The Silly Rotor

Has ANYONE ever been here?

2008-07-30T13:00:00.004-05:00

I was relaxing during lunch today, and I randomly decided to see if there was a website for the town my parents live in. After a Google search, I was greeted by the page shown above. The item of note is my visitor number.

Seriously? Visitor number one?

Wow.

Haiku 2

2008-07-25T13:21:00.001-05:00

Silence broken by
The sound of a new day's start...
I hate alarm clocks

Haiku

2008-07-22T15:54:00.004-05:00

Encouragement is
Cool water in a desert
Be a fire hose

A wise saying

2008-06-26T12:05:00.003-05:00

"[The structure of an] organization should be like digestion: you only know it is there when it isn't working properly."

Remodeling

2008-05-08T10:48:00.004-05:00

After the wedding, Erin and I want to redo the kitchen in our* condo. But, now I'm thinking that we'll need to install this first. I think my alter-ego requires it.

*Just to clear up any possible confusion - I don't live there yet. I'll be moving most of my stuff over there in a week or so, but I won't be taking up residence there until after the wedding, as is proper and right. We are doing things God's way. But, I still refer to it as "our" condo.

Five things I saw today

2008-05-03T14:04:00.003-05:00

Tree things that used to be pretty common, but you don't see that much anymore:
- Someone using a payphone.
- Someone buying a newspaper.
- A boyscout.

Two very strange things that made me laugh:
- A 40-something man, in (we shall say politely) not incredibly good shape, with glasses and a moustache, running down an aisle at the grocery store. What made this funny was that he was wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with the logo for "The Flash."

- I saw a toilet in the dumpster at Erin's townhome complex.

Trashy

2008-04-30T17:48:00.003-05:00

Several people have made jokes that Erin will be weeding through my things to through out all of my "bachelor" stuff. These people assume that Erin is normal. In fact, Erin is most spectacular. She said I can keep all of my stuff. How awesome is that! I get to keep everything, that is, except my trash can collection.

Somehow, I have managed to accumulate five trash cans. This is not including the one that accompanies my paper shredder.

My trash cans are of varying sizes and configurations.

One 52 Qt with lid, white
One 28 Qt with lid, white
One white one that fits snuggly within the 28qt. This one does not have a lid
A brown plastic one that would sit nicely next to one's desk.
Another desk trash can. This one is metal mesh.

Now that I think about it, I think I am missing one. I think I had a small white one with a lid as some point. Oh well. It is an acceptable loss.

I think I will be keeping the metal mesh one, and perhaps the brown one as well. (Erin and I will have to negotiate on that one.) I am looking for nice homes for the other three. Any takers?

I really just don't know...

2008-04-24T08:50:00.004-05:00

I am studying the Book of Amos with a friend. We meet for about an hour and a half once a week. We usually start around 7am, which is really too early for me to have a decent conversation. But, we are doing alright so far, given the start time. We chose Amos because it is a relatively small book. It is prophetic, so we thought the message would be pretty basic: "Thus says the Lord: You have broken faith with the Lord so He is going to punish you."

Well, I have just arrived at my office after our weekly meeting. We have barely made it to chapter three, and I have been completely blown away. I'm not sure if I understand at all anymore how God deals with His people. My friend and I are stuck on Amos 3:2. To better understand this verse, we are taking a break from Amos and looking at how one's relationship with God affects how God deals with punishment for sins. We began discussing that this morning. (Our New Testament-y philosophy tends to be "Because our sins are forgiven through Christ, we have fellowship with God." Amos 3:2 is the opposite: "Because you are God's chosen people, you will be punished for your sin." This really makes me want to become a Dispensationalist, but then I would have other problems...) Our homework for next week is to study Isaiah and Hebrews to see how Christ is both Immanuel (God with us) and propitiation of our sin (satisfies the punishment of our sin). Whenever I go through studies like this, I simultaneously become energized and exhausted.

In other news, I am continuing to realize my concept of "Church" is completely wrong. I grew up attending what I will call a traditional, American, Baptist church. But now I have been forced (through the conviction I am receiving through pray, study of the Scripture and of history, and by having these things tested through conversations with solid, Bible-believing Christians) to believe that this has absolutely nothing to do with real Church. For the first three centuries, the Church only existed within a cruel totalitarian empire. They didn't enjoy the benefits of being a 501(c)3, not-for-profit entity protected by First Amendment rights to free speech, assembly, and religion. There were no articles of incorporation, no membership rolls, no conventions or conferences, and certainly no denominations. Indeed, our brothers in Islamic nations surely do not enjoy these benefits today, either. For them (the Early Church and our brothers and sisters under persecution), there is only one statement of faith and only one way of "doing church." There is no luxury of debating denominational doctrine.

Sigh. I'm tired. I suppose I should get to work now.

A pretty good start to the week

2008-04-15T16:01:00.005-05:00

Last night, I arrived at my fiancée's house after a not so wonderful Monday. I opened the door to find her lying on the couch watching Return of the Jedi. The Rebel Alliance was just beginning their assault on the second Death Star. It was a beautiful sight.

Today, a coworker and I went to Mission Burrito for lunch. We found that they have changed up their menu a bit. They now serve pork! I think pork makes the best burrito. Now, if they only wouldn't charge extra for guacamole...

I can't wait to see what awesomely unexpected thing happens tomorrow!

Busyness

2008-03-28T12:35:00.004-05:00

Why is it that things seem to be the most busy on days when you are extra tired? I guess we just notice it more...

Why am I blogging when I am so busy (and I don't blog when I am not so busy?) you ask? Well, I am installing software on a computer right now. The blogging keeps the "go-juices" flowing while I am waiting for lazy progress bars to creep across the screen.

I saw a curious thing while I was at Starbucks this morning. (The busyness of the day called for a grande decaf peppermint mocha and a glazed chocolate cake donut. I get decaf because I don't want to OD on the caffeine. A caffeine crash is the last thing I need today.) A guy driving an Infinity parked incorrectly. He didn't park in the handicapped space, thankfully. He parked into the striped "No Parking" zone next to the handicapped space. So, the handicapped person would still be able to park. The person would just not be able to get out of the car...

I like the view out of my office window. I have been temporarily assigned to a new support area at work. In addition to my normal duties, I am covering another support area while we look for a replacement. The office for this second spot is on the eighth floor of the IBC building on Kirby. I have a nice view of downtown and all the trees around West U. And, I am the only person currently officing in the suite. It is a great office arrangement, but working two jobs is a bit draining. I'd love to keep the office, but the job isn't quite as nice as my other gig.

