Let it Snow...

I got my fix! Luckily Mike Thompson was wrong! It snowed here in the KC area almost all weekend. It just let up around lunch time. For some weird reason, I always want to be in town when we have our first real snow fall. I'm scheduled to be in Alabama the rest of the week, and it doesn't look like there is any white stuff in the forecast for any part of Alabama for the rest of the year.

A carol of truth, history, and legends...

"Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht") is one of the most well know Christmas Carols of all time; and I must say it's one of my favorites. There is something eerily romantic that sucumbs your thoughts as you listen to the echoing melody and harmonic verses. It's been translated into hundreds of languages around the world. The Silent Night Society says there are many "romantic stories and legends" that surround the carol, although most historians believe that the Austrian priest Father Josef Mohr just wanted a simple piece that could be played on his guitar.

Silent Night was originally written in German, by Mohr and the melody was composed by an Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber (primary school teacher and church organist in the village of Arnsdorf. At the same time he was organist and choirmaster at St. Nicholas Church in the neighboring village of Oberndorf). Mohr was ordained in 1815, after special permission from the pope allowed him to study for priesthood, as Mohr was born an illegitimate child.

On December 24th, 1818, the carol was first performed in the Church of St Nicholas (Nicola-Kirche). Mohr made a drastic plea with Gruber the morning before Christmas, asking him to compose the melody on guitar for the Christmas Eve service that evening.

Nothing can be found as far as Mohr's inspiration for the song. It's a rumor that the church organ was broken, so Mohr and Gruber created the song for accompaniment by guitar.

Silent Night was popularized by the World War I, Christmas Eve truce between the British and the Germans. On December 24th, 1914 the artillery in the region (Ypres, Belgium) fell silent that night. German troops began decorating the area around their trenches for Christmas. They started placing candles on trees, then continued by singing many Christmas Carols, most notably Stille Nacht. The two sides started shouting Christmas greetings to each other and leading up to small gift exchanges, such as whisky, jam, cigars, and chocolate.

To this day, many Christmas Eve services and the Christmas Story always include the song, Silent Night. There is something about the melody, and the versus that tell the story of that night long ago. Every time I listen to the song, it brings a mix of emotions that can't quite be described.

Martinstag, St. Martin's Day, Advent...

I'll use any reason to start the Christmas Season sooner! In early days Advent lasted from November 11, the feast of St. Martin, until Christmas Day. "St. Martin started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clothed me." cited from Wikipedia

Yep -it's that time of the year again. KUDL is already playing Christmas music, and the shopping centers have had the Christmas Trees on display now for over a month! Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, and that's when I know it's time to stay away from the store's mad rush of holiday shoppers!!!

As most know Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite times of the year. It seems that as soon as Thanksgiving and Christmas come and go, I can't wait for them to come again. I think I'm so fond of these Holidays because of the tradition and upbringing my parents and Grandparents instilled. For most, unfortunately, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are more of a 'have-to-do' holiday, than a sacred holiday. As soon as some people hear the Christmas music on KUDL, they feel the anxiety of the holiday rush. I, rather, feel the love and greatest gift that anyone could ever want. The gift that God gave us that Christmas morning; not so long ago. For that,… we have much to be Thankful for!

Thanksgiving couldn't come at a better time; with Christmas following. Last year around this time I came up with a short Christmas lesson for my kids to get them in the Spirit. The very first question I presented to them was, "What kind of things do you think of first when you hear the word 'Christmas'?". They all paused for a moment, with the older kids realizing that this might be a 'trick' question. The younger kids were about to spout off the latest X-BOX game when one of the older kids shouted, "Jesus!" Then the younger kids followed suit mentioning things like the manger, Joseph and Mary, and other items as such. As far as I was concerned, the question didn't have a right or wrong answer. My point wasn't to catch them saying something wrong, but rather keep the true meaning in their minds. Obviously kids will associate gifts with Christmas, but it's our job to keep the truth with them. Without subtle reminders like the one above, it may become very easy for them to fall in the 'have-to-do' Christmas Spirit when they get older.

So my whole point? This is my subtle reminder that Thanksgiving and Christmas go hand-in-hand, so we might not succumb to the mad holiday rush. Now is the time to give thanks, and keep the true meaning of Christmas close to our hearts. Advent is the time to prepare for the celebration of the coming. Prepare your hearts and remember what is true. We should treat every day of our lives as if Thanksgiving and Christmas were in the midst. We have too much to be thankful for. The fact that you are reading this page means you are alive and well; be thankful for it! My only request from you is that you take a moment today or tonight to pray for this Holiday season. Thank Him for all you have, and for what we have yet to be given. Thank Him for your problems, as problems are our way of learning how to deal with tough times. Thank Him for your children, as they are our heirs and mirrors of who we are in life. Pray that we don't succumb ourselves to the mad holiday rush. And most of all, thank him for our Savior and that he stays close to our heart,…the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Childrens Trust Fund

The Cass County CAN web-site was recently made mention of from the Childrens Trust Fund website. We also have received some exposure from the local media within Cass County.

On the 14th of October, we held a group meeting with all the committee members. It was the first time we were able to convene together in one group. Robin Neill with the city of Independence was there to explain what they are doing for CAN. Very interesting, and we gathered a few ideas for our own initiative. I also gave a presentation on the website.

In November, we will finally start defining the Cass County initiative which will point us in a few directions. Hopefully we will have a lot more to talk about soon!

There's probably no God...

"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.", says Oxford University biologist Richard Dawkins, who donated $9,000 to a new Atheist organization based in London. This organizations plan is to put this advertisement on 30 buses within London. The organization has now raised so much money, that they are planning on expanding.

The only reason the word "Probably" was added to the phrase, was included to ensure the posters didn't breach transit advertising regulations, which stipulate ads should not offend religious people.

And we don't have reason to worry? This is by the mark.

News Article Here

The Bean is Back...

Rightfully so, since my previous post on Autumn, it's appropriate to bring the Bean back into my daily ritual. This post is purely trivial and has nothing to do with my worldly initiative on preservation and conservation of the human race.

I drink coffee year round, but I don't get SERIOUS about it until Autumn. There is something about the crisp cool air of an Autumn or Winter morning that makes a good cup of coffee a necessity. People either love coffee or hate it. Personally I have NO earthly clue why I, or anyone else for that matter, would love the taste of coffee. If I were to try and explain its taste to someone, the only thing I could come close to analogize it against is Roasted Dirt. Yummy.

