Life is in re-runs...

At least, it feels that way sometimes. Another week just went by in almost the same way all weeks go by. Such is life, I guess.

Have to be at the church in 45 minutes. I hope it goes well this morning as we use our IEM system for the first time. More than that, I hope that the technical 'experiment' does not distract us from our purpose in connecting ourselves and others with God. Must not let that distraction happen.

Yesterday was unproductive, except for getting errands done. Also, I hate having to be a landlord...since we rent to friends, they don't like it much when the "landlord" side of me has to put my foot down about a few things. At least it will all be over in 3 days, and the house goes on the market.

Kyle, I've been thinking of more lines you could use to repel those pesky good-looking girls:

"I own my own business...I run it out of my mom's house."
"But I'm here with Jeff, so I have to see what he wants to do before I go anywhere with you."
"What?"
"I have no idea what I'm talking about."
"We can go to Applebee's and grab a kids' meal."
"It's past my curfew."
"Aw, shucks..." (then stare at your feet shyly).
"I can't stay...I don't even know you."
"Does this look infected?"
"I have the personality of a brick wall."
"I was just faking it."
"But...you're a girl!"

Heh...just kidding. I almost wept after reading your blog, though. (insert sobbing noises here).

Weekend at Burn-ies...

Ah...the weekend is here. Ah...the last weekend before our house in Birmingham goes on the market and I can stress, er...I mean, pray...that it sells quickly AND at a reasonable price.

Spent yesterday doing yard work in the morning, then Stacey jumped ship and helped Dana with some scrapbooking. Got bored enough to watch Deep Space Nine together last night, then put in "The Return of the King" and watched that.

I loved watching the images of the Tolkien book brought to life on the big screen. Strangely enough, the sets - particularly the 'staircase' and the tower of orcs inside Mordor looked almost exactly as I'd imagined it when reading the books. Creepy.

Up early right now because of relentless allergies. I'm about sick of these...


On another note... My 'issue' rant is not directed at any ONE person. It's just an open observation of the things that can and do plague relationships and communities, including ours. In fact, we're all guilty of being 'making issues' out of things from time to time. I've let things bother me so much about people that they're practically 'walking on eggshells' around me...nothing they do can make it right. I've done this in the past...I've done this recently. It's not fair to others, though.

A Scripture verse I read a couple of weeks ago sums up how I feel:

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3).

I sincerely hope that ALL of us - as a group - know how to be patient with one another, and that we make allowance for each others faults. We all have them. If we do not make allowance for each other's faults, then I believe it's our own selfish pride that governs our actions...almost as if - because of experience or some false sense of our own maturity - we're better than those who have not attained that maturity yet.

What is it about community that is so hard sometimes? What is it about forming a community of Christians - united in the Holy Spirit - that is so elusive? We know what we ought to do, but we let so many things interfere with the friendships Christ wants us to have. Annoyances at each others' quirks/habits. Annoyances with others' annoyances. Lashing out at friends when stressed instead of embracing their fellowship.

I've literally had to wake up one morning and realize that my not making this allowance for people cost me friendships. I was so overly critical of friends/roommates in college for stupid stuff, that the friendships ceased. That was never my intention, but...when I refused to make allowance for others' faults (and, in hindsight, the fault was more mine than theirs), I actually refused to make allowance for THEM as people. And it cost me...and I found myself alone, having to start over.

I plead to anyone who reads this trying to build a community of real friends: Be a peacemaker, not an issue-maker.

Peace.

Ear wax, headaches, and 'drama'

What a week...

Band rehearsal went WAY long Wednesday night as we re-adjusted the audio to compensate for the use of the in-ear-monitors, but in the long run, the new system should help Donny (or whoever is running sound) get a much better grip on the overall room sound.

After band practice, we headed to Ruby Tuesday's, where there seemed to be unprecedented displays of 'PDA' (public displays of affection) going on. First, there was this guy girl in the parking lot practically climbing on each other by their car. Second, what's up with the lubby-dubby guy/girl sitting on the same side of the booth thing going on? Here we are - a married couple, an Asian, and a child (Kailyn) - surrounded by no fewer than 3 booths where there was a guy and a girl sitting right next to each other in their respective booths. And, with one exception, they were all cuddly, whispering "i don't want to knows" to each other.

Ewwwww....Stacey and I were never that sappy.

Speaking of Stacey, she's been having some lousy headaches lately, so she went to the doc this a.m., who hooked her up with some new medication to try. I hate headaches, but she gets them all the time.

On another note, we got to see the Great Decatur Fire of 2004 up close and personal...I've never seen flames and smoke like that before, and I even saw a fireworks store burn when I was a kid.

