Part of "The Process"...

Inspiration...

2009-11-13T19:42:00.001-08:00

Wow... This month's goal is turning out to be tougher than I thought.

You see, there are days when I feel like it's almost second nature to write. And then days (like today) that I struggle to get anything typed out. For me, it all comes down to inspiration. When I've got it, the words flow smoother than a greased fat kid taking off down a slip n' slide. But when inspiration is absent, writing even a simple sentence can feel like passing a kidney stone. The problem is, I can't manufacture inspiration. No matter how... hard... I... try.

But I have an idea. I'm going to employ this idea for the entirety of the coming week, evaluate its effectiveness, and then report on it.

To be continued...

A Little Loggins Makes Everything Better (Even Me)...

2009-11-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if you could tell from my two previous posts (here and here), but I've been sick. However, after two days of feeling like a got punched in the immune system by all germs ever, I've emerged from my cocoon stronger than ever. That's right, no fever today. Want to know my cure?

Kenny Loggins

Yeah, read that again. Kenny Loggins.

It wasn't that long ago that I said that there was no better song to get you pumped up than Europe's The Final Countdown. But today I discovered I was wrong. When I was in desperate need of pumpitude, it wasn't Europe that came to my aid. No. It was Kenny Loggins.

You see, today I listened to Kenny Loggins' song I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) so many times, I became so pumped up that I beat the germs that were invading my body in a dance off. I very effectively served them.

So to you, dear readers, I offer this health tip: listen to Kenny Loggins. his music can cure any ailment...

I Might Be Dying...

2009-11-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

I know that I set a goal of writing something original every weekday during November, but I can't do it today. Yesterday's post was about how I got sick. Today, it took a turn for the worse. On top of a fever, you can add dizziness and shortness of breath. Ugh... and my symptoms have affected my ability to think straight.

So I'm going to either tack on a day this weekend, or at the end of the month.

Bear with me people. I hope I can be back tomorrow. But if I die tonight, I want my ashes scattered in three places: the moon, Hawaii, and the Keebler factory. Cause that way, everyone will always wonder...

I'm So Sick...

2009-11-10T21:15:00.001-08:00

Ugh... For so long now, I've been reading on my friends' blogs, facebooks, and twitters that hey were all getting super sick with the flu. But I laughed at them. Why? Because they're mere mortals. They don't have the immune system that I do. I laugh in the face of germs... while wearing a surgical mask. But still...

And then, there was today...

It started completely uneventful. Bank, shuttling my brother to school, lunch with a new friend. But then, once I got home, I began to feel super cold. Like, my insides were cold. And I couldn't warm up. I put on a sweatshirt and wrapped myself in a blanket (also made of sweatshirt). But I still couldn't get warm. With my work shift quickly approaching, I took my temperature. 100.5. (Moms, is that high?) I decided that getting paid was more important than my health (or the health of others) and went in to work anyway.

It was terrible. I was sweating like crazy for almost the whole night. It was semi-bearable when I was moving, as it allowed my perspiration to cool, so I tried to keep moving all... the... time.

Thank goodness I made it through.

Of course, now I've got to go back in tomorrow at noon. Here's hoping a good night of sleep will work miracles...

Ministry Lessons From the Retail World...

2009-11-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

I've recently started working at a rather large national retail store chain. And, as I was working my shift today, I began to think about some of the things I've seen and experienced since starting. I realized that some of the principles and practices that my bosses have trained me in (and modeled to me) transfer rather beautifully to the world of ministry. So I wanted to jot a few down so that I can remember them, and use them, in my ministry!

1) Presentation is important... We spend a ton of time on presentation at the store. Several times a day, we walk the aisles making sure that there are no holes on the shelves, products are where they should be, and that things are facing forward. Things are dusted all the time. Floors are polished. Seasonal decorations are hung. All of these things are done with the customer in mind. If perception is reality, then we want to be perceived as a clean, organized store.

I'm not sure if we think about presentation enough in ministry. What's the first thing a guest sees (and therefore thinks) when they walk into our space? What kind of environments are we creating and how do they affect our message? When we hand over our promo for camp to a parent, what impression does it give them? We need to start recognizing how much presentation can add to our credibility.

2) But it's not as important as great customer service... It doesn't matter how good the store looks, without paying special attention to the customers, the store can never be successful. Our store policy is that we're always asking customers "Can I help you find something?" Providing great customer service is the first thing on everyone's job description.

