Cry for me Argentina...

I just finished documenting how to perform a certain task... and then accidentally closed it without saving first. Truly one of the more unsettling moments a person can experience at work. Fortunately, I had saved since finishing the last task... so I only have to rewrite one. But still... I mean I think the first version was gold.. it was GOLD Jerry! And now I must try to reinvent that proverbial wheel.

She ate her peas one at a time...

So I was recently made aware of the fact that Sophie Milman does not write her own music. That fact effectively stiffled my love for her... maybe this is why I am still single.

I am in love...

This morning, I turned on my computer and decided to check out iTunes. I am reletively new to the iTunes arena, but I can say that I truly enjoy it. However, that is not the object of my newly found love.

One of the freatures of iTunes is what they call "Indie Spotlight." This week, the Indie Spotlight focuses on jazz... and at the top of their list is a young lady by the name of Sophie Milman.

She was born in Russia... fled to Israel with her family... and now lives in Canada. But all that is secondary to her amazing voice. Check her out.

Oooops, I did it again...

No, I did not buy or listen to a Britney Spears song... I snoozed for two hours again this morning. That is two weeks in a row.

This life of late nights and fast living will catch up with me yet...

My muse has betrayed me...

Apparently my muse is moonlighting with Laurie Johnson. Check out her rebuttal to my list of reasons I enjoy being single.

I find great joy in being the topic of two QQ posts. Who would have thought that anyone would have achieved such an honor at the young age of 30? And to think that if I were married, I would not have been in a place to post my Top 30... I think the list just grew by one.

I found my muse...

So on Wednesday, I said I could only come up with 3 reasons that I was glad I was single... well, I have given that some thought, and I have come up with 27 more. The list on Wednesday was of a more serious nature... and I considered deleting it. But it is what it is, so I will leave it. But in the interest of balancing the serious with the humorous... I present to you the Top Thirty Reason I am Glad I am Single:

1. I never have to share the covers
2. I don’t HAVE to put the toilet seat down (even though I ALWAYS do)
3. The floor works very well as a dresser/closet
4. I don’t have to change my sheets every week
5. I can use the same towel for weeks at a time
6. An HEB pre-made rotisserie chicken will sustain me for almost a week’s worth of lunches
7. When eating at a restaurant, I don’t have to share my meal with anyone
8. I only have to buy one ticket instead of two
9. When I have had a bad day, I don’t have to talk to anyone about it if I don’t want to
10. Holidays are simple… no extra family groups to fit into the schedule
11. I don’t have to share the remote control when watching TV
12. I don’t have to go see “Princess Diaries” or the like…
13. I never have to ask permission to hang out with the guys
14. I can hang out with females whenever I want to
15. I don’t have to shave every day
16. I never have to answer the difficult questions like “Does this dress make my butt look big?”
17. I can not notice a girl’s new hair cut and it is not really a big deal
18. If I am late for anything, I have only myself to blame
19. More discretionary income
20. I can snooze for two hours in the morning… or longer
21. I can choose to not attend weddings and people chalk it up to “he’s a guy”
22. I don’t have to redefine what “a clean bathroom” means
23. I can snore with complete immunity (not that I do… but the point is that I CAN)
24. I can talk in my sleep (again, not that I do… of course, I wouldn’t know one way or the other I guess)
25. I can change my stated plans at the drop of a hat
26. I never, EVER have to purchase feminine products
27. All four weeks of every month are pretty much the same for me
28. I get invited to all the “fun single events”
29. When visiting out of town friends, I can sleep on the floor or the couch in the living room instead of having to get a hotel room
30. I can post a list like this and not have to hear about it later

Apparent Contradiction

This morning, something happened that I am ashamed of and proud of at the same time....

I snoozed for two hours!!

Now I have been known to snooze for longer... but not on a work day. Regardless, I was on time for work.

Thirty-Schmirty

I am finally 30 years old. Wow.

I remember when my mother turned 30. Yeah... I can remember when my mother turned 30. Give it a second, and the weight of that may hit you.

Seriously, I remember that my parents' close friends at the time had us over for dinner... and there as cake. When they brought out the cake, it had 30 candles on it... and it was glowing. They all laughed and made fun of the fact that she was 30.

And now that is me. Seriously, I am 30 years old. Why is that such a big deal in our society? And add to that the fact that my left hand currently does not have any sort of precious metal on it... and you are left with what many people think to be a miserable existence.

At this point, I wanted to present a top 30 list of reasons I am glad I am single... but I only came up with 3.

So instead, I will present a top 30 list of "Things I am Thankful for on my 30th Birthday"

(i didn't take the time to put these in the order of importance... so just realize that some are more important than others. it is a little cheesy, long, and serious... but cut me some slack - i'm 30 years old.)