Tonight, my beautiful fiancé and I are going to view some random marketing presentation. We are going because they said they would give us a free two-night stay at some hotel (I can't remember which one) in one of 100 cities in North America. I am not thrilled about the presentation, but I'd like to have the free hotel stay. So, at the very least, Erin and I can make fun of the presentation. It will be kind of like a live infomercial. Maybe we will play infomercial bingo and keep track of how many times they say something like "But wait...there's more!" and "For only $19.95!"

Well, the progress bar is done. I'm start the next install and then run out and grab lunch.

You have heard it said...

2008-03-11T12:52:00.003-05:00

...that you should be a good steward of your money. What does this actually mean for a follower of Christ?

(For those of you that are curious, this question popped into my head after a conversation I had with two others concerning investments and the current state of American markets.)

Scripture memory

2008-03-04T16:30:00.002-06:00

My dad told me this story today:

One evening, a pastor went to call on some church members. He came to one house and knocked on the door. The lights were on, but no one came to the door. The pastor took out one of his cards, wrote "Revelation 3:20" on it, and left it in the door.

The next Sunday, the pastor found that this same card was dropped into the offering plate. The pastor picked up the card. On it was written "Genesis 3:10."

This post should not be considered a comeback

2008-02-22T16:06:00.004-06:00

I saw this picture today while reading an article. I thought it was amusing.

In case you are interested, the article was about the impact of distributed media on ISP's. You can find it here: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/20/iplayer_isps_broke/

A blogging comeback?

2008-01-28T17:05:00.000-06:00

Check out this article.

Don't worry, this blog has not been affected by the Hollywood Writer's Strike

2008-01-07T23:38:00.000-06:00

I've just been a bit busy and distracted lately.

The holiday season continues...

2007-12-05T08:49:00.000-06:00

Courtesy of my brother-in-law

2007-12-03T11:32:00.000-06:00

Here is the high-octane version of my last post. I think blending might have to become a family tradition.

Will it blend?

2007-11-29T09:19:00.000-06:00

That is the question

Something else to NOT get me for Christmas

2007-11-27T09:15:00.000-06:00

I think one of these would be more than enough.

I can't believe I saw this in a catalog that came in the mail...

2007-11-26T22:20:00.000-06:00

I still don't exactly have my Christmas list together, but I am pretty sure it doesn't include this.

Random thoughts

2007-11-21T09:02:00.000-06:00

This is what happened to me as I was coming home Monday night. I turned onto my street and saw a little boy, maybe five or six years old, riding his bike along the sidewalk. He turned his head around to look my way. Then he disappeared behind a parked car. I put on my brakes. I had a fear that he would pop out from in front of that car right into my path. I inched my car forward so that I could see around the parked car. He was waiting for me, still on the sidewalk. When I cleared the car, he took off pedaling as fast as he could down the sidewalk. We raced down the street exchanging the lead until we got to my house. I stopped and put on my blinker. He came to a screeching halt, turned his bike around, and pedaled home.

I was thinking about Thanksgiving this morning on my way to work. My heart was nearing that point where it bubbles over with joy over the many ways that God has blessed me. But, the moment was short-lived. The car in front of me swerved, and out from underneath it came two pieces of concrete bouncing towards me. They were about the size of large grapefruit. I braked first, and then swerved. I missed one, but the second rolled under my car. I cringed as I listened to a rapid series thumps and bumps. Great, I thought. My bumper is probably all scratched up now. I hope the rock didn't puncture anything underneath my car. I sighed. When I reached the next stoplight, I realized what I had done. My desire for nice things (which has its root in selfishness, which has its root in idolatry) had killed my attitude of praise. It happened so quickly, and it seems to happen on a fairly routine basis. Why don't I have frequent attitudes of praise rise up within me unexpectedly that squash my selfishness?

I'm heading up to the DFW area tonight for the Thanksgiving holiday. The weather report this morning lists today's high as 70. The low is in the mid-thirties. I'm glad I packed a sweatshirt. The highs for Thursday and Friday are supposed to be in the fifties. That is good Thanksgiving weather.

I don't have much to do at work right now. At three, I am scheduled to go work on a server. I would like to work on it now, but it will not be made available to me until this afternoon. So, for now, all I can do is sit here and wait on a couple of phone calls. I am working on a plan so that I won't have to work on the server at all. I am waiting on a phone call to find out if this is a possibility. The man that holds the answer does not know that it will determine how late I will have to work. I'm hoping for a good word.

Lunchtime

2007-11-07T14:51:00.000-06:00

I met some friends for lunch.

We ate our lunch outside.

Some birds flew in low, just over our heads.

One bird hit the window of the restaurant.

Throwback

2007-11-05T10:05:00.000-06:00

My coworker has a two year old daughter. Occasionally, he will bring in some fun stories about what she does. This morning, he was telling me about watching Sesame Street with her. This led to some YouTube watching.

Remember these guys? They crack me up!

October 23rd is Mangofest!

2007-10-23T15:54:00.000-05:00

I called Dell this morning to order some replacement parts for a laptop that has been giving me constant trouble. After making all of the appropriate choices from the phone tree menu, I finally ended up at the appropriate office. But, like so many endings in a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book, I met an unfortunate end. The automated voice proclaimed: "This office is closed. Please call back on the next business day."

Um, it is Tuesday. The last time I checked, October 23rd isn't a national holiday, either, unless we are now celebrating Mole Day.

After three tries down different menus, I finally got a live person. Surely she would transfer me to a department that could help me. But, no. Apparently, every office that could help me is closed today. I switched to Dell's online chat, and was able to get my parts ordered.

Now, one of our email servers at work is down. I feel cut off from the world.

To celebrate all of this, I got myself a smoothie. Flavor: Mangofest.

Oops

2007-10-18T17:58:00.000-05:00

I sent an email to a group of friends this morning. I included a link to a movie trailer that I think is just is just hysterical. But when I added the link, my email client apparently got too excited about it and copied the link two more times. So the email looked all kinds of crazy. I find this very embarrassing. I get paid to help other people fix their computer issues, and here I am not able to make my own computer work right. Sigh.
For what it is worth, I use Thunderbird for my email client. It is definitely not Outlook. I actually like it much better than Outlook, except now for when I need to include a link.

Yet another reason why I am not a writer

2007-10-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Who knew that adverbs were so important? As I proved in my last blog post, one missing word can change an entire story. Rotor readers have proved their intelligence by showing they could use context clues to determine what actually happened as I was about to leave my house last Friday.

