It has happened. I have been sucked into the realm of Facebook. I signed up to help my mom out with a contest she was hoping to win a chance to guest conduct the MOTAB. She needed daily votes, so I pitched in.
It was a fun mini-project. She asked that I help her with her audition video. This is what we got on take three. We wanted something a bit more visually appealing than the majority of the entries (A still shot of them at church or classroom). The winner did a great visual display with cuts to him in the woods, in a gazebo, outside a building with cool pillars, etc every 5 seconds. So I did what I could in a single take because I wasn't confident that I had the know how or time to makes something that elaborate.
I was pretty happy with it and was glad that the camera picked up the music that well. It was also fun playing ninja by walking in a way to minimize shaky camera.
Soooo... Since then I've been on Facebook and liking things...and sharing things. I think I still have grasp on reality and real interactions, so I think I have a good balance. Feel free to look me up if we haven't become "friends" already.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
What a Dutch Oven Has Taught Me
My Mom was kind enough to get me a nice dutch oven for Christmas a few years back. It was pre-seasoned and ready to go straight out of the box.
I think what really got me itching for one was Curtis's potato sausage bacon casserole. He made that for us a couple times when we visited him and Hannah. I love the idea of cooking stew, cobbler and all things delicious in the out of doors. Especially when all you have to do is put stuff in the pot and heat it up.
I was able to get some good use out of our dutch oven for some time. We tried to replicate Curtis's casserole (good but pales in comparison to the master chef)...Emily made some excellent beef stew...I made peach cobbler...life was good. Then after one meal, mabye chili (which has acidic tomatoes that eat at the seasoning), I didn't clean it out as I should have and it rusted on the inside.
So I decided to ask the Internet on how to get our dutch oven back into working order. Basically the verdict was to scrub, scrub and scrape the rust off. I tried steel wool to some success, but I think I just made it worse. Every time I thought I had it and washed it off, I would put it in the oven to quickly dry it, it would look even rustier. I read that vinegar would help remove the rust so I tried some of that and got about the same result.
Eventually I decided that I just need to start from scratch and blast the seasoning off of it. So I put the dutch oven into the oven on a cleaning cycle. I was silly and used mugs to use as stands figuring ceramic would be okay with the intense heat. The ceramic was just fine, it was the glaze that melted a bit where it touched the bottom of the oven. We now have three rings of glaze in the oven. So I guess that was my fist lesson that I learned.
After burning off the seasoning. I dusted off the dutch oven and let it sit on a shelf for a long time. Luckily it didn't spoil. My wife is the adult leader for our church's girls camp this summer and she wanted to use it. So I got a wire brush accessory for my drill and started cleaning off the residue and got it as clean and shiny as I could. And I coated it in Crisco and baked it to begin the seasoning process. It's looking good and I hope that I can keep maintaining it so that we can use if for a long time.
Lessons (Re)Learned
I think what really got me itching for one was Curtis's potato sausage bacon casserole. He made that for us a couple times when we visited him and Hannah. I love the idea of cooking stew, cobbler and all things delicious in the out of doors. Especially when all you have to do is put stuff in the pot and heat it up.
I was able to get some good use out of our dutch oven for some time. We tried to replicate Curtis's casserole (good but pales in comparison to the master chef)...Emily made some excellent beef stew...I made peach cobbler...life was good. Then after one meal, mabye chili (which has acidic tomatoes that eat at the seasoning), I didn't clean it out as I should have and it rusted on the inside.
So I decided to ask the Internet on how to get our dutch oven back into working order. Basically the verdict was to scrub, scrub and scrape the rust off. I tried steel wool to some success, but I think I just made it worse. Every time I thought I had it and washed it off, I would put it in the oven to quickly dry it, it would look even rustier. I read that vinegar would help remove the rust so I tried some of that and got about the same result.
Eventually I decided that I just need to start from scratch and blast the seasoning off of it. So I put the dutch oven into the oven on a cleaning cycle. I was silly and used mugs to use as stands figuring ceramic would be okay with the intense heat. The ceramic was just fine, it was the glaze that melted a bit where it touched the bottom of the oven. We now have three rings of glaze in the oven. So I guess that was my fist lesson that I learned.
After burning off the seasoning. I dusted off the dutch oven and let it sit on a shelf for a long time. Luckily it didn't spoil. My wife is the adult leader for our church's girls camp this summer and she wanted to use it. So I got a wire brush accessory for my drill and started cleaning off the residue and got it as clean and shiny as I could. And I coated it in Crisco and baked it to begin the seasoning process. It's looking good and I hope that I can keep maintaining it so that we can use if for a long time.
Lessons (Re)Learned
- Problems don't go away by ignoring them or covering them up
- Problems require hard work and sometimes won't go away on the first try
- Maintenance is an important part of life to keep us happy
- It's nice to be able to have nice things. Because you know how to care for it. (Conversely: this)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Footloose - Rehearsal Night One
Setup for a musical production is always...well a production. It will be amazing to see all the pieces come together...Lighting, backstage, musicians, performers, and sound. Especially when a lot of it is done by students and parent volunteers. Being down in a hole (It's really a nice auditorium/stage and pit.) with a bass I only really care about musicians and sound. It's a smaller group than what I've seen for their shows. We have 3 guitars, 2 keyboards, drum set, percussion, reeds, flute and bass.
