the dust settles

Finals are over and the youth program is on hold for the holidays ... so, here I am.

It's been too long, and I'm up late as it is. So, let me just say that K and I are heading north to Washington. Snow? I sure hope so.

Merry Christmas to all of you! (If anyone checks this blog anymore.)

Phones

Let me tell you ... Californians, specifically those in Orange County, have taken cell phones to a new level. So, I recommend this article to everyone, but especially ... well ... the OC.

Love

I am continuously struck by how intentional love must be ...

My wife and I have to work at our love. It is work, but it's that kind of work that is more rewarding than any amount of sweat and tears you put into it.

... I wonder if that's how it is for God. So intentional ... so willing to sweat and cry ... and how he must rejoice beyond any meaning of the term we can fathom when the love is returned.

No wonder angels dance.

Public Service Announcement

Garbage Pale kids are back! Unfortunately the packs no long include the really terrible-tasting gum, which is how you rationalized buying them.

Galloping Gertie

My brother, Rob, is now living in Tacoma, Washington. True to form he's spent much of his spare time uncovering the folklore and finer points of his new turf. In the process he's reminded the family of the classic attempt by Tacoma to build its own suspession bridge. The bridge was the third largest in the nation behind the Golden Gate and the George Washington Bridge in NY.

Anyway, people loved the bridge because even in the lightest wind four to five foot waves would roll down the bridge causing cars in front of you to disappear and reappear as they drove accross. Not surpisingly the bridge failed only four months after its completion. The best part is Galloping Gertie was almost left open despite the fact that it was clearly unsafe.

Luckily ... except for Tubby the half-paralyzed dog