Up All Night- The Growing Prysocks

I don't time for blogging! I gotsta go pick my wife up from the airport!

Amuse yourself with these videos instead.

The theme of today's post is: current situational difficulties.

Current Situational Difficulty #1:
My wife is very far away and has been so for over a fortnight.
Fortunately, she is coming home tomorrow and I think I'll barely make it till then.

Current Situational Difficulty #2:
My schedule is all crazy. It is the end of May and nothing has changed. This is a first for me in many, many years. I'm talking about the school year cycle. The semester is supposed to end after finals, and then a new and noticeably different season begins. This season should be marked by more free time, more sleeping, a decrease in overall responsibilities, and summer time events.

To be fair, this pattern has been somewhat disrupted before. The past few years I've had a job which obviously kept me busy through the summer and so that offered a degree of continuity from the school year to the summer. There was also continuity in grad school when the internship continued, as well as the occasional summer class. But the summer classes don't count! They were just one to two weeks at a time.

Now it's completely different. I'm working at my job just like I was for the past few months. The only way to really tell it's a different time of year is the ending of TV seasons. I keep waiting for someone to come along and say, "Ok! You're done now. Take a break and stop working so much! Maybe go out of town for a few weeks." But no, this has not happened. I am forced to trudge on in the exact same rhythm of life as before. Being an adult is hard.

Current Situational Difficulty #3:
Blue Bell does not exist out here.




I wasn't joking, go read it again, it's real.

Yeah, that was a major oversight in our decision making process to move out here. Now, our ice cream aisle at the local grocery store is quite massive. They've got every flavor you can imagine in the store brand and many other national and name brands. But no Blue Bell. Which means no Birthday Cake ice cream. (I guess that's one flavor I can imagine that they don't have.)

We've tried to find a suitable replacement, but obviously none exists. However, we have been made aware of a small miracle. I will now recount (to the best of my memory) a recent series of conversations:

(Steph and I are on a date at Outback, Steph reads the desert menu)

Steph: "Omg, this one desert has Blue Bell ice cream."

Me: "Shut up, no way."

Steph: "It's true. I wonder if I can get just a scoop of ice cream, only because it's Blue Bell."

(Later, Steph decides to confront the waiter about this discovery.)

Steph: "So the (forgettable and unimportant desert) comes with Blue Bell ice cream??!?"

Clueless waiter: "Yes ma'am, that desert comes with Blue Bell ice cream."

Steph: "So is there somewhere around here that you can buy Blue Bell, like in a store?"

Clueless waiter: "Oh....uhhh.....I don't really know." (??!?!?!??!?!? CLEARLY not nearly concerned enough about this Blue Bell issue.)

(Later, at home)

Steph: "I can't believe that guy didn't know anything about Blue Bell."

Me: "Yeah, he was definitely not impressed."

Steph: "I mean surely he's tried it, he works there. How could he not know that he was tasting greatness??"

Me: "I don't know, that's pretty messed up."

Steph: "I mean, how can you know about Blue Bell and not be impressed by it?? That's like not really being impressed by the Bible."

Me: "Did you just compare Blue Bell to the Bible?"

Steph: "Yes. Yes I did."

Me: "So you're saying that Blue Bell is the Bible of ice cream?"

Steph: "Yes I am."

Me: "Well played."

For all you people out in Texas, enjoy your Blue Bell! Don't you dare take it for granted!

Song of the day: "Sink or Swim" by Sanctus Real

Since it has been over a fortnight since I've seen my wife, I have a good excuse for descending into lunacy and making a random post.

One of my quirks (and maybe yours too if you'll admit it!) is naming inanimate objects. I'm not exactly sure when this started for me, probably in high school, but it's something I've done consistently with most of the major objects I use on a regular basis. The oldest thing I can remember naming is my first car, Whitey.


I named it Whitey because....it's white. It also happens to have a huge crater in the windshield in that picture because of someone else's Halloween pumpkin-throwing shenanigans.

I also remember naming my first personal computer that I got for college. It was a Sony Vaio and it was pretty fancy for the time. I used that computer through all of college and part of grad school. It ended up not turning on or crashing the few times it did. I named that computer Erica. Why? Because my middle name is Eric and it had to be a girl's name. I suppose I'm entitled to a little egotism right after high school graduation.