It's amazing that coffee doesn't harm us. Just to name a few, it's chock full of Caffeine, Calcium, Betaine, Chlorogenic Acid, Liverine, Magnesium, Chline, Dicaffeylqunic Acid, Methliberine, Phosphate, Niacin, Paraxanthine, Potassium Sulphate, Trigoneline, Theobromine, Theopyline, Diterpene esters, Acetic, Arbinose, Linoleate, Dietepenes, C3-C10, Fructose, Kahweol, Galactose, Glucose, Insoitol, Mannitol, Mannose, Xylose, Nonacosane 5-hydroxtryptamides, Phosopholipids, Tocopherols, Tryiglycerides, and Triterpene just to name a few.

Take all of that, grind it up, and you have a great cup o-Joe. The following lists a few facts about coffee:

• 53 Countries grow coffee
• An acre of coffee trees can produce 10,000 lbs. of coffee beans.
• The percolator was invented in 1827.
• No coffee is grown in the contiguous states of the United States.
• Coffee was roasted in a frying pan up until the late 1800's.
• Brazil in the world's largest producer.
• Over 2000 ships transport beans each year.
• October 1st is the official Coffee Day in Japan.

Autumn breeze...

Nothing like the brisk Autumn breeze to get my allergies in a twit. But it's the season I look forward to most, especially after a dusty end of summer. Now it just needs to freeze!

I haven't written for a while (don't most blogs say that somewhere?), but things have really been keeping me busy. Not that it's anything that would interest you, I'll just say I'm glad it's fall!

I don't have much of anything interesting to say. I'd say a few things about the candidates, but honestly that just gives me a headache. I can't wait for the election. Other than that, the items most notable that have happened since I last blogged:

• Price of Gas has fallen from over + $3.60 down to $2.68 the past two weeks.
• Hillary didn't quite make it (sigh).
• Palin is Mccain's VP running mate, and she claims the troopergate probe has exonerated her.
• [personal commentaion] Again I feel like a minority when everyone bashes the GOP, and praises Obama while looking forward to a great change.
• The Space Shuttle mission STS-125 (Hubble Servicing Mission 4) was postponed until next year due to a major glitch in Hubble's electronics. They should have originally launched earlier this month. This should give NASA more time to find out how to fix the current problem, while giving the astronauts time to train how to fix.
• We are in an economic fallout (crisis). The U.S. just passed a 700 Billion bailout plan, although no-one seems to know what that means or how it will affect us. [pc] Obama will fix it though.
  
• Royals tickets will cost more next year.
• Chief Season Tickets may be free next year if they continue on their wonderful loosing streak.
• Stores started Christmas as early as mid September. They are expecting worst sales ever.
• Lake Annette Toll Road is no more. Previous Post Here

Hopefully I'll find a bit more time to write this thing. But for now hope and pray for the best in the weeks ahead.

Every year around this time...

...a particular Bible passage comes to mind...

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"


Sometimes I feel like a day doesn't go by where I wish the Lord could get me out of trouble! It's Matthew chapter 8, vs. 25; where Jesus calms the storm. Chapter 8, vs 25 has a lot more in common with me than you might think. It's also my Birthday verse; and it's a great present to have! As the Lord states, I do have little faith.

23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Luckily I've read the rest of the Bible, and I can only begin to imagine what type of Man Jesus really is.

It's one of the most wonderful times of the year!

Dedicated to all the lucky parents out there... ;-)

Misty Summer Memories

Although I am not an individual that loves the heat, I do love the seasons here in Missouri. Summertime has its good moments. Summer is the season that keeps me young. It also is the season that generates its fair share of those ol' timey summertime memories; family cook-outs, friends, and weekend rides through the beautiful countryside.

It is hard to believe how nice it has been out the past week. Middle 80's for a high, and even lower 60's; upper 50's for the low. The weatherman is saying that the heat is gone for the year. Very comfortable outside! It's a perfect precursor to the autumn season. I know, I know... labor day hasn't even come yet! Ohh well....

Real Life Scare...

Just two months ago if you were to ask how business was doing with my company, I would have told you we were as busy as ever. But I sometimes forget that we are now part of a larger company as JWS was purchased by an Alabama company a few years ago.

Yesterday around 4 P.M, we all received the same mandatory meeting request:

Subject: CAI Update
Location: Support Department

RE: If you are unable to attend the meeting, you will be given a call and we will fill you in on the content that will be discussed.

YIKES! The meeting was scheduled for 1 P.M. the following day (today). You can only imagine what was going through people's minds, as well as mine. And being that I was traveling made it even more unnerving.

Yes, it was true that several people were laid off, JWS was not directly affected by the initiative. We did recently have a couple people leave, but they were not let go, although JWS is not hiring for those positions as we are in a hiring freeze.

We have been affected by the current market, especially since we serve the construction industry. We were assured that no more layoffs are planned, although the future will tell the truth; obviously.

It's just a stark reminder that everyone needs to do all they can do to better serve their customers and the business they work in. We all need to do the best we can to find new business and keep current business strong.

I must say it wasn't a pleasant feeling getting an e-mail like that. Hopefully it's the last........

CASS COUNTY CAN ... an initiative against Child Abuse and Neglect

I attended the first group meeting this past Tuesday in response to my volunteer availability. I'm awful excited about this opportunity as it will let me use my skills towards a great initiative; something for which I'm very inexperienced in. I look forward to the challenge.

So far I donated my time in coming up with a web-site for the group. Cass County CAN is not necessarily the name of the final initiative. It's just something I came up with when searching for a domain name for the web-site. The members of the Planning Committee are unaware at the moment of these efforts, but the Committee head will announce the web-site sometime next week once all the meeting minutes have been consolidated and published.

Anyone interested in volunteering or those that have questions about the initiative are invited to contact me.

Viva Chihuahuas!

The Dogmata Of It All...

It just doesn't make sense to me. How can everyone be right, and not one person be wrong; except for those people that aren't right!?! Does that make sense? Sure doesn't seem right to me, but then again I'm wrong.

Here are some ways you can be sure that you are always right.

• When proving that you are right, please be sure to talk excessively loud.
• While talking excessively loud, you can further your rightness by not stopping when you talk.
• Make certain that you interrupt others and talk louder when doing so.
• If someone says they don't agree with you, then tell them they are wrong. Remember the louder the better.
  
