September Rants and Raves

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Rave: Jenny, Lisa, Phillip, Mom, and I went to Grapefest in downtown Grapevine on Saturday. Although it was a little crowded and warm, we had a great time tasting several good wines and browsing interesting stores. If you’re willing to walk, you could even park for free. We tried wine samples at Su Vino, a winery that also lets customers make their own wine, and Lone Star Wine Cellars.

Rant: I am SICK of hearing about OJ Simpson. Yes, he probably did it and got away with it (except for that big civil judgment, which still won’t bring either victim back to life). The whole situation is tragic, but let’s be realistic here. How can anyone expect justice in a broken world run by broken people? Killers go free, innocent people get convicted, and people commit millions of crimes every year without even getting caught. But God is watching, and he will judge all as he sees fit.

Rave: If you get Spike TV, check out a show called MXC. It takes clips of a bizarre 1980s Japanese game show and dubs them with hilarious English commentary. The contestants go through crazy obstacle courses such as boulder runs, giant log rolls, and the Spinning Surfboard of Death. It’s hard to explain adequately, so just watch!

Rant: I want every U.S. soldier out of Iraq by next summer, but that’s not going to happen.

Rave: After my initial distaste and months of warming up to the idea, I got my first pair of Crocs. Guess what? I love them! Naturally my pair are black and plain, at least as plain as Crocs can be. They are quite comfortable, and I plan to wear them some during our Disney trip in case we do any water rides. Hint: don’t try to save a couple of bucks by getting the knock-offs. Jenny tried it, and they just weren’t the same. Get the real deal. Oh, and if you happen to have a time machine, go back several months and buy stock in their manufacturer.

Back to School

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No, I’m not going back to Baylor for another degree. Yesterday Jenny and I returned to Baylor for the evening. We attended the annual banquet for people in a scholarship program I was in during my Baylor years. I like attending these banquets to meet the new members of the program and see a few of the people I remember. They always inspire and energize me with tales of their academic achievements and the community service projects they have done. One girl set up an interfaith group for Christian, Muslim, and Jewish teens to get to know each other better. Many people work with children after school or on weekends. Some started recycling programs or gathered art supplies for orphans in Eastern Europe. I am honored to be part of them, even if I still feel a bit unworthy.

While I was there, I had to explore and reminisce a bit. Baylor tore down my old dorm, Brooks Hall, and rebuilt it bigger and better. It has a Harry Potter-style dining hall now, beautiful rooms, and a separate building with apartments. They also expanded the Bear Pit where the mascots live. Before I left, I topped off the gas tank at my old gas station and bought a french vanilla cappuccino there, just like I did during my freshman year when I needed to stay up “late” to study. It’s always fun to go back to Baylor, almost enough to make me want to go back, but I know it wouldn’t be the same.

Quest for the Mouse

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To celebrate our upcoming 5th anniversary, Jenny and I are planning a trip to Walt Disney World in October. After overcoming my initial hesitation (how about another cruise, honey?), I have now become obsessed with planning this trip, Jenny’s first visit to WDW and my first since childhood. Through our planning, I have come to realize several things:

  • Mickey Mouse is an undeniable cult leader with millions of devoted followers all over the world.

  • Disney’s marketing people and “Imagineers” basically have a license to print money.

  • Disney World is so big that even staying about a week, there’s not a chance we’ll be able to see everything, which means we’ll probably decide to go back (see above re: printing money).

  • Many Disney fans are even more obsessed than I am, with discussion boards and websites that offer restaurant/resort/park reviews and thousands of tips, not to mention the dozens (hundreds?) of books in print. I have a cousin who goes EVERY YEAR with her husband. There are many people who visit TWO OR THREE TIMES a year or even more. The amount of devotion and information is overwhelming.
  • It’s OK for a 28-year-old man to be excited about going to Disney World, although it does help if he takes his wife. My wife and I are even planning to have afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian, but don’t tell my poker buddies.

We think it will be a great way to celebrate 5 years together along with my 29th birthday. They give you buttons to wear for special occasions like these. If an employee (or Cast Member, in Disney lingo) sees a button, they acknowledge it in various ways, often involving a special greeting or even free desserts or rentals. Between the two of us, we qualify for three different buttons. We’re hoping that’s enough to score a night in Cinderella’s Castle, but we’ll be happy just to be there.

September Happenings

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Man, I’ve been slacking lately on my updates! I often update the site on my nights off, but I’ve been working a lot lately and busy the one night I had off. Tonight I’m finally free. Jenny and I had date night – dinner at that cool African place at Irving Mall and then The Bourne Ultimatum, which was lots of fun. I’ve spent much of my free time lately watching the US Open, some on my own and some with Mom. It’s so nice to have cable while we’re staying at their house! Speaking of houses, we’ve had a prospect look at our house three different times, so we’re hoping we might get an offer soon. Perhaps yesterday she was at the house deciding where to put her furniture after she moves in. My high school reunion is one month from today, which is bizarre to think about. So if you were in my class, go to Mac97.com and buy your tickets NOW. I ran at the Mac track yesterday afternoon and saw the girls’ soccer team (I literally ran circles around them) and the boys’ tennis team. I felt very old.

Back in Town with Less Hair!

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The flights were so full on Friday that I flew back Thursday afternoon to make sure I could work my Friday night shift. So I missed the SAN Spirit Party but got to help with the New Hire Luncheon, which is always fun. We stayed near the ocean and the USS Midway, within walking distance to a great outdoor mall called Seaport Village. As expected, the weather was fantastic. Due to time constraints, we had to save the zoo for another time. It’s nice to have an excuse to go back. 😉

My tennis buddies Luke and Peter, who work with Jenny and came on the trip, and I had decided to shave our heads after completing our obligations on this trip. We finally did it Friday evening at Peter’s house. I’d wanted to do it for years but never followed through until now. I’m still adjusting and rubbing my head in shock, but I think I like it. =) Think about it – no more combs, no hair gel, no fixing your hair in the morning, and no dropping $20 a month on haircuts! It’s perfect!

Alaska Pictures with New Technology

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I finally uploaded the Alaska pictures. Thanks to a great tool called Adobe Photoshop Elements, I turned the pictures into a Web gallery with thumbnails and a slideshow option. Let me know what you think! I’m working on adding captions as well.

Jenny and I plan to leave Wednesday for a short trip to San Diego. She’s helping run a luncheon for new hires and then selling new-hire sponsorships at the Southwest Airlines spirit party on Thursday. I’m going along to help. I haven’t been to San Diego in many years and look forward to a great time. We hope to visit the famous San Diego Zoo while we’re there. The weather is forecast to be PERFECT!