stuff

So, my car broke down. Then after sitting a day it started again. Just in time for Wed. church. Then it broke down again. When I say "broke down" I just mean it won't start. It isn't really dead, per se. It has power. It just won't crank/turn over/etc. I'm pretty sure its the "Neutral Safety Switch." BUT I don't know anything about cars and I can't find a manual/diagram anywhere online to help me work on it. So I took it to a shop today (when I say "took it" I mean, myself and my two roommates and two of my roommates brothers pushed it down the road and around the corner.) and the guy said that he can't get to it till Monday. AUGAHU!!! Oh well. So it appears I need to be even more patient.

I have gained weight. Like ~10lbs. Not good. The dining hall was free for me all week. And I ate there for lunch everyday, and for supper a couple times. Its good food. Just fattening. When I have a chance to eat a lot I usually take it. So, in the end, its probably a good thing I don't eat there all the time. I need to lose it fast. Probably won't happen. I have a Covance study I'm going to screen for on Thursday. I wonder if I'm too much over weight for it now. . .that would be an interesting turn of events.

I could really use the cash from this study. I'm praying that if I'm not supposed to go, I don't get it. I'm going to wait to app for jobs till I find out if I make it or not. If I make it, I only really need to work part time this semester rather than another full time job. That would be nice. Mostly because I would like to get some sleep. =D

I still can't make a budget because I don't know how much they are going to charge for rent. I e-mailed the head of the business dept and asked and he said he would look into it and get back to me. I haven't heard anything yet. We have been here a whole month. Seems like they woulda figured it out before now. Right? If it rent skyrockets we are thinking of finding a different place. We already found one place and I e-mailed that guy. Haven't heard from him yet either though.

My car is broke so tomorrow I have to get a ride to church. That isn't a big deal. But tomorrow evening we (Kaylynn and myself) were going to go out with Anthony and Crystal. That won't work now, b/c I don't have a car. The church is done having sandwich Sundays, so no afternoon service. It was kinda nice to have it all at once. I'm sure I'll get used to having it normal again. I did before.

I guess someone decided that I should be wearing MBBC athletic shirts when I supervise so people know I'm in charge. So much for my shorts/jeans and t-shirts. Now I got to wear a polo. I suppose I can still wear jeans.

I haven't talked to my brother/cousins in a while. I'm going to avoid buying as many books as I possibly can. My roommate DL'd one of the books for a class we are taking. I think we are going to try to borrow the other from the library, and then I will only have to buy one class worth of books. Now that I think about it, I should do that right now.

Ok, so I ordered my Hebrew books. half.com got me the books for about a $30 savings. Not bad, I guess.

I guess the wedding today went well. That's all I really heard so far.

I get kinda bored with no game to play. I read online forums and stuff. But I don't really feel like watching movies. I need to get some work done on my papers and stuff, but that doesn't sound fun either.

I need to get my check cashed. (So at this point some alumni football player came in because he hurt his knee. So I had to get him crutches, and bandages. Young guy. His dad was here helping him. That is one reason why I don't really care to play organized sports so much. I've never been hurt badly. That's just God's protection though, b/c I know it could happen outside of organized sports. Now back to the scheduled programming.) So, I need to run to the bank on Monday and get my checks deposited/cashed and then get some groceries. I want to make a budget but I can't yet. Which reminds me, I need to stop in the business office Monday too. Got to go lock a door, brb.

So, I've done some more reading. Mostly about lifting/weight/etc. I always like reading that stuff.

Well, I better go get some work done....I'll probably blog more next week since school will be starting up. 4:27

blogging PC

So, I'm back to my blogging PC. My boss asked if I would mind supervising today even though the gym isn't generally open this early. I needed the house since I took some days off and didn't start till the 6th, so, I took it. Should be easy. Who really wants to come work out on their first weekend on campus when they have been at football practice twice a day every day so far?

Lots has probably happened since the last time I blogged. Sorry. I was reading a journal the other day and I hated it when it skipped days/weeks/months. It was just because it showed a time when we don't know what happened. So, sometime I'll look back and regret not writing more this summer.

