Something you should know about me is that I snore. A lot. And loudly. I've done it all my life, even when I was thinner. My mother has said that every once in a while I stop breathiong in my sleep, which can be, apparently, a big deal (though why she never dragged me to the doctor before, I don't know).
Now, the snoring isn't a huge problem to me (though Em has to deal with it), but the complications that arrise are. I don't sleep well. I toss, I turn, I wake often, and I just feel wiped out most days. I think I'd get a lot more done on a personal scale if it weren't for the way I sleep (or don't sleep).
So I went to see an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor, but much more fun to say my way) today to ask about a procedure called the pillar procedure that promises to help mild sleep apnea. According to the doctor, I ain't mild. My pallet (the upper part of the mouth, by which that ball things hangs on) is low, my tongue is too high in the mouth, and my tonsils are large for someone my age. Sigh.
Oh, and guess how the doctor saw that my tonsils were abnormally large? He stuck a scope up my nose which curled down into my throat. It didn't hurt, but it was weird. He did give me some numbing stuff first, which had some side affects that were not realized until later. Not only did it numb my nose, it also numbed my gums, and my top row of teeth. So here I am, driving home, tapping and clicking my teeth because they're numb. I wonder if people ever look at me when I'm driving.
They'll schedule a sleep study for me and I'll probably get one of those stupid masks for at least a month before we consider other options. And by other, I mean surgery. If the surgery will help free me from sleep apnea, and more importantly, keep me from wearing a dorky mask, I'll consider it. But if I do get a mask, I'm painting it black so I look like Darth Vader ("Emily, I am your father!")
Either way, I have to be humble about this. If I don't treat my apnea, I'll continue to be exhausted much of the time, and in time it can have serious consequences on my health, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and the gum disease gingivitus. Okay, at least one of those isn't true.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Some recent reading
I've finished several books recently and thought I'd share.
Today, for one, I finished the Book of Mormon. Again. I've lost track of how many times I've read it, but that's okay. Our Stake President asked us to read it again this year, starting in January and finishing by the end of March. So I'm three days early! Tomorrow I'll start again, but at a slower pace. I'm also going to read the New Testament again. I don't think I've read it since my mission.
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
Artemis Fowl is a series of kids books about a teenage genius who is also a criminal mastermind. In the first novel he tried to steal a bunch of fairy gold from real fairies. So there are fairies and goblins and magic in this world. The third book, The Eternity Code, has to do with Artemis creating a computer out of fairy technology which is far ahead of anything humans have come up. A rival businessman steals the computer and Artemis has to get it back before the businessman finds the hidden fairy city.
Good Omens
This one is written by Neil Gaiman (Stardust) and Terry Pratchett (lots of humerous British novels). It's about two angels (one from Heaven, one from Hell) trying to stop the apocalypse because they kind of like earth the way it is. In the middle is an 11-year-old antichrist who doesn't really want to be the antichrist. It's really funny, in a British way.
The City of Ember
Somehow a bunch of people end up in this underground city, completely cut off from humanity. Their power is supplied by a generator that the people know how to fix, but they don't really understand the technology. We assume some kind of disaster or war forced the people underground. The city was stocked with enough supplies to last for two hundred years and then they were supposed to leave the city and go back above ground. But the message was lost and now, after two hundred and fifty years, no one remembers the outside world and no one knows they are supposed to leave. The power system is failing, there are constant blackouts (and living underground, that's a little creepy) and the mayor is hoarding what little supplies remain for himself. In the middle are two 12-year-olds, Lina and Doon, who discover a way out of the city, but can't convince the mayor to believe them.
Now I'm reading A Wrinkle in Time. I remember reading it as a kid, but don't really remember much of it. And, I discovered there are some four sequels that I never read. Joy!
Today, for one, I finished the Book of Mormon. Again. I've lost track of how many times I've read it, but that's okay. Our Stake President asked us to read it again this year, starting in January and finishing by the end of March. So I'm three days early! Tomorrow I'll start again, but at a slower pace. I'm also going to read the New Testament again. I don't think I've read it since my mission.
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
Artemis Fowl is a series of kids books about a teenage genius who is also a criminal mastermind. In the first novel he tried to steal a bunch of fairy gold from real fairies. So there are fairies and goblins and magic in this world. The third book, The Eternity Code, has to do with Artemis creating a computer out of fairy technology which is far ahead of anything humans have come up. A rival businessman steals the computer and Artemis has to get it back before the businessman finds the hidden fairy city.
Good Omens
This one is written by Neil Gaiman (Stardust) and Terry Pratchett (lots of humerous British novels). It's about two angels (one from Heaven, one from Hell) trying to stop the apocalypse because they kind of like earth the way it is. In the middle is an 11-year-old antichrist who doesn't really want to be the antichrist. It's really funny, in a British way.
The City of Ember
Somehow a bunch of people end up in this underground city, completely cut off from humanity. Their power is supplied by a generator that the people know how to fix, but they don't really understand the technology. We assume some kind of disaster or war forced the people underground. The city was stocked with enough supplies to last for two hundred years and then they were supposed to leave the city and go back above ground. But the message was lost and now, after two hundred and fifty years, no one remembers the outside world and no one knows they are supposed to leave. The power system is failing, there are constant blackouts (and living underground, that's a little creepy) and the mayor is hoarding what little supplies remain for himself. In the middle are two 12-year-olds, Lina and Doon, who discover a way out of the city, but can't convince the mayor to believe them.
Now I'm reading A Wrinkle in Time. I remember reading it as a kid, but don't really remember much of it. And, I discovered there are some four sequels that I never read. Joy!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sundry Items
Hehe, I used the word sundry. Bet you didn't think I had it in me.
Last night I went home teaching for the first time in seven years. I'm not sure if the first two counted becasue that was my mission, but I haven't gone since. Some of that is because the Single's Branch didn't organize home teaching assignments for a long time. But still, I didn't do it. So last night, I went out. I even had an appointment with the Elder'S Quorum President, who is one of my families. So I pick up my companion and we go over. The EQ pres' kids are home, but they say neither parent is home. EQ pres is at work. Now, I know I set up the appointment, he said it was cool, and didn't call to tell me he couldn't keep it (though in his defense, with the new phone we have new numbers and I haven't given it to him yet). So, this isn't to complain against him, or to complain at all. I feel good that I went out. I feel good that I tried and things didn't work out. And next month, I'll try again.
Also last night, my wife and I were getting ready to do one of our favoritist things ever: reading together, separately. This basically entails that we will be in the same room, reading different books, but spending time together. Her parents used to do this and Emily loved it and she's brought the tradition to me. So last night she was sitting in bed and I was going to get my book from the living room. I hear this noise that indicates something is breaking and when I look I see that the bed has shifted in the downward position. I thought that maybe one of the support beams had shifted and I just needed to reach under the bed and prop it back up. That's when the whole side of our wooden sleigh bed cracked and fell off. I'm really glad my arm wasn't under there. What had happened was a piece of wood that held the bed together had simply broken off, collapsing the bed. We weren't happy. This was another one of our good experiences from Nebraska Furniture Mart (we had a couch that fell apart after only a year) that reaffirms that we will never buy anything from them again. So we took the remaing parts of the bed apart and sat the box springs and mattress on the floor. We didn't sleep well. It's surprising how much a frame does for a bed. So we went out and bought a cheap frame today that has wheels that roll. Not fun, but good enough for now. I'm going to postpone my not-so-secret project (more on that in a minute) and see if I can't fix the old bed. A few bolts might do it, but we'll see.
Now, on my now not-so-secret project. I told my wife what I'm making her. I'm not good at keeping secrets. Well, I'm good at keeping other peoples' secrets, just not my own. What I'm making her (and I started the other day, and it is looking well so far) is a wall tree. This is basically two pieces. The bottom is a sort of bench with a storage space where Emily can put her bags, backpacks, purses, and computer bag so its not just strewn randomly about the dining room. The top half goes up from the bench about four feet and will have hooks to hang coats/scarves/etcetera. If all goes well, it will be done by Mother's Day, and will actually look good and look right.
Last night I went home teaching for the first time in seven years. I'm not sure if the first two counted becasue that was my mission, but I haven't gone since. Some of that is because the Single's Branch didn't organize home teaching assignments for a long time. But still, I didn't do it. So last night, I went out. I even had an appointment with the Elder'S Quorum President, who is one of my families. So I pick up my companion and we go over. The EQ pres' kids are home, but they say neither parent is home. EQ pres is at work. Now, I know I set up the appointment, he said it was cool, and didn't call to tell me he couldn't keep it (though in his defense, with the new phone we have new numbers and I haven't given it to him yet). So, this isn't to complain against him, or to complain at all. I feel good that I went out. I feel good that I tried and things didn't work out. And next month, I'll try again.