The recliner that I currently have is named Audrey. I don't exactly remember the reasoning behind that one, it just sounded right.

After Whitey died of sudden transmission failure, I was graciously given my current car which I named after my late dog, Sandy. The car is sand colored, so that one isn't a very far stretch.

Now, the important thing to remember about naming things is that you can't keep using the same thing over and over. Otherwise every car I owned might be called the Millennium Falcon, and that just cheapens it. I have made this mistake unknowingly and it saddens me. My amazing wife got me a Wii as a wedding gift and when I realized you could name the console, I named it Serenity, after this:

Not thinking, I later named the laptop I was given Serenity as well. My laptop is generally good and reliable, but it does act up sometimes, which is why Serenity applies.

And now that we're talking about computers, I should point out a recent disagreement Steph and I have had on this issue. After worrying about the state of our iMac and the many photos and songs contained therein, we decided it would be prudent to get an Apple Time Machine with some of our tax money. Steph felt that now that all of our computers are connected through a network drive, that their names should share a common theme. I had already named the iMac Leia when it became mine, and I have stubbornly resisted a sudden and arbitrary name change. She had named her laptop Edward, but changed it later to Topher (Twilight and Dollhouse respectively). I didn't want to change the names of anything, but I have begrudgingly conceded her point. Now, our Time Machine is called Topher:


The network itself is named the Dollhouse, of course. Steph has named her MacBook Whiskey:

(I think she's developed an Amy Acker girl crush.) We renamed the iMac Echo, and I have begrudgingly decided to rename my laptop Ballard:


So what's more nerdy: to name your electronics after a sci-fi show? Or to name your electronics after a sci-fi show that only lasted two seasons? You decide. The answer is probably "Yes."

Let's see, what else..... I named my Xbox Marvin after the robot in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, since that robot was not only white, but smart and useful. (Side note: today is Towel Day, for those who care.)

My iPhone, which goes with me everywhere, is called Vera after this gun:


And finally is my Garmin GPS, which I recieved as a going away/moving to a big scary city gift. It's my constant companion on the job. It guides me around town and provides all the information I need. It's a brave and loyal friend that I would be lost without. The most appropriate name is, of course, R2.


And I even have a little X-wing icon on the navigation map to represent my car!

Song of the day: "White and Nerdy" by Weird Al

I dropped Steph off at the airport over two weeks ago. It has been a fortnight since I saw my wife. I don't think I have ever been away from my wife this long, and it sucks.

My Monday sucked AGAIN, but I'm dealing with it. There was some frustration at work and my Netflix DVDs that were supposed to come in today did not. My only consolation is is the cookies my wonderful wife left for me that I will be eating later.

Today I will be using the blog to post random things that make me laugh in the hopes that it will make you laugh as well. Or maybe just laugh at me, and that's cool too. First is a video that Steph and I love. Be warned of strong language:

This one's for Steph:

Here's some tent puns for you:




And your response to that would be:


And finally:

I hope you're happier now than you were when you first got here.

Song of the day: "Dental Care" by Owl City

LOST: A Retrospective

Today marks the end of an era. Six years of speculation, drama, suspense, and eyerolling over certain characters (hey remember Nikki and Paulo?), comes to an end. LOST has been in the background during a period of my life that's included many highlights and important transitions. In that past six years I've graduated from college, earned a master's degree, married the love of my life, moved to a new place, and started a career.

(Note: This blog contains spoilers from previous seasons, but I assume you either already know what happens, or don't watch it and therefore don't care.)

LOST started for me at the premiere. It was September of 2004 and I was starting my junior year of college. The previous spring was spent in Oxford, traipsing all over Europe with people who would eventually become lifelong friends. Two such friends, Val and Lara, were the biggest Lord of the Rings fans I know, and probably still are. That series ended the previous winter and the actors were all moving on. Val and Lara were excited that the 0h-so-dreamy Dominic Monaghan was going to be on a new show about an island and a plane crash. So their excitement rubbed off on me and I was indirectly convinced to give the pilot a try.

It was a Wednesday night and my roommate was out, so I got my dinner and sat down to watch. I very hesitantly eased into the pilot, only tuning in because I didn't really know what else to watch. What started out as giving the show a few minutes turned into getting sucked into the entire two-hour premiere.