On a serious note, here's something I've been pondering today: What's the difference between 'having issues' and 'making issues out of something'? I think 'having an issue' is unavoidable. We all have issues - financial, family, social, health, etc. - and we have to deal with them. But, we 'make issues' when we're too hard on people or let little things get the best of us...or we don't seek solutions to problems, instead choosing to perpetuate a given tension or tough situation. One is life, but the other is choice. So, it makes me want to examine myself and ask, "Do I have issues?" - or - "Have a made issues out of things that I don't need to make issues out of?" The latter is so dangerous, because it strains friendships, gives us a false sense of no responsibility in certain matters, and -most importantly- we inadvertantly become the type of person who is no longer a joy to be around, because everything is negative. Lately, I've been this way myself...I've got stress dealing with a lot of real issues (selling the house in B'ham, primarily), but letting other things frustrate me that normally would or should not just adds 'drama' where no more is needed.

Just ranting, since 'making issues out of things' is a thing about being human we all have to fight... In college, I made so many issues out of stupid things that I wound up losing all my friends my freshman year.

Rant complete:

KEY PHRASES: "It's 'Taliban' Jordan." (new nickname for Jordo, who almost left the house today complete with towel on her head - made it as far as being IN the car before Dana pointed out her oversight).

Em-baer-rassing

Et tu, Baer?

Looks like another blogger has come and gone...

So long Baer...at least when I click your link now, I get something new to read, even if it only says "The URL you are looking for does not exist on this server." -sigh-

Now it's just me and the 2 Asians...and the guy from Birmingham who blogs during the harvest moon...and the pastor who blogs when inspirition strikes (and he has time to write about it).

A moment of silence, please...

Does your job give you gas?

I found a helpful link online describing 13 indicators of job burnout. I REALLY wish I'd had a list like this back in the day - maybe I would've resigned my old job more quickly. There are several relevant symptoms on the list: fatigue, irritability, cynicism, self-criticism, anger, helplessness, etc...

However, there were to indicators of job burnout that I was not aware of: (1) 'Gastrointestinal disturbances' and (2) weight gain.

Weight gain...one hugely obvious indicator, and I missed it...25+ extra pounds later. D'oh.

But the other - gastrointestinal disturbance - has me a bit baffled. I guess the article's referring to the type of stomach problems that plague stock traders or others for whom stress manifests itself physically. However, I can at least say that my old job never gave me stomach problems. No excess gas...no nausea or vomiting...no 'BG.'

If your stomach is bothering you really bad, maybe it's not that bean burrito you ate last night...maybe it's your job.

Or...maybe it is the bean burrito.

Why's he 'still' on stage? The music is over...

Sunday was a unique day, and it all went pretty cool. Steven Sims played guitar with us, and it was very nice to have an 'acoustic-driven' set for the morning. It brought flashbacks of jamming with Mark DeLoach or Ben Gallaway in the old days of Exodus/Axcess at Mountaintop, but it wound up being far more powerful because of Steven and Eli's vocal talent and the 'freshness' of the experience.

I also delivered the message Sunday morning. (I know what you're thinking: supwifdat?). But that wound up going pretty smoothly too. I didn't boob it up with moments of nervousness that have plagued me in the past, and I managed to fill the entire time slot.

Our crowd was a bit down, but there were a number of people there to hear Steven play, and they added a bit of energy to the room. We need to do this kind of thing - Steven willing - more oftn.

After church, we headed to Applebee's, where the food was mediocre and the service was even less so, but we still had a pretty good time.

Sunday night, we had our first-ever baptism for Crosspoint at Dave's pool. Joel and Chastity Bates got baptized, and they seemed pretty excited about it. We also spent time swimming, grilling hot dogs, and behaving with general stupidity (which always happens at pool parties).

KEY PHRASES: "Our Guad squad is now more of a Guad Splinter Cell." "Kyle was at Ft. Rucker putting 'No Step' stickers on fragile parts of helicopters." "Ow, Jordan beaned J-mo in the eye with that."

"Show me, 'wax on, wax off'"

Week after week, it sometimes feels like the same thing with no payoff - a lot of work just for the sake of doing it all over again...

This week, however, has felt a bit different. I'm not completely sure why, but part of it is the simple application of 'change' to the normal routine.

We had band practice last night instead of Wednesday (to accommodate a couple of the musicians' schedules). Also, we had the welcome addition of Derek Prevatt (welcome back) and Steven Sims. Finally, the set this week is an acoustic set heavy on the acoustic guitar sound and vocal harmonization. Not that I don't love music the way we normally do it, but I really like the change-up this week. Hopefully, it will feel as powerful to the crowd Sunday as it did to me at rehearsal. Steven's got an incredible guitar-playing ability AND the added bonus of vocal talent, so I actually get to relax on a few songs and let him lead out. Very cool. All in all, it's nice to see some development taking place in terms of getting a few different people involved in the music.

