A Crazy Life....

2010-11-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Yeast and Hydrogen Peroxide!

This picture may look funny....but a word of warning....do not drink this stuff! :)

You may eat and drink as much of this stuff as you want! :)

Who is to blame???

2010-08-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

We look at our culture and all its problems and wonder.....who's fault is it? Take a look at the oil spill.....there are plenty of theories there! BP is at fault, Obama is at fault.....the list goes on and on! However, the more I live my life, the more I realize that many problems in our society are caused by you and me.....and our own double standards!

Although I have no poll to prove this, I am willing to bet that if you asked Americans if there was to much promiscuity on TV, too much 'bad news' reporting in the media, to many immodestly dressed women on bilboards, and too many explicit songs on the radio, you would probably get a substantial number of people to agree with that. So why are things getting worse instead of better? Remember Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfuncton??? Imagine the havoc that would have caused if it happened just 30 years ago...... There are plenty of people out there for sure who would like to see less of this stuff on TV....so why is the media not listening?

The answer is this. The media represents the character of the American people: what we do when no one else is watching. Deep down inside of us, we secretly enjoy watching an affair develop, or listening to that explicit song with a great beat. We condemn it with our lips, but especially when no one else is watching, we watch it with hour eyes and listen to it with our ears. The media has ways of finding out how many people are watching this and that. They are able to find out deep down what we really like to watch....and so that is what we put on TV.

So many things in this country are like this. Tiger Woods for example. Are Americans truly shocked this goes on in this country??? Don't get me wrong....I think what he did was wrong but I read a poll the other day that stated 60 percent of men have had an affair outside their marriage and 40 percent of women have had an affair outside marriage. This poll seems to high to me....but I also thought I read that 33 percent of Americans are currently having an affair outside marriage! Are you sure this country is able to judge him like this without condemning ourselves at the same time????

So how do we solve the problems here. The answer is easy. Focus on yourself and your 'sin'. If you see something on TV you would condemn with your voice as being wrong....then flip the channel. The media then sees...hey people don't like watching this any more and something different gets put on! And there, the media problem is solved!

Finally, there is a time to judge I understand. If you are in what may seem like a bad neighborhood, I can understand double checking to make sure all your doors are locked on your car. However, if we take a look at ourselves more then we take a look at others....we will be more in line....families will be more in line....and the country will be more in line.....nothing....not even the laws of the United States can subsitute for the character of the individuals that make up this country.

My Run-In With the Cops

2010-03-27T18:55:00.001-07:00

Ok....so I was driving out of my apartment to do what any guy loves to do....eat!!!!!

As I drive out, I see blinking lights pull up behind me!!! Since I am on a two lane highway with no place to pull over....I turn off the highway into a subdivision area and think about the best spot to pull over...then I hear a siren and think "OK STOP NOW!"

The Cop walks up to me with a flashlight, looks in my car, and I roll down my window. He tells me I have a headlight out while I had him my driver's license and registration. He asks why I did not pull over immediately? I told him that I didn't think it was safe to stop in the middle of that street like that. Now, maybe most of you know not to do that...but in NC where I used to live, the Cops are a little more laid back....they really don't care if you pull over somewhere safer.... on a side note, I constantly learn things here not to do that would not have really been a huge deal down South....

So after I sit in my car...the next stupid thing I did was think...ya know...let me check the headlight on my car that is out. So as I get out of my car, the cop raises his voice and says, "Get back in the car!" So I get back in my car.

Eventually, he walks back to my car, shining his light in there behind my driver's side window (probably looking for drugs or something!), and then walks up to my window. He hands me my driver's license and registration and asks about my hands shaking and why I was nervous. I told him, "I guess just being pulled over by the cops".

He then handed me a note telling me I have 10 business days to get my headlight fixed....and I was able to go!

I bet that Cop thought I was guilty of something...after I made my small get away by not pulling over immediately, fleeing the scene by stepping out of my car, and the impending guilt associated with my shaking hands...but alas I am home safely.....

2010-01-19T19:24:00.001-08:00

Gotta Love Steve Smith

2010-01-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbaTSji2dAc&feature=related

Tips for guys and dating....etc

2010-01-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

1: Don't treat girls differently by the way they look...if there is a girl you are really interested in....fine....otherwise...try and treat girls equally.

2: when God commanded wives submit to your husbands...he also commanded husbands to love your wives with compassion and understanding.

3: Connecting with women emotionally and not just physically brings so much more to the relationship for you and not just your girlfriend/wife....do not neglect this. Some guys never discover this...and it is sad.

4: Your problems with lust will not cease once you get married....so discipline here is important before and after marriage....start training yourself now.

5: When your wife talks to you...she can solve her own problems and she usually does not need your help....she just wants to share her experiences...show her that you are listening....if she needs help...she will ask you in general.

6. If THE MATURE women sees that you are good father material....that is a big plus for you.

7. Admit when you are wrong...humility can impress a lot. And just as a hint, this will eventually work to your advantage in the work place....don't make excuses.

8. Do the routine boring cleaning of the house with her, etc....it shows her you care...it is a good time for the two of you to talk....and I always find a good conversation passes the horrible cleaning tasks away quickly...and helping her in this way makes her excited to want to do things with you....which is a good thing.

9. Make things clear....like if you start spending time with her...eventually address what your true intentions are...dating or friendship? Ask to do devotions one night with your kids...ask if she will pray with you. These remove confusion and show that you can lead and care about spiritual growth in her and the kids...

Just keep her involved in your decision making...that is the difference in leading well and being a bully.

Why men do not go to church.....

2010-01-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

"I could go on, but additional data would only reveal the same truth yet from more directions. There is no hiding the fact that men are not as spiritually engaged as women; that they are turned off by church and its related activities

What is facinating about men and church in recent years is that while their church attendance has waned, their involvement in small groups has actually increased. It's as if men have left church and found other ways to seek out Jesus. Author, artist, and documentarian David Murrow has reported a finding of Gorge Barna that 'between 1994 and 2004, men's church attendance was flat, but men's participation in in small spiritual groups doubled! During that decade about nine million additional men joined a small group that meets during the week for the purpose of prayer, Bible Study, or spiritual fellowship, apart from Sunday school or other church classes.' (italics his) 3

...........