All of us in professional ministry have struggled with balancing being task driven vs. relationship driven. While presentation is important (we could have the best looking ministry around, with the biggest programs, sweetest print work, and most awesome videos) unless we're working hard to encourage growing relationships (with God and others), we're never going to have a successful ministry. Life change happens within the context of relationships.

3) Everyone's a janitor... This is a principle that I first learned from a book called Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney's Success It basically means that no job is too small for anyone. If there's trash on the ground, everyone from the new guy janitor to the company CEO reaches for it to pick it up. No one is too important to lend a hand when it's needed.

I'm especially guilty of thinking I'm too important to do some things in ministry. Sometimes, under the guise of "empowering a volunteer" to do something, I'd pass it off my plate. But the truth is that each of us is important, and each of is isn't too important. So there's nothing we should consider ourselves above, and nothing we shouldn't be willing to pitch in on. I love that everyone pitches in and does their part at my store. If only there was some model of that for ministry. Something like... a body. Like... a body... of Christ. Eh. I think I've still got a lot to learn with this one...

4) Encouragement is important... At least once a day (sometimes more than once) we have a sales team huddle, where all of the sales staff and managers gather together to talk about what's important at the time. And every huddle starts with what they call "recognition". It's basically team members bragging on each other! Everyone has the opportunity to bring attention to someone's good job! I love it! I even got recognized today!

Anyone who's been in ministry for very long can attest to how easy it can be to get discouraged. We all need encouragement. Duh. But I'll go one step farther and suggest that we all need to encourage others too! I don't care whether you're gifted in it or not. Just do it! It makes them feel great and makes you feel good too!

5) The store looks great because it's always being worked on... As I was working on product placement today, a customer walked by and said, "Wow! Now I know why this store always looks so good!" And it's true! We're always working toward making the store better! We never just let things coast because there's no such thing as coasting. If we let things go, they'll go downhill!

Too many ministries suffer because we find something (a method, a process, etc.) that we get comfortable with and stick with it for too long. The truth is (especially in youth ministry) that our audience is always growing and changing. We need to change with them! Don't be afraid to evaluate your ministry, admit that things aren't working like they should be, and take action to make them better! Don't get comfortable or settle! Don't be afraid to change! (Says the black kettle to the black pot.)

I'm actually having fun with this job. And the more I work there, the more I feel like I'm learning about dealing with people (managing, being on a team, serving others). I hope that God will give me grace (and memory) enough to live these lessons out when I land another pastoral job...

My Bucket List...

2009-11-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, I was inspired by the movie. No, I didn't see it. Yes, I'm that good...

After the movie The Bucket List was released, I made two decisions. One, I would no longer classify a movie as "good" just because Jack Nicholson or Morgan Freeman was in it. (Double for Rob Reiner's involvement.) And two, I would do my best to write down and keep track of some things I deeply desire to see or experience as a part of really taking advantage of the life God has given me, you know, before I kick the bucket.

I'm kind of surprised that I haven't posted on this before.

But anyway, I'd like to post some of them here. I can't post all, as some of them are a little too personal. But I'd still love to share some of them. I'll share the one I've already accomplished! Here we go...

1) Travel to the following places (in no particular order): London, Ireland, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Italy, Australia, China, Kenya, Israel, (the list keeps getting added to)...

2) Run a half-Marathon...

3) Own (and, of course, wear) a very nice tailored suit...

4) Fire a cannon...

5) Ride a bicycle to work...

7) Spend the night in the Plaza Hotel in NYC (and reenact parts of Home Alone 2)...

8) Attend a Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field...

~~9) Steal a pair of bowling shoes from a bowling alley...~~ DONE!!!

10) See U2 in concert live...

11) Visit the Library of Congress and sit and read...

12) Learn to play Linus and Lucy on the piano...

13) Drive a monster truck...

14) Appear as a character in a comic book...

15) Attend the Sundance, Tribecca, and Butt-numb-a-thon FIlm Festivals...

16) Sing and play guitar onstage in a really big and/or historic venue (like the Ryman Auditorium)...

16) Write a book...

That's all I've got so far! Looks like I've got a lot of work to do, and you can bet I'm still adding to the list as time goes on. Do you have anything that you deeply want to do before you kick the bucket? Maybe I'll steal an idea from you...

And Now We've Come To the End of the Road...

2009-11-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

In an effort to create the perfect ambience for reading this post, I ask that you kindly open this link in a separate window and listen to the song while you read.

