I'll have two walking sons and one sleeping and crying daughter.

I remember having a bunch of people in our living room cheering on Grif as he tried to roll over. It was like watching a game winning field goal. We're all on our feet...just jumping up and down yelling for him to tuck his knee under the other and flip over.

We've been cheering on Coop as he took his first two steps in a row....then 4...then 8....the new record is 24 steps in a row. He's pretty much just walking around now. He's just not as good as I am yet. (I'm really good) We're going to go through Griff learning to ride a bike, Cooper learning to talk, Griff learning to spell, the new baby sitting up....it just keeps going and going.

So what is there out there for me? Do I stop learning/growing?

At some point we all slow down...

I wonder how much of it is expectations?

There's very little expectancy for many people. They just kind of drift...and then wonder why life's so boring...why things aren't better. They rarely have a group of folks around them cheering them on as they attempt to try something new. Maybe that's part of it. I meet with a group of folks every couple of weeks - I meet with a group of guys once a week - I have a few friends that continue to press in on what's going on in my life...and it's still hard.

I'm still in that new to town phase. I have a few friends that I see once a month or so that challenge me toward bigger and better things. The two groups of people I meet with regularly I'm still getting to know. Things might never progress....but they seem to be. I think a part of this is just putting yourself out there. Part of it has to be risky. There has to be a risk of time, emotional energy, reputation, and the possibility of something better.

The bottom line is we all need a cheering section. We need people to kick us in the butt when we're being stupid....people who we'll listen to because we know that they love us and want what's best for us. We need encouragers. We need leaders. We need wisdom.

I want to press on...and it's hard enough on my own. I need the people in my life to keep me going.

The Greats

I just got a call from a friend...and he mentioned Bob Saget (Sags). The thing that troubled me was that he was the third person this week to talk about how I love Sags.

A couple of people have asked if I, Sean Michael Murphy, was being sarcastic.

I'm not sure I even know the definition of sarcasm. I know that Fuller "teaches" a class on sarcasm, but I've never taken the course.

Some people look at my link to the greatest actor of our generation and think that it's possible that I'm being tongue in cheek. Again, I don't even know what that expression means.

Is it so hard to believe that I could love David Hasselhoff, Bob Saget and Oprah? Think of all that they have contributed to society. The Baywatch trilogy alone would guarantee D.H.'s spot on the star walk of fame. Sags with America's Funniest Videos and Oprah with her gut wrenching specials on "I'm a cross dresser" and "Oprah's going shopping!"

I'm just proud to be a part of the Sags/D.H./O generation

microwave love

toaster oven or microwave?

Clearly the toaster over makes better delicious treats... but the microwave oven beats it for best small kitchen appliance.

The toaster oven makes things crispy on the outside and warm on the inside. The microwave makes things warm on the inside and soft on the outside.

Clearly crispy on the outside is better, we'd all agree on that.

So why the microwave? It's faster. It's easier to clean....ergo, it's the best.

It's the same reason that McDonald's is the best restaurant. You can argue that the food is better at Damons (the real place for ribs) but you've been to McDonald's more than you've been to any 5 other food establishments. Maybe you don't think they have the best food...but you vote with your feet (or your car, in the drive thru lane) There will be many food critics in the drive thru lane of McDonald's today...probably with dark glasses on.

I love things that are fast. If I'm not in a hurry, and I'm just hanging out, I want to make something really quick so I can hurry up and sit on the deck and look at my sad, sad lawn/dirt. I want to quickly warm something up so I can play Grif in PIG (I should mention that I have a deadly outside shot from the sewer grate)

I'm fundamentally impatient. I hate lines. I hate it when I'm sitting around waiting for someone who cares more about what they're doing than what I'm doing...so they make me wait while they show up to stuff late. I also hate snakes (kind of off subject....although it's right on the "what Sean hates" subject)

I read somewhere that "...love is patient, kind, doesn't boast...." (probably heard it at a wedding or two) I wonder if they start with the patient one first because they know the impatient people aren't going to finish the sentence. "O.K., love is patient, love is kind....blah, blah, blah....alright, I get the point..."

Ultimately I get mad when people are late, or slow in line, because I love me. I love my time. I love my schedule. That doesn't always translate to me loving others. It's loving to consider other's schedule as important...and to be on time. It's not loving to get so wrapped up in it if they don't choose to care about my time. My pride makes me impatient. My pride gets so wrapped up in how others treat me.

Long lines will happen. People will get stuck in traffic. Life gets busy.

So I'm left with the question....if love is patient, does that mean I'd be more loving if I used the toaster oven - or better yet, cooked everything around a campfire?

Day off

It's 7 a m. I have the day off. Coincedentally, I also have a sunburn.

I spent the day carrying around heavy objects and giving little kids tickets at a block party yesterday. After five or six hours of that, there's nothing better than heading out and speaking to a group. (on the off chance that I have any emotional energy left over once my physical energy is left on a grassy field soaked in snow cones) By the time I came home I was dreaming of this day off.

So here are my plans. - Nada. Zip. Zilch. Playing with Griff after that. Playing in a fund raising golf tournament at noon (good to get out in the sun for five hours when you have a sun burn) and then I'm heading to a small group to speak to them about stuff that will change their group, their families, their friendships, and their very lives as well....or about my favorite Seinfeld episode. I'm guessing they'll want to hear about the second one, but no one will admit it.

And then I'm going to go home, go to sleep and dream of my next day off.

You'd think I would have figured out a better plan. I like that first half....but I'm awful at golf and it's not the best follow up to a day where I wreck my back and scald my forehead.

There's probably something to this whole idea of a Sabbath. The closest I get is when I see an Ozzie Osborne interview (too obscure a reference?)

Everyone feels too busy. I think part of it is people can be bad at prioritizing....and part of it is procrastination...and part of it is there's some sort of insecurity that people feel goes along with non-busyness.

I am busy = I am important.

Maybe I need to set up my hammock, send in my check for the tournament, have Adam fill in for me (he's really not awful at golf - he'd own Fuller) and see if my friend Darrel can go ahead and run that small group???

it'll never happen, but it's a nice thought.

the big stuff

Major in the majors and minor in the minors....let's not get wrapped up in the trivial stuff...let's zero in on what's most important....keep our eyes on the prize....go down if you're hurt.
I've heard them all.

Brennan Manning talks about a couple that won $111,000,000 in a powerball jackpot. Apparently you get 180 days to claim your prize after a lottery drawing. Brennan imagines the possibility of them saying, "let's go claim it after the Brewer's game" They get so wrapped up in the game that they say the same thing the next day. Pretty soon they're engrossed in a pennant chase and the deadline passes them by.

How would you judge them? Foolish? Brennan agrees...and says that he'd also have compassion and understanding. He's done the same thing...only he's passed up his fortune seeking alcohol. His point isn't the evils of alcohol, it's that he's missed so much seeking after so little.

The enemy of the best is often good.

We forfeit the stuff that should be our top priority for stuff that might be very good....but it's not the best. It's easy to rationalize good stuff. You can point to it and no one will argue that it's good. "He treats me better than anyone I've ever dated" "at least I'll be able to help people with this job" "maybe I'll get on the Price is Right"
I hear it all the time.
I say it all the time.

There are some things in my life that I just know are more important than others. Typically, though, I'll pick what I want to do. It's just an added bonus if what I want to do is a good thing.

I lose out on the fortunes of life chasing after the brief glimpses of mediocrity. Time to take a few minutes and re-re-prioritize...