Be afraid, very afraid!

Ok so this is not actually the post of the year since the photos did not turn out as well as I thought they would have. I had higher hopes for this little project but this is what I have. I just see way to many homes that have too many things going on with their Christmas Decorations. I was inspired to bring this to my peeps, all 1.5 of y'all.

House #1

Sorry about the photo it does not show the house off as much as I would have liked.

Ok this house went crazy with the inflatables. Where did these things come from and a bigger question that I have is why do people think these look good in their front yards.

House #2

Again sorry about the photo it does not doe the ugliness justice.

This one has the "isicles" hangin from the roof, inflatibles, the old school plastic light ups and lines of lights around the front yard.

House #3

All that needs to be said is that there are two sets of reindeer and colorful "icicle" lights yikes!

House #4

The pictues are coming out a bit better!

Keep one theme please!!

House #5

Again, KEEP ONE THEME!! Can you see the helicopter lights on the roof, that is Santa arriving in style to their home. Way to many lights, way to many themes and just plain silliness.

The funniest thing that came to mind while out taking these photos is if someone saw us taking the photos of their home. They must have thought that we liked it so much that we just had to have a photo. Or better yet that maybe their home might be in the community newspaper showing off their most beautiful home to the world. Nope, only me posting about how much silliness is going on out there.

These people take pride in putting all of this up, this scares me a bit!

Couple of sites to look at that feel the same as I do! Click on the links below

http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/

http://www.tackylighttour.com/

Richmond Dispatch, This is about an actual contest to be the tackiest light display each year. If that is the case more power to you.

Well again sorry about the post after getting your hopes up for my best post of the year. Do look over to the side and Vote for your favorite worst house out of the 5!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

3rd times a charm I guess

Well I have informed you about some of my sales meetings this past week so I thought I would let you know about my last one. This time I went in there fresh since they have never been a client of mine like the previous two. But this time the results were far different than the last.

I went in thinking I would end up getting some ads but not what I walked out with as in sales. They signed a fairly large contract with me for 2007 with an option for more if the results are what they expect. Plus they are interested in many of the other opportunities that we are offering for 2007!

How can I sell someone new but yet cannot sell to clients that have been with me for over 2 years and in on case over 5 1/2 years. Kinda Crazy!!

We are actually off tomorrow which is kinda crazy as well since my company has never given us a Friday off that is not the true date for the holiday itself. What to do, what to do? I guess a little shopping is in order. I know it is a little early for me but I will manage I guess.

The passing of...

Well this weekend was the passing of an era in my life. For the last century I have owned a Pontiac Bonneville, not the same one mind you but a Bonne non the less. Well my last one was literally on it's last cylinder. Last night as I drove it to the dealership I did not think that the poor baby was going to make it. But it did and I was happy to leave it behind for someone else to deal with.

We purchased a Nissan Altima (my first Japenese car in over 12 years, they are Japenese aren't they?). I have a larger stature of 6'3" or so and a slightly bigger frame so that was a major aspect of finding a car for me. This one surprised me and has plenty of leg room for everyone in the car. Very nice car! To find out more and to see a picture of this particular car with the same paint job as ours (not actually ours and not of actual size) you can see it here on my wifes blog Ally's After-thoughts!

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Well yesterday I had another meeting with a client that did not go as I had hoped. It was another "no" meeting as well. This was with a City here in Dallas even though they have been my client since I arrived here in Dallas 5 1/2 years ago. They are going a different direction right now since she was a bit uninformed about some things. I got her up to speed so there continues to be hope for us to work together again in 2007. So all is not lost but on a short hiatus for a little bit.

So this is another passing of an era with them as well since we have been a constant vendor of theirs for over a half of a century.

By the way this is not my post of the year I am still trying to get all that I need to post it! So keep checking back here since there will be a vote that will go along with it.

You mean what?

Hey hey there home slices, I know that is a bit old school but then again so am I! Or should I say "no school" for me? hehehehe, me so funny!

OK I have to get this off my chest since it has been bugging me for far to long. There is a lady that I know that makes this silly comment after you have made your comment or statement about the converstation at hand. She does not do each time but she does it enough that it is driving me crazier.

Let me give you a far fetched scenerio of where it might happen. Let us say we were having a conversation about pink elefants so I say "Man I think they are pretty and all but when they jump in front of your car they can be dangerous if not deadly". She then would pipe in rather quickly I might ad "I mean to tell you".

Huh? What? Come again. She said "I mean to tell ya" even when she is not the one telling you anything. I guess it would pass muster if she actually then makes a statement of her own about pink elefants but she offers nothing else of substance in the conversation but "I mean to tell ya".

Well anyways have a great weekend and I hope to have the "post of the year for you next week". I mean to tell ya!

Peace

If I cannot acheive it then why should anyone else be recognized?

Mass. high school decides the honor roll is too stressful

USA TodayPosted by Mike Carney at 11:08 AM/ET, December 12, 2006
A Massachusetts high school will no longer publish its honor roll because of concerns that the traditional academic rankings cause too much stress for students, especially those who don't make the list.
Needham High School Principal Paul Richards told the Needham Times "the idea of keeping the honor roll private was pitched by a concerned parent and spread quickly in a school community already looking to ease tension around the town."
Good students will receive a letter of congratulations instead of having their name published in the local newspaper, the paper said. But WCVB-TV reports the community is split on the decision.
"Richards said one parent with three children attending Needham High told him publishing the honor roll is a constant cause of stress in her family. According to that parent, one of the three students routinely made the honor roll while the other two did not," the station reported on its website.
"Another parent who didn't want his name used said his two youngsters, a senior and a junior at Needham High, both consistently received honors and high honors. He said he, 'took special pride in opening the newspaper and seeing his kids names.' He said he could also see how the publishing of names could put stress on other kids who did not make it."

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WHAT!

So they are taking away any acheivement from students who deserve to have recognition. I was never on the honor roll and if I recall correctly I did not even come close. Let us think of a hypothetical situation here, very hypothetical. What if I being a student for a few years and never made the list but then one semester I buckled down and made the list. Where would be my recognition for it? OHHHH a letter in the mail.

I understand that we want our children to be happy and to love themselves for who Christ created them to be. He did not make everyone equal in the smarts catagory, I can attest to that. My oldest brother was is the smart one, yea I wish I had his smarts but I do not. Has that stopped me from being myself and being a child of Christ? No way!

OOPS forgot we already have taken Christ out of everything, sorry about that.

I have another ability that he does not have and that is drawing. I have a great artistic (which I need to use more often than I do now) ability that sets me a part. I was not born for being a brain and being on the honor roll. Could I have done much better? Why yes I could have if I took an interest in it and applied myself more. I won awards with my ability, won a scholarship, had my name on a calendar due to my abilites. Am I supposed to give up that recognition because my brother did not?

We are raising children that will not be able to function without a lawyer on hand to make tings better for me. If I do not get the recognition in my office but my colleague does am I supposed to complain and ask for my own recognition when I did not do it? Where has the ability to be happy for someone else and to encourage them while trying to better yourself gone?