Heroes,

We've had a good run... kind of. I mean, things started out great. You were giving me things that no other TV show had ever given me. People with superpowers, amazing storytelling, Zachary Quinto's eyebrows... But then, at the end of season one, you hit me square in the face with one of the worst, anti-climactic, finales ever. I should have seen the writing on the wall then, but love had blinded me.

But I wouldn't give up. How could I quit you? You had given me twenty one episodes of greatness. How could I hold one terrible episode against you? We all have our bad days. Maybe this was just that. Maybe we'd be able to bounce back. Maybe we'd be able to make it past our first big squabble and come out on the other side stronger than ever.

Then, you came back with season two. And it was terrible. Then, season three. More of the same...

How could you do this to me? I gave you everything. I even bragged about you to other people, and then they wanted to get to know you to? How could you betray me like this? You became something that you promised you'd never become. You started breaking rules that you had established yourself. Powers were conveniently added or taken away to suit which ever direction you wanted to take. People were killed to bring in new viewers. Then, when that didn't work out, they were brought back to get more viewers. You broke my heart, Heroes. You broke my heart.

And so, in hopes that you had changed, I added you to my queue on Hulu. I finally got around to watching your season premiere three hours before it was set to expire. I was heartbroken. Another rule you made up was broken. Hiro was now going to spend the season going back in time in an effort to change the past. And that was the only limitation you had put on his power, that he couldn't change the past.

So when your second episode of season four expired this week, I knew we were done. You've been deleted from my queue, and from my heart.

Goodbye forever. You will no longer get my attention, my time, or my money.

No, don't call. I'm already seeing other people. Modern Family and Community have replaced you in my heart. I think it's best if we never see each other again.

Please take care of yourself. I know if you start making good choices, you'll be able to become healthy again. I'm just sorry to say that it will be without me.

Goodbye.

Josh...

Epic Fall...

2009-11-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

A lot of my friends in Southern California talk about how excited they are that fall is finally here. The big problem with this is that, in Southern California, Fall doesn't really show up. Oh sure you get a slight decrease in temperature from summer. But I know lots of people who wear scarves during the summer time. So if the temperature hovers around the same area so steadily that you can wear extra layers without felling it year round, you're not allowed to talk about Fall.

However, being back in South Carolina for the first time in 6 years, I've been privy to witness some of the seasonal change again. And I like it.

Fall has always been my favorite season. You've got my birthday, the state fair, the changing of the leaves, and Candy Corn. But there's one thing that I always look forward to that I haven't been able to experience in the six years I've been away from home.

Here's my favorite part of Fall:

I love when it's just cold enough outside so that when you breathe in, it stings the inside of your nose a little bit. It's not cold enough to wear a heavy jacket yet. But that stingy feeling in your nose... Dang I love that.

If I could bottle that and send it to my friends in Cali, I would spend all my time doing it.

I love it...

Who I Am Hates Who I've Been...

2009-11-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

I can't take credit for the BSG vs. Star Trek comparison. I first read about it here. You should go read that article. It's awesome.

Do I really need to restate how much of a nerd I am? Of course not. Josh is to nerd as obviously related object is to another obviously related object. And said quality of nerd has (naturally) led me to a love of science fiction.

I remember first taking an interest in Star Trek (TNG) when I was a Freshman in High School. I hung out with a group of older kids who watched it all the time and even played a Magic: The Gathering-like card game of it in band class. (That's right. Read that sentence again. I wanted to be like these people.) We would talk about what happened in episodes, who our favorite characters were, and what we would do if we possessed the technology that the Enterprise crew enjoyed. Star Trek captured our imaginations because it allowed us to glimpse a world of limitless possibilities. It allowed us to live vicariously in a world that was civil, clean, educated, and virtually problem free. Well, except for the occasional conflict with Klingons or Romulans. (And I haven't even mentioned the holodeck. Oh... the holodeck.)

It wasn't until I was living in San Diego that I was introduced to the world of Battlestar Galactica. (Thanks Rod.) BSG and Star Trek have a few things in common: space, spaceships, military regimes, robots, umm... bars located on spaceships. But are mostly discussed together because of how different they are. While Star Trek is generally viewed with wonder and hope, BSG is usually loved for its "realism". People love BSG because its characters fight with each other over things we fight about. They're jealous over each other. They're dishonest, lustful, ambitious, and... well... a lot like us.