• Don't purposely say something that is wrong. It will only confuse those that are really wrong into thinking they are right.

Memory Lane of West Line Missouri

Today was an interesting day. Dana and I decided to take a motorcycle trip through Western Cass County. On our way, we passed through West Line, a small village about 40 minutes due south of Kansas City.


View Larger Map

I've taken this little spur that connects between 2 Hwy and Route D many times. It's a town of roughly 90 people and the main road is roughly less than 1 mile long. On your way towards the South end of town, Memory Lane is almost hidden on the West side of the road.

Memory Lane is a little nostalgic 'mini-town' created by Romaine Dennis. I was lucky enough to meet Dennis and ask him the questions that had been lingering with me ever since I first discovered the little town about two years ago. Dennis owns a classic car shop in Paola, Kansas, and in his spare time, he build his own little village. He didn't have any exciting story as to why he built it. He says that, "It just keeps me busy."

Memory Lane is quite the interesting town. It's a mini version of a small town setting with just about as much as you'd expect to find in a 60's - 70's style town.

You will find the following buildings: West Line Courthouse, Church, School, Soda Shop, Diner,Filling Station, parlor, boutique and more. Even more interesting, most of the building have an interesting assortment of vintage artifacts inside.

Take for example the marble collection and bath powders and medicines.

Dennis has just about thought of it all. Even down to the 'Burma Shave' signs throughout Memory Lane.



If you are ever in the area (Louisburg, KS, Freeman or Cleveland Missouri, then I suggest you take a few minutes and give memory lane a check. If your lucky, you'll find a couple classic cars sitting in the filling station. And say hi to Dennis for me. He spends his spare time up keeping the little town, and he's more than happy to give you his little tour. You'll know it's Dennis as he'll have his little golf cart close by to get him between the town buildings!



Here is a tidbit of history of the old West Line village. The town was originally called State Line when it was founded in 1854. Before that it was inhibited by the Poney Indians, one of the 12 tribes of the Osage Indians. The town really didn't grow much until the KATY (later to be called the K.C.P. & G Railroad) railroad. In 1872 the towns name was changed to West Line. From 1890 and later, over 20 buisnesses were run. It had a general store, bank, barber, lumber yard, restaurant, dance school, several blacksmiths, a couple doctors and much more. In 1904 a chocolate factory was built by Mr. Holinger. From 1890 to the 1930's, the West Line Baseball team was known as a great team, and often played the Kansas City Monarchs. The post office closed in 1972 because of a mishap. The people thought they were voting to keep the post office open, but because the way it was written, they actually voted to close it. Their address is now Cleveland, MO.

Matt the Nomad

So I was bored and decided to stay way up past my bed time so I could plot all the places I lived and worked. If you are just as bored, you may want to click this link to get a virtual tour of the places first hand.

Fathers Day

Fathers day has past, but the memories will be good! We had the boys this weekend and took the boat for its maiden voyage on Saturday. I got a great sunburn! The boys both loved it. We went over to Moms on Sunday evening, and everyone was there except for L. I believe she was working.

I always feel like I have so much to live up to. My father definitely continues to show his compassion and is definitely someone I strive to live up to. He's a dedicate individual that puts his dedication in anything he sets out to do. Raising a family was and is still to this day a priority he keeps close. I'm sure he has his moments and feels that some times he didn't do good enough. I suppose we all fee that way sometimes, where that seems to be the norm, not the exception for me. I take it as it comes, and thank God for my family and for all that we don't have to strive for. There are many less fortunate ones out there, and my prayers are with them often. Often I pray thanks for all that I don't have.

If it's one thing I've tried hard to do in the past 6 years, is to put others before me. To force myself toward my declared dedication, I recently volunteered my time to the CA/N initiative. The Child Abuse and Neglect prevention program in Cass county is spearheaded by a nurse with the County Health department and the local Cass County prosecutor. I'll be on the planning committee whose purpose will be to design a response to the issue of CA/N. I look forward to providing my time, and hope that the initiative will be a positive influence for others that are less fortunate, as well as a positive influence on me and my family. This is a brand new initiative for the county, and so far it seems the response to this initiative is very positive. The first planning committee is the second week of July. It's a chance for everyone to meet, and to find more information on how child abuse and neglect is effecting our community.

Now for the best part... tomorrow is FRIDAY!!! I'll have the boys again, and I hope the weather is good. Fishing seems like it would be a fun thing to do this weekend.

Till next time!

Three years ago today...

...was one of the greatest days of my life. Dana and I were married at Calvary Lutheran Church in Kansas City Missouri. Time has gone fast and it's hard to believe it's been 3 years already.

We celebrated by Dana staying home from work (actually she had to take Joe to get one of his teeth pulled), and us taking Joe to a baseball game this evening. But it's all good! We exchanged our cards and gifts when I got home from work. I received a cool little glass Fox figurine, as well as a glass Pug (very striking resemblance to Delmar!). Dana has been wanting to frame our wedding pictures, so I came up with an ingenious idea. I framed all 402 of our wedding and honeymoon pictures..... By using a 7" LCD picture frame, that is! It's pretty cool. She can keep it on her desk at work, and reminisce all she likes!

Life couldn't be better these days and I thank God for all he has given me! We have both been truly blessed. Praise to Him!

Delmar's Idol...

Death Metal...

Toll road washed away...

It's not the first time, and won't be the last. Lake Annette has flooded again. Lake Annette has been doing a good job at keeping in the nightly Kansas City news. Herschel Young claimed that the legality of creating a toll road was always a question; but was done more so to create a stir in order for the county to pay up sooner and help fix their roads.

I'm amazed how often Lake Annette has made headlines. These are just a few, but a quick search on any of the Kansas City News sites will show several pages.

May 29, 2003 - Town Mayor Refuses To Step Down After Losing Election

May 13, 2003 - Lake Annette Mayor-Elect Faces Felony Charge

August 1, 2003 - City Holds Garage Sale to Help Pay Its Bills

and my favorite from the New York Times:

Tiny Missouri Town in Big City Political Brawl

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Saturday the 7th was Grandpas 81st birthday bash. It's so awesome that he is still able to enjoy all the days that go by. He had a pretty good turnout, as A&B, L&T, Mom, dad, T&B&S, B from Arkansas, and all of our kids were able to make it.

