Notes from SunnyJay

Well, I’ve introduced myself to the first of my two AU roommates.  What a relief!  He’s fairly conservative politically, and to my surprise is actually quite nice!  Hah!  I’ll post more later….

Today at some point, probably in the evening or late afternoon, Mexico missions trip week 1 will be arriving home.  I was feeling fine the entire week, not a problem in the world until this past Friday.  Now I’m actually starting to miss them.

In the words of Sherlock Holmes “I’ll be glad to have you safely back in Bakerstreet once more.”

Among my favorite “bad” habits is automatically right-mouse clicking and hitting “line up Icons”.  EVERY time I close a program, I automatically click–> Line Up Icons.  EVERY time!  Well, then Windows XP came along, and guess what, they removed the Line Up Icons button.  So now I just click and unclick, in a dissapointed and dejected manner.  Well, thankfully, most of the time I use a computer with Windows 2000 which still has it.

Another strage “nervious” habit that I have is when I’m wearing a shirt with buttons down the front, I rub the buttons together face to face.  I’ve spent many happy hours rubbing my buttons together.  So much so, that it has become a bit of a family joke.  Oh well.

Amonge the strange things that I’m glad I have done, and contribute to making me a generally strange person, are the following:

I’ve only played on a baseball team for 1 week.
I’ve only played on a basket ball team for 1 week ( I ended my career because of moral objections: I was forced to play on the “Skins” team.  As in the team with nothing covering their torsos.  Terrible!)

I’ve only played on a Soccer team for 1 week. (all I did was stand on my side of the field and wait for the ball to come towards me, and when it did, I would follow the person with the ball and pretend I was actively involved in “Soccer”.)

I only attended ONE calculus class.  (Because Communications Majors don’t need calc, so why take it?  American U. doesn’t even have a language requirement)

I scored in the bottom 9% of the kids in the country on my Math PSAT.  (I can’t wait to see how God is going to use my mathematical failures for his glory!)

Other then that, I can’t really think of any very unique short-comings.  Sure, there are plenty of character short-comings, and sin areas, but we’re talking the fairly benign ones.

You know, I really love/hate the banner ads on Xanga.  If you notice, more and more of them are interactive.  Right now its a paddler going down a river, and you’re supposed to avoid the rocks.  This I find really clever.  Sure its a shameless ploy to get people to click on a banner add, but someone is using their brain!

I’ve really enjoyed these ads, I have no idea what they’re selling, most of the time you simply win an iPod, or Palm, and probably get ropped into some scam.  But the ads are very intresting.

You’ve got the navigate your boat through the rocks, the drive your motor cycle past other bikes, the punch the champion boxer, kiss Brad Pitt, Shoot an Agent from the Matrix, Catch the “Bucks fairy”, Smash the phone and you win a free ring tone, a whole bunch of “I graduated in 19__” (Those are really boring), the Man smashing his computer “See what happens next”, and about 50 different match making services that all have really boring ads.

Now that I think about it, while I “respect” their attempt to market their product, or think of new ways to get people to click on the banner, I don’t like having a online dating service on the top of my Xanga.  But what can a person do?

But at ANY rate, I’d rather have a banner add, then a pop up.  I detest pop-ups with a vengence!  They’re like sin, you kill it, and it pops up again.  So you kill it again and it pops up again.  Banner ads are, like… um… I don’t know… I’m not up on my “Theology of Internet Advertising”.

But the point is they’re trying to sell something, and they’re getting better at it!  So good in fact that we’re required to buy 2 more DVD from this company that promised my sister an iPod if she “Clicked here” (And bought 5 DVD at normal price, plus 1 Free, and continued to buy DVDs at a rate of 3 per month for 3 months, and get 5 friends to do the same.)

(She didn’t get the iPod)

Here is the basic story line for the Birthday Broadcast.  The coolest thing is that when we’re finished recording, it probably won’t be anything like this!