And that's the gist of the article I linked to above. Star Trek represents who we want to be, and Battlestar Galactica represents who we actually are.

I can't help but project this comparison onto myself. Do I have a realistic view of myself or an idealized one? Does it have to be one or the other? Is it possible for the two to coexist?

I know that I have a lot of blind spots in my life. I have areas of sin that I'm not always conscious of. (Thank goodness for the Holy Spirit and friends who aren't afraid to be honest with me.) And while I think I have a pretty realistic view of myself, I know I don't know (or acknowledge) everything there is. I'm actually kind of thankful for that. I'm sure that part of it is the Lord holding things back from me until I'm ready to handle them. I can't imagine what it'd be like to be confronted with just how depraved we actually are full force. I bet it'd be like when Dorian Gray finally sees his portrait.

But on the flipside of the coin, I am filled with hope. I see what my future looks like and it's better than my past and present. And I know this isn't because of anything I've done or can do, but it's because of the source of my hope. It's because of what I put my faith in. My faith in God produces in me a hope that drives me. It pulls me. it compels me. I cannot be separated from it. I cannot be deterred from it. I might be temporarily delayed, but I can't be stopped. I won't settle.

And this is something that has always confounded me about the Star Trek vs. BSG comparison. Why would humanity ever settle? If we see the possibility of a redemptive world, why would we settle for anything less? Is there a way to live in reality while striving for the ideal? Within a relationship with and to our creator, yes. Without that, I don't think so.

After all, what other hope could last? And why would we ever want a hope that doesn't stand the tests of time? That's no way to ever reach our dream of a holodeck...

Smile...

2009-11-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

I would like to credit the following to lessons I've learned from Julie Hibbard and the airline industry.

I think it's interesting how our perceptions change with our experience. For instance, I used to think that traffic on I-26 W was bad in the afternoon. Then I moved to Southern California and "drove" the 5. I used to think that my high school finals were tough. Then, I got to college. And I used to think that things like how you talked with someone didn't matter when compared with whether or not you were right. Then, I started flying regularly across the country.

I've kept pretty good records of my adventures flying home for Christmas here on the blog (which you can read about here). It seems like every year is another great lesson in how to remain cool under pressure. I've learned over time that, at any time in any airport, there are tons of passengers stressing out. And, as anyone who's worked in the service industry knows, dealing with customers can be quite stressful itself. Add to that when the customers themselves are stressed, and you've got a recipe for some serious conflict. I can't count how many times I've witnessed hurried travelers shouting at a gate agent and, when not getting the response they want, being brought to tears.

After one such incident, I decided to try something revolutionary. While the person in front of me raged against the gate agent, I could see all of the signs that she (the agent) was becoming exhausted by the situation. Her eyes widened. She began to get some slight perspiration on her brow. And her eyes began to dart back and forth, looking past the customer to check to see if she could find any one to back her up. So when my turn came, I stepped up and, right off the bat, flashed a smile.

As I smiled, I glanced down to take a quick look at her name tag. Then, using her name, I introduced myself and asked how she was doing. She, of course, told me it had been quite a day. So, continuing to smile, I calmly (and using my inside voice) explained my problem. Then I asked her if there was anything she could do to help me. Wouldn't you know it, my problem was solved in no time! It's crazy what a calm demeanor, manners, and a little friendliness can do to better your experience.

It didn't matter in that situation who was right (me) or who was wrong (them), the gate agent had all of the power to make my travel get really tough. (I mean, she just did it to the person in front of me.) What did matter was how I treated her.

Now, this isn't anything revolutionary. I mean, the Bible tells us to treat each other as we would want to be treated. But it's a truth that I'm constantly relearning. And as I've gotten older and my experience has changed, my perspective on how important it is has changed as well.

Just today, I lived another example. Last night, I found out that Regal Cinemas gives you a free movie ticket on your birthday when you're a member of their Regal Card Club (free, by the way). Well, I went to a movie on my birthday last week, used my club card, and no one told me that I could get a ticket for free. So I went back today, flashed some pearly whites (along with my ticket stub and I.D.) and asked politely, and now I've got a free ticket. (Even though they told me this perk isn't something they promote!)

I guess it's true that you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Of course, why would you try to catch flies anyway? I'm catching flights and movie tickets with my honey...

My November Goal...

2009-11-01T19:30:00.001-08:00

There was a time when I considered myself a decent writer. In fact, as little as two years ago, I would have told you that writing professionally would be some part of my future. But somehow, in the past few years, I've allowed what was once such an important and fulfilling part of my life to drop by the wayside.