Great Value Corn Surprise

I love it when I find a little beetle in my corn. Now I'm no scientist and don't even pretend to be. But something tells me that this little bugger was growing in my can of corn for some time. I looked on the can for the toll free number to call if you are dissatisfied and whoa-is-me... none to be found. Just says 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Needless to say we didn't have corn last night.

Other life elsewhere?

This is the question that's on everyone's mind. Right at this moment, the Phoenix Lander is scooping up ice from the Mars polar region. It's from that ice, scientists will determine if Mars was once life sustaining, and if so, could it harness life itself?

The image above is one of my favorite images taken by the Space Telescope Hubble. Just the vastness of space is unimaginable. This image was taken back in 1995 and 1998 (it's a composite of two separate images). The Hubble's shutter was held open for 1 million seconds; long enough time to let even the faintest of light hit its lens. It's estimated to hold around 10,000 galaxies in this small slice of space alone. If you attempted to view the same spot from earth, even with a powerful scope, this portion of space would be mainly black. Because Hubble doesn't have the atmospheric disturbances that we have here on earth, it can surprise us with images such as this. And more so, from earth, this portion of space would only encompass an area roughly 1/10th the size of the moon! This is like a grain of sand from all the sand on the earth.

Personally, I totally believe that the possibility exists for life elsewhere in space. It's gotta be like winning the lottery? There has to be a 1 in 100 billion chance. I find the Phoenix mission very exciting, and hope that we learn a good deal from this endeavor. Who knows... maybe we will be making some new friends as well!

Breaking your lease...

This is a 'memoir' I wrote last year to remind me of a mistake I needed to remember to learn from! It's all about legal mumbo-jumbo and never never never take someones word when it comes to contracts. Sign on the dotted line, and write everything down!!!

_______________________________

I've been renting since I was 18 years old, and have never come across a problem such as this. Now at age 33, you'd think I'd have this figured out by now.

SIMPLY PUT
Whenever you are in any sort of business transaction, make sure any verbal agreements are written down and signed.

Here's my story. If they keep this post on here, I'll update it as time goes on so hopefully others can learn from my mistake.

My wife and I were married over 2 years ago. Both of us have rented apartments and houses our whole life. When we first decided it was time to get engaged, we did like all couples do and discuss our future in buying a house someday. At the time, she lived in an apartment complex in Overland Park and I was renting a house in the Kansas City area. We planned that it would be best that once we were married, I would move in with her in Overland Park since her place was bigger and would hold both of us, my children as well as her children comfortably. (Yes, we are a family of six.) We both agreed that we would do this temporarily and move within the next few years to a house of our own.

We were married in June of 2005 and have been loving it ever since.

When it came time for me to move in with my wife, we visited the management of her apartment complex to sign my name to the lease. It's a yearly lease with no provisions of early cancellation unless you are relocating with your job. Being that it made no mention of early cancellation due to a house purchase, we asked the manager of the complex if they made any provisions for cancellation of a lease if we were to buy a house. We explained that we were newly married, and that we would want to stay here with the option of breaking our lease if we found a home to purchase. The manager of the complex explained that it would only require us to perform the simple task of giving two months written notice and that it wouldn't be any problem whatsoever.

My wife's original lease expired in April of 2006. Ten months went by, and we were still not ready to buy a house, but we were feeling that our current apartment was a bit tighter than we had though it would be with us and our children. We asked the manager if they had a town-home available that would fit us better. It just so happened that a larger town-home came available around the same time so we signed another yearly lease with the same provisions as the last. Up to this point, we were still discussing and fixing our financial situation to prepare our selves for a home purchase.

Mounting problems with security and localized crime in our specific area had persuaded the both of us we should move soon. But another year had come and gone, and we still weren't quite ready to purchase a house, but we knew we were close. We received notice early February of 2007 that our rent would be increasing for 2007 if we were to choose to stay. This notice included a new lease for us to sign. My wife and I both read through the short 2 and a half page lease agreement, and noticed that it still had the same provisions as all the earlier leases we signed. I felt that since we were close, but not quite close enough to get a house by April of that year, that I would discuss with the management once more about us moving and breaking the lease if we were to purchase a home. I walked in the management office with signed lease in hand, and had the same conversation with the Apartment manager as before. She explained with a "nice big smile" that we wouldn't have any problem breaking the lease so long as we gave two months notice and cleaned the property appropriately before moving. I thanked her for her time and handed over the new yearly lease for 2007.

Now that I am where I am now, I wish I had written that verbal agreement down, or had a tape recording of our conversation. That is the exact point my problem spawned and here is where it gets interesting.

As I mentioned earlier about our growing concerns for our safety, and most of all our children's safety, and being that we finally had our financial concerns under control, we both started house hunting like crazy. It was exciting to think that someday soon, one of these houses would be our own. It was a breath of fresh air to know that we would be away from the growing crime that our little area has been seeing lately. I understand that rental complexes have their fair share of "over the norm crime", but it had come awfully close to "home" lately. I can't say that I ever felt that we were in immediate danger otherwise I wouldn't have thought twice about moving immediately. But I must say our complex has had it's fair share of news coverage lately and with a recent personal experience here, we were ready to take the plunge!

With our understanding of what the apartment manager had previously told us several times before regarding a house purchase and early termination of the lease, we put an offer on the house of our dreams. There is so much to do, and so little I understood of the house buying process. My mortgage lender explained that they would need to contact our current apartment manager to get a rental payment history. They said I should contact the manager before they do to let them know we are moving. That way it wouldn't be that big of a surprise to the manager. I happily obliged and proceeded to call the manager immediately after. Here is the exact transcript of our conversation. I remember it like it was yesterday, and I will probably never forget it. (Ive replaced the managers name with "Dorthy", and my name as "Fred" to keep this anonymous)

ring... ring... ring...

Manager: "Hello, [name of complex apartments] can I help you?"

Me: "Yes, Dorthy, this is Fred from [address of our town-home]."

Manager: " Yes, Fred, how are you doing?"

Me: "Fine, thanks. I was just giving you a heads up that I believe we found a place to purchase, and the lender wanted to contact you for our rental history."

Manager: "OH, well you... pause I hear her typing on the computer ... your lease isn't up until April of 2008! You can't do that or you will be breaking your lease."

Me: "Well I'm still going to give you our two months notice as we discussed."