A chaotic plane crash. Explosions. Diverse characters. Sounds and movement in the trees, Jurassic Park style. Smart dialogue. Dramatic speeches. Mysterious circumstances and people.
Redneck shooting a polar bear in the jungle. Strange radio transmission. "Guys, where are we?"

INSTANTLY HOOKED

The pilot established intriguing characters and also had sci-fi elements that always grab my attention. After the pilot, some from our Oxford group started watching it together, which isn't really saying that much since we never needed an excuse to get together. Eventually, Stephanie jumped on the bandwagon as well, during the second season. I conveniently taped every episode (this was before the days of Hulu) and so she borrowed them from me to catch up. And also because she was totally crushing on me and wanted to get my attention. (Me = oblivious)

Season two ended and we found out that Benry actually was an Other all along, and that Desmond caused the plane crash. After that was graduation and all of my Oxford LOST-watching friends moved on and scattered to various places. By this time, I was engaged to Steph (I guess the "borrowing tapes" strategy worked) and we were beginning to plan our wedding. For season three, we started watching LOST with some friends of our from undergrad. The first six episodes of season three were pretty intense, and looking back it almost seems like it's own mini-season.

The final of those episodes was "I Do", which was one of my favorites and one of the most intense. This episode was a favorite because it had Nathan Fillion, whom I may or may not have a man crush on. That was the episode that ended with Jack screaming, "Kate, d***it, RUN!"

.....and then we had to wait through a three month hiatus in suspense. The other memorable part of that episode was when Kate says, "Taco night? I don't do taco night!" Because she's flighty and fears commitment. After that episode, the friends we were watching it with started talking about taco night.

And half an hour later we were still talking about taco night. "Why are we still talking about taco night??" Steph said. So, from then on, our LOST gatherings with that group became known as "Taco Night." We even made a Facebook group to coordinate and organize.

And then most of those friends had to go and move to Dallas! The nerve.....

So once again, we were without LOST friends. We kept trying to talk about it with our life group friends, only to remember that they weren't into it. Yet.....

They eventually came around somehow and started borrowing our DVDs. (This is one important reason why we buy tv shows on DVD, to share with friends.) Of course when they got to season three they had much less appreciation for "I Do."

Watching "I Do" live:
"OMG! I have to wait three months to see what happens??? What torture!!"

Watching "I Do" on DVD later:
"Hey, that's crazy! Ok, next episode."

Anyway, we shared LOST with our life group for while and it was very good. Then we had to go and move to Virginia! The nerve......

Lacking LOST friends out here has been rough. Especially when we cancelled our cable, our HD antenna decided not to pick up ABC, and we started having to watch it on Hulu the next day. (By the way, the cable company still hasn't gotten the memo that we cancelled our cable, so I can watch it live tonight.) Feeling the absence of friends has made me realize why LOST is so special to me. The show itself is amazing and it's been fun getting to know all of the characters. But the real reason that LOST is special is because of the people I've been blessed to share it with. The characters and "OMG!" moments serve as a means to a greater end. The show itself is like Jacob, bringing people together for a reason. One reason is simply to speculate and geek out over theories and ideas. In addition to that, LOST for me has been a means of sharing an experience with the people that I care about. This is why I will miss LOST. There will be other shows and experiences to share with people, but LOST is connected to many happy memories and special friendships that I will always cherish.

So tonight, with my wife out of town and no other LOST friends around, I will be watching the entire LOST extravaganza, alone. (I'll be connected through the internet and will likely be chatting with Steph, though.) While watching alone is somewhat sad, it does have "agreeable symmetry," as Jane Smith might say. I'll be watching the final episode under similar circumstances in which I watched the first. Except that tonight, I have six years of fun and friendships to remember as I finally learn where the heck this show has been going this whole time.

"The End" will be bittersweet, but I find the cliche to be true- it's about the journey, not the destination. That might be helpful to keep in mind if the show doesn't end the way you're hoping or expecting tonight.