There are a few things to sort out before too long. There are two monitors in the pit that aren't doing anything. They are plugged into something but no one knows how to get our own sound to come out of it. From my pseudo-trained eyes, it looked like that the stage mics were being pumped into the monitors. My training is based on years of computer work (Inputs are where stuff goes in and outputs are where stuff comes out) and some experience while touring with BYU's International Folk Dance Ensemble. So hopefully they'll be able to sort that out.
The other issue is that the bass has a lot of exposed parts. More than any of the other shows, I've done. Not that they are all fancy solos, per se, but parts where I'm the only one playing anything of note. So I have my work cut out for me this time around. And some of it has funky rhythms. For me I have to listen to rhythms. I'm not that great at reading syncopated rhythms from sheet music.
In prepping for the show, I listened to the soundtrack and played along. One thing I always forget is that the soundtrack doesn't include the between scene music. Luckily it's usually reiterations of the other songs, so it's not so bad. Mostly I need to run through the songs some more to get my muscle memory up to speed.
There are a few things to sort out before too long. There are two monitors in the pit that aren't doing anything. They are plugged into something but no one knows how to get our own sound to come out of it. From my pseudo-trained eyes, it looked like that the stage mics were being pumped into the monitors. My training is based on years of computer work (Inputs are where stuff goes in and outputs are where stuff comes out) and some experience while touring with BYU's International Folk Dance Ensemble. So hopefully they'll be able to sort that out.
The other issue is that the bass has a lot of exposed parts. More than any of the other shows, I've done. Not that they are all fancy solos, per se, but parts where I'm the only one playing anything of note. So I have my work cut out for me this time around. And some of it has funky rhythms. For me I have to listen to rhythms. I'm not that great at reading syncopated rhythms from sheet music.
In prepping for the show, I listened to the soundtrack and played along. One thing I always forget is that the soundtrack doesn't include the between scene music. Luckily it's usually reiterations of the other songs, so it's not so bad. Mostly I need to run through the songs some more to get my muscle memory up to speed.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Fruit Trees
My wife comes home one day from stopping by her Dad's house. She regales me of how her Dad is buying fruit trees from Stark Brothers and they are currently having a special where orders ship for free. And the special was ending that night.
At first I was a bit resistant to getting fruit trees for our suburb-scape grass patch in the back of the house. Em and I have been dreaming for a while on finding a little bit of land that we can comfortably raise small animals (chickens and rabbits and children) and grow a sizable garden. So she wanted to "practice" with some trees right now. I really didn't want to put in too much effort and money into something we won't get to reap the full benefits of since we kinda want to find a farmhouse and live there. That and our backyard (more often than not) is full of stagnate rainwater that won't drain into the ground due to bad engineering or super clay-ey soil or both.
She reminded me that I have some "ill-gotten gains" (Her words, not mine) coming my way after I play bass in Footloose at my old high school. (Which by the way is going to be really fun to play...several bass solos I need to work on...and I get to hang out with my Mom.) So I sunk about $100 in two apple trees and an apricot tree with some assorted fertilizer and soil enrichers (Our dirt is junk that they used to make the houses sit a bit higher.)
The trees were shipped from Missouri and arrived this week and last night under the light of twinkling stars and my headlamp I dug holes and planted the trees. I was pleasantly surprised that the dirt where we planted the trees is a lot better than the dirt close to our house where we have some small garden beds. (We had to put in manure and topsoil to make it usable.)
And now we have three 3-4 foot sticks in our backyard that will hopefully grow fruit in 2-5 years. I kinda excited.
At first I was a bit resistant to getting fruit trees for our suburb-scape grass patch in the back of the house. Em and I have been dreaming for a while on finding a little bit of land that we can comfortably raise small animals (chickens and rabbits and children) and grow a sizable garden. So she wanted to "practice" with some trees right now. I really didn't want to put in too much effort and money into something we won't get to reap the full benefits of since we kinda want to find a farmhouse and live there. That and our backyard (more often than not) is full of stagnate rainwater that won't drain into the ground due to bad engineering or super clay-ey soil or both.
She reminded me that I have some "ill-gotten gains" (Her words, not mine) coming my way after I play bass in Footloose at my old high school. (Which by the way is going to be really fun to play...several bass solos I need to work on...and I get to hang out with my Mom.) So I sunk about $100 in two apple trees and an apricot tree with some assorted fertilizer and soil enrichers (Our dirt is junk that they used to make the houses sit a bit higher.)
The trees were shipped from Missouri and arrived this week and last night under the light of twinkling stars and my headlamp I dug holes and planted the trees. I was pleasantly surprised that the dirt where we planted the trees is a lot better than the dirt close to our house where we have some small garden beds. (We had to put in manure and topsoil to make it usable.)
And now we have three 3-4 foot sticks in our backyard that will hopefully grow fruit in 2-5 years. I kinda excited.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Why couldn't this kind of thing happen 9 years ago?
