Friday, April 30, 2004

Leaving on a jet plane
This weekend (i.e. today) I am headed off to see Jenn graduate from college. I am very excited about seeing her, and seeing her graduate. Not so excited for the short trip. Oh well...

Saturday, April 24, 2004

Random Updates

A couple weeks ago I had a bird that was nesting in my dryer vent. How odd is that right? Well it was pretty annoying being woken up at 6am by a bird that I thought was flying around my house. No harm was done, the bird had not laid eggs yet. So all was good.



Also...probably not always a good idea if you live in Arkansas to tell your coworkers that a) you have been to one of the "shady" bars in town more than once. b) that you actually like said shady bar. c) the name of the "21 and up" section of said shady bar and d) that sad shady bar is actually a "dance" club.
So I come back from a an errand the other day and I see that my office door is decorated with jungle like things as the drinking area of said shady club is called the "Safari Lounge".

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Five Years
Five years is a long time. A lot can happen in five years. Whole lives can be lived in five years. Millions of lives can be changed in five years.

Five years ago I was a freshman in college. Five years ago I watched a tv in horror what unfolded only miles from my parents house and down the road from the high school I had graduated from. Five years ago my neighbors at college were from Littleton, and one a Columbine graduate. Five years ago my roommates girlfriend was a student at Columbine. Five years ago my mom, a social worker for the school district met my roommates girlfriend in the hospital after she was shot.

From the Rocky Mountain News

From the Denver Post

From Jeffersonair



Five years later life goes on for those who survived, but those lives have not gone unchanged. I pray for those who survived and for the families of those who did not.

These names will remain in our hearts forever:
Cassie Bernall, Steven Curnow, Corey DePooter, Kelly Fleming, Matthew Ketcher, Daniel Mauser, Daniel Rohrbough, Dave Sanders, Rachel Scott, Isiah Shoals, John Tomlin, Lauren Townsend, Kyle Velasquez.

Monday, April 12, 2004

Rebirth

The weather here in NW Arkansas was fitting of Easter weekend. Friday and Saturday were somewhat dreary and dark and we awoke Sunday to a beautiful bright Easter morning. While it is cliché to talk to such rebirths at Easter or during spring I believe that on a personal level it is worth mentioning. On a white board that I have sitting in my office (which doubles as a storage room for white boards and chalk boards) I have a small box with three very important things written on it. The first is a quote from Socrates that says “the unexamined life is not worth living”. These are words I try to live by. Questioning things is in my nature and for this I am so happy. If I were to live without questioning I would not be the person that I am today. The second thing in the box is the word “grace” for I must remember that Grace is God’s gift to us and by Grace I am where I am today. Finally I have four letters written in that box. The four letters are R.T.R.C., which stand for “remember the risen Christ”. I have these words there to remind myself of all the suffering that Christ went through and that with all of the “crap” that happens in my life nothing compares to what Christ went through. The words also remind of what happens in the end. The end is not sad, but it is glorious. Although for me, that idea of Resurrection is the toughest thing to remember and to accept…

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Life is too short to be CYNICAL

Granted I can be cynical at times. However, typically my cynicism is in regards to politics and the political process. Recently I have encountered many people who are cynical about many of the things that I see as important in life. These things are: relationships, honesty, and passion. I do not really consider myself incredibly idealistic anymore as I have seen many good things and bad things in this world. However, I make a daily effort to remember that in life and the things we do in life, there is always room for improvement. I do not believe that there is any situation in life that cannot be improved in some way (whether it be a physical or more in the mind).

Even in my own life I do not feel that politics is beyond improvement. I think that politics has become a somewhat corrupt enterprise. I feel that to get elected in America one almost needs to be independently wealthy. Despite these "realizations" I do think that we can change this...as I believe with the help and support from God we as individuals can make our own situations better.

So that is my "idealistic" rant...



Friday, April 02, 2004

Political Post...be advised

It is about time... Air America. Finally, a Progressive radio station to combat the non-progressive airwaves (aka Hannity, Rush, and friends). Is it going to be biased? Of course...as is all media, but at least the other side gets some time...