In honor of Charlie Pace, here is my personal "Greatest Hits' on LOST, episodes, quotes, and moments:
"Live together, die alone" speech, Rose and Bernard reuniting, the first polar bear kill, "I can't believe he fell for the wookie prisoner trick", making fun of Michael whine about "my boy", making fun of Claire whine about "my baybee", Charlie (in general and his "Greatest Hits" episode), "Teresa falls up the stairs, Teresa falls down the stairs" (creepy!), "Who am I to question taller ghost Walt?", Hurley's morale boosting episodes, Roger Workman, Faraday's looks of pained exasperation, "I know how to get a dang fishbiscuit", any episode focused on Desmond- especially "The Constant", Nikki and Paulo ("Razzle dazzle!"), the computer screen "Dad?" moment from season two, Hurley and Libby, Jacob's visits to people, the smoke monster, Charlie and Claire's peanut butter, turnip head, Sun and Jin's fake-out birth episode, making fun of Jack for wanting to fix everything, making fun of Kate for being flaky, Sayid killing people with his legs, and finally,

"See you in another life, brother."

Bonus: Check out today's LOST-themed Cake Wrecks

Super Bonus: This video is brilliant. The rapping is a little cheesy, but the lyrics are well crafted and provide a good expression of how myself and others may feel about the end. They also do a pretty good job of turning original LOST music into a hip-hop track.


Song(s) of the day:
"The End" by The Doors
"You All Everybody" by Driveshaft
"Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Mama Cass
"Dharma Lady" by Geronimo Jackson

Today I present a special food review. I will be indulging in my morbid curiosity and trying the Double Down from KFC. Note that I'm not judging or criticizing, since I have been prone to making crazy concoctions myself.

Let's start with their marketing statement for this amazing new product:

"The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!"

Ok so that's honest, gotta respect them for that. I like how they start by stating that is in fact real, as if it's too insane to believe someone would actually make this. This really is the kind of thing you would see in a commercial parody on SNL. You know, like this:

So let's take a look at what it's supposed to look like:

What I'm wondering is how the meeting went down that resulted in this monstrosity. This is a reenactment of what I imagined the meeting went like.

The participants:
Tom Richmond- research and development team leader
Jim Johnson- bright-eyed idealist with plenty of ideas, also kind of a suck up
Bob Daniels- cynical, dry, and sarcastic marketing veteran who really doesn't want to be there

Richmond- "Ok team, we've gotta come up with something new."

Johnson- "How 'bout we use leftover chicken pieces, throw on some sauce and put it on a bun."

Richmond- "Johnson! We already did that, it's called a Honey BBQ Sandwich"

Johnson- "Oh. Right. Well how 'bout we combine a bunch of sides together, add some chicken nuggets and call it a meal."

Richmond- "Johnson! That's called a KFC Famous Bowl! We've got to do better than this people! And remember out new slogan- unthink."

Daniels- "Why don't we just make up another sandwich and fry it."

Richmond- "What, like a monte cristo? You're a genius Daniels! We already fry everything else so it'll be easy! So what should be on this sandwich?"

Johnson- "Cheese! It should have cheese!"

Richmond- "Ok....what else?"

Johnson- "Some kind of sauce....we'll call it Colonel's Sauce!"

Richmond- "Not extremely creative, but it'll work. What kind of bread? We gotta have a special kind of bread."

Daniels- "Why not just skip the bread altogether and use chicken breasts..."

Johnson- "That's ludicrous, just use buns! We already have those on hand."

Richmond- "No, Johnson! Think outside the bun!"

Daniels- "That's Taco Bell...."

Richmond- "Right. Well still, the chicken-as-bun idea is absolutely brilliant! Let's go with that. What else are we gonna bring to the party?"

Johnson- "Mashed potatoes!"

Richmond- "Johnson that's silly! It would be far too messy. It's already gonna be hard enough to hold a sandwich made of fried chicken."

Daniels- ".....why not just throw some bacon on there."

Richmond- "Daniels......this is why we pay you the big bucks. Johnson! Get this man a croissant!.....with bacon!"

Johnson- "Ok...but sir what are we gonna call the new sandwich? I know! How 'bout 'The Meat Stack.'"

Richmond- "Hmmm......that's good, but it's a bit obvious. Remember, Johnson, unthink."

Daniels- "Well you'd have to be insane, careless, or prone to gambling and taking bets to eat this thing regularly. Let's call it the Crazy Sandwich."

Richmond- "I like it, it's edgy. But PR would never go for it. I like the betting idea though."

Johnson- "How bout 'The Gambler.' No no, 'The Big Blind.'"

Richmond- "That rubbish Johnson! How about...The Double Down."

Johnson- "That's genius, boss!"

Richmond- "Shut up Johnson. Now get the man his bacon croissant."


That's a true story.