I am working for the Athletic Dpt. like I did last year. Same old boring stuff. Time filling stuff. We did paint the football/soccer fields yesterday. Still have about 4 hours left on the football field. I got burnt again. Farmers tan though. It isn't as bad as last year. Thankfully we have had lots of cloudy/rainy days. We have had some incredibly hot days too, but not as bad as last year.

The school decided that this year the athletic personal could eat free in the dining hall with the preseason athletes. w00t! So, I'm eating lunch/dinner in the dining hall all this week. I haven't really started my diet yet. . .I tried but eating at my GF's and going on trips didn't work too well. I'm not complaining though. I'll start my tuna diet when I get on schedule. . .I think.

We don't know how much rent will be yet. Part of me is hoping they skyrocket the price. We found another 3-4 bedroom house for rent for about what we are paying now, but we also know a 4th guy who would be interested which would drastically lower my rent. It is 5 miles from school, so I couldn't walk to work/class. But $100 a month in rent would be great to save. My roommate and I are taking the same classes and have the same work schedule, so we could ride together all the time......it sounds great. I'm going to call on Monday to try to setup an appointment to look at it. We'll see how things work out.

Still don't have a second job. I really really really don't want to work at McDs. Really. But if that's what the Lord gives me, I won't complain.

Oh, football is having some kinda workout in the gym today, in about an hour. So, after they are done, it should be dead. . . .I think, but I don't really care.

My days mostly revolve around work and trying to see my GF sometime after. We took her 17 year-old sister shopping with us on Thursday. Yesterday, we went to Culvers with a couple of her friends . I was exhausted. Still am a little bit today, but I got to sleep in for the first time this week.

I'm working with Aaron Love. Its interesting. Sometimes he seems so picky and other times it doesn't even seem like he cares if the job is done right. Must just be my/his perception of the job.

I brought my girl home last weekend. My family liked her, and she loved them, so all is well. Jenn gave her blessing, and Mike picked on her about eating grapes. Katie wanted to sit by her more than me, which was expected. We had fun. We saw two SW, which was important. I saw a couple of my cousins which was as fun as expected. I did awful on the trampoline game this time though.....must be losing my ninja status. = /

It drives me crazy that her parents treat her like a little kid. They call while shes driving and need to know exactly what road she's on and where on the road. . . .bleh. Its all the little things that say: "We don't trust you because you can't take care of yourself." We've been talking about sitting down and talking to her parents. That could go unexpectedly well, or as bad as we anticipate it going. We are still praying about it.

We are also praying about whether she should drop out this semester or next. Or move out now, or later. . .atm, I think I would rather she move drop out now, but she wants to go one more semester. So, if that's what she wants and thinks she should do, I'm for it.

I'm not really looking forward to class, but I am looking forward to having a set schedule.

I'm having internet problems. I copied the post thus far so that if I do get DC I won't lose it.

Oh, we are cancelling our internet at the house. The price jumps from $20, to $60 when Sept comes around so, we won't be paying that. Which means no internet at the house again. rats. Oh well. My WoW account ended Wed, for the second time. I don't really miss it. I'm glad, b/c that last few days before it ended I was feeling like I would really miss it. Its the people/political things.

I have been thinking about train jumping. There are trains going by here all the time. I'm going to jump on some train sometime this year. Hopefully I'll be smart enough to get off before I end up in Nebraska or something. I'm also thinking I need to do something. . .but what Idk. (At this point lots of ideas occur to me)

So I just did some reading for a while on picking locks and I think that may be a hobby worth investing in. Besides, we should have someone in the family who can pick a lock easily.

I'm tired. . .I want to take a nap. The football team is still arriving in here. I should work on my paper some. I told my GF I would.

Oh, I should call home too, probably.

Church tomorrow. We were supposed to have a church picnic at the park, but it looks like it's going to rain. Oh well. Idc either way really. Or maybe I would rather it does rain . . . if it rains then we don't have to stay too long.

I'm wearing a sweatshirt today. First time all summer I think.

Calling home, bbl. Got the answering machine. Makes sense. Think dad had the day off, so they probably went somewhere.