Tesa, you were right, Friday was supposed to be "Slipper Day."

As for the Missing Shoe Caper, that might have to be a blog post for another day...

The way my day started

2007-10-12T11:09:00.000-05:00

As I finished buttoning my shirt, I went over my list of things. Keys: check. Wallet: check. Phone, iPod, USB thumb drive: check, check, and check. I picked up my computer bag and walked out of my bedroom and towards the front door. Even though I had cleared the day's "preflight checklist," I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something. I looked down at the floor as I thought hard about what I might be forgetting. Then it dawned on me: I was wearing shoes.

When I got to work, I checked my email, and then went to the conference room for our morning network migration meeting. After the meeting, I went upstairs to get some tea (The shoes incident should have tipped me off that I really should have gone with coffee). When I got back to my office, I found my office door locked (as it should be) and saw that my keys were sitting on my desk (where they should not be).

I'm really glad that it is Friday.

Rejection letter

2007-10-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I was trying to add my email to a mailing list for people that use and support MacIntosh computers on campus. I just received this email:

Your request to the MACCOI-L mailing list

   Subscription request

has been rejected by the list moderator.  The moderator gave the
following reason for rejecting your request:

"[No reason given]"

I don't know what hurts worse: the fact that I found out over email, or the fact that no reason was given. I'm going to go cry now.

Sometimes I wish I didn't know so much

2007-09-28T08:32:00.000-05:00

James 4:17 says "So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is a sin."

I think I have some confessing to do...

A productive, yet restful, weekend

2007-09-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

Friday night:
Went to church

Saturday:
Bought some good music on iTunes
Put together my bookshelves and put away all my books
Three hours of studying
Fixed the iPod connector cable in my car
Did some ironing
Saved $20 a piece of computer equipment
Went grocery shopping
Did laundry
Watched a little college football
Cooked a lasagna
Watched three episodes of The Office

So far today:
I have slept in
Blogged
Washed dishes

And here is what is on tap for today:
Watch the Texans game
Go to church
I might do a little more studying today too

I'm already a month behind in my shopping!

2007-09-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

Instead of coffee this morning, I went with apple cinnamon tea. The smell of it reminds me of apple cider, which reminds me of the holiday season, which makes me think of Christmas. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year. It looks to be a bit more wild and crazy than usual. With each passing year, it seems to get more difficult to order things so that I can spend quality time with all my family and friends. But it is all worth it.

I think the thing that I enjoy the most about the holiday season is the anticipation. So I'm going to kick things off a little early this year. Only 95 days until Christmas!

A good way to start the day

2007-09-12T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning, I stopped by Target to pick up a couple of little things I needed for my new place. (Yes, I moved again. Moving is an annual tradition for me, it seems.) I arrived a few minutes before 8am, which is when the store opens. I and a few other individuals were waiting patiently for the store to open. I watched a lady park her car and walked quickly in a very determined manner through our group and to the door. She marched straight up to the automatic door and almost ran straight into it. She took a step back, glanced at the "Hours of Operation" sign, and exclaimed, "Oh, they are not open yet!" I had to laugh. How often do you see a group of professionally dressed adults loitering outside of a Target store at 8am?

I wished that she had actually run into the door. That would have been even funnier.

Not a great way to start the week

2007-09-04T10:18:00.000-05:00

I woke up late.
I am slightly congested.
I spilled coffee on my pants.
I have some not-so-fun people to deal with today.

Just a normal conversation in the work kitchen

2007-08-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

Coworker: "Good morning."
Me: "Good morning."
Coworker: "You must have your chair set low."
Me: "What?"
Coworker: "You must have your chair set low."
Me: Confused look on my face.
Coworker: "You are taller than I thought you were."
Me: "Oh."
Coworker: Walks away.
Me: Quickly picks up coffee mug and returns to office.

That last post

2007-08-16T18:20:00.000-05:00

I composed my previous post on my phone and emailed it in. Unfortunately, the post was truncated. You only got two-thirds of the post. I'm not happy about that, and I don't feel like re-writing it either. Oh, well. Sorry about that.

An uncomfortable reminder

2007-08-16T12:22:00.000-05:00

I woke up the other morning with a crick in my neck. I guess I must have slept in a weird position. It is not a fun condition to have, of course, but like most things in life, it can serve as a reminder of a spiritual truth

About Face(book)

2007-08-09T17:13:00.000-05:00

I have tried my hardest to stay out of the Facebook world. I do not like the fact that an Internet phenomenon holds such strong sway over the winds of our culture. Apparently, certain things just are not true unless your Facebook profile says it is true. I do not like this at all.

Initially, I made a commitment not to do anything with Facebook except accept friendships. It seems that the current state of affairs requires me to change that commitment. I am happy about the reason, but I am not happy with Facebook.

Blogs vs Facebook

2007-08-09T15:02:00.001-05:00

What do you think - Are more people reading blogs or on Facebook? It seems to me that the locus of activity has moved to Facebook. This is unfortunate. Facebook is a closed society.

I am issuing a decree

2007-08-08T11:47:00.000-05:00

Today should be Thursday.

You have to keep them wild

2007-08-03T17:21:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of a squirrel on campus. It was taken by one of my coworkers. He may look cute, but beware. As I was leaving my building today, a squirrel crossed my path. He stopped in front of me and stared me down. I took a step forward, and he took a step in the same direction. I stepped the other way, and he matched my move. We locked eyes. I took two quick steps towards him. He froze. I jab-stepped towards him, and he ducked to the side. I turned around and saw that he was watching me. He watched me all the way until I crossed the street.

As I turned onto the street that led away from campus, another squirrel started to dash in front of my car. I wanted to run over me, but I gave him mercy. I swerved just close enough to him to give him a good scare.

A reason to love airports

2007-07-30T19:54:00.001-05:00

I walked into the men's restroom and saw a woman come out of one of the stalls.

Lost emails and the rest of my trip

2007-07-26T21:12:00.000-05:00

Well, I sent an update while I was in Chicago, but it apparently, got lost in the Internet ether. I distinctly remember writing it. I was sitting next to Star Wars kid (see previous blog entry). I don't know where it went.