Manager: "I remember that, but I also told you that you would need to sign an addendum in order to do that."

Me: "I don't remember that, but can I come over and sign that now?"

Manager: "No, I told you that you would need to sign it when you renewed your lease, and you must have forgot because I don't have an addendum from you."

Me: "Dorthy, that's a big fat lie! You never told me..."

Manager: ...she interrupted me... "Now wait a minute, I've been doing this for 22 years and know how to do my job! And I know I didn't forget to tell you that! If you break your lease early, you will be responsible up until April of 2008 for rental payments."

Me: "I know that's not true. Will you still discuss my rental history with the lender?"

Manager: "OH why of course. I always do that for people. I don't have a problem doing that."

Me: Click


The first thing I was thinking about when I hung up the phone was that Dorthy had 22 years of deceptive practices behind her. She's a pro, and she is going to be trouble!

She must have been honest with my lender, because they came back saying everything looked squeaky clean. That much I'm thankful for.

So my wife and I are in a nervous twit now. We thought long and hard, and after the bomb Dorthy laid down, we decided we would take our chances and follow through with the home purchase. This gave us even more reason to leave and not help support a company that uses deceptive lying practices to keep tenants in place.

Once the seller of our house accepted our offer, my wife and I were both excited and scared. Now we had to follow through and send our apartment manger our notice. We sent the notice three days ago (August 21st.) certified mail, and guess what showed up in our mailbox today? A letter from a Law-Firm in Lenexa Kansas. They are representing the Apartment Complex because they were made aware of our intent to break the lease. I will be honest. I cited safety as the reason for us breaking our lease. It was the honest truth. Three weeks ago, I filed a police report as we had a case of destruction of property and arson on the property of the complex. Although the attorney stated that the management of the complex keeps close ties with local law-enforcement and that they haven't been made aware of any report filed by me. They explained I should contact the apartment management immediately with a case/report number of the incident.

Well they must not keep that close of contact because it's out there, and the detective contacted me earlier this week to let me know it's going to court.

The attorney was long and drawn out explaining that the manager knew we were moving, and that we were made aware of an addendum that we were supposed to sign at the beginning of our lease. But we choose not to sign it, so therefore we are liable for the apartment until April of 2008. The attorney also went on to explain all the charges we are liable for, and that they really hope we think twice about breaking the lease.

Side note: Why must you sign the addendum at the time of lease signing? If you don't know when you are going to purchase a house in the first place, I don't see why you must sign it at lease signing time. They should make that addendum part of the lease in that case. Hmmmmm....

I know this is "mostly" a scare tactic, as the Kansas Tenant laws explains that as soon as the rental manager is made aware of our intent to vacate, they must use every reasonable effort to bring the property up to par to sell to another tenant in the most timely manner allowed.

I'll admit. The scare tactic worked. I called around to several different local Tenant Law attorneys in the area, and they said they couldn't help me because they have represented this complex in the past. Luckily, my Dad has a attorney friend that he asked me to call. I contacted him and explained the situation. He said he would take a look at the lease, letter as well as my statement and tell me what my options are. His first impression is that she doesn't have a leg to stand on. But I'm a pessimist. It's my word against hers. I hope he has something to come back with, even if it's to get her for lying.

Well. So here I am. I have a house under contract, and a lease that I can't break. Quite the pickle I got myself into this time.

I'm not certain why people act the way they do, and feel that they must lie in order to make a business work. I was very frustrated. Almost to the point of calling the house off. But after a lot of praying, my wife and I have decided to see this on through. We are going to keep the contact on the house, and only hope that it closes successfully towards the end of September.

I'll keep this post updated as my situation progresses (or regresses) as the case may be. My only hope of writing this long draw-out experience is that maybe someone else may be thinking of cutting the lease short in order to buy a house, relocate a job, or something similar, that they will make certain they are agreeable with what the lease states, and anything verbal you agree on with the landlord is written down and signed.

Wish me luck! Oh, and yeah... if anyone has any advice they want to give this sucker, I'm open to suggestions!


_______________________________
Well... since then the attorney was able to bail us out. It cost us $400 and a bunch of pain and aggravation. I was really surprised to see that our ex landlord even returned our security deposit a few months later. Hopefully someone will learn from my mistake.

My Great Mentor...

Everyone has that someone special that they look up-to in life. Someone that gives them that extra energy in life to make even the most miserable situations seem petty. If you haven't had that person in your life, then I can't even begin to describe what joy you are missing. I must say that my parents are obviously the ones that raised and reared me, and made me whom I am. I can't say enough good things about all the advise and love they have shown me throughout my years. But outside of my immediate family I choose my Grandfather Robert as my biggest mentor.

At 80 years young, he has more sincerity and blessings to share than anyone I know of. As far back as I can remember the act he has played as a role model is more than I can explain. He was born at the onset of the great depression and the strife his family must have experienced can only be unimaginable. He did his time serving his country, and continued his time as being the 15th hired employee of the then, Bendix Corporation located in Kansas City, Missouri.

Throughout all his years, and to this day, he keeps a strong bond with the Lord. He attempts to walk daily to keep his strength, and I believe that every day he is able to do his walk, he is truly walking right beside the Lord, talking with Him as if he is his Lord's best friend; sharing the things that make him happy, as well as the troubles he knows his friends and family are experiencing. His blessings are evident in all that he does, and there's not a day that goes by where he isn't thankful it's not his last. This is a wonderful thing, as he uses his strength and knowledge of all the wonderful things the Lord is capable of in his every day witnessing.

Grandpa isn't the type of individual that keeps quiet when things aren't what they ought to be. He can somehow treat every situation that comes his way as an opportunity to witness; somehow, in someway, to someone. I can't even begin to imagine how many lives my grandfather has touched in a positive way of some sort. So this is in honor of my Grandfather. The Lord has truly blessed you and it's evident in all you do!

Lake Annette To Charge Road Toll!!! (UPDATED)

Now I've heard it all! Lake Annette is a small town South of Kansas City about 30 miles. I grew up around the area and it's always been known to have "real curb appeal". Before I get tons of nasty e-mails from the residents of said town, I'd like to say my peace. I have nothing against the Lake Annette residents who live there. Although I do question many of the peoples motives for living in an area that is known to be in an active flood plain. The last major flood happened in May of 2004. It ruined several houses and left several families and individuals homeless.