Well, I just read for about an hour on creating master keys when one "change key" and its appropriate lock are accessible. I however, have two "change keys" with both accessible locks. The number of blank keys I would need would still be P(D-1), which could be somewhat expensive, but it sounds fun. If however, I could get blanks for under $.50 then I would be more inclined to attempt to work out this problem. Finely, if I could further determine how "change keys" affect the master key, it could be much simpler since I can possible get access (for a short time period) to a large amount of change keys. I will need a metal file since I won't be spending the $$$ of getting a key cutter. What I would do with the Master when I'm done I don't know yet. A few ideas come to mind though.

I should probably go work on my book/paper. I won't be back in here for about another week, but I'm sure I'll write more next time I'm here. peace. 3:13.

today in history

The ring comes to Bilbo.

I think we should all take some time to think of the consequences of this little fact on this day that is often ignored.

back to WI

So I will probably blog some more.

Interesting weekend to say the least. My car died on the way here. Once. Praise the Lord it was only once.

My car was completely dead this morning. No turn-over. Just dead. So I got a ride. Spent the day with my girlfriend and her family after church. Was fun. We went to a nature park and took a trail: her two sisters tagged along, or rather ran in front.

And then we were sitting on the couch looking at pictures. Her dad came in, and decided to tell us I had to go in 20 minutes and that Mrs. Onasch would give me a ride. We were sitting close. Too close. Side by side if you will. I had to go outside and talk to Mr. Onasch b/c if we were sitting that close at the house what do we do when we go for walks? Yeah, good going. It wasn't that either of us really sat close on purpose. Maybe that's a bad sign? We started looking at pictures. . .bleh!

I'm frustrated. I love her. She loves me. She loves her family. I love most her family. I hate rules in general. I hate rules I think are unreasonable. If it was only the unreasonable rules then I might put up with it. But it is a bit more, and it is the fact that I don't see any possible way (aside from a miracle) that her dad gives me permission to marry her any time soon. That's it. When that happens the whole thing goes *BANG* So, in my normal impatient efficient attitude I think that if its going to happen why must we prolong it? Of course the answer is that I may be wrong. If I'm wrong then blowing the boat up would be a dumb idea. Can't self-destruct the ship without being 100% sure that is what needs to be done. Picard had a hard time doing it with the borg in control. . . . . . . . . . ./sigh.

I think I need a release. WoW does not sound like what I need. Idk.

I need someone to tell me that things are fine. . . .no, no, I don't. I can get that if I call someone. I have heard it plenty. What do I need? I was sure I learned the lesson I needed to from my car breaking down yesterday. Wake up this morning, and find my car dead. So, new lesson, or didn't I learn anything? Maybe I just identified it, maybe I didn't apply it.

I don't know. . . . . . . .I think I'm going to try to get some reading done this week....wait, if I get my car fixed. If I still have a girl friend. If I don't have to come back to MI. If the house doesn't catch fire and my books burn. . . . .if the Lord wills, I will get some reading done this week. Maybe write a paper or two......no, definitely not two, but hopefully one.

AUGPHAUHAUGUHAGUHAGUHAGUHAGUHAGUHAGUHAGAGAGUHAGUHAGUHDGUHUDGUDHGUAUOGDAGAGDAUHOUHODAGHOUDAGUHODAGDAGDAGHAG!!!!!

That's what I needed. . . sorta. I can never do that out loud. It just doesn't work that way. I could get on my twink and kill a bunch of noobs and not care about the flag and just kill em over and over.

I could go for a run. I could. . .pray. I could go to bed. I need jumper cables. I'm going to sign out. I'm going to look for jumper cables, and then read a bit. ttyl.

to blog again

My uncle blogged today. It is his brother's birthday. I have always had a hard time dealing with the subject. It was very hard on all the family, and I figured I had no right to say anything or to be too upset when there were others that it effected more than myself. So, I don't talk about it. I never thought it fair to say how much it bothered me. It did. I never cried so hard in all my life. I remember wishing it had been me. I didn't get it.

I don't know if I just wanted there to be a special connection or if there was, but I could always talk to Dan. It was easy. We talked about anything. Things I didn't talk to other people about. Family things would come up and there were times when he made a point to take me with him. We went to the store or the airport. It didn't matter; it meant a lot to me. I trusted him, and even though I was just a kid he acted like we were on the same level. . .both adults.

