reflections

Moving...

2005-07-10T14:54:00.000-04:00

I have moved this blog to http://scottyp.blogsome.com/ Check it out there for all the new entries (hah! It's only a few, since I've been so busy!) you have been missing for the last few months!

Simply...

2005-05-11T17:36:00.000-04:00

I've made it so hard on myself, turning my back on how You felt
Seeing a lie that led me on, leaving a love that did no wrong
That's what it took for me to say

That You simply love
Despite all the stupid things I've done
It's hard to remember
That You simply love
Even though I know not what I've done
It's hard to remember
That You simply love

I've tried to do all this on my own
Not thinking once of what You've shown
All that I've done has blinded me
To everything that You have for me
I want You to know that I finally see

I don't know why I can't understand
I don't know why I can't comprehend

These are the words to a Pillar song called “Simply”. I really like this song, and I feel like I can often relate to it. Sometimes I just do stupid things, and it's so hard to remember that God simply loves me, even though I have wronged him in such great ways.

I am so thankful for God's love, in spite of my stupidity! He's so good!

Oh, that this love would drive me to joyful obedience!

and...

2005-05-05T20:57:00.000-04:00

I'm almost 1,000 miles overdue for my getting my oil changed!

I'm still alive!

2005-05-05T20:52:00.000-04:00

You are probably wondering why I haven't posted to my blog in like a month. Well I'm not dead, if that's what you were hoping! (Besides I don't really have much money for anyone to get from my death... I do have an iPod though! .. I can picture the relatives fighting over it .. while I lay dead with a big grin on my face)

I have been very busy, mostly trying to figure out what I want to do next year, and find potential jobs. Let me tell you, job search is HARD WORK! I feel like I am working two jobs. In the morning, I wake up and head to the office to do web development for Crusade. Then I come home and spend 4 hours or so searching for jobs online, writing cover letters, retouching my resume, writing emails to contacts, and sending my resume out, etc... It is pretty tough work. So I have found very little time for blogging, unfortunately.

I will try to be more regular about writing again, but until the end of July, I will be going strong in the job search, unless God provides something out of the blue for me before then! Please pray for me! That I would trust God with my career decisions and follow where He is leading me! Thanks!

Being a “mentored mentor”

2005-04-04T16:33:00.000-04:00

A topic that has been on my mind recently is mentoring. I started a book this week called “The Heart of Mentoring: Ten Proven Principles For Developing People to Their Fullest Potential” by David A. Stoddard.

I am really excited about what this book has to say. In the preface the author writes,

“As we walk through these pages together, I hope to convince you that there is really only one type of person in this world: the person who need to be a ”mentored mentor.“ I have concluded that each of us need mentoring and we also need to mentor others. The people I know who are getting the most out of life -- and putting the most back into it -- are those who are committed to this mutual mentoring process. This is where true fulfillment lies. Indeed, I have found that this is one of the greatest joys you can experience. I invite you to join me on this journey!”

I feel like I will benefit so much from it, since I am going to be a mentor this summer for several college students on Summer Project here in Orlando on OSP (Orlando Summer Project). It's like a normal Crusade summer project except that instead of going to somewhere exotic like Virginia Beach (where I spent the summer of 2000 on a summer project) about 50 students from around the country will come to Orlando to work at headquarters (instead of places like Subway) to get some experience in their field of study (examples: computer science, graphic design, accounting/finance...) and they will have bible studies, praise and worship meetings, social events, outreaches and all the other typical things you would do on a summer project. As a OSP staff member, I will probably have a small group of guys that I will be mentoring in some fashion for the summer. I hope that I can learn a lot from this book to be able to better serve and help them.

The other way in which I hope to gain from this is obviously as someone who is mentored. Currently I have been working with Todd, who is also sort of my boss, to work through some of the New Staff Development materials that they ask the interns to go through while they are working for Crusade. But I think we both see our relationship as being more than just “coaching” or just working through some material.

In the introduction the author tells a story of a young man, Kyle, who tries to find a mentor but it just doesn't work out because the mentor didn't really understand what Kyle wanted, and Kyle didn't know how to tell him what he really was looking to gain from that mentoring relationship.