Here is a basic rundown of what happened. We made it to Chicago about an hour late. After a mad dash to the gate for my connecting flight, we (me, the Star Wars kid, and his grandma, who were also going to Green Bay) found that our flight was also delayed. I hung around for a while, spent $7 on a bag of trail mix and a bottle of water (pure robbery!!). After a while, I decided to step into the restroom. As I was doing what one does in a restroom, I heard an announcement over the loudspeaker. "Flight 4061 with service to Green Bay is now..." At this very moment, a toilet flushed and drowned out the rest of the announcement (no pun intended there). I finished my business, and rushed back to the gate to find most of the people gone. They had switched gates on me! I arrived at the new gate as the plane was boarding. I hopped on (not literally), and enjoyed the 50 minute flight to Green Bay. My dad was there to pick me up, and we drove the rest of the way to the great metropolis of Manistique, Michigan.

I'm going nowhere...Somebody help me...

2007-07-26T08:09:00.001-05:00

My flight was scheduled to leave at 7:10. We boarded and left the gate right on time. We taxied for a few minutes, and then the captain told us that our "wheels up time" would be 8:30ish. (He didn't actually say "ish." I added that for dramatic effect.)

I am composing this email blog post while sitting on the plane. (I love my PDA phone!) Since I don't have anything else to do, let me tell you what things are like here on the plane. In front of me is a kid playing a Star Wars video game. I can hear R2DR, blasters, light sabers, Darth Vader's breathing, and the familiar Star Wars score.

Across the aisle is a nice older woman. We were discussing suduko and items in the Sky Mall catalog just a moment ago. Next to her is a snorer. Thankfully, he isn't too loud. There is also a first time flier near by. She started mildly freaking out when she heard that we were delayed. She started asking the flight attendant all these questions and was upset about the possibility of missing her connecting flight (which is the same as mine). She has calmed down now that she has made a phone call.

Across the aisle and behind me is a baby. Thankfully, it is being quite for now. Next to me is a business traveller. He is sleeping (and not snoring, thankfully).

The flight attendants have passed out water, so that is good. It is starting to get a little warm and stuffy. The baby is crying now. We've got about 30 minutes left to wait. Ugh.

A Christmas story for July

2007-07-24T11:53:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to blog about this memory for some time, but have never gotten around to it. This story has been on my mind the past few days, so I finally decided to force myself to write it.

My most memorable Christmas was when I was seven years old. Early in the Christmas season, my dad sat my sister and me down to tell us that this Christmas would be different. We wouldn't be getting very much under the tree this year. Instead, we would be receiving a very special gift in February. I was very confused. Why would we have to wait? My dad said that this gift couldn't come on Christmas day. He said he wouldn't tell us what the gift was, but we could ask as many questions as we wanted. My sister and I did our best to figure out what the gift was, but my dad would never answer the questions in a way that would really help us figure anything out. I am sure that brought great joy to him to see us squirm and try to figure out what the gift was. But, it was also better for us to not know, because the anticipation made the gift that much more special and enjoyable.

Christmas came and went. Why couldn't we have our gift? The agony of anticipation was becoming unbearable. Finally February came. My dad had a business trip coming up, and my mom had arranged for us to get out of school that day to accompany my dad to the airport. This was a very big deal. My dad had several more bags with him than he usually did for a business trip. In the pocket of one of the bags, I saw a tourist book for the city my dad was going to. It made me a little sad, because it was a place I would have liked to go to. We got to the terminal and sat down. My dad handed a plane ticket to my sister. "Hold this for me," he said. My sister looked at the ticket. "It has my name on it!" she exclaimed. "Well, you will just have to go instead of me," my dad replied. This is not right, I thought. Then my dad handed me a ticket that had my name on it. My sister and I looked at my dad. He said he had one more clue about our Christmas present, but it was going to be a puzzle. He handed my sister and me each a scrap of paper. When we fit the scraps together, the paper proclaimed our destination: DisneyWorld.

This is such a fond memory for several reasons. First, we went to DisneyWorld. That is about the coolest destination for a kid (and some adults for that matter). Second, it is a great example of a trait I have picked up from my dad. I love to give gifts, and I like to give them with mystery to build the excitement and anticipation. Third, as I have reflected on this event (and this trait that I share with my dad) as an adult, I see a spiritual lesson. I wanted my Christmas present on Christmas Day. This isn't an unreasonable request, is it? No, but if my dad had given me gifts on that day, I would have missed an even greater gift later on. I would have been exchanging a greater gift for a lesser gift only because I was impatient. Sometimes, I find myself asking God why He hasn't answered a prayer or fulfilled a promise He has made. But, that is my impatience showing. Do I believe the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:9-11? If He is waiting, it is because He has something greater planned (Isaiah 55:8-9). If I can trust Him, the reasons for the waiting (or the "no," for that matter) will be come clear, and I will be grateful for His plan.

A man who needs no introduction

2007-07-18T09:35:00.000-05:00

Tom has a new style...

Change for the better

2007-07-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

Out with the old...
(2000 Mercury Grand Marquis LS)

And in with the new!
(2007 Volkswagen Jetta, Wolfsburg Edition)

Something bad almost happened

2007-07-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

I went to get coffee from the breakroom this morning. I put my K-cup into the machine and pushed the button. The machine went "ka-chunk" (a usual sound) and then it stopped (unusual). "NO!!!" I screamed in my head. This is not the day for the coffee machine to break. The Windows Vista training I am going through this week is uber-boring. I need the coffee.

But, after two heartbeats, the coffee started pouring into my cup. Disaster averted.

Helping people

2007-07-13T23:21:00.000-05:00

I figured I would continue my streak of consecutive posts.

Today was a good day at work. I get paid to help people. Usually, I help people with their computer problems. I did this today. As a matter of fact, I and had the opportunity to help several high profile clients. That was rewarding. I always enjoy it when I am able to improve the reputation of our IT staff.

But, I think the best moment of the day was when I was able to help a desperate family that was visiting campus. When I stumbled upon them, they were in need of a women's restroom - fast. I was in the right place at the right time. If you will pardon the pun - they were very relieved that I could help them.

Who cares about helmet hair

2007-07-12T10:07:00.001-05:00

I need to get a bike so I can have one of these.

Happy Birthday to me

2007-07-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

I can't decide which mode I like better.

Truck form:

Or Robot form:

I suppose it doesn't really matter. Optimus Prime is awesome either way.

Random

2007-07-10T17:01:00.001-05:00

I just saw an awesome t-shirt. It said "Procrastinators unite...tomorrow"

Question of the day

2007-07-10T12:03:00.001-05:00

Where do you go when you need expert help, and you are supposed to be the expert?

