I’LL HAVE A BLOODY MARY, A STEAK SANDWICH AAAND A STEAK SANDWICH
Easier than writing lots of individual emailsArchive for August, 2007
CHARLIE-YOU WIN!
I love it when people comment. Maybe that’s because I usually have pretty witty, insightful contibutions from you beloved readers. The winner comment for August is from ’Charlie-under the radar-S.’. His comment on the 3-Day Rule post was genuis. Thanx for sharing your wit. It’s ALWAYS appreciated!
SHARING PHOTOS/FILES
In the last few weeks I’ve gotten a lot of emails from friends and family that have HUGE picture/video/file attachments…and it just doesn’t need to be that way. 
Am I the first one to actually post about this?
#1-I love getting pictures from friends and family. It’s fun to see everyone grow and living life.
#2-I wish there were cyberlaws about the method of sharing pics/files because my inboxes take a beating.
PHOTO/FILE SHARE PET PEEVES
-When someone sends attachments without compressing them and they clog my inbox.
PHOTO/FILE SHARE SOLUTIONS
-Compress the pictures (they don’t usually need to be over 50kb for just viewing). It’s easy to do.
-Create PDFs for docs
-Join a service like ShutterFly, Flickr, etc. where we can just click a link and view all the beloved pics (or as they say in India ’snaps’)
-Get a blog with wordpress and post your videos
Let me say thank you to those of you who already do the right thing . It is noted, duly.
To those of you who don’t…I encourage you to…we will enjoy your pictures/videos/docs more.
I understand the exceptions, but for the rest…seriously.
Does anyone share my sentiments or am I alone on this?
WANT A WINDOW INTO INDIA?
CLICK HERE to access Eric Zeller’s public photo album. Brings back lots of memories.
THIS LAST WEEKEND
Oh, I went to down to San Diego on Saturday. And, then on Sunday we had our outdoor baptism with Church of the Canyons. There’s alot to be thankful for in life.
After standing on the shore of the Pacific Ocean and pondering God’s promise to give as many descendants as there are grains of sand in the sea, one can only marvel at how huge God is….and then to watch a baptism and listen to testimony of salvation in Christ, one can only marvel at how personal God is.
I’m thankful to be saved…not sure why He chose me, but I’m thankful nonetheless.
MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
7th grade science at La Mesa Jr High…all those terrified little 7th graders on their 6th day of Junior High. Man, I have missed them!
There was definitely some variety to the 6 different periods, but all in all a pretty predicatable crowd. Of course we had some class discussion and here are some highlights:
Q-Who is totally freaked out about being in junior high?
A-Usually 2 or 3 kids would raise their hands. I commended them for being truthful and accused the majority of the rest of the class of being untruthful…about 60% percent of the rest of the hands would go up.
Q-What has been better than you thought, now that you’re here?
A-The food. There aren’t any bullies. I haven’t been jumped by the 8th graders. The classes seem shorter. The homework isn’t hard.
Q-What has been worse than you expected?
A-Having to wear sleeves (especially when it’s hot). The lunch line is so long. The 8th graders call us scrubs and won’t let us in the quad area. Overwhelmed by all the classes and the different teacher’s requirements. Too many people on campus-can’t find their friends.
Their priorities are ridiculous, but that’s an American 7th grader for you.
Here’s the cool and ironic moment…one of my students has been in the States for 2 years and is originally from Uganda! That accent is unmistakable! I asked him to come in at lunch (if he wasn’t busy) so that I could talk to him and ask questions etc. He came in happily and I spent lunch listening to his story and how his mom has been here 7 years earning money to send back to Uganda to put them through school etc. His perspective on the 7th grade experience and life in America was vastly different from the other kids. He was so sweet and kind and aware.
I ended up giving him a copy of Invisible Children to give to his mom…he said that she’s always looking for ways to support Uganda. I’m hoping to build a relationship with this family and invite them to ICU stuff and to COC stuff. There’s more, but I need to get going.