“In seeking a mentor, Kyle wasn't just wanting information. he was looking for a helpful relationship, for someone who could provide a road map -- or a compass of sorts -- to show him how to find his way in the chaotic world around him. Kyle wanted answers for the everyday struggles he was facing in both his personal and professional life.”

I can relate to Kyle. Those are the things that I, too, want in a mentor. I am so thankful that Todd understands that and wants to be that kind of mentor. And I really respect him and have already learned so much from him. Hopefully this book will aid me in really making the most of my relationship with Todd, or any other person like him that I might have a mentoring relationship with in the future!

If you are interested in mentoring, let me know! I would love to talk about it with you!

American Idol hopefuls: they may not be models of morality, but should we hold it against them?

2005-04-02T20:19:00.000-05:00

Check out this new story about American Idol (one of my TV obsessions) (passed on to me by one of my teammates, thanks Irene!) It seems one of the contestants, Scott Savol, was once arrested for domestic violence. The news story gave more details about what happened.

I'm not surprised that he is not disqualified from the competition. I mean when has America ever really cared whether their Idols real lives are moral and good? Look at the people who have once been “American idols” and how they have turned out! Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson, and many others! How many rappers, pro football players, actors have been arrested for breaking laws? Too many!

If anything, this might make him more qualified to be an American Idol (In a sick, backwards kind of way, of course)! America's music world and culture has never really made morality or goodness a qualification for pop stardom, just talent and sexiness. I don't really expect them to start now. And to really be nit-picky, I suppose if we were to go digging into all of the competitors pasts, we could find things that they have done that are wrong or immoral or bad, things that they probably regret.

Even if American Idol isn't just about singing and looking good, is it fair or right to hold Scott's past against him in this competition, just because his past happened to make the news for America to hear?

I think NOT.

We don't know how he feels about his past. Maybe he's really sorry about what he did. I hope that this news story, in an attempt to get attention (in the media's typical news fashion of digging up all possible dirt on everyone involved) doesn't ruin his chances at becoming American Idol by unfairly showing him in a negative light where they haven't shown the other contestants. It adds a bias against him where we have no information on the other contestants' lives. We shouldn't hold it against him, only how well or poorly he performs and sings.

Just as a disclaimer, please do NOT think that I am in any way saying that I think domestic abuse is OK or should not be punished. I am totally and completely against it, and men who do such things make me sick. But what I am saying is that it is unfair for the media to run such a story that will unfairly represent a contestant in such a competition. And it is unfair for us to see one such piece of information about only ONE contestant's bad past, and to decide to let that sway our vote against him in favor of other contestants who we know EVEN LESS about!

Give Scott the benefit of the doubt. Vote for him based on his singing and performing, not his past actions that you don't really know anything about! Do the right thing even though the media hasn't. Shame on you media.

EDIT 4/1: I found on the Entertainment Weekly site an article with this quote:

Fox issued a statement saying that Savol would stay. ''Scott Savol was forthcoming to the American Idol producers and the network regarding his misdemeanor,'' the statement read. ''After reviewing the facts, in which the charges were reduced to disorderly conduct, we felt that considering Scott's honesty and his remorse, the situation did not warrant his disqualification.''

So they say in this one, where the other selectively quoted the FOX statement, that it was because of his honesty AND remorse, so we know that he is remorseful. I'm somewhat pleasantly surprised that FOX even cared that he was remorseful, although, I guess this is a family show?

I guess the point that this makes to me is that American Idol, although it claims to, doesn't REALLY represent the real dynamics and values of the real pop star culture these days. It's too honest, too virtuous, too family friendly. But then again, maybe this shows a change in pop culture these days. But, most likely, and unfortunately, not. Once the American Idol wannabe winner becomes a real idol, no one will probably care whether he or she is a big jerk, only whether his or her music is fun, sounds good, and makes people happy.

I hope I have challenged you and I have convinced you not to let this sway your vote against him and to not encourage others to either. He deserves this chance, and he is probably hoping that he can finally put his past behind him. We owe it to him to be fair in our voting America!