Someone asked me why I thought this was. I said that I just felt like I've lacked inspiration, that my life just wasn't really interesting enough to write about anymore. But, whether or not that's true (interest is subjective, therefore the statement is debatable), I can't continue to ignore that I've stopped doing something that once gave me a great deal of joy.

Most of my blog posts have become short, and less personal, than I'd like. Not that I ever put much personal content on here, but there's a big difference between writing about things inspired by my day-to-day, and posting a video that I found on youtube. While I once prided myself on original content, I feel like I've become more of the "collector" type of blogger: one who simply collects things he or she thinks is cool from around the net and posts it on their own site. And that stinks.

All of this has led me to feel... less than Josh. (Does that make sense?) A few weeks ago, while I was in Atlanta, I was sharing this struggle with a friend and his response was this: just do it. He said, "Josh, you're a writer, and writers have to write. I'm sure you're not the first to experience a period of lack of inspiration. You think Mark Twain never felt uninspired? At some point, when it comes to anything you love, you have to fight what you feel (or don't feel) like doing and do what you know you're supposed to do." And so I've made a decision to set a new goal.

During the month of November, I'm going to write one post consisting of original content every weekday. I'll have the option to write on the weekend too, but I won't require that of myself. During this time, I'll still do special posts like Web Wednesday, Power Rankings, and Body Double, but they won't count toward my original content piece. The subject matter won't be set, so it can be fictional or non, poetry or prose, ministry related or personal spiritual reflection. The point won't be the subject, it'll be the practice.

Hopefully, throughout this month, I'll be able to get my writing chops back as well as discover some new things about myself. So come back here every weekday and check up on my progress. Keep me accountable! And, even better, if you'd like to join in, save the picture I created for this post and use it on your blog to write along with me!

I hope you like what I come up with this month. But, more importantly, I hope I like what I come up with...

SC State Fair: Part 2...

2009-10-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

I made it back out to the fair on Friday. On weekdays they have a special deal where, for lunch (from 12-2), you can enter for free. Well, you give them five dollars in exchange for a token. When you leave you return the token and get your five dollars back. This deal, of course, seems awesome. But it has its dark side. Mainly that I'm five bucks lighter than if they just let me in for free (for real). I mean, that could've bought me 7 more ounces of fried deliciousness!

Anyway, here's the run down of what I ate in the second round...

I'm pretty sure that eating a corn dog at a fair is a requirement of every American. Far be it for me to go against hundreds of years of tradition...

Of course I had to have more Fiske Fries. Seriously. Best freedom fries on the planet...

This is an elephant ear. It's kind of like a funnel cake, but instead of dripping the dough into the oil to fry it, the keep it all in one piece. Add in some butter, cinnamon and sugar, and you've got magic. I would punch a grown man for this...

Finally, Tommy bought some deep fried cookie dough and, through a show of force (really it was just him asking if I wanted some), made me try it. Gooey, hot, melted cookie dough wrapped in dough? Yes please. Super rich though. I was glad I only ate one.

After eating all of this food, I'm going to need to walk 500 miles just to jump start my heart again.

Here's some other highlights...

Micah brought his wife and daughters with us. Here he is with his oldest, Kylee. You probably noticed a few things that stand out in this picture. One, Kylee might be the cutest kid alive. Two, that food stand behind her serves mini-cheeseburgers! But bad news, they were three dollars each and fourteen for five. Boo food carnies. Boo...

Here's an update to the sandcastle they were working on. This is what it looked like last Sunday. How is it Jackson Pollack could fling paint at a canvas with a toothbrush (Note: he didn't actually use a toothbrush) and make gobs of money and the people that make this are toiling away in anonymity? Way to go Obama-nomics...

Finally, here's a picture of the Starship 4000. It was my favorite ride when i was a kid (back then, it was called the Gravitron). You go inside and lean against a wall while it spins around super fast. Thanks to centrifugal force, you stick to the wall. We used to try to turn upside down or sit up horizontally. I never puked on it, but I saw about a thousand other people do it...

I can't wait until next year. Maybe by then, my arteries will be clear...

Things I Love: Series 1...

2009-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

For some time now on my twitter, I've been posting a series of tweets about things I love. I figured I'd collect them all in one place (along with making some of them into links). I mean, this way, if you ever want to buy me a gift...

