Really???

This morning, I went with Ashleigh to a doctor's appointment in Birmingham. The ride down was good as we listened to Rick and Bubba the whole way. Jim Caviezel was on promoting his project of the Bible on CD.

As Ashleigh went in to the doctor's office, I waited in the car to hear the rest of the interview. I sat in the parking lot with my window half down minding my own business. That's when a guy comes by the car, seeing my Auburn pullover, mumbles something then follows it up with "Y'all are getting beat this weekend." I thought it odd, that someone I barely noticed went out of their way to prove his disdain for my team.

I brushed it off, and went back to the radio. About a minute passed and he walks back by my car, stops and says, "It's back to the red-headed-step-children for Auburn. They won't be good ever again." I replied, "Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it." He said, "They ain't beat nobody. West Virginia gave the game away. You're going to lose this weekend." I bit my toungue as he stared with disdain into my car. He finally walked off. I went back to my radio.

By this time, I ran through my head the absolute joy that I felt he was not a fellow Auburn fan. The third and final trip by my car went like this. "Y'all are going to lose this weekend (the third proclamation by the Nostradomus of Football). I want you to come back Monday and tell me how bad y'all are."

Some people...

I'm diggin it

Been a whiiiile since I last posted, so I'm going to go easy with a few things I'm digging right now.

1. College Football - Ok, so this goes without saying. It's fall, it's getting cooler, and the pigskin is flying around. You can't be from the South and not be excited right now...ok, maybe if your team stinks, you're not psyched.

2. Coffeemate Italian Sweet Cream - I haven't been this sold on a creamer since Coffeemate's Coconut Cream...

3. My friend, Jason Spires' new blog, Single White Fan. Jason is a big-time sports fan who is in search of an NFL team to call his own. His efforts have landed him on SI.com.

4. Cool Summers - Global Warming got you down??? Not here! This has got to have been one of the coolest Summers in Alabama history.

That's about all for now. I'm going to try to do better...try...

Thoughts

Perhaps the following would best reside in my own head, but after seeing Julie & Julia yesterday, I feel compelled to put it out for everyone to see. Currently, I am reading 'Why We're Not Emergent (From 2 Guys Who Should Be)" and it has provoked some thoughts that I have about my generation (and the one coming along) and my society as a whole.
Throughout history, the knowledge base of the preceding generation has been multiplied by the following generation...We're getting smarter. Ok, maybe not individually, but our advances have been substantial. Can you imagine what Newton or da Vinci could do with a computer??? Anyway, it seems as though my generation has been "reading our own press clippings" (if you will let me use my old basketball coach's terms) and we think we are really smarter than we are.
We (and when I say we, I don't really mean me and you...well, it could be you, but maybe not):
- have taken the easy road. You see, it's much easier to question everything than to actually stand for something.
- go with the flow and cry about popular ideas like global warming. When science points out that the Earth goes through cycles (and guess what, We're actually COOLING), we change our terminology to Climate Change. This one we've got right. See sentence two. Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't take care of earth, but selling carbon credits?
- villify a country's leader who stands on moral values and call him a warmonger. We promote a leader who has no definitive stance on anything. Someone who promoted peace and an end the war in the Middle East. Guess what, now that he knows what his predecessor did, what has he done? Last time I checked, we were sending more troops and continuing airstrikes (that someone said were unneccessary). Where are the critics now???
- villify big companies for making money, yet complain when those companies have to lay people off to comply with Governmental polcies.
- ridicule people who have worked dilligently to succeed in the world, yet idolize those in Hollywood who have found wealth with less personal investment.
There are more. It pains me to think that in the future, when history buffs look back on my generation they might actually find the first one that has taken a step backwards.

Making Memories

In my early childhood, my Dad and I would get out our little yellow fishing boat and head out to Wilson Dam to fish. We made a lot of memories out there on the water. As I got to my teen years, Dad was elected Superintendent of Education, a time devouring job. Needless to say, between my rebelious teenagerness and Dad's job obligations, we fished little the next couple of years.

Ever since I got Boat Fever and bought my own boat, I have been thinking about all those times that Dad and I fished. A few weeks ago, I mentioned something about the boat to him, thinking it had been sold long ago. Not so. He and I went to my Grandmother's barn in Killen, put on some new tires, and brought that Construction Yellow baby home. Dad spent some time cleaning it, getting it registered (for the first time since it's last registration in 1995!) and getting the little outboard running again.

This afternoon, Dad and I went fishing for the first time in ages. Long overdue by any estimation. I am really looking forward to making up for lost time and catching a few fish with my Dad. Here are some pics from our outing today. By the way, the fish count was Dad-20, Kam-0. I had a blast.