After band practice, we went to Logan's (all of us but Derek, who had to work - Me, Stacey, (Kailyn), Eli, (Emma), Steven, Eric, Wendy, (Heidi & Holly), Donny, and J-mo - a big crowd for a Wednesday night activity.

While we were there, we saw Brian and Amber seated in a both at the opposite side of the dining area. I tried calling Amber on my cell phone. She actually picked up the ringing phone, seemed puzzled by the incoming number, showed it to Brian, then promptly hit the 'reject call' button. I smirked and thought, "Oh, so that's how it's going to be, eh?" Eli decided to be more dramatic and had the waitress gather a crew to give Amber a "Happy Birthday Yeehaw" from the staff, though, of course, it was not Amber's birthday. Though it did not turn out as humorous as we'd hoped (mainly because Amber and Brian both looked more puzzled than surprised), it still proved to be funny once they actually came over and talked to us (and we realized we were not going to get killed for interrupting some serious conversation or something).

On a different note, Stacey took Kailyn into the pool for the first time this summer. After some initial fear, it looks like she'll love being in the water again. I sure hope so.

WORTH REPEATING:

"Eric, your musical advice was helpful. Donny usually just grunts like a caveman and says 'Music bad' or 'sound bad.' (LOL) So, thanks for being specific."

(old quote)
Eli: Was Wendy there?
J-mo: Yes, she was just standing behind a chair.

(after playing all the songs last night)
Steven: My fingers hurt.
Kevin: So do mine.
J-mo: You guys shut up (he played congas).
Derek: I'm fine.

Now my whole schedule is off...

It was strange not having band practice last night. It normally marks the midweek point. It is a fun activity that reminds you that you have just crossed the mid-week hurdle, and it's all downhill from there. To not have it on its normal night has now made this whole week feel 'off balance.'

Instead, band practice is tonight, and we're changing things up a bit this week. More info on how that goes later.

Spent yesterday working on music, laundry, and researching a 'message' for Sunday morning. Yes, a message, folks. I know, I know...d'oh.

I need to give Kira a call today and ask her if my pickup has come in yet for my 12-string. I'd love to have that ready to play by Sunday a.m. I've never been able to play that guitar amplified in a way that sounds good.

Today? More of the same...

KEY PHRASE: "Sun Drop AND Mountain Dew may both prolong life; however (based on the evidence), I believe both of them also lead to hair loss. Still, it's a small price to pay for immortality."

Oh, no

Research shows a link between soft drink consumption and cancer. Now THAT's tragic...

Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew, why have you forsaken me? Can it be that our relationship must come to an end? Must I cease consumption of the sweet, bubbly nectar?

Coca Cola, Mountain Dew, and, yes, even Sun Drop...I must admit we feel a bit betrayed, as if you seduced us with your sweet taste only to now discover the risk.

Well at least the article indicates the need for "further study." So I'll keep drinking Mountain Dew and Coca Cola until a surgeon general's warning appears on the can. Then I'll switch to alcohol...hehe.

KEY PHRASES: "Yes, I think a 'sentinel' from the Matrix makes a perfect conversation piece." "Well, the whole 'lower your standards' conversation with Tania remains funny."

Alrighty, then

Another Monday. Another week filled with fun and excitement. Another...is it halfway through May already?

Slept horribly last night...had some sort of goofy leg-ache going on. Must've fallen asleep lying on it or something. Oh, well...it's gone now, but I'm sleepy.

Our weekly Guad meeting is tonight, so hopefully my allergies will subside enough for me to walk outside again. Also, I hope our Guad-crowd is back up again.

Anyway, gotta go work on 'stuff' (music for Wednesday, calendar for June, calls to realtor, etc.)

QUOTES OF THE DAY:

(while eating lunch yesterday at Ruby Tuesdays)
J-MO: I haven't had a date in years.
TANIA: Maybe you need to lower your standards.
J-MO: Okay, so do YOU want to go out?

LOL.

Watch out for 'particles'

I've been sneezing so much today, it's unreal. These allergies are driving me nuts. But there ARE positive sides to this experience:

1. You become holy. At least I feel that way, considering the number of 'God bless you's I've received.
2. When your nose turns red, you almost feel like Rudolph...without the fur...or the ability to fly...
3. Snot makes a great hand lotion.
4. I get to be the ONE guy who gets to say "I hate spring" when everyone else loves it.
5. You get to test just how well a human being could function if they had only one functioning nostril.
6. Sneezing is a great way to get out of unwanted conversations.
7. It gives people living in Decatur something to blog about when there's nothing worth blogging about...