Hero lives in the Croatian Town Misnomir (?)

Croatian government is very corrupt because the Queen is like Marie Antoinette and her adviser is impressionable and is heavily influenced by the evil Count on the mountain via letters. Hero and hero’s mother are foundationally very eager to avenge their father/husband. Hero wants government to change and tries in his own town to change the status quo. That doesn’t work…at all. So james grabs David G and they travel 60 mi. to the Queen’s castle. James arrives at castle with newfound friend Janis and David G. They try to complain about political upheaval in the town (and country) and are flatly rejected by the Queen and her adviser. After that, a letter arrives from the count, and Chris takes it away to read in a private place. David G. follows him, and listens in on Chris reading the letter aloud.  After 10 mins of something with James and Janis in the castle, they realize that David G. isn’t there.  Then David G. comes running out and tells them the scoop.  They then decide to go back to the town and get some friends together to go convince the Count to change his ways or peaceably over throw him. James brings David G., Janis, and a doctor and a minister. Upon reaching the castle they find no one there and get lost.  (thing with Janis killing count).

(how the Count and his brother get killed)

     Execution in town square that afternoon, James’ father, enraged by the death of his co-worker, demands to speak with his brother the count that evening after dinner.  An argument ensues resulting in the count smashing James’ father on the head with a bronze bust of the count.  Knocked unconscious down the stairs.

     Count dies by hearing a noise of the people wandering around in his office from his secret lab. the count rushes up the stairs and spooks Janis who nervously backs into the same bronze bust, knocking it into the count, causing him to fall backward down the stairs and die.

After seeing the count fall down the stairs, Janis screams and the rest of the company rushes in to find out what happened.  All the company but David rushes down to the dead count. While every one is downstairs, David G. finds the count’s journal and reads first page.  After reading, David finds out that the count is James’s uncle and informs the company of this fact. James then reads the rest of the journal and finds out all about his evil uncle. Since James is the Count’s closest relative, the minister proclaims that Rudolf (James) is now the new count. Then the minister says he must go and tell the Queen.

Minister then rides away on one of the Count’s horses to tell the queen of the new count. Then James establishes himself in the Count’s castle (brightens it up…etc) and invites his mother to live with him. Two days later as James is living in Castle with mother, C-glass stirs up rebellion in James’s hometown and townspeople march on the castle. {by saying that James will be an even worse count than the old one even though the old one was horrible, yet he really only wants to get rid of James so he can have the power that he would be denied when James is the Count}

Just as Chris is about to attack the castle, and James and company are preparing for death, it would seem, Marie Antoinette (Casey Tiren) comes riding up, being carried on a litter.  Chris knows that if the Queen sees him attacking the new count, he will be charged with treason, and lose his position, if not his head.  So, he calls off the attack, claiming that he was only trying to calm the rebellion, and that he had only just arrived in time!  But the mob doesn’t like hearing this from their leader and take both Chris and the Queen captive!  This sparks rebellion in the rest of the country and a general peasant rebellion begins, with the news that the Duke of _______ has been killed for crimes against the people.  Then a Democratic Finnish Minstrel comes riding through on his donkey/unicycle, singing songs of Democracy and peace and unity, which becomes the theme of the revolutionary people, as they all beginning sing his song.  Narration: something about democracy being establish by a singing minstrel, everyone lived happily ever after.

I’m sitting here at the Welcome center at church with my laptop. For some strange reason it’s REALLY hot in here. I don’t know why. Perhaps the heat of the computer, I dont’ know, but I’m sweating.

Ever since our family finished our Sherlock Holmes series, I’ve been having alot more fun on the Metro. You may ask how I make any connection. Well, let me show you, “Watson, you know my methods!”

Sherlock always observes tiny details about people or his surroundings and uses logic and imagination to figure out something about them. I’ve tried to put this into practice.

