Pomp and Circumference

Graduation for our seniors is to-day in about a half hour. The band was playing music when I got here and i probably should be going. Our baseball team lost in the district playoffs yestreday by one run in extra innings. Our stud pitcher only allowed three hits and walked none, but 8 errors by our infielders cost us the game...what a way to go out. Frustrating, man.

Memorial Day Memories

Already thursday wowsers and i just got back into town last night...what a weekend...longest of my life ever. Ever...

Friday drove down to see my girlfriend. We hung out Friday night, she worked on Saturday and I cut the grass, then I left Sunday to meet my brother in Chicago. Great 4 hour ride there, gorgeous day, got there a little early and went and saw the Big Lake (the one I get to see most days from the other side), and perused the hotel. Brother and I hung out (you walk everywhere there, your vehicle is valet-parked for fifty smackeroos a night) and watched the Red Wings demolish the 'Hawks on Sunday, then some basketball, sauna, whirlpool, and pool.
Slept great, had a cupajoe in the morning, bid my brother a fondieu, and got on the road. Funny thing was, the rpm's were going hi to low and i wasn't gettin the right amount of power for the revvin up that engine was doin. Finally pulled over to check fluids just across the Michigan state line (felt safer, maybe, getting into the Great Lakes State) and there was no transmission fluid in the pan, lots under it. Drove into town (New Buffalow, MI) praying and looking for someone with the tools and skills who could help me. Got a number from some of the locals and called Roger. He had a flatbed to get me to his garage but couldn't look at it until Tuesday am.
He dropped me off at the Best Western and I shook his hand. Next day he told me it'd be like 25oo and i said wowsers (actually, i swore something aweful) and i tried to find a ride home.

No luck, no dice, just mom and dad offering cash in my account so i could rent a car. That didn't work so they volunteered to drop me off one of their vehicles for a bit. They're nice.

So now i have mom's dodge minivan but i left my keys in the truck in new buffalo. oh well, life is good.

Direct O Lord God my way in thy sight.

Got my 'new' Palm V all sync-ed up to-day and i'm pretty excited. I like having one calendar for everything (helps with organization you know) and the Palm is the perfect device. Don't want fancy phones, don't want video games and internet...just gimme a Devo-sounding 'SPOINK' a couple hours before important stuff like anniversaries and meetings with the boss and i'm good to go.

{Good to go? Good to go where? What does this mean, where does it come from ?}

And this one sits in a cradle to charge; my 'old' Palm IIIx ran on AAA cells and was unforgiving regarding data when power ran out...gone, gone, gone like a Miguel Cabrera dinger.

Dirige Domine Deus meus in conspectu tuo viam meam.

on hair

I'm letting my hair grow. It is currently longer than I've ever had it. I can put a rubber band around it and get most of it in a pony tail.

I'm letting my hair grey. It is currently greyer than I've ever had it. I can put a rubber band around it and the grey is still there.

THIS IS the day the LORD has made!

Watched the Tigers a bit last night but couldn't find the Wings (no Versus on Dish Network?!? are you kidding?!?!); no problem (the Detroit Red Wings don't need me to watch you know): another overtime playoff victory, this time against the over-achieving 'Hawks.
Talked with an old buddy for about an hour last night and laughed, laughed, laughed, ... it's so good for the mind, body, and spirit. Actually felt healthier than I have in a long time this morning...except for the big gash on my calf from climbing trees yestreday evening (another post altogether).

Memorial Day weekend coming up and what will we do with all the time... ... ...

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here, below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

Portagers Take Two

We rolled into Brethren last night riding a four-game winning streak and demolished the Bobcats with a mighty thundering of hits ("'hits and runs' on 3 ... one-two-three 'HITS AND RUNS!'") and runs. The boys pounded the ball enough to bat around in the first and second innings and gave our freshman thrower enough for the mercy in game 1. In the nightcap (sounds professional, eh?), the boys scored enough in the first inning to get the win for our junior ace who gave up five hits in four innings. Gorgeous setting with a dirt infield and pine trees everywhere. Pit toilets (?) nearby and hotdogs grilled between games.

Life is good.

Luther

Had to memorize this prayer in grade school, I love it now and am thankful; my Lutheran ties are still strong.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

God is good. He is in love with me and you. 'Inconceivable'? I donot think that word means what you think it means.

Believe.

Flower Day!!!

My girlfriend and I both had a wonderful weekend down at Eastern Market together peddling perennials, ... in fact we were powerful perennial peddlers...pondering pizza and plans for prosperity :-)

It was Flower Weekend and, in particular, Flower Day on Sunday, attracting over 130 billion people to downtown Detroit. It was more fun than I deserve to have in a lifetime let alone a weekend but i just soaked it in and appreciated the sleep at the end of the day. We left home at 3 am and got down there to set up at 4 and honestly there are people walkin around looking for bargains not long after that. Fun fun fun and what a learning experience for me. I was the brawn and she, the brains AND the customer service ~ great with customers and potential customers, she knew (or knew how to find out) the answers to many questions. Dialogue with me, however, was much more calculated:

How much would these be?
Five each
Do they like shade?
Where do you live?
We live in the country with lots of trees.
These love the shade.

Ah...life is good.

oooh la la

there's only two things you have to do: pay taxes and die

New and Wonderful

OH MY Goodness...i just found a web (http://classicalwebcast.com/onepage.htm) which plays classical music...i'm currently (i mean like right now, as i type) listening to Iceberg Radio - Baroque Masterpieces.