It is sad to me that we are making everything and everyone equal when we are far from that. Encourage the strengths of others not take away. I am repeating myself here but we are not all made the same.

I have had many people say that they wish they could draw like me, well I wish that I could be smarter and retain things more in my brain. But I do not, I have accepted it, moved on and have a great life not ever being an "A" student or on the honor roll.

A few notes

Well kind of a blah day for me so far. For some reason I am feeling really tired even though I have been sleeping great the last few days. You would think that I would be feeling wide awake and ready for the day but I am dragging a bit! I do not usually find myself in a deep dreamy state during my slumber but for the last few days I have. Last nights dream for some reason I found myself in Mexico with a group of people. If I do dream I usually cannot recall what my dreams were the next morning unless if I am in a coma like sleep overnight. So for me to recall Mexico with a group is pretty good for me.

Maybe it is a case of OS (Over sleep), this is a condition where you get too much sleep during the night and have the feeling of being tired and groggy yet the next day. Even though you maybe had too much sleep. Ya follow?

Well today I had a meeting with a client of mine for the last 3 years. I have always dealt with him via the phone but I am trying to set up sales for 2007 so I thought I would pay him a visit. So after 3 years we finally meet, the sad thing is for the past year he has only been located a few blocks from the office and we never had met even though he has been a great client of mine. Well it was nice to actually meet him and find out more about his business. It is a business that competes with Texas Instruments in products and in most aspects of business down to the people they hire.

Well during our meeting when it came down to actually "selling" him and getting something signed he said "no". OK it was not just a no but a no times 3. I think if I had to have a ticket validated to get out of the parking lot he still would have told me no. But after 3 years of being a great client I look forward to working with him more even if our pricing is not set for 2007 as I tried to do today. He said that he would have to take his chances and pay more if needed. Well that is not all bad in itself if I am going to get more for the same as he would have paid for it with a rate hold as I tried to sell him today. All is good.

Well tonight is Christmas Party number 1 for this week that holds 4. Tonight is for the worship and arts ministry at Church which I get to tag along too (it is usually very entertaining if you could not already gather that by the group gathering), Thursday is our work get together and then Friday is for Wildlife leaders (Jr. high group at our Church), then Saturday is for our Lifegroup. Yikes my tummy will be expanding, please pray for control!

Well as you can tell a slow news day and toebee day!!

'Tis the season

This time of the year we keep getting bombarded with so much for the Holiday Season as in ads, Christmas music 2 weeks BEFORE Thanksgiving, lights around the office and everywhere else you look. As some of you know that my parents were in town recently during the Thanksgiving week and weekend. During their visit there were a couple of instances where we were going places and I was driving. (My rule when driving is when I am in the car we listen to my music over the radio [iPod]. Ok that is not all true when I am driving it is my music that is played. I do try to know the speed of music that my passengers prefer so I try to tailor my music choice to them.) and my mother wanted to listen to Christmas music and I did not want too. So I compromised and listened to the softest music I have.

I do not listen to P.O.D., Red, Flyleaf or similar groups when my parents are in the car. I will listen to music like BTBF Worship recording "Still Amazed" or other slower music for them. This way I am happy listening to what I like and they can be content. I like to drive only if my music is playing, I am a bit quarky like that. My wife rocks for allowing me to listen to my music when I drive. That is a love language for me when someone allows me to do such things.

Well I diverted off my original thoughts about 'tis the Season and all of that. Well my mother wanted to listen to Christmas music and I did not allow it to be played while I was driving. Alycia was better for my mother since she listened to Christmas music while she drove my mother around. I do have a point here so stick with me, there are alot of rabbits to chase.

Well for me being someone from the North where there is snow if not on Christmas at least a week or so before or after. If no snow the high temps usually range 20-30 degrees. For 30 + years I associated Snow with the Holiday Season not Christmas itself. I have always got into Christmas but it is the "season" around it that I have had difficulty getting into I guess.

Here in Texas the highs are usually around 50 degrees during this time of the year and the earth is brown. Even Fall here is rather blah! Up north you have a beautiful grand entrance of fall by the leaves turning beautiful colors. It kind of signifies the beauty and majesty of Christ as the colors pop up everywhere. Then as the leaves begin to fall to the ground the trees seem to be bowing before we Celebrate in Thanksgiving the Birth of Christ.

Well to wrap this up like a nice little Christmas gift. This year I seem to be getting into the "mood" of Christmas and the Holiday season earlier for a few reasons. One is that we have many days that have been cool (freezing by Texas standards) with a snow flurry one day mixed in. This left some white stuff on the ground even if just a trace of it. Secondly we are traveling back to my home town in southeastern Wisconsin where the temps will be cold and hopefully a bit of snow on the ground.

With all of that said I would like to say early

Merry Christmas!

Thanks copper

OK I just got back from getting my lunch so I thought I would post real quick. Well not just because I got back from lunch but I have a bit of time to do so. For those interested I went to the Corner Bakery and had half of a Ham sandwitch on Pretzel bread with a cup of Chili. I did not eat it all either even though it was tasty. Not the tastiest meal I had but it hit a spot in my tummy.

While driving there I needed to turn right onto a Blvd with three lanes. Well I turned into the middle lane due to the fact that the left lane went further back than the middle lane. I had some time to get over one more lane to make my left turn into the parking lot. As I waited there I plotted out my best scenario and moves in getting across the street to buy said lunch. As I sat there I looked into my rear view mirror and noticed an unmarked police car behind me. So in my plotting I realized I could not make my move in the middle of the intersection so I had to make it left fast or wait until after the light.

Well the light turns green so I start moving forward along with everyone else so I put my left blinker on to move over. Blinkers in Dallas means one thing I believe, speed up so no one else can squeeze before you in line. Well I noticed that the cop moved over before the intersection to the lane I needed to occupy. For sure he sees my blinker and will have sympathathy since the mini van along side of me mirrored my everymove. If I slowed down they seemed to slow and if I sped up they seemed to speed up. Trapped and the saving grace would be the cop to let me over.

Wrong, he seemed to have sped up as well to fill in the gap between himself and the mini van ahead of him. Nice copper! So I had to almost come to a stop in the middle lane for cars to pass me to get over. I had to make manuvers that I dislike making but I was hungry and if you know MacArthur Blvd. during lunch in Irving, Texas you know how traffic is. It is just a mad house with cars stacked on top of one another it seems.

Well anyways that was my lunch time. OK this went a lot longer than I thought when I started typing, sorry about that.

I learned one thing for sure, blinkers in Dallas seem to be an option on new cars since no one seems to use one and secondly they do not know what they seem to used for.

I know silly northerner who still actually believes in blinkers and in people like the police.

Hats off to Irvings finest! NOT!

This is what is new to me

OK yes it was a very slow weekend for me, took the laziness factor up one notch. It was just a good weekend to do nothing. My wife did not seem to care all to much, at least this is what she told me. Being a woman she could have many other meanings behind her "not caring" that I may never know about.

Well one thing that I learned new was who the Badgers will be playing in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. R Kansas is going to be their compitition. GO BUCKY!