The topic of this story revolves around the recent news story where Lake Annette will be charging a toll for those individuals that use the road as a short cut between C and 2 Hwy.

My real beef is with the city government of Lake Annette. I'm not certain how they can enforce a toll. The operating and start up costs are sure to far exceed the revenue generated. And with that being said, those individuals that use Lake Annette road as a short-cut (as do I all the time) won't find it that much of an inconvenience to take C on through to 2 Hwy. Honestly taking the Lake Annette shortcut isn't that big of a time saver. I use that route more for a scenery intake. It is a nice little windy road that dips and curves throughout the route. It's very peaceful and serene.

I'm curios how much traffic really does merely run through. I've never seen a vehicle counter in the road, and I most recently went that route just a couple weeks ago. I also prefer this route, as generally it's a road less traveled.

I suppose all-in-all, if the money generated really can help the town fix the pot-hole stricken road, then I'm all for it. But in just the 5 minutes of thought I put into the idea, I felt that there has to be more to the story than what meets the eye. For some reason I feel the idea is ludicrous and it's merely an attempt for a small town politician to generate some unmanaged revenue.

Here is the news story...

<UPDATED> But wait... there's more. This isn't the first time Lake Annette made the news. Back in 2003, the New York Times ran a pretty good story on the old town. Seems very fitting. It's been a while, but I doubt things have changed that much.

Read the wonderful review from the New York Times here.

<UPDATED> But wait... I just received my first e-mail from a Lake Annette resident. They asked that they remain anonymous and that I not post their e-mail. The gist of the e-mail stated I was (and I quote), "crass, ignerant, and self rigteous idot with nothing better to do than to put yourself on a pedistel and take craks at those less of than you. remove your letter from your site immediately as you are joking the residents of this town. if you dont we will seek legal action..."

I actually received this e-mail while updating the post to be more fluid and give people a better understanding of my opinion. I apologize for any misunderstanding.

International Space Station Clogged Toilet...

And who would have thought NASA would have to deal with toilet problems aboard a high-tech space station? Maybe I'm the only one that sees the irony in this; although I'm not surprised. I'm certain that the operator instructions for the ISS Toilet could fill the volume of one encyclopedia book. You're not talking just simple plumbing anymore. These types of toilets rely on vacuum equipment, air flow, and air/water separators in order to properly dispose of waste.

Until fixed, the current supply of Apollo bags for fecal collection may have to suffice! If you have some extra time, and this interests you, than you are in luck... You can read all about it here!*Images courtesy of NASA.

I'm on Mars...

NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed in the northern polar region of Mars this past Sunday. I was channel surfing at the time, and just by happenstance tuned into the Sci-Fi channel and saw it live from the mission control. This stuff interests me tremendously. We have so much we can learn from our Solar System. Learning is a big part of our human race.

My name — along with a quarter million others from around the world — is now on the surface of Mars. Also on the disk is Visions of Mars, a treasure trove of literature and art — from classic works by Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury to Orson Welles' radio retelling of "The War of the Worlds" to a special audio recording of Carl Sagan delivering a message to the future.

The Phoenix Mars Lander will investigate a site in the far north of Mars. The mission will seek to answer questions about that part of Mars and help resolve broader questions about the planet. The key questions Phoenix will address concern water and conditions that could support life.

The Phoenix landing region has water ice in soil close to the surface, which NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter discovered for much of the high-latitude terrain in both the north and south hemispheres of Mars.

Phoenix will dig down to the icy layer. It will examine soil in place at the surface, at the icy layer and in between. It will scoop up samples for analysis by its onboard instruments. One key instrument will check for water and carbon-containing compounds by heating soil samples in tiny ovens and examining the vapors that are given off. Another will test soil samples by adding water and analyzing the dissolution products. Cameras and microscopes will provide information on scales spanning eight powers of 10, from features that could fit by the hundreds into the period at the end of this sentence to a survey of the landscape by a mast-mounted camera. A weather station will provide information about atmospheric processes in an arctic region where a coating of carbon-dioxide ice comes and goes with the seasons.

*Image and portions reproduced by Permission following NASA copyright guidelines.

All things good must come to an end.... again!

Memorial Day has come and gone... snif-snif. A great beautiful weekend! Yeah, it may have rained every day, but that didn't stop the Fox family from having fun and enjoying all that God has to give.

We had a late celebration for D's 14th birthday. We partied-hardy at the home. Grams, Gramps, Mom & Dad attended, and Chris and Randy made an appearance as well. Our Saturday evening was spent eating some BBQ'd hamburgers and hot dogs. What better way to spend a memorial day weekend! Everyone left stuffed as usual and I had my normal "bload-and-almost-get-sick-becuase-I'm-so-stuffed" party afterwards.

Sunday my outdoor thermometer read 96 degrees! So we decided to go fishing and get sunburned too! It was a lot of fun. Evan had the catch-of-the-day landing a nice size cat. It put up a little 'fight' for him too!

Monday I tried out the Jalapeño recipe that I posted earlier this month. Here are some pictures (as promised) with a condensed recipe.


Get a Jalapeño Corer. (You can find this at Cabellas or on-line)












Stuff some creme cheese into a cake decorator bag. One bar of creme cheese will fill about 12 med to large size Jalapeños.











Cut them tops off.













Fill'er up!














Wrap'em with bacon, stick'em with toothpicks, and lay on a foil sheet.













Grill'em for 30 minutes over indirect heat. Bacon should be crispy. Enjoy.

For the Love of Space...

Image Courtesy of NASA

Do you enjoy watching the night sky? Have you ever been known to gander towards the heavens, watching the stars slowly pass above you? Do you occasionally study the moon, it's phases, and where it is in the sky? Do you occasionally set aside some time to and plan ahead for meeting up with friends to watch the next major meteor shower? And have you ever set your eyes in one part of the sky, just to see if one of the 'stars' is quickly moving directly overhead? If you have said "Yes!", to any of those questions, then I would like to say hello to you, as an astronomer friend. I have always had an obsession with the night sky.