What do men find in a faternity house in college or a faternity-like environment after college that they do not find in church? The same thing that C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and their colleagues, The Inklings, found when they met together at Eagle and Child pub in Oxford, England, for a pipe and a pint: collegiality, stimulation, acceptance, camaraderie, and good humor. Fortunately, many churches have discovered that men respond to settings like these far more then the Sunday morning hour.

.........

The 'endless repetitions' of warm and fuzzy choruses so popular in churches today is something that is not going to draw men to the church. For the most part, men don't do 'warm and fuzzy' yet that is what characterizes most church services" 1

1 Stephen Aterburn, The Secrets Men Keep (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 111-114.

3 David Murrow, Why Men Hate Going to Church (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 228.

2009-11-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

OBAMA SONG

2009-09-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/24/lyrics-songs-president-obama/

Song 1:
Mm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said we must be fair today
Equal work means equal pay
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that we must take a stand
To make sure everyone gets a chance
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

Yes!
Mmm, mmm, mm
Barack Hussein Obama

Song 2:
Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!
For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"

Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!
The first black American to lead this great nation!

Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
To make this country's economy number one again!

Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!
And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!

So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick
So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----

Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/24/elementary-school-students-reportedly-taught-songs-praising-president-obama/?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g2:r1:c0.262517:b27934924:z0

The superintendent of a New Jersey school where students were videotaped being taught to sing the praises of President Obama issued a statement Thursday saying the taping was unauthorized, but failed to address whether the the lesson -- taught durnig Black History Month -- was approved.

A YouTube video shows nearly 20 young children being led in a song overflowing with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," repeatedly chanting the president's name and celebrating his accomplishments, including his "great plans" to "make this country's economy No. 1 again."

The video has set off families in Burlington, N.J., who say that politics shouldn't be forced on young students.

"This video is disturbing," said a grandparent named Sandy, who spoke on the condition that her last name not be noted. "I'm disturbed that someone can give their political opinions in school like this. I'm dead-set against it.

"We don't teach politics in pre-school -- or kindergarten or first grade," said Sandy, who told FOXNews.com she has two grandchildren attending B. Bernice Young Elementary School, where the video was filmed. "This has no place in the classroom. It may have been the opinion of one or two, and someone should pay the consequences for it."

School officials said Thursday the students were "singing a song about President Obama" in February "to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country."

"The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized," wrote Christopher M. Manno, superintendent of Burlington Township School District, in a statement to parents.

One song that the children were taught quotes directly from the spiritual "Jesus Loves the Little Children," though Jesus' name is replaced with Obama's: "He said red, yellow, black or white/All are equal in his sight. Barack Hussein Obama."

Psalm 62

2009-09-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

California

2009-08-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

More Cat Pictures By Popular Demand

2009-06-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

When I talk to people I sometimes find it easy to believe that they care more about my kitten then they do about me....cat pictures by popular demand!

Move In

2009-05-31T16:23:00.001-07:00

The second bedroom has been temporarily deemed the 'no kitty allowed' room. I think you can see why!

Of course, this post would not be complete without the kitty!

Kitchen.

Girls, recommend colors, furniture, etc that would go well with these couches!

This picture reminds me of some of the Axe commercials I have been seeing in the movie theaters recently!

Model Airplanes were packed in the van because they took up the most space and had relatively low mass. Since the trailer was already putting a lot of weight on the rear tires, this was the best way to optimize space and yet get my cargo up to my apartment without having the trailer chains drag on the ground.

Vehicle abuse!

I think I learned something from my mother.

Overall my trip went well. The biggest story has to do with the cat. As soon as I put her in the cage, she meowed and meowed and meowed and meowed and meowed all the way up. She only stopped when she fell asleep or when she was eating; I know now that she hates that carrying cage. I was worried for a second because I could not get her to go in her litter box. Thankfully, she knows where the litter box is in my apartment and has used it. Finally we arrived at my apartment. I let her out of the cage into the bathroom with the bathroom door shut because we did not want the kitty to escape while Daniel and myself were unloading furniture. Well, she got tired of the bathroom pretty quickly and wanted out of that as well. You could see her paw reaching out from underneath the bathroom door trying to escape (I wish I had a picture of this....it was really funny). I was beginning to become concerned that I did not get a big enough apartment; after all, once she leaves the bathroom, will she eventually get tired of the rest of it?

So far, she seems to be having a lot of fun. I must admit that I am learning a lot about this cat quickly. She is VERY HAPPY when ever I get home....I think I represent mostly security to this cat right now at least at this point. She is still a little unsure about this apartment and really likes to know that her owner is around to help solve any bad situations that may arise. She is definitely very sweet and will crawl into my lap when I am sitting on the couch. Whoever found me this cat has did a great job...

I would also like to mention that I lost my cell phone and recently purchased a new one.....everyone call me so I can get all your numbers!

Cool Bible Stuff

2009-04-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, first I need to apologize to my blog for neglecting it...but nothing spectacular has really been going on lately! Therefore, I will share with some of you guys some of the things I have been learning in my devotions. These past couple of months have been pretty good.

1: Most of you guys know the story when David tried to transport the ark to Jerusalem right? Uzza reached out his hand and touched the ark to steady it and God killed him. The classic lesson learned from this text is that David should have had people carry the ark and not try to transport it using oxen and a cart. I never really knew where this came from until I read the book of Numbers. First, you need to read about half way through chapter four of Numbers and learn and learn about a clan of the tribe of Levi called the Kohathites. These people were responsible for transporting the most holy equipment in the temple of the Lord.

Now, skip to Numbers 7:6-9 and read:

6 So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7 He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required, 8 and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. 9 But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible.

In these verses, you find justification for the proper way to carry the most holy instruments!

2: I have also been reading the census material found in Numbers. There were basically 2 census taken: one towards the beginning of their journey through the wilderness and one before they were about ready to march into the land of Canaan. You will find that in between these two Census, the population of Israel actually decreased! This is likely due to the number of people killed by God for all the complaining Israel did in the desert. Yes, God does take sin seriously!

3:Last night I read Numbers 24:21-25. This is a prophesy of Balaam about the future of the Kenites.

21 Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle:
"Your dwelling place is secure,
your nest is set in a rock;

22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Asshur takes you captive."