Tell me if i made the right decision earlier this year to purchase tickets to Wisconsin over the New Years weekend. If I would have known earlier this year that the Badgers would be in Orlando over New Years I could have visited my parents in Orlando and gone to the game. Well at least being in Wisconsin I will be around like minded people wearing RED AND WHITE! So that is a good thing right? OR did I make a fatal mistake by going to bitter cold temps with snow in place of Orlando and the Badgers game? Tell me I made the right decision.

Yesterday was our Churches Christmas production during the services. It was a great production as usual. It is always written, produced and acted by our Churches Members. The best part of the whole production is that it is free, I am not saying that as a financial thing but liking it for the outreach opportunities. Our Church has the outreach heart for the world and for our community. I have been to Churches and know of many Churches that have their production during the week and at a price. OK the price is usually minimal for those attending but it looses part of it's heart to me by doing that. But that is just my feeling.

December is here

Well December is truly here, if you could not tell then you have not stepped out of your home recently. OK I know there are a few places in the country that have not been hit by this cold front. That brought Dallas SNOW! It did not stick all to much but it was great to see it fluttering to the ground. The biggest problem is ice so that became a problem yesterday on the bridges and overpasses. This lead to our early departure from the office yesterday @ 1pm and a late arrival this morning around 9. Nice, even though all I did was install a new and bigger hard drive into my PC at home.

Hopefully this new Hard Drive will make editing Video easier for me and much cleaner. I have not finished our video from this summers trip to Costa Rica yet or even springs video of our Trip to New York city. I was hoping to have it done months ago but my PC was driving me nutz so I am finally hoping to fix it. It will have a 300 gig HD w/ speed of 150 compared to a 100 gig drive with 100 for speed. Let us pray that this helps the procese and makes me happier when editing.

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Students plan 'ACLU Nativity Scene'

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Campus activists plan to display an "ACLU Nativity Scene" at the University of Texas in response to the civil liberties group's "extreme" campaign to remove Christmas from the public sphere.
"We've got Gary and Joseph instead of Mary and Joseph in order to symbolize ACLU support for homosexual marriage, and of course there isn't a Jesus in the manger," said Tony McDonald, chairman of the Young Conservatives of Texas branch on the Austin campus.

The three Wise Men in the display are Lenin, Marx and Stalin, McDonald said, because ACLU founder Roger Baldwin was a backer of Soviet-style communism.

"The whole scene is a tongue-in-cheek way of showing the many ways that the ACLU and the far left are out of touch with the values of mainstream America," McDonald said in a statement.
The scene will also have a "terrorist shepherd" and an angel with Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi's face, using a photograph of the soon-to-be speaker of the House from San Francisco
"The ACLU and other left-wing extremist groups are working diligently to destroy Americans' rights to the free expression of religion," said the Young Conservatives' Executive Director Joseph Wyly.
Wyly pointed to the city of Chicago's decision this week to ban advertisements for "The Nativity Story" movie from a local Christmas festival, fearing they might offend non-Christians.
"It's just more evidence that there is a war on Christmas being waged by the far-left in this country," he said.

NEW POLL UP------>

2 tings

Well I did not have two things until today when I noticed that when I have been pulling up my blog here each time I have had pop ups. Where did they come from? How do I get them gone so they do not keep popping up? No wonder no one looks over my blog they are continually aggravated by them. Sorry!

Well my original thought came to me this morning after watching the weather forecast for this week. We have planned and bought our tickets to travel back home (at least my home, not my wife's home town) for two reasons. One was to see friends and family around the holidays. Second was to experience a bit of winter since I have not experienced what it is all about for 5.5 years since arriving here in Dallas in 2001. I have missed winter and the snow! Oh the snow.

The forecast for tomorrow is a high, a high of 34 degrees and over night in the low 20's. There is a possibility of rain, sleet and all that crap that comes with a massive cold front like this especially since it is slamming into 70 degree weather today. That takes out the later reason to go and then reading Mercy's Maid blog today adds another reason to think about not making the trip. So the crossroad of dilemma we have drivin upon.

If we go my Brother and his family and along with my friends better realize how much we love them by still making the journey. If not we will still eat our way thru town.

Me so tired!

I have not posted since Friday of last week but it feels as if it has been months. I started to think if anyone was reading it anymore since it has been to long.

Well I finally kicked my parents to the curb (at least I did it at the airport) early this morning. That makes for a long day at the office after waking up at 5am to take them there. I know they won't take it bad that I am putting it this way if they read this particular post.

It was a great time to have them around the house and to show them around Big D and Fort Worth while being thankful for them being coming to visit us here. As with anyone there were points of stress and being annoyed but I know that I most likely returned it right back at them and annoyed them just as much.

Friday "Afternoon" Lights.

Well last week Friday I took my father to Texas Stadium (where the cowgirls
play) to take in a High School Football game against two 11-0 teams here in
North Texas. This was a first round playoff game, not a championship game, so
the numbers of people there shocked me and my pops. One more reminder that this
was a High School football game. There were over 46,000 people there for this
game. It was a great game, came down to the last few minutes for it to be
decided. So for those not in Texas and wonder if the book, movie and now TV
have any basis of truth, yep there is truth. High School football rules in Texas
sports.

Well anyway if I was not so tired I might have written a bit more but I am dog tired right now. Just thinking of my bed right now and laying my head on my pillow for a good long night of slumber.

Happy Thanksgiving (the day after)

Well it is Friday morning the day after Thanksgiving and I am sitting here at my desk. I have called 20 clients and have actually spoken to one, amazing stats I have to say!

The age ol' Q for the company I currently work for is why Friday the day after Thanksgiving when most of our clients and prospects are out of the office. For the hopes that we will finally land the big sale? Nope! The main reason for any of our clients to be in the office is to get work done without anyone to bother them. Then the phone rings and it is me a sales guy, so I get to be the one to disturb their quietness of an empty facility except maybe a few others getting work done without the chance of someone bothering them.

Well the fact remains the same I am here! Next year gotta use my vacation time better so I can take this day off. But I do have off on this next Monday to make it a three day weekend to make up for today.

Thanksgiving week

For the first time since I moved here 5 1/2 years ago from da frozen nort of Winter I had a fleeting thought. "It is the Holiday Season", with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years right around the corner. It is hard to feel that way here in Texas without snow and the frozen gound as up dar in good ol' Wisconsin as early as a few weeks ago. But I actually had it about a week ago, I have been intriqued to why this had popped up but have not been able to figure it out as of yet.

Maybe it is the fact that my rentals (parents by the way for those unfamiliar with my natural language Toebeenese) are coming into town tonight from Orlando. They arrive later tonight while I am off at a class so my loverly wife will be picking them up. They will be here for an entire week, and if they are reading this we are looking forward to having you here with us.

OK, most of you who are reading this are asking yourself. Self, why o why would they not want to go to Orlando over having his rentals come to Dallas, TX? Well self we have been there many times and the last time time they were here was for our wedding and we did not get out much to show them around. So that is why, plain and simple, we are idiots for not going to Orlando. Just kidding we are looking forward to hosting Thanksgiving at our home this year as well, show the rentals their youngest son is all grown up now at the tender age of 35.

