Mark Levin and saving lives (and boobs)

I read a pretty good article on Relevant magazine’s website called “Christianity and Health Care Reform.” To me, one of the most interesting parts of the article was the comments that followed. There were a few comments from readers that live outside of the United States. I was fascinated to read their feedback because their mindset and how they approach the idea of healthcare is completely different than those of us who live in the middle of this debate. Those who commented genuinely did not understand why there was outrage. They appreciated that health care in their country was provided for them. They couldn’t figure out why a government would not provide this service for their people. One especially couldn’t figure out why Christians would be against reform and would not want their government to get involved within this arena.

Look, I understand that there are a lot of people that are against more government involvement in our lives. And that’s fine. I’ve never seen people protest the government for providing Medicare and Medicaid for people in need. And yes, I know that Medicare and Social Security are in trouble- but that doesn’t mean that at the core that these were bad programs in the first place. I’ve never heard an outcry from the people saying we should not have these programs to take care of the elderly. Odd. But regardless- of all the arenas we would support the government (that WE elect) being involved in, why do we want to keep them out of health care?? I am tired of health care being treated as a business rather than a public service. It’s your freaking health! Should I have the right to live a more healthy life than those that can’t afford to?

Often when I am driving home from Corinne’s at night I listen to Mark Levin. He’s one of those guys that spends most of his radio show yelling in a high pitch voice about how the country is going to the crapper because Obama is a communist, etc. I try to listen to people like that so I can hear the other side of the argument so I can at least see where both sides are coming from. A couple of weeks ago, he was making the case of how awful it was going to be if we had government run health care. He relayed a story about a woman who lived somewhere in Europe and her struggles with socialized coverage. Apparently, she found out that she had breast cancer. The doctors caught it early enough and performed a mastectomy and she is now cancer free. The issue came post-surgery. In her letter, she described the self-image and self-confidence issues she was having after the procedure. She was all set to have cosmetic surgery to help her with her struggles when she received a letter in the mail from the insurance company telling her that her claim was rejected because it was considered cosmetic surgery. Levin then drove the point home- “Do you see where our country is headed? This is our future!”

As I was listening to his spiel, I couldn’t help but think that in that particular case- the health care system worked just as it should have. I sympathize with women that have had to have surgery that has left them with what they consider a less than desirable body. I personally know women that have had mastectomies. But the real issue is- what should health care cover? The immediate threat was the cancer. And the health care system treated it and covered it. She was in danger of losing her life, and as a public service she was treated. I believe the self-image problems that were left behind are real. But I agree with the insurance company- it would be cosmetic surgery. And no one is telling her that she can’t have that procedure. They’re simply saying that she will need to be the one that pays for it. And I agree. Who would be able to say where it would end? Can you say the teenage girl that struggles with depression and self-image issues because she feels she is uglier than all the other girls in school has any less valid point? Are her feelings any less real? I’ve worked with high school students and I can say from my experience in talking with them that it is a very real issue. But I don’t think that insurance paying for ways to alter your body is the answer. The better answer is a correct teaching on where beauty comes from in the first place.

I was talking to someone yesterday that is getting married next month. Her fiancé works for the state and is currently paying over $100 a month on health insurance. When he adds her to his plan after the wedding, his cost for healthcare will rise to over $400 a month. If he adds her five year old child, the cost will be over $900 A MONTH. And somehow, there is an outcry on healthcare reform. It angers me that there are so many people struggling to pay bills already and now many are spending 1/3rd of their take home pay on the ability to keep their health. Shame on us.

LOST discussion!

Some work friends and I e-mail back and forth after the weekly Lost episode to discuss what happened and how it all fits into the entire them of the show. Of course, we never really come up with answers, just more questions. But honestly, that is what makes this show so amazing. The writers are going to prove their geniusness if they can wrap together everything that is happening right now. And I'm sure they will.

I've never talked about LOST on my blog, I don't think. But I'm interested in hearing some feedback on what you think is going on. As we continue to find out more about what is happening on the island (and off the island), there seems to be two major "genres" running through the show. Faith vs. Science. I guess I just can’t figure out how the reality of what is really happening on the show is going to mesh.

The scene on the beach a few weeks ago between non-Locke and Widmore could have personified faith vs. science, the constant struggle between Jacob and MIB/non-Locke/Smokey- (whatever) is a fate vs. freewill. They have all these themes going on that need to be resolved—at least in the scope of revealing what the reality of the island is.

It is obvious that a theme in both realities is the need for balance between good and evil. The scale balanced by with a white and black rock idea on the island was echoed this week by the painting in Widmore’s office of a scale also balanced by something white and black that they made sure to keep in the screen while Desmond and Widmore were having their discussion. That part I get, I guess. That for this island and reality to exist (and really, the world), there needs to be a balance. But how time travel, electro-magnetic fields, alternate timelines, etc fit in with that and how they can either keep the good vs. evil balance or fail to do so is what I don’t understand.

What are your thoughts/predictions?

From Health Care Reform to Robin Hood. And back.

The healthcare reform bill has generated a lot of passionate dialogue lately. I admit, I have taken part of some myself. My argument has not been for one side or another, however. I honestly don't know enough about what the bill actually will do to know whether or not I support it. I do believe our healthcare system needs reform, I just don't know that this will take care of the problems we face. And I certainly don't want to blindly support the bill or blindly oppose it as I feel many do. No, my argument is for the reasons we decide to take whichever side we end up falling on.

I guess what I have come to terms with is that, for most, the issue is not health care reform at all. It is about ideology. It's about whose role it is to do what in our country. It's about what we believe we are entitled to and what we are not entitled to as Americans or even humans in general. Without trying to cover every road that this one topic can lead us down, let me sum up where I fall in the dialogue with one example:

This week I overheard someone talking about the healthcare bill passing and how upset they were. It was your typical “our country’s going down the drain, I’m scared for our children” kind of talk. She then went on to talk about how her family (who both have full time jobs) is struggling to make ends meet because they are being taxed so much and the cost of everything just keeps rising and rising. And then in the same breath, she talked about the upgrades they are making to their home, the trip to Chicago they were planning this weekend, the multiple days of golf her husband is playing this week, and the shopping she did on the West Coast a couple of weeks ago. I'm not saying that one doesn't have the right to do any of those things. But let's not kid ourselves. Most Americans are not "struggling" to make ends meet. We may be struggling to afford the nice car we drive, the big screen TV we watch, the premium cable package we subscribe to, the vacations we take, our dinners eating out, our MacBooks, IPods, IPhones, our shopping, our golf, etc. But if we were honest, most of us are not struggling to meet ends meet. But many, including this individual, truly believe they are.