Also last night, my wife and I were getting ready to do one of our favoritist things ever: reading together, separately. This basically entails that we will be in the same room, reading different books, but spending time together. Her parents used to do this and Emily loved it and she's brought the tradition to me. So last night she was sitting in bed and I was going to get my book from the living room. I hear this noise that indicates something is breaking and when I look I see that the bed has shifted in the downward position. I thought that maybe one of the support beams had shifted and I just needed to reach under the bed and prop it back up. That's when the whole side of our wooden sleigh bed cracked and fell off. I'm really glad my arm wasn't under there. What had happened was a piece of wood that held the bed together had simply broken off, collapsing the bed. We weren't happy. This was another one of our good experiences from Nebraska Furniture Mart (we had a couch that fell apart after only a year) that reaffirms that we will never buy anything from them again. So we took the remaing parts of the bed apart and sat the box springs and mattress on the floor. We didn't sleep well. It's surprising how much a frame does for a bed. So we went out and bought a cheap frame today that has wheels that roll. Not fun, but good enough for now. I'm going to postpone my not-so-secret project (more on that in a minute) and see if I can't fix the old bed. A few bolts might do it, but we'll see.
Now, on my now not-so-secret project. I told my wife what I'm making her. I'm not good at keeping secrets. Well, I'm good at keeping other peoples' secrets, just not my own. What I'm making her (and I started the other day, and it is looking well so far) is a wall tree. This is basically two pieces. The bottom is a sort of bench with a storage space where Emily can put her bags, backpacks, purses, and computer bag so its not just strewn randomly about the dining room. The top half goes up from the bench about four feet and will have hooks to hang coats/scarves/etcetera. If all goes well, it will be done by Mother's Day, and will actually look good and look right.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Garden Work
We're going to plant hedged around our front porch soon, but first I
had to turn the soil to get it ready. Whoever had the house before us
had put a Brady Bunch style piece of AstroTurf under their flower beds
to stop weeds, I guess. So I had to take that out. Then I noticed a
large rock that I think was supposed to be a part of the foundation
(it's a hundred years old). The rock wiggled, but wouldn't come out,
which, if a piece of a foundation, is probably a good thing. So now I
have a two foot spot where I can't plant. I just hope the bush grows
enough to overlap the space. Why does everything I do become so much
harder than I thought it would be after I've started? And I still
have to start my super-secret project for my wife tomorrow. And boy,
gardening takes the energy out of a person.
had to turn the soil to get it ready. Whoever had the house before us
had put a Brady Bunch style piece of AstroTurf under their flower beds
to stop weeds, I guess. So I had to take that out. Then I noticed a
large rock that I think was supposed to be a part of the foundation
(it's a hundred years old). The rock wiggled, but wouldn't come out,
which, if a piece of a foundation, is probably a good thing. So now I
have a two foot spot where I can't plant. I just hope the bush grows
enough to overlap the space. Why does everything I do become so much
harder than I thought it would be after I've started? And I still
have to start my super-secret project for my wife tomorrow. And boy,
gardening takes the energy out of a person.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, March 24, 2008
Children's Books
I was going to blog about how I don't like liars, because I've had issues with that today. But what would I say? I don't like liars. Duh. Do people walk down the street and think, "Gee, I'd like to run into a liar today. I'd just love to get ripped off. That would really make my day." So, instead, I'll eccentuate the positive.
Lately I've been reading a bunch of children's books. This is partly because I don't want to start a longer book because a new novel comes out April 1st that I really want to read. So until then I'm sticking to the shorter books.
That's not the only reason. I really like young adult and children's books. There's a lot of imagination and fun and sometimes they're just a good read. Right now I'm reading "The City of Ember", and yesterday I finished "Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code".
So tell me. Why do you like children's books? And I know you do. I've looked through your visual bookshelves on Facebook :)
My problem with shopping for them is this. If I go to Barnes and Noble alone, you have to go into their separate kids section. When I do that I feel like people around me are looking at me and thinking, pervert. What's this thirty year old guy (for some reason everyone thinks I'm in my thirties, oh well) doing in with the kids. Let's stone him and set him on fire!
Maybe not. But I feel like that. I'm okay if Emily or Will are with me, but solo, I'm the 30-year-old pervert.
Anyone know why?
Lately I've been reading a bunch of children's books. This is partly because I don't want to start a longer book because a new novel comes out April 1st that I really want to read. So until then I'm sticking to the shorter books.
That's not the only reason. I really like young adult and children's books. There's a lot of imagination and fun and sometimes they're just a good read. Right now I'm reading "The City of Ember", and yesterday I finished "Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code".
So tell me. Why do you like children's books? And I know you do. I've looked through your visual bookshelves on Facebook :)
My problem with shopping for them is this. If I go to Barnes and Noble alone, you have to go into their separate kids section. When I do that I feel like people around me are looking at me and thinking, pervert. What's this thirty year old guy (for some reason everyone thinks I'm in my thirties, oh well) doing in with the kids. Let's stone him and set him on fire!
Maybe not. But I feel like that. I'm okay if Emily or Will are with me, but solo, I'm the 30-year-old pervert.
Anyone know why?
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Your TV is going bye-bye and it ain't coming back
We bought a new TV some time ago. With analog TV going bye-bye, and digital TV saying hello, we decided to get a TV that could take digital signals. The way it's set up now, you just see the regular analog channels and it doesn't look any different. But yesterday, I got curious. I had been reading up on digital and saw that a station can broadcast several signals across the same channel. Bleh-what? Okay, this means that a regular station like Channel 41 in Kansas City broadcasts it's regular station on the digital channel 41.1. But, on 41.2 they broadcast a 24 hour weather station. Which isn't that cool until you don't have cable or satellite.
See, the digital TV upgrade won't really affect cable or satellite subscribers. February of 2009 will roll around and won't be a big deal. But for us that have older TVs, we have to get a converter box (the government has a website where you can request two $40 off coupons for the converters).
I was curious about what extra signals I was getting, so I switched over to the digital side and took a look. The first thing I noticed is that changing channels is very slow. It takes about five seconds to get from one to another. But, I can be patient. What I noticed is I now have two 24 hour weather stations, four PBS stations, four religious nut stations, and a few other gems I'll have to check out later. That means my non-cable TV that used to get ten stations, now gets 21 stations. I realize that most of them still suck, but how is that different than cable? And, it's free.
So if you have no cable or satellite, and your TV is a newer set that gets digital, take a look. You may find more junk to watch.
Now I just need some guide that will tell me exactly what these stations are. There used to be one of those, but I don't think they actually show TV schedules any more.
See, the digital TV upgrade won't really affect cable or satellite subscribers. February of 2009 will roll around and won't be a big deal. But for us that have older TVs, we have to get a converter box (the government has a website where you can request two $40 off coupons for the converters).
I was curious about what extra signals I was getting, so I switched over to the digital side and took a look. The first thing I noticed is that changing channels is very slow. It takes about five seconds to get from one to another. But, I can be patient. What I noticed is I now have two 24 hour weather stations, four PBS stations, four religious nut stations, and a few other gems I'll have to check out later. That means my non-cable TV that used to get ten stations, now gets 21 stations. I realize that most of them still suck, but how is that different than cable? And, it's free.
So if you have no cable or satellite, and your TV is a newer set that gets digital, take a look. You may find more junk to watch.
Now I just need some guide that will tell me exactly what these stations are. There used to be one of those, but I don't think they actually show TV schedules any more.
Friday, March 21, 2008
I Need to be Nicer
I've realized that I'm not always nice. That's not to say I'm intentionally rude to people, I'm just sometimes a bit crass (ooh, good word). Often enough, I don't even verbalize my feelings, I just think them. And that's even better, because then those thoughts fester and put me in a sour mood or keep me from sleeping well. For example, we recently had a new neighbor move in. On move in day people kept parking in front of my house. For those of you who don't know, we have one long driveway, suitable for one car, that leads down to the garage (which isn't really used for a car). On the other side of the house is a short driveway that Emily usually parks in. Between those is a longer slab of drive-type material that sits off the street. Yes, it connects to the street, but it is not the street (it's a shade darker). I often park up there, and when the weather is bad we both park up there because the other driveways are at a down angle and the cars don't back up well in ice/sleet/snow/etc.
These neighbors, on move in day, parked a big truck across the front drive that is off street. This upset me, but I said nothing. Then, the owner of said big truck knocked on my door and asked if he could park another truck in Emily's spot (she was working in the Family History Center). I told him he's already taking one of my spots (I didn't mention that he did so without asking) and if he takes yet another, my wife will have no where to park. He ended up moving his truck from in front of the house and didn't park in my wife's spot. I was a little happier.