I got a call today from a dear friend from church who works at a doctor's office. She asks me to help her with a walk-in patient who doesn't speak English very well, but speaks Korean fluently. I told her that I would do the best I can (even though I am the complete inverse of the patient...doesn't speak Korean very well, but speaks English fluently).
I think that a lot of foreign speaking missionaries dream of finding some way to keep their language ability at a functioning level. I worked at a driver's license exam station right after my mission to Korea and would have loved to have a Korean walk in and I would "save the day" and help everyone involved. But the years keep adding up and the only Korean I keep up with is food. And so my Korean speaking ability is probably close to my almost 3 year old son's grasp of English with random high level Gospel words sprinkled in.
So my friend gives me a list of questions to ask. The first thing I try to say is "It's been almost 10 years since I spoke Korean." But I'm pretty sure it came out as, "Ten years since I speak Korean." Then he asks if I am a Korean. I say, "American." There was a time I answered the phone and carried on a conversation and a friend of the caller asked who it was and was surprised to learn that it was an American. Although I doubt that was his intention when he asked. It was more like, "Really?! Who is this?"
The rest of conversation went something like this:
Me: Head hurt?
Patient: Yes...(and continues to list other problems/symptoms that I catch zero of)
Me: Dizzy?
Patient: Yes...(some more wonderful Korean)
Me: Healthy appetite?
Patient: I am eating well (that part I caught clearly, mostly because it's a common saying about a person's well being)
I'm not going to let myself get too down about this. I figure most of the words he was using were medical terms that I never used. But it's gotten me thinking that I should do something about my failing Korean speak.
I think that a lot of foreign speaking missionaries dream of finding some way to keep their language ability at a functioning level. I worked at a driver's license exam station right after my mission to Korea and would have loved to have a Korean walk in and I would "save the day" and help everyone involved. But the years keep adding up and the only Korean I keep up with is food. And so my Korean speaking ability is probably close to my almost 3 year old son's grasp of English with random high level Gospel words sprinkled in.
So my friend gives me a list of questions to ask. The first thing I try to say is "It's been almost 10 years since I spoke Korean." But I'm pretty sure it came out as, "Ten years since I speak Korean." Then he asks if I am a Korean. I say, "American." There was a time I answered the phone and carried on a conversation and a friend of the caller asked who it was and was surprised to learn that it was an American. Although I doubt that was his intention when he asked. It was more like, "Really?! Who is this?"
The rest of conversation went something like this:
Me: Head hurt?
Patient: Yes...(and continues to list other problems/symptoms that I catch zero of)
Me: Dizzy?
Patient: Yes...(some more wonderful Korean)
Me: Healthy appetite?
Patient: I am eating well (that part I caught clearly, mostly because it's a common saying about a person's well being)
I'm not going to let myself get too down about this. I figure most of the words he was using were medical terms that I never used. But it's gotten me thinking that I should do something about my failing Korean speak.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Binocs
My wife recently unearthed a once thought lost forever treasure. Our basement flooded over the weekend (shouldn't happen again with our new 1 hp sump pump that replaced a 1/3 hp pump) and she ran over to my parents house to find an extra pump. My parent's weren't home so she was looking everywhere she could think of and found something else instead.
I was pretty sure these were lost in the move from my parents old house to their current house. These belonged to Boppa (my Dad's Dad) and we inherited them when he passed. I would take these out on the roof of the garage and look at birds. Mostly cardinals, mourning doves, robins and chickadees. At night they were good for looking at the stars. They have really strong magnification. Each eye piece can be adjusted individually.
I'm really happy that my wife found them. It gives me something to remind me of Boppa and something fun to share with the kids (They're made of metal, so it's quite sturdy). I'm looking forward to packing them with us on hikes and campouts to discover and explore together.
I was pretty sure these were lost in the move from my parents old house to their current house. These belonged to Boppa (my Dad's Dad) and we inherited them when he passed. I would take these out on the roof of the garage and look at birds. Mostly cardinals, mourning doves, robins and chickadees. At night they were good for looking at the stars. They have really strong magnification. Each eye piece can be adjusted individually.
I'm really happy that my wife found them. It gives me something to remind me of Boppa and something fun to share with the kids (They're made of metal, so it's quite sturdy). I'm looking forward to packing them with us on hikes and campouts to discover and explore together.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Our Christmas Tree
We decided to go old school this year and cut down our own tree. Thankfully we have an amiable Gran who let us remove a tree from her land. We set out to get it one late afternoon thinking it would be a somewhat simple endeavor; go up the hill into the woods, find a tree, cut down said tree, drag it down the hill, and strap it to the Trailblazer.
The majority of the smaller pine trees to be found are some kind of cedar. None of them were very filled out. My wife and daughter found a tree on the very edge of her property. It was around 30 feet tall, but the bottom part was mostly bare so we figured we could fell the tree and pare it down.
All that we had at hand was a run-of-the-mill bow saw. I started cutting into the tree that had a diameter of 5 - 6 inches. We took turns at first and even tried two manning the bow saw which was less than effective. At this point our daughter was getting bored and wanted to get back to Gran's house and play there. So my wife escorted her down to the house.