You never know what you’ll encounter when you go to school!
THE 3-DAY RULE
I subscribe to a newsletter called The Dollar Stretcher and every time I read them (they are packed with people’s discoveries and articles in saving money & time.) I learn something useful or clever. As always, you have to filter it, but in general, I find them quite helpful. Below is an excerpt from a contributor that I just thought was mostly wise… THE 3 DAY RULE
“By this, I mean if something devastating happens or I get bad news, I know in three days that I will have come to terms with the problematic situation.
If I have a negative encounter with someone, I wait three days before responding. By then, I have a cooler head and am more rational in my response.
Also, whenever I am considering a major purchase, I make my decision and then wait three days before actually buying.
Sometimes in that three-day time frame, a better deal will surface or I will reach a decision that I really didn’t want or need what I was going to buy.”
KILLER SPIRITUAL RESOURCE LINK-COURTESY OF JOSH MACK!
CLICK HERE for a really cool resource! Thanx Josh
GOING BACK TO THE SHOOTING
About 7 months ago I posted about Peter DeSoto. He’d been shot whilst serving in EL Salvador. He and his family returned to the country and he just posted about his first trip back to the remote actual location where he was shot.
CLICK HERE FOR IT
The thought of his that stuck out was about how the suffering in that region is so immense…he counts it a blessing to have been shot as that’s the closest he’s come, so far, to the pain of the people that he is there to serve. Wow. The gospel is for real.
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
Soooo, the past 1.5 weeks have been busy..well, busy enough to not post anything (or even check my google home page).
BULLET POINT FUN
-Holly and I worked a party up in Circle J (we wore the black on black with white aprons…they all thought we were professional caterers…funny, since neither of us really cook)
-ICU is in full swing (we’ve been meeting all summer, but have a really busy Kick-Off September. If you’d like to be involved…we’d love to have you!). We had an event last week called ‘Teacher Buy-In’
-I had overnight charge of the Habberstad cherubs for 3 days. They were fantastic, as usual. I did A LOT of driving (S. had 2-a-days for football). Had a night swim with A. (we were sure the sharks were going to get us). Watched a new cooking show. Had good meaningful conversation with the 2 youngest Habberstad heirs (T. left for college).
-Work: research, caravan, previewing homes, emails, client calls, etc…
-Dinner etc. with Heidi Keller (thanx for babysitting, Catron)
-Met Heidi’s neighbor from a Craigslist transaction (small world)
-Hung out, for a bit, with Becca Burke on Saturday
-Worship Team paperwork/evaluation/maintenance prep
-Zillions of emails all the time
-Ripped the last box of ‘burned’ CDs (we’re very violent with our audio devices). Had to label them all by hand in iTunes…quite a middle of the night project.
-Tried really hard to take the Sabbath rest on Sunday
UPCOMING EVENTS
-Church of the Canyons outdoor Baptism this Sunday (8/26) at a Sand Canyon home!
-ICU is hosting the fall Schools For Schoools kickoff, PARTY FOR PEACE on Sept 21st 6:30-8:30 pm at Valencia High School! Games, Food, Music, Bounce House, Prizes, Community, etc… Please come with your family and friends…
-Lisitng 2 properties in the next 2 weeks…looking for a home or an investment property? A 3/2 in Valencia and a 2/2 in Saugus. Want to know more?
-All the other millions of things that transpire in our lives!
Ok, well…gotta go!
NOW, I MAY BE ON CRACK…
Wow…some people are not getting any smarter…and I’m pretty sure the crack cocaine usage is a contributing factor…READ THE SMARTS HERE
ADAM, ZELLERS, ETC…INDIA BOUND
CLICK HERE to update yourself on the sending of our dear friends…I think they are in transit RIGHT NOW!
SINCERE INQUIRY
Recently I have gotten many invitations from people through LINKEDIN. After doing a teeny tiny bit of keyboard work, turns out that I already had an account. Here are questions to those of you who have it:
-Are you glad you have it?