It is this thinking that I question. I have heard and read many opinions about what people think about the passing of this bill- all from people that already have health insurance and have enough money to live comfortably. I have lived in my parents basement for 2 ½ years now and still believe that I live above my needs. To me, the argument should be whether or not this bill solves the problem, not a defensive stance that says we don’t want to be the ones that have to sacrifice. If an outcome of this bill is that it helps people that are lazy and don’t want to work and will leech the system, then that’s a problem. Let’s fix that. But my suspicion is even if we worked out all the kinks and started up a system that was proven only to help those that really need it is that the majority of people that are against this bill would still oppose the new system if it caused them to sacrifice their wealth.

Many believe that it should not be the governments’ role to decide where to distribute our money. And yet the United States gives more as a nation in aid than any other country in the world. When our country has continually given aid to other countries throughout our history, why have I never heard this be an issue? One could argue that we had already given the people of Haiti enough money before the hurricane—why is that ok with us? Why is it ok that after the hurricane our government stepped in and gave even more of our hard earned money?

I guess I just can’t figure out why some things are overlooked and then there’s a huge philosophical debate over one issue when it’s already been going on this whole time.

I was thinking this morning about Robin Hood, of all things. Remember what a great story that was? Remember how we rooted for him and saw him as the good guy even though he was a thief because he was giving the money to the poor? I’m not a socialist. I promise. But because of some theological beliefs I hold, I think there’s a reason we cheered for Robin Hood. I think we believe what he was doing was right. And then one day we woke up and we were rich. And then we didn’t like Robin Hood anymore.

All I’m saying is this: I think money and entitlement can make us blind. I think if we really got down to the heart of the issue and what we believed to be true, how that should work out in our day to day lives might frighten us a little.

And for those of us that are Christians and believe God is the one that allows certain people to be in power… is it possible that God continues to work out his purpose regardless of who is in office?

Let’s not get so caught up with this world that we miss the more important one that is coming.

Inglorious Basterds

I finally got around to watching Inglorious Basterds last night. I think I really liked it. There were a few pretty disgustingly graphic parts, but as usual- Tarentino did an amazing job of telling a story and setting up a climatic ending that kept me interested in how it would end. Just when you felt like the story was leading to a certain ending there was enough of a plot twist to make you nervous that it wouldn’t work out. Inglorious Basterds is a typical Tarentino movie. The movie was divided into chapters, much like Kill Bill. The storyline built up to a climactic ending scene like Reservoir Dogs. The dialogue followed the normal Tarentino patterns. The violence was gruesome and, at times, way over the top.

But there was one element that I took from this movie that I never have from any other Tarentino film. And perhaps it wasn’t intentional, but I think it was. I have really enjoyed some of Tarentino’s other films: Jackie Brown, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, the scene he directed in Four Rooms, etc. All of those movies had unique story lines and were entertaining to watch. But when the movie was over, that was it. There was definitely nothing to take away from those films aside from appreciation for a movie that doesn’t follow the usual rules of Hollywood films. But this one was different.

If you haven’t seen the movie, basically the 2nd half of the film is setting up for a final scene where the top four members of Hitler’s Third Reich, including Hitler himself, will be in attendance for the premiere of a new movie about a Nazi war hero who was left alone in a bell tower and killed over 200 enemy soldiers from his post over the span of 3 days. The group led by Brad Pitt’s character- The Inglorious Basterds (whose mission is to kill, and scalp, as many Nazi’s as they can) realize that this is their best shot at taking down all 4 of them at the same time and plan on blowing the building up. To complicate the storyline- the premiere is being held in a theatre owned by a Jewish woman whose entire family was killed by Nazis years earlier. She plans on locking the audience in and burning the theatre down with everyone trapped inside. Without doing the play by play of what ensues, Tarentino paints the picture of these Nazis, and especially Hitler- clapping, laughing, and celebrating during the movie premiere at the sight of the enemy soldiers being shot by the sniper in the bell tower. And then towards the end of the movie, the theatre is lit on fire and everyone in the audience runs towards the exits only to find them locked. From the balcony, two of the Basterds use machine guns and empty round after round on the Germans piling up by the doors below. Tarentino is brilliant because this type of story and this portrayal of carnage would only work in a movie like this. During that scene someone commented, “Well that’s an interesting alternate ending to what really happened.” Someone else responded, “That’s how we wished it had ended.” Don’t you think that is exactly the response Tarentino was going for? What other storyline could he have presented where the killing, and the way they were being killed (scalped, beaten with a baseball bat, etc) would make someone watching feel as though it was justified? The way the movie moves along you find yourself hoping that the plan leading up to this scene doesn’t fail. You want the theatre owner to have her revenge.

And yet, do you see the irony? They are sitting in a movie theatre watching people they feel are less than human being killed. They feel these people deserve to die. They are sickened by these people. To them, it’s not really “killing.” And there I am- sitting on the couch watching a movie theatre full of Nazis cheering and laughing as their enemies are being shot and killed. I am disgusted by this. I feel as though they deserve to die. It is as if they are less than human. And I feel relief and justice as they are trapped inside of a burning building being gunned down from above.

I once heard a speaker talk about human nature and how he knows the evil that humans are capable of. And he talked about how he knows the thoughts that go through his mind at times as well. And he wondered if he would have been any different if he was born in Nazi Germany at that point in history. And that made me think as well. Would I have believed the lie that some people were less than human and deserved to be tortured and killed? I hope not. But my lack of sympathy for the Nazis in the movie last night made think that answering that question isn’t as easy as I would like it to be.

No Room at the Inn

Have you ever tried to book a wedding at a church?

My fiancé and I are in the process of finding a place to do our wedding ceremony in October and we are having a difficult time doing so. I have worked on staff of a handful of churches and I understand that churches are in no means immune to politics. But I believe that churches have really missed the mark here. Some, like Lutheran and Catholic churches, will not even consider letting you hold a wedding in their building unless you are a member of that church (although many Catholic churches will hold fundraisers with beer tents in which they would gladly accept non-members cash- you figure it out). Other churches require you to jump through other hoops. For some, you need to attend a certain number of services before the wedding. Others require you to meet with the pastor so many times for pre-marital counseling, or require that you use their pastor or pianist, etc. in your ceremony. We were discussing the idea of requiring married couples-to-be to attend so many services before being married one day and my future mother-in-law said it was probably just a business decision. How sad that the church (universal) has given that impression.

Let’s pretend for a moment that these policies are set up with the “business” of church in mind. I assume and hope that the “business” the churches are into is making followers of Jesus. So let’s give every church the benefit of the doubt (gulp) and assume this is their primary goal. How would excluding non-members of your church from having their wedding ceremony in your church building be good for the business of making followers of Jesus? If anything, I would assume that if you opened your doors to a non-member couple and created an amazing memory for them on one of the most important days of their lives that they would always remember that church and that experience if they are looking for a church home in the future. Not to mention all the guests that attend the wedding as well. I remember always trying to think of ways to get new people into our building- whether it was for a special event, concert—anything just to get them in the door and make them feel welcome and want to come back. It’s odd being on the other end and seeking churches out and contacting them only to be turned away. What a shame.

