doghostage

2008-07-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

Jellystone Park, Missoula MT...

What I realized as we cruised down I-90 this afternoon is that when I was a kid, I never had it so good. I glanced back at my kids, who were reclining in their comfy car seats watching DVDs... not once asking "are we there yet."

They have no idea how rough it could've been, if only they were born just 30 years sooner. I risk dating myself, but here goes: We took vacations that consisted of driving cross country in a van. Okay, so that's not so different. But our van back then was a '73 Chevy that had been owned by the phone company in its past life. It had a professional paint job: green, with a diagonal orange stripe on each side. (Hey, it was cool in the 70's!) It had seats, but no seatbelts. It had carpet, but no padding. We rode in that thing three times as far as this week's little journey, and slept in it at KOAs and rest areas. We ate sandwiches as we waited for it to be repaired halfway across the country from home.

And we absolutely loved it. Well, I did anyway. Maybe my brother and sister will chime in to say how miserable they were. :)

Some of the best memories of my life are from that hollowed-out Mountain Bell vehicle. So I wondered what my kids will remember about our comfy new Sienna. Will they appreciate the abundant leather seats and the air conditioning? Will they take for granted the fact that it doesn't break down and leave us stranded? Will they remember the DVDs they watched?

Maybe. Maybe not. If they remember anything, I hope they remember the trip. I hope they smile when they think of their mommy climbing into the middle row of seats to nurse their baby brother and sister as we zoom down the highway. I hope they remember Yogi Bear, and how daddy showed them cartoons on YouTube so they'd know who on earth Yogi Bear was. And mostly, I hope they remember what's it's like to be in a family that loves them.

That's all I got for now. I'll hopefully be updating the blog a few times during the course of this trip.

2008-06-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Why does this video give me the chills?

2008-06-26T07:57:00.001-07:00

From the Second Amendment:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

From the recent Supreme Court Decision District of Columbia vs. Heller:

...(the) District of Columbia prohibition on the possession of usable handguns in the home violates the Second Amendment to the Constitution...

I'm actually in favor of mature, intelligent, law-abiding citizens having the right to own guns. But Billy Bob and the semi-automatic assault rifle he uses for hunting squirrels does not constitute a "well regulated militia."

Of course as the saying goes, when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

2008-06-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Today begins the next chapter in our lives. From here on out, I no longer have the ability to fertilize eggs.

So, what did I do after my vasectomy procedure was complete? I came home, had a sandwich and some cake, and then laid down. Then I pulled up some YouTube videos of vasectomies. Just sorta wondered what exactly they did down there. Certainly didn't want to see it before my procedure.

2008-06-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yet another news story about how scooter sales are on the rise because of the high gas prices... [STORY HERE]

This one's from right here. Well, it's actually Everett, which is north of Seattle.
The great thing about the story, besides the Ruckus, is the photo. The vehicle in the background provides a great contrast:

2008-05-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

Latest Bloomberg headline: U.S. Record $4 Gasoline Remains a Bargain in Europe

It's no secret that even with our gas prices up around $4 a gallon, Europeans don't see what Americans are complaining about. With European fuel prices hovering between $8 and $9, it definitely costs more to drive there. But Ford's most popular European vehicle, the Focus, is still cheaper to drive than their most popular American vehicle, the F-150 truck.

Even with higher fuel prices, the European Focus costs less to drive than the F150 pickup truck. Drivers pay about 20 cents to drive the Focus a mile in Germany, while the F150 costs about 26 cents per mile in the U.S.

Incidentally, my scooter costs around 4 cents a mile to operate. Just sayin'...

2008-05-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

Video of our church services are now online!

Each Sunday's message is divided into 10-minute segments, since that's YouTube's limit. Subsequent parts are available here.

Please forgive the camera work; we really need some better tripods!

2008-05-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Today begins a competition in our unit known as the "stache-a-thon." for those who have chosen to sign up, they have a week to grow the best mustache they can. All mustaches will be judged on the simple basis of fullness, since there's only so much you can do with a mustache in the Army. [Ref: AR 670-1]

Myself and others over the age of 30 have chosen not to participate. I prefer not to do things that instantly add 10 years to my perceived age. Yes, mustaches make guys look older. That's cool when you're 18 to 23. Not appealing for guys like me... who will turn 34 this weekend.

2008-05-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today's Verse of the Day was so cool that I just had to immortalize it in a post:

"I honestly expect and hope that I will never do anything to be ashamed of.
Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ."

Philippians 1:20 (CEV)

2008-05-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

Audio Adrenaline & MercyMe on tour... Kind of an old video I think, but fun anyway.

2008-05-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

So, one of my favorite shows, Grey's Anatomy, featured a pair of gay Soldiers. One, a two-time veteran of Afghanistan, has a brain tumor. His "friend" comes up from Fort Lewis to visit. How do I presume he's based at Fort Lewis? That nice big 2nd Infantry Division patch on his left shoulder. (Sure, it could be a 2nd Infantry patch from Korea, but unlikely, seeing how the show is set in Seattle.)

Seems strange to me that the writers picked Soldiers to represent some of the only homosexuals to ever appear in the show.

And, like... they totally kissed.

2008-04-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today my (nearly four-year-old) son threw some trash onto the floor of our van. My wife told him, "Hey, that's not how we treat our van. God gave us this van and we need to take care of it."

His reply: "No mommy, we got it at the Toyota dealership!"

2008-04-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

Can't wait to get my ACU fabric. It'll probably be after at least another paycheck or two, but I will eventually have my very own ACU baby sling. Way back when my wife used to have free time, she routinely made custom baby slings. She still makes a few from time to time.

