Blog Question

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Faithful readers, I want your opinion. As you’ve probably noticed, my blog at AndyBox.com covers a wide range of topics that interest me, including faith, family activities, funny videos, music, politics, current events, hobbies, etc. I’ve posted over 600 blog entries on top of all the regular pages about me.

I think the current format works okay, but I wonder whether it would work better to split it into two different blogs. AndyBox.com would focus on news about my family, hobbies, work, trips, and other stuff that primarily interests my family and close friends. I would create a new site for my philosophical discussions on Christianity and how it works (or doesn’t work) in the real world. The new site might interest some of my friends and family but would also target a wider audience that doesn’t really care how much Jonathan weighs or that Brenden has a new tooth. (I assume there’s someone out there like this)

Creating the new site would take some time and a little bit of money. It would take more work on my part to maintain both sites, and each site might not be updated quite as often. However, it might help me keep my thoughts a bit more focused and might work better for you guys.

What do you think? Are you happy with the current setup, or would you rather see me split the site into two different ones? Please vote in the poll and post any comments here.

Quick Getaway

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On Wednesday, Jenny and I went on a quick getaway to Waco for her birthday. Her parents bravely stayed with the boys at our house, the first time we’d left Jonathan overnight. On the way we stopped at the Czech Stop in West, Texas, for some tasty kolaches before checking in at our bed and breakfast. Although I lived in Waco nearly four years, I never knew about it until I planned this trip.

Hidden off I-35, a mile or two west of the Cracker Barrel where I used to work, sits the Bed and Breakfast on White Rock Creek. We’ve now stayed at several bed and breakfasts (is that the plural?) over the years, and this was one of our favorites. The innkeepers, Dana and Rethe, are very nice and personable without being intrusive. We settled the bill upon checkin, picked up a couple of DVDs from their collection, and went to the room. To check out, all we had to do was leave the key in the room and leave. In contrast to some other bed and breakfasts we’ve visited, Dana and Rethe didn’t ask for a tip. To me, it has always seemed odd and greedy when other innkeepers asked for tips on a hotel stay. I generally oblige since they’re standing right there watching me, but I always resent it. Dana and Rethe presented a refreshing change. I got some dinner recommendations from them and then never saw them again, giving us the privacy we sought.

For dinner we tried Texas Roadhouse at I-35 and Valley Mills. The peanut shells on the floor were a bit odd, but the steaks, sides, and service were excellent. Since our main goal was relaxation, we retired after dinner. Our room was the Savannah room, which included a large Jacuzzi tub, a small kitchenette, and an extremely comfy bed. A line of thunderstorms rolled through soon after we arrived that evening, so we turned out the lights and watched with glee. Well, I watched with glee while Jenny tolerated it and hoped a tornado wouldn’t blow our room apart. After a wonderful night’s sleep, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the room instead of in the main house. I’ve never enjoyed the communal dining aspect of traditional bed and breakfasts, so it was nice to dine alone with my wife.

After breakfast we hit two of Waco’s main attractions, the Dr Pepper Museum and Cameron Park Zoo. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885, and the museum sits in one of the original bottling plants from the early 1900s. We enjoyed getting to learn about (and sample) one of our favorite drinks. The zoo is surprisingly good for a town of 113,000 people, with giraffles, big cats, elephants, a komodo dragon, and an anaconda, among many others. The tiny crowd, bright sunshine, and cool temperature made for a great visit.

We returned home to find that Jenny’s parents had indeed survived, although they were exhausted, and that the boys were doing great. Our next planned trip comes in May when we hope to take Brenden to Sea World San Antonio for the Southwest Airlines Duck Derby.