My brother and I would spend days and days with our uncles. Playing Dinosaurs in the basement. Dan was an ankylosaurus. Playing choppers in our backyard. Playing on the tree swing or the rope ladder. Playing darts in the living room with the wheelbarrow. I remember them getting permission to sit with us in church. I was the oldest, but I had two older brothers. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It is still hard to think about. I still fight crying. What matters is that God is good. I'll see Dan again. I am bewildered at how the lost can deal with life/death. They can't obviously. It explains the alcohol, drugs, etc etc.

God is good, and His mercy endureth forever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20

"Now unto him that is able to do exceediing abundantly above all that we ask or think"

I drove to WI this weekend. I have been talking to Kaylynn everyday for almost two weeks and her parents decided that we shouldn't be allowed to talk that much until we met. Specifically they decided we could talk one day a week. I found out Friday night. So I worked all day Saturday and got in my car and drove to WI Sat night. I have a house out there still.

I sat with the family in church and heads were wagging and there was a buzzing sound. Yes, there were some broken hearted girls there. /shrug, that's not my problem though, is it?

We had a sandwich luncheon thing and then an afternoon service. I followed the family to their house and then all the kids had to go outside and I sat at the dining room table across from both her parents and they had a notebook with over a page of questions on it. As they asked they checked them off. I did have a glass of water. ;)

I was relaxed, and I kept thinking, "I shouldn't feel relaxed." But honestly, it was easy. It was odd, but easy. I think I was ok, once I answered honestly and openly, and realized I knew the answers, and that I didn't have to worry about being too honest. I hate having someone say "I will never hire you b/c you were too honest." /sigh, back to topic. I was honest, and serious, and carried on conversations. It went well. You can all ask me what the specific questions are later. All in all, it took about an hour, then they let her come in and told us they were giving their approval to "court." Of course, the difference between courting (which btw, is "the christian way") and dating is that dating is for fun and courting is with the intention of marriage. Just for those of you who could never figure it out or were wondering. yeah, happy now? lol

We talked for a while, and had pizza for dinner. Her dad went to bed early and her younger sisters were soon after. The rest of us stayed up till 1:30am talking. Her 17 year old sister tried to annoy me all night and kept quizzing me. I didn't care, and handled it beautifully I might add.

Monday we spent doing w/e. It was fine b/c I hadn't seen her since the day we actually talked. So, it was different and we just needed to spend some time together. It was great. We took her sisters to swimming lessons, then we took them with us when we went into town and to the park and all sorts of stuff. It was fun, and I enjoyed playing with them. The younger one didn't like me at first. She likes me now. I guess her siblings are counting down the days till I'm back and can play with them. . .It was good. Great actually. . .better than I could have ever imagined it going.

Which brings me back to Ephesians 3:20. I knew what I wanted. And I thought I was praying for the perfect person. But she is exceeding abundantly above all that I was asking for or thinking. Wonderful, amazing, beautiful, etc etc.

We are officially dating, btw.

Going to a wedding in two days. I guess my room got volunteered for some other people. Exciting. Just what I was hoping for on this weekend I have been anticipating for 6 months. Yes, 6 months waiting for this week. /shrug, I won't be in there much anyway. I am just going to have to be more cordial than I really wanted to be, and going to have to refrain from asking if he still thinks I'm a donkey. . .or rather, arrogant donkey. What kinda punk makes that kinda character call after barely 3 hours?!?! I make good character calls generally. But when I left, I didn't know much. Dad asked. I said, "it was hard to tell" , "we didn't spend much time with him", "idk", and "he seemed ok." When he was asked what he thought he said "arrogant donkeys" (psst, he didn't really say donkeys.) So, now I'm all excited to spend the night in the same room. As long as there is no fishing line, it will be cool.

But enough negative, this week will be a blast. I make it through tomorrow and I'm home free for a week. mmmmmmm.

Only 24 days till I'm back in WI though. =D

Theology, cards, video games, laughing, talking, spending time with family. . .I wait all year for these weeks. All year, every year, and have for years.

I'm going to have to refresh some of my college stories. Like my Prof crying? Yeah, need to remember that one. Like me teaching my Bibliology class all semester? Good stuff. Like crazy people saying "God is not male." or "I understand you want certainty [regarding the words of God] but it just isn't possible." I laugh. And I know others will too. Good stuff. Of course some people have already heard all these stories. meh, that's the thing with good stories. They get told over and over. Yes, I am regulating my stories to the good story section right now.