Meanwhile I'm still trying my best to get through this tree with a bow saw in the failing light. I had only managed to get in about the width of the blade (an inch) around most of the tree. Then I hear this ATV coming towards me from the adjoining property. For some reason (my personality) my reaction is flight instead of fight. I'm thinking it's dark, I'm alone, they might think I'm on their property (being so close to the edge), or it could be a poacher with a shotgun who is trespassing and he has a shotgun. So I hear the ATV come close and then sit for a while; I never see it. I hide behind a tree and act like a deer instead of announcing myself. Brilliant. (Hey! I'm a person! Any deer you didn't scare off driving that ATV over here, I already scared off by being here hacking at this tree! That would have been an appropriate response.) But he probably has a shotgun and it's dusk and he has a shotgun. So I take off down the hill. Luckily he never fired, but I hear the ATV patrolling around the top of the hill.
I traipse into the house grateful not to have any holes in me and my wife gives me a questioning look, What are you doing here without my Christmas tree!? I relay my story and she tells me I'm an idiot (rightfully so. It's stupid to act like the animal in season - being all quiet, hiding, and bolting). But mostly I'm glad to not have been shotgunned. My wife insists that we have to go back up and get the tree because that is what we set out to do and to not have done what we set out to do is not part of the plan. Somehow between me and Gran we talked her out of it and we left the tree for another day.
On the appointed day, I set out in the morning to tackle the tree. Still only wielding a bow saw, I march up the hill to bring down the tree. I don't know how long it took (an hour or two), but I managed to fell the tree. Then I cut off the bare scraggly bottom. Now comes the arduous task of dragging the tree down the trail. I sling my trusty, rusty bow saw over my shoulder like a commando wearing extra ammo and transport my spoils off the hill.
I thought I would be able to get the tree on the SUV by myself, but I couldn't. Luckily my brother-in-law came over to help Gran and he helped me get it up. He also helped get it back on after I foolishly thought it would stay with twine. We used paracord the next time. Then we got my house and realized the tree was still too big and chopped off another three feet so that it would fit through the door. It now stands 14 feet tall filling half of our vaulted ceiling front room.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Canine Reflection
When we first got Mollie (our lab mix puppy) I checked out How to be your dog's best friend from my local library. It is written by the Monks of New Skete in upstate New York. They have spent decades working with and learning from dogs. I've been reminded of some of what I have read as I have been looking back on my interactions with Mollie over the past year.
This repose has been brought on mainly by desire to have a great dog that I can take places with me and my family and not have to worry about how she'll behave. My wife has done a terrific job training Mollie. She will sit, lay down and mind most of the time. For a puppy under a year old she is a really good dog.
So I've been thinking about how your dog reflects a truer sense of who you are. Dogs see through any facade you might have for the world and show you what's behind your mask. For me it was simultaneously surprising and familiar. And then I understood why a group of monks who dedicate their lives to God would choose to work with dogs. And it's not only that dogs help you see yourself better, working with them also help you understand your relationship with God better.
Dogs mainly need two things: stability and safety. It is the owner's responsibility to provide those and often in that process of obtaining that end (i.e. training) the dog learns what is expected, what is allowed and what is not. The dog will be happier with boundaries, rules and structure. That is the same for us and God. He provides laws and boundaries for us so that we may know what is right and what is to be expected of us and of Him.
Now I know that dogs aren't people (that might be part of another dog post), but I also believe that a lot (if not all. I'm just not able to see it yet) that we experience here in this life points us heavenward. So I believe that for us dog owners, there is a lot we can learn about ourselves and God from our beloved companions.
This repose has been brought on mainly by desire to have a great dog that I can take places with me and my family and not have to worry about how she'll behave. My wife has done a terrific job training Mollie. She will sit, lay down and mind most of the time. For a puppy under a year old she is a really good dog.
So I've been thinking about how your dog reflects a truer sense of who you are. Dogs see through any facade you might have for the world and show you what's behind your mask. For me it was simultaneously surprising and familiar. And then I understood why a group of monks who dedicate their lives to God would choose to work with dogs. And it's not only that dogs help you see yourself better, working with them also help you understand your relationship with God better.
Dogs mainly need two things: stability and safety. It is the owner's responsibility to provide those and often in that process of obtaining that end (i.e. training) the dog learns what is expected, what is allowed and what is not. The dog will be happier with boundaries, rules and structure. That is the same for us and God. He provides laws and boundaries for us so that we may know what is right and what is to be expected of us and of Him.
Now I know that dogs aren't people (that might be part of another dog post), but I also believe that a lot (if not all. I'm just not able to see it yet) that we experience here in this life points us heavenward. So I believe that for us dog owners, there is a lot we can learn about ourselves and God from our beloved companions.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Red River Gorge - Fall 2011
Last year, my wife railroaded my trip idea to Glacier National Park because she was afraid the BP spill would ruin a life long dream visit to Sanibel Island, FL. It was a valid concern so we both agreed to take an impromptu vacation where my wife brought back suitcases full of shells. It was a great trip, but I was a little disappointed that we didn't go to picturesque Glacier NP.