-How often do you use it?
-Has it proven to enhance your networking and thus your business?
-Is it worth the time?
-Besides ‘networking’, what is the real value of having it?
Please offer anything you think is relevant. I’m trying to decide whether or not this is a really worthwhile way to spend time (in set-up).
Thanks for your input!
WINDOWS, GLORIOUS WINDOWS
Instant Increased Market Value!
(editor is wacky. click on pics for larger image)
Breakfast time (AKA BEFORE)
Lunch time (AKA AFTER)
before
after
REALLY, CHEATER HUSBAND? REALLY.
This is another reminder to live in such a way that ‘rediscovered’ records don’t shame us because of choices we make. Oh, AND, another reminder that we live in a society where people don’t take responsibility for their actions ex. breaking their covenant vow of marriage by having extra-marital affairs.
It’s 1-800-FLOWERS’s fault that your marriage ended? huh.
MAN, TIMES HAVE CHANGED
So, there’s nothing like a 4.5 earthquake to reveal how you’ve changed. Let me set the scene for you…
It’s almost 1am, I”m in my living room, I am sweating and in the ‘cool-down’ phase of my elliptical workout when I hear/feel the splintering rupture of the all-too-familiar California quake.
In the past, my first thoughts have been ‘where are my shoes?, ‘I wish I had batteries in the flashlight’, ‘I wish I’d payed more attention in that @$%$# CERT class’, ‘wait, wasn’t stand-in-a-doorway thing debunked?’ etc. And while those thoughts DID eventually come. Truthfully, my first thought, DURING THE QUAKE, was that of a new homeowner, ‘Oh crap. Does my HOA insurance policy include earthquake coverage? If it doesn’t and this is ‘The Big One’ and the house splits in half, I’m jacked.’ Really? Really.
The earthquake ended. After I checked on the girls upstairs, made sure no gas lines were ruptured etc., I then, with horror, remembered that my drama-laden, brand new, $1,000 custom windows (DLBNTDCW) (that my contractor had JUST dropped off earlier in the day), that were leaning in the garage waiting to be installed, may not have survived the quake unscathed. I let out a cry of true fear as I ran out into the garage to check. I couldn’t tell. And they’re actually being installed as I’m writing this, so I assume the windows are ok.
Times they are u-changin. Earthquakes will show you.
Homeownership is fun (or not).
JASON KESSLER’S MEMORIAL-TODAY
Well, at 1pm today, family and friends gathered for Jason’s memorial. I’ve wondered how the day’s events have been going and prayed for God’s mercy and healing grace to be evident. His girlfriend, Erin, was my RA for 2 years and I am especially mindful of what she’s thinking and feeling today, tomorrow and in the weeks and months to come. Death…it’s really powerful.
A JUDGE I CAN RESPECT
I love it when judicial rulings involve some creativity and genuine purpose.
Check out what happened to the guy who tried to scam people’s money for an ‘Iraq War Memorial’ that never was. CLICK HERE
Be sure to look at the picture.
ATTA BOYS!
Firefighters who were forced to participate in a gay parade fight back.
That whole ‘civil rights’ thing matters.
OK. NOW WE’VE JUST GONE TOO FAR
You know, on many websites, how you have to type in verification codes if you’re trying to leave a comment, buy something, etc. It’s a little box with blurred characters and you’re supposed to decipher what letters and numbers they are in order to prove you’re a human and not an automated spammer?
Here’s the last one I had to do…I think we’ve officially gone too far: UYTWHVBZ.
Hey ‘Blogger’, I just want to leave a comment, not find a Russian pen pal.
THINGS I NEVER REALLY KNEW ABOUT
There are thousands of topics that I wish I knew more about or knew about at all. Usually, every one of those topics has a sub-culture woven in to it. I just don’t have the time to embark on all the discovery I’d like to. So, it’s fun when the LORD drops it into your lap.