23 Then he uttered his oracle:
"Ah, who can live when God does this? [e]

24 Ships will come from the shores of Kittim;
they will subdue Asshur and Eber,
but they too will come to ruin."

For those of you who don't remember who the Kenites are, they were related to Jethro, the father in law of Moses. They appear when Saul attacked the Amalekites and told the Kenites to get out of the land of the Amalekites so they would not be destroyed. In this story, Saul was supposed to destroy all the Amalekites including the animals; but he did not do this.

Later in this prophesy, Balaam predicts that the Kenites would be destroyed by Asshur, which was the ancient capital of Assyria. Obviously, this prophesy was fulfilled around the time of Assyria's conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel. This prophecy later states that the cities of Asshur and Eber would then be conquered by ships from the shores of Kittim.

Kittim can mean a number of different things in the Bible. It mostly refers to the Romans, Assyrians, and in some cases can be interpreted as invader. This prophecy likely refers to the Greek or Roman conquest of the world because they used ships in warfare ("Ships will come from the shores of Kittim"). If this is true, most secular scholars say that the Book of Numbers was last 'revised' around 400 BC; in many cases, this is to discredit biblical prophecy by saying these things happened before the prophecies were written. The problem here is that Alexander the Great lived at about 350 BC, so even IF the book of Numbers was last 'revised' in 400 BC, it still predicted the conquest of the Greeks after the book of Numbers was written.

I also discovered an interesting story about Balaam. According to the Rabbis, Balak, the king of Moab, begged Balaam for a way to stop the Israelites and find a way to defeat them. Balaam told him the only way was to get Israel to forsake God and practice idolatry. Therefore, the Moabites began to introduce the Israelites to Baal worship. Interestingly enough, in Numbers 25 right after the story of Balaam, you find a story of Israel involved in sexual immorality and idolatry with the Moabites!

Anyways....hope you guys find this stuff interesting and be sure and let me know if I made any errors! :)

Geeky Nerdy Post - You've Been Warned!!!!

2009-03-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

I solved the heat equation which is used to describe temperature change in any object. The objects used in this program are plates where one or more sides are being heated to a certain temperature (the side being heated never changes color). The heat equation can the be used to predict the temperature across the rest of plate. The plates you see in each graph are color codes where magenta represents the hottest part of the plate and a light green-blue color represents the coldest part of the plate. A bar is shown at the left of each graph to show what color corresponds with what temperature! Enjoy!

This figure shows a quadrilateral plate heated to 30 degrees on the top and left side (that is why the top and left side stay magenta).

For this plate, the right side is heated to 70 degrees.

The left side of this plate is heated to 70 degrees.

The bottom side is heated to 50 degrees.

"Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."
-Bill Gates

Brief John Piper Message

2009-02-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

Ok...I admit it...I am a YouTube addict! I love YouTube! One of the things I enjoy the most is listening to John Piper videos. Here is one I always come back to; it speaks for itself!

2009-01-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

Moving Announcement

2009-01-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to make an official post on my blog that I will be moving this month to take a job using finite difference and finite element methods to predict material response. I will help verify the results from these mathematical models by doing some experimental testing.

I have included the lyrics to one of my favorite songs by Whiteheart:

I feel the chill of Autumn's wind
seasons changing once again
And every moment's best,
still one moment less we spend
Together my friend
I can't hold back these tears in my eyes
this time I won't even try
For time has come and gone,
now we must move on
I'll admit I don't know why

Chorus:Now we must say good-bye
to find our road ahead
Destiny leads us on to another place
but I'll meet you there someday

We chase the future into past
only to find it never lasts
And by the time it's gone,
the pain is so strong in the end
But listen my friend
Although we've lost what was before
forever will bring us the chance once more
And in that time we'll see,
what was meant to be
A special moment to cherish for all of our lives
and we'll know in time

Chorus:Why we must say good-bye
to find our road ahead
Destiny leads us on to another place
but I'll meet you there
From the lives we all leave behind
we find there's much more ahead
The Father will lead us on to a better place
And I'll meet you there someday
I'll meet you there someday
I'll meet you there someday.

Togetherness in FloE-rIIi-dah

2008-12-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

Brian and Joy were once in Florida, they were sitting on their Grandmother's back porch stuck with the common contemplation that they had little, or rather, nothing to do. When such contemplations as these occur, one must muse until he or she encounters a brilliant idea. Having these grandiose aspirations, it is with great anticipation that we bring you the "Bri-oy Holiday Lists of Meaningless Activities". Graciously sponsored by Brian's blog and the void of activity in a certain region of FL.

BRI-OY HLoMA

(1) Go to Walmart and stream orange juice from the bathroom door around the store in a non-interrupted stream.

(2) If you are at a place that for some inconceivable reason does not have a Walmart, petition for one.

(3) If neither 1 or 2 is available... try just using the bathroom for a very long time. Follow this up by seeing how many times you can sing Happy Birthday while washing your hands before going insane.

(4) Try helping a certain technology-feeble member of your family check their email via dial-up Juno... if this is not challenging enough, try downloading a docx file on a non-vista computer.

(5) Take long (and I mean L-O-N-G) walks, in which you get so lost that it takes you 2 hours just to find your way out of the nearby golf course.

(6) Clip your toenails.... or if you are really desperate for time-consumption, just file them until they are at an acceptable length.

(7) And if you are really, really, really bored.... incessantly text all your somewhat tolerant friends (DD this is for you) until they feel so sorry for you that they call back.

(8) Watch football. And by this I don't just mean one or two games, watch all the re-runs until your eyebrows are falling out and your eyes are bleeding.

(9) If you happen to be in an elderly living community, see how many people you can get to discuss their daily bowel functioning with you (believe me, you won't have to try hard).

(10) Keep hiding your parent's toothpaste so that you make it out of the house at least once every other day to go to the store.

(11) Eat like no other. Then go running/walking/swimming to shed every calorie. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

(12) If a certain male-gendered person in your family snores, see if you can find the beat.... set it to Chopin's Minute-Waltz for the next 60 mins.

(13) Try to swallow your tongue.... a fairly harmless (due to the unlikeliness) activity

(14) Have a water gargling contest. Put a glassful of water in your mouth and see how long you can keep gargling for. Extra points for loud and amusing gargling noises, minus points if you laugh.