The one reservation I could see churches having is the possible conflict on their view of what marriage is. Churches believe (as I do as well) that marriage isn’t a civil agreement but a covenant made between two people before God- an institution that God established. Perhaps (and I’m just making assumptions here) some churches don’t want to be a part of a wedding of two people if they aren’t sure that the couple is on the same page as they are in their belief of what marriage is. However, if that were the case why would a Catholic or Lutheran church first ask what our doctrinal beliefs were instead of closing it to just members? What is a member of a church, anyway? What special group does that put you in? I know for a fact that being a member of a church does not mean you have all the same beliefs as the church does. Most churches just require you to believe the certain tenants that the church as a whole believes. In my case, I went to bible college and am an ordained minister. I have worked as a minister in a couple of churches but yet can’t get married in most churches in town. Huh? I can’t express how frustrated I am with this. What an opportunity that is being missed. How sad it is that there are couples seeking out churches (perhaps for the first time in their lives) and being turned away because they’re not part of “the club.” I’m sure that’s not what the churches are trying to communicate, but I don’t see how else to take it. And for the small group of churches that do allow non-members to hold a ceremony in the building, why is there a different rate for members vs. non-members? This isn’t your local grocery store where you show your card and get a discount.

I understand what it’s like to be at a large church and constantly have to “fight” to reserve space in the building for events you want to put on. If that’s the case, put some policies on the maximum time ahead you can book a wedding so that church events take priority- because I believe they should. But churches should always remember the business of the church isn’t to make money or keep your members happy- it’s to be Jesus to the world. The church building isn’t the real church- every believer is. There’s nothing holy about the building, no matter how pretty the stained glass windows are. Whenever possible the goal should be to take as many barriers between a person and God as possible, not put more roadblocks in their way.
That’s my two cents.

Now what?

What in the world are we supposed to do about Haiti?




I know this is a touchy subject, but it’s one that I have been thinking about lately. And I don’t have any answers, just more questions. The Haitian government says that more than 111,000 people died in the earthquake. More than 600,000 people have been left homeless in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince. The pictures are devastating. It looks like a war zone and there are bodies lining the streets. Most of the city is in rubble. The people of Haiti need help. The question is: Who is responsible for helping the people of Haiti?


I know the generic answer is everyone. We are all human beings and we should help each other out in times of need. I get that. But on a practical level—what do we do now? I read online today that Hillary Clinton and foreign ministers from more than a dozen countries are going to start planning on how to rebuild Haiti. Is this our job? It is great to see the outpouring of monetary donations and time that so many people are giving to go down to Haiti and help how they can. But ultimately, is it the government of the United States or any other countries “role” or “responsibility” or whatever other terms you could use to decide how to rebuild the country?


The fact is Haiti has been susceptible to such an event like this for a long time. It appears that many people knew that something like this could happen at any time. Haiti sits in a precarious spot- In 2004m tropical storm Jeanne hit, leaving over 3000 people dead. In August/September 2008- Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Hanna, and Hurricane Ike hit. A September 2008 source listed 800,000 in need of humanitarian need after the storms. This is not the first disaster to hit Haiti- just the worst. The root of the problem isn’t the earthquake that just hit- it’s the state the country is in even without natural disasters. As of 2006, Haiti ranked 149th of 182 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index. About 80% of the population were estimated to be living in poverty in 2003. Most Haitians live on $2 or less per day. This is a country where Foreign aid makes up approximately 30–40% of the national government's budget. The largest donor is the United States. From 1990 to 2003, Haiti received more than $4 billion in aid. The United States alone had provided Haiti with 1.5 billion in aid.


I guess I don’t know where I stand with this information. We need to help each other out, but is it our government’s role to do so? Is it our government’s role to take our taxes and use it to give aid to other countries? I don’t really know. And how much is our aid doing? There’s a Corruption Perceptions Index that shows Haiti has a particularly high level of corruption. Take what you want from such a title as “corruption perceptions index,” but I looked up the chart and I don’t know how it all works but based off this chart Haiti is ranked 168 out of 180-- tied with Iran. From the pictures of the Presidential Palace compared with the slums most of the people live in—I’m not sure the money is getting where it needed to go.


My fiancé and I were in Indianapolis this weekend and went under an overpass where there were a handful of homeless people staying. It made me wonder what financial aid they are getting from the government. Would they be more likely to get aid from the United States if they moved to another country? Would we build a home for them if Indianapolis was struck by a devastating earthquake, or did they need to have one before? Because if we’re only going to indemnify people in Haiti back to their living conditions pre-quake, then they’re going to be in the same boat when the next hurricane or earthquake hits. Their city was not built to withstand a small earthquake, let alone a 7.0.


I’m not claiming to have the answers because honestly, I don’t know what the right thing to do is. There’s something about rebuilding an entire city in another country that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Perhaps an island so susceptible to hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, etc. isn’t the best place to settle. Isn’t that why private insurers won’t insure homes too close to the East coast? What kind of uproar would be caused if your homeowners insurance tripled or quadrupled because everyone in the country could be insured under the same rates? How happy would you be if you now paid $200-300 a month to insure your home just because someone decided they wanted to build a nice home on the coast of Ft. Lauderdale?


My point is, if Obama would have proposed 2 months ago that we rebuild Haiti- no one would have jumped on board. There would have been an outcry that our country that is already in huge debt with no real plan to get out of it and that is in an economic downturn right now has decided to fund the renovation of another country. And yet after the earthquake, this is exactly what we are looking at doing. Of course I feel horrible for the people that live in poverty in Haiti and whose lives have been turned upside down yet again. And the world needs to do what we can to help these people out as quickly as possible. But to what extent do we take the responsibility to rebuild? Where has our aid in the past gone? Is it right that a country relies on the rest of the world to survive on an annual basis in the first place? Did other countries step in and help us rebuild New Orleans? I honestly don’t know. What is promised to every human born into this world? At least basic needs to survive? Food, water, clothes, shelter? I’m not so sure that’s been the case. And if not, how do we decide who we give those things to? And who gets to make those decisions? Our government? Should our government tax us and then decide which countries to send aid to? Are we making a difference with the aid we send, or is it going to make the rich richer in corrupt countries where the people that need the help can’t get it? Should we start giving money to other impoverished countries that are susceptible to disasters to avoid another Haiti?


Again, these are just questions. I wish there was a “right” answer to all of these issues. What are your thoughts? Do you think we should be in control of the rebuilding process in Haiti?

Blame it on the Rain, McGwire.

A lot of athletes cheat. We get it. What is insulting are the lies they continue to feed us. Roger Clemens still denies using. Rafael Palmeiro and Miguel Tejada lied to Congress (bad idea). Sammy Sosa no speaka ingles. The list goes on and on. Few players will admit they have taken these drugs in the first place, let alone admit that they took them to become better at the sport. And for some reason, fans pretty much let them get away with it.