Vol 1: 1) 2nite's #AI results, 2) That I'm on my way to watch LOST in HD, 3) RW/RR Challenges, 4) FB Poker, 5) Ninjas, 6) biscuits

Vol 2: 1) Kenneth the Page, 2) Stuffed Crust Pizza, 3) SONIC Happy Hour, 4) FB Poker, 5) Chuck, 6) New Transformers Trailer

Vol 3: 1) New Books, 2) Building Things, 3) 5 Guys Burgers, 4) My Friends, 5) Movies, 6) Comics, 7) Disc Golf, 8) Raisinets

Vol 4: 1) HIMYM, 2) Cartoon Penguins, 3) Writing, 4) My Guitar, 5) Pineapple, 6) Playing Cards (noun&verb), 7) Junior Mints

Vol 5: 1) Singing, 2) Making People Laugh, 3) The Brain Trust, 4) Star Trek, 5) Climbing, 6) Purple Flavor, 7) Bowling

Vol 6: 1) The Soup, 2) Jelly Beans, 3) Hulu, 4) Light Hawaiian Punch, 5) Count Chocula, 6) Cooking, 7) Learning New Things

Vol 7: 1) Waffles, 2) Chicago, 3) Buying Magazines for Flights, 4) Rush's, 5) Having a Row To Myself On An Airplane

Vol 8: 1) Jelly Beans, 2) Christmas, 3) MJ's Music, 4) My OC Friends, 5) Book Stores, 6) Making People Smile, 7) Cooking

Vol 9: 1) Mashed Potatoes, 2) Blogs, 3) Football, 4) @RickWarren's tweets, 5) Fish, 6) The Beach, 7) Rainbow Sandals

PS, I just noticed that I had some repeats. Oh well. This will help me to solve that problem...

SC State Fair: Part 1...

2009-10-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went with my brother and some other family members to the SC State Fair to see The Charlie Daniels Band. It was a great concert and, of course, the food was amazing. Here are some of the highlights...

I got to see some pretty amazing people while at the show. Like this guy...

Oh yeah. Mullet made into a ponytail with multiple rubber bands. That's like, triple the points in Redneck Hairstyle Bingo...

This might help you come up with a Halloween costume...

Ever wonder what a redneck superhero would wear? Look no further. Here's a great example of a leather tassel cape. After this, she raised her arms and flew away... straight to the rodeo...

OK, let's play a game of "I Spy". Do you see anything unusual about the guy with the green shirt? Look closely...

Still don't see it? How about if I zoom in...

That's right. Grandpa was packing heat at the show. This is probably the number one reason why they stopped selling beer at the fair a few years back. Thank God...

Even my youngest cousin, Harrington, enjoyed the music. Too bad we couldn't find him a cowboy hat that was small enough...

I'd bet that he'd look good with a giant belt buckle.

After the show, my brother, aunt and I walked over to Charlie's tour bus to see if we could get a picture. He wasn't going to come out, but a guy took my brother's copy of his book in and got an autograph for him.

All in all, we had a great time. Here's a picture of Caleb and I with him making an awkward smile to prove it!

And now, onto the food! Here's everything that I ate at the fair yesterday...

I started out with some Fiske Fries. Forget McDonalds. Forget In-N-Out. These are the best french fries anywhere. Spraying vinegar on them makes them even better!

I followed that up with a true delicacy: chocolate covered bacon (pictured on the left). Well, that and a deep fried banana (pictured on the right). The choco-bacon tasted exactly like you'd think a piece of bacon dipped in chocolate would taste. Seriously. Think about how that might taste. That's it. I was really hoping the banana would be similar to P.F. Chang's Banana Spring Rolls, but it wasn't. Not bad. But not great...

Next on the journey to my first heart attack was a giant grilled turkey leg. I'd never had one before, but had seen them at almost every theme park I've ever been to. I wanted to try one so bad! So I did... Ehhh. I wasn't that impressed. Was the meat supposed to be pink? Uh oh. I might have turkey flu...

Last but not least, I got the little cinnamon/sugar donuts. They're incredible!

Before you ask, yes. I ate everything I just pictured. And no. I'm not done. I'm going back this week for more. Don't worry. I'm going to run there and back to work off the calories.

On out way out, Caleb and I swung by one of the buildings to check out the sandcastle they build every year. I love these things...

So it was a great day. I'll post on it again when I go for round 2! I can't wait...

OMLGG...

2009-10-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I've never blogged about this...