Well, actually, this was a good weekend, mainly this morning at church. Had a good crowd. We shook the band up a bit by subbing in Jeremy on drums and his wife, Allison, on vocals. Music felt pretty powerful this morning, too. The hair on the back of my neck actually stood out during a cool transition to the part that goes "Lord, I feel like dancing..." in the song "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever." Pretty powerful moment of feeling God's presence there. It's hard to explain...you're just worshipping, then suddenly, you 'connect.' Very cool.

After church, we headed to Ruby Tuesday's for some grub, then to Lowe's, then we came home, where Stacey and I did a CRAPLOAD of cleaning for small group...

...Which was, 'small,' to say the least...only J-mo, Eli, Stacey, and myself. Everyone else, well, YOU GUYS ALL DISSED US! No good bums... (did I actually type that?). Heh, just kidding. It was still a good night of chilling out after a busy weekend.

Uh oh...gotta go sneeze...again...

QUOTES OF THE DAY:

Me: "Eric said Wendy was home b/c one of the kids was sick, but I don't think he really thinks they're sick."
Jeremy: "Does Eric EVER really believe his kids are actually sick? I think he's like, 'You're not sick. Get up!'" (Hehe).

Good things...

Okay, in the spirit of 'not whining,' I have some good things to report.

First, Stacey and I took dinner over to Jack and Pam last night. They (and Claire) seem to be doing pretty well. It was a bit strange seeing a baby that small again, since it doesn't seem that long ago that Kailyn was that little. Can't believe that time's already gone by...wow. Anyway, it was good to see Jack. He reimbursed me for the IEM system.

Second, I FINALLY got some rebates back for things I bought months ago (my graphics card and my router). Hey, it's only $40 total, but that's still very cool. I also sold some stock a couple of weeks ago that had peaked and dropped significantly after I sold it, which means I sold it at the right time. It's nice to have a bit of extra cash around since we've got a lot of expenses coming up with our house in Birmingham.

Well, now we're going into the weekend. Maybe, I hope, there will be something worth reporting this time around.

QUOTE OF INTEREST: "Kailyn, it's pronounced 'fork,' not what you said." (hehe...kids are so innocent when they learn words...I wish we could stay that way)

Some fun things about home ownership

Ah, the joys of being a homeboy...I mean, er...a homeowner...

1. Pets, the scourge of humanity - well, cats...we have too many. Last night, we forgot to put them up (and still had some dirty dishes on the counter). Weeell...around 1 a.m., CRASH!, - one of the cats knocked something off the counter. Anyone...please...take one of our cats (-cough- Kyle -cough) before I donate one to medical science (I'm sure some school somewhere still dissects cats like we did in 7th grade).

2. Weeds, zits for your lawn - Dave enlightened me as to the name of the weed I loathe: Dallas Grass. My sod isn't healthy enough to grow a full inch in places, but not the dallas grass...it's a whopping foot tall after all the rain in the past couple of days. Chemlawn: strike 2, it still ain't dead. Also, it's fun to ONLY have to mow the grass to get the weeds shorter.

3. Paint, it peels - This house is only 9 months old, and it's already got scuffs on the paint inside. Oh, well, nothing's new forever.

4. Selling a house, or "I'd rather have bamboo shoots under my fingernails." - excuse me, I think I'm going to get up and go vomit now.

5. The whining, "do I sound like a girl?" - I never whined this much BEFORE I owned a home. All you had to do when renting an apartment was gripe to the landlord when stuff broke or went wrong, and they fixed it. If you wanted to move, you just moved out when your lease was up. No worry about "re-leasing" it.

K, I'll shut up now...

Guitar cases, head cases, and...case in point...

I FINALLY bought a new guitar case to replace my current Taylor acoustic guitar case. As more plastic was peeling off the outside of the case, revealing the case's styrofoam interior, I decided that was just too redneck for me - housing a $1,000 guitar in a case where only 2 of the 3 hinges were still attached IS pretty redneck and not necessarily very good for the guitar. Kira at Emiron hooked me up with a nice new one, though, and I also ordered a pickup for my 12-string while I was there, so Ic an start playing that at church.

The dynamic at band practice was a bit different yesterday, since Jeremy was on drums and Allison was on vocals, but it was a good dynamic. It's nice to change things up a bit, 'cause it brings a different type of energy and passion to the stage. Hopefully, Sunday morning will rock as much as rehearsal did. Note to band: Relax on Sunday like we do on Wednesday, and we got it...