It works!

Nice Bluegill

Largemouth

One of those days

Ok, so Thursday was supposed to be a magical day.  Well, it was the first day since the launching incident that claimed our propeller.  I had half the day off headed straight into a 4 day weekend.  I called up some buddies and made plans to hit the River.  Everything was looking great as I got in the boat while Andy backed me in the water.  That's when it started...or it didn't.  That's right, the boat didn't start.  The key just turned and turned in the ignition, until the lock froze.  Threat Level Delta.  Luckily enough, a marine shop was just a short walk away.  On my second trip in and Mr. Personality sold me a new ignition switch, that while not exactly what I needed, would work.  

So I bought it and headed back.  After about 10 minutes, Robert and I had it installed.  Turning the ignition, I awaited a growl from the motor.  Click, click, click.  Threat Level Echo.  After a little while longer, we determined that my battery had died.  I then scoured the parking lot looking for a set of jumper cables along with an able bodied (or batteried) soul.  The first guy I asked was "late fer a fishin tourn-ment".  The next guy was nice enough to try.  He and his son slowly backed their boat to the back of mine.  As they got close, I reached out to steady his boat so as to not hit mine.  

Getting his boat steadied was an easy task...too easy.  Picture it, I have my back feet on my boat, my arms on their boat, my body bridged between the two.  That's when his boat succomed to the force I was exerting and started moving away.  My fate --- sealed.  I then announce to everyone, "I guess I'm going in."  And I did.  Flip flops, clothes, jumper cables, and pockets full of wrenches and my wallet.  Threat Level Midnight!

I then used the boat ladder for the first, and most unexpected time to board my boat again.  We then got connected and the boat started, idled briefly, then stalled.  The 2nd jump attempt led to a 20-second idle.  I then told the man and his son to have a good time as I bid them goodbye. 

I trekked back to the MDX and promptly took the battery out of it.  A jump with the battery, was quite succesful...a steady beautiful idle.  

So we're ready to go.  We untie from the dock, everyone takes their place, and we're --- well, we're not moving.  The prop is not engaging.  After ten minutes of stumptitude, I decided to call it a day.  Something's wrong that cannot be fixed on the water.  Threat Level Arrggghh.

So Andy went to get the trailer, while Robert towed me along the dock.  The one bright spot from the day was that we trailered the boat beautifully, although I had to get back in the water. 

The Boat Dr is coming to the house Tuesday to assess the damage.  Hopefully my wallet will have dried out by then so I can pay him.

Rainy Day Blues

If I was a songwriter who loved Spring, I'd definitely have had the inspiration to write a hit over these last two weeks.  This has been just lousy weather.  Ashleigh and I have been checking the weather every 15 minutes looking for a chance to head out to the lake.  We are 0-fer thus far.  I'm just hoping we don't go through another Summer drought this year.  That would be a shame given these last two weeks.

And for Joy, pics of the boat.

Phew...

Wow, it's been a busy week.  On Monday, Ashleigh and I bought our first boat.  We're super pumped, but a little anxious at the same time.  We're going to try to get it in the water on Saturday (weather and prep-work permitting).  

On top of that, I've been in training all week.  I must say that I absolutely LOVED the training.  It was like none other I had ever taken.  Instead of focusing on how you can contribute to the organization, this training was geared towards getting you to become a better person (which, in turn makes you a better worker).  

Anyway, I think I grew a little this week even if my wallet shrunk.

Hair cut days

As summertime approaches, we take our boys out to get a trim. As you can see, Troup's traditional Springer haircut turned out well. As for Brinkley's military cut...let's just say he's a little sensitive about his bad haircut.

Little Blessings

It's truly amazing how great our God is. Every day He seems to be opening my eyes a little more to His majesty. It just goes to show you that to see Him you don't have to be standing on a mountain top staring down on creation, or at the beach watching the waves. You can be right at home, surrounded by the people you love and know that He is in everything.

Little Rants

I haven't blogged in a while, so I'm going to throw out somethings that have gotten me in a tizzy (even if just a little one) lately.

1. Shopping in the Men's department: Last night, I found a pair of shorts at a great price at the Sports Authority in Irving, TX. Once I got back to my hotel room, I tried them on. Amazingly, even though they were a little bigger than I would buy, they were too small. That's when I found that they were indeed women's shorts.

2. Junk mail: Like a lot of you, I get a good bit of junk mail. I am a junk mail conneseuir at this point and can spot a credit card app a mile away. Every now and then, Ashleigh and I get the same offer, from the same company, on the same day. Last week, one such occurence occurred (he-he) and I immediately went into my disposal routine. That's when I noticed the following on the back of the envelope: "Please Recycle". Grrrrrrr!!!! I've got an idea, how about you don't send that crap out and I won't have to throw it away because that app would still be growing in a forrest somewhere.