(15) Buy a harmonica.... maybe your family will send you home sooner.

OK, all kidding aside, we are really having a GREAT time! Grandma's new place is beautiful, and the weather is just lovely. We are excited about the many activities planned for the week and truthfully we are looking forward to some physically challenging ones to work of these calories. Love and miss you all!

You never know how the Lord is working....

2008-12-21T23:16:00.000-08:00

I had a very good conversation with Mr. Bob (CEF Director) the other day I thought I would share with you all!

I remember before I started working with CEF, I was thinking that I had not really done much in my life to share the Gospel of Jesus with other people. The Lord convicted me of this, and I asked the Lord if he would show me a ministry I could get involved in. I remember one day getting a call from Mr. Bob asking if I was interested in helping him...that is how I got involved with CEF!

The other day, I got to talk to Mr. Bob about what his thoughts were when he called me and asked me if I wanted to be a missionary! See, I had always thought Mr. Bob was just a bold person in general! This is a guy, after all, who has gotten free food at the state fair, got free gas, got me a free compressor and compressor mount to fix my car....basically, Mr. Bob never has a problem asking anyone for anything! Surely, he would have no problem calling up someone he had not seen in about 8 years and asking them to be a missionary with CEF! Mr. Bob actually was a bit nervous the first time he called me! He only called me because he found my phone number somewhere and the Lord told him to call me and ask me to work with CEF! Is it not cool how God had things planned out for the both of us?

I think the biggest blessing CEF has given me is to see the Lord working, especially when he uses you to do something amazing! Sometimes, you see the Lord using you immediately; other times, you find out how you made a difference in someone's life years afterwards. All I can say is that God is great, not just in 2008! :D

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

The Government is like Santa!

It sees you when your sleeping!

It knows when you're awake!

It knows when you've been bad or good,

so be good for goodness sake!

Written by '83rocketscientist' on December 17, 2008!

Merry Christmas everyone!

2008-11-25T18:54:00.000-08:00

Ok...I was trying to find ways to perfect my resume writing skills and came across this.... If this is too long for you to read, at least read the performance evaluations at the bottom!

This list of excerpts from people's resumes was printed in Forbes magazine.

"I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience."
"I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computer and spreadsheet programs."
"Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year."
"Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave."
"Wholly responsible for two (2) failed financial institutions."
"Failed bar exam with relatively high grades."
"It's best for employers that I not work with people."
"Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience."
"You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time."
"Am a perfectionist and rarely if ever forget details."
"I was working for my mom until she decided to move."
"Marital Status: single. Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No commitments."
"I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse."
"I am loyal to my employer at all costs. Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voice mail."
"I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing."
"My goal is be a meteorologist. But since I possess no meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage."
"I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant."
"Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far."
"As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments."
"Instrumental in ruining entire organization for a Midwest Chain store."
"Note: Please don't misconstrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping'. I have never quit a job."
"Marital Status: often. Children: various."
"Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 am every morning. I couldn't work under those conditions."
"The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers."
"Finished eighth in my class of ten."
"References: none. I've left a path of destruction behind me."

Excerpts from actual performance evaluations:

"Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.
"His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity."
"I would not allow this employee to breed."
"This associate is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't be."
"Works well under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."
"When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there."
"He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."
"This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
"He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."
"This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."
"This employee should go far - and the sooner he starts the better."

41-10

2008-11-22T21:14:00.000-08:00

CEF Good News Rally

2008-11-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

One last crazy picture from the fair

I ran the sticky wall ride you see in the background of this picture. Basically, you put on a velcro suit, you jump (or in some cases, get thrown) against a velcro wall and you stick. My favorite part is pulling you off the wall and body-slamming you on the inflatable. Don't worry, no kids got hurt....

Puppets

I posted this picture because I tried to give these police officers some ballons at the end of the event.....

~342 people attended....

This face should be familiar....

Another hopefully familiar face.....

EXTRA EXTRA....CEF event in your area....

2008-10-27T12:14:00.001-07:00

2008-10-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

A princess casting a spell on me!

Just another picture of me and a friend I made at the state fair!

What I did at the state fair....

2008-10-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

Some of us go to the fair for the rides....some of us go to the fair to eat food (aka Carrol and Katie). Other people go to the fair to do something much more important!!! Before I tell you what I did, let me introduce you to some friends I made at the fair...there is one more friend....but I do not have a picture of her yet! This is as bad as watching dragon tales isn't it Elizabeth?

Anyways...I helped tell the wordless book at the fair. I gave several presentations and even helped some of the students at Wake Christian learn how to share the wordless book!!!! One girl I worked with was very excited because someone got saved the second or third time she presented! It is always a pleasure to see someone suceed. I also had some sucess leading someone to the Lord so I was happy about that as well...I am going to the fair tomorrow to teach sommore Wake Christian students and hopefully get the chance to tell others about Jesus...your prayers would be appreciated!

How to look for a job interview....

2008-10-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

A little bit of bling always helps (sunglasses)

Have a "ready to talk business" look

What has God done in your life lately?

2008-09-21T16:16:00.001-07:00

One of the things I have always struggled with is sharing my faith in Jesus with others. Yes, I have told other children about Jesus through CEF, but I tend to freeze when I am around a group of adults, especially people who are my age! Since I have been convicted by this to a certain extent, Daniel and I have prayed about this in the Bible study we have been having.

So check this out....I was on my way out the door and over heard two people talking how the engineers they work for are such jerks! Of course, I had to get a piece of this conversation! When I was able to get in a word, I told them that I agreed that most engineers are jerks and that I also had first hand experience with this! I continued by saying one thing that keeps me humble about being an engineer is that I know God is the one that gave me the ability to get through the engineering program in the first place. I can't take credit for that!

Second, I was working yesterday, when I talked to a guy and his girlfriend. I asked him what kind of music he listened to and he said classic rock along with Contemporary Christian music! I told him I listened to Christian music as well and asked him some specific questions on what kind of Christian music he liked and what church he went to. I suppose that this does not technically count as sharing your faith; however, you could call this a "moral victory" since I was not embarrassed to ask him these questions and answer many of the same questions he had for me. After our conversation, I noticed that this guy and his girlfriend were talking to someone else while pointing their finger in my direction.