I know I've mentioned it in posts before, but I guess I've never taken the time to explain it. Hmm... I guess that's one more reason to follow me on twitter.

A while ago (May 19th to be exact) I decided to start a new slang term. So, in a tweet, I said:

I'm going to start a new text saying. Instead of OMG (blaspheme!), I'm going to use OMLGG. Oh my Lady GaGa! Launching in 3... 2... 1...

Since then, I've gotten plenty of responses from people saying they love it and are using it in their everyday conversations. Just thought i'd pass it along here too. Take it. Use it. Spread it all over like butter. Or like Swine Flu...

Couples Retreat...

2009-10-16T10:35:00.001-07:00

Looks like my review of Couples Retreat went up without me knowing it at youthministry.com! Click the link to check it out. Rate it and comment on it while you're there...

Power Rankings: 15...

2009-10-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Power Rankings on the internet are boring, kind of like your job. Unless I write them. Then they're like my job, which involves me being dropped behind enemy lines with nothing but a knife and a map while a General tells the media I’m only an urban legend...

1. New Behind the Scenes Footage From Iron Man 2 Nothing really that new here. But still, Tony Stark's Goatee. You know? The first 20 or so seconds are in French. If you can make it through that, the rest is awesome. We've now reached IM2 post #10... (link)

2. R.I.P. Captain Lou Albano One of the greatest professional wrestling managers and personalities passed away this week at the age of 72. I don't think he's celebrated enough for being Cyndi Lauper's muse. Or for being the first live action representation of Super Mario. Sorry Bob Hoskins... (link)

3. Ghostbusters Filming Locations From Around NYC Inspired by how the movie introduced him to NYC, a blogger compares shots from the movie to how the same locations look today. I want to do this so bad... (link)

4. Fantasy Football Pick Me These are amazing. I very seriously doubt they're real. I mean, who on earth would pick Marc Bulger as their starting QB? And if Jason Campbell could do that in real life, he'd be the greatest QB on earth and the Redskins would be undefeated...(link)

5. Every Single Kramer Entrance from Seinfeld Ever Seriously. And the video's only 6:17 long. Awesome... (link)

How I Met Your Ice Cream Scoop...

2009-10-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

I've been singing the praises of How I Met Your Mother for some time now. I even spotted one of my favorite posters on one episode. Well, last night I spotted something else I love...

A while ago, my aunt bought me the greatest ice cream scoop known to man. It's from The Pampered Chef. Here's what's great about it: It's got liquid inside. Liquid that, when you're holding it, uses your hand heat to warm the ice cream so that it's easier to scoop. I know. UH-mazing! You can put an ice cube in it and it melts before your eyes! It's legit. (You can find it here.)

Well guess what Barney was using to eat his way through a couple break up last night...

Oh yeah... Best ice scream scoop ever! If Barney uses it, you know it's awesome. Click the link above and order your own. You won't be sorry...

Catalyst '09 Flopped...

2009-10-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

No! I don't mean it was bad. In fact, quite the opposite. It was incredible! Awesome speakers combined with seeing some old friends equals time well spent.

But one of the things I'm going to remember the most about what I saw during my visit to Atlanta was an act of daring that I'm still struggling to believe.

During one of the sessions, the hosts announced that they were going to attempt to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. Here's how they did it: The highest belly flop into one foot of water. That's right. A guy belly flopped from 39.5 feet (over three stories) into 1 foot of water... in a kids' inflatable pool.

Still don't believe me? Watch it. I taped it on my digital camera...

So crazy...

I loved Catalyst! I hope I can go again...

Josh Treece: Tech Support to the Stars...

2009-10-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

Do you know who Alison Becker is? She used to host the Top 20 Countdown on vh1? She was the hot chick from the newspaper on the first season of Parks and Recreation? Anything? How about this: she was one of the pranksters on MTV's Boiling Points.

I knew I'd get you with that one...

She's an actress. She's a comedian. She's a writer. In a word, she's awesome. Anyway, she also has a blog. Well, earlier today she had a problem with her blog that she... well, she blogged about.

So, being the technical genius that I am, I commented with what I thought was the solution.

Turns out I was right... (I mean, of course I was right.)

Well, she thanked me with a blog post! (The title of which is "I love you nerds".)

So if you're famous, and you need help with your blog, I'm your huckleberry...

Power Rankings: 14...