Today I was waiting at the American U. Shuttle Stop waiting to be picked up and driven back to the Metro. As I was waiting I observed a teenager, about as tall as I am, however much skinnier, and ruggedly athletic looking, with a tan. (all of which I am not, and don’t have.) However we did share one thing in common, Well, besides being loaded down with backpacks, we were both in-coming Freshmen. However, he was from a public school, and is registered for English 101 at American U. He is most-likely from either Virginia or Maryland, and has probably spent the last few days on campus living out of his backpac. How do I know this? I’ll tell!

In his hand he was carrying a book. “Fragments of Grace” This I happen to know is required reading for ALL Freashman English corses, and we will be required to write a paper on it.

Him being from a public school really can only be based on the fact that most people at American are from some kind of Public schools, its possible that he’s not, but the age, and weathering on his backpack seem to indicate that he’s had it sometime clearly ruling out homeschooling.

Him being from either Virginia or Mayland can only be attributed to the fact that he was headed for the metro, and while he could be headed for Union Station to catch a train for Vermont, but the likelyhood of that seems rather small. Also, the size of his backpack seems to indicate that he lives nearby. Someone from further away would probably bring a suitcase for trunk depending on the length of their stay. His being rather small seemed to indicate that he stayed somewhere between a weekend and a week, and Anyone who would only come down for a weekend probably is nearby.

So. There you have it. Now I don’t want a bunch of comments pointing out every single flaw in every single sentence that i’ve just written, just do as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did, and just make it be true! it really works! HAH!

Good night, my poor bewildered friends!

“And above all, stay away from the moor, where the powers of evil are exhaulted” – The Hound of The Baskervilles

“Keep all your prayers brief, and profound, but if not profound, be brief.” -Attributed to CJ Mahaney
(referencing public prayers, like say at youth meetings on on stage, at caregroup, or when praying for someone.)

Interesting Launguage Quiz:

By Following the Link below you can take the quiz too!http://www.blogthings.com/amenglishdialecttest

I’m glad to hear that a Maylander speaks mostly normal English, and that mine is influenced greatly by the Yankee.

Here was the Big Facility Staff Debate for this morning.  How do you pronounce “accessories”.

I pronounce it was soft C’s.  Soft “S” sounding C’s, while John and Sean say “Eksessories”  During the debate, I was being soundly trounced by a flood of passer-bys who all pronounced it the wrong way.  I was on the verge of giving up and admitting that my entire life I had been saying “assessories” the wrong way, when suddenly Captain Corby walks in and confirms my pronounciation!  VICTORY!

How do you say it?

All I can say is, even though I may pronounce things properly, I rarely spell them right!

Yesterday my poor old car was seriously ailing.  The engine was sputtering, the vibrations were tremendous, and my check engine light was flashing at me as if to say, “listen bud, you ignored me these past 3 months, but this time I mean business!”

So, this morning Dad and I went at looked at the engine.  Well, if you know my dad, he’s one of those great technical minds that loves solving problems, and within 5 mins he had fixed it.

Appearently, one of the wires that goes to a spark plug had come loose when the end of the wire had deteriorated.  Praise God that it wasn’t something worse, or more expensive!

This is a warning to all those who listen to the radio while in the car. Especially oldies 100.3 FM.

Well, today I was driving to the metro on my way WAMU, so I thought I would see what was playing on WAMU, so I turned on the radio, and oldies 100 came on. I only had time to hear, a line from a song, which I wish I could sing for you, because the tune is SO addictive!

Well, the first two lines are these:

Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

And thats all I know. And that’s all that got stuck in my head ALL day!

As I walked onto the metro:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I walked into my office:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I talked with my boss:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I Filed an Invoice:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I waited for the Elevator retourning from Accounts Payable:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I ate lunch:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

The ENTIRE WAY HOME:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

While mowing the grass:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

As I am writing this post in my Xanga:
Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

SO! Let this stand and declare the power of both the media, and a catchy song. What a God that he would bless us with music, for good or for worse, music is a gift from God! Praise God that he allowed this artist back in the 70’s to use his gifts to create a song that would get caught in my head!