While I can only speculate as to what they were talking about, I am almost certain that they were saying something like....we were talking to this dude and guess what? We found out that he is a Christian! How cool is that? And most of us know that when you randomly meet people, the percentage of those people who are serious Christians is pretty low! :D

So while I am certainly not an expert at sharing my faith, I honestly hope that this is the beginning of a good change.... when I feel like saying something Christian that I would say it and not be afraid!

How could God send a good person to hell?

2008-09-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

I often hear about how hateful it is that christians believe that God would send someone like Gandhi to hell. After all, Gandhi was a good man...probably better then most of us...so how is God justified in sending a man like that to hell?

The problem with our society is that we use the wrong yard stick to measure if a person is good or not. We have a tendency to use the human yard stick in which we compare ourselves to others around us. For example, I don't smoke pot or have premarital sex like these other people are doing, so I am a good person. By comparing Gandhi to the other people around us, yeah, he is a pretty good person.

However, if we use God's yardstick as defined in the Bible, even Gandhi comes way short. There is no comparison if one were to try to compare Gandhi to a righeous and holy God. When we use that yard stick, we see that God is justified. Using this yard stick in our own lives will allow us not to be satisfied by being better then the people around us...but to never be satisfied because in this life, no one will ever be as perfect, righeous, and holy as God.

I thought I would end this post with a few of my favorite quotes form Gandhi!

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"
"Be the change you want to see in the world"
"I like their Christ but I don't like their Christians"

Beware of the jedi mind trick!

2008-09-08T21:28:00.001-07:00

My visit with Joy

2008-07-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Carrying stuff for our picnic!

We discussed the physics of this marble ball suspended by a cushion of water!

Getting White Coated

Joy and Joy (aka Bundle of Joy)

All the fish....

Well...since Joy has posted twice about my visit with her....I suppose it is my duty as a brother to post something as well....

All sarcasm put aside, the visit was very very good. Joy was not with me the first couple of days because she had to go to a conference in Virgina. Therefore, the first couple of days were a mite boring; however, I did bring my xbox with me and my computer and a couple of DVD's. So....I got through that stage ok. In addition, a few of Joy's friends invited me to eat ice cream with them one night which was very nice! I must say that meeting Joy's school friends was a pleasant suprise. Some of them are believers or seem to have some kind of moral standing which is really great compared to most of the engineering people that I had to deal with going through school.

In Joy's blog, Joy points out that I made friends with a friend of her's husband (say that ten times fast!). That is because he is an engineer and (if you will permit me to insert a little more sarcasm here) he can actually talk on my level! As a matter of fact, several of Joy's church friends are engineers! I even met an aspiring rocket scientist! Now that is a first for me....going to a church where there is more then one rocket scientist!!!!

On Sunday, we went out to eat with many of these people where you could get a steak sandwich with just meat and bread. I have since discovered that Texans do not have sophisticated taste like we North Carolina people do! One of Joy's friends rightly pointed out that barbecue in NC is the best; however, when presented with the idea of putting coleslaw and chilly on his barbecue sandwich, he said he would not try something like that! Therefore, the tastes of Texans have not yet evolved to that of us North Carolina people!

Later, we did more shopping because Joy lost her cell phone, because I need to eat, and because Joy wanted to get more fish to add to the ones I had gotten her. At the end of our visit, we went to a butterfly museam. While waiting for Joy to take a picture of every single butterfly, I couldn't help but think that Noah would really enjoy something like that! Just an idea for you Martha.... I think the best part of the visit, was the time Joy and I spent talking about how things are with her and about our family in general! It was very nice to get to do that.

Cars Cars Cars!

2008-07-13T23:35:00.000-07:00

Aston Martin Vanquish

Jaguar XKR (old model)

Audi TT

Jaguar xkr

Those of you who know me know I love cars! So....here is something fun I thought I would do! Here are some cars I like....you guys can tell me which one looks the best or if you have your own car you think looks good. The cars in the pictures above have simple curves yet they still look stunning, which is typically the kind of car I think looks good...simply beautiful! A complicated look would be like a Lamborgini Murcelago....the back end just looks too complex....or a Ferrari F50.

A couple of basketball stories!

2008-06-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, tonight I played basketball (thanks Martha and Mike for letting me play!) and there I met 2 much older people...someone brought up what I was doing this summer (working on my master's thesis) and soon the information came out that I am indeed a rocket scientist.

I often get a lot of praise from older people for sticking with school and doing something so difficult. I think seeing kids accomplish a lot in their education is something older people hold dear because they see the value of education in terms of getting a job that has true meaning and impact instead of working at a restaurant or working outside constantly. I suppose when your young, those kind of jobs are not too bothersome but if you do it for 30-40 years....that can be pretty tough! I think what is even tougher is just barely getting bye and not being able to enjoy money or have a difficult time saving for retirement! So I figured I would share that observation...for whatever it is worth :).

On a more humorous note, Mike, the reason why I wanted to play basketball tonight was because at Georgia's wedding, I invited some people to play basketball where I play every Thursday night! Well, a couple of weeks went bye...a couple of months go bye, and today they finally called me up and told me they wanted to play! Because they knew no one there, I felt obligated to go and help smooth things over in terms of them meeting people! :)

Now, I start playing with these guys (most of them are homeschooled I THINK) and it turns out that these guys are REALLY REALLY GOOD! They easily crushed the team I was playing with and eventually they started playing with the "brothers" (yes, a lot of black people play with us!). So, the first two games against the "brothers", my friends won. Now you have to understand that there were so many people there tonight, that after 2 wins, you needed to get off the court and let another team play. Well, the "brothers" were so determined to beat these white kids, that they told them to stay on the court! Unfortunately, my friends lost the third game...so the chaos could not continue...nevertheless...it was interesting to observe!

To fully appreciate the humor here, you have to realize that a bunch of white home schoolers BEAT a bunch of "brothers"! After all, black people are supposed to be very good at sports and white men can't jump! Apparently, memorizing bible verses and obeying our parents are not the only things us homeschoolers are good at!

Superheros quiz!