Everyone knew Mark McGwire used performance enhancement drugs. Well, everyone except Tony LaRussa at least. There’s so much that could be covered with the recent McGwire fiasco. I could dissect McGwire’s (and LaRussa’s for that matter) statement line by line and comment on its utter stupidity. Instead, my real issue with McGwire and the other athletes who cheat is simply this: They tried to cheat and we know it. Stop continuing to lie and insulting our intelligence.

I don’t know the science of steroids and how they work. I don’t know if you take steroids if you hit more home runs than people that don’t. I do know that when you look at the list of all time home run leaders, most of them are linked to performance enhancement drugs- so you figure it out. Is it the steroids themselves that give the athletes more power or is it because they use it in addition to working out and they heal more quickly, allowing them to build more muscle faster than the non-using player? Doctors don’t seem to know, so I’d be willing to bet the players that use them don’t either. But the point is, the players do know that the steroids give them an edge or else they wouldn’t do them. And they’re illegal and banned substances, so the players know that they aren’t suppose to use them. So if you’re using a banned substance in order to gain an edge (power wise, recovery wise, whatever), you are cheating.

This issue could go even deeper—did their cheating lead to bigger contracts and more money? Absolutely. Does it lead to more fans spending money on tickets to see you play? Does it lead to more wins for your team? More jerseys and merchandise sold for your organization? The possibilities are endless. The fact is, it has happened. Over and over. We knew it happened.

I have a tough time feeling any sympathy for McGwire and the consequences of his attempt (and in reality, success) in cheating. Seeing his interview yesterday with tears welling up in his eyes didn’t do it for me. And honestly, it would have if he would have said the right things. If he would have admitted he cheated, that’s all it would have taken. Instead, his whole interview was based around trying to convince us that he took the drugs off and on and only for health reasons because he was struggling with injuries. It was to help with the daily grind of baseball (which EVERY player also experiences). The fact is, you cheated. You used a banned substance to get an edge.

There’s nothing wrong with trying to get healthy again. Every player and person does the same thing. No one accuses you of cheating in life if you take advil when you have a headache or some anti-biotics to fight the flu. No one accuses a player of cheating if he has Lasik surgery so he can see better. Did it give those players an edge? Yeah, it did. But it’s available and legal. Do some players have an edge based off of the climate and/or facilities they grew up by and had access to? Sure. If someday steroids are legal and allowed in baseball- go for it! Bend over, here come the needles! But right now- they’re not. Find your edge in working harder than everyone else. Not by injecting yourself with a needle of cheat. And when you get caught, just admit it. You cheated. I find it hard to believe you are sorry for lying when you’re not sorry for cheating. You knew it was wrong- that’s why you hid it for 21 years.

The reason why McGwire frustrates me so much is my assumption on how he would answer these questions:

If you were never “caught” using steroids—if you had gotten away with it and were under no suspicion, would you have admitted to using?

If you had not taken the job as the Cardinals hitting coach and weren't forced back into the public eye after 5 years in hiding, would you have held this same press conference to talk about steroids?

The response of Cardinal Nation to Cubs Nation on the McGwire issue has been to turn the attention back on Sosa. Here are actual Facebook quotes:

“probably because we forgot how to speak English…o wait… who was that?”

“You know what would really be a joke, if a player ever corked his bat and when he got caught in a game said he ‘accidentally grabbed his batting practice bat.’ What would be even funnier is if said player suddenly forgot how to speak English while testifying in front of Congress on the use of steroids in baseball. J”

“Sammy is a cheat too!”

“oy yeah, JMW, and Sammy Sosa was a saint!”

Here’s what you are missing. Chicago ran Sammy Sosa out of town. I suspect that the Cubs organization knew about Sammy taking steroids and turned a blind eye to it as did every other team that was making money from the Home Run ball. It was good for business at the time and I’m very skeptical at the thought that the commissioner wasn’t aware of it either. Shortly after the corked bat debacle, the Cubs couldn’t wait to get rid of Sosa. They ended up trading him to the Orioles for pretty much nothing and ended up eating up most of his remaining contract. I certainly would not support Sosa being brought back to Chicago as a hitting coach. We’ve moved on. I don’t know how anyone can support McGwire’s return to baseball as a hitting coach! It’s like bringing Milli Vanilli on the panel of American Idol to help teach the contestants to sing.

If I have to read one more comment like this, I’m going to throw up:

“watching McGwire’s interview with Costas…Admire Big Mac more today than when I thought he was legit in ’98. Takes character to repent.”

No, in this case repenting takes a job offer that forces you to face the media after 5 years in hiding.

To be honest, I really don’t care that McGwire took steroids. Or Sosa. Or Bonds. Or Rodriguez. Or Palmerio. Or Tejada. Or (add pretty much any good player from the 90’s here). I mean, it’s disappointing to know that all these great accomplishments and exciting record-breaking events we’ve seen in baseball over the last decade have been the product of cheating. But what can we do about it? There wasn’t a good way to test the players until now. We have no way of knowing how many players actually cheated. We have no way of knowing what their numbers would have been if they hadn’t have cheated. All we can do is deal with what happened and move forward. Just don’t tell me how great you were and didn’t need the steroids. Apparently you didn’t believe that while you took them for 20 years. The last thing I want to see is you in uniform again “teaching” today’s players how to hit. Ugh.

He couldn’t be a better fit for that manager.

My Top 12 Albums of 2009

I go through cycles with the music that I listen to. I thought it'd be fun to list the albums that I listened to the most throughout 2009 so that next year I can look back and see how my taste had changed. I tried to round it to 10, but could not drop any of these off the list. So you get my top 12 albums of 2009- not that were released, but that I spent time listening to.


12. The Postal Service: Give Up
This was the first year I really listened to the Postal Service, but I really love this album. This is the closest to techno/electronic pop I will probably ever get. It's a great album to listen to when relaxing or at work. Owl City has completely copied their sound and have made a lot of money doing so.



11. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
I don't know if listening to this album makes me a hippie, but oh well. The harmonies make this album. Love it. Another great album to take in when feeling mellow.

10. John Mayer: Continuum
I hope Mayer stays in this blues/jazz type genre. I spent lots of time listening to this album. Very soothing and some meaningful lyrics. I really enjoyed the song “Stop this train” about growing up, especially the line “so scared of getting older, I’m only good at being young.”

9. Tokyo Police Club: Elephant Shell
I saw Tokyo Police Club open up for Weezer and was impressed. Yeah, they’re songs are short- the entire album is just over 30 minutes. You’ll probably either love Dave Monks’ voice or find it annoying. I loved it and loved the album. It was a good change of pace for me as far as the rest of this list goes. The album has plenty of snare drum to keep your head bobbing.