2009-09-25T08:22:00.001-07:00

Power Rankings are a weak substitute for quality content. Like Drew Carey on The Price is Right. Unless I write them. Then they're like Bob Barker in his heyday: full of zest, charisma, and karate...

1. The University of South Carolina Football Team For the second time in school history, the Gamecocks knocked off a top 5 ranked team. With a solid performance against Georgia last week, and this win, is it too early to predict an SEC championship? What about a national championship? Hey, we're 3-1 after all... (link)

2. Iron Man 2 Set Visit Wait, you mean there's news about Tony Stark's Goatee and it's not ranked #1? Yeah. The Gamecocks' win is that big of a deal. Anyway, Entertainment Tonight visited the set of what is sure to be the greatest movie ever filmed. This makes IM2 post #9... (link)

3. How Many People Are In Space Right Now? I know you probably lose sleep over this question every night. And, no. I'm not going to tell you the answer. You have to click the link... (link)

4. Face Character From Saddleback's HSM Happy Series A volunteer at Saddleback created this cool Flash character to use as an upfront character. So simple. So cool... (link)

5. Monty Burns For NYC Mayor Sounds like the best option to me... (link)

Jennifer's Body...

2009-09-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

My review of Jennifer's Body just went up on youthministry.com! And I've got to say; this might be my favorite review that I've written. Even if it's for one of my least favorite movies of the year. Click on the link to check it out! Make sure to rate it and leave a comment while you're there...

Ask, and You Shall Receive...

2009-09-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was on my way home from somewhere. I can't remember where. But rest assured; it was awesome. As I drove, I fiddled with the dials on my radio. Now, it's important that you know, radio in Columbia is about six to eight months behind radio on the west coast. This is mainly due to the fact that they continually play the same songs over and over again ad nauseam. So there's not much room to fit new songs into the mix. And don't get me started on the Christian station that my alma mater runs... As my fingers did the dialing, my ears caught the sound of a melody they had never heard before. So my fingers paused, as I wanted to take in this new sonic delight. (Not to be confused with this sonic delight, or this sonic delight.) It was a band called Owl City.

I had seen a few friends tweeting and facebooking about them for a week or so, so I was curious to learn more. After I got home, I hopped on grooveshark and listened to their whole album. I thought it was really different than most of the music that I tend to gravitate toward, but I liked it!

So I hopped on my twitter and wrote this:

Dear world, I would love it if someone would buy me @owlcity's new album, Ocean Eyes. If you're interested in blessing me, message or DM me.

I didn't think it would actually lead to anything. I mainly just thought it was funny to ask. You know?

Well, within the hour, someone had written me asking for my address so they could send it to me! It was an old friend from high school who I haven't seen since 1996. We're going to hang out a little later this week. So I get a sweet CD and get to hang out with an old friend! Awesome...

Oh, and guess what came today...

Body Double 30: Maid Men...

2009-09-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been a while since I've posted a Body Double. But after watching last night's Emmy Awards broadcast, I knew I had one to work with...

If you're not watching Mad Men, you're making a mistake. Plain and simple. The star of the show is a handsome gentleman named Jon Hamm. Who, up until last night, I thought looked like someone, but could never place who.

Then it hit me...

Jon Hamm totally looks like a real life version of Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid!

What do you think? Do we have a Body Double...

Community...

2009-09-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Dr. Olshine called me and asked if I'd like to meet him at the alma mater to hang out. I, of course, accepted.

After finally finding a place to park (as there's a ton of construction going on right now), I began to walk to the cafeteria to meet the Doc. As I walked, I began to reminisce about my days in college. For me, college was one of the best times of my life. Second only to my time, post-college, working as an intern at Saddleback. (And, years later, as a volunteer.)

And as I thought about my time at CIU, I was reminded of my time at Saddleback. Why? Because, at both places I found community. I found people who I had things in common with (or not). People who were like me (and weren't). People who, even in our differences, I came to love like family.

And that's when I came to the realization that one of the key components in my happiness (or contentment or whatever word you want to use) is in my having community.

Now this isn't that new of an idea. As I've written about it a few times before. But I don't think I've ever quite realized just how valuable community is to me until now. Until I've had such a limited one.

Of course, this fits right in with how God has created us to do life together, as a part of a body.

This isn't so much a post intended to communicate some truth I've discovered to you, the reader. It's more of a post to mark a realization I've made. I want to recognize something that's important to me (and to God) and mark it so that I can remember it in the future. Especially considering the future is still so cloudy...