Her dad likes MacArthur. A lot. And everything I was just about to write kinda stopped short b/c of a conversation I had right now....basically, I have never heard much good about him from anyone I respected. I knew he was off on the blood, and basically, the blood saves, sooo, yeah. He recanted that I knew, but that was all. Apparently my dad and my pastor like him though. My cousin doesn't too much, and I really have never felt any need to read him. My cousin argued that if you read Turretin you won't care to read MacArthur. Idk, can't really comment b/c I haven't read MacArthur. I do love Turretin though. I don't read many modern day writers. I have no need when I'm sitting on Turretin/Calvin/Owens/Spurgeon. I throw in a handful of other old preachers and I feel pretty comfortable.

The biggest help I could see in modern day preachers is the preaching/topics of present day discussion. Things like Theater were not really in discussion in Turretin's day. On the same note, I have pretty much made my mind up on most of those types of things. I'm not looking for validation from MacArthur. I don't look for it from Turretin either. I read Turretin b/c he answers the questions thoroughly and brilliantly. If MacArthur is easy reading....that will bother me. I am not looking for something I can pick up and read once and say "yeah, I agree." I want something that I say "Wow....I need to read it again." Some people don't want that. That's fine. Its not me. I'm almost sure I will pick him up and say "Yeah I agree." or "that was dumb." I am thinking I won't say "wow." And if I'm not saying wow...then what's the point? anyway. Her dad wants me to read "The Gospel according to Jesus." Apparently its a popular one. (cite wikipedia)

The name bothers me. What kinda stupid name. . .so that's a strike against the guy. The blood is strike one. Even though he recanted. . .still, what type of. . .anyway. So, basically I will try to make it through the book. Everything I have read (not much) makes it sound ok. So if he doesn't tear apart my Bible then I anticipate making it through. Of course I doubt hes KJB. Why would he be?

So I just read his doctrinal statement on the Bible. . . . . . . .it was predictable. Anyway, I should probably read the rest of it sometime. I will. The thing that really really gets me is that he is popular. I find it incredibly hard for me to trust him. I don't know anything, but the facts that A) he was too far off on the blood, B) he recanted, and C) he's popular. I'm sure hes on on several things. But I would rather be reading someone that's dead. That's it. I would rather be reading someone that is dead so I know EXACTLY what they believed. Wescott and Hort don't have a way out, b/c they are dead and they can't recant. So....I'm done with MacArthur for now.

Well, not quite. Why does the name of the book bother me? One b/c people have been trying to do that for years. Some of the first works in the first centuries were titled "The Gospel according to xxx." These were often blasphemous, and seriously. . .why would you name a book title with the same name as the books of the Bible? And further, why would you dare use the name "Jesus"? The Gospel according to Jesus, God the Father, and Holy Spirit is in my hands!! It is in my car, and next to my bed, and on the shelf. And MacArthur wasn't around when it was written. It speaks to his character. And it bothers me. Ok, now I am done with MacArthur.

I hear there are some homestarrunner things I haven't seen yet. I'll have to do that soon.

WoW is boring, but I am a GM of a guild again. I feel bad b/c its been almost 6 days since I've been on, but /shrug, these guys aren't even anyone I really care about so I don't feel to bad. I just needed something to do, and be in charge of, and fix.

If I asked you to use 1 word to describe me, what would it be? I got a variety of responses at work today. I was aiming for merry, but no one said that. I'm not quite sure if merry is a Biblical thing to be. . .haven't really decided that one. But I'm working on being happy and jolly and merry. Someone said I was smug. . .that's ok, I guess.

I need to go to bed. I will ttyl. Have a good month.

faith

So, I've been thinking lately about believing and faith. At prayer meeting the other night it came up, and my brother preached about how we in America don't really depend on God for much. And so, how often do we pray for a good president, and then in any political conversation we pretty much admit it isn't possible and that the country can't get better. Our reality is that things cannot get better, but we pray for them because we are supposed to. I've done it, and I know others have too.

Faith to move mountains. That is something viewed as impossible. Why don't we have faith? We pray for things. . .do we believe they will work out? Do we believe people will get better?