8. Sufjan Stevens:

Seven Swans, Come on feel the Illinoise!, Songs For Christmas Vol. 1-5, The Avalanche

Everyone needs to have some Sufjan available to listen to at any given moment. There’s no one better to relax to or fall asleep to, in my opinion. Sufjan has a soothing, gentle voice. His music seems to lead to introspection and an appreciation of life itself. With his five volumes of Christmas albums, I am set for life for that season.

7. Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack
This album is performed almost in full by Karen O and the Kids. It is what you wish Danielson would sound like all the time. I’m not sure who enjoys this album more- my four year old son or me. A lot of the songs sound almost tribal and incorporate something like chanting almost. The album has an “indie” feel to it. Very enjoyable.

6. Brett Dennen: Hope for the Hopeless
I don’t know how I had missed Dennen up until this year. This album is so easy to listen to. Dennen writes personal, honest lyrics that fit perfectly with the music. The album is a little folk-y. I picture this album being played in the background when you have friends over and you’re eating appetizers off little plates and want something mellow in the background, but still want a nice groove. I have never tried it in such a setting, but I imagine its purpose would finally be realized…

5. The Decemberists, The Crane Wife

I’d describe the Decemberists as folk-y storytellers. Very original. I beg you- listen to this album. Filled with ballad after ballad that will stick in your head. It’s the kind of album that you can start singing along to the 2nd time around but you will appreciate more and more musically the dozens of times you listen to it as the catchy melodies and choruses begin to turn into a story.

4. Angels and Airwaves: I-Empire

When Tom Delonge wants to make money, he tours with Blink 182. When he wants to make good music, he records with Angels and Airwaves. He is a genius when it comes to writing melodic, anthem rock tunes. He also has the ability to paint powerful imagery with his lyrics. A couple of my favorite from this album are:
“Spread love like violence”- from the song Secret Crowds
"I will run the streets in hostile lands"- from the song Heaven

3. Hillsong United: The I Heart Revolution

These guys are the best at leading worship for a younger generation. 30 songs performed live totaling over 2 1/2 hours makes this my favorite worship album ever.

2. Ben Folds:

Way to Normal; Stems and Seeds; The Sounds of Last Night, Songs for Silverman, Rockin the Suburbs

Ok, I'm cheating again. I don't listen to any one Ben Folds substantially more than the others. I really loved his new album "Way to Normal" and saw him perform it live twice. What I actually loved even more were the"fake" versions of many of the songs that he released before the actual album. "Stems and Seeds" has all the alternate versions- some of which I like more than the real ones. "The Sounds of Last Night" is a live compilation of Folds performing some from both albums. On an album-to-album basis, it really doesn't get any better than Ben Folds.

1. Jukebox the Ghost: Let Live and Let Ghost

Yeah, I don't know how this happened either. I saw Jukebox open up for Ben Folds in February and fell in love with them instantly. Now almost a year later, I still can't stop listening to this album. Clever lyrics, catchy melodies, great harmonies-- the album is just fun. Their feelings on religion/beliefs dominate a good portion of the lyrics. I disagree with pretty much every feeling they have on religion, yet appreciate the obvious time they have spent formulating their beliefs. Oh, and the drummer looks exactly like the killer in "No Country For Old Men," so that has to be a bonus. The chorus to "Good Day" runs through my mind on pretty much a daily basis. I'm anxious to see how their next album with stack up to their debut.


Feedback on the list???

Please pay extra on your taxes this year.

This article was in our local newspaper (The Pantagraph) yesterday (12/15/09):

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_d214ac88-e92e-11de-963d-001cc4c002e0.html

I found it interesting as someone who owns a condo south of Detroit whose property value has plummeted, yet the taxes owed that are supposedly based off that same property value have not dropped. Odd. I work for State Farm and support any individual or company that feels they are being over-taxed appealing their assessment.

Here’s the portion of the story that really frustrated me:

The county’s general fund is capped at $0.25 per $100 equalized assessed valuation. The county currently is taxing at $0.2453 per $100 EAV for that fund, he said. So the county couldn’t recoup a 2 percent drop in assessed valuation by raising its levy.

“It could mean potential cuts,” Lindberg said.

However, Lindberg added, “I’m highly confident State Farm will live up to its motto, ‘Like a Good Neighbor,’” and the situation will be resolved.

Terry Lindberg’s title is “County Administrator.” What Lindberg appears to believe is that because not being able to over-tax a large company like State Farm could affect his budget, it is State Farm’s responsibility as a “Good Neighbor” (nice cheap shot Lindberg) to pay taxes they do not owe so that his budget (which apparently was not prepared responsibly) does not suffer. It is frightening and sad that someone who believes such nonsense holds an important position in our community.

The giving State Farm does to this community is very large. But even if it wasn’t and State Farm was full of money hungry hoarders, it would in no way make them responsible for paying taxes they don’t owe to pad a budget of the county. It’s just another example of someone looking for a handout. I would be willing to bet that Mr. Lindberg does not pay a penny more on his income taxes every year so that the government can start paying off the billions of dollars of debt they have accumulated.

Lindberg knew what he was doing. He was using an interview that he knew would be published in the local paper to paint State Farm as the bad guy in this situation knowing full well (hopefully) that State Farm isn’t the one that would be suffering from having to pay taxes it doesn’t owe. The policy holders would. Sounds like being a good neighbor is exactly what they are doing by making sure they don’t have to raise premiums because they are forking over their policyholders money to pay taxes they don’t owe.

Look what else I found on the Pantagraph-

“McLean County will have a new administrator next month. The McLean County Board approved a two-year contract with Assistant County Administrator Terry Lindberg, paying him $125,141 each year to be the county's administrator.”

The full article can be found at:
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/article_a4e218e2-220f-5603-a1be-f42bee942df2.html

It seems to me Mr. Lindberg makes a good living for himself and can afford a pay cut if need be to help his budget. Perhaps he should be a good neighbor and do so.

Mr. Lindberg, you are a dope.

An Open Letter to Grocery Stores

Dear Satan (as I will refer to you from this point on),

I loathe you. I could spend hours going through examples to support my feeling but for the sake of my blood pressure, I will give you one.

First, answer one question. Have you ever put mayo on your salad? Ever? Now I admit that I have never put, say, blue cheese (or "bleu" cheese for those of you who think you can misspell it and look smart) on my salad and yet I recognize that there is such a thing as blue cheese dressing. So I guess we need a follow up question. If you have never put mayo on your salad (and... you haven't), do you know anyone that has? Ever? Well Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, you have been around a long time. So to give you the benefit of the doubt, I'm going to concede that at some point in history, there was someone who has. Sure she was 90 years old with coke bottle glasses who thought she was reaching for the Ranch dressing while mumbling nonsense to her friend that didn't exist, but I'll give it to you.