Terrific Tuesday, the which delights me

Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and had a cup, and looking up, I noticed I was late.

Found my coat, grabbed my hat, made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, and somebody spoke and I went into a dream. Ahhh.



Won a couple games from the big city high school j.v. team last night, the which made our boys quite happy. We go down to Baldwin for a big conference match-up on Thursday.

Woke up (the which started me on the above track) at about 1:30 with low blood sugar and ate too many girl scout cookies. This made me tired causing me to fall back asleep but by wake up time i was still tired and not in wake-up mode. Ah coffee, my slackard juice, nectar for the sluggard, covering a multitude of sloth...

I'm having so much fun typing I may just give second hour a big independent assingment for the hour, heh, heh, heh (ganondorf style laugh there) and continue...make some more coffee first :-)

note to self...

anniversary next sunday the 17th

Glory to God!!!

Blessed Monday Morning to all!!!
In the absence of a good memory, I turned to my Google search engine for assistance and wahlah!!! found the words I had only partially remembered.

Thank you for giving me this morning.
Thank you for ev’ry day that’s new.
Thank you that I can know my worries
can be cast on you.

Thank you for all my friends and brothers.
Thank you for all the men that live.
Thank you for even greatest enemies
I can forgive.

Thank you, I have my occupation.
Thank you for ev'ry pleasure small.
Thank you for music, light and gladness.
Thank you for them all.

Thank you for many little sorrows.
Thank you for ev'ry kindly word.
Thank you for ev'rywhere your guidance
reaches ev'ry land.

Thank you, I see your Word has meaning.
Thank you, I know your Spirit here.
Thank you because you love all people,
those both far and near.

Thank you, O Lord, you spoke unto us.
Thank you that for our words you care.
Thank you, O Lord, you came among us,
bread and wine to share.

Thank you, O Lord, your love is boundless.
Thank you that I am full of you.
Thank you, you made me feel so glad and
thankful as I do.


We sang that song in 3rd grade at THE Greenfield Peace Lutheran School on Outer Drive and Greenfield while Mr. Schultz played it on the piano. He would change keys every other verse or so (modulating up a half step each time - LOVED that part!); I've been singing it my whole life...most recently while walking through the potato fields of Montcalm County.

Got to see Mom and Mom over the weekend as well as various and sundry other relations ("I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." ... Bilbo Baggins, at his 111th birthday party) and spent a great weekend with my girlfriend, who is healing well.

Debbie gone from Tocantis and who will go next? Ever-faithful and true Coach? Ever-prissy Erin? Ever-loved and frequently-exiled Taj? Ever-red and mostly-necked J.T.? Ever-urban and often-bespeckalled Stephan? Haven't been able to watch the Ponderosa clips on CBS' web...I think I would like it there...

Friday, friday, friday, friday, ...

2nd hour and the miscreants are playing Team Dots. Haley wins and so does team #1 for the grand championship!!! Ah spring! "Hold onto the packets til next week, we'll lookem over then..." "What was that, Mr. Bolger?" Um, "Just keep playing chess, Joey."
"Can I go to the bathroom Mr. B?" "Yep. Be careful."

thursday afternoon

Well, the workweek is winding down, the Tigers play tonight in Chicago, ... life is good. We go to Manistee to play Catholic Central this evening for a double header. I'm optimistic about our chances tonight: boys been working hard, still undefeated in conference, and i got to peek at CC last week in a semi-scouting capacity.

Thinking about an Ocarina of Time-type tatoo or my girlfriend's name, or something religious...hard to decide.

I remember this song from grade school

Thank You for giving me the morning
Thank You for every day that's new
Thank You that I can know my worries
can be cast on You

Thank You, I have my occupation
Thank You for every pleasure, small
Thank You for music, light, and gladness
Thank You for them all.

Thank You, I know Your Word has meaning
Thank You, because I know You care.
Thank You, oh LORD You came among us
Bread and Wine to share.


...cant remember the first two lines here...
Thank You for even greatest enemies
I can forgive.

One Day More...

...tomorrow we'll discover what Tribe Forza has in store!


...one more challenge.


...one more council.


one day more!



until Survivor, that is ... ... yes, tomorrow, a mere 29 hours away...oh life is good!!!!

Went down to Pentwater for a doubleheader on Monday and took both games from the underachieving Falcons. Our pitchers were stellar and we hit the ball well. Fun bus ride home when you win...
Tomorrow we away to Manistee to live another day.

daduduntdadah...i'm lovin it

Her tribe-mates said she was annoying and whining, she was called a bitch by the southern gentleman, but she went out with a bang on day 27 of season 18. Sierra gave a bit of what-now to ever-truthful and ever-courageous Ben Wade right before her final tribal council. She seemed to be a fierce competitor during the challenges and didn't back down from any confrontation; this possibly made her a threat to the other six.
What she did win, though, was popularity.
When asked “Who would you like to least see win the game?”, “Who’s most likely to stab you in the back?” and “Who would squander the million-dollar prize the quickest?”, the contestant consensus each time was Sierra.

Two more days til Survivor

I have the best job in the world.

azillion reasons...but just one now:

I am wearing brown Goodwill shoes, white gymsox, these grey-blue Levis polyester Goodwill pants with the little flair at the bottom, a white dress shirt with probably nine or ten years of ringaroundthecollar, the navy double breasted blazer I got married in 13 years ago (a bit snug now), and a skinny rainbow trout tie that i've had forever. And kids are telling me I look sharp...I am 'the dude' (mr. dude to you!)...