February Update

2005-03-18T10:12:00.000-05:00

Here is my February update. I am leaving for Big Break tomorrow! A week at the beach sounds good to me! Pray that God would do great things in and through me! I'm looking forward to: fellowship with my fellow interns and the several hundred college student involved in Cru that will be at the conference, playing volleyball on the beach, sharing my faith with beach-goers on spring break, being close to God in times of corporate worship, and just having FUN!

New technology can be really fun!

2005-03-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered a new technology called podcasting. For those who might be reading this and don't really get all this technology stuff, here is a summary of what podcasting is:

Basically, people record audio-shows (called podcasts) that they then put on the Internet to be heard by anyone, for free. Then I can use some software on my computer (called podcatching software) to automatically download these audio-broadcasts in MP3 format and have them automatically transferred to my iPod overnight so I can listen to them whenever I want the next day. It's pretty much radio on demand.

This is only important because until today, I had not thought that maybe I could actually be a creator of audio content, until I found an article talking about www.audioblogger.com. Through this site, I have a number to call on my cell phone and I can just talk into it like I am leaving a voicemail, and it will save it into MP3 format and post it as an entry to my blog for all to listen.

So this is my first audio blog entry! Have a listen. I recorded it as I walked from my desk to my car after work this evening. If the audio seems kind of shaky, it's because I'm walking as I talk. Enjoy! Maybe I'll post some more audio entries sometime soon.

“Drive Thru”?

2005-02-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

I pulled up to McDonald's drive-thru today (I know it's sad, but I didn't feel like anything else), and some dude steps up to my car and asks me “What can I get you?” Seems a bit odd to you doesn't it? Well it's the latest fad in customer service seemingly, and this well-mannered McDonald's employee was armed with his Palm (or some kind of handheld computer), and ready to take my order and transmit it to the computers inside the restaurant. Then when I pulled up to the payment window, there's another guy standing outside of that window who walks up to my car window and says “Hi. $3.04, right?” And I'm like “Yup!” and I hesitantly hand him my debit card to take to the person behind the window to process my transaction. He brings it back and I pull forward to get my food and head on my way.

I guess it sped-up the service, since there were two of them out there walking down the line of cars at the drive-thru, taking orders, so we didn't all wait to use the normal drive-thru microphone system. And, I think they are trying to give employees more hours since for a few weeks this McDonald's is drive-thru only since they are renovating the inside (except for the kitchen).

But even if there weren't any great time-saving, efficiency boosting reasons , I felt more appreciated, and maybe that sounds dumb. I mean, we are talking about McDonald's here! But hey , who cares, why not?

Working for Apple???

2005-02-18T11:48:00.000-05:00

I applied for the job of Mac Genius this week with 3 Apple Retail Stores in the N. VA, MD area. It is almost the ideal job for me, but the biggest downside that I can see right now is that I would have to work mall hours (evenings and weekends) since all the Apple Stores are in malls. But other than that, I would get to do some of my favorite things: fix people's Macs and help them learn to use them better, teach others, constantly learn about new technology, serve people, work with Apple Computers, and interact with people (vs. sitting at a computer all day).

I will be talking to a recruiter hopefully soon to get some answers to my questions about hours and other things like salary.

I would really LOVE to work for Apple. But I can't seem to get past the problem of hours. Unfortunately, this might not be the best job for me. I will continue looking for other opportunities elsewhere to do similar kinds of jobs.

Let me know if you have any ideas!

Choose your own adventure!

2005-02-07T23:27:00.000-05:00

Remember those old books from when we were kids called “Choose Your Own Adventure”? Well, I remember them even if you don't! Stop laughing at me now.

Anyway, I wanted to play a little game called “Choose Scotty's Own Adventure”

Here's how it is played: I give you a bunch of choices and you tell me which one you like best (or feel free to suggest some of your own) (via comments or email).

Let the Adventure Begin:

Scott is halfway through his internship at Crusade Headquarters in Orlando, FL and has to begin considering what in the world to do with his life once September 2005 hits.