1. My justification before the Lord

2. My relationship with the Lord

3. My on-going sanctification (I don't always feel thankful for this one)

4. My parents

5. My brother and sister-in-law

6. My nephew (yeah, he gets his own number on the list)

7. The friends I have made at HFBC (including those who have moved away)

8. My friends from college (even though I don't always keep in touch with them)

9. My friends from high-school (even though I keep in touch with them even less)

10. A job that pays me

11. A God-honoring, Bible-teaching local church

12. My college experience in Ruston, Louisiana

13. A well-located house (with a/c)

14. A car that runs (and has a/c)

15. A great history of roommates (in college and here in Houston)

16. A comfortable bed to sleep on

17. A desire to know God (even though I don't always follow that desire)

18. Clean water to drink

19. Money to purchase breakfast, lunch, and dinner

20. Clothes to wear

21. A Bible in a language I understand

22. The opportunity to live in England and Germany as a child/teenager

23. The opportunity to be in Berlin the day the restrictions were lifted between East Berlin and West Berlin

24. The opportunity to be on mission for the Lord in Mexico, Kazakstan, India,
Guatemala, and Cuba

25. A mind that can comprehend things

26. Eyes that see (if aided by glasses)

27. Ears that can hear

28. A mouth that can speak

29. Freedom in Christ

30. The fact that this list really could be longer....

So there you have it... for what it's worth. At the age of 30, I am doing just fine.

Post Holiday Blues

I think the only word to describe this year's July 4th "season" is dreary. Yesterday was overcast... today is just downright stormy... all of this makes for a bleak rest of my week.

My apologies for the lack of Cuba Highlights... they will return, I promise. This week is just going to be busy... oh, and dreary.

In other news... I saw Superman Returns this weekend. For anyone who grew up watching the originals, this is a must-see. You will hear mixed reviews, but I strongly encourage you to go see it and form your own personal opinion. The only danger you face is getting the Superman Theme stuck in your head for days to come...

Bits and Pieces

I am taking a break from my Cuba Highlights series because I want to give it its full attention... and I have not had time to draft the Wednesday - Saturday entries. They will be posted in due time...

So today, I am reverting back to the "random things" method.

1. I received my license plates in the mail for my new car... they read: 600 MRX. Now I instantly saw Mr. X in that... but most people I have told about it do not find the humor until I bring it to their attention. Regardless, you can now refer to me as Mr. X (affectionately, if you like).

2. The coffee gods have smiled upon us here in the Marathon Oil Tower. We used to have the most horrid set up that was similar to the coffee you might get from an airport vending machine. Well today... we have actual coffee pots and we can bring in our own coffee to brew. Mr. X is very happy with this turn of events.

3. The other night at the Astros game, I tried to say "happy family"... but instead, I said "fappy hamily." We then tried to give "fappy" a definition... but nothing seemed to work. None of us were very comfortable with word after we said it many times...

4. I think one of my favorite things to do is sit in the easy chair, read, drink coffee... all while it is raining outside. This morning, I had a particularly difficult time leaving this ideal scenario to come to work. I think the reason I enjoy it so much is that I can do it and not feel like I am being unproductive or lazy. If it is sunny outside, I feel like I should be out enjoying the weather... but if it is raining, I am justified to just sit inside and read for hours if I want to.

5. I have discovered (much like Donald Miller says in his intro to Blue Like Jazz) that seeing someone else enjoy something makes it all the more appealing. I have had a number of instances in recent weeks where I was indifferent to a given item/issue... but when I saw a friend truly enjoy said item/issue... it caused me to see the merits previously hidden to me.

6. I posted this entry and it had 4 grammatical errors... and it has taken me at least 30 minutes to fix them. Of all the times for Blogger to experience server problems...

Cuba 2006 Highlights - Part 2

Tuesday - May 30

On Tuesday, there were two highlights.

The first one was when we split into smaller groups with some of the college students to share testimonies and just ask each other questions. Each group had two Americans and four Cubans. We sat on a curb and just shared a little about ourselves with each other. My group consisted of Andriel, Nelson, Nori, and Franklin... and then Laurie Lau was the other American (though she is Chinese). Anyway, the best part of this was seeing that life for Cuban College students is not very different from life here in the US of A. We asked them how we could pray for them... and finals was the answer across the board. Andriel had just graduated, so his prayer request was for his job. Pretty much exactly what we said. Another great aspect of this afternoon was when one of the guys (known as Pappito) shared with the whole group how much he was blessed by us praying for the leaders the night before. It was one of those moments where I realized that our presence really was ministering to them even though the direct impact was slightly hidden to us.