FANTASY UPDATE

OK I know most of you are also wondering how I did in my fantasy league, I won! I know have a streak of 8 straight wins so that makes me 9-2. I know there is still one game tonight but I do not think Jeremy Shockey can make up 56 points to tie and 57 to beat me. MVP's for this week,

LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) and Lee Evans (Buffalo). SWEET!

The Office

Who here watches The Office on Thursday nights? Love the show and unfortunately can relate to too much in it. But as I was thinking and what happened this morning at my office the show is all wrong. They on the show have all the drama with their boss, which by the way I had a boss like the Michael Scott character once for 2 and a half years back home but in my office today it is all the people sitting around me!

My boss is great here but the Drama that is all around me has been way too much for me recently. The Drama that unfolded this morning with the biggest Drama Queen being shown the door has given me much relief. My boss knows that I am somewhat by myself (only male and youngest) in my position since most around me I have a hard time relating too or really wanting too at times.

The funny thing about the office back home was that the Boss was an idiot but everyone he hired was awesome. OK he failed on one lady but for the most part it was an awesome working environment and we had a blast. The whole sales floor would actually hang out after work and sometimes on weekends. I cannot say that I would ever really want to here.

I have always tried to stay away from posting about work on my Blog but this time I am too happy and finally somewhat relaxed. So I had too share. We have someone else starting in a week and half can you please pray that there is either 1. No drama in her life or 2. leaves it at home and does not bring it into the office like the last 5 that have come and gone thru here.

I do not know why this morning I thought of these words but for some reason I like them. They are in my strange mind Fun Words to say.

1. 1. Fistacuffs (Am I spelling it right? Is there really a true spelling to it?)
2. 2. Slumber

There were more but my mind has relaxed too much I guess after this mornings drama. If I remember I will post them later.

Poll Results

Ok not all too many respondents, so not all too scientific either, for the poll but results none the less.

• 50% (4) would never tell the guys receiving the goods from non-hand washer fella after bathroom stop.
• 25% (2) would tell the others he's unclean after using facilities.
• 25% (2) would tell said person to go wash hands before standing in line to buy the goods.

Thanks to those whom participated in this poll there is a new Pool up on the right side of the page.===================>

Glad this debate is over, now I can sleep at night!

Is a burrito a sandwich? Judge says no
© 2006 The Associated Press
WORCESTER, Mass. — Is a burrito a sandwich?
The Panera Bread Co. bakery-and-cafe chain says yes. But a judge said no, ruling against Panera in its bid to prevent a Mexican restaurant from moving into the same shopping mall.
Panera has a clause in its lease that prevents the White City Shopping Center in Shrewsbury from renting to another sandwich shop. Panera tried to invoke that clause to stop the opening of an Qdoba Mexican Grill.
But Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke cited Webster's Dictionary as well as testimony from a chef and a former high-ranking federal agriculture official in ruling that Qdoba's burritos and other offerings are not sandwiches.
The difference, the judge ruled, comes down to two slices of bread versus one tortilla.
"A sandwich is not commonly understood to include burritos, tacos and quesadillas, which are typically made with a single tortilla and stuffed with a choice filling of meat, rice, and beans," Locke wrote in a decision released last week.
In court papers, Panera, a St. Louis-based chain of more than 900 cafes, argued for a broad definition of a sandwich, saying that a flour tortilla is bread and that a food product with bread and a filling is a sandwich.
Qdoba, owned by San Diego-based Jack in the Box Inc., called food experts to testify on its behalf.
Among them was Cambridge chef Chris Schlesinger, who said in an affidavit: "I know of no chef or culinary historian who would call a burrito a sandwich. Indeed, the notion would be absurd to any credible chef or culinary historian."

Now back to more pressing matters since that has been settled. I do not know about you but I am completely relieved to know that Burritos are not sandwiches. I always looked pretty silly going to a sandwich shop and asking for a bean burrito. The best was when I went into Qdoba and asked for a BLT! The looks I got, I always thought that I should have been giving them that look, guess I was wrong.

pounded the commish

OK this is my chance to brag a bit here since this is my site and not licky's site so I can taunt all I want. This week in fantasy football... BadPack kicks Licky-Boom-Boom-Tain in a stunning yet lopsided victory to go 8-2 sending LBBT to 7-3.

BadPack streaks on to win his seventh game in a row while killing LBBT's streak of 5 wins. So there is one lone team at the top with a record of 8-2, if you could not figure it out it is BadPack!! OK what is the big deal?

He has been licking all others by 20-30 points each week while I just squeaked by with a win. Well no more.

SCORE

LBBT - 106 pts vs BadPack 143 pts.

BadPack in actuality stands for Badgers as in the Wisconsin Badgers who by the way are ranked #9 in the BCS at 10-1 and the Green Bay Packers (who are the true BadPack this year) combined to make BadPack. I should have gone with Packgers but it is too late to mess with a winning combination.

Sorry LBBT Eric! Just had to brag that I am #1 and you being the commish had lost both the game and tie for first place!!

D'oh (or is it doe?)

Citizens in Grand Rapids, Mich., are calling out to authorities to help a young deer with a plastic jack-o-lantern stuck on its nose.

Could it be Rudolf switching to halloween?

or is it another trying to one up Rudolf's red nose?

Should we ban the plastic Pumkin from now on?

Perfect example of treating others how you want to be treated

I know two posts in one day, well I found this in the Dallas Morning News this morning and had to share it with my millions who read and respond to my Blog. It is not a fume actually, just something funny.

Sheriff sees red, so now jail's pink
New motif also has teddy bears after escape bid damages facility
AP
Buffalo, Mo. - Prisoners returning to a jail damaged in a failed breakout attempt will find a radical new decor - pink with blue teddy bear accents.
Dallas County Sheriff Mike Rackley said he decided on the color scheme as part of extensive repairs needed after inmates set a fire and vandalized the jail's interior last month.
"Basically, if they are going to act like children and commit a childish act, then we'll make a childish atmosphere," he said. "And it's a calming thing - teddy bears are soothing. So we made it like a day care, and that's kind of like what it is, a day care for adults who can't control their behavior in public."
"How do you feel tough in a pink atmosphere?"
Since the jail violence, most of the SW Missouri county's 30+ prisoners have been in neighboring jails waiting completion of the repairs.
Eight already have been returned to the jail, but they are confined to their cells 23 hours a day because of the construction and are "a little testy" because of the restrictions.
"They haven't said much about the color scheme." Sheriff Rackley said.
He said the paint job was inspired by similar redocorating at jails in Texas and Arizona.

I like the thinking of the sheriff. Like he said if they are to act like a child they will be treated like a child.

Perspective

This has been a rough week for me in many ways and one of those just happens to be work. I know everyone enjoys their jobs so much how could anyone have a hard time at work? Well I am, being in sales is rough enough but when you come in on Monday with a great looking week and most sales fall off to the side tends to be a bit harsh. So this has me frustrated a bit and other things tend to pile on top of that since your senses are hightened more to what frustrates you.