Brenden’s New Preschool

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On Tuesday Jenny and I visited one preschool, and on Tuesday Jenny visited two more. We were looking for a preschool that:

  • Teaches and operates with Christian values
  • Offers class two days a week, preferably with an option for more days as Brenden gets older
  • Doesn’t require two-year-olds to be potty-trained, since B probably won’t be by September (although we can hope!)
  • Has teachers and leaders who LOVE preschoolers
  • Is a mix of fun and learning
  • Is within 10 minutes of our house

We liked all three that we visited. Each had strengths and weaknesses, but we would have been happy at any of them. However, Colleyville Christian Preschool really stood out, and Jenny plans to enroll Brenden on Friday for this fall. A few things stood out at CCP:

  1. Much more than the other two, CCP is an actual school. All three provide plenty of fun activities and recess, but the other two saw fun as the primary goal and learning as optional, an outcome they hoped for but didn’t pursue very hard. CCP has a solid curriculum based on the Montessori model. The preschoolers learn a ton while they are having lots of fun. We think Brenden will do very well in that environment.
  2. They offer class year-round instead of only during the school year. We might or might not enroll him during the summer, but it’s nice to have the option.
  3. They offer class five days a week for very young children through kindergarten, whereas the others offered a more limited set of class options. This way, assuming the boys like it and we like it, they could both stay there until it’s time to start first grade at our neighborhood elementary school instead of having to switch preschools along the way. Right now we hope to gradually increase the number of days they spend at school to ease the transition to first grade. After Brenden turns three next summer, we might start sending him to school three days a week, and then four days a week the next year, and then five days a week to kindergarten when he’s five.
  4. More so than at the other schools, the director who gave the tour really wanted to interact with Brenden. At the other two, the tour guide talked to him a bit, but primarily talked to us. I can see why they did so, but we were impressed by the CCP director’s focus on him.

We are very excited and think he will have an absolute blast at school this fall.

My Feet are Jacked Up

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That’s exactly what my podiatrist told me, and she’s right. My long-awaited visit occurred this morning. Although I’m not healed yet, I think we have a solid plan to get there, and I’m very pleased.

I actually have a variety of problems (which I’m sure you already knew, but these are leg-related):

  1. My feet are jacked up. I have some kind of foot deformity with a long, complex name that I couldn’t understand or remember. The outside bones aren’t connected properly to the rest of my foot, my feet are very flat, and they roll inward too much. When a normal foot hits the ground, the outside part hits first, and the rest of the foot rolls inward. That motion and the structure of the foot absorbs much of the impact. When my foot hits, it is already rolled in. I naturally hit the ground almost flat, which eliminates much of the shock absorption and causes problems higher in the leg. This must change.
  2. My right leg is shorter than my left.
  3. Perhaps as a result of #2, my right hip and knee make a weird twisting motion as I move.
  4. Yes, I have been wearing the wrong shoes.

So what happens now? My treatment is threefold:

  • Custom orthotics, which are special shoe inserts that help the foot work properly and correct any leg-length discrepancies
  • New shoes
  • Physical therapy to loosen up and align my right hip and knee

It might take several weeks to finish the PT and get the orthotics made, but I excited and hopeful. Time to go check out some races in May for my possible comeback…

The End of the Shuttle

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Only four launches remain in the long career of NASA’s space shuttle fleet. So far I’ve only seen one launch in person. When Jenny and I went to Disney World in October 2006, the shuttle launched on our first day at EPCOT. We were at least 40 miles from the launch pad, and the skies were mostly cloudy, but we got a distant view of the gorgeous streak of light through gaps in the clouds. We couldn’t hear a thing, but I was in awe and smiling like a little boy.

My closest encounter of any kind came after fourth grade when we took a family trip to Florida and toured Kennedy Space Center. One of the shuttles was sitting on the launch pad, gleaming in the sun. I was amazed to see a machine that could actually fly from the earth into space and return safely.

NASA’s Shuttle Mission Home

The final launch is currently scheduled for September 16, and Jenny and I hope to attend. Since shuttle launches often get postponed due to weather or mechanical problems, we might or might not succeed, but we plan to try. Through work, I’m in a lottery for a spot at the best possible civilian viewing area. We should find out a couple of weeks in advance whether we get the tickets. If not, we’ll plan to watch from a nearby site. Wish us luck!

Remaining Shuttle Missions