This last weekend helped make up for that. We got Emily her first real backpack and a fancy goose down sleeping bag that weighs next to nothing and stuffs down to a basketball. We packed up and headed for Kentucky. We got in a little late and found a place to bunker down for the night.
It was a beautiful weekend and the crowd wasn't so bad. It was only well trafficked around Gray's Arch. The coolest wildlife we saw was wild turkeys. We were in black bear country, but unfortunately I didn't see any.
We ended the trip by going down to Muir Valley which is a free nature reserve set up for rock climbers. I did my very first sport climb (instead of tying the rope at the top, you clip into bolts on your way up the rock face) which was exciting and scary. I only made it a little more than half way. I got to a good ledge and couldn't go any further. It was a combination of my legs being exhausted by over 10 miles of hiking and being a little bit scared.
All in all it was a great trip with the wife and it was beauty all around. Here's some pictures:
This last weekend helped make up for that. We got Emily her first real backpack and a fancy goose down sleeping bag that weighs next to nothing and stuffs down to a basketball. We packed up and headed for Kentucky. We got in a little late and found a place to bunker down for the night.
It was a beautiful weekend and the crowd wasn't so bad. It was only well trafficked around Gray's Arch. The coolest wildlife we saw was wild turkeys. We were in black bear country, but unfortunately I didn't see any.
We ended the trip by going down to Muir Valley which is a free nature reserve set up for rock climbers. I did my very first sport climb (instead of tying the rope at the top, you clip into bolts on your way up the rock face) which was exciting and scary. I only made it a little more than half way. I got to a good ledge and couldn't go any further. It was a combination of my legs being exhausted by over 10 miles of hiking and being a little bit scared.
All in all it was a great trip with the wife and it was beauty all around. Here's some pictures:
Monday, August 8, 2011
What is Love?
Sorry, this isn't a post about a night at the Roxbury. I wanted to share some of my feelings about marriage. I've been mulling things over in my mind for a few weeks now for a couple of reasons. One, my wife found a religious blog post where the author basically debases marriage by making the wife a "moral prostitute." (Those are my words, not his). And two, some good friends of mine are in serious talks of divorce. I hate to see this happen (not that I place blame, it's just awful and heart-wrenching for all involved) and I wish I could talk with them without it being awkward. This has set me trying to figure out what marriage means to me as an institution and to me personally with my wife.
I believe that marriage is a God given institution in the purpose of helping us imperfect mortals to experience a myriad of emotions and situations in the hopes of bringing us closer to Him. Through marriage we learn love, sacrifice, forgiveness, humility, and service to name a few. Those are ones that stand out to me. We learn to put someone else above our self (not in all things or all the time, for the Apostle Paul said, "Be ye not unequally yoked." 2 Corinthians 6:14).
The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote a one page statement on the importance of family. In there it defines roles for husband and wife, but not as containers to place them in, but as stewards with the necessary authority and responsibility to ensure those roles are filled. There are many times in my life where I have done things that are stereotypically a woman's job and I continue to do things that are "Mom's work." I change diapers, wash dishes, watch kids so my wife can get out of the house, etc. I do it because it needs done and because I love my wife. And my wife does things that a man would typically do. The point is we share the work and don't quibble about who should be doing what. If we see something needs done we do it or we politely ask for help. We make mistakes, drop the ball, frustrate each other and forgive in the process, too.
I like how my wife explained marriage. She said that marriage is the closest thing we can come to the love Jesus has for everyone. His love is true and complete for every individual. He was able to show devoted (undivided, attentive, and fully present) love for those he was with. My thoughts turn to Jesus weeping with Mary and Martha over the loss of their beloved Lazarus. But for us, our love is not perfect. Marriage allows us to love as Jesus loves, but to a much smaller audience, namely your spouse.
I think the challenge with marriage is managing expectations. People change, situations change and we all come from different family situations (where we learn about marriage, or one version of marriage) and this all adds to the complication. Because of this it is easy to become disillusioned and upset that marriage doesn't match up to your mind's eye. We need to learn to communicate truthfully without fear of judgement. Then we begin to understand one another and love in the way your spouse needs.
This requires patience and a willingness to make mistakes, be disappointed, and get upset. As we learn to work together, we appreciate one another and the effort you are making together. This is what I think makes a marriage beautiful and worthwhile.
I believe that marriage is a God given institution in the purpose of helping us imperfect mortals to experience a myriad of emotions and situations in the hopes of bringing us closer to Him. Through marriage we learn love, sacrifice, forgiveness, humility, and service to name a few. Those are ones that stand out to me. We learn to put someone else above our self (not in all things or all the time, for the Apostle Paul said, "Be ye not unequally yoked." 2 Corinthians 6:14).
The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote a one page statement on the importance of family. In there it defines roles for husband and wife, but not as containers to place them in, but as stewards with the necessary authority and responsibility to ensure those roles are filled. There are many times in my life where I have done things that are stereotypically a woman's job and I continue to do things that are "Mom's work." I change diapers, wash dishes, watch kids so my wife can get out of the house, etc. I do it because it needs done and because I love my wife. And my wife does things that a man would typically do. The point is we share the work and don't quibble about who should be doing what. If we see something needs done we do it or we politely ask for help. We make mistakes, drop the ball, frustrate each other and forgive in the process, too.