What is my objective here at my place of employment? To earn the phat cash to buy whatever hype cool thing there is to purchase? Have I lost true perspective about how lucky I am to live in a country and make the kind of money I want to be happy?

I ran across an article (Missionary says Christian church meets '3 or 4' at a time) this morning on WorldNetDaily.com. For those of us in America that complain about life here in the states have no right to argue. Here I am feeling frustrated due to my sales numbers not being as high as they should be this week while other countries throw Christians in prison just for having a saving faith in the Jesus.

How can I complain? especially when you read

"When we gather together we close all of the windows and all
of the blinds," Roli described. "We don't have curtains over there but somehow
we cover up the windows and we send all of the children outside. You cannot
gather with many people … maybe three or four. "

There are estimates of tens thousands of Christians detained
in prison camps just for their faith. Sometimes entire families are imprisoned
because of a statement from just one member, reports said.

Roli knows the risks are high: four of her Christian
friends so far have been executed because of their witness. She was arrested
herself, and has spent time in those prison camps.

Which one of us could live like that for living out their faith?

Roli's trips into North Korea, where she's developed an extensive network of house meeting locations, have shown her that no level of repression will kill the Christian spirit.

"People are less afraid. (Christians) are becoming bolder to share the gospel. They know Kim Il Sung is not the one that has saved them and not the one who is feeding them. They are starting to believe in God. Many people are coming to faith."

Man my God is great, my life is great, my job is great and my country is great. As they do on a regular basis I need to start seeing the Lord and what he has done for me in saving this sinner from spending eternity apart from him. With what I own and what I can do with my life, what right do I have to complain?

I also need to remember some friends of mine, Warren and Donna Pett, who were killed in Uganda a few years ago leading others to Christ. They died so others can have the Freedom in Christ that I take for granted her in Texas. Look forward to seeing them again and hearing their stories and meeting those they had an impact on while here on Earth.

Praise him in all that we do.

Why?

Why O why is the human race a strange bunch these days?

Why?

When hanging up the phone do some people say "can you believe that?" Like you have your whisper 2000 cranked and can pick up the entire conversation from both people.

Why?

Do we expect everyone to respect us but in turn give everyone else little respect? What happened to the old addage that you treat others how you want to be treated yourself?

Why?

Do some complain when their kids turn out the same way they were and are today.

One Party?

So how long have I been sleeping or what size rock have I been living under? The reason I ask is that over the last few weeks all I hear about are the Democrats. Seems as if we have moved from a multi-party government to just Democrats according to the mainstream media.

All I have heard is what the Democrats have to do to win the house and the senate for the next few years. Nothing to the opposite of what the Republicans have to do to keep them. It is all about the Democrats and how they "will" win both sides of Government.

It is getting a bit too much but what do you expect from a "neutral" media? For them to actually report fair and unbiased news? Naw, don't be silly.

Just had to fume on this since election day is tomorrow!!

Who would have tunk Jon was correct

Funny thoughts

Does anyone know how to turn off this big ol' light on the front of my vehicle. It is a big neon red light that reads "Please pull in front of me, I insist!". This noon I went to Chili's about 10 minutes away from my office and had 5 vehicles pull in front of me.

It was not like this was a one lane street where they "had" too, it is a major road with 3 lanes in each direction. But people insisted on pulling into my lane when there were 2 other lanes to choose from and a larger opening behind me.

I almost swapped paint with one cuz they got pulled into my lane so of course your next maneuver is to get into the middle lane from the right lane to pass. Well as I was getting into the other lane to pass they decided they wanted that lane as well only going 10 mph. It is not like I drive a small vehicle that you cannot see.

=================================

OK secondly I pulled up along side of a old and beat down van with some advertising on the side. So I took a look over and noticed that it was a Home Maintenance company. If this fella pulled up to your home in this old and beaten down jalopy to fix your home how comfortable would you feel with him and his work? Not wanting to sound mean or anything but I would have to send him or at least question him on his work for a couple reasons.

1. How handy is his work if his van looks this bad?
2. Does he not get enough biz so he cannot afford to purchase a newer van? Especially these days when large vehicles are out there for far cheaper due to gas prices.

Appearance is so much in the business world these days, especially to businesses that plaster their name on the side of a van or truck making their truck a rolling billboard.

Well anyways this was my drive to Chili's at noon to meet Mr. Sprybot (which by the way Stevie P. spells my name when reading it backwards, coolness).

=================================

One more funny thing I was just realized about my community. Recently an active adult community rose from the grounds a few blocks from where I live. Even more recently a 3 story 3 tier nursing home arose adjacent to that community. Well I noticed on the other side of the street is yet another nursing home currently popping up out of the ground.

If you lived in the Active Adult community how uneasy would that make you feel? Maybe if you are not active enough they automatically kick you up to the nursing home. Or aftter living there a while you start seeing all of your neighbors walking all of their furniture up the road to their new room at the nursing home.

Buzz light head!

Not much of a week since for most of it I have been feeling a bit lightheaded. Even taking a class I am still feeling light headed, so it is not for a lack of trying to fill it with good stuff. My wife has said that it is sinuses so I have been taking sinus medication for the last week or so. Not much fun with my head throbbing, lightheadedness and such.

To add to that a few times I was feeling a bit nauseous and ready to chunk all around my desk. Well thankfully I did not but it got so bad that I actually went to the Dr's office. For those of y'all that know me I am one to visit his office. Well what good did it do me? Not much for the problem I went in with so he decided to add to it by telling me that I have some crazy numbers for my cholestoral. Otherwise I went in there paid over $250 for them to draw blood and tell me about my cholestoral. Well it did not explain my head problems so I guess I am on my own for that.

Being from Wisconsin the notice of what I eat is making my numbers get all wiggly like that is not real good (Ok it is not good for anyone to hear this). That means I need to cut out or reduce red meat, sausage, cheese and the like out of my diet. This stinks since I am all about all of those things. What else is there to eat? Nothing!! My life is over as I know it.

Oh, the good news is that I realized on my own why I was feeling rather chunky. Last week I started drinking Green Tea, the hot version of it and soon after drinking it each time I had the feeling of blowing chunks. Again I never did actually blow chunks,thankfully. Well today I have not had any Green Tea and have not had the feeling so all is good there but still a bit woozy in the membrane!

Something else that is not going to help the situation is that I have been soda, pop, soda pop or coke (however you say it from where ever you are from) free for a week and a half. No that is not the reason, the light head started a day earlier than soda, pop, soda pop or coke free days.

Toodles.

Just wrong!

Halloween is just around the corner and this is a time for people to get dressed up in goofy costumes and look silly for a few hours. Why then do people feel it necessary to pull their pets into the mix? I do know a few people that have dressed their pets up and are unashamed by this. Not saying that they should be ashamed. Take a look for yourself at a few pics I have found.

Just look at the poor thing and how uncomfortable he looks in his little lizzard suit.

OK I have never heard of a dog with big buns before but now there are two of them!

This one is just flat out wrong!! This is where Fox may find a new show, "When Pets attack" if he ever realized what his "loving" owner did to him. Humiliation I tell ya.

These pictures speak for themselves.