2008-06-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ok...for those of you who like quizes, here is one for you to tell you what superhero and supervillan you are!

I apparently am most like superman: "You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others".

I actually think that is pretty accurate! Here is the link: http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
There is also one for supervillians: http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/villain/

I got Mr Freeze...apparently "You are cold and you think everyone else should be also, literally"!

Let me know your results!

The Human Brain is truely amazing!

2008-05-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Have you guys thought about how the human brain interprets color? More specifically, how it can see patterens of colors and identify objects based on these patterens! Here is a great example of how wonderful the human brain is. Have you ever looked at a picture of someone when they were a child...and thought...I know who that is! Your brain has somehow recongnized certain patterens or certin similarities that have not changed with age based on the colors your eyes see.

So what has made me think such strange and crazy thoughts!!! Well, my thesis envolves taking taking a video of a ball, and finding and identifiying the particular sections of color placed on the ball! My code is in the final stages of development and now is so complicated that it takes a whole hour to identify the necessary patches on 10 frames of video!

Let me put some perspective on this value. Think of a frame as an image. Most movies you watch display about 25-30 images a second, or frames per second. Your brain manages to process these sequential images in one second. Furthermore, your brain can identify that an object in this 'video' is a flower, a picture, a friend, or a globe simply based on the colors your eyes see! Contrast this to the code I have written. It processes only 10 frames every hour! I can only find the colors on the ball for very specifically defined cases!

Well if you understand what I have said...or you are still reading this...you are to be praised. Turns out, this problem is a very difficult yet important problem. You guys have seen irobot with the robots walking around, sitting on a couch, or firing a weapon. A robot MUST know how to take a sequence of colors and identify shapes and objects in order to find the couch to sit on, walk to a destination, or aim a weapon. This, to me, is the most important problem in artificial intellegence, even more difficult then programing behaviors!

So what is the point? It has just been a good reminder that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! I don't know how God figured this stuff out....but he did a pretty good job!

Why do people always remember who I am?

2008-05-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Ok...this post is going to be a wierd one...but who cares...I am overdue for another post anyways!

I seriously want to know why people remember who I am? I am asking this here because I suspect some of you guys create a pretty memorable first impression as well...and people never forget you! Does are sheltered past really stick out like a sore thumb that much? :)

Anyways, I asked my sister this question! She said that people always remember someone who always avoids eye contact and talks with a very monotone voice! NICE!

I then told her about a recent trip to the pharmacy! Those people always remember who I am! I only visit them about once every two months or something like that and my face, one would think, would be lost in the sea of eldely people they see at least every two weeks!

So here I will redeem my sister some! She then told me that people always remember someone who is tall and handsome! All I am going to say about that is I know my siblings give me a lot more credit in the "looks" department then I deserve!

So I put forth the question: are you guys suprised at how people can always remember who you are? If you are, why do you think this is the case?

Be nice to all women!!!!

2008-05-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Today I was working with the inflatables where me and another guy were operating a ride called the bungie run! A good lookin young lady walked up, I explained some basics about the ride, and told her to pick a side to enter in on. She picked my side and I was about ready to go attach a harness on her when the other guy helping me almost jumped in front of me so he could hook the harness on her.

So what is the big deal? Well, guys should treat all girls equal unless they are interested in someone or want to date someone of the opposite gender! Hot girls should not get any special treatment whatsoever! Personally, I equate this with discrimmination! All we are doing is going the extra mile for someone who is attractive, and ignoring or maybe making fun of someone who we may not find attractive. Odviously, if I did this based on if someone was black or white, I would probably be in jail or something like that!

Unfortunately, this behavior is destroying our society! Girls feel like they MUST look attractive, if they don't, they feel like they will never get a boyfriend! So girls engage in all kinds of unhealthy behavior...not eating, thinking they are fat all the time, and spending too much time in front of the mirror in the morning! Most stick thin girls I know think they are fat....IT'S STUPID!

I haven't gotten to the most discouraging part of the whole situation yet, and that is respect! I am having trouble putting this in an appropriate way....this guy wanted to put this harness on her so that he could get as 'close' to her as he possibly could!

So what, he was about ready to jump in front of you...it's not a big deal...just let it go. Ladies and gentlemen, and especially you gentlemen, I see this behavior all the time. I see it in the people that I work with, people I go to school with, and even complete strangers...most men are obsessed ONLY with how a girl looks and nothing else. This is truely sad!

I suppose the best thing for me to do what to let him hook the harness on her...if he makes a move in any way, I would enjoy watching her husband beat the crap out of him!

Sorry for my rant...Peace Out!

My "Love Life"

2008-04-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am going to post this against my own better judgement and will get "abused" for posting this...ok here goes:

So I was at carmax today from 10 am to 5 pm getting my car fixed and working on a take home test in the meantime. At about 4:30, the mechanic called me back to discuss what was wrong with my car! Apparently, while I was gone, a girl must have looked at my homework because when I got back she asked, "what kind of math is that?" I replied, "It is finite element analysis for partial differential equations"...and the conversation ended there......

I am sure none of you will listen to me when I say that she was just interested in what I was doing and the class I was taking....as I have been telling you...if you guys want to know more about my quote on quote "love life" all you will be reading is a book of empty pages!

Had a good weekend!

2008-04-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

I have had a good weekend!

First, I went with Mr. Bob to help him with a wordless book/moonbounce event at a church. Needless to say, the time was great! I made so many new little friends...one even accepted Jesus for the first time when I shared the wordless book!

Anyways, I saw Expelled: No Intellegence Allowed again with my parents and Daniel! All of them enjoyed this movie so it is not for the "aerospace technical gismo minded people"! I still marvel at how somehow this movie has made it into our theaters so WATCH IT! Take my word for it...it's good!

ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE!!! Watch the top video first...then the next video!

2008-04-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

CEF easter club

2008-04-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

This is not even half of the people that showed up with motorcycles!

The National Guard came as well!

Children with their Easter Baskets!

That's a lot of easter baskets to hand out!

And of course, what is easter without the Easter bunny....excuse me...what is Easter without Jesus!

A picture of me...not sure that the biker image really fits me!

I make this car look good!