Lunchtime

2007-07-09T12:34:00.001-05:00

I wanted to eat lunch outside today. I sat down at a nice table next to some bushes and a tree. After three bites of my sandwich, I had received four mosquito bites. Now, I am finishing my sandwich at my desk.

The Proverbial Journal

2007-07-08T11:34:00.000-05:00

For this blog post, I'm going to be opening up the proverbial journal. I don't really know why, but I felt like throwing out this particular tidbit of my life for all of you to read. This post deals directly with time that I have spent with some of my blog readers. I just want to say here at the start that I treasure the time that I spend with you. You have all been a wonderful source of refreshment, encouragement, council, and joy.

Since May, I have been making attempts to simplify my life. In one way, I have succeeded: I have reduced the number of regular official commitments. (Point for me for using a colon in a sentence.) Outside of my job, I only have one commitment that recurs every week. It is my discipleship group, and even that commitment has some flexibility in it. But, I have not been able to achieve the simplification for which I have been searching.

I had several goals I was looking to achieve through my simplified life. The first was to reduce my stress level. The second goal was to rebuild some relationships that I had been neglecting. A third goal was to set aside time to work on personal projects such as developing a new hobby, doing some studying, etc. As I pause after two months in this new phase of life, I am conflicted as to how I am doing.

The month of May was spent in preparation for the mission trip to Costa Rica. That was an incredible trip with an incredible group of people. I am still learning things as I reflect back on the trip. I have learned much about myself, the Church, and the Lord through the entire mission trip experience. However, it did not allow me to pursue my goal of simplifying my life.

Now that June is gone, I have been reflecting back on this second month. I don't know if I have made any progress. I have been able to work toward my second stated goal of rebuilding relationships. I have been able to spend quality time with some people that I have not been able to for some time. This has been very good. Unfortunately, I have been facing a certain corollary to achieving the second goal of my simplified life.

It seems that the success in rebuilding these relationships has come through spontaneous interactions. This is natural and good. However, I have found that a significant amount of time spent on goal #2 was time that I was intending on investing on my other goals. In the moment, I have always enjoyed changing my plans to go hang out or run an errand with a friend, or to do a favor. But, the result has been the neglect of some things that really need some attention.

There is a bit more to this discourse, but this post is becoming long, and the blog is not a fit medium for further elaboration. I will close with two Proverbs to which I must commit this all:

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
(Proverbs 16:9)

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
(Proverbs 19:21)

Things you see at lunchtime

2007-07-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

I took a friend out to lunch for his birthday. I took a picture of who was sitting next to us. I don't think he was too happy when I ordered the pecan crusted chicken.

Does this work?

2007-07-03T12:00:00.001-05:00

I just set up my blog so that I can create new blog posts by sending an
email. So, if you are reading this, then it works, which is totally
awesome.

Something else that is totally awesome is the email I just got from the
vice provost. He said we could leave early today. Rock on.

And, I am totally stoked about going to see the Transformers movie
tonight. I'm all about the robots in disguise!

Number 62 on my 29th

2007-07-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

On this my twenty-ninth birthday, I feel compelled to blog.
Unfortunately, I don't know what to write.
So, I will leave you with a psalm I have been enjoying,
And after this, I am calling it a night.

In the King James Version, just for fun:

Psalm 62
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Thank you, Lord, for making me tired

2007-06-28T23:06:00.000-05:00

I left the MetroLive Bible study right after it ended. Usually, I go hang out with friends afterwards, but tonight I wanted to go home and get some extra rest. I intended to go to bed early tonight. As I walked home from church, I contemplated taking care of a few of the phone calls that I needed to make. I told myself that those could wait. My first priority was rest.

When I got home, I found out that my roommate's fiancee and her cousin were coming over for a few minutes. They had been at MetroLive too. I didn't think this would affect me or my plan much. But as the conversation started, I found out differently.

My roommate's fiancee's cousin had some major questions about God, faith, and suffering. His questions were raw and honest. I ended up sharing a part of my testimony, about a time when I was in college where I struggled with questions of faith. It was good to share. I hope and pray (join me in this, if you will) that he will stick around, and that he will keep asking and search until he finds rest in knowing Christ as Savior and Lord.

Fresh

2007-06-28T14:36:00.000-05:00

I went to the grocery store on my lunch hour to pick up some lunch. I wandered around the produce section looking for the oranges. All I could find were in the organic section. No problem. I checked out and came back to the office.

When I got back to my desk, I used a fork to break through the peel. Orange juice exploded everywhere. The smell filled the office, the juice covered my hands, and I enjoyed my fruit.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do any work while I was eating my orange. And I had to clean my desk when I was done. But, that is the price you pay for fresh fruit.

Dinner conversation

2007-06-27T10:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a sampling of the items that were a part of dinner conversation last night:

Flies
Calculus and tangents
Living in Wyoming
Hot versus cold temperatures
Heat transfer
Rashes
Weiner dogs
Bruises
Cuff links
Bed pans
Clothes shopping
Food sculptures
Pink jeans
Turtles

The Sky Is Falling!

2007-06-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

A coworker showed this video to me today. I found it to be mildly entertaining on a boring day of work.

Beware, it involves flying animal parts. Are you curious yet?

(The video may take a while to download.)

I noticed something missing today

2007-06-20T21:56:00.000-05:00

As I left my building today, I noticed that a complete hedge row was missing from behind the building next to mine. The groundskeepers had pulled it completely out and patched the area with fill dirt. The area looks really strange now.

I was confused as to why they did this. Then it came to me. Someone must have been in dire need of a shrubbery.

Didn't your mother teach you table manners?

2007-06-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

One of my pet peeves is when people chew with their mouths open. This really irritates me to no end. Especially when there is smacking involved. I do not want to hear how much you are enjoying your meal.

I am sitting in a patio area of the student center here at the university. A guy is sitting at the table next to mine, which is about six feet away. His back is turned to me. You would think that this is plenty of distance and the fact that he is turned in the opposite direction would be enough to insulate any random sounds coming from his oral region. Oh, but no. I can hear all kinds of sounds as he munches away on his lunch. It is both amazing and revolting. It is an audio train wreck.

Good Morning!

2007-06-07T09:01:00.000-05:00

They are running tests on the fire alarm system in my building today. These tests just caused a power surge. Now, we wait to see how many tickets come in for computers that flake out. What a great way to start the day.

