Football, Football, Football

I have been enjoying the wonders that is the NFL channel. I don't think I have gone a week this month without catching at least one NFL Europe game. Today, I turned on good old channel 212 to catch the Hamburg Sea Devils take on the Amsterdam Admirals. On a lark I took a look around the dial to see what else might be on, only to discover that Fox is showing the Rhein Fire/Cologne Centurions game. If this all means nothing to you, just know that it is May and I am watching Football! Football!!! http://www.nfleurope.com/

Who are the ad wizards...

Carl's Jr. has really lost their collective minds on this one. The new commercial for the Spice Six Dollar Burger fails to accomplish any of the goals they must have had for it. Am I supposed to be hungry or horny after seeing Paris Hilton suds herself up while nibbling on the Carl's mega-burger? Actually I am just reminded that I need to get my car washed. How was it that someone thought that having Paris Hitlon eat a burger was remotely believable? What, did she need to replenish her energy after her latest home video adventure? I mean you just know that she is spitting the burger back out between takes. And is having a figureless girls soaping herself up supposed to do anything for me? (That would be rhetorical, Rich, so just leave it alone.) Common Carl's just make good burgers for us fat guys and stop making my head hurt.

Recalling the old days at Bethany

This evening is had the honor of speaking at the confirmation banquet for Bethany Lutheran Church in Long Beach. Both the experience of preparing for the talk and being there for the event brought back a connection to the past that I don't often consider. I was able to reconnect with Ted and Randa Pearson, a couple who hosted a mid-week youth Bible Study in their home, were Dan, Phil Simon, Dave Warmbeir, myself and others hung out and learned about God. We really had something going in those days, between Valley Christian and our churches, the core of our group of friends was formed. It was interesting to reflect on those days and draw upon them as I tried to pass a word to the class about to be confirmed in the morning. My hope for them is that their time in High School both nutures their faith as Bethany did mine and that they connect with as great a group of friends as we have formed. O.K. now back to SportsCenter.

Maloof's Casino Opens for Business

My wife has been inspired. She just could not sit on the sidelines anymore. She has already been more regular a reader of all the sites in our group and now she will likely be a more regular poster. So take a roll and stop by Maloof's Casino.

Grandpa Henderson of the GBL

The Golden Baseball League hopes to cash in on their latest signing. Ricky Henderson of A's fame. If you are wondering "Isn't he kinda old?" well you're right. At 46 he should readily take to what I would expect to be a grandfatherly role with the young players just hoping to extend their careers after High School or College ends. The league is kind of interesting. They have teams in California, Arizona, and Japan. That's right, Japan. The Samuri Bears are the lone Japanese team making the GBL the first American league to include a Japanese team. I am not sure of the quality they will get from players who are willing to work for the money they are offering (Henderson will be making $3,000 a month) but at $6 a game it might be worth an afternoon in Long Beach to check out the Armada play.

No Bones Just Ducks

OK so it has been more than just a while since my last post. Thank you Joel and Danny for the prodding and thank you Andrea for making sure I actually check to know that I was prodded. Anyway, the last month has been so full of running from one event to the next that to take the time to write up something let alone to think of anything to write just has not happened. Between the schedule packing that I have been doing in ministry and adding to that the reading class I am working on (Educational Research)and just trying to be a decent husband I have not made the time to just pause and reflect. I think we all need to do that. I am thinking of block scheduling myself, which since I have only in the last two years learned how to use "to do lists", this new self regulatory idea should prove challenging. But really I need to not run out of control so much. I had a great chance today to stop after a meeting at a local church, to rather than just run back to the office, to stick my head in the pastor's office and chat with him. He is not my pastor, but just a local pastor whom I have done youth events with and just had the impulse to check in on him. It was a nice chat, something I need to do more of with more people. Rather than just stick with business as usual, which brings me to the ducks. Thought I forgot them didn't you? I almost got totally aggravated the other day, when while trying to find a parking space in my complex had to drive around three ducks that seemed to believe that my car driving at them posed not threat to them. I saw them in the road, I thought they saw me, I slowed down, and they just looked at me. So I, not wanting to get into a Costanza type issue with our feathered friends, drove around them, all the while expecting them to take off. They never did. I was able to park and walk back by them and still they had not moved. Other cars were now passing them. They were on a break and were not going back to work just yet. Now as I said I could have gotten mad, but instead chose to appreciate the humor of ducks not fearing my car (sort of like the deer that hit me a few years ago). They were taking a break and were not to be disturbed. A lesson worth learning. So sorry Danny, no bones, just ducks.