(change of subject)

It seems the hot topics this week are the beheading of Nick Berg and the relation of it (if any) to the prisoner abuse scandal. It's in the news constantly. It's referred to in friends' blogs. And, I've talked to several people who see such an event as yet another opportunity to communicate their disgust with America that we're there in the first place (which is a valid frustration for many people)

-sigh-

I wish we weren't there, too. I wish none of our soldiers/civilians had died. I wish the motives behind our going over there were clearer to us. I also wish that loud-mouths on capitol hill (and hollywood) wouldn't just use every incident or opportunity to speak as a way of politicizing every freakin' even that happens. "Ooh...prisoner abuse. Therefore, I ask Rumsfeld to resign." What in the @#$% is up with that? People who use scandal and tragedy to further their own agendas need to be hit on the head with a hammer.

What I REALLY wish for is that we had a better grasp on the reality of what we're dealing with. If you don't know, watch the Nick Berg video in its full version (available on a number of websites, if you can stomach it...which I can't...I had to close the window before I actually saw it, Thank God.). I doubt you could, either. Our prisoner abusers, who should be punished accordingly, took pictures of Iraqis in odd poses while they were naked - Iraqi fighters who have been responsible for killing/hurting/attempting to hurt U.S. soldiers (they weren't just prisoners who just got caught stealing a car or something). In contrast, terrorist forms of abuse involve civilian contractors who are there trying to HELP Iraq...and, in the case of Nick Berg, he was not photographed being naked...he was videotaped being executed...horribly. Wake the @#$% up, people...it's this very cruelty in extremist forms of Islam (or any religion, for that matter...it's usually about the fanatic, NOT the faith itself) that we're fighting. No, I don't naively think we're doing everything right over there, but I recognize evil when I see it.

Why does this bother me so much? Because last week, it seemed more people were upset at the cancellation of "Friends" on TV than they are about the atrocities of terrorism. -Sigh- As we sit in our comfortable, decently protected homes in quiet neighborhoods, it is very easy to disconnect from the realities of war - in spite of the 'streaming' content from news networks. And instead of being outraged at the execution of Nick Berg by hateful people, many people scream "Get us out of Iraq" even louder. But is it right to ignore evil?

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke

Will ignoring evil make it go away? Definitely not, but it might get it out of the televisions in our living rooms when we don't want to see it.

Now, I have to go cry because Frasier's last episode is tonight...(yes, I'm just oozing sarcasm...don't get me wrong, it's okay to be sad about such things, but it's GOT to be kept in perspective).

Can I get some testosterone over here, please?

Well, well...another day where I disappear while Dana and Stacey scrapbook downstairs.

Hey, I'm glad they both have a hobby that they enjoy, but I must confess that I wish more manly things happened in this house of girls sometimes.

Why can't I find a friend who'd come over and do something really exciting and manly...like...working on the Mustang in the garage. Or jamming to some tunes on guitars. Or fraggin' each other in an in-house LAN party (nerdy, but still manly).

Well, I'll put my foot down if they start making doilies. (shudder - even typing the word is girly).

On a side note: Went to the new Mexican place El Portal over by Food World. Not too shabby... Um, mexican twice in 24 hours...may my stomach forgive me.

Movies that make grown men cry...

Let's face it, I'm not ashamed to cry, though it doesn't happen a whole lot (only for funerals, bill payments, etc.). Still, after reflecting upon Chad's reminiscence about crying at the series conclusion of "The Wonder Years," it's made me wonder what movies/shows I've watched that have reduced me to a bawling lump of a man after watching them. Or...at least choked me up a bit.

So, here's a short list (in no order and none are 'girly' movies):

1. Star Trek 2 (when Spock died) - I was 11 years old and in a state of shock. I cried in the car on the way home.
2. Dances with Wolves - I watched this movie one Saturday afternoon, and it ruined my whole day. Never cried, but I was depressed for a long time.
3. Saving Private Ryan - If tears don't come to your eyes during the scene with the guy screaming "mama" while holding his own guts in his hands on Normandy beach, then you're not human. :-\. -OR- The ending, where Ryan's visiting the graves of the soldiers who saved his life. Movies like this make you cry because they make you think of the reality of war.
4. Independence Day - when the president's (Bill Pullman) wife died... Actually, this just made me think how I would manage if my own wife died one day, so I at least teared up.
5. Armageddon - when they wouldn't let Steve Buscemi ride the bomb (wait, that's not the scene I'm thinking of).
6. The Abyss - when they all thought Brigman was going to die in the Abyss 'cause he didn't have enough air left.
7. Terminator 2 - "I know now why you cry."
8. Pearl Harbor - No, not Danny, too...and the whole Pearl Harbor assault was tear-inducing, again b/c it depicted a real event.
9. Gladiator - Maximus sees his family again... "I shall see you again, my friend, but not yet...not yet."
10. Road to Perdition - could've been a happy ending, but they killed 'im.
11. Tears of the Sun - yikes...shocking depictions of atrocities in Africa.