Falto a mis compañeros

2007-06-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

(If my Spanish is correct, that title should be "I miss my companions")

Every morning in Costa Rica, our team of twenty would pile onto our bus and head out for the day's work. On our way, we would do some combination of four things: Discuss the day's plan, pray, share testimonies, or sing praise songs. These bus trips were such wonderful times. As I began my drive to work today, I was sad that I was commuting alone. I miss the encouragement I received from my brothers and sisters as we prepared our hearts for the day's work through worship. I set up my ipod and played The Newsboys Adoration album. The first song is "He Reigns." This song brought me joy, as it reminded me that God's praises are continually being sung throughout the world by His children and His creation. I may not be hearing the voices with my ears, but I heard them in my soul.

A lesson from Costa Rica

2007-06-05T22:29:00.000-05:00

The devil will attack you when you are on a mission trip. While I was in Costa Rica, our team was attacked with doubts. Some of the questions we were faced with were:
"Can God really use me?"
"Why are we here?"
"Do I have anything to contribute to this team?"
"Are we doing anything worthwhile on this trip?"
The devil also attacked our rest and our health. But, God is always faithful. He overcame these questions and attacks. In His victory, God used us to do an incredible work for the people of Costa Rica, and in each other.

Now, we have all returned to our "regular lives" back home. As one of my team members wrote recently, Houston is my regular mission field. Tonight, a friend reminded me tonight that, like in Erin's post, I must have faith that this is where God has placed me. And, He has placed me here for a specific purpose. I have found that the devil's main attack on me here is with doubts that I am actually where God wants me to be. Has He not placed me in this very spot? There are many things that I can point to that indicate that it is only by God's hand that I am where I am this day. Again, I am forced to cry out, "Lord, increase my faith!"

Lord, in Costa Rica I knew I was where You had called me, but I needed You to assure me that You would use me there. Here at home, Lord, I know that you will use me, but I need You to assure me that I am where You have called me.

I want to hide my face(book)

2007-06-04T17:54:00.000-05:00

I know that most of my readers are wanting a report about my trip to Costa Rica. Well, you will have to wait a little longer. I am still looking for ways to make the stories concise enough to post.

Remember this post? I have done an excellent job keeping up with my promise to do only one thing with Facebook - accept friendship requests. I currently have 14 friends. I know 13 of these friends through my church. One of them is from my previous church. I'm not sure how she found me, but I imagine it was from some random connection through HFBC.

I have received two comments on my Facebook "wall" that disturb me. They were both birthdat greetings. Why was this disturbing? Because my birthday is not until July. Upon investigation, I discovered that I had listed my birthday wrong. Oops.

Day 7

2007-06-01T09:51:00.000-05:00

Genesis 2:2
"And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done."

Exodus 16:30
"So the people rested on the seventh day."

Day 6

2007-05-31T08:13:00.000-05:00

Luke 17:1-5
Luke 17 begins with Jesus teaching His disciples about temptation and forgiveness. Jesus tells them that it is better for you to be drowned than to cause someone to sin, and that you must forgive someone no matter how many times they sin against you. In verse five, the disciples respond to this by saying “Increase our faith!” When I first read Luke 17, I did not understand how temptation and forgiveness were connected to faith. The answer is not complicated. Have you ever tried to forgive someone without God’s Spirit? Have you ever been able to flee sin without God’s Spirit? We are incapable of living a Christ-like life by our own power. If we ever attempt to live a holy life without the power of Christ, we quickly prove what He said in John 15:5. “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

I often find myself in the position of the disciples. I find that it is much easier to be a stumbling block to someone than it is to forgive them. I need the power of the Holy Spirit within me to live the life that God has called me to live and to do the things that He has called me to do. Romans 3:22 tells us that the righteousness of God only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. For me to grow in righteousness, I must also grow in faith. So, I echo the cry of the disciples every day: “Lord, increase my faith!”

Day 5

2007-05-30T08:52:00.000-05:00

Luke 17:5-6
Jesus does not immediately answer the disciples request to increase their faith. Instead, He paints for them a word picture. Jesus compares faith to a mustard seed. Why does He do this? Is Jesus making a statement about quantity of faith? I do not think so. A mustard seed is about 1 millimeter in diameter. That is very small indeed! Though insignificant in size, it will grow into a very large plant. It will grow into a mustard tree not because of its size, but because that is what it is. Likewise, our faith does not receive its power because of its size, but because of its object.

We must remember this before we begin talking about increasing our faith. If we forget, we will be tempted to think that maybe we have something to do with it. Luke 17:7-10 will teach us about the role we play in increasing our faith, but we must never lose sight of the fact that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

Day 4

2007-05-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

Philippians 2:12-15
As Christians living in the USA, we can easily apply Hebrews 12:4 to our testimony. “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” I have always thought that the choice between Christ and execution would be easy. Sure, there would be much pain and trauma, but the choice would be clear and the reward immediate at the end of the struggle. I might even be able to obey James 1:2 and “count it all joy” while facing such a test. Though my faith has never been tested in this manner, my faith is regularly tested in a different way.

Philippians 2:14 commands us to “do all things without grumbling or questioning.” I find that I often fail this test. How do you respond when you have been inconvenienced or given a difficult task? I find that more often than not I respond with grumbling and questioning. I may put on a nice, Christian-looking face, but the rebellion lurks in my heart. Regardless of the difficulty, and we will see both large and trivial difficulties during our trip, we must follow the example of Christ, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” This is how our testimony is built.

Answered prayer

2007-05-28T19:53:00.000-05:00

I found a computer, so I thought I would write about one thing that I have been able to do in Costa Rica. In the past, I have prayed that if I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip that I would be able to use my computer skills. I had not prayed about that in preparation for this trip. But tonight, God answered that prayer. I was able to fix a couple of computer problems for YWAM.

Day 3

2007-05-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Luke 8:22-24
It is easy to call the disciples knuckleheads. They had seen Jesus perform many miracles, and yet they still allowed their thinking to be ruled by their fear rather than their faith. In the midst of the storm, they forgot Who they were sailing with and what He had told them. Jesus had told them clearly what they were going to do. Their destination was the other side of the lake. Jesus had never left them; He was just taking a nap.

Several of the disciples were professional fishermen. They should have known how to handle the storm. But, they did not possess the ability to navigate through this storm. To their credit, the disciples did a good thing in their desperation. They went to Jesus.

After calming the storm, Jesus rebukes His disciples. “Where is your faith?” This makes me wonder: how would the disciples have reacted if their faith had been mature? Jesus had given them a task and destination – to sail to the other side of the lake. He did not leave them. If God gives me a task that becomes difficult, dangerous, or desperate, will I cry out like the disciples did? Or, will I press on with full confidence that I am obeying my Lord, trusting His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me?