Should he: (choices listed in no particular order)

A. Go on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ to reach crazy psycho college students?
B. Work at Hardee's flipping monster thickburgers until he pays of his million dollars in college loans at the rate of $7 an hour?
C. Get a job at Apple selling cool stuff like iPods and Mac minis or writing cool software for Mac OS X?
D. Move to NY, speak in a scratchy voice, get involved in organized crime and go by “Slick Scotty”?
E. Move in with his parents until he's about 40?
F. Get his own reality TV show and do whatever he wants just because he can?
G. Never shave again and get in the Guiness Book of World Records?
H. Live in the Home section of Walmart, live off chicken samples, and stow away in people's cars to get places?
I. ??????????????????????????

Make your choice!

Yummy iCandy!

2005-02-03T01:07:00.000-05:00

When Apple announced the new iPod Shuffle it used some clever advertising humor. For those who just don't know any better, they thought it would be best to put a minor disclaimer on their webpage for the iPod Shuffle. (They took it off the website now)

“2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle”

Whew!!! I am so glad..... I was actually considering eating one!

Apparently this guy was thinking the same thing: (and he wrote a fun poem about it) Read it here: “I Ate iPod Shuffle”

I was going to put this on my other blog (the nerdy one) but I thought it wasn't quite nerdy enough to make it over there. There aren't enough esoteric words used in the blog entry, it's not hard enough to understand what in the world I'm talking about, and it's really funny, so why not? I mean, if you think about it, this entry is really just about food, and I talk about food all the time, and everyone loves food. So it's totally normal!

In conclusion, let me know if you have an iPod Shuffle and whether or not you have tried to eat it. I'm interested to hear how that has worked out for you!

December/January Update

2005-02-02T16:44:00.000-05:00

Here is my December/January Update! It is a little late, but interesting nonetheless!

TNA - Total Non-stop Action Wrestling

2005-02-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I did something that I have never done before in my life. I went to a professional wrestling match. It was AWESOME!!!

Justin and I went to Universal Studios at 6pm after work for the taping of the TNA: Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling show IMPACT! They tape two shows at a time every other week. IMPACT! airs on FOX Sports every week. So we were on TV!

It was pretty fun! We did alot of screaming and cheering, even if we had no idea who those crazy looking wrestlers were. The crowd really got into it at points, even taunting their least favorite wrestlers as they tried to brag to the audience after a match with chants like “Get your hat, your coat, and leave” and “Boring! Boring!”

If you are ever in Orlando for a vacation, you should check out IMPACT! It's a fun time for the whole family!

Fallen Angel putting a hurtin' on A.J. Styles!

Monster Thickburger

2005-01-31T10:03:00.000-05:00

Last week, Todd, Justin, and I went to Hardee's for the Monster Thickburger. It was sort of an unspoken agreement that if we were real men, we would be able to finish off this 2/3 lbs. of beef with additional cheese and bacon, the fries and soda.

The “Nutrition” Facts of my meal.

Calories: 2391.94
Calories from Fat: 1131.92
Total Fat: 125.76 g
Saturated Fat: 49.65 g
Cholesterol: 229.55 g
Sodium: 3070.73 g
Carboyhdrates: 257.39 g
Protien: 69.8g

We called it the “Heart-stopping lunch” and I think we all half-expected to drop dead after the meal! We didn't, thankfully, but we did all finish the meal, even though we were totally stuffed at the end of it! I didn't eat much else that day! It was worth it. And the burger was incredible!

Wedding

2005-01-13T01:45:00.000-05:00

So at Matt's wedding, I wore a tuxedo for the first time. to be honest I REALLY liked it. I have never felt so expensive in my life. I wouldn't mind wearing one of those everyday. Especially since they make those shoes SO comfortable. Only, I doubt it would be very appropriate for the office, considering everyone else wears business casual (khakis and buttoned shirts)

Here is a great picture of Leila and I at the reception. It was a beautiful wedding and reception! I was honored to be a part of it and send them into marriage right!

Don't we look cute?

iPresident

2005-01-11T09:26:00.000-05:00

iPresident (click for full size image)

Apparently, President George W. Bush uses an iPod. He likes to listen to music when he rides his bike. According to the photographer of this photo essay (view the last 4 pictures), Christopher Morris, he was listening to "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison.