I like how my wife explained marriage. She said that marriage is the closest thing we can come to the love Jesus has for everyone. His love is true and complete for every individual. He was able to show devoted (undivided, attentive, and fully present) love for those he was with. My thoughts turn to Jesus weeping with Mary and Martha over the loss of their beloved Lazarus. But for us, our love is not perfect. Marriage allows us to love as Jesus loves, but to a much smaller audience, namely your spouse.
I think the challenge with marriage is managing expectations. People change, situations change and we all come from different family situations (where we learn about marriage, or one version of marriage) and this all adds to the complication. Because of this it is easy to become disillusioned and upset that marriage doesn't match up to your mind's eye. We need to learn to communicate truthfully without fear of judgement. Then we begin to understand one another and love in the way your spouse needs.
This requires patience and a willingness to make mistakes, be disappointed, and get upset. As we learn to work together, we appreciate one another and the effort you are making together. This is what I think makes a marriage beautiful and worthwhile.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Independence Weekend Camping
It had been a long time since I've gone camping. In order to remedy that Em and I packed up our family to go to the Hundred Acre Wood (Em's Gran's property of about 40 acres). She has a pretty nice campsite up the hill in a stand of tall pines. I went a few times as a boy scout and remembered it was decent site with soft needles to lay on and plenty of room to set up camp. That was years ago.
I've wanted to go back for a while, but hesitated, not knowing in what state to find it. My wonderful wife and I dared to re-blaze the trail. We were pleasantly surprised to find the trail well intact. That gave us hope for the campsite. But we found our way impeded by the accursed three leafed villain. The main entrance to the camp was a blanket of the oil secreting weed. We had to loop around to the back side and found a little haven of solitude that had escaped the clutches of you-know-what. The fire ring was overgrown so I relocated the rocks while Em dug a new pit.
I was worried that the kids would wander into patches of green and the contract patches of red. But we all managed to escape that fate. We all stayed around the fire. Bee was a fantastic firewood gatherer and tosser-inner. J did his best to be just like his big sis. He was good at listening which was a relief from how he is at home. Not that he's a terror, but he enjoys getting reactions.
Mollie did great, too. We let her off her leash for the first bit just to see how she'd do. She stayed around and came back when we called her. But we decided to play it safe and take little steps (since we're still working on the recall command). She enjoyed the smells, tried to get the fireflies, and slept soundly under the stars.
It was good to get out in nature and enjoy it with my wife, kids, and dog.
I've wanted to go back for a while, but hesitated, not knowing in what state to find it. My wonderful wife and I dared to re-blaze the trail. We were pleasantly surprised to find the trail well intact. That gave us hope for the campsite. But we found our way impeded by the accursed three leafed villain. The main entrance to the camp was a blanket of the oil secreting weed. We had to loop around to the back side and found a little haven of solitude that had escaped the clutches of you-know-what. The fire ring was overgrown so I relocated the rocks while Em dug a new pit.
I was worried that the kids would wander into patches of green and the contract patches of red. But we all managed to escape that fate. We all stayed around the fire. Bee was a fantastic firewood gatherer and tosser-inner. J did his best to be just like his big sis. He was good at listening which was a relief from how he is at home. Not that he's a terror, but he enjoys getting reactions.
Mollie did great, too. We let her off her leash for the first bit just to see how she'd do. She stayed around and came back when we called her. But we decided to play it safe and take little steps (since we're still working on the recall command). She enjoyed the smells, tried to get the fireflies, and slept soundly under the stars.
It was good to get out in nature and enjoy it with my wife, kids, and dog.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Bedtime
Since we've moved into our new home, James has been struggling with staying in bed and going to sleep. His whole life, he has shared rooms and slept with someone else in there with him. Now he has his own room and a new bed. He gets out at least 5 times after putting him to bed. Poor thing doesn't get to sleep until well after 9pm.
This reminded me of Bill Cosby's sketch "Chicken Heart" about his parents telling him not to get out of bed because of invisible snakes. Here's a link. Go to about 3:05
Last night James fell asleep in his doorway showing his independence and exhaustion.
This reminded me of Bill Cosby's sketch "Chicken Heart" about his parents telling him not to get out of bed because of invisible snakes. Here's a link. Go to about 3:05
Last night James fell asleep in his doorway showing his independence and exhaustion.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Night Shift = Manliness
Last week I got to add another gold star to my Man Card. (Man Card is a trademark of MattZ Ink.) I covered for someone on the night shift which goes 10pm to 8am. I'm not sure what makes me more manly, but I feel it. I think it because I can now somehow relate a little more to the hard working factory workers or coal miners that work all hours of the day. The experience was kinda fun. (What fun loving boy doesn't like to stay up after bedtime?) I think I handled 2 or 3 incoming calls the whole week. I usually get about 10 or more a day.
Mostly I checked scheduled backups and stood guard for any outages. There were a couple that happened. Luckily, most of them fixed themselves before anyone woke up. And when nothing was happening I caught up on some man movies. You know the ones that your wife puts on the end of your Netflix queue or says she'll watch it with you, but really doesn't want to. I finally watched Iron Man 2 and I also watched Red. Red was a fun movie with classic impossible feats with a comic spin on it.