A few days later, after the parking fiasco had subsided, some guy (that is attached to our new neighbor in some way) parks some old ghetto Camaro in front of our house. I was so upset and let the anger build up so much (all the more because I kept going to the window in the middle of the night to see if it was still there) that I could not sleep. My mind kept leading me to fun and violent scenarios where I forcibly moved the car, forced the owner to move the car, or forcibly moved the owner. I even realized that these harsh thoughts were not good for me and were keeping me from sleeping, but I couldn't get rid of them.
Since then, they've kept out of our spots (mostly, I think, from me parking across the front spot as a gentle hint that it's mine) yet I realized that it wasn't a big deal, and why am I hurting myself like this because of it?
I think the issue comes down to the fact that I'm not always nice, or that I harbor ill thoughts about people when I should just let it go. I realize Nephi said he had issues with getting mad at people, and if a prophet struggled with it, I guess I'm not alone.
So I need to let virtue garner my thoughts. I need to see the good in people. And I need to verbalize (or type) these things. A bishop of mine once said "It is important to say the things that lift people up". I've never forgotten it. I even gave a training on my mission about this. I had some missionaries in my district that I didn't get along with very well, but I decided I needed to find one good thing to say about each of them, and then say it. I was surprised at how easy it was to find something to say to each of them.
Now, something else I've realized is that stupid comes in all shapes in size. Someone will irritate me on the road and I'll think "Stupid old people" or "stupid young people" or "stupid woman" or "stupid (insert racial class)". I try to say to myself "it's not because they're young, old, a woman, a man, a (insert racial class), it's simply because they're stupid. And haven't I done stupid things? So I need to let it slide off and just move on. One little thing can ruin a day, and sometimes I wonder how hard Satan has to work to keep people mad at each other.
So, in keeping with the adage of saying the things that lift people up, I wanted to say at least one nice thing about each person that I blog with.
Emily: She is encouraging when it comes to my ideas. She wants me to go to school and persue a (real) career, but she never guilt-trips me. When I tell her I have a new idea, she tells me it's a good idea, even if she secretly thinks it isn't. She trusts me. She's there to comfort me when I need it.
Alison: She has the kind of attitude I like in a friend. She's the right kind of cynical and her blogs make me laugh.
Rhia: Her hair looks good short. She has a fun personality and seems to be the kind of person that's a good friend. She keeps in touch with people (like Emily) that she hasn't seen in years and allows us to remain long-distance friends.
Kathryn: She is the best kind of friend because she'll stick by you even when you're an idiot and slightly self-destructive. She's funny and genuinely cares about people.
Okay, I'm going to go now. Happy Easter!
These neighbors, on move in day, parked a big truck across the front drive that is off street. This upset me, but I said nothing. Then, the owner of said big truck knocked on my door and asked if he could park another truck in Emily's spot (she was working in the Family History Center). I told him he's already taking one of my spots (I didn't mention that he did so without asking) and if he takes yet another, my wife will have no where to park. He ended up moving his truck from in front of the house and didn't park in my wife's spot. I was a little happier.
A few days later, after the parking fiasco had subsided, some guy (that is attached to our new neighbor in some way) parks some old ghetto Camaro in front of our house. I was so upset and let the anger build up so much (all the more because I kept going to the window in the middle of the night to see if it was still there) that I could not sleep. My mind kept leading me to fun and violent scenarios where I forcibly moved the car, forced the owner to move the car, or forcibly moved the owner. I even realized that these harsh thoughts were not good for me and were keeping me from sleeping, but I couldn't get rid of them.
Since then, they've kept out of our spots (mostly, I think, from me parking across the front spot as a gentle hint that it's mine) yet I realized that it wasn't a big deal, and why am I hurting myself like this because of it?
I think the issue comes down to the fact that I'm not always nice, or that I harbor ill thoughts about people when I should just let it go. I realize Nephi said he had issues with getting mad at people, and if a prophet struggled with it, I guess I'm not alone.
So I need to let virtue garner my thoughts. I need to see the good in people. And I need to verbalize (or type) these things. A bishop of mine once said "It is important to say the things that lift people up". I've never forgotten it. I even gave a training on my mission about this. I had some missionaries in my district that I didn't get along with very well, but I decided I needed to find one good thing to say about each of them, and then say it. I was surprised at how easy it was to find something to say to each of them.
Now, something else I've realized is that stupid comes in all shapes in size. Someone will irritate me on the road and I'll think "Stupid old people" or "stupid young people" or "stupid woman" or "stupid (insert racial class)". I try to say to myself "it's not because they're young, old, a woman, a man, a (insert racial class), it's simply because they're stupid. And haven't I done stupid things? So I need to let it slide off and just move on. One little thing can ruin a day, and sometimes I wonder how hard Satan has to work to keep people mad at each other.
So, in keeping with the adage of saying the things that lift people up, I wanted to say at least one nice thing about each person that I blog with.
Emily: She is encouraging when it comes to my ideas. She wants me to go to school and persue a (real) career, but she never guilt-trips me. When I tell her I have a new idea, she tells me it's a good idea, even if she secretly thinks it isn't. She trusts me. She's there to comfort me when I need it.
Alison: She has the kind of attitude I like in a friend. She's the right kind of cynical and her blogs make me laugh.
Rhia: Her hair looks good short. She has a fun personality and seems to be the kind of person that's a good friend. She keeps in touch with people (like Emily) that she hasn't seen in years and allows us to remain long-distance friends.
Kathryn: She is the best kind of friend because she'll stick by you even when you're an idiot and slightly self-destructive. She's funny and genuinely cares about people.
Okay, I'm going to go now. Happy Easter!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
If I Were Single Again
Despite the way I tease my wife, I really do enjoy marriage and I do not wish to be single again. Ever. But If I were, I think I would take some of the things I know now and apply to living single.
First, I wouldn't worry about finding "the one", or in that case, "the two"? I'd just enjoy the fact that I could have fun.
I'd spend random time with friends. Whatever was going on, I'd join in.
I'd accept invitations. You've got a party at your house? Going to see a movie I'm not interested in? Going to the lake? Sure. It's good to get out and about.
I'd travel.
I would be super active at the temple. I'm sure I could find enough people with temple recommends to go on a regular basis.
I'd get another SUV to hang out with all my single friends. First, to have room for them. Second, chicks dig SUVs. Just ask Emily. It's why she married me.*
I would get a work schedule that would let me attend institute and I'd go every week. Institute is cool.
I would go to plays and concerts with my newly formed band of single and loving it friends.
I'd host Sunday night dinners. Dave used to do this, and it was fun to hang out and not be alone.
I would have an FHE group, because its better doing that as a group. But I'd try to include a spiritual element.
I'd travel to visit my far-flung friends (this means you, Kathryn, Alison, and Rhia).
I would stay out of debt.
I would travel a lot, here and in Europe, if at all possible.
I would call up friends at 11pm and go sit at Denny's or an ice cream, just for the heck of it.
I'd be less afraid to ask women out.
I'd realize that dating is a great way to find friends.
Hey, wait, I think most of these things (except for the dating) I could do anyway. I think married life and single life isn't much different, except when you're married you're plural.
And what is dating when you're married except a steady date?
Okay, so the things you should learn to do when you're single to be happy are the same things you would need to have a happy marriage. Emily helps me be happy, but if I don't try, it doesn't matter. You have to be happy with yourself, right?
So, what do I want to do as a married guy?
See above list.
*Emily didn't really marry me because of the SUV. It was because of a ring, and not the engagement/wedding ring (which is, in fact, one ring). Maybe I'll tell that story tomorrow.
First, I wouldn't worry about finding "the one", or in that case, "the two"? I'd just enjoy the fact that I could have fun.
I'd spend random time with friends. Whatever was going on, I'd join in.
I'd accept invitations. You've got a party at your house? Going to see a movie I'm not interested in? Going to the lake? Sure. It's good to get out and about.
I'd travel.
I would be super active at the temple. I'm sure I could find enough people with temple recommends to go on a regular basis.
I'd get another SUV to hang out with all my single friends. First, to have room for them. Second, chicks dig SUVs. Just ask Emily. It's why she married me.*
I would get a work schedule that would let me attend institute and I'd go every week. Institute is cool.
I would go to plays and concerts with my newly formed band of single and loving it friends.
I'd host Sunday night dinners. Dave used to do this, and it was fun to hang out and not be alone.
I would have an FHE group, because its better doing that as a group. But I'd try to include a spiritual element.
I'd travel to visit my far-flung friends (this means you, Kathryn, Alison, and Rhia).
I would stay out of debt.
I would travel a lot, here and in Europe, if at all possible.