My Dad first explained to me when I was 8 years old, that the star I was seeing moving quickly overhead, wasn't really a star at all; but a man made satellite! "Wow!", I remember saying to myself. It just wasn't comprehendable to me. I relate my feelings then as to what my Grandfathers Mom must have thought many years back. My Grandfather Robert told me that when he was just a kid, he was outside the back porch one summer night watching the stars. His mom was inside doing the dinner dishes, when Robert started yelling excitedly for his mom to come outside. In a panic, she raced out the back porch and asked Robert what all the commotion was about? "Mom, look there...", he yelled pointing in the direction of a moving star. "That's a satellite! We put that into space, and it's over 200 miles above us, moving at over 15,000 miles per hour!!! We can see it because the satellite is reflecting the sun's rays!" His mom studied the moving star for a moment, and then looked at Robert, paused, and then took the dish rag and hit it over his head exclaiming, "Robert... you need to quit dreaming up these wild things, get back inside and do your homework!". Little did my Grandfather's mom know, but he had just studied about satellites in school a few weeks before!

Just as the our Ocean has so much left unknown, so does our outer space; if not more! When viewing pictures that the Hubble has recently taken, I forget that just a square centimeter of that picture of a Magellanic Cloud is really light years across! I forget that when I'm looking up at the stars at night, that I'm really seeing the stars as they were hundreds and thousands if not millions of years ago! Our view of the night sky is truly the only time-machine that we have here on earth! There is so much out there that we can't and don't know. It's an awesome balance of nature and our planet Earth is only a minuscule spec of space dust caught up in the balance of the gargantuan heavenly orbit.

For those that have even the slightest interest in Space and all that it has to offer, I suggest visiting Spaceweather.com. Dr. Tony Phillips pins the site daily, and always has something new and interesting to share.

Those were the days...

I remember the days when I could fill up the ol' Ford 150 and never feel like I was getting ripped off. That's when I was making just a bit over minimum wage. That's right! I never thought twice about the emissions I was outputting as well.

What happened to cause such a spike over the last year? Yowzer!!! The price increase in gas has definitely had an impact on my family. We watch what vehicle we take when and for what reasons. We have a Ford Fusion that Dana and I car pool in to work (we both work at the same job), and the Durango is used when we have all the kids together. I now think twice when the day comes that Alex wants to start driving. If I can't afford gas for myself, how can Alex who doesn't even have a job afford gas for a vehicle???

It all for the best though. Who needs to drive aimlessly around town when you don't have anything better to do? I remember I used to do that all the time. Now I just go for a walk. Much better I suppose!

Stuffed Jalapeño Madness

This recipe comes from my good friend Dugan. I haven't had a chance to try these yet, but I'm gonna give it a shot next weekend when I grill out for D's birthday! Although Jalapeño peppers are known to have a kick, coring the inside out will dampen the kick and these should be pretty mild. Also, for the low-carb conscious fellows, this treat is the bomb!

You will need:

Ingredients:
12 Jalapeños
12 Slices of Bacon
Cream Cheese (your choice of flavor)

Utensils:
This tasty snack is best made with the tools of the trade, although if you want to rough it, you can probably just use a small sharp knife and stuff the peppers the old fashioned way with a butter knife. They make Jalapeño corer's and pepper stuffers as shown up above in the picture.

Directions:
Core the Jalapeños and then stuff with cream cheese (we recommend garlic flavored, but experimenting is allowed). Use a pepper stuffer for ease. It's important that you fill the entire pepper with the creme cheese. If not, you can ruin your pepper when it cooks.

Now here comes the most important part of this procedure (I'll try to post some follow up pictures as a picture is worth a thousand words, and it's hard to explain, but very easy to do once you know how). Cover the hole of the pepper with bacon (smoked bacon or apple bacon is very tasty), overlapping 2 or 3 inches on one side, and the rest on the other. Take the longer side of bacon, and wrap it down and around the 2 -3 inch overlap on the other side. Then take two toothpicks, and insert them in a 'V' fashion so that when you lay them on the grill, the top part of the pepper with the hole is supported off the grill, in an angled fashion.

Place over indirect heat on the grill for 30 minutes.

Enjoy. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try it out this coming memorial day weekend. I'll be sure to follow up!!!

phox quote of the day...

~ ‘I don’t really quite understand. Sometimes I don’t even pretend to. I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am. I am affected by what I let my mind dwell on.’ ~

Guilty by Reason of Association

Every once in a while I come up with Bible lessons for the kids. They seem to like it and I wrap a story up about them within it. Usually the story is just to make a point, and doesn't infer or mean that my children really did that. It's a colorful illustrative illusion to 'get' them in the moment! Here was my last story, and they all seemed to really like it!:

What we do, what we say, and how we act all affect our relationship with God. You can fool others, and you can fool yourself, but WE CAN'T FOOL GOD! Here's why.

What does the phrase, "Guilty by Reason of Association", mean?

Leviticus 5:1 - "If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible."


Take for example: Let's say that Dylan snook out of the house late one night, and decided to meet up with some friends. They were walking along the street with nothing better to do. Then one of Dylan's friends said, "My cousin and his parents are away for the Christmas holiday in Texas, at his Grandparents house. I know where his dad keeps a lot of money. Let's go break in the house, take the money, and then buy a XBOX 360 and some video games!" All of Dylan's friends were psyched-up with the idea and couldn't wait to get the XBOX 360. But Dylan didn't think in his mind that this was the best idea. He knew that it was illegal to break into a house, illegal to steal, and most of all, knew that this wasn't something that would be pleasing to his parents. But Dylan figured that as long as he doesn't break into the house or steal the money,... that if he just waited outside while his friends went into the house, that he wouldn't get in-trouble.

Well, Dylan did just that. While breaking into the house, Dylan waited outside in the cold, nervously and he even started sweating because he was getting scared. And then out of no-where, police were surrounding the house and had Dylan lie on the ground with his hands behind his back. All of his friends were arrested, and so was Dylan.

Why do you think Dylan was arrested? He didn't do anything, did he?

Just because you may have not done anything wrong, doesn't mean that you are necessarily innocent. Because Dylan knew what his friends were doing wrong, he was obligated to tell someone what they were doing. Hiding the truth, or not participating in the crime didn't make Dylan innocent. He was guilty, because he stayed with his friends while they committed the crime, and he didn't go tell someone that they were about to rob a house. Of course this is just a story, and Dylan would never do anything like this,... but if he had, he would have been arrested and charged with an accessory to a crime.

This is why as Christians, it's important for us to choose our friends, and actions closely. Hanging around with the wrong crowd, makes us just as guilty as them; even if we don't do anything wrong. And perception on other peoples part puts you in a different class of person than what you may really want to be associated with.