Don’t walk away, Renae
You won’t see me follow you back home.

Today, as I was driving to the Metro to head off to WAMU I saw one of these:

The only problem was that it wasn’t a whole, nice, clean stick, it was ripped and nealed in the center, as if the owner had tried to peel it off.

This got me thinking.  How much worse it is to not only have a K/E stick, a vanquished party, but to then try to hide the fact that you supported them by trying to peel it off is even worse!

Most people I’ve seen, leave it on as a lasting sign of indignation with the results of the election (or maybe they’re just busy, who knows) but when you disrespect the liberals by peeling the sticker, it seems that that is a tratorous act that the party lose any respect for him/her.  But to have ever had a sticker on the car at all prohibits one from being welcomed into the GOP.  So.  What options does this person have?

Go buy a new car, or get a new sticker. 

Now, yesterday was Cynthia’s party.  What this has to do with Lobster Tanks is coming.

A young boy named Josh (?) was there and asked about David’s scar on his hand.  HAH!  Well, we have what we have come to call Lobster Tank moments.

Lobster tank moments have quite a story to them.  About a year and a half ago, David invited me out to Red Lobster for dinner because he had been given a gift certificate there.  Well, as we should have expected on a Saturday night, the place was packed.  We had to wait for at least half an hour/ 45mins for a table.  As we were waiting, we started talking next to the Lobster Tank that any good seafood place has.  There was a little boy there, watching the lobster swim around, also waiting for a table.

Well as only would happen with David and I we started goofing off, and acting out this little skit for both our entertainment, and the kid’s.  Well to my surprise his eyes were glued to us the whole time!  He started laughing, and seemed to really be enjoying watching us goofing off.  What fun!

Well, yesterday, the same thing happened.  Only, no lobster tank.  So, Josh asked how David got the scar on his wrist.  Well, in what you should know is the typical David/Jason way.  We told him this fantastic story about flying in this airship over the Sahara, then over the Amazon, and having all these adventures with native tribes, and the like.  Then skipping vast portions of the story at times, and changing the situation all of a sudden.  It was much fun!

I love having a friend that I can do things like that with.  I can’t imagin doing that with anyone else and having it be quite as good, or God-glorifying.

Now that everyone has graduated, its time to consider marriage.

I don’t mean that in the typical crude way, but in a very serious, time to prepair way.

When do you think a person should get married?  Obviously, the “right” time will be different for different people, depending on what God has planned for those people.  But I’m looking cheifly at the pre/post graduation from college argument.  -Should a person wait to get married until after they graduate from College?

I would say yes.  First of all, my thought is that if I’m going to get married, I had better be able to support not only a wife, but potentially a family.  I should have a solid job, with a fairly steady imcome.  I would also prefer to have paid off most, if not all, my college debt.  Nothing is worse then starting a family loaded down with debt.

I understand that it costs something like $280,000 dollars to raise a child.  That times 3 (the number of kids I would like to have without consulting my wife) gives me $840,000.  And thats just the kids.  Thats not counting a House, cars, and internet service.

Add to that the fact that most people who don’t pay off their college debt before they have kids, never do.

Now, granted that those costs don’t all come at once, but it certainly causes me to stop and think.

Now, some of my friends said that my plan makes me wait too long before the big day.  However I’d rather get married and start the first day of the rest of my life, on a sound finiancial footing then spend the rest of my life falling behind.

Of course all of this is completely ignoring what God’s plan might be.  He may have called me to get married during college.  (thought I must say that I’d only be doing that out of obeiance to God, after he’d sent an angel surrounded by a lightening storm into by doormroom at night and commanded I get married, which seems unlikely.)

Anyway.  Enough of me.  What are your thoughts on the subject?