Poll Question to the right-->

Blow Pops

OK This weekend we have our Fall retreat with the Junior High kiddos from my Church. So to be the cool leader for the kids in my cabin I thought what kid does not love a sucker. OK I admit I have been one of those a few times in my life but the ones I am talking about are the ones on a stick with the bubble gum inside. How many licks does it take kind, oops those are the tootsie pops aren't they?

Well anyway I am tooling around the candy aisle at wally world (Wal-Mart for those unfamiliar with said store) and the only size bag that I could find was one with 71 pops. OK my cabin will hold maybe ten kids but what I know of right now is that there will be 5 of us in the cabin. That means I have 14.2 pops for each of the kids. If I were smart and went past a hospital I would have just stopped and got an IV for each kid and load it up with liquid sugar. Cuz the students usually bring the candy aisle with them as well as me feeding them more via blow pops.

Oh yea there is a "snack" shop there as well where they can get fueled up for the remainder of the night. The best thing this year is I do not have RT in my group anymore. He would literally bring his whole bedroom along with a 12 pack of Mt. Dew (or were they Cokes) for the nights. Well anyways he is no longer in my group and I will not miss him this time around. Do not get me wrong he is a great kid with a great heart but those two things I will remember the most. Especially this summer in Costa Rica he was all about getting a huge bottle of Coke at the corner little store almost everyday. Also his jokes, if you can call em that, until 2 in the morning were just the worst.

Well anyway we are off this evening and back on Sunday, SWEET (literally)!!

Couple of things

Went the the State Fair of Texas over the weekend and saw Jars of Clay. Great show by the way! That is not why I write today the reason for this part of the post are all the people walking around the fair. It tends to draw out a different type of crowd than what I am used too. Who walks around all day with a big ol' Pink, Purple, mauve, sienna or what other color fuzzy hat all day? Saw people with a hat that is a chicken. Granted my home state seems to have started the crazy craze by putting a "wedge" of cheese on their noggin. Darn Cheese heads.

But that is not all, how about those that go through the sales buildings buying up all kinds of things. From flag poles, to chamois for their car, these sweeper thingy's and all sorts of other stuff. They purchase it and then walk around the fair holding onto these things all day. I saw a number of people with the flag pole kits walking around all day.

My helpful hints to the State Fair experience:

1. If you see something you want to purchase go back and buy them at the END of the FAIR as you are walking out. This way you are not carrying it around with you or knocking anyone upside the head with it like the "Three Stooges".

2. When in the Midway and you win the Big One why not wait as well for later in the night to win it and hang it over your back like you just scored a 18 point buck during hunting season.

3. Wait for your kids to get to an age that they can enjoy it. I do not know how many strollers I almost tripped over. If you insist on bringin the kiddo please leave your Escalade of baby strollers home please. I had one lady cut me off with a three wide stroller, wide load ahead.

*********************************************************************************

On another note I was struck by the two different disasters that hit the US this week. One was the 6.7 earthquake that hit and the other was the flooding yesterday in Houston. The thing that struck me is that in Hawaii there were no casualties but yet in Houston there were 4 deaths reported. All of the deaths there were caused by humans such as trying to drive thru 10 feet of water underneath an overpass. Going over a bridge over a swollen river, that has a mighty current by the way, and having your car swept away and into the river.

I'm afraid to drive thru 5 inches of water with my car but some people feel comfortable trying to drive through 4 feet of water.

I know there is an H3 commercial these days were it shows it going underwater. I am somewhat sure that it cannot do that and if it cannot do that I am sure that other vehicles cannot either.

What does that tell you of people these days?

WHAT?

OK this world, let me rephrase that. This country has lost it's mind, I know that does not come as a surprise to some but many it sounds like a ludicris statement. But let me try and explain.

No body takes blame for their own actions anymore. Let us take a look over the story. My thoughts in Red.

Wal-Mart sued over dive sticks
By: Dave Bohman
St. Petersburg, Florida - Lawyers representing a Bay area child are in a St. Petersburg courthouse…..taking on corporate giant Wal-Mart, and a product supplier seeking millions in damages.

The case centers around swimming pool toys known as dive sticks, supplied to Wal-Mart in the 1990's by a Clearwater based Florida Pool.

When Marcus Zunner was just three, he was hospitalized with a severe accident from a divestick.

Kimberly Zunner, Marcus' Mother: “He slid into the pool on the slide and he landed on it and it went into his rectum.”

Yikes, that hurts just thinking about that

Justin Johnson, Marcus' Attorney: “He suffered a rectal impalement of about an inch and a half. And he had open abdominal surgery, with a cholostomy.”

WalMart and Florida Pool, are expected to argue the dive sticks were safe, but that the family misused them, by allowing the child to jump on the sticks in a shallow, inflatable kiddie pool.

INFLATABLE KIDDIE POOL! Who in their right mind uses them in a kiddie pool? Who does not know that they are meant for a large pool where you can actually do what the name suggests, DIVE?

The stick's are weighted to stand perpendicular to the bottom of the pool, and when they are three to seven feet underwater, kids often dive after them in order. But in shallow water, they may stand just inches below the surface which was apparently what happened when Marcus jumped in.

Ahhhh yea, Duh!

In 1999, the Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered Florida Pool to recall 9,000,000 dive sticks.

Why things have to be recalled cuz stupid people use them.

The company responded in a news release.

Florida Pool, 1999 news release: "Dive sticks are fun and enjoyable when used properly but are not to be used in shallow water."

I agree when used PROPERLY they can be fun.

That recall came after six known injuries were reported to the CPSC, and one year before Marcus' Zunner was hurt landing on a dive stick.

Justin Johnson, Marcus Zummer's Attorney: “It subsequently was banned as a hazardous product.”

The hazardous thing are stupid people not the products. If the parent never bought them (their own decision), never put them in a KIDDIE POOL (can I remind you) and allowed their kid in and around the KIDDIE POOL would it have happened? NO!! Or did Wal-mart and the manufacturer stop by one day and leave a few DIVE sticks in the kiddie pool for the kiddo while making the kid slide down and into his rectum? OUCH!!

Those close to Marcus worry he will need a lifetime of medical care and multiple
surgeries as a result of the dive stick accident at a young age.

Key word, ACCIDENT! I do feel for the kid but what part of the settlement will he get?

Marcus Zunner is now nine, and according to his lawyer, is doing as well as can be expected.
His lawyer says Marcus will be here at points during the trial, but is not expected to testify.

Isn't this going to be more humiliation for the kid to have to testify about his rectum? It has nothing to do with the kid but all to do with the money for the parents stupity.

Should my parents have sued the Tricycle manufacturer along with the cinder block companie that I ran into when I lost my two front teeth for two years causing me to have braces? Also having the torment of a song each Christmas that "all I want is my two front teeth." Can you imagine the family photos of a smiling boy without his two front choppers? Most pictures did not include a smiling boy cuz I was ashamed of my hideous looks. Oh the humanity!!

Is it alright to walk around naked?

Why yes it is if you are home alone, even then kinda scary but it is the best place to do it. Is it alright in an office building? NO! Have you ever thought to yourself that it would be nice to walk around your office naked? I hope not, if you have and I know who you are I would rather not have you tell me. The picture in my head would be cruel and very unusual punishment.