What most memorable part in the Bible identifies why we are guilty by reason of association, and what are we guilty of?

Genesis 3:6-13

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Why is it important that we know God is Omnipresent?

Even if we might have done something wrong, and our parents don't know about it; that doesn't mean that we still haven't done something wrong. God is everywhere, and he sees everything. Omnipresent doesn't just mean that God can 'see' everything we do. He knows what we are thinking as well. God lives within our souls. He knows what we feel, how we feel, what we are thinking, and knows what we are going to do.

Because God is omnipresent, and He lives within our Soul, we must constantly be evaluating our actions and thoughts.

Would you say a cuss word in front of your mom or dad? Would you say a cuss word in front of God? Every-time you say something bad, think something bad, you are doing it in front of God.

What can I do to help me remember to do what's right? That's awful hard!

Yes! It's extremely hard, and as sinners, we will never be perfect and never do everything exactly the way God wants it done. But here are a few ideas that will help you be a good Christian and help us to lead a Christian Life!

PRAY PRAY PRAY! Ask for forgiveness for those that have sinned against you, and the sins you have done against others. Wear a WWJD bracelet? Every-time you feel uncomfortable about a decision you have to make that might be wrong, think about what Jesus would do? Would Jesus talk back to his parents? Would Jesus write this letter that might have cuss words in it to their friend? Would Jesus steal a persons quarter they found on the counter? Would Jesus not do his chores his parents told him to do? Would Jesus make excuses if he forgot to vacuum the floor when he got home from Church? Of course he wouldn't do any of these things. Wear the bracelet as a reminder to always think, Would Jesus do this? If not, then decide to make the right decision. Even if it's hard, you must make the right decision.

As we learned, being a Christian is much more than going to church and doing good things. It also requires us to control our thoughts and actions and do what is Godly. God promises us Eternal Salvation, and this should be something all Christians should strive for. Striving for this includes us doing what is right, every day, every hour, every minute, and every second of the day! God is watching us. He is in your heart. We are all guilty by reason of association; from the day of Adam and Eve. Keep your thought on Jesus, and always remember... WWJD?

Your Conscience As a Guide...

Have you ever wanted to tell someone something, but haven’t? All the opportunities are there for you, but your conscience keeps you quiet? I don’t know, maybe it’s not your conscience as that can tend to infer a moral dilemma. And I suppose that dilemma isn’t the right word either, as that infers a heart felt problem.

What is our conscience? Is it, as Freud would have it, the superego (or, more literally, the "above-I"), one of the multitude of impulses composing the psyche? Is it, as the Gnostic's would have it, the pneuma, the divine spark within us that predates this creation and seeks return to the true God? Or is it, as it is most commonly understood, our better self, some combination of the two others that is informed by superior moral authority? Whatever your answer, it becomes clear that our conscience should be heeded only insofar as it derives moral authority from beyond ourselves.

I believe that, somewhat, evil is its own punishment. To commit evil is to choose to be apart from God, and so it is apart from God that the evil remain. I can imagine no torment that would be more horrible. Nothing that Dante describes in his Inferno sounds more awful than Limbo, the first and outermost circle of Hell, where virtuous pagans and un-baptized infants suffer an eternity of "desire without hope." Seen this way, our conscience is fulfilling its role only to the extent that it leads us toward God, making it indistinguishable from faith. So those who would follow their conscience without the benefit of faith are deluded. They're deluded not because they lack faith, but because they follow a course that lacks meaning in the absence of faith. Those with faith need only be concerned about whether the voice they're heeding is their legitimate conscience or one of the psyche's many other internal actors. After all, neither faith nor conscience allows us to transcend our humanity.

Is it dangerous to let only your conscience guide your actions? I would say it is very dangerous - since your "conscience" is, I believe, the results of your early 'enculturation' about what is right and wrong - often becoming ingrained well before you have any real ability to rationally critique the messages you are given.

Therefore, if your parents believe that treating members of ethnic groups different from your own as fellow humans is wrong, if you trust your conscience, you may never critically examine the messages you were given - although, if other messages you are given conflict with this, you may.

If I let my 'conscience be my guide' in certain situations, I would be in trouble! Many of my decisions are based on the golden rule 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. Some people, like career criminals, don't seem to have a conscience or they simply don't care about the consequences of their actions; for various reasons.

I don't feel like I have a strong conscience. Left to my own devices, I would do just about anything short of murder. Okay …. Sorry, I'm stretching the truth a bit, but it makes my point. I live my life on the straight and narrow simply because I don't want to hurt others, don't want to do things that are illegal...break the law and go to jail and because of religious teachings I've been subjected to since childhood.

So how did I get from asking a common question to rambling about our conscience? Is this ever going to start making sense? Good question! Bear with me. ..

Happy Tornado, errr... Mothers Day...

It's been a weird start of 2008 as far as the weather is concerned. Missouri only has 50 tornadoes per year on average, and as of today Missouri has seen a total of 108 tornadoes this year! Yikes.

My week was pretty serene. I went to Dallas Wednesday (which took forever due to the airplane dodging all the thunderstorms that were lined up from Texas to Missouri. They even had DFW shut down, so there towards the end, we had to dodge some other airplanes that were circling while we tried to make it into love field.

By the way- the picture to the left is real. This picture was caught in June of 2004 somewhere in Kansas. You can read about it on APOD's web site here.

But today was Mothers day, and that's the important thing here! I'm glad I can look beyond the beatings of the wooden spoon and being grounded for taking that extra soda pop! Life was good growing up, and it's in large part to mom. I still remember like it was yesterday those days mom picking me up from pre-school. We usually would walk, and I can remember the thrill of seeing mom's head come up from around the hill on the side of the street. I remember all the times she would show up to my school functions (and usually bring Grandma with her)! She kept us busy in the summer and always had something fun to do for us. I know I taxed her big time through life though, but it wasn't anything a wooden spoon couldn't take care of! To this day, my bro and I still can't count how many wooden spoons that were (rightfully) broken over our b-hinds!

We did a lot of mothers day stuff today. We started out by celebrating Dana's motherly being, and then followed up by seeing Dana's mom. We then went over to moms for a bit and also gave mom and dad their anniversary card. It will be their 35th this coming Tuesday! We even made it back out to see them this evening and shared a few laughs with them. Grandma and Grandpa were there as well! It was a swell day!