My point is this. Today I had a sandwich from Jimmy John's. I took the readily available condiments that were supplied by the good folks who know what we (in this time and place in history) put on certain foods. What were they? Mayo and mustard. Sure, there are other condiments that exist. Ketchup is a pretty big one. But very few people would put ketchup on a sub sandwich, so they don't even bother giving you ketchup packets. And I did not for one second search through the packets looking for one that had red lettering. But do you know where I'd have to go in your evil store to buy the same toppings for my sandwich? I'd have to pick up mustard in the condiment section (logical) and then head over to the SALAD DRESSING aisle to find the mayo. This is total crap and you know it.

Here's the thing. I don't know the origins of mayo. I don't know if when it was invented everyone got together and had salad parties where the mayo was flowing. Maybe that happened. But the fact is, it doesn't happen anymore. Next time you go to ANY restaurant, ask what kind of salad dressings they have to choose from. If mayo is included in the list along with Ranch, French, Italian, Blue Cheese, etc. save me the trouble and punch yourself in the face because you're lying. In fact, go ahead and ask for mayo on your salad and see what kind of reation you get. Do people use mayo to make coleslaw? Of course. They also use carrots. I have never seen a row of carrots sitting next to the French dressing in your stupid little store. Tomato's are used to make ketchup- no one would look at a tomato and a bottle of mustard and think, "Condiments!"

Your stores should be set up and organized in a way that compliments how we actually use food together. I cannot think of one instance in which being able to pick up mayo and Ranch dressing in the same area would overshadow the obvious logic and convenience of having it with the rest of the condiments. So if there is a historical method to your madness, it is just that. Historical. Since that time we have adapted. If the North has defeated the South and women can vote, surely we can move ahead and organize our food more efficiently.

And by the way. Water chestnuts are vegetables. Just because they are harvested in Asian countries does not mean they need to be put in your little "Asian" section of your store. The vegetable area will work just fine, thank you. Unless we start going to a geographical organization method where oranges are put in the "Florida" aisle and Potatos in the "Idaho" aisle, you can get over your stereotype that only Asians eat water chestnuts and put it in the appropriate section.

So Beelzebub, it brings me great joy to remind you that you have already been defeated and someday all things will be made right again and mayo will be put in it's rightful place. The condiment aisle.

Blessings,

Common Sense

Financial Peace Graduate

Back in September, Corinne and I signed up for Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University” class. There were a handful of local churches that were hosting the DVD led class, so we chose the one that was held on Thursday nights to accommodate our schedules. After completing the course, I would 100% recommend that every person/couple go through the class as well. The principles that Ramsey teaches are not groundbreaking by any means. But they are principles that sometimes you need to be pushed to implement. I’ve always considered myself to be pretty good with my money, but this class has helped me become even more organized with my finances. The class is 13 weeks long and goes through the basics of many different subjects like saving, paying off debt, insurance, retirement, budgeting, college tuition, mortgages, etc. I’m 30 years old and until we started this class, I have never lived on a budget. Again, I considered myself pretty good with my money but creating and sticking to a budget has been very freeing. I now know where my money goes every month and can be proactive in setting money aside for upcoming expenses or special purchases I want to make, etc.

Aside from having a monthly budget from this point on, I think the biggest thing I took from this class is the need for people to get their finances under control. Most people in the United States should look in the mirror and consider our culture when looking for where the blame for the financial crisis in our country should be placed. At the heart of many of our problems is peoples inability to manage their finances. We spend too much money on things we don’t need. We don’t save enough money. And worse, we borrow too much money. Our culture in America is so consumer driven that we’re led to believe that we need stuff and that we are entitled to live a lifestyle that few can actually afford to live. We drive cars and live in houses we cannot afford because we think we deserve to do so. We put big purchases on credit cards and spend most of our lives only paying off interest.

The message that was re-iterated through this class was “stop borrowing money.” A mortgage is an exception (though Ramsey says that you should put down at least a 20% down payment and limit your loan to 15 year mortgage) but all credit cards should be cut up. The idea is- if you don’t have the money to purchase something… you don’t purchase it. What a concept! Unfortunately too many people spend so much of their incomes on paying interest on their cars, their mortgages, their credit cards, etc. It’s just a waste. We throw our money away and have little to show for it. And more and more people are having to put off retiring simply because they cannot afford to do so- mainly because they went through life without a plan. I know emergencies come up and that major events sometimes take place and can set an individual or a family back. But if we are honest with ourselves probably 90% of those events wouldn’t break us if we were living on a budget and had money set aside for such times.

The scary thing about the future of the average family’s financial picture is not much is being done to educate high school/college/young adults about how to manage their finances. Instead, they are the ones that are bombarded with credit card offers, commercials, ad campaigns, etc. They must be taught early on how to save and manage their finances, especially since the important ages for saving for retirement are the early 20’s.

So my point is- take the class. It was only $93 for both Corinne and I to take it. We learned a lot, had a lot of fun, and it opened up dialogue between us with our plans and ideas with our finances. You can follow this link http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/ to find out more about the class and also find where the nearest class is going to be starting around you.

If you’re someone who has gone through the class, what did you think?

Try this!

Check out this website:

http://www.lala.com/

It's free to join and you can listen to pretty much any album in existence for free. You can follow me by searching lala members with my e-mail address: jmwoelfel@yahoo.com

It's perfect for listening to music while working.

Ketchup

It's been about a month since my last post. Since then I have had the swine flu (I'm pretty sure) and started a new job. In that order, though they were not related. Oh, and it has gotten cold. Really, really cold. Which brings me to this:

I'm on weather.com right now and it tells me it is 13 degrees farenheit outside. I'm ok with that statement. I believe it could very well be 13 degrees. That's not what concerns me. It's what is under that. "Feels like -6." WHAT? It took me quite a lot of pondering to understand how time could be relative. I guess I was not prepared that temperature too, could be relative. How can it be one temperature out, and feel like it is another? And is this universal? If you and I are both standing outside next to each other in the 13 degree weather- do we both feel like it's -6 out? Or could it feel -5 out for me?

And this whole "wind chill" explanation isn't doing it for me. If it's 13 with no wind and -6 with wind and it's windy, guess what? It's -6 out. My question is this- if it's 36 degrees out but it "feels like" 31- does water freeze? Is it 31 degrees to the water as well? Or can only objects with souls experience the "feels like" temperature?

Please. I would like to hear your theories.

A Short Story

I was working on Saturday and was incredibly bored by my work. Thankfully, there was an entertaining e-mail thread that sparked my interest. One of our supervisors was competing in the IronMan challenge in Florida and a co-worker was following his progress online and updating those of us in the office via e-mail. At one point, however, some co-workers started responding to the updates and voicing their encouragement. I tried to picture the practicality of someone being able to pass this encouragement on to Marc during the race. So I did what any rational person would when put in such a situation. I wrote my first short story since grade school. Enjoy.

“Super Awesome”

Mark Freeze goes on break and calls the race co-coordinator in Florida. He tells him he has an urgent message that must be given to racer Marc Massaro.