I think it's pretty sweet that Pres. Bush has an iPod. I mean, if I were rich (more like, if I even had a few hundred dollars) I would have one too! But I'll get behind any President smart enough to know that the best music player on the planet is an iPod.

Headphones

2005-01-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

Headphones (click for full size image)

So I got some new headphones this week because I needed some new ones for listening to music at work. The ones I have are kinda dying. So I went to Best Buy since I had a gift certificate for $20 and looked around. I came home with this Sony in-ear model, and I'm pretty happy with them. They are inside the ear, so they put out really good sound, and unbeleivable bass, that normal outside-the-ear headphones can't accomplish. They are great! And comfortable too!

Only one problem, the warranty is very LIMITED, as it says, "This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or damage due to acts of God, accident, misuse, abuse, negligence, commercial use, or modification of, or to any part of the Product."

I guess if God decides to make my headphones stop working, I will have to buy a new pair, oh well! I have had at least 20 different pairs of headphones throughout my life. What's one more?

4 months

2005-01-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

Today, January 5 marks 4 months of Leila and I dating. I think this might be the longest dating relationship I have ever been involved in. It is really exciting to be in a wonderful relationship with such a wonderful girl. I hope I don't mess it up and get dumped! :)

She is coming down here with Jocie and Ethan January 18th so I look forward to that, but for now, we are back to the long-distance thing. It could be tough this spring when we won't get to be together for several months at a time!

Anyway, I just wanted to use this space to thank God for blessing me with a wonderful girlfriend!

My best Christmas present

2005-01-05T13:05:00.000-05:00

My best Christmas present was dinner out at Texas Roadhouse with Leila. She decided to surprise me by taking me out there and buying me the biggest steak I could order. It was incredible. I didn't even know there was a Texas Roadhouse in Maryland (it's in Westminster if you are curious) but we had some great food and a wonderful time!

I am so thankful for Leila and that she knows what I like. As sad as it is, it's true. FOOD is something I like alot, and for her to buy me dinner at my favorite restaraunt was an EXCELLENT Christmas gift! Way to go!

As an added bonus, she had NEVER been to Texas Roadhouse and this was her first time. She loved it! How can anyone not?

I'm back...

2005-01-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

Well folks, the holidays came and went, and I came and went. I'm back in Florida now, so if you missed me when I was in Maryland, sorry about that! I had a great time seeing family and friends, and spending time with Leila, but I guess I do have a job for some reason, and I should probably get back to it!

Interesting story... I was at Matt's wedding this weekend and, in a pleasant turn of events John Boggs, my roomate, showed up at the wedding with Andy, Lauren, and Carissa (my STINT teammates from last year in North Africa). But when I returned last night he told me a funny story that happened to him during Matt's wedding reception. I will retell it here, and if it isn't funny enough for you, then go to him and ask him to tell it! You're sure to get a laugh.

So, to start, Boggsy was sick. He had a sore throat and hadn't been feeling well for the last few days. Also, he had just been in the car all day and stuck in bad traffic most of it, as they were tryig to make it to the wedding (in Virginia Beach) on time from Pennsylvania.

So you can imagine that John is a little bit out of it as he walks over to the drink table to refill his cup of punch. After filling it up to the top, a nice old lady, presumably one of Matt or Beca's (the groom and bride) grandparents, walks up to him and says something like "How kind of you young man!" and with a smile proceeds to take his cup from his hand and walk away with it as if he had filled it for her!

Before he has a chance to think and realize what happened, she has slipped into the large crowd at the reception and he has lost her and his cup (which he had been drinking from already and leaving his sick germs in as well) After he overcomes the shock of this sweet old lady stealing his cup and realizing he had just let her walk away with it and all of his sick germs, he fills a new cup for himself and sits back down at his table.

I told him he better pray that his germs don't end that old lady's life! (In fact they had already killed one living being that day, a dog in the middle of Interstate 64 that was pulverized by their front bumper, but that's another story!)