3. Presidential Pardons: Ok, not the normal pardons, just the ones given by the media to my current boss. I usually don't wax political, but I've just about had enough. He's everywhere! Just yesterday, ESPN had him on doing a NCAA Bracket. A couple of weeks ago he was at a NBA game. And this, my friends, is celebrated in the media. I would not be nearly as mad if all was fair. Can you imagine if "W" had been seen doing that stuff with the current economic climate??? He'd be grilled on every media outlet there is.

There, I feel better.

Tour de Asia continued - Okinawa

grrrrr...I just typed this long blog and lost my internet connection and thusly, the long blog.

Take 2:

I left Seoul this morning for the land of the rising sun. Oddly enough, I left my hotel about two hours before the sun peeked over the horizon. The day started with an uneasy taxi ride from a driver who didn't speak a lick of English. I asked him to turn the heat down and stopped the car - on the interstate. Needless to say, I just roasted in the backseat in a car that smelled like a kimchi-powered fart.

Upon my arrival in Okinawa, I quickly forgot Korea. As I got off the plane, I was greated with the ocean breeze and 70 degree weather. Okinawa really is a beatiful place; an island adourned with banyan trees, palms, and green green grass. The beauty of the island, however, is not viewable from my hotel room -- a WWII prison turned hotel room. The room is made somewhat bearable by the Strawberries and Cream air freshener I bought from the BX.

Tonight, my travel companion and I went to a local Japanese favorite. We had Kobe beef and shrimp prepared in front of us by Cassandra's father (from Wayne's World). Guess I'll go now. Syannarra!

Sightings

Anyanhasio. That (or something close to that) is a Korean greeting like "Hello" or "Nice to See you." At least I'm hoping that's what it means because I am saying it to everyone. Today is day 6 of my Tour de Asia, and I am soooo ready to be home. Even though I spent a lot of time here last year, I have seen even more that I didn't see last time. One of the coolest things I have seen are the Korean painters who will take a picture and turn it into a painting. I mean, these people are amazing. Here is one example of a local guy with a store in the shopping district. You can watch him from the street and he is phenomenal. All of the paintings are even better than the original pictures. Some, he has taken multiple pictures and combined them into one painting. My favorite example is of a young lady hugging the late Tupac Shakur. It's classing really. In the window are two pictures; one of this young lady hugging a friend, and the other of another young lady hugging Tupac. Through extreme talent, this fan has a lasting reminder of someone else's experience. What a treasure!

Asia on my mind

Well, the clock has almost struck midnight for Cinderella. I can't believe this trip, though greatly anticipated, came so fast. I leave tomorrow for a 12 day romp through Korea and Okinawa. This will be my 3rd trip to Korea and 2nd to Okinawa and you know, they don't get any easier. It's not the 15 hour plane ride, or the smells, traffic, or horrible food that gets me down. Being away from home just totally bums me out. I will miss Ashleigh, the dogs and cat, my friends and family.
I have been so comforted by my friends with who(m) I trust my life. I love you all and can't wait to get back.

Growing Old

Good morning and Happy Valentines Day to all. Well, today I turn 30, one of those monumental turning points that tells you that you are no longer a kid. Up to this point, I really dreaded this day. I mean, when you turn 30, your life is basically over right? As Lee Corso would say, "No so fast my friend." Today, I feel more complete than I have at any other time in my life. I have an amazing wife who(m) I don't deserve. I have a supportive family, a good job, and quite possibly the best group of friends that anyone has ever had (that's you if you're reading this!). I love you all so much!

Ok, enough with the sappyness (word?), on to the fun. Last week, Ashleigh threw an unbelievable surprise birthday party for me. I had the best time and felt so honored that so many of my friends would come. Against my better judgement, here are a few pics from that night.

Bizness travel

For those of you who know me, you know that I travel quite a bit for work. It's not travelling salesman travel, but I am on the road quite a bit. I have travelled far and wide, mostly to less than stellar locations. I go to Dallas 6-8 times a year. I've been to Alaska twice, Hawaii once, and Asia twice (Okinawa and Korea). I'm not complaining, but, well, maybe a little. You see, my brother works in the same field that I do and his travels have never, ever sent him overseas. While I might go to lovely Texarkana, Texas, Kris goes to Daytona and Orlando. In his travels and work, my brother has gotten in with some race teams. Right up his alley, you see, because Kris is a huge racing fan. He has met lots of drivers (Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kyle Petty) and made major connections with Jack Roush. Just this past weekend, Kris "worked" the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race. In the pits, hobnobbing with drivers and grease-monkeys alike. Below is the latest exploit of his latest run in with a star. Now girls, you can be jealous too. Recognize him??? Good, now you can hate my brother too.