Day 2

2007-05-27T09:10:00.000-05:00

Philippians 3:3-11
This is a difficult but beautiful passage. Paul says in verse 8: “For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” What are “all things”? It is easy to throw away the bad stuff and the painful parts of our lives. I will gladly exchange these to gain Christ. It is the good things that are difficult to throw away. When I look at my life, I see career potential, personal growth opportunities, education, family, and a safe and comfortable lifestyle. Do I consider these “rubbish” compared to knowing Christ?

Here is an exercise to help us gain perspective. Take a blank piece of paper and draw a line down the middle of it. On one side of the line, make a list of personal achievements, goals, etc. One the other side of the line, write Christ. Ask yourself – which side of the paper do I spend my time pursuing? Which side is worthy of your time and attention?

Day 1

2007-05-26T00:28:00.001-05:00

So, today I am going to Costa Rica. Today is reserved for travel, and then some evangelism efforts in a park in the evening. I have many thoughts running through my head right now that I could write, but at this point I do not think they would be very beneficial. I ask for your prayers while I am gone: prayers for me and the whole team.

Check in each day this week. I have arranged for some special blogging to happen here while I am gone. I have asked a dedicated blogger to post some of the devotions that our team will be reading while we are in Costa Rica. There is one for each day except for next Saturday, when we will be traveling back. Hopefully, I will have some energy to post stories of some of our experiences, and maybe some pictures too.

Something worth listening to

2007-05-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

The other day, I listened to a talk by Ravi Zacharias called "Preparation and Portrait of a Prophet." I recommend it. Here is part 1, and here is part 2.

The Troy

2007-05-22T23:31:00.000-05:00

For those that haven't seen it yet, or for those that just want to watch a good video, here it is: That once-in-a-lifetime-performance that is known as The Troy.

(Thanks to Bethany for posting it on her Phanfare site.)

For when you are bored

2007-05-21T14:22:00.000-05:00

I haven't played this today, but I have to admit that I am being tempted pretty hard right now.

http://www.schulz.dk/pacman.html

Thanks

2007-05-17T16:14:00.000-05:00

A wonderful group of people got this for me.

You guys rock, and now so can I.

Software patent problems

2007-05-14T11:56:00.000-05:00

This post is for my readers that are into technology. Here is a good article I found concerning software patents and free software.

Discipleship and Cake

2007-05-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

My discipleship group was supposed to meet at my place last night at 7:30. Start time rolled around, and no one was there. The guys occasionally show up late, so I continued working on the correspondence I was writing. The next time I looked at my watch, it was 7:45ish. This is strange, I thought. I should start calling the guys to see where they are. Just then, I received a phone call. It was Scott, one of the guys in my group.

Scott: "Would you like some cake?"
Me: "Uh, what? Where are you?"
Scott: "Come down the stairs and get some cake."

I walked outside my apartment and down the stairs. Scott was there. He said, "Your neighbor invited us in for cake. Come get some." I walked in to my neighbor's apartment. There I found my discipleship group. They had been invited to join a women's discipleship group for cake. Well, I thought, it is 7:45. I'll have a piece of cake and then we will go upstairs and get started. I sat down with my cake.

Before I knew it, we had used up all of our time. It was an enjoyable evening, and the most unusual discipleship meeting I have ever had.

HA!

2007-05-04T10:07:00.000-05:00

(or Hilarious Acronyms!)

I learned a new acronym in a meeting this morning:

Computer Related APplications

What is the economic worth of a parent?

2007-05-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting article. I wonder if they would do one for dads, or are dads just worth the bacon that they bring home.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18466753/

Don't scuff your feet

2007-05-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

The shoes I have on feel like slippers. I think I may have mentioned this on my blog before. (It has been a long time since I have owned a pair of slippers. You don't need them in Houston. It is never cold enough.) These shoes are very comfortable, but I have found that I tend to scuff my feet when I walk. This will not do well for my soles.

I scuff my feet when I wear slippers. It is a subconscious thing. "I am wearing slippers. I am relaxed. I am slightly tired. I shouldn't expend too much energy picking my feet up off the ground while I am walking. Why am I walking, anyway? I should be lying down watching a ball game or taking a nap. What ever I am doing can't be important, because I am wearing slippers. I will go lie down right now. But, since I am up, I should go to the kitchen and get some cookies or something first."

As you can see, shoes that feel like slippers are not good for my work ethic. And neither is blogging.

(Picture taken with my new phone.)

No smelling the roses for me

2007-05-02T12:31:00.000-05:00

Since Alyssa wants me to post, I will fill you all in on my week. This week hasn't been what it was supposed to be . In my effort to slow down and do less, I have found that my life has become more busy. This past Sunday marked the end of what had been the most demanding commitment in my life right now. I was expecting to feel a great relief at this point. But, I still have too many things to do. Take this week, for example. I took Monday as an evening of rest. I made a few phone calls and watched a PBS on the Mormons. Last night, I had a meeting with my discipleship group. Tonight, I am getting together with the guys from my upcoming Costa Rica trip. We are going to the Astros game. Thursday, I am filling in for on of our Bible study leaders. Friday, I leave town to attend my sisters graduation. I will drive back on Saturday, but not back home. I will be driving to a singles retreat. I will be returning home Sunday evening. Hopefully, next week won't be so bad.

No one carries cash anymore

2007-04-27T22:30:00.000-05:00

I spent $7 for my dinner tonight. I paid with two $2 bills and three $1 coins (two Sacagawea coins and a Susan B. Anthony coin).

Giving

2007-04-26T23:20:00.000-05:00

As I reflect back on this not-quite-finished week, I find that I have been confronted with challenges in giving. I have been challenged to give out of resources that I do not have. I have also been challenged to give in situations where I know that the receiver of the gift(s) will never fully understand the measure of the gift given.

Lord, take what I have and use it for Your glory. Pour Your Spirit through my weakness and emptyness, so that when people ask for things from me, they find that what they receive is from You.

The System Is Down

2007-04-25T19:14:00.000-05:00

I got an email today informing the support staff that our webmail system was down and won't be fixed until tomorrow morning. It made me think of this.

And, here is another piece of computer nerd humor. The guy who sent the email has the following line for his signature: "In /dev/null no one can hear you scream." That line always makes me laugh.

Will you be my friend?