Well guys, here are some pictures of the Easter clubs I helped CEF do. So what is the deal with this event? Well basically we got a bunch of bikers together, we would go to a neighborhood, Mr Bob tells the Easter story, and then a biker would come and hand an Easter basket to a child. Once the biker did this, he would then show the child his motorcycle! Needless to say...this was a very fun and exciting event! Wish yall could have been there...the event was so huge, we had our own police escort!

Q&A

2008-03-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ok I am due for a new post so here goes....

Five things about me:

What I was doing 10 years ago (1998):
1. Doing Math Homework
2. Flying Model Airplanes
3. Playing 'Smear the Quear' (AND tackling Donte!)
4. Playing Soccer
5. Reading 'Tartuffe'!

Five things on my to-do list today (Today is mostly over so I will tell you what I did!):
1. grade papers
2. change the oil in my car
3. clean the bathroom
4. do the dishes
5. Do some favors for dad

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Cereal
2. Tostinos Hot Pockets
3. Pizza
4. Hamburgers
5. Sausage balls

Five of my bad habits:
1. showing up late
2. eating too much food
3. not putting clean laundry away
4. speaking before I think first
5. acting without thinking

Five places I've lived:
1. Detroit Michigan
2. Raleigh NC

Five jobs I've had:
1. Waiter
2. Cook
3. Dishwasher
4. Evangelist
5. Teaching Assistant

A Confession...

2008-03-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you who never think I get angry, loose my temper, etc... you should have seen me tonight...I was visibly upset tonight playing basketball. I was called for so many cheep little fouls and travels I did get angry! Unfortutely, I have no video, audio, or pictures of this event...which I am sure some of you would be interested in but lets see if I remember some of the things I did:

First:
Since they were calling cheap fouls on me...I started to call my own cheap fouls. A little touch on the palm of my hand while shooting...one guy kinda held back my leg with his while I was shooting...after that, my good friend Ryan told me to stop calling really cheep fouls.

Second:
I score the final winning point in our game and say. "I suppose I traveled, fouled, or double dribbled on that too. Take that!"

Make sure you guys make good friends that watch out for you and keep you from doing something really stupid! Ryan kept me from being a real pain a couple of times during the game and kept my mind focused on winning it! After the game, I apologized to Ryan for my erratic behavior and then asked him if I traveled...etc. Some free advice from me...find a friend you can talk to...ask their advice constantly on things you are not sure about! I know you can't read this blog but thanks Ryan...I owe you!

Finally...something worth posting!

2008-02-26T17:53:00.000-08:00

Pictures of our CEF retreat this past weekend!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other day in the NCSU library, I had an interesting experience. Low and behold, I was minding my own business when my studing area was infultrated by a bunch of girls who were english and history majors. Although I was annoyed by the fact that I was studying and they were talking, I did manage to glean some entertainment! Here are a few good quotes/events!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The ingredients in this cup of coffee are caffine, sugar,..., and niacin, which is bad for you!"

"Yeah, niacin is pretty much poison!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I made a 35 out of 50 on my history paper, is that good?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why would you want to go on a cruise to Russia? You might as well take a cruise to North Korea!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, they started passing notes by writing on a piece of paper and making a paper airplane. The plane flew horribly so they had to throw it 5-6 times to get it from one person to the other. I thought about explaining the reason why...too much anhedral...but I figured it wasen't worth my time!

...And Everyone Thinks I Play Video Games Way Too Much...

2008-02-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

Now you people know others that take video games more seriously then I do!

Pictures

2008-01-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't posted in a while...and I have nothing to say...so I will post random pictures and comment...enjoy...

Carrie deathly ill!

I think I am going to call someone!

We did some CEF work last week last week....one game we played with the kids was to have them wrap someone up as a mummy....whoever did the best mummy won! That was a fun weekend I wish would never end....but as they say...all good things come to an end!

2007-12-20T14:08:00.000-08:00

Ok...when my sister sees this I might get killed since I am showing her pictures before she does...but whatever :)

Here are some pictures of Daniel, Me, Joy, and Eric on our trip into the mountains!

Carrol...your kitties MAY learn not to play with ornaments...only if this happens!

2007-12-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

REFRIGERATOR BROKEN!!!

2007-11-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Yes indeed! Believe it! I had the honor of moving everything in the freezer part of our refrigerator to the church and most of the refrigerated stuff into a cooler with ice in it over Thanksgiving.

When mom got home, she was upset with me because I think she was expecting the freezer and refrigerator to be completely empty and everything moved. While I did not remove some minor things that needed to stay cool like a few bottles of salad dressing, a bottle of mayo and ketchup...ya know stuff like that, most of the important on a need to be cool basis stuff was removed. Other stuff that remained in there were her apples, oranges, candy...you know...stuff that did not necessarily need to stay cool but I suppose I should have known better. I think it would have been better for me if I just traveled during Thanksgiving, have the refrigerator break down while everyone was gone, and come back to disinfect it. At least I wouldn't have been blamed for anything...maybe...

Anyways, for those interested, a "refrigerator mechanic" came to look at it and discovered the problem. A broken relay switch. He had it fixed in less then half an hour.

Got to love Mr. Morgan!

2007-11-12T11:50:00.001-08:00

I think this picture says it all!

2007-11-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

Go Wolfpack

2007-11-03T16:25:00.001-07:00

So what say you??? Do you believe in O'Brien yet??? GOO WOLFPACK!!!!

corrected link!!!

2007-10-21T13:00:00.001-07:00

http://videos.newsobserver.com/
vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1534915

Another N&O cartoon....

2007-10-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

http://videos.newsobserver.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1534915

Finally...A wolfpack win!!!!!

2007-10-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

So...now hopefully some of you guys are starting to see the results of good coaching. It's been years since NCSU has scored more then 30 points against a div 1 opponent...O'Brien has beaten ECU and did it with a team, which on paper, is a worse team then what Amato had last year...and we had a coaching staff that came out with a pretty good plan.

THE WOLFPACK IS GETTING BETTER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

BTW J and B...the website we talked about today is packpride.com

Injury...For Real

2007-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Well, this is how it happened I tried saving a ball out of bounds when my knee hit the bleachers hard. It is hard to see...but I think the wound might go down to the knee cap.

For those of you concerned....I am ok...and almost as important...I saved the ball for my team and they ended up scoring because of it....the body heals but the score lasts forever! Also, after a brief time out....I started playing again...but with less intensity!