I would call up friends at 11pm and go sit at Denny's or an ice cream, just for the heck of it.
I'd be less afraid to ask women out.
I'd realize that dating is a great way to find friends.
Hey, wait, I think most of these things (except for the dating) I could do anyway. I think married life and single life isn't much different, except when you're married you're plural.
And what is dating when you're married except a steady date?
Okay, so the things you should learn to do when you're single to be happy are the same things you would need to have a happy marriage. Emily helps me be happy, but if I don't try, it doesn't matter. You have to be happy with yourself, right?
So, what do I want to do as a married guy?
See above list.
*Emily didn't really marry me because of the SUV. It was because of a ring, and not the engagement/wedding ring (which is, in fact, one ring). Maybe I'll tell that story tomorrow.
I Believe
I believe that private schools shouldn't dress the girls in mid-thigh length skirts. They should be knee-length or slacks. I think nothing screams "hey pedophiles, over here!" better than short skirts that aren't designed for bending over.
I'll make a longer blog later, I have to wait until we have fewer patients :)
*I'm not sure if I spelled pedophile right. That spelling might actually have to do with feet.
I'll make a longer blog later, I have to wait until we have fewer patients :)
*I'm not sure if I spelled pedophile right. That spelling might actually have to do with feet.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
I Believe
I believe that if you fart, burp, and sneeze at the same time, you'll
explode. Just now I came very close to dying. I won't say which one
didn't happen, so long as you know that I am, in fact, still alive.
explode. Just now I came very close to dying. I won't say which one
didn't happen, so long as you know that I am, in fact, still alive.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, March 17, 2008
What is it with librarians?
So, I have to ask. What is it with librarians? Now that I've thoroughly offended all librarians everywhere, let me explain :)
I know a lot of people who either are, or would like to be, librarians.
My mother-in-law. She ran the bioterrorism library at a university in Omaha (could be the UNO, not sure). Now she runs a library (I think it's a legal library) at the U of K in Kentucky. She seems happy.
A girl I went to church with as a kid, let's call her Kristen, because I think that's her name. She worked at Barnes and Noble for a while. I asked her once if it paid well and she said, "You have to really like books." So, I guess she wasn't in that job for the pay. But then she went on to go to school to be a librarian.
A girl I went to school with, Stephanie (the spelling may be wrong) is, according to her website, a librarian. She was really cool in school and always seemed happy. She still seems happy as a librarian.
My wife's friend, Suzzanne, is apparantly considering becoming a librarian. She likes books a lot.
Rhia, my peep in Texas, is a librarian. She seems to like it. Or, at least, all the pictures of her I've seen make her look happy.
So again, I have to ask, what's so great about it? Is it the books, is the pay decent (and by decent, I mean somewhat more than teacher salary), is it the kids? I don't know.
I consider myself a bibliophile. Going to a bookstore is dangerous for me because I'll always exit with more books than I will read in the near future. So I really like books, and I don't look down on anyone who is like me. In fact, aside from Donald, most of my friends are book-fiends like me.
So, to anyone who is or knows a librarian, let me know.
I know a lot of people who either are, or would like to be, librarians.
My mother-in-law. She ran the bioterrorism library at a university in Omaha (could be the UNO, not sure). Now she runs a library (I think it's a legal library) at the U of K in Kentucky. She seems happy.
A girl I went to church with as a kid, let's call her Kristen, because I think that's her name. She worked at Barnes and Noble for a while. I asked her once if it paid well and she said, "You have to really like books." So, I guess she wasn't in that job for the pay. But then she went on to go to school to be a librarian.
A girl I went to school with, Stephanie (the spelling may be wrong) is, according to her website, a librarian. She was really cool in school and always seemed happy. She still seems happy as a librarian.
My wife's friend, Suzzanne, is apparantly considering becoming a librarian. She likes books a lot.
Rhia, my peep in Texas, is a librarian. She seems to like it. Or, at least, all the pictures of her I've seen make her look happy.
So again, I have to ask, what's so great about it? Is it the books, is the pay decent (and by decent, I mean somewhat more than teacher salary), is it the kids? I don't know.
I consider myself a bibliophile. Going to a bookstore is dangerous for me because I'll always exit with more books than I will read in the near future. So I really like books, and I don't look down on anyone who is like me. In fact, aside from Donald, most of my friends are book-fiends like me.
So, to anyone who is or knows a librarian, let me know.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Rhia, I agree
refreshing, flavorful soda. The picture was taken at work, while
writing the last blog.
Are you mocking me?
Emily has been sick for...let's see...since we got married? Well at least the last several weeks. In that time she has destroyed a rain forest worth of puffs (kleenex isn't allowed in the house, yet we still call them that). With all these tissues floating around, Will has decided he doesn't want to be left out. So, I often find him carrying around his own kleenex, which he loves to carry while holding it to his nose, just like mommy. Today, to my amusement, and Emily's dismay, Will came to us while we were sitting on the couch and held a tissue to his nose and starting blowing raspberries into it to imitate Emily blowing her nose. It was hilarious. Emily thought it was funny too until I told her I'd blog about it.
Children. I highly recommend them.
Children. I highly recommend them.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Movies I Will See This Year
Run, Fat Boy, Run (March 28)
This movie stars Simon Pegg, that guy from Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Mission Impossible 3. And, if you didn't know, not only is he British, he's hilarious. Not that the two should be mutually exclusive. I just like British actors (Rhia: should British be Capitalized?)
Anyway, the movie is about a guy who is slightly overweight who left his pregnant fiance five years before. He now realizes that he loves her and wants her back. To prove that he can finish something, he enters a marathon (by the way, I'd like to run a marathon someday).
Iron Man (May 2)
Starring Robert Downey Jr, who might actually be sober, as a meglomaniacal weapons developer who gets captured and ordered to build a bomb for terrorists. Instead he builds an iron suit so he can escape. With his new suit, he decides to put rockets and missiles on it to fight crime. Sound fun? Well, the action looks cool.
Prince Caspian (May 16)
Read the book, it's awesome. Then watch the movie. I'm sure it'll be as good as the first.
Indiana and the Kindom of Some Skull or Something (May 22)
Indiana Jones is old and has a smart-aleck kid in the form of Shia LeBeouf. But since Steven Spielberg is directing, it'll still be pretty good, and ladies, admit it. You still think Harrison Ford is hot even though he's 65. Oh, and Karen Allen, from Raiders of the Lost Ark is in it.
Hulk (June 13)
I love comic book movies. They just work for me. The earlier version of this with Eric Bana and Jennifer Connely was decent until Nick Nolte showed up (nut job). This version with Edward Norton looks a little better, and heyAng Lee isn't around to over-stylize it.
Get Smart (June 20)
The old TV series was quirky and slapstick and funny. Now, with Steve Carell (The Office), I think he'll do the character justice.
Wall E (June 27)
This is Pixar's next movie about a cute little robot that's still doing its little robot job long after the human race says bye-bye (rapture, anyone?). It's Pixar, it'll be cute. Maybe we'll take Will.
Hellboy 2 (July 11)
I liked the original (another comic book movie) about a little demon boy all grown up and fighting evil. And he's red and fire proof, so that's cool.
The Dark Knight (July 18)
I loved the reimagining of this franchise. I think Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale did a great job in Batman Begins. I think Heath Ledger was a good choice for the Joker (rest in peace).
X-Files 2 (July 25)
This one kind of slipped through the cracks. They've been talking about another movie forever and not done anything about it. Finally it looks like they're going to do one. Hope its good.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (August 15)
I actually probably won't see this unless Emily wants to, I just put it up because it's interesting. This is an animated movie that will launch a TV series (maybe). It's all done by George Lucas, so good luck with that.
City of Ember (October 10)
This is based on a book where humanity lives underground. I'm not really clear what it's about, so I'll have to read the book. I'll probably like the book and be disappointed in the movie. Better get on that book reading.
James Bond and Solitary Quantum Mechanics...to...the...galaxy. I don't know, weird title. (November 7)
Casino Royale was wonderful, Daniel Craig was a great choice for Bond, I'm glad they're taking the franchise a little more serious. And hey, Craig is not a bad looking guy. Just saying.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (November 21)
If you don't know, don't ask.
Twilight (December 12)
Another book. But now, you can vizualize the beautiful Edward Cullen in the form of Cedric Diggory, and in this one he won't die at the end! Ladies? It's okay to be excited. I don't mind if Emily has a crush on other guys as long as she comes home to me.
Okay, that's it. Any I miss?
This movie stars Simon Pegg, that guy from Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Mission Impossible 3. And, if you didn't know, not only is he British, he's hilarious. Not that the two should be mutually exclusive. I just like British actors (Rhia: should British be Capitalized?)