The second highlight of this day involved worshiping in the dorms with the college students. Apparently, outside groups are not allowed in the dorms in Cuba... but we were (one of the many doors God opened while we were there). And not only were we allowed in... we were allowed to worship the Lord. As our host (Dan the Man Dan) said, we there to engage in "spiritual exercises." Two young ladies shared about how they had been down and depressed lately... so we prayed for that. And then Dan said there was too much sadness... we needed to just "praise the Lord." This guy had a passion to worship God... and it was catching. Another aspect of the night that blessed me was a young girl from Barbados singing How Great Thou Art accapella. I am telling you... this girl has some pipes. She could easily be the Cuban Idol. Even Simon would give her high marks. But even more beautiful than her voice was her desire to honor God with her voice... and she did just that.

Cuba 2006 Highlights - Part 1

As you are all aware, I recently traveled to Havana, Cuba with 26 other singles from my church here in Houston, TX. We returned on June 3, but work kept me too busy last week to post anything about the trip. So this week, I plan to give you a day-by-day look at our trip by discussing my personal trip highlights. Today's installment will cover Saturday, Sunday, and Monday... my apologies up front for the length of this post.

Saturday - May 27th

Our time in the airport was an event in and of itself. This was the only place that I ever felt like I was in a communist country. I may be making too much of this, but being in the airport terminal we were in (the one for chartered flights) had a very "controlled" feel to it. I was not scared at all... I just didn't feel free at all either. But then when I got through customs and walked outside, our new Cuban friends were so welcoming. And they spoke English... so we could all talk to them with reletive ease. Elmer (the leader of the group that we would be meeting with all week) was the first person I had a conversation with. It was truly a great way to start the week off because I could tell right off that he loved the Lord and just wanted to honor him. And besides that, he was hilarious.

Sunday - May 28th

We worshiped in a Cuban church that morning and then had the rest of the day as free time. Worshiping in another language and culture always presents its own challenges and blessings. Catha reminded us to embrace and experience the blessings as opposed to being annoyed by the challenges. Unexpectedly, Elmer translated the message for us (I fully expected to sit through an hour long sermon in Spanish. Now this was meaningful because Elmer had just told me the day before at the airport that his dream is to be a translator for a preacher. Well, we got to see/hear him do that for the first time... and he did a fine job. The rest of the day was free time. Many of us spent it at the pool just relaxing. This was a highlight because it allowed some of us who didn't know each other to get to know each other... which is in the top 3 highlights of the trip in general (more on that on Friday).

That night, we went into Havana to have dinner and just see the city. There were many highlights to be had here, and I will just list them out:

1. Watching Bart just be bold for the Christ by witnessing to a guy in a store where we bought some small paintings
2. Two-steppin' with Lori Latham to Cuban music
3. Salsa dancing with Lisa Karabatsos
4. Just seeing how another culture spends a Sunday night

Monday - May 29th

The highlight for me on Monday, was the leadership meeting we were blessed to be a part of. The group we were there to meet with all week have their leadership meeting on Monday nights. Well, they wanted us to sit in on the meeting... and to introduce ourselves to them and vice versa. Our introductions proved to be funny (some things were "lost in translation"), but the best part of the night was when we sang worship songs with them. As I noted above, worshiping with other cultures and in other languages always presents certain blessings... and this was no different. This group loves to sing (and so do I), and we just got loud in that room as we worshiped our Heavenly Father in song. In addtition to singing with them, we asked if we could pray for their group... so we all split into smaller groups and prayed for each of the leaders present. Again... truly a blessing. We didn't translate our prayers - we just voiced our thoughts to the Lord with the understanding that different languages was His doing in the first place and it does not confuse Him in the least. What a joy to be unified in Christ...

Diction and Pretension

Yesterday, I attended a training seminar for accountants. Yes, it was about as exciting as you are envisioning.

Anyway, the gentleman who spoke during lunch was a very bright man. He was presenting a forecast of the energy industry over the next 25 years.

He would pronounce his words very preciscely... "twen-ty" and "Muh-lai-see-a" and "In-doe-nee-see-a." I appreciated his good diction (though I think he went a bit overboard on those two country names)

Midway through the presentation, he started talking about sources of power... such as "nu-cu-ler." Very nice, I thought... very nice, indeed.

I just laughed every time he said it... at least it kept me awake.

Let Cuba be glad... at least in part

Last year, I posted an entry similar to this one before my trip to Guatemala. Well, this year (Saturday to be exact) the Lord has me headed off to Cuba.... that's right, the Communist country 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

As we talked through some of the logistics for our trip last night, an excitement about the trip hit me. I have been excited in the theoretical sense since (it just hit me that I used two homonyms right after each other) I first decided to go. But my excitement has been pretty low level until last night. I guess it is largely because the trip is right around the corner... but in any event, I am pumped about going.

The details of what we will be doing are fuzzy... there are some specifics we know, but there is a lot of room for flexibility. So if the Lord prompts you to do so... please pray for guidance. We all want to be used while we are there, so please pray that God opens doors for us to be busy about His work for the entire week. As I prayed with my prayer partner last night, I was reminded of the freedom we have in America... and how our freedom in Christ is so much more than our American freedom. It is my hope and prayer that we will be able to communicate our freedom in Christ without it being tainted or confused with our cultural freedom.