Thumbs up, Thumbs down

Ashleigh and I have been on a little bit of a movie kick lately and I figured I'd give you the dish.

Yes Man - I went in to this movie with relatively high expectations and they were met. Although Jim Carey is getting older, he still has what it takes to play almost any character. His character here is different from almost anything I've seen him do. Verdict: Since this movie is out of the theaters already, I'd say put it at the top of your Netflix queue.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop - Pretty low expectations going in to this one, and I was quite surprised with how much I enjoyed it. This flick is aimed at pre-teens/teens, and is relatively clean language-wise. Verdict: Skip the theater and put it in your 2nd tier Netflix queue.

Grand Torino - Wow! This movie was much better than I expected. The language was horrible, but the message was outstanding. Clint Eastwood plays a 75 year old Dirty Harry (and he looks older than that) making things right in his neighborhood. Verdict: If you are not politically correct and can overlook bad language, I'd go see it in the theater. BTW, we saw this on the Prive' screen at Monaco...probably 40% larger screen and better seats than the normal venues (at a 40% premium ticket price).

What we've seen on Cable.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - A classic that Ashleigh and I both really liked. The interaction between Paul Newman and Robert Redford is so unexpected. I'd say that even if you don't like "westerns" but you like comedies, you like this flick. It's more of a comedy than anything. Verdict: DVR it today.

Juno - A modern society view of teenage pregnancy that turns a bad situation into kind of a jovial one (if that's possible). Not a bad flick, and I could do without the swearing, but not bad overall. Verdict: If it's on HBO, and you have time watch it.

On The Road Again...

That's right. As luck may have it, I am travelling once again -- back in Dallas. I like my job. I don't mind travelling some. I am guessing that I spent 60+ nights away from home. More than half that out of the country. That's a lot of time away from home. Anyway, I am very blessed to have a wife who is supportive and independent. She allows me to travel with less anxiety than it might be otherwise. Thanks Babe, I'll be home soon!

New Year Commitments

Resolutions are easy to make and just as easy to break. Therefore, I am making New Year's Commitments. Much stronger, don't you think?!? So here they are in no particular order.

In 2009, I commit myself...

to being a servant. This means to God, to Ashleigh, my family, my friends, and my country. In 2008, I went on my first mission trip. So sad, at the age of 29, I go on my first trip.

to be more understanding and less prejudiced. This is just one of the things that Jesus showed yet isn't highlighted in scripture. Not once did you read about someone with an illness who wanted to be cured and Jesus getting upset by that person's presence. Not once did He look the other way to avoid eye contact with someone in need. Jesus didn't flinch when the lepers came to him to be healed (even though they were society's outcasts).

to watch my tongue. If you know me well, you know I have a sharp tongue. Mostly with witty quips that might sound funny coming out, but stick in my brain like the aroma from Rosie's will stick to your clothes. For some reason, my wit resides in my throat, clearly bypassing the filters in my brain.

to get off my tail. I have let complacency creep in to my life this past year. I am happy to sit on my tail, putting off the things I need to do to the last minute. I have gotten downright lazy and it stops here.

to focus. I noticed something about myself several months back that really troubles me. I can be fervently completing a task, get diverted for a brief moment, and quit and do something else. How frustrating to have 50 tasks be 75% done!

to love. This has never been a real weakness for me, but who in their right mind can say that they show "love" just enough?

OK, so there you have it World. I put myself out there. Our lives are open novels, and I need you to help me keep my commitments. Only 358 more days to go.

New Year, Wrong Foot

The New Year has arrived and has brought with it a mean cold. After being around Ashleigh for 3 days, I finally caught her sickness. That's right, my legendary immune system, with a following similar to Chuck Norris, gave in. This is the immune system that allowed me to get perfect attendance throughout school (1st-12th grade), turn the 24-hour-bug into 15 minutes, ward off countless Ashleigh-borne influenza, just to name a few. I mean, the CDC draws blood from me every year to use in designing flu shots.

Either way, this illness between Ashleigh and I has prevented a real Holiday. There have been days over the past 2 weeks when our cars never left our driveway; even days when the shower fairy didn't visit until after dinner (yes, that is gross). On the bright side, Ashleigh and I have been hanging out a lot over the past few days. I have enjoyed that part immensely much in part because she hasn't made me watch 50 romantic comedies and has allowed me to watch football until I'm blue in the face.

Anyway, I hope your new year is fabulous and remember, if you see my immune system coming you have only minutes to live, if you don't see it, it's already too late.