Okay, see? No "Steel Magnolias" or "My Girl" on my list...why? 'Cause they didn't make me cry. If you're stuck watching a girly movie, you know that's they're designed to do that at places, so...being a man...I almost laugh when the sad part happens, because I knew it was coming. But...in a good action movie or movie about history, you don't feel as manipulated.

Other movies that made me cry for different reasons (i.e., they sucked, when I hoped they wouldn't):

1. Intolerable Cruelty - intolerable, yes.
2. Star Trek V - does it really need discussion?
3. 15 Minutes (with Robert DeNiro - what a waste of film)
4. Beverly Hills Ninja - with Chris Farley. It was like "Tommy Boy" meets the Karate Kid, and it sucked as you'd expect.

Okay, that's enough...I'm getting teary-eyed again. Can someone pass me a tissue?

On shrimp, being a landlord, and homemade play-doh

Well, never mind the homemade play-doh reference...it was a gross discussion Kyle and I had that began by talking about Abby's picking up...um...'doggie leftovers' in the backyard last night...ewww...'nuff said.

Went to the Guad tonight. It's nice being able to go someplace where they know your name, what you want to order, and what you want to drink before you even take your seat. It's also nice getting shrimp nachos, which are not on the menu. Fun fun.

Tonight the crowd was small, since we hadn't heard from a few of the guys, Stacey had to work late, and Eli has a new job which may end her 'guadding' days indefinitely. Oh, well. It was still fun just hanging with Kyle, J-mo, and Kailyn. Stacey did make it to the mall after we got done eating, so we roamed a few stores. Messed around with the fitness equipment at Sears. Too funny watching us skinny and/or out-of-shape people messing with the bowflex clone.

Afterwards, I headed with J-mo and Kyle to the local studio to hear Bishop Black work on their new recordings. it was cool...we timed it just right (luckily) to be there to hear a song recorded and played back.

Afterwards, I headed home.

In other news, it's getting closer and closer to the time of getting our house on the market. Unfortunately, the tenants-also-friends of ours are trying to tack on a couple of days to their lease so they won't be panicked in moving. Must find the balance between accommodating where I can and where I need to be firm, knowing that -yes- this move is hard on them, but the resulting financial backlash of not being able to sell this house in a timely manner could be much harder on us. -sigh- Still, God was in the process of our moving here. I pray he'll be in the process of working all this out, too.

Heh...overheard a funny conversation with Tania and Stacey about lingerie (don't ask), and Tania was talking about how her grandmother gave her a really old-fashioned robe at her lingerie shower before she got married years ago. Said it was anything but 'sexy.' In fact, she and Stacey referred to such 'lingerie' as the "Honey, I just want to cuddle tonight" lingerie. Hehe...funny, if you're married, that is ;-).

KEY PHRASES: "Wow...J-mo looks pretty scary when he grits his teeth like that." "Kyle, you've been working out for how many years?" "Kailyn, can you say 'Carlos?'" Bishop black singer: "I've got a buzz." J-mo: "Whatever it takes to get your groove on." Me (quietly): "Imagine that being how we - the Crosspoint band - got our own groove on." Errr...maybe not.

I was just sitting here...

...and thought about Chad's comment that the Wonder Years series finale made him AND Dirty cry.

And...finally...days later, I laugh. What an image.

That was easy...

Links are back...w00t.

New week, new look, new...ah, crap...where'd my links go?

Hopefully, I'll get my links re-published ASAP, though I like the new blogger templates.

This weekend was incredibly productive. Spent ALL day Saturday doing more cleaning in the garage. I assembled 2 shelving units to try to get crap up off the floor, hung bikes on the wall, and managed (by the end of the day) to get 2 cars successfully parked in the garage...woohoo. That's like a major accomplishment, second only to graduation from college. As Stacey put it, "We've never had a garage we could actually use as a garage until now." Amen to FINALLY getting some stuff cleaned up and organized.

Jack and Pam had their baby Saturday night: Claire Elizabeth Alford. Stacey, Kailyn and I went up there to see them, and they seemed to be doing well. You could tell Jack was thrilled to be a new dad. Pam, though we found out later had a rough night with some IV issues, looked like she hadn't had a baby at all, and, as she put it, "felt like she could get up and run laps around the hospital." Oh, well...so much for self-diagnosis. Wow...people all around us are having kids. Guess that comes with marriage and the next phase of adulthood.