Well a fella thought about it and then actually took himself up on those thoughts. Scary thinking especially when you think that the job he held he should know better. The story is below.

Prosecutor naked at work
Security cameras see plenty of Hamilton official
BY JANICE MORSE ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
HAMILTON - A top law-enforcement official in Hamilton, City Prosecutor Scott Blauvelt, is accused of "walking around the Government Services Center after business hours without clothing," the Butler County Sheriff's Office says.

Blauvelt, 35, who was charged with two counts of public indecency, was booked into the county jail and then released. He awaits a hearing in Hamilton Municipal Court, where Blauvelt usually works, said Sheriff's Maj. Anthony Dwyer.

Calling the situation "an odd occurrence," Dwyer said investigators don't know what motivated him.

Mayor Don Ryan said he couldn't comment Monday, but he plans to discuss Blauvelt's employment status with Law Director Hillary Stevenson today.

Thursday night, a guard monitoring a security camera spotted a person going into an area outside the camera's range, in a tower that houses county offices, Dwyer said. "Then (the guard) sees him come back naked. ... That started the investigation."

Investigators identified the nude man as Blauvelt, Dwyer said. Blauvelt also appears naked on security-camera footage from the previous night, but in the building's other tower. That tower houses city offices, Dwyer said, including the court where Blauvelt prosecutes cases.

The charge is a fourth-degree misdemeanor, which carries a jail term of up to one month and a maximum fine of $250.

Blauvelt's lawyer, Michael Gmoser, did not return a reporter's phone call.
Blauvelt has been a city prosecutor, defense attorney and formerly was a Butler County assistant prosecutor.

Political Post

OK I tried to post the Actual video on my blog but it did not load up for me. I apologize for that but take a look over the video that the below link will take you too. It is a pretty funny political Ad that some are not wanting to be shown.

It is by one of Milwaukee's finest movie producers David Zucker.

From youTube, Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h3GPc_yMCE

Facing the Giants

Went this weekend to the new indie film 'Facing the Giants'. For those that do know me I am a very critical movie watcher. OK they say I am way to critical of movies these days. With all of the junk out there can you blame me?

Well anyways we wanted to support the Christian Arts as well to see the film. I generally do not write about my movie watching but this time I am going too. Not that it was the greatest movie ever made but it can make an impact on a dying world.

The movie takes place in Georgia at a Christian High School. I also read that the movie was written and produced by a Church in Georgia, thus the Georgia connection.

It was about the schools football team and how when following Christ any obstacle placed before us can be overcome. Also while following him he will honor us in our life.
Being a Christian movie with little budget there were a points within the film that took a little bit to get past. There were a few very hokie parts (at least I think so), the acting was not the greatest either (but there were some very brilliant parts as well) and sometimes hard to get past. The story and the sports sequences are the parts that made this movie well worth the watch. It was overtly Christian without trying to hide that fact with many biblical readings and stories being told. It was very refreshing to see this and to hear this at our local movie Theatre.

My biggest kudos go to the Assistant Coaches and their banter back and forth. They were just too funny with some good one liners to bring humor into it. Another Kudo goes to their action shots of the football games being played. Most movies in my book (Jerry Maguire, The Replacements for example) that have contact sports like this are staged for the movie. I know that prophetic statement comes as a shock to most of you. This movie the action was great and felt like real games being played. So I tried the whole movie to see the "staged" play, by golly there were only 2 smalls ones that felt staged to me. I really got into that.

Over all there were many stories being told that all lead to Christ. How awesome is that?

Just as with Christian music there was not much good stuff being produced in the beginning. It took a while for Christian music to hit strides that brought it to where it is today. Support your Christian Arts by seeing this movie and future movies as well. The more they make on each film more "hollywood" will take notice and see that Faith films can and will make money to continue to produce higher quality movies with such Christian stories.

Also check out 'Fox Faith Movies' to see more pictures coming out.

Let me know what you think if you have seen it or after seeing it.

Apology

OK, let me see a raise of hands who has thought recently as you read my blog that "he is getting too serious"? That is scary I saw two hands go up, wait that was someone getting arrested my bad.

OK out of my last six posts I had one fun article about a coup. What is up with that?

I have not lost my sense of humor since I still laugh at my wife all of the time. OK not always at the right times but I am learning I think. I guess the news and what has been a happenin in my life has sucked all the fun out of my posts. I was left with a shell of seriousness that to be honest kind of scared me. "Who is that guy?" I would hear people mutter as I walked by. OK it wasn't that I heard any of that since they would cross the street once they saw me. Truly have you ever had that as you walked down the street where the other person coming towards you crosses to the other side only to walk back to your side once they have passed? Next time play a game of chicken with them start crossing the street as soon as you see them start crossing yourself and see what their next move is. A little chess match right there during your walk.

OK I could go on but my posts have become little novels as well and that scares me as well. When have I ever written that much in my life? Well never really.

Please accept my apologies for such not fumes from Toebee.

Anyways peace out me peeps!!

I am still a man

I am still a man, this is my disclaimer before you read the rest of the post.

I have always thought that too much of a bad thing can easily currupt the mind and thinking of anyone. No matter how close to God we are when we put too much of a bad thing our thinking does change. With this last week of all of the School killings and all of the middle east violence has got me a thinkin. With the Killings this week of the five Amish girls in Pennsylvania has gotten most people thinking. But yet most people will watch the news about these killings and feel affected and feel horrible. But yet they will keep their TV set tuned for CSI, NCIS, Smith or any other show that has killings portrayed in them.

What if? has become a huge question in my mind recently.

What if I could sit down and enjoy a program without having to wonder who was going to be killed or who is going to sleep with whom? We have kids growing up with all of this crap in video games, TV, movies, internet and in the news. Hey I am a fan of the shoot em up video games, action flicks with everything being blown up but there has to be a line that is too much? Right? Have we passed that line? I feel we have.

I used to think that those that used to attack Music, movies and everything else had too much time on their hands to worry about all of this. But as I go on in my life and see what type of movies are out there for us all to see and to watch the news for the next school shooting. The sad thing this week is 2 of the three were adults gunning down kids. What a great example for those kids who have those feelings of hurting someone, if an adult can do it why not me.

We are approaching a time if not in already of where there is no such thing as innocense of a child anymore. Teachers sleeping with Jr. High kids, kids having their schools attacked, molestation, kids caught in the cross fire of rival gangs, religious killings, Senators hitting on young boys and threats of killing for their "religion", internet and unfortuntely there are so many more things that go on in this world.

What is wrong with this world? We have a parent suing their kids school district over their kids field trip to the museum. The kids saw a nude scuplture and painting while on this trip. What kid hasn't gone to the museum and saw these things? I would be interested to see the TV habits of these kids when they get home and what things they watch and see there. Art is art and not graphic in it's portrayel of things such as TV and movies. Are we not going after the wrong people in instances like this?