We have a new member of the worship team: he’s also a cartoonist, a super cool thinker, a servant, and amongst other things, has a great laugh. Prior to David, I’ve known zero about cartoons (except watching them on Saturday morning and my life long love of Dr. Seuss). Now knowing David, I know about 1/1,000,000 of what there is to know about it, but it’s a start. Here’s his cool blog displaying some of his stuff. Check it out.
I don’t know all the industry words for critiquing it, but I think the colors are very cool and it seems like it takes a while to do each drawing, since he does it all by hand. And, if you get the blessing of meeting him, ask him for his business card.
A BOOK I’M GLAD TO BE READING
Who are the major preachers in our Western culture these days? Bush? Oprah? Dr. Laura? H. Clinton? Paris? SNL?
It seems like it’s good for Christians to be ‘up on’ what gospel these preachers are preaching.
One such icon/preacher is Bono. I want to know what he’s about, since he’s one of the most powerful men around these days and he’s flexed his muscles in issues fighting for justice/mercy/compassion. Ironically, it’s been rumored that he does actually do a lot of preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ…to feed the poor and needy, to protect the widows and the orphans, etc. in the name of Jesus Christ. So, I wanted to read for myself what Bono preaches. It’s been a GREAT book. Fascinating. Convicting. Murky. Transparent. I’m glad I’m reading it: I’m glad that it was recommended and I’m glad that someone gave me a gift card to Barnes and that they had it in stock.
I’m about 1/3 through the book and Bono’s not my new hero and so far, it seems he’s not really preaching the full gospel (sin, repentance, forgiveness, the cross, resurrection, etc, though he reads and studies Scripture faithfully), but I am grateful that he’s doing a lot of work in Africa that is paving the way for so many powerful things…it seems that the LORD uses any sinner He pleases: you, me, Bono… (I just want to make sure that I am fixed on and am preaching a salvific gospel rather than a social gospel.)
I do wish that I could hang out with Bono (and Ellen Degeneres too…maybe at the same time) because it seems like it would be less than 10 minutes before we were into some really meaningful discussion about life, calling, influence, Christ, relativism, power, death, heaven/hell, salvation…etc. He seems like a cool cat.
REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT!
CLICK HERE TO enjoy Steve Martin and Amy What’s her name parody two of America’s biggest problems: anti-common sense and debt.
WAITING TO LOCK YOUR LOAN RATE?
The lending market is shifting. Lock it, ASAP. Click here for more info!
JASON KESSLER DIED IN IRAQ
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14
“Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE
Todd’s Blog
Patriot Guard Thread
PEOPLE WE KNOW
are missionaries. Technology has revolutionized the missions reality. Beth Mack, my first RD and then advisor for MABC , is now living in South Africa doing lots of things. WATCH THIS VIDEO to see one of the projects that she’s involved in and that needs anything you can spare (or sacrifice).
These kids go to school in old dilapidated cargo holders with 90+ kids/students to a ‘room’.
LORI NATHAN HEARING DEBRIEF #3
I’m still writing about last Thursday. I had been feeling the pressure to ‘document’ all the happenings and it is really overwhelming. However, I got this reply email back today from the correctional officer supervisor that I wrote a thank you note to yesterday. Her words and surprise direction lifted my burden of ‘documenting’ and now I feel the freedom to just write my thoughts/feelings with greater ease, knowing that the context is taken care of and I will be able to cross reference my thoughts with the parole proceedings without having to write them all myself.
“Sam thanks for the feed back and I appreciate your kind words. I’m glad you were able to go to the hearing and found it empowering. Please stay in touch, 5 years will go fast. Also, I always encourage victims and families to order a copy of the hearing transcript. That way you can refer back to it as your memory will fade over the 5 years. Also, it will help you gear up for next time. Let me know if you would like to do that….We charge .34 cents a page and postage. It will run between (most likely) $50 – $70 but it’s well worth the investment. Take care and don’t hesitate to reach me if need be. “
God is so merciful…He certainly does lighten our load.