Church went pretty well Sunday. I'd hauled the Roland up there this week, so it was fun to play that again as part of the worship. Had a decent crowd, too. Unlike our normal 'out to eat' thing after church, Stacey and I just went home and wound up falling asleep for two hours in the afternoon. (Note to self: Never take an Actifed during the day).

Had a good crowd come over to hang with Stacey and me last night: J-mo, Eli, Kyle, Wes, Kim, Brian, and Amber (and all their respective young-uns). Grilled some good food on the grill again, though I'm not sure I like getting all the food started for everyone then chilling out all by myself on the patio while everyone else hangs out inside watching TV or something. Where's the love for the chef?? :-/ Heh, at least it's not cold anymore...it REALLY sucked when it was cold and the wind was blowing!

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend. Now...it's...Monday...

KEY PHRASES: "It's like that scene with Bishop in Aliens where he...spews..." (ewww...). "Can you guess whose chicken fell on the ground? You can't, can you, 'cuz you weren't there!!! (hehe). "So, Kyle's buying a house soon?" "No, man...he's been saying that for like seven years." (LOL). "No, Abby, those are not rocks."

Has it really been a whole decade?

All good things...

After watching the 'Friends' finale last night with J-mo and Kyle, it hit me that that show has been a part of my life (more in the early years than recently) since I graduated college. And, like the characters in that show, I've grown up. When "Friends" first aired in 1994, I was single and just starting grad school. The possibilities for the future were wide open. I drove a sports car. I had no money. I was in better physical shape. My hair was longer (and I had more of it - sigh-). I was irresponsible (in a normal, twenty-something sort of way). I had circles of friends I hung out with without a care in the world. I felt wise beyond my years (such is the foolish thinking of young adulthood). I had a girlfriend (which, ironically, I still have the same one). I rented an apartment and had 2 roommates. And...this thing called the 'future' - where I would foreseeably eventually have a family, a home, children, etc., was a distant - even terrifying - idea.

Now, it's 2004. I'm married, have a job, and drive an SUV. I have a daughter. I own a home (yikes, I actually own 2). I'm out of shape. I've lost hair. I'm better off financially. I have 2 college degrees. I'm living the very future I used to fear, and all I can do is sit her and think, "When did THAT happen?" None of it happened in a -POOF! THERE IT IS - sort of way. I was dating Stacey in 1994, then we eventually married in 1998. Kailyn, my daughter, was the natural result of our desire for family, and she's not been the burden or dead-weight I used to think a child would be...much the opposite, in fact. I have new friends, but good friendships nonetheless.

And, as shocking as the change is, I wouldn't go back for anything in the world. Though, that's not how it used to be. I remember around 1998, I used to miss the old college days a lot. Stacey and I both would get pretty melancholy thinking about the friendships that are now long gone and the activities we used to be able to do without the weight of job/family responsibility weighing on us (example: spontaneous road trips are much harder when you're married and have a work schedule...hehe).

Kyle, I'm stealing a quote from your blog. Kyle says this: "Memories of days past can either provide us with the courage and motivation to get on with our lives or serve as a method of self-destruction by constantly seeking solace in what once was."

Dang, dude...that's the deepest thing you've ever written, but it's profoundly true, and I've found that to be so true in my own life. Yes, things change. I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago. Sometimes, I miss that time a lot, but if I were to spend my time whining about times gone by, then I might miss the wonderful things that are going to happen next. And though - at times I find myself thinking I'm getting old, I have to laugh and remind myself that I'm only 32, and much of my life is still just beginning. In the coming years, I get to see my daughter grow up. Maybe we'll have more kids, who knows... In the past few years, I've grown closer to my wife - and our relationship has matured a lot, and I can't wait to see what the future brings.

But I must be honest...the ONE thing I truly do want to get back is being in shape. Now, that's a realistic and healthy thing to want to have again, isn't it?

On a side note, here are my favorite series finales from years past (note: some sci-fi geekiness will show through)

1. Cheers
2. Home Improvement (yes, I really put that on my list)
3. Star Trek: The Next Generation
4. Babylon 5 (actually, a very emotional end to a series involving the death of the main character).
5. Seinfeld - because it ended just like it existed: about nothing.
6. The X Files - left it open for another movie by providing the exact date of a pending alien invasion...creepy.

Wow only six...

KEY PHRASES: "Yes, Carlos, it's us...again." "Just give her even more Benadryl." "One hour of exercise, and I feel 'mostly dead.'"

On the Guad, the human libido, physical fitness, and Menudo...

Today was a pretty eventful Monday.

Took food over to Pam and Jack's tonight. Pam has been assigned bed rest, pending the birth of their child. However, she was obviously tired of sitting around and doing nothing. But...is the whole "Puah" name thing still a joke?