Moments later, an exhausted Marc Massaro (on mile 4 of his first leg) is jogging away. All of a sudden, a man in street clothes starts running alongside of him. “Marc?” he asks. Marc does a double take and looks over, confused. “Yeah (pant), I’m… Marc (breathing heavily between words).

“I have an important message for you, Mr. Massaro,” says the man. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I felt this could not wait. Apparently a Mr. Jerry Johnson back in Bloomington has this message for you: (clearing throat) “we are all behind you, Marc.”

Moments later, Marc is re-focused on the race. With the knowledge that Jerry Johnson is behind him (figuratively, literally, in spirit, or however), he has extra incentive to finish this race. All of the sudden, the man in street clothes reappears and is running alongside him again.

“Another message?” Marc asks.

“Yes,” says the man. “this one comes from a Miss Jaclyn Demes. She says, ‘Run Marc Run! Super Awesome!’ Also, in between those two phrases, she included a smiley face.”

Marc, clearly energized by this new message, smiles at the man and looks straight ahead and quickly pulls away once again. The man in street clothes jogs to a stop and watches Marc run off in the distance. “Super Awesome,” he echoes.

Sick

I just called our Absence Hotline at work to let them know I would not be coming into work tomorrow. It said to leave my number and my mind went completely blank. I said:

"My number is... 692... (silence, chuckle)... 692-9200."

Nope. My real number is 531-6955. WHAT???

I blame the fever, lack of appetite, and stomach problems. Help.

Just finished...

I just finished reading Donald Miller's latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years today. He is coming to town on Thursday and Corinne and I are going to go hear him speak so we both wanted to make sure we finished this book ahead of time. We're not sure what exactly it is we are going to hear him talk about, but we have enjoyed his other books so much that we are excited to see him in person. I actually did hear him speak at a National Youth Leaders Convention a few years ago in Cincinnati, but was disappointed that he gave more of a traditional sermon rather than use his giftedness of story-telling to shed light on the Bible Scripture he was discussing that day. There are some people in the world that are able to express thoughts and ideas in ways that you never considered, yet make so much sense. I have joked at times that if money was indispensible to me that I would hire some of these people to live in one of my spare bedrooms (because my house would have many of them) and I would spend many evenings listening and learning from them. I should probably get started on that roster for when the day comes. I have some musicians who will also be staying over.

As for the book...

I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. As was the case with Miller's other books, I was unable to put it down. It took 3 days to read. And only that long because I had to work and fit some sleep in somewhere. It's one of those books that you get to a point where you think, "only one more chapter, and then I'm going to sleep." And then you get to the end of the chapter and start the process over again until you realize you have to stop reading because you're so tired you have read the last sentence 6 times and still have no idea what it says.

The book was all about our story. Miller is in the process of turning one of his book "Blue Like Jazz" into a screenplay, and over the course of adapting it to the big screen is confronted with having to change everything about his real life because it would be too boring for a real movie. The two writers that are hired to write the screenplay teach him about the structure and essential parts of every good story- none of which are present in the life that he is living. Miller does a great job of drawing you in with such a relevant dilemma. I'm guessing the majority of us can relate to not living out the next box office hit.

I think it is impossible to read this book and not do some introspection. What kind of life am I living? Am I really living, or just surviving and going through the motions? Where do I even find meaning if I wanted to? Miller was very helpful with his thoughts of how God fits in to our story. Or really, how we fit into God's story. I guess after reading this book, I am left with more questions than answers. Which is a good thing. These questions demand answers, and the answers demand action. I guess the hardest part is figuring out what that action is.

What I mean is- Miller comes to the realization that he hasn't really been creating a good story. He is involved in a story- we all are. But he's not happy with it. And he realizes that it's not going to get any better by sitting on a couch. So he decides to go about making his story better. He looks up his father who left when he was very young. He goes to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. He chases a girl. He rides his bike across the country. He starts a Mentoring Program. He does things. Big things. And that was all nice and made for good stories. I guess at first I was not convinced that they were making his overall story meaningful. By the end, Miller says he now knows what he will talk to God about when he sees him. That he will talk to God about all of these experiences and God will reply, "Well done."

I guess my point is... when do we get to that point where we feel like our lives have been complete? I guess Miller is right- it's in the individual experiences that we find our meaning. It's in the painful times that we find our character. One line that stuck out was something a friend of Miller's said to him. He said that when painful things happen you either "get bitter or get better." I have found that to be true. I have experience what I would consider some painful life events. I actually had a conversation with a guy today that is experiencing a painful life event where he is being faced with how to handle what is in front of him. It's never easy. But life isn't about being easy. It's about living in the now and deciding that today I am choosing to be better. The crap that has happened before this moment is in the past, and what's the point of being bitter? No one wants to watch a bitter story. I don't think God intended for us to live a bitter life.

I do know that Jesus said he came that we might have life, and have it to the full. God created us so that we can live a story. I don't want to miss out on that. I don't want to just live my own story. I want to be a part of the story he is writing. I think the hardest part is finding out what that means in days that are full of 9-5 jobs, traffic, bills, tv, etc. But I will continue to try and find out. I will continue to choose to get better.

Thoughts?

I'll eat you up, I love you so.

I took Peyton, my four year old son, to see Where the Wild Things Are tonight. He had already seen it and loved it. This was surprising to me in some ways. When I first read that a movie was being made out of the book, I was excited for Peyton. He loves books, and especially this book. He could recite the book word for word when he was 3- without missing a single word. So when this movie was on the way, I couldn't wait for Peyton to see it.

Then as the movie was set to open, I started reading reviews that revealed this may not be your ideal children's movie. I read that it might be too scary for younger children. This did not bode well as Peyton isn't always the bravest soul when it comes to movies. So I was relieved and a bit surprised when his mom told me that he had loved it. And not only did he love it, but the next morning he was still affected by the scene towards the end where Max has to say goodbye to the Wild Things and includes an especially emotional goodbye with Carol- his seemingly Wild Thing counterpart.

So after reading multiple stories reporting parents up in arms over the film being too dark, joyless, violent, and scary to adults complaining the movie was so boring they fell asleep, I had the chance to see it tonight.

I thought the movie was pure genius.

I loved it. I think this movie is groundbreaking on how a movie can relate to kids. Spike Jonze was able to transcend age and tell a story that is relevant to everyone. The film doesn't appeal to any certain socio-economic audience. It appeals to us as people. As humans. This is a movie about something. I think too often we go to a movie expecting and wanting to be taken away from reality and not wanting to deconstruct our makeup and how our fears and insecurities are manifested. Maybe this is where the criticism of the movie being boring comes from by some adults. Maybe they were not happy that the Wild Things were so... human. Even though Max got on a boat and sailed across the sea to get away from his feelings of lonliness and sadness, he arrived a place that was full of the same. In Carol, Max could see from the outside how his acting out and fits of rage are experienced by others. He experienced the failure of trying to "make everybody be ok." Even Max's fairy tale world was broken.