Anyway, the movie is about a guy who is slightly overweight who left his pregnant fiance five years before. He now realizes that he loves her and wants her back. To prove that he can finish something, he enters a marathon (by the way, I'd like to run a marathon someday).
Iron Man (May 2)
Starring Robert Downey Jr, who might actually be sober, as a meglomaniacal weapons developer who gets captured and ordered to build a bomb for terrorists. Instead he builds an iron suit so he can escape. With his new suit, he decides to put rockets and missiles on it to fight crime. Sound fun? Well, the action looks cool.
Prince Caspian (May 16)
Read the book, it's awesome. Then watch the movie. I'm sure it'll be as good as the first.
Indiana and the Kindom of Some Skull or Something (May 22)
Indiana Jones is old and has a smart-aleck kid in the form of Shia LeBeouf. But since Steven Spielberg is directing, it'll still be pretty good, and ladies, admit it. You still think Harrison Ford is hot even though he's 65. Oh, and Karen Allen, from Raiders of the Lost Ark is in it.
Hulk (June 13)
I love comic book movies. They just work for me. The earlier version of this with Eric Bana and Jennifer Connely was decent until Nick Nolte showed up (nut job). This version with Edward Norton looks a little better, and heyAng Lee isn't around to over-stylize it.
Get Smart (June 20)
The old TV series was quirky and slapstick and funny. Now, with Steve Carell (The Office), I think he'll do the character justice.
Wall E (June 27)
This is Pixar's next movie about a cute little robot that's still doing its little robot job long after the human race says bye-bye (rapture, anyone?). It's Pixar, it'll be cute. Maybe we'll take Will.
Hellboy 2 (July 11)
I liked the original (another comic book movie) about a little demon boy all grown up and fighting evil. And he's red and fire proof, so that's cool.
The Dark Knight (July 18)
I loved the reimagining of this franchise. I think Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale did a great job in Batman Begins. I think Heath Ledger was a good choice for the Joker (rest in peace).
X-Files 2 (July 25)
This one kind of slipped through the cracks. They've been talking about another movie forever and not done anything about it. Finally it looks like they're going to do one. Hope its good.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (August 15)
I actually probably won't see this unless Emily wants to, I just put it up because it's interesting. This is an animated movie that will launch a TV series (maybe). It's all done by George Lucas, so good luck with that.
City of Ember (October 10)
This is based on a book where humanity lives underground. I'm not really clear what it's about, so I'll have to read the book. I'll probably like the book and be disappointed in the movie. Better get on that book reading.
James Bond and Solitary Quantum Mechanics...to...the...galaxy. I don't know, weird title. (November 7)
Casino Royale was wonderful, Daniel Craig was a great choice for Bond, I'm glad they're taking the franchise a little more serious. And hey, Craig is not a bad looking guy. Just saying.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (November 21)
If you don't know, don't ask.
Twilight (December 12)
Another book. But now, you can vizualize the beautiful Edward Cullen in the form of Cedric Diggory, and in this one he won't die at the end! Ladies? It's okay to be excited. I don't mind if Emily has a crush on other guys as long as she comes home to me.
Okay, that's it. Any I miss?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
What the next few years hold for us
There is a way to post blogs from the iPhone. Yesterday I wrote this great blog on soda and why I love it and what to look for in a soda, but it didn't work. Today, Rhia has a blog on soda, and she stole my "glass bottles are better" premise. So, instead of redoing it, I'll save it for the future.
Some of you know that Emily is in nursing school. Right now she has ten and a half months left (I count more than she does) and then she takes the NCLEX (the big nursing exam that makes you an RN if you pass). Assuming she does pass, she'll work for a year locally, then we'll join a traveling nursing program. But more on that later.
First, we want to have another child. We were going to wait until Emily had been working for a year, have a child, then start traveling. We decided that it would probably be easier to travel with a child that is at least six months old than a newborn. With that in mind, we will try to have a child by next May or July meaning we'll try to get pregnant around this August or September. This will allow Emily to have a winter pregnancy, which would sure beat her summer pregnancy with Will, and give us a child that's a little older when we start traveling. It'll also give Will a good playmate.
For now we're hoping for a girl, just to balance out. We had a name ready when we decided to get pregnant the first time, but Kaylee Sue just doesn't sound right on a boy. I even have a name if we have another boy, though of course Emily gets veto power. For a second boy, I'd like Nicholas Matthew. But more on that when it happens.
Getting back to the traveling nurse program, what you do is sign on with a company and then tell them where you'd like to go. Most major cities have openings so we get to pick where we get to go. The benefits of the program is that Emily will learn a lot, the pay is almost double starting nurse salary, and we get to live in different cities for a few years. We'd probably sign on for each city for a 6 month term so we can get to know the city. The end goal is to move permantly from Kansas City and settle somewhere else.
Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Kansas City. I've lived here most of my life, not including being born in Allentown PA, living a few years in Topeka KS, and serving my mission in SLC UT. The major motivation is that I'm getting tired of living in a city that has no temple and probably won't get one until the second coming. I miss being able to go to the Salt Lake temple every week if I wanted to and Emily misses getting to go to the Winter Quarters temple almost every week.
So, our main criteria is being near a temple. The other is finding a place where we'd have close friends. The cities we've picked so far are Omaha, NE; Louisville, KY; Atlanta, GA; and Dallas, TX. Each city has a temple and each has either friends or family. We figure that a 6 month stay in each city would give us time to figure out if we'd be happy there or not.
The time traveling would also help me focus on my writing and to determine if I will be able to have any kind of success at it.
So for now, we need to figure out if those are the cities we'd like to go and what are the pros and cons of each city. Any help? Anyone want to sell us on their city?
Some of you know that Emily is in nursing school. Right now she has ten and a half months left (I count more than she does) and then she takes the NCLEX (the big nursing exam that makes you an RN if you pass). Assuming she does pass, she'll work for a year locally, then we'll join a traveling nursing program. But more on that later.
First, we want to have another child. We were going to wait until Emily had been working for a year, have a child, then start traveling. We decided that it would probably be easier to travel with a child that is at least six months old than a newborn. With that in mind, we will try to have a child by next May or July meaning we'll try to get pregnant around this August or September. This will allow Emily to have a winter pregnancy, which would sure beat her summer pregnancy with Will, and give us a child that's a little older when we start traveling. It'll also give Will a good playmate.
For now we're hoping for a girl, just to balance out. We had a name ready when we decided to get pregnant the first time, but Kaylee Sue just doesn't sound right on a boy. I even have a name if we have another boy, though of course Emily gets veto power. For a second boy, I'd like Nicholas Matthew. But more on that when it happens.
Getting back to the traveling nurse program, what you do is sign on with a company and then tell them where you'd like to go. Most major cities have openings so we get to pick where we get to go. The benefits of the program is that Emily will learn a lot, the pay is almost double starting nurse salary, and we get to live in different cities for a few years. We'd probably sign on for each city for a 6 month term so we can get to know the city. The end goal is to move permantly from Kansas City and settle somewhere else.
Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Kansas City. I've lived here most of my life, not including being born in Allentown PA, living a few years in Topeka KS, and serving my mission in SLC UT. The major motivation is that I'm getting tired of living in a city that has no temple and probably won't get one until the second coming. I miss being able to go to the Salt Lake temple every week if I wanted to and Emily misses getting to go to the Winter Quarters temple almost every week.
So, our main criteria is being near a temple. The other is finding a place where we'd have close friends. The cities we've picked so far are Omaha, NE; Louisville, KY; Atlanta, GA; and Dallas, TX. Each city has a temple and each has either friends or family. We figure that a 6 month stay in each city would give us time to figure out if we'd be happy there or not.
The time traveling would also help me focus on my writing and to determine if I will be able to have any kind of success at it.
So for now, we need to figure out if those are the cities we'd like to go and what are the pros and cons of each city. Any help? Anyone want to sell us on their city?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Some Things You May Not Know About Me
That title probably sounds more ominous than intended :)
I get depressed sometimes. I get lonely, and just need a hug. Unfortunately, with my work schedule and Emily's school schedule, that sometimes doesn't happen.
I seriously plan to adopt. If things go well in the next few years, we'll be blessed with the ability to have more kids, and there are a lot out there that need help. I heard a statistic once, though I don't know if it was accurate or not, it was interesting. It said that if just one member of each congregation of all the churches in the US would adopt one child, there would be no adoption problem in this country. When it comes to social issues, I believe most adults should do what is necessary to support themselves, but children don't have that ability. If I can give a good, loving home to one or two children that are without, then I think I can say I've made a good difference in this world.
Despite my love of reading, I'm a little slow at it. That doesn't mean I'm slow or that I have any comprehension issues (I was actually ahead for my reading level at school), I think it's just another OCD issue. I find myself stopping to count words or letters.