After tasting the Double Down, I have to admit that it wasn't all that bad. Granted, it's not a healthy meal, but at least it was filling. It was cheesy, a little spicy, and (of course) very meaty. I recommend it, if you're curious and feeling adventurous.

Song of the day: "More Than a Feeling" by Boston

Last night I had a mini movie marathon. To be more specific, it was a "Descriptively and Obviously Titled" mini movie marathon. What do I mean by "Descriptively and Obviously Titled"? Well let me explain by breaking down the two movies in the mini-marathon.

1. Midnight Meat Train
A. Midnight- the majority of the events in this movie takes place at or after midnight
B. Meat- the story centers around a man who's a butcher by day that butchers people
C. Train- the butchering is done on a subway train

2. Snakes on a Plane
A. Snakes- there are lots of snakes
B. Plane- they are on a plane

Descriptively and obviously titled FTW!

So let me start with my review of Midnight Meat Train. As I've said before, when it comes to horror movies, I tend to stay away from the gory slasher films. This movie is DEFINITELY in that category as it is very graphic and probably difficult for most to stomach. I distracted myself with something else during most of the "meat" scenes. If you are inclined to watch this movie, be warned that it's intense.

This movie surprised me, it was actually pretty good. I was expecting something much lower in quality and poorly made. When I first saw the trailer, it was laughable. It ended with the announcer saying in his most deep, emphatic, over-dramatic voice:

MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN

I mean the title itself screams campy B-movie, but there were actually good performances and an interesting plot- and it even ended in a twist! It stars Bradley Cooper as a professional artist/photographer. You may remember him from such films as Wedding Crashers. He's the guy who says "Crab cakes and football, that's what Maryland does!" And it also has Sphinx, the dude that doesn't talk much, from Gone in 60 Seconds.

So Bradley Cooper is photographing New York to further his art career and he ends up following and photographing this creepy guy whom he also suspects of murder. He could just take the incriminating photos to the cops, like his girlfriend suggests, but nooooooo. He gets all obsessive like and craziness ensues from there. "Stalk psychotic murderers, that's what Bradley Cooper does!" So, I recommend this movie, if you can handle the blood and gore.

And now Snakes On A Plane.

This movie was pretty much as silly and ridiculous as you think. But if that's what you were expecting, nay even hoping for, then you will not be disappointed. One might be inclined to think that the plot is so utterly preposterous and unrealistic that's it's laughable. Well, the movie is laughable, but the circumstances aren't entirely unimaginable. In fact, a major holiday revolves around a very similar historical event.

Note: I started writing this on Monday, it is now Thursday. I'm not confused about the day, I'm just slow in finishing blog posts.

Today has been the stereotypical Monday, much like last week. I was able to be quite productive at work, but I'm learning that success at my job is more than just getting things done. I've been in a bad mood for over a week and I'm starting to realize why. Obviously, being apart from my wife is a main contributor to this, but this really started a few days before.

The problem is with my clients at work. In the past couple of weeks, my job has taken a downturn. A passing explanation of my job might make it seem like I deal with troubled kids, helping them to correct their negative behaviors. While this is the case, the truth is that the therapeutic approach we're trained to use typically means that I work more with the parents than the kids.

Lately I've been encountering resistance from parents to our approach to treatment. Frankly, sometimes it seems like they're resisting being parents at all. At the same, I can't help but think that progress has slowed on these cases because I haven't been doing something right. That is essentially what I think has got me down.

It's curious to think how I went from being gung-ho about being a youth minister into a counseling role. (The real interesting thought is how I got here from wanting to be an astronaut! But that was when I was 8.) What they have in common is that they are helping professions. Like many other careers, counseling and ministry both seek to be directly related to helping others in need. (I am not at all suggesting that these types of jobs are in any way more important or meaningful than other careers.) I have become involved in this line of work partly because of my personality, but also because of the impact of Jesus on my life. My skills and calling seem to be more geared towards this area. I even consider my current job to be a ministry more than just a job (although sometimes it does feel like it's just a job).

For that reason I find it hard to deal with these unsuccessful cases. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I take the lack of progress personally, but it does cause a lot of personal frustration. I'm not meeting with these families just to get a paycheck, I'm taking on the responsibility to help them improve their lives. So when I hear from these parents that they're tired of trying, they don't care, or that they want their kids sent away, it deeply affects me. Work then becomes more than a bad day on the job, it becomes more like a failure in my purpose, my ministry.