Oh and I also passed my next exam (Microsoft Networking 70-291) for MCSA. I was a fool and took this the day after my first day on the night shift. So I had been up for over 24 hours. I didn't feel tired; my head just felt fuzzy. My next step is the exam for Microsoft's firewall, ISA server 2006. I have to get this done and passed before the end of March. The exam will expire then. I could still get MCSA, but not the following my first choice of paths. Then I have to take an exam on Windows 7. That should be pretty easy compared to the rest of these tests that I've taken. I think after my MCSA, I'll update it to the 2008 server series. That only requires two additional tests.
Mostly I checked scheduled backups and stood guard for any outages. There were a couple that happened. Luckily, most of them fixed themselves before anyone woke up. And when nothing was happening I caught up on some man movies. You know the ones that your wife puts on the end of your Netflix queue or says she'll watch it with you, but really doesn't want to. I finally watched Iron Man 2 and I also watched Red. Red was a fun movie with classic impossible feats with a comic spin on it.
Oh and I also passed my next exam (Microsoft Networking 70-291) for MCSA. I was a fool and took this the day after my first day on the night shift. So I had been up for over 24 hours. I didn't feel tired; my head just felt fuzzy. My next step is the exam for Microsoft's firewall, ISA server 2006. I have to get this done and passed before the end of March. The exam will expire then. I could still get MCSA, but not the following my first choice of paths. Then I have to take an exam on Windows 7. That should be pretty easy compared to the rest of these tests that I've taken. I think after my MCSA, I'll update it to the 2008 server series. That only requires two additional tests.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Good things come to those who wait
It's true, but it's not much fun waiting. We finally have a closing date for our new house that we submitted all our paperwork for weeks upon weeks ago. This Friday I get to practice signing my name and get keys to my new house all in the same day! All in time for my birthday, too!
And in other news, our family helped rescue the cutest, sweetest puppy around. A friend of my sister-in-law found this lil' gal in a ditch next to a busy road. They already had two dogs of their own, so they couldn't keep it. So after talking it over with the Mrs. we adopted Mollie. She's a lab mix with predominately lab features. She seems a little small and her tail curls up a bit. Here she is.
And in other news, our family helped rescue the cutest, sweetest puppy around. A friend of my sister-in-law found this lil' gal in a ditch next to a busy road. They already had two dogs of their own, so they couldn't keep it. So after talking it over with the Mrs. we adopted Mollie. She's a lab mix with predominately lab features. She seems a little small and her tail curls up a bit. Here she is.
Monday, December 6, 2010
World Health and Prosperity
How cool is this?
This reminds me that the world is not some finite pie that we must divide among ourselves. There are innumerable possibilities and options for all to succeed and grow.
This reminds me that the world is not some finite pie that we must divide among ourselves. There are innumerable possibilities and options for all to succeed and grow.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Craigslist Scam - Canon EOS 5D Mark II
This is my conversation with "Debbie LeMaster" who posted this on Craigslist.
Me:
Hello,
Is the camera still available?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Thanks for your inquiry.I'm selling off all the items in my husband's warehouse cos he just passed away and am moving out of the country. I'm attaching an actual picture in this email so you can confirm I have for sale a BRAND NEW (NEVER used) Canon EOS 5D Mark 2 with '0" (ZERO !!) shutter actuations. This is a US Market Canon camera ! It is a 'complete' package with all the booklets, cables, CD and all accessories - including the Canon USA warranty papers. I figured I could have it shipped and delivered within 24 hours but can meet in person if you are located or have someone located in, Donna, Texas.
Debbie
(626) 325-8502
Me:
Debbie,
My condolences for your loss.
It seems you've forgotten to attach the picture. Also, is there anyway you can test the camera or power it on to make sure it's functioning?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Thanks for your words. I already test ran the camera and it is in perfect condition. I am re attaching the picture.
Me:
Sorry for all the questions. The description mentioned a Canon EF 70-... Is that a lens? Or something else? And could you confirm your selling price and what method of payment and shipping you'd prefer?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Yes. The package will also contain an EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens. As regard making the purchase, my sister has a FedEx account and thats what I intend using to ship so it would be better you pay to her directly.... I would have suggested you made payment via paypal but it would depend on how fast you want it. Walmart Moneygram has a "money in minutes" service while paypal takes 5 days to clear. I will prefer you send the money to her via walmart so you can be sure to get the tracking numbers hours after making the transfer without stories or waiting for days for funds to clear. If you are still interested, drop your mobile so I can text your her details. I will be needing your shipping address and full name as well.
Me:
I mean no offense, but I feel uncomfortable sending money to someone I've never met when I can't handle the camera myself. I live too far away to check it out. I suggest that we use www.escrow.com. I'm willing to pay the fees associated with that. This way I feel that we'd both be protected from a bad deal. How much are you asking for the camera again?
Ben
Debbie:
It is $550...I totally understand if you feel uncomfortable going ahead with the purchase..No hard feelings and I will just look for someone who can buy it locally..Thanks for your time.