Injury...sort of!

2007-10-11T20:39:00.001-07:00

Hey Joy...got a question of interest for you!

I was playing basketball today when someone ran into me right when I was going for a rebound. You guys know what its like to have your elbow go to sleep right...that tingly feeling! Well, as soon as soon as my head hit the ground, My whole nervous system had that tingly feeling for a couple of seconds and then it went away! From your medical perspective, what happened that caused this tingly feeling shoot through my entire body??

Just to let you guys know...I am ok...and almost as important...I hung on to the basketball even when I hit the ground!

State Lousiville Game Ticket YEAH!!!!

2007-09-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I just found out that I am going to the State Louisville (sp???) game! I am so excited! I know Carrol...I know....I am going to watch them get pounded. Well again...no matter how bad it looks... YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO REMAIN OPTIMISTIC!!!! I think that is a good additude to have as a fan! At least we haven't lost as much as Duke in the recent past! Notice....I didn't say our team was better then Duke!!!! :D

Anyways, I also have toyed with the idea of getting group tickets to some of these games! If I got these, would any of you guys be interested in going??? BTW...the seats in the student section are always the best!!!!

YEAH Fantasy Football!

2007-09-09T21:21:00.001-07:00

YEAH...I know its only week one but what a performance for my team! I was very surprised that I won this week against you Carrol! I thought you had me beat earlier today! Good luck with the rest of your games....I can't believe you did not start Randy Moss....don't get rid of Brandon Jacobs unless he had a season ending injury....AND I told you Carolina's defense would be fine! Poor Tommy....he had Stephen Jackson!!! OH and one last thing....WE TOTALLY DOMINATED this week in terms of points!!! HAHAHA YEAH!!!! :D Hope you don't mind me talking to you like this...I do think your team will be good if Brandon Jacobs and Travis Henry produce for you! That IMHO, is the key to your team's success.

SO does all my football hysteria make sense to you guys?? I know all of you think I am weird!

Picture of Hannah....

2007-09-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

I think if this person had blond hair, she would look like Hannah!

2007-08-20T14:51:00.001-07:00

Well, as promised, here are some pictures of the Good News Spectacular. I arrived at the Dorten Arena Friday morning. About four of us set up all the inflatables. The rest of the CEF volunteers arrived Friday night found out what they would be doing on Saturday during the Spectacular. Afterwards, we got to play on some of the inflatable rides. Below is the Joust!

The next morning, I had to get up at 5:30 so I could be available to drive a truck if more supplies were needed. Unfortunately, when I got to the storage facility where all the inflatable accessories were stored, I found out I had gotten up early and driven all that way for no reason! They didn't really need me to drive anything. So about 4 of us guys drove up to the Dorten Arena and set up the Volcano rock climbing wall and the Half pipe slide! Here is a good shot of all the inflatables we set up inside the Dorten Arena!

The next picture is like the ones above except full of people!!!

The spectacular was from 10 AM to 3 PM. About 7400 people came and 97 people made professions of faith for the first time! All kids got to go on every single ride free of charge and every hour and a half, we would shut down all rides so everyone would go see the illusion show. During this show, the gospel message was presented and people were given the opportunity to accept Jesus.

Also, people used the evangecube and wordless book to present the gospel message to boys and girls when the illusion show was done. In order to go on the crash course (an inflatable, you can see it in the picture above, it has a race car on top), a child would have to listen to this presentation.

Anything look familiar in this photo???

We can't forget about the cows can we???

Most of the volunteers had to leave Saturday evening. The rest of us went to Mr Bob's house to watch a very stupid movie called "Firehouse Dog". Since we were so exhausted, it didn't matter! Furthermore, we found the movie to be very entertaining because two little second grade kids were falling in love with each other! We related this to camp good news since the camp counselors there had trouble keeping some of the 7-8 year olds from kissing each other! I guess puberty begins at an early age these days! Rachael, you should be proud of me! Maybe I am learning how to watch movies like you do!

Sunday morning, the rest of us CEF volunteers went to Mr Bob's church. We all went to Mr. Bob's 5th grade class to help him teach. Next, we listened to a very good message on giving! I reminded myself that some of the happiest and most joyful times in my life have occurred when I have freely given some of my resources to others.

Finally, we ate lunch at Mr. Bob's house and watched "National Treasure". Afterwards, the rest of the CEF helpers left to go home. I stayed with Mr. Bob a little longer playing some video games with his kids but soon realized that I was too tired even to play video games. I considered going home until I noticed Mr. Bob napping in the living room. I figured that watching his kids for him would probably help him sleep, so I stayed a while longer! Eventually, I did go home and go to bed.

Running......

2007-08-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

You people would be so proud of me today! I worked for ten hours today setting up moon bounce stuff AND THEN RAN 3 MILES as soon as I got home! I must say that today's run was one of the hardest I have ever done in a long long time, running at a snails pace by the time I finished! I wish I had a picture of me after all this 'torture'. "Charlene" told me that I didn't look to good when I got back!

Anyways, this weekend is the Good News Spectacular. Yall come out if you get a chance! It is at the Dorten Arena at the NCSU fair grounds all day Saturday! I will post pictures of the event when it is completed!

....right now I feel a little dizzy from running...so I need to quit typing before I type subliminally... I hpoe u had a geart yday....aidos....

First Post

2007-08-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hello, this is my first post...so I figure I'll tell ya a little about myself!

Name: Brian

Hobbies: Sleeping, eating, TV watching :), watching/playing Football and college basketball! (preseason NFL begins tomorrow...AWESOME), working with children, and playing video games.

Education: BS Aerospace Engineering and pursuing a MS in mechanical engineering.

What I find Annoying: I am a pretty easy going person so it is hard to annoy me. I suppose I am most annoyed by people who think they have all the answers and think they are always right. Humility is a good thing for everyone to have...yet it is seldom practiced.

Religious views: I was born and raised a Protestant Christian. I cannot begin to tell you all the wonderful things God has done for me. Any good characteristics that I have truly have been given to me by God. I challenge anyone, no matter what problems you have or where you are in life, God can help you and change you. If God can change me from what I was to who I am now, he can change you.