She said she's really glad I'm willing to wear one. Well, since the one she made me tonight is black, and the one I'm getting later is ACU print, I don't mind at all. The one I carried Ruby around in at the beach today is brown with pink and green circles. If I can handle that, I can easily wear mine.

2008-04-26T23:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight after the two big kids were down for bed, we were just about to start the twins' bathing routine when we heard a wail from my two-year-old's room. "DAAAAAAAHHHH-DEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

I opened the door and was knocked backward by the smell of poop in the air. But it wasn't just in the air. It was on the crib rail. It was on her sheets, her pillows, and all over her pajamas. And I hoped for a moment that she might somehow be wearing brown gloves. Nope. It was poop. Covering her hands entirely.

It seems she didn't know what to do with all the feces that suddenly appeared in her diaper. All she knew was she wanted it out. So she started digging. In case you don't know what an experience like this is like, rest assured that it is, in fact, disgusting.

2008-04-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

"Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen."
- John le Carre

2008-04-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

(Whew!)

2008-04-18T08:40:00.001-07:00

That's this week's cover of Time.

I don't get offended too easily. You can cuss at me, tie my shoelaces together, call me a cracka, or even ignore me, and I won't take offense or hold a grudge. But I think I am offended now - as every military veteran should be. I'm all for environmental responsibility. But this image cheapens the sacrifices we're all making -- especially those of the Marines in Iwo Jima.

2008-04-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

What a weekend. Friday morning we took the kids to the zoo. During the experience, the youngest of our family started sounding a little congested. And by youngest I mean she's 5 minutes younger than her brother. Both were born about 3 weeks ago. So we took her temperature when we got home: 100.7 degrees. With a temperature like that, we were advised to get her in to the emergency room. Around 2:00am she was admitted to the pediatrics ward. Some tests were needed, and it would be 48 hours before all the results were in.

The saddest part was either the spinal tap (to check her brain/spinal fluid) or the IV they put in. The veins in her little arms and legs were too small for an IV, so the only other site they could use was right up on her head.

Saturday was the most beautiful day we've had all year, with highs in the low 70's. I had planned on riding around Seattle with some scooter buddies. Who knows when we'd have the chance again. Weather like that doesn't happen every weekend around here. I even had a buddy offer to do some work on my scooter before the ride to help make it a little faster. In some respects, this was the ride of the year, since a celebrity in the Ruckus world is currently in Seattle. There's a guy named Wan, from South Korea. He started riding his Ruckus on the East coast a while back, and has just now made it to the Pacific Northwest after stops in Texas, California, etc. All this on a 49cc scooter, which now has over 10,000 miles. So anyway, the guy is a legend among Ruckus riders, and the ride was a pretty big deal.

But alas, family is the priority, and I was needed here. My wife has been at the hospital with both babies -- the healthy one too, since she's nursing both. This left the older kids and me here at the house to frolic in the sunny front yard. And you know, it's not so bad. I actually enjoy hanging out with my kids. Can't say I wasn't disappointed to not go on the big ride, but I honestly don't mind it so much if it means my kids are being taken care of. And seriously... how selfish would I have been to be up there having fun when my wife is sitting bored as can be, cooped up in a tiny hospital room?

There will be other weekends, other rides, and eventually even more sunshine, so I'm not too worried.

2008-04-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Gas prices send commuters to motorcycles and scooters [STORY HERE]

...well duh!

I just paid $3.42 per gallon today. Thankfully, I only needed the one. It'll carry me around for about two weeks.

The story also illustrates the phenomenon of "grudge purchases." That's where a guy gets so mad that he just poured $100 in the tank of his F250, that he goes directly and angrily to the local two-wheeler dealer to get something, er... less retarded. (That's a big ol' paraphrase, by the way. Sorry if you're offended by the word retarded.)

[Thanks go to The Scooter Scoop for pointing out the news story.]

2008-04-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

This morning, as General Petraeus was appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, some nut job in the gallery interrupted with shouts of "Bring them home! Bring them home!"

Do these people think that rudely interrupting a congressional hearing is going to make a difference? All it does is show that the anti-war movement doesn't know how to go about accomplishing anything, and doesn't really want to be taken seriously. People like this seem more emotionally reactionary than anything. And apparently it's fun to be an activist. Maybe it's out of nostalgia for the 60's and 70's. Whether or not they truly believe in their hearts that we should pull out of Iraq, it's a boost for their pathetic lives to feel like they're part of something important.

2008-04-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained” - C.S. Lewis

2008-03-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

Hire me for voice over work!

2008-03-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

The annual National Day of Silence will be held on 25 April in honor of a kid who was killed because he was gay. What happens is a bunch of high school students decide to not talk for a day in order to draw attention to the fact that kids are persecuted for being gay.

First, I'll get this out of the way: In this nation, people (even kids) have the right to decide that they're gay. (I say "decide," because at age 15, who really knows enough about their own identities or life in general?) And no, others do not have the right to pick on them anymore than they pick on minority kids, or kids who wear leg braces (i.e. "Run, Forrest!") or who wear glasses (i.e. my own four eyes). Annoying, disturbing, humiliating, hurting, and killing are all despicable, regardless of the motive. Bullies are simply insecure. I saw it in school. I see it now in the military.

That said, what is silence in school going to accomplish? Anything more than protesting on a street with picket signs? Nope. It will be disruptive in certain classes where verbal student interaction is integral to the course. If I were a speech or debate teacher, my curriculum for the 25th of April would be "Do Protests Accomplish Anything?" And then I'd let the students discuss the topic in depth.

One crazy anomaly might come to pass on 25 April: Gay people may just go a whole day in which they don't talk about being gay.

2008-03-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Laptop Use Can Affect Sperm Count [STORY HERE]

(Go figure... I've almost always used desktops.)

2008-03-27T21:44:00.001-07:00