Sometimes I feel guilty about my mission. Emily asks why I don't tell mission stories. One reason is you really need another missionary to tell them. It's just one of those things. Another is my guilt. I didn't commit any big sins, I just didn't keep all the mission rules with exactness. In the MTC they hammer into you the need to keep all the rules 100% of the time, which is impossible. So then you're set with this impossible standard and get to have the guilt when you inevitably break a rule or fall short of one. But I do believe in repentence. When I say I wasn't perfect, again, I didn't go around flaunting the rules. I just wasn't perfect. Sometimes I listened to the radio in the car. I had a hard time getting up in the morning. But I do feel good in the fact that one of the things I excelled at (at the risk of boasting) was I truly cared for everyone I taught. I really wanted to help people and I worked hard to do that. When I was a district leader, I rarely talked about the 'numbers' of things. I tried to focus on the people and how we could help the individual. And I think that's something that's lacking in this country is that we don't care much about the individual, and that's the one thing we need to do to improve things. When people have hope and direction, they can make something of themselves.
Okay, a little lighter now.
I want to travel Europe. There is so much beauty and antiquity and history that I want to see and learn and experience. My tops are England (London, Liverpool, and the countryside) and Italy (including the Vatican City).
I want to learn how to paint. Artistically. I hate painting walls. But I think it would be fun to take the time to learn how to paint scenes, landscapes, portraits, and the like.
I would like to be a punk/rock singer/songwriter and I don't think I wouldn't be terrible. I think some of the weird/random things I come up with would work well.
I'm verbally dyslexic. I know what I want to say, but sometimes a few words come out in the wrong order. I used to fluster and fumble and try to correct myself, now I just let it be and hope people think its one of the things that make me interesting.
I want to serve a senior mission. Or two. Or three. But I never want to be a Mission President. I remember those old couples serving in my mission and I just thought it would be fun to be them, to be around the young missionaries again, realizing they're not perfect, but being surprised by how wonderful they can be. I remember when I was a district leader (which isn't boasting, in my mission most Elders got a shot at leadership as long as they weren't terrible) I would see the missionaries I was responsible for and I could catch a glimpse at their spirit, of who they really were, and what they could be. I would work so hard to try to bring that out in them and try to convince them of what I saw. I think that was one of the best parts of my mission, and I'd like to be in that position again.
That's all I can come up with for now, but I'm sure there are more.
I get depressed sometimes. I get lonely, and just need a hug. Unfortunately, with my work schedule and Emily's school schedule, that sometimes doesn't happen.
I seriously plan to adopt. If things go well in the next few years, we'll be blessed with the ability to have more kids, and there are a lot out there that need help. I heard a statistic once, though I don't know if it was accurate or not, it was interesting. It said that if just one member of each congregation of all the churches in the US would adopt one child, there would be no adoption problem in this country. When it comes to social issues, I believe most adults should do what is necessary to support themselves, but children don't have that ability. If I can give a good, loving home to one or two children that are without, then I think I can say I've made a good difference in this world.
Despite my love of reading, I'm a little slow at it. That doesn't mean I'm slow or that I have any comprehension issues (I was actually ahead for my reading level at school), I think it's just another OCD issue. I find myself stopping to count words or letters.
Sometimes I feel guilty about my mission. Emily asks why I don't tell mission stories. One reason is you really need another missionary to tell them. It's just one of those things. Another is my guilt. I didn't commit any big sins, I just didn't keep all the mission rules with exactness. In the MTC they hammer into you the need to keep all the rules 100% of the time, which is impossible. So then you're set with this impossible standard and get to have the guilt when you inevitably break a rule or fall short of one. But I do believe in repentence. When I say I wasn't perfect, again, I didn't go around flaunting the rules. I just wasn't perfect. Sometimes I listened to the radio in the car. I had a hard time getting up in the morning. But I do feel good in the fact that one of the things I excelled at (at the risk of boasting) was I truly cared for everyone I taught. I really wanted to help people and I worked hard to do that. When I was a district leader, I rarely talked about the 'numbers' of things. I tried to focus on the people and how we could help the individual. And I think that's something that's lacking in this country is that we don't care much about the individual, and that's the one thing we need to do to improve things. When people have hope and direction, they can make something of themselves.
Okay, a little lighter now.
I want to travel Europe. There is so much beauty and antiquity and history that I want to see and learn and experience. My tops are England (London, Liverpool, and the countryside) and Italy (including the Vatican City).
I want to learn how to paint. Artistically. I hate painting walls. But I think it would be fun to take the time to learn how to paint scenes, landscapes, portraits, and the like.
I would like to be a punk/rock singer/songwriter and I don't think I wouldn't be terrible. I think some of the weird/random things I come up with would work well.
I'm verbally dyslexic. I know what I want to say, but sometimes a few words come out in the wrong order. I used to fluster and fumble and try to correct myself, now I just let it be and hope people think its one of the things that make me interesting.
I want to serve a senior mission. Or two. Or three. But I never want to be a Mission President. I remember those old couples serving in my mission and I just thought it would be fun to be them, to be around the young missionaries again, realizing they're not perfect, but being surprised by how wonderful they can be. I remember when I was a district leader (which isn't boasting, in my mission most Elders got a shot at leadership as long as they weren't terrible) I would see the missionaries I was responsible for and I could catch a glimpse at their spirit, of who they really were, and what they could be. I would work so hard to try to bring that out in them and try to convince them of what I saw. I think that was one of the best parts of my mission, and I'd like to be in that position again.
That's all I can come up with for now, but I'm sure there are more.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A Conversation With an Old Friend
This is just a short story I wrote yesterday. It may be a little rough. I didn't take the time to revise it, and it changes from present to past tense at the beginning, so please bear with me. For your viewing pleasure:
After a long day of work a man comes home to his family. His house is a mess from his children's exploits, and his wife is sitting in the recliner, flipping through channels on TV.
"Haven't you done anything today?" the man asks. "The house is a wreck, dirty clothes are strewn about the house, and I bet the dishes aren't done. Do I have to do everything?"
"If you don't like it," his wife says, "you can certainly pick up for yourself. I have done several loads of laundry, I have cooked for both the children and for you, and every time I pick up after the children, they destroy the house again. If you think you can better, you are certainly welcome to try."
Of course the man doesn't really want to do anything about it. He just wants to blame his frustration on someone else. He has worked all day and has heard enough excuses that ones from his wife, unlike those he hears at work, are completely justified.
"I have an early day tomorrow," the man says. "I'm going to bed early. Good night."
"Don't you want to play with your children? Or at least pray with us?"
"Not tonight," he says. He heads in to his bedroom, changes for bed, and sinks into his sheets. "I just don't know why I bother," he says as his eyes close.
In the night he is woken by a flash of light. But he can't really be awake for he is no longer in his bedroom. He doesn't really know where he is. Everything is bright white, but it doesn't hurt his eyes. The headache he had when he went to bed is gone and he notices that he doesn't really feel anything. He can't tell if he's seated or standing, only that he doesn't feel pressure on his back, his bottom, or his feet.
"Well, this is strange," he says.
"And maybe a little familiar," a voice responds.
"Who's there?"
He looks about him and tries to focus. A face appears before him, a few feet off. A moment later he can see the whole body of a man, average height, with white hair and beard.
"Hello," the man said, a little smile showing on his face.
"You look familiar. Do I know you?"
"You used to. We used to talk a lot when you were younger."
"Are you friends with my parents?"
"Let's just say we used to go to church together," the older man said.
"Church? And we talked a lot?"
The man just smiled wider, and as he did, the younger man felt like a sheet was being fulled from his face. When the sensation ended it almost seemed like he could see things clearer, though nothing felt unclear before. Then realization hit him.
"It's you, isn't it? You're..."
"Yes, I AM."
"But I've never seen you before."
"Not lately, but before you were born, we knew each other."
"So, that's when we talked?"
"Yes, we talked then, but I was talking about more recently. In this life. When you were a child."
"I don't remember. You think I would remember something like that."
"Well, maybe to you it wasn't like talking. You would probably call it prayer."
"No, you need to have a response for it to be a proper conversation," the younger man said. "You never answered so I stopped."
"I always answered. Did I not speak peace to your soul? Did I not make your life better? Did I not shield you from danger?"
"I don't know. I never noticed the difference. My life didn't seem to change much after I gave up on you."
"You're right," the older man said. "Your life didn't change much. Don't you see? You are a smart person. You worked hard and became successful without me."
"Why do I need you, then?"
"Because with me, you could have been happy too."
"Am I not happy?"
"Are you?"
"No, but I have a lot of friends that still believe in you, and they don't seem to be any better off than you. In fact, many are worse off. They have to work harder to have less in their lives."