At the peak of my sophistication

2004-12-20T01:22:00.000-05:00

So tonight we went to a Christmas party for the law firm that Leila got a job as a law clerk for the semester (she starts work Monday). It was a fun party, and I enjoyed the people there, but there were several things about the evening that just made it a little humorous for me.

First, it was at the nicest restaurant in downtown Ellicott City, Jordan's Steakhouse. (To make it clear, let's just say that a few years ago I walked by the restaraunt and thought to myself "That looks like a great place to take a date out for dinner!" .. it has great atmosphere, the menu was full of good food, but when I caught the prices on the menu on the door, I wanted to throw up. The only way I would be coming here for dinner on my supported missionary salary is if I win the lottery, in two states.)

Second, the first thing the server asked me after we arrived was what kind of wine did I want? (It was a stand-up, mingle, eat food from the buffet of hors d'oeuvres and lots of random foods so we were never seated at a table) Now, I have no problem with wine. In fact, I kind of like wine, and I had some, but the reason this is a bad sign for me is that I am not used to the very sophisticated, classy setting that this was unfolding to be. Not that I have no manners, but I have never really been around the kind of people that can afford to drink wine all around and have a meal of fancy hors d'oeuvres. I felt at once that I didn't neccessarily fit in among the people who make more in a week than I do in a year. But I had fun putting on a show (or at least not trying to look really stupid or embarrass Leila, or myself, in front of her soon-to-be coworkers)

And third, the two most common gifts for the white elephant gift exchange that we did (there were about 20 people there) were condoms and bottles of wine. I don't really know how to reconcile those two, but I am thankful that I didn't end up with either.

Regardless, I had a fun time, and while Leila's new coworkers might be a strange mix of eccentric, sophisticated, and crazy, they were a good group of people and knew how to have a good time. I'm sure she will have a great experience working there and grow to love these people!

White elephant?

2004-12-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas parties... Christmas parties for work, Christmas parties for church, Christmas parties for the Card-nite gang, and on and on! They are great. And only slightly less great is the wonder that is the White Elephant Christmas gift game, IT'S THE FASTEST-GROWING-CHRISTMAS-GAME-SENSATION, and it has become like some kind of plague, I mean phenomenon, around here!

In case you aren't aware, the idea of the game is that everyone brings a "gift" to the party, and it's usually something that you previously owned, or found in your house, or something funny or ridiculous, and depending on how you play the game, it could even be generous or special.

So in honor of this holiday favorite, here is

The Top 10 White Elephant Gifts No One Wants to End Up With:
10. The bad Christmas gift you got from your Great Aunt Nancy last year.
9. The shirt that used to fit you, in ninth grade.
8. A chia pet.
7. An inner tube, with a hole in it.
6. A set of batteries, dead ones.
5. An old barbie doll, with no head.
4. A tube of Hemmorhoid cream.
3. A picture of your Mom from the Eighties.
2. Anything that you found in your bathroom, or that at any time in the past resided there.

and the NUMBER 1 White Elephant Gifts No One Wants to End Up With IS:

1. A handwritten coupon redeemable at any time for me to eat over at your house for a week.

One week 'til Winter!

2004-12-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

In more than one sense, next week will be the beginning of winter for me. First, according to the smart people who know all about the Sun and what a solstice is next week (December 21) will be "when the Sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator, the great circle on the celestial sphere that is on the same plane as the earth's equator" - infoplease.com

But second, and more meaningful, is that next week (Dec. 18) will mark my return to non-tropical weather after 20 months of living in Summer. It will be my return to a place where it is normal to see your breath, scrape the ice off your windshield every morning, wear 5 layers of clothes, build fires inside your house, throw snowballs, drink hot chocolate, and turn on the heat in your house all day long.

I look forward to my return to Winter, but also to my return to my family and friends in Maryland, since last year I didn't get to spend the holidays with them. It's just not the same to spend Christmas away from your family.

Anyway, if you are in Maryland from Dec 18 - Dec 31, I would love to see you so get in touch with me and maybe we can do some fun Winter activities together!

November Monthly Update

2004-12-02T10:24:00.000-05:00

November (click for full size image)

Headlines:

Leila Visits!

Holidays at Home

Almost Famous