How often do we not believe because we think miracles are rare? Are we afraid we will be disappointed? Are we being better off being safe than being sorry? If we don't expect it to happen then if it does we are happy, and if it doesn't we were right. But is that how we are supposed to pray? "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

I don't think this is unfounded optimism either. It is not blind hope. It is supposed to be faith. I think if it is just hope we will often be disappointed. I think we underestimate what God can/will do, and the means by which God has said He wants to work. Prayer accomplishes things. How is another topic, but the fact is, it does. Why don't we pray in faith? It is like the difference between reading the Bible and studying. Studying is so much more. Reading is good, but its not enough. Praying is good, but what is the point if you don't believe God will answer? Do you pray for something thinking it can't/won't happen?

I know a lot of people interested in a lot of things. Many who would love to have certain things happen in their lives, but how much do they consider it dependent on God and not rather on this rule or that, or this person or that?

Ok, I'm going to talk about BK now. I'm might talk about it in terms most of you might not get, but its just to talk about it.

So, what exactly is the correct time ratio when someone thinks they should run over to the other side to help you? You are almost finished with 3 sandwiches and two more up there. He says "what do you need?" It inevitably depends on who it is, and what is left. I had someone go over there today and I had two Dbl Whoppers up there. There was no way I was going to let him make those. He is slow. I wasn't done with what I had on the board but it didn't matter. I still finished them before he would have.

People do not understand the need for speed. I work with a kid who comes in in the afternoon. He tries to stand on my board and make the food. He gets in my way. And hes clueless. I have done everything short of telling him to get out of my way, and he doesn't get it. One of these days I will tell him to. When I am there, it is my kitchen and my board. Simple. The day shift knows that now. I had both the regular day guys tell me "You're faster than me." Thanks. At least they realize it. My friend is working with a kid who thinks hes about as fast or faster. The kid is soooo slow. I've watched him.

I'm pretty sure I'm faster than my friend. We want to setup a competition sometime. It might happen. He of course thinks he's faster.

It has been really slow lately. Becayse of that I could run specialty and whopper without much problem. I enjoy being back in the kitchen. I rarely feel the need to race anymore. Especially after the two of them admitted I was faster. Maybe 2-4 times a day I will fly through something because it only takes one or two times of an even tie for them to think they caught up. I had someone call me super dave again today. /shrug. I can see them trying to be motivated, and that's good. The one guy gets along better with me now. Just started getting along with him this week. I think he's starting to realize when I ask him if he needs something it isn't b/c I doubt he can do it, it is b/c it would optimize the time for me to do it instead of him. That is one thing I miss about my old store. There was a beautiful flow of communication between myself and other workers who could do it. Its developing here. They are realizing that they shouldn't sit on their assigned position when they could be doing something. And that I am willing and able to help. That's good.

The mgt in the evening stinks. We had to clean wrap holders so at 5pm (dinner time) the managers started cleaning them, which involved covering up the condiment well. What kind of stupid people are they? 5:30? Both managers decide to go in the office and eat. . . .6:05, they are still eating. So I make a loud comment about how I was supposed to be out 5 minutes ago. No, neither of them knew that. They are stupid.

The GM knows they are both stupid. But, she doesn't care about the dinner shift. Corp doens't come during dinner, so she's not worried. bleh! There is no solution in sight. They need a new manager to run things. The one I recommended is not going to get it. The GM wants her where she is. It would take work for her to actually lrn to do what she needed, BUT that is the best chance the store has. It won't happen though.

I of course can't do anything. The only other option is for my friend to come back to this store. Which he won't be doing, but the GM keeps hoping. AUHGA!

So, there is my BK rant for now.

I got a call the other day. Kaylynn says "so I have a question" I said ok. She says, can you talk to my dad right now? I was surprised to say the least. But yeah, I talked to her dad to ask permission to talk to her on the phone. He wanted to know if I was a packers fan. Nah, I pretty much dislike the packers alltogether. But he gave me permission anyway. He invited me over for dinner when I get back, and I guess they talked about me this morning and apparently he is really looking forward to meeting me, which surprised both her mom and her. Anyway, that's good news.

I got my second AGM. I only need 2 fishing things. So.....I'm out. I'll ttyl.