But perhaps it affects me more than it should. Seeing how I've been affected by the state of my clients the past week or so has made me wonder if I have somewhat of a messiah complex. Not that I literally think I'm Jesus, but more like Jack on LOST. I would hope that I'm less obsessive and annoying about it, but I do still feel that compulsion to help people. I think that being a follower of Christ means being driven to help people (I mean it's called a messiah complex for a reason), but it is a difficult calling to fulfill.

When I look at Jesus I see someone who was intensely passionate about helping people. Jesus was always helping people not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. Even the Son of God wasn't always well met by those he helped. He gave the rich ruler some words about wealth and the kingdom of God. He went away sad and we never really learn if Jesus' words changed his life.

Again, I am in no way Jesus, and what I do isn't nearly as profound as the ministry of Jesus. I am, however attempting to help people in troubling situations. Counselors in this line of work are called in when a teenager has been involved in the system, or is in danger of such, or just when there are serious behavioral issues. Parents are obviously not unaware of this and so they consent to the treatment. The problems come when they realize what will be required of them to help bring systemic, meaningful change. Many parents aren't prepared for this, and so I am met with resistance. People have an idea of what is best for them and their family and they choose to do what they think is best, rather than work with the assistance provided. As noted above, Jesus experienced this himself.

My problems is this: what do I do about this resistance? Even when I know I've done all that I know I can do, and there's still no progress or improvement, how do I deal with that? Is righteous anger appropriate in this situation? The psalms are filled with expressions of righteous anger over those who reject God and defy his people. Is the same thing appropriate when it's just a client who won't cooperate? Anger isn't exactly what I experience, but the same general feeling is at the root of my frustration.

I suppose my main concern is what to do about it. Burnout is not rare in this job and I suspect that this is the reason why. Counselors like myself hope to come in and make a difference in people's lives, only to be met with stubbornness, laziness, or apathy from families. I suppose the two most popular options are to check out and find a new career, or stop caring and become emotionally distanced from the work. I can see the appeal of both. However, neither is ultimately fruitful. The former choice means doing no good whatsoever. The latter choice leads to doing things halfheartedly and with less effectiveness.

When Jesus was faced with resistance, he chose neither option. He exhibited more stubbornness than those who opposed him, and then he pressed right on through until he had to sacrifice his very self for the good of those he loved. I suppose, then, what I need is not emotional detachment, and more than just peace. What I need is tenacity. Jesus exhibited a tenacious grace that caused him to continue fighting for our good, even when we fought him wholeheartedly.

I will never truly help anyone without Christ working through me, no matter how genius the therapeutic approach may be. What little success I've seen as a counselor so far could not have been without God working in some way. But for those times when things don't go well, I suppose the best I can do is to just keep going and let God handle what is out of my control.

Hopefully I'll remember all that and still be able to accept it the next time a bad Monday rolls around.

I know this post has been long and wordy and likely incoherent, but I appreciate you reaching the end. I almost gave up on this post and deleted it, mainly because I had no ultimate point (I'm pretty sure I still don't). But hopefully there's something useful in there, if for nothing else than material to discuss or disagree with.

Song of the day: "Meteor Shower" by Owl City

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. It seems like it's been so many more years and at the same time I can't wait till we've added on a lot more. Unfortunately we can't be together on our anniversary, but we're gonna celebrate big when she gets back from Texas.

Here are a few select pictures from our lives together. (She'll probably protest to some of these pictures):