"But don't you notice something about them? Don't you see what is different between you and them. Take a moment and think."
Not having much better to do, the younger man did think about it, to see if there was a difference. He worked with a younger woman that had five children. Both her and her husband worked to pay the bills, and they barely kept up. In fact, he was pretty sure she waitressed on the weekend to make ends meet. They couldn't be happy with that. But there was something about her. She always had a pleasant disposition and never let anyone's unkind words bother her. Why was she like that? And she wasn't alone. There were others that had to work much harder for their livelihood than he did. But they seemed, what was it? Happier? They didn't worry too much about bills, though he knew they should. What was the difference. He looked at the older man, confusion on his face.
"Have you not figured it out yet?" the older man said.
"There's no reason these people should be happy."
"But they are. It is because of their belief. It is because they allow me to enter their lives."
"But that girl at work, she doesn't even get to go to church half the time."
"But she still believes. It's faith. You just need to believe in me, and then try the best you can, and I make up the rest."
"But how can it be about faith? I mean, you're here talking to me. I know you're real."
The older man shook his head, still smiling. "You are dreaming. When you wake up, you will have to decide if this was real, or just your guilt playing tricks on you. Besides, miracles and visions don't produce faith. Look at Jonah. He wouldn't do what I asked until he was swallowed by a whale. And Laman and Lemuel saw angels and they still didn't change their ways. The only thing the angel did for them was to keep them from killing their brother."
"So you're saying I can wake up and be the same as I was before. I can go right back to disbelieving."
"You can choose to disbelieve, but you can't be the same as you were before. This is a crossroads. You can turn right or left, but you can't continue the way you were. You have to decide whether you want to make the changes in your life to live a better life, or your life will go downhill. You will lose the things you have worked for."
"That's not very nice," the younger man said. "Why would you do that to me?"
"It's not me. I gave freedom of choice to everyone. Your wife is an the edge of choosing a different life. And your employers have noticed that while you do a good job, you have a bad attitude and that it may be in their best interests to replace you."
"That's not fair. You can't do this to me."
"I have not done it. I am only warning you, to give you the chance to choose which way you want to travel."
"It doesn't seem like much of a choice."
"That might be the case, but it is a choice."
"What happens now? I choose to believe and everything goes well?"
"No. If you choose to believe, you will still have to work hard. The difference is I will be there to help you. If you believe, you will allow me to make up the difference when you fall short."
"Okay, I think I need to talk to my wife."
"I think that would be a good idea," the older man said, smiling. "Remember, you're not a bad person. You've just forgotten who you are. Believe in me, and I will help you remember."
The room blurred white and both man and room disappeared into blackness. When the younger man woke in the morning, he wasn't sure it was real or not. It was just as the dream man had said. He could certainly write it off as a vivid dream. But somehow he felt that it was more than that. Sure, he could discount it as just a feeling, but what if it was more? His wife stirred and opened her eyes.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" she asked.
"Just had a dream," he said.
"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," he said. "But I would like to talk about something else. I haven't been very kind to you lately, and I'd like to see what I need to do to change that."
"I'd like that."
After a long day of work a man comes home to his family. His house is a mess from his children's exploits, and his wife is sitting in the recliner, flipping through channels on TV.
"Haven't you done anything today?" the man asks. "The house is a wreck, dirty clothes are strewn about the house, and I bet the dishes aren't done. Do I have to do everything?"
"If you don't like it," his wife says, "you can certainly pick up for yourself. I have done several loads of laundry, I have cooked for both the children and for you, and every time I pick up after the children, they destroy the house again. If you think you can better, you are certainly welcome to try."
Of course the man doesn't really want to do anything about it. He just wants to blame his frustration on someone else. He has worked all day and has heard enough excuses that ones from his wife, unlike those he hears at work, are completely justified.
"I have an early day tomorrow," the man says. "I'm going to bed early. Good night."
"Don't you want to play with your children? Or at least pray with us?"
"Not tonight," he says. He heads in to his bedroom, changes for bed, and sinks into his sheets. "I just don't know why I bother," he says as his eyes close.
In the night he is woken by a flash of light. But he can't really be awake for he is no longer in his bedroom. He doesn't really know where he is. Everything is bright white, but it doesn't hurt his eyes. The headache he had when he went to bed is gone and he notices that he doesn't really feel anything. He can't tell if he's seated or standing, only that he doesn't feel pressure on his back, his bottom, or his feet.
"Well, this is strange," he says.
"And maybe a little familiar," a voice responds.
"Who's there?"
He looks about him and tries to focus. A face appears before him, a few feet off. A moment later he can see the whole body of a man, average height, with white hair and beard.
"Hello," the man said, a little smile showing on his face.
"You look familiar. Do I know you?"
"You used to. We used to talk a lot when you were younger."
"Are you friends with my parents?"
"Let's just say we used to go to church together," the older man said.
"Church? And we talked a lot?"
The man just smiled wider, and as he did, the younger man felt like a sheet was being fulled from his face. When the sensation ended it almost seemed like he could see things clearer, though nothing felt unclear before. Then realization hit him.
"It's you, isn't it? You're..."
"Yes, I AM."
"But I've never seen you before."
"Not lately, but before you were born, we knew each other."
"So, that's when we talked?"
"Yes, we talked then, but I was talking about more recently. In this life. When you were a child."
"I don't remember. You think I would remember something like that."
"Well, maybe to you it wasn't like talking. You would probably call it prayer."
"No, you need to have a response for it to be a proper conversation," the younger man said. "You never answered so I stopped."
"I always answered. Did I not speak peace to your soul? Did I not make your life better? Did I not shield you from danger?"
"I don't know. I never noticed the difference. My life didn't seem to change much after I gave up on you."
"You're right," the older man said. "Your life didn't change much. Don't you see? You are a smart person. You worked hard and became successful without me."
"Why do I need you, then?"
"Because with me, you could have been happy too."
"Am I not happy?"
"Are you?"
"No, but I have a lot of friends that still believe in you, and they don't seem to be any better off than you. In fact, many are worse off. They have to work harder to have less in their lives."
"But don't you notice something about them? Don't you see what is different between you and them. Take a moment and think."
Not having much better to do, the younger man did think about it, to see if there was a difference. He worked with a younger woman that had five children. Both her and her husband worked to pay the bills, and they barely kept up. In fact, he was pretty sure she waitressed on the weekend to make ends meet. They couldn't be happy with that. But there was something about her. She always had a pleasant disposition and never let anyone's unkind words bother her. Why was she like that? And she wasn't alone. There were others that had to work much harder for their livelihood than he did. But they seemed, what was it? Happier? They didn't worry too much about bills, though he knew they should. What was the difference. He looked at the older man, confusion on his face.
"Have you not figured it out yet?" the older man said.
"There's no reason these people should be happy."
"But they are. It is because of their belief. It is because they allow me to enter their lives."
"But that girl at work, she doesn't even get to go to church half the time."
"But she still believes. It's faith. You just need to believe in me, and then try the best you can, and I make up the rest."
"But how can it be about faith? I mean, you're here talking to me. I know you're real."
The older man shook his head, still smiling. "You are dreaming. When you wake up, you will have to decide if this was real, or just your guilt playing tricks on you. Besides, miracles and visions don't produce faith. Look at Jonah. He wouldn't do what I asked until he was swallowed by a whale. And Laman and Lemuel saw angels and they still didn't change their ways. The only thing the angel did for them was to keep them from killing their brother."
"So you're saying I can wake up and be the same as I was before. I can go right back to disbelieving."
"You can choose to disbelieve, but you can't be the same as you were before. This is a crossroads. You can turn right or left, but you can't continue the way you were. You have to decide whether you want to make the changes in your life to live a better life, or your life will go downhill. You will lose the things you have worked for."
"That's not very nice," the younger man said. "Why would you do that to me?"
"It's not me. I gave freedom of choice to everyone. Your wife is an the edge of choosing a different life. And your employers have noticed that while you do a good job, you have a bad attitude and that it may be in their best interests to replace you."
"That's not fair. You can't do this to me."
"I have not done it. I am only warning you, to give you the chance to choose which way you want to travel."
"It doesn't seem like much of a choice."
"That might be the case, but it is a choice."
"What happens now? I choose to believe and everything goes well?"
"No. If you choose to believe, you will still have to work hard. The difference is I will be there to help you. If you believe, you will allow me to make up the difference when you fall short."
"Okay, I think I need to talk to my wife."
"I think that would be a good idea," the older man said, smiling. "Remember, you're not a bad person. You've just forgotten who you are. Believe in me, and I will help you remember."