Me:
I'm still interested. I'm willing to pay the fees for the escrow service. The website says it only takes a couple days for funds to clear. I'd even throw in an extra $50 which should cover shipping with a little extra.
Debbie:
I am not willing to wait a couple days am sorry..am sure you will find a good deal.
Me:
You're not willing to wait if I pay more than you're asking? Do you want more for your trouble?
Debbie:
There are some people coming over to check it out, if they do not buy it, then I will consider escrow next week. Will let you know
Me:
How convenient. I wish you the best.
Me:
Hello,
Is the camera still available?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Thanks for your inquiry.I'm selling off all the items in my husband's warehouse cos he just passed away and am moving out of the country. I'm attaching an actual picture in this email so you can confirm I have for sale a BRAND NEW (NEVER used) Canon EOS 5D Mark 2 with '0" (ZERO !!) shutter actuations. This is a US Market Canon camera ! It is a 'complete' package with all the booklets, cables, CD and all accessories - including the Canon USA warranty papers. I figured I could have it shipped and delivered within 24 hours but can meet in person if you are located or have someone located in, Donna, Texas.
Debbie
(626) 325-8502
Me:
Debbie,
My condolences for your loss.
It seems you've forgotten to attach the picture. Also, is there anyway you can test the camera or power it on to make sure it's functioning?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Thanks for your words. I already test ran the camera and it is in perfect condition. I am re attaching the picture.
Me:
Sorry for all the questions. The description mentioned a Canon EF 70-... Is that a lens? Or something else? And could you confirm your selling price and what method of payment and shipping you'd prefer?
Thanks,
Ben
Debbie:
Yes. The package will also contain an EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens. As regard making the purchase, my sister has a FedEx account and thats what I intend using to ship so it would be better you pay to her directly.... I would have suggested you made payment via paypal but it would depend on how fast you want it. Walmart Moneygram has a "money in minutes" service while paypal takes 5 days to clear. I will prefer you send the money to her via walmart so you can be sure to get the tracking numbers hours after making the transfer without stories or waiting for days for funds to clear. If you are still interested, drop your mobile so I can text your her details. I will be needing your shipping address and full name as well.
Me:
I mean no offense, but I feel uncomfortable sending money to someone I've never met when I can't handle the camera myself. I live too far away to check it out. I suggest that we use www.escrow.com. I'm willing to pay the fees associated with that. This way I feel that we'd both be protected from a bad deal. How much are you asking for the camera again?
Ben
Debbie:
It is $550...I totally understand if you feel uncomfortable going ahead with the purchase..No hard feelings and I will just look for someone who can buy it locally..Thanks for your time.
Me:
I'm still interested. I'm willing to pay the fees for the escrow service. The website says it only takes a couple days for funds to clear. I'd even throw in an extra $50 which should cover shipping with a little extra.
Debbie:
I am not willing to wait a couple days am sorry..am sure you will find a good deal.
Me:
You're not willing to wait if I pay more than you're asking? Do you want more for your trouble?
Debbie:
There are some people coming over to check it out, if they do not buy it, then I will consider escrow next week. Will let you know
Me:
How convenient. I wish you the best.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Another post about plastic
This video has a cool song and helps illustrate just how much plastic we use. My wife recently bought a metal water bottle. I've been using my old trusty scout nalgene bottle everyday at work. I think where I could do better is using reusable bags for the grocery.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Security+ Certified!
Some of you know already, but I passed the CompTIA Security+ exam last week. I'm excited. I'm hoping that this will help in my quest to find a job in network security closer to home in Ohio. It's the not the greatest of certifications, but it's a good start to show that I'm seriously interested in IT security and that I know a thing or two about it, too. My next certification that I'm setting my sights on is the GCED from the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC).
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lies of a Toddler
"I didn't put soap in my bum."
This is my favorite of "Dad! I didn't ..." BeeBoo has been doing this lately and at times it's hard to keep a straight face. I busted up with this one.
This is my favorite of "Dad! I didn't ..." BeeBoo has been doing this lately and at times it's hard to keep a straight face. I busted up with this one.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Run like a hunter
This article is pretty cool. http://lifehacker.com/5390921/run-like-a-hunter-for-injury+free-workouts
I've always thought it would be cool to run like a deer through the woods up and down hills. Something about zigzagging through the trees and creating your own breeze makes me smile inside.
I like the case for running barefoot. Turns out that shoes make us run differently and that can cause more injuries. When I grow up and have a house (which will include some land, I hope) I want to run around barefoot. Being in school and in an apartment has restricted my barefootedness.
In the New York Times article that is the main source quotes Dr. Lieberman, “Your butt is a running muscle; you barely use it when you walk.” There you go.
I've always thought it would be cool to run like a deer through the woods up and down hills. Something about zigzagging through the trees and creating your own breeze makes me smile inside.
I like the case for running barefoot. Turns out that shoes make us run differently and that can cause more injuries. When I grow up and have a house (which will include some land, I hope) I want to run around barefoot. Being in school and in an apartment has restricted my barefootedness.
In the New York Times article that is the main source quotes Dr. Lieberman, “Your butt is a running muscle; you barely use it when you walk.” There you go.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)