And now to celebrate our anniversary, I now present 33 things that I love about Stephanie:
1. Her laugh. She has many different kinds, but I love all of them.
2. How she plays with Beesly.
3. She is stubbornly disciplined about her quiet time.
4. She sings in the shower, usually about Jesus.
5. That she's a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl.
6. She sincerely tries to get interested in things I'm interested in (even when I don't always do the same)
7. She supports my job and shows her gratitude for the work that I do.
8. Our inside jokes and how we sometimes say the exact same thing at the same time.
9. She loves making me good home-cooked meals (especially after a long day).
10. She reguarly supplies me with delicious baked goods.
11. Her sense of humor.
12. She appreciates my sense of humor, even at it's corniest.
13. She always asks about my day and listens patiently when I complain about clients and work.
14. She always wants to talk.
15. She's understanding and cool when something goes wrong, like a car breakdown or an unexpected loss of finances.
16. She always wants to cuddle.
17. Her broken heart for the unborn, neglected and the mistreated.
18. She always tries to look her best when we're in public, and I'm always honored to be seen with her.
19. She likes making things by hand, both for herself and others.
20. She prays for our children and their future spouses.
21. She loves her family and does her best to help them.
22. The amount of thought and effort she puts into planning for our children.
23. Her efforts to record memories for our future.
24. Her musical taste (except for maybe country and some musicals).
25. She's becoming a gamer like me.
26. She supports my video gaming, and even watches me play sometimes.
27. She goes to action and sci-fi movies with me.
28. She likes going to concerts (when they're nearby and affordable).
29. She likes playing tricks on me.
30. She has a maternal spirit.
31. She has childlike faith that's inspiring to me.
32.She loves me relentlessly without conditions or hesitation, just as I am.
33. She's an immense blessing from God with whom I have the pleasure of sharing everything.

I could easily go on, but it would cause much gagging and eyerolling from those who aren't Steph.

Here's to three years of wedded bliss and many more years and adventures to come!!

Three years ago today we were on our way to the airport after a long day of wedding festivities. I had already arranged for chocolate covered strawberries at the hotel, but Steph was hungry (and so was I) since we were able to do little more than look at the food at our reception. So we stopped at Taco Bell and had that along with chocolate covered strawberries as our first meal together as a married couple. We have had Taco Bell many times since and I love the simple satisfaction Steph gets from bean burritos. So to celebrate our anniversary and satisfy my nostalgia, I'm having Taco Bell for dinner and wishing my beautiful wife was here to share it with me.

Song of the day: "Head Over Heels (In This Life)" by Switchfoot

I'm still working on that serious post, so stay tuned. Today I got distracted by food so this is what you get:

I got home from work early today and decided to make myself a little snack/late lunch. I got this idea as something to try a few days ago, but now I don't remember where I got the idea. It was probably a commercial or something. I'm pretty impressionable when it comes to food. So when I went to the grocery store last week, I got what I would need and I just today got around to trying it out.

The idea started as just making pigs in blankets using hot dogs and crescent rolls. I had some Hebrew National hot dogs so all I needed was the crescent rolls. What the heck, I'm at the store, might as well get some cheese.

Monday was Monday and I spent a lot of time writing a serious and somewhat long blog post. It's somewhat personal and not entirely finished, so I'm putting it off till tomorrow for now. Instead I give you this:


Song of the day: "Pins and Needles" by MuteMath

I survived 1408 pretty well. It was actually pretty good, and as it turns out it got a pretty good rating on Rotten Tomatoes. They changed and added some things from the short story, but overall it kept the basic idea intact. John Cusack plays the role very well, going from cynical ghost hunter/writer to a tortured and desperately freaked out man trapped in his own personal room of fear. One annoyance was that I got the director's cut from Netflix which did not also include the theatrical cut. I would have liked to see both versions, but I guess that's what Wikipedia is for.

There were from freaky things in it such as random crazed guys popping out of corners and dead bodies crawling around in vents. I did really well last night not getting freaked out about the movie. Bu then I was getting ready for bed when I thought, "I'm really glad I watched that movie during the day so that it won't freak me out at bed time."

.....and then I started thinking about the movie.

Well crap.

Thinking about not thinking about it only made me think about it even more. There were a couple minutes there where I didn't think I'd be able to get it out of my head. Luckily, I was tired enough to go to sleep without worrying about people popping out at me or imagining the walls bleeding.

Today I'm watching another Stephen King adaptation- The Lawnmower Man. I haven't read the short story, but the movie seems interesting. After again consulting Wikipedia, it seems that the movie is not a faithful adaptation of the short story at all. The only thing they have in common is lawn mowing and mental impairment. The movie is about a scientist attempting to use virtual reality to enhance learning and brain development. The movie takes place around the turn of the millennium (about now I suppose) and the virtual reality is really odd and generally not good. It's always funny to see how movies made in the past predict what things would look like now.

The coolest part of this movie is in who plays Jobe (the developmentally challenged lawnmower man)-Jeff Fahey:


That's right! None other than Mr. Frank Lapidus. He's my favorite minor character on LOST. I think playing a developmentally challenged man helped prepare him for his role on LOST amidst all the crazy happenings.