There will be more to share after the trip (obviously), but for now... this will have to do. Pray for us and for the people we will be spending time with.

The ol' grey mare aint what she used to be...

Actually, I should refer to her as "The Oyster Saturn" as that is what my good buddy Josh dubbed her... yes, I am referring to my car. She finally died on Tuesday (well.. she started the death process on Sunday night).

This week has been a fun one to say the least. The Oyster Saturn (TOS) decided she didn't have the will to live anymore on Sunday night... in Buffalo, TX (somewhere between Dallas and Houston on I-45). There was much drama to be had as I had to have her towed... not fun. However, I got a nice hook up from a friend on that, so the final bill was not as bad as it could have been.

On Monday, by the sheer grace of our great God, I was able to drive TOS to the Saturn dealership. A kind man in the Tiger Mart parking lot in Buffalo told me that the car wouldn't make it more than 15 miles (and that was just by hearing the noises it was making as I drove up... truly amazing). So I found a dealership that was a mere 9 miles from my humble abode... and set off. As I said... she made it. I dropped her off... the mechanics (again, purely by sound) had a good idea what was wrong. Apparently "throwing a rod" is a common term in car repair lingo. Well... that was what TOS was trying to do.

On Tuesday (after I had done some on-line and in person shopping), I decided on a new-to-me Mazda 6 from CarMax (little plug... this is the only place I will ever buy a car from going forward). During the test drive, the salesman and I stopped at the Saturn dealership to retreive TOS. Well... she allowed me to back her out... and then breathed her last breath. It was a sad moment, actually.

I ended up purchasing the Mazda (yet to be named - I will be accepting ideas over the next several days, months) on Tuesday night. She is a little bigger... a little faster... but still a pretty light drinker, so I am happy.

And I have just received confirmation that TOS is only worth about $100. So sad...

The quote of the week is as follows (I have heard it from MANY people in response to the fact that TOS gave out after a mere 6.5 years/117,000 miles): "It is a Saturn...(slight pause) no offense."

You Too...

Many of you may have heard of a comedian named Brian Regan. Truly one of the funniest guys on the proverbial circuit. He is clean... and hilarious. I like to describe him as being a mix between Jim Carrey and Jerry Seinfeld... he is physically funny like Carrey but has the observational humor of Seinfeld. Those of you who know Brian's work will appreciate this story...

So anyway... yesterday I had to rent a car (story for that will follow in another blog post). Well, as it turns out, the guy who helped me rent said car was celebrating his birthday yesterday. So as I was leaving, I thanked him and said, "... happy birthday." To which he responded, "You too...."

"I don't know how to use the 'you too.'"

You Did What? In Your Shirt?

OK... so last week, I was on a retreat with many of the singles from my church. (The same one that birthed the legend now known as "The Troy"). Well... it was a grand ole' time as usual. Retreats typically are just fun because you they are like a mini vacation where you get away from the routine of life... even if it is just for a day or two.

But on Saturday night, two of my favorite female friends (both of whom are dating, mind you) were arguing over who would get to dance with me. A scuffle ensued as they were both trying to jockey for my attention... and in the process, I expelled some gas orally (that is verbose way of saying I burped). Now this release of gas was not intentional... nor was it audible. But one of the ladies stopped in the middle of fighting off the other and said, "did you just burp." I was busted... because I knew that I had, but I also knew that the only reason she knew was that she had smelled it. (Yes, I do realize how gross that is... but it is what it is)

Much laughter ensued from that revelation... and it was quite enjoyable (albeit at my expense).

So later on in the evening (during the lip sync show), I still had the occasional need to expel gas orally. I was sitting next to one of the aforementioned ladies, so I was sure to direct these burps in the opposite direction. However, at one point, I decided to direct a burp into my shirt (you know... to muffle it from the surrounding innocent bystanders).

Well... I was caught red handed by the yound lady next to me, and she said, "Did you just burp into your shirt?" Again, much laughter ensued.

Now remember, the two ladies who caught me burping were the two who desperately wanted to dance with me. I fear their names will never again grace my dance card...

Feel Good Song #4

Down on the Corner

Early in the evenin' just about supper time,
Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind.
Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up.
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp.

Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.

Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile,
Blinky, thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo.
Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.

Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.

You don't need a penny just to hang around,
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy.

(This will be the last installment in the Feel Good Songs series. It has not attracted as much attention as I hoped. However, there are many songs that evoke a "life is good" feeling... and these are just four that came to mind this week. There will be a Depressing Song series in the not too distant future, so stay tuned)

Feel Good Song #3

Lean On Me

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me

So just call on me brother,
when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem
that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me

Feel Good Song #2

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world