What if? movie studios cut down gaphic movies that have violence that is not needed? Who has gone to a movie and sat thru scenes and asked your self "what did that have to do with anything else in the movie"? Or been to a shoot em up movie and a sex scene busts out in the middle of it? Where did that come from and what does that have to do with anything in the plot?

What are kids remembering? Are they remembering more what they learn in Church, School or last nights TV show, or the last movie they saw?

I am still a man I tell you!! I do still enjoy things to be blown up but sometimes enough is enough. These days even adults are influenced by what they see. They have lost the line between fantasy and real life.

have you ever

Have you ever sat thru numerous different things and got the same message out of each one of them even with different messages being put forth? Conviction! Not a message on conviction but that I need to be convicted of something.

I can hear the jokes now, so let me know your best punch line to my last statement of being convicted of something.

Well that happened to me this past weekend. Saturday night we had Lifegroup (MiniChurch) then Sunday we went to two different Churches and their Services. Went to Bent Tree and then to McKinney Bible to see my buddies daughter baptized. In each one of these things I heard only one thing. I need to change.

Recently I have been experiencing many personalities that I have a very tough time dealing with. Right now there are 4 people who are in my immediate life that tend to drive me crazy. These personalities are tough for a laid back guy like myself to deal with since they are so over the top.

Well the Lord was speaking to me all weekend that I have to change this. I need to seek out the Lords guidance and patience in dealing with these people. I was not looking for this as his answer since I never really questioned him to change me on this aspect of who I am. I always just tried to ignore in hopes of them going away. I have always known this not the correct way to deal with it but it has worked for me in the past, why not know?

Well now that we are seeking out his work on the Mission Field someday he needs for me to change this aspect of who I am. My wife and I will be coming across so many new and different personalities that we need His Love to be shown to these. Ignoring them has not shown them God's love and grace.

OK, Not fair at all. Reading thru this week lessons for the Wildlife (Jr.High group at my Church) has hit me across the head as well. Can one love someone in Christ even when they despise them and find them hard to be around? Of course not! One of the fruits of the spirit is Love right? Well when you are not sharing love what are you doing? Not reflecting Christ but doing satan's work.

Need to work thru conflict rather than running away from it like I have and find the place where Christ's Love shines thru me all of the time even to those I choose not to deal with. The fact remains that God has chosen them to Love as he has everyone and it is up to me to reflect his love to them.

Maybe no one else took the message the way I did but since he is working on me hard in this area that is what I am seeing.

Guilty as Charged, but being broken!

Understatement of the year

"The armed forces commander and the national police commander have successfully taken over Bangkok and the surrounding area in order to maintain peace and order. There has been no struggle," the announcement said. "We ask for the cooperation of the public and ask your pardon for the inconvenience."

By GRANT PECK, Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand

I can understand them asking for cooperation but asking for their pardon for the inconvienence as well? It is not like they just ripped up a road to repave it and you might have to go a block down to get around it. They just took over the governement of a country in a coup for pete's sake.

Extra Extra read all about it

OK my wife beat me to my update about this weekend.

Well Friday afternoon we received an e-mail from a gentlemen that was in town who works for WorldVenture. He was in town for something at Dallas Theological Seminary and would like to meet with us on Saturday. Well I emailed him back about setting up a time for Saturday.

Around noon thirty I received a call from him and asked if we were still available to meet up with him today. Well we set up a time to meet him around 3 that afternoon at Starbucks (mmmm Banana Creme) down near SMU. We met with him for an hour and he mentioned a number of things that would work for us to be heading over to Nigeria in the future.

After meeting with SIM the Thursday before meeting with WorldVenture (WV) we were feeling confident that SIM was the direction that we were being lead. Well after meeting with WV we have a second agency that would lead us to Nigeria as well.

There are some major differences but yet similarities. So we have much praying, not that we did not already, ahead of us and plenty of listening to the Lord on who we are to work under.

Our biggest concern is how involved the Lord is needing us to be while in Nigeria. With SIM my brother and his friend with SIM could write our Job Discription for us while we are there. WV is not yet located in Nigeria but wants to get invloved there. This is where we become part of their vision to open up Nigeria to ministries for future WV work. At first we would be under WV but partnered with SIM until we identify a need that is yet to be filled. From there we would need to set up the Ministry and the roles that would apply. Yikes!!

SIM would over many opportunities to setting up different ministries as well but not setting up an Agencies whole agenda for them to start ministry there.

That could be a huge task but with the Lord's help and guidance He would be honored in our service.

Well sometime this week we are hoping to set up meetings with our Church's Mission office to talk over our options. Also we should be talking with my bro in Nigeria this week as well and see what he thinks of everything. If you have not found Skype yet it is FREE PC to PC calling anywhere in the world. I have spoken to a friend in France and my brother in Nigeria with perfect clarity all for FREE. Just a little FREE Advertising for Skype.

So if you could pray for his direction in this all that would be awesome.

I, Toebee, am a Blogging Slacker

Hey y'all how ya be?

Well it has been a very very busy week so I will try to go thru a bit of it for you. That is if you care.

This past weekend I upgraded my PC with a Firewire card to download my Video Camera onto my own PC. Also got a DVD Burner to burn my edited videos as to show them on DVD players. Well I could not figure out how to burn the DVD and it took me to Tuesday night to figure it out finally. Got it to work but the quality of the video is still something to be desired. Oh well I am going to try and figure something out to hopefully improve it.

Also on Monday I IM'd with my bro in Nigeria. That was awesome to chat with him for a while and to see how we can fit into his ministry there in Nigeria. For those that do not know Alycia and I are planning to join my brother and his family in Ministry in Nigeria. After chatting with him I feel awesome in the direction that we are going and how the Lord will allow me and my wife to work alongside or at least close to my bro and his fam. How awesome is that?

First I started my class Intro to Theology class on Monday and have had some, ugh, homework to do. After one class I am feeling pretty good about the class and all that I have the opportunity to learn. Of course you could tell from earlier posts that the class freaked me out. But it is definately "Intro to Theology for lay people". I am debating starting a second blog for me to summerize my learning and reading. This way as I write it out I will be learning and hopefully retaining said learning. I know that one would not be viewed but it would be for me I guess with the thought that someone can read it and then respond. Well just a thought.

Well had to study Tuesday night after I figured out how to properly burn a DVD. Wednesday night my inlaws were in town so we did dinner and from there I went to Church for Wildlife our Jr. High group at my Church.

Well after chatting with Kyle Monday we have to find an agency that will allow us to work in Nigeria. For the most part we have been lead in the direction of SIM International. A friend of ours had the name of the Local SIM recruiter here in the Dallas area that has been and spent many years in Nigeria. So he has great knowledge of and a heart for Nigeria . Can you see the Lord at work? We sent out notes to 6 different agencies and most wrote back telling us to contact SIM.

Well we met with Dick on Thursday, he was such a blessing to talk with for a couple hours about the desires the Lord has laid upon our hearts for Nigeria. After speaking with him we are seeing a task that looks promising and exciting. We have received the Application and will start the whole process to Nigeria.

Work was just a crazy week altogether, as you can see I am a bit tired since there is not humor in my writing today. I am just plain tired today, sorry about that!