In honor of the great Jeff Fahey, today's song is "You All Everybody" by Driveshaft

I was productive today! Granted, I didn't roll out of bed until 11, but still! The ongoing saga of our car problems is coming to a close, thanks to my productivity. The short version is this: Steph's car sat during both rounds of the snowpocalypse, David's car's registration expired, had to get new battery for Steph's car after sitting for two months, David's car sat for two months without being run while the registration was being worked out, David's battery died as well. My productivity for the day was to call AAA to come out and fix the battery on my car. It turns out it was in bad shape and needed to be replaced, but whatever, it's fixed. Now we have two running cars! And they're legally licensed and registered in Virginia!

.......and it only took 8 months!!!

The delay is mostly my fault, but the Virginia Department of Transportation is unusually difficult, so they get a little of the blame. This whole car registration thing has been one of the most frustrating and unexpected parts of moving to a new place. Basically, being an adult is hard.

Today's movie that arrived from Netflix is 1408. I don't think this was very popular in theaters when it came out. I chose this one because it's based on a Stephen King short story. I have recently become enamored with Stephen King's works after reading The Dark Tower series on audiobook. He's known mainly for creepy/scary stories, and most of his books are indeed in that genre although he's written other non-horror stories as well. But I like his stuff because it's just so darn well written. His characters are always interesting and engaging and he has such a crazy vivid imagination.


I finished 1408 on audiobook about a week ago and it was a weird little horror story. The movie stars John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson and Tony Shaloub. I don't know what's changed for the movie, but the book was about a writer to visits supposedly haunted places. He's never actually experience anything supernatural, but his writings about his experiences have done very well. He seeks out room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel which has been the site of many suicides and strange deaths. The owner doesn't let people stay in the room and he only allows maids in to the room to clean it for 10 minutes at a time once a month. The owner tries to talk the writer out of it, but he can't be dissuaded. From there, a lot of freaky crazy stuff goes down in that room.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I used to be really into horror movies. I went through a phase where I watched the gore/slasher movies like Urban Legend and the Scream movies (by the way, they're making Scream 4, which I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I'm a little excited about). But I mostly like the creepy psychological stuff, like The Ring and The Grudge. So 1408 looks like it will be my kind of thing.

However, I have not been watching scary movies very much lately, partly because Steph can't sleep well afterwards, and sometimes I can't either. I have wisely chosen to watch 1408 during the day. Being home alone will not help my chances of sleeping if I also try to watch this after dark. I'll tell you how it turned out tomorrow.

Song of the day: "Bat out of Hell" by Meat Loaf because it was stuck in my head this morning.

One of the many reasons I was able to bag a hot babe like Steph is because of my sense of humor. She's a sucker for me because I can make her laugh. However, marriage tends to unlock many secrets. What Steph hadn't realized before I snagged her was my capacity for cheesy humor. In between "that's what she said" jokes and clever comments, I use a lot of puns.

Steph will deny up and down that I'm actually that funny, especially when I'm being punny (and rhyming), but deep down I know she loves it. She'll give me shamful, condescending look and shake her head at me, but I can also see her holding back a smile. Whatever, haters gonna hate. I take comfort in know that I'm already well on my way to being a good grandfather.

Typically when I use a witty pun, it is followed with roaring laughter, which is appropriate. Since Steph won't stoop to laughing, I typically provide the laughter myself. This laugh is typically something like "BAHAHAHA!!" or "HO HO! HO HO!" (Don't imagine that as a Santa laugh). And then cue disapproving look from Steph.

It will come as no surprise, then, that one of my new favorite websites is somuchpun.com. Following are some of my favorite selections.

Yesterday I watched Dune for the first time. I rented the extended edition from Netflix, but I have no idea what that means since this is my first go. The whole thing is very complex and nerdy and sci-fi-ey. I'm not even sure I got all of it myself, but I was intrigued enough to check out the books sometime. The acting was average and the plot was confusing. The effects weren't bad, but it's hard to be a judge of the special effects in 80's movies when we're living in the Avatar era. But enough of that! I'm not going to bore you with my lame review of a movie that even I barely understand. Instead I'd like to point out all the actors I recognized. There were a lot of "Hey it's _____ from _____!!" moments when I watched it. It's even more entertaining because they're in crazy costumes in this movie. So here's the cool people in this movie!!