The cinematography and scenery were great. The Wild Things were perfect. The audience was visually stimulated at all times- very important when appealing to young children as well. The music could not have been better. If there was ever a soundtrack that captured the feelings of a child, this was it. The music and camera work when one of the characters would get upset and act out allowed you to understand excactly how they were feeling at that time.

But best of all, the film was real. It was about real feelings that kids have. We are so used to dumbing everything down and putting on a tv "kids" show that is full of happy music and smiling characters that experience disappointment at times, but rarely true sadness and fear. I love that this movie doesn't sugarcoat anything. Max is feeling real emotions. He is a kid. He does kid things. He overreacts. He has fits of rage and is destructive. He is vengeful with those he loves most. He is scared when new people are introduced in his life that he will be forgotten. He seeks freedom and when he finds it, longs for order again. He feels the struggle between lonliness and vulnerability. He struggles with trying to be something he's not and the realization of who he is. He understands what we and our kids understand no matter how much we try to convince them otherwise- the world is not perfect. But young and old, we share the same vision: We just want everyone to be ok.

Where the Wild Things Are was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a kids movie based off of a kids book. Instead I found a story about Max, about people, about Peyton, and about myself. Hopefully we can learn from this movie and the daily expressions of our kids. Maybe they're more sensitive and aware of the world than we know. Maybe the older we get doesn't necessarily make us more mature. Maybe it just makes us older.

Get in the boat and sail for a bit. Your dinner will still be warm when you get back.

Great Urban Race!

Yesterday (for Corinne's birthday), we participated in the 1st annual Great Urban Race held in Normal, IL. You can read more about the organization at http://www.greaturbanrace.com/ It is held in big cities all over the country such as Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington DC, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York City, etc. So for Normal to make the tour was great! I believe one of the founders of the GUR team is an Illinois State alumni.

Basically, the GUR is a one day Amazing Race. Teams of two are given 12 clues that they must complete and then get to the finish line as quickly as possible. Teams can only travel by foot or public transportation such as bus, subway, or train. Bikes, taxis, private cars, etc are off limits.

So at 11 a.m. yesterday, Corinne and I and our friends Kelly and Chelsie took off with our 12 clues, our cameras, and our hopes of keeping our self respect! After 2 hours and 40 minutes of walking and running around 7 miles through drizzle, sunshine, drizzle, hail, and cold wind, we finished the race 27th overall (unoffically). Full standings will be posted on Tuesday. If any top 25 teams were accessed a penalty for not completing a clue correctly, we could qualify for nationals in New Orleans (not that we can go).
**UPDATE** We did indeed finish 25th, officially. So we qualified for the National Championship in New Orleans! We aren't going, but we received medals! That's right, I am now the proud owner of a medal.

I will put more info on the clues, etc in the near future. Seriously, make sure you give this a try next year in the city closest to you. It was so much fun! Hopefully next years race will be held during a warmer time of year in Normal!

My Deep Thoughts

Remember in the 90's when Saturday Night Live showed 2 or 3 Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey each week? That was my favorite part of the show. At one point in my life, I decided that writing some Deep Thoughts of my own was needed.

Most of the people who read them have the same reaction. The reaction isn't so much verbal as it is that facial expression that says, "This is really odd. Like... creepy odd. I don't really get it." It's ok. I've seen that look a few times. But to me, it is validation that I have succeeded. Deep Thoughts are weird. The best ones are the ones that are so off the wall that you end up laughing and asking "What??" simultaneously. That, my friends, is funny.

Here are some of mine. Perhaps I will post more at a later date. I hope you enjoy them. And by enjoy, I mean I hope you leave feeling confused and with an urge to lay down for a few minutes.

My Deep Thoughts:

I bet at least part of the reason for the inevitable destruction of all our major cities by aliens lies in their need to overcompensate for their small stature and disproportionate large eyes.

Of all horror movies, I think Snow White was the most frightening. Who were those little men with the pick axes???

If giants ever invade the land, we shouldn’t be quick to judge them or fear they’ll eat us. They’re people too, you know. And probably really uneducated.

When body builders get old, they’ll always have their ribbons and awards to remind them of what they accomplished over the years. Oh, and saggy boobs.

If all dogs go to heaven, I hope they all get really nice homes when they’re there. I also hope that there are cats there that poop in their yard.

I bet if the North and South would have used the same strategy in negotiating slavery as they did with who would wear what color in battle, the Civil War could have been avoided.

There is nothing more fragile than the human heart. Except a human heart made of glass.

They Might Be Giants at the Pageant

Two months ago, my beautiful girlfriend bought tickets to see They Might Be Giants in St. Louis for our 6 month anniversary. The concert was last Friday and was a great time! There was one man in the balcony that I am convinced was having the time of his life. Corinne thought he was drunk. I have never seen a drunk man be able to dance, or more accurately- flail around, like he did. I think he was just high. Perhaps both.

It was a special Flood show, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the album. As usual, there was a very eclectic demographic present. From teenagers with their fathers to adults in their mid-forties (and probably older) and everyone inbetween- They Might Be Giants has figured out how to appeal to all ages. They even did a few songs from their new Children's album and sang a couple of songs with hand puppets... at an adult show.

As best as I can remember, the set list (not in order) was:

FLOOD SONGS:

Theme From Flood
Birdhouse in Your Soul
Lucky Ball and Chain
Istanbul
Dead
Your Racist Friend
Particle Man
Twisting
We Want a Rock
Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
Hearing Aid
Minimum Wage
Letterbox
Whistling in the Dark
Hot Cha
Women & Men
Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love
They Might Be Giants
Road Movie To Berlin


NON-FLOOD SET:
Meet the Elements
What is a Shooting Star?
Why Does the Sun Shine?
Clap Your Hands
Fingertips
The Mesopotamians
James K Polk
New York City
Shoehorn With Teeth
Damn Good Times
Drink
Cowtown

TMBG always puts on a great show. Their blend of melodic tunes, clever lyrics, humorous dialogue, unique instruments, and creativity always is entertaining. They seemed a little off on this particular night, though. On a couple occasions, they skipped over a song from Flood and had to go back as they had originally set out to play the album from beginning to end. They also forgot to play one altogether until towards the end of the show. Linnel even had to re-start a song at one point as it sounded like he may have started in the wrong key.

Overall, still a great show. The crowd was into it and TMBG ended with two encores. I don't know if it was because we were in the balcony or not, but the vocals were not loud enough. The instruments, guitar especially- overpowered the vocals. Which is too bad because the vocals and lyrics are really what makes TMBG unique. Perhaps the mix was much better for those on the main floor. We had seen Ben Folds the week before at the Pageant and the sound mix was perfect- but it was just Ben and the piano.

The best part by far was spending the evening with Corinne. She was a trooper. We drove down for a concert where she really only knew one song and then drove all the way back, getting home at 2 am knowing we both had to be at work at 8 am the next morning. We had a nice dinner together at Blueberry Hill as well. A perfect night!