Headed to the Guad tonight with the (currently) normal Guad Squad: Me, Kailyn, Stacey, Eli, Emma, J-mo, Kyle, Chuck, and David. J-mo and I got hooked up with a customized order of shrimp nachos (instead of the normal chicken or beef options). Mmm...shrimp...jalapenos...chips...mmmmm...

Afterwards, we headed down the mall...same routine, yet again. Dillard's, Parisians... We ALL decided to ride on the mall merry-go-round tonight. It was fun, in a sad-way-to-spend-a-monday sort of way :-). Then, we decided we'd had enough of the mall, so we headed over to Books-A-Million. Stacey bought an entire COLLECTION of fiction books from a particular author (note: You can only read one book at a time). I picked up a book on Aikido, so I can refresh my memory about things that haven't been fresh in my mind with regards to physical fitness and martial arts in over 10 years.

As usual, Kyle and J-mo had their 'oogle' search engine going full strength. (I can't blame them, though). J-mo saw a girl in Parisian's he really wanted to meet, but Eli INSISTED that she accompany J-mo...no doubt to be there at the exact moment to thwart any of J-mo's efforts to meet a girl. J-mo reluctantly quit trying, vowing instead to wait until next time to tell Eli a choice expression or two if she continued to intervene...hehe. It was all too funny.

And all has been well with the world. We had a fun night. Kailyn had a great day...it was so fun to watch her have a lot of fun during all our various activities. The weather was good. And I was sitting here, thinking that thought - that all is well with the world - when BAM! - reality hits as I read a most disturbing headline on FoxNews.com:

"Puerto Rican Boy Band Menudo Being Revived"

A shudder went down my spine. Menudo? The original boy band from the 70s and 80s? Making a comeback? Say it isn't so!! Even now, the haunting theme of "Menudo on ABC" (from Saturday mornings of my youth) is plaguing my mind...over and over again.

Somebody wake me from this nightmare. Steve Vai, where are you? (LOL...read Kyle's blog for an 'ethereal' explanation of that comment).

KEY PHRASES: "Hey, when it comes to Kailyn, drippy drippy is much better than leaky leaky." (observed when Kyle was holding Kailyn and a 'drip' of water escaped her sippy cup). "Only in Alabama can you find a Bob Gibson BBQ sauce display in the middle of the perfume and makeup section of Parisians." "Stacey, put J-mo down."

I'm...having...chest...pains...

Actually, I really am, but it feels like I've pulled or twisted some muscle in my upper chest around my rib cage. Not too painful, but if I lie down on my side, ouch...it hurts.

This weekend was a pleasant contrast to the 'blah' that was the end of last week. On Saturday, Stacey spent most of the day with Dana working on the testosterone-repelling task that is called scrapbooking. Hehe...still, she and Dana had fun. They managed to 'guilt trip' J-mo into having Chinese food with us instead of going to Red Lobster.

Saturday, I picked up the antennae for my wireless mic from J-mo. I can't wait to try out the technology in a real rehearsal. Also picked up a copy of TOCA: Race Driver 2 for the PC. It's a lot of fun.

Church Sunday went as well as usual. Crowd was still up. The best part of the morning though was when Eric's 6 year old daughter 'filled in" for our wayward conga player. Even though you could only see her hat over the top of the congas and she wasn't very loud, she DID keep good ryhthm and it was a real cool thing to have her play onstage with us. (Hmmm...would they have even considered that where I used to go to church...I doubt it). A very memorable moment.

After church, we satisfied J-mo's cravings for seafood by going to Red Lobster. We sat by the main aisle, and Kyle and J-mo would suddenly turn into blithering masses of testosteronic goo every time a good looking girl walked by. Heh...I guess I'm one to talk...I used to do that myself, but such behavior at this point in time usually results in a good 'smack' from the missus. (Ouch).

Went to Huntsville in the afternoon. Checked out Best Buy and Old Navy. Picked up a couple of DVDs: The Dave Matthews: Live in Central Park concert and Coldplay: Live in 2003. Wow, every time I watch videos of such good performers, I wind up picking up a guitar afterwards and reliving all those high school dreams of 'making it big' in the music biz. Ah...hopes and dreams.

Small group was just a laid-back gathering of friends last night. Just watched some different music DVD's and ate food. Good times.

KEY PHRASES: "I don't want to be around you if you happen to be operating heavy machinery when a good-looking girl walks by....MEDIC!" J-mo to our frequently absent waitress: "Excuse me, have you seen our waitress anywhere?" Waitress (Emily): "Shut up." "Wow...I've never seen two male Asians shop for boxers together." (Relax, it only LOOKED that way for a second...). "I can't believe Old Navy would actually honor a 6 year old gift card."