2007-04-24T13:05:00.000-05:00

I couldn't find my watch this morning. I didn't have a lot of time to search for it, so I have had to go without my time piece for the day. I was an hour late for lunch. This wasn't too bad, though, because I missed the noon rush in the cafeteria.

I just checked my personal email account. I have a notification from Facebook that someone has listed me as their friend. The email makes me laugh because it says "We need you to confirm that you are, in fact, friends with [insert friend's name here]." So, do I get to choose? Maybe I don't want to be this person's friend. What if I change my mind later? It sounds like the type of thing that happens on the playground when you are in second grade. "Will you be my friend?" Facebook should add a way to barter for friendships, kind of like when that strange kid offered you a piece of string and a drummer boy quarter if you would be his friend.

I created a Facebook account a week or so ago in response to two requests for friendship. I do not have a profile set up, and I don't intend to. A blog is more than enough. To be cordial, I'll accept friendships, but I think that is as far as I will go with Facebook.

Amazing Movie

2007-04-23T21:31:00.000-05:00

So, I must confess something. There is a not-so-good reason why I was extra disappointed that the coffee machine at work was broken today. I came home from my church activities last night to find my roommate watching Spiderman. The movie had just started. I could not resist watching. This is one of my favorite movies. I love the conflict that you see in Peter Parker as he desparately tries to reconcile his personal and career goals, his love for his family and friends, and his "calling" as Spiderman. And I love the theme of the movie series, as expressed by Peter's Uncle Ben (rice anyone?): "With great power comes great responsibility." That's some good stuff right there.

The movie went until midnight. It made me tired, but I enjoyed watching it. I'd do it again tonight with Spiderman 2, but the game two of the Rockets/Jazz playoff series is tonight. And I have to prepare for a Bible study I am teaching on Friday. And I have to bake a cake.

An Update

2007-04-23T08:58:00.000-05:00

Seventeen days since my last post and this is what I have to report - It is Monday morning, and the coffee machine is broken. This is very bad news.

Two things blog-worthy

2007-04-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

I saw this article about a crazy college pitcher. I'd like to point out the fact that he pitches for Creighton University (Shout to my Omaha peeps, yo!) The dude has potential to create some noise in the majors. I'd like to see what happens when he faces a switch-hitter.

In other news...

Shortly after I returned to my desk after lunch yesterday, I discovered that I had a hole in my pants. It was a small hole, near the pocket. I was overcome with several strong emotions. First, I was sad. These were new pants. Second, I was confused. I could not think where/when/how the tear came to be. Third, I was embarrassed. I had a hole in my pants!

April Fools

2007-04-02T20:16:00.000-05:00

I didn't see this when it was announced on Sunday. It was in one of our departmental emails that went out today. I am not usually an early adopter of new technologies, but I am signing up as soon as this is out of beta testing!

http://www.google.com/tisp/

Captain Troy goes to orientation

2007-03-20T19:13:00.000-05:00

I found my "new hire orientation" today. Apparently, when you go on the right day, there are signs that direct you to the building and people waiting for you at the door. It was a good event. The free lunch was tasty, too. I had tilapia, broccoli, and rice. I also received two pens, a highlighter, a pad of sticky notes, and a coffee mug.

When I returned to my office, I found a slightly larger-than-lifesized poster of this picture covering my office door with the caption "Capt. Troy to the rescue!"

A great way to start your morning

2007-03-19T21:47:00.000-05:00

I got to work this morning (Monday, that is) right at 8:30. I got to my desk, pulled out my laptop, and turned it on. I opened up my bottle of orange juice as I sat down. Then I remembered: I have new staff orientation today - and it starts at 8:30! I hesitated for a moment, thinking that maybe I should just blow it off. But, there was a free lunch waiting at the end of it. I couldn't let that go to waste. I briskly walked across campus to where the meeting was going to be held. I entered the building and began searching for the room. I couldn't find it. I asked two people, both of whom had no idea what I was talking about. After walking all around the building, I decided to just leave. I had burned thirty minutes of my day, and I didn't need to waste any more time looking for a meeting I really wasn't all that excited about. I returned to my office and opened up my email client. I pulled up the email about the orientation to see if it offered any clues to where the room was. It did not. That made me feel better. I wasn't a moron for not knowing where the room was. Instead, I was a moron because the meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday). And, I still don't know where the room is.

Another reason why I am a nerd

2007-03-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Pi Day!

This proves I am a computer nerd

2007-03-03T16:17:00.000-06:00

I saw a t-shirt today that said the following:

"There's no place like 127.0.0.1"

The computer humor made me happy. I wanted to share this happiness with someone, but then I realized that I don't think any of my friends would appreciate the humor. That made me sad. Oh, well. Such is the life of a computer nerd.

This morning could have been a disaster

2007-02-27T13:03:00.000-06:00

After I got to the office this morning, I went to get my morning cup of coffee. Taped to the front of the machine was a sign saying that it was broken. I turned to leave the kitchen and put my hand in my pocket. That is when I realized that I was not wearing a belt.

I have made it through the lunch hour. I haven't needed a caffeine fix and my pants haven't fallen down. Four more hours to go...

Finding toenails and jobs

2007-02-25T23:09:00.000-06:00

Someone has found my blog by searching for "slow growing toenails." I find this fascinating. I checked, and as of 11:12pm, my blog is ranked #6 on Google for this search! That is something of which to be proud. I never would have imagined that my crazy toenail would make me famous. Perhaps I should blog about my toenails more often. Or not.

In other news, I start my new job tomorrow! (For those that may not have heard, I am still working at the same place, but I am no longer a temporary employee!) I am extremely excited. This new job has been an answer to a prayer that I have been praying for about seven years or so. I have been searching for a computer systems support position since college. The Lord has brought me through a strange and winding road, but He has finally brought me to this place. That road He brought me down was at times very difficult (Chapter 11 bankruptcy anyone?). While I was traveling, I did not understand. I would get upset with God, and ask Him repeatedly for answers. But, now that I am here, I can look back and see why He brought me the way that He did. I have learned how to echo, at least in part, the words of Paul in Philippians 4:12 "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation..." I know I still have much to learn about being content in other areas of my life, but I am thankful for what the Lord has taught me thus far. Give me the endurance, O Lord, to continue learning!

Verse of the Week

2007-02-21T23:23:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, I am tempted to think that my Heavenly Father has refused to answer my prayers. But, He always demonstrates His infinite wisdom and sovereignty. He has done this for me this week. As His word says, He is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. His timing is perfect, and His blessings are good.

Matthew 7:9-11
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"