The room blurred white and both man and room disappeared into blackness. When the younger man woke in the morning, he wasn't sure it was real or not. It was just as the dream man had said. He could certainly write it off as a vivid dream. But somehow he felt that it was more than that. Sure, he could discount it as just a feeling, but what if it was more? His wife stirred and opened her eyes.
"Are you having trouble sleeping?" she asked.
"Just had a dream," he said.
"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," he said. "But I would like to talk about something else. I haven't been very kind to you lately, and I'd like to see what I need to do to change that."
"I'd like that."
Friday, March 7, 2008
My OCD
Inspired by two fellow bloggers' posts on their OCD, I will reveal mine as well.
I touch things. A lot. Usually glass surfaces work the best, like my computer monitor (is that why it's dirty?), my windshield, rearview mirror, iPod, and iPhone. Only the last one is really a problem. With the wonderful touchscreen, the iPhone doesn't want to be randomly touched.
Not only do I go back many times to see if anyone has commented on my blogs, I go back to see if my friends have responded to the comments I placed on their blogs. How sick is that? It's not a needy thing, it's just curiosity.
I try to keep my books organized by size. I thought that having them by author or genre would be more intelligent, but it's aesthetically pleasing. I thought it weird until both Rhia and Alison remarked on their blogs that they did the same.
I always wash my dishes the same way. I fill the basin, then put large plates, small plates, and bowls in the corner. Then I fit baby bottles and stuff around that. I leave the glasses and cups out, but fill them with soapy water. One special glass is the utensil holder. This isn't so much an OCD thing as a I don't like to be cut or poked by forks and knives. Though it doesn't explain why the spoons have to be in the cup too.
I look at random spots in the room. I don't know why. Sometimes it bugs people. Trust me, it bugs me too.
I count things. I count the number of letters in a word or sentence.
I say colors. Right now the cabinets above my workstation are purple and white. Purple and white. Purple and white. It bugs me when there's something in my line of vision that doesn't have an easily definable color.
I used to be an email checker, but now my emails all come to my iPhone and it vibrates (woo-hoo) when I get a new one. But I guess that hasn't really stopped me from checking it.
I save emails from people I like as proof that they like me. I don't really think that works with gmail, at least I haven't figured it out. I only changed because hotmail doesn't work well with the email feature on my phone.
When we first got our iPhones my wife and I would refer to them as iPhones and not just "the phone" or "the cell phone". One day I realized we were doing it and told my wife we should stop, that it sounded a little pretentious.
That's it for now.
I touch things. A lot. Usually glass surfaces work the best, like my computer monitor (is that why it's dirty?), my windshield, rearview mirror, iPod, and iPhone. Only the last one is really a problem. With the wonderful touchscreen, the iPhone doesn't want to be randomly touched.
Not only do I go back many times to see if anyone has commented on my blogs, I go back to see if my friends have responded to the comments I placed on their blogs. How sick is that? It's not a needy thing, it's just curiosity.
I try to keep my books organized by size. I thought that having them by author or genre would be more intelligent, but it's aesthetically pleasing. I thought it weird until both Rhia and Alison remarked on their blogs that they did the same.
I always wash my dishes the same way. I fill the basin, then put large plates, small plates, and bowls in the corner. Then I fit baby bottles and stuff around that. I leave the glasses and cups out, but fill them with soapy water. One special glass is the utensil holder. This isn't so much an OCD thing as a I don't like to be cut or poked by forks and knives. Though it doesn't explain why the spoons have to be in the cup too.
I look at random spots in the room. I don't know why. Sometimes it bugs people. Trust me, it bugs me too.
I count things. I count the number of letters in a word or sentence.
I say colors. Right now the cabinets above my workstation are purple and white. Purple and white. Purple and white. It bugs me when there's something in my line of vision that doesn't have an easily definable color.
I used to be an email checker, but now my emails all come to my iPhone and it vibrates (woo-hoo) when I get a new one. But I guess that hasn't really stopped me from checking it.
I save emails from people I like as proof that they like me. I don't really think that works with gmail, at least I haven't figured it out. I only changed because hotmail doesn't work well with the email feature on my phone.
When we first got our iPhones my wife and I would refer to them as iPhones and not just "the phone" or "the cell phone". One day I realized we were doing it and told my wife we should stop, that it sounded a little pretentious.
That's it for now.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Triumphant Return of the Matt Super-Blog
I stopped blogging at the end of last year because no one was reading my blog, or at leat, no one was commenting. Then my wife Emily told me that I should do it again because she would learn things about me through my blog that wouldn't come up in every day conversation. So I decided to restart, but instead of focusing on my writing, just to blog about whatever I feel like.
So today, credit ratings.
I've always had pretty decent credit. My problem for a while was that my credit was fine, I just didn't have a long enough history. I didn't do anything wrong except get in a lot of debt, but I was okay because I paid my bills on time. Let me tell you, though, a great way to get your credit score up. Marry someone who wants to go to school. Have them take out a bunch of school loans and your score will skyrocket.
So last July I went in to trade in my 2004 Ford Escape with 80,000 for a newer car with only 8,000. This was more because I was afraid my depreciating car with high milage wouldn't make it that much longer and I'd better get something newer before it exploded and wasn't worth anything. (By the way, does anyone else wish that their car would get totaled or stolen so they can get their loan paid off?)
Anyway, I go in and they run my credit and tell me what my payments will be. Now, I've done my homework and know what the loan should run. They come back to me a few times and make me offers and each time I ask, "what exactly is my credit score?" Well, they try to dodge the issue until I press it. That's when they tell me that they haven't actually run my credit. So I tell them to get me a lower payment. They come back with something else that isn't acceptable. I press them again and they tell me what I can afford. I tell them, and they come back with that number, with maybe five bucks less. Amazing. But it's their own fault for putting payment estimators on their website.
This all reminds me of that stupid commercial out for the site freecreditreport.com. Let me tell you, don't go there, it's not free. The way they run their ads is dishonest and they should be shut down. The real free site is annualcreditreport.com, where they are required to give you your credit report for free once per year.
So, what bugs me about these ads is you have this guy singing about how he is working in a crummy restaraunt and can't get a job because his credit is bad, or how he could have had a nice car if he'd just known his credit was in the tank. My question: what does an employer care what your credit rating is? Do they run your score? No! These people play on fear to get you to spend your money. And if I walked into a dealership and said, "Hey! I went to this website and I knoew my credit sucks. Because I knew that in advance, you have to give me a good car with good payments." I wonder how hard they would laugh.
Save your money, my friends. Besides, if you walk into a dealership and they tell you your credit is bad, the worst that happens is you walk out without a car. And if they reject your credit application, they HAVE to give you a report of your credit for free.
Grr.
So today, credit ratings.
I've always had pretty decent credit. My problem for a while was that my credit was fine, I just didn't have a long enough history. I didn't do anything wrong except get in a lot of debt, but I was okay because I paid my bills on time. Let me tell you, though, a great way to get your credit score up. Marry someone who wants to go to school. Have them take out a bunch of school loans and your score will skyrocket.
So last July I went in to trade in my 2004 Ford Escape with 80,000 for a newer car with only 8,000. This was more because I was afraid my depreciating car with high milage wouldn't make it that much longer and I'd better get something newer before it exploded and wasn't worth anything. (By the way, does anyone else wish that their car would get totaled or stolen so they can get their loan paid off?)
Anyway, I go in and they run my credit and tell me what my payments will be. Now, I've done my homework and know what the loan should run. They come back to me a few times and make me offers and each time I ask, "what exactly is my credit score?" Well, they try to dodge the issue until I press it. That's when they tell me that they haven't actually run my credit. So I tell them to get me a lower payment. They come back with something else that isn't acceptable. I press them again and they tell me what I can afford. I tell them, and they come back with that number, with maybe five bucks less. Amazing. But it's their own fault for putting payment estimators on their website.
This all reminds me of that stupid commercial out for the site freecreditreport.com. Let me tell you, don't go there, it's not free. The way they run their ads is dishonest and they should be shut down. The real free site is annualcreditreport.com, where they are required to give you your credit report for free once per year.
So, what bugs me about these ads is you have this guy singing about how he is working in a crummy restaraunt and can't get a job because his credit is bad, or how he could have had a nice car if he'd just known his credit was in the tank. My question: what does an employer care what your credit rating is? Do they run your score? No! These people play on fear to get you to spend your money. And if I walked into a dealership and said, "Hey! I went to this website and I knoew my credit sucks. Because I knew that in advance, you have to give me a good car with good payments." I wonder how hard they would laugh.
Save your money, my friends. Besides, if you walk into a dealership and they tell you your credit is bad, the worst that happens is you walk out without a car. And if they reject your credit application, they HAVE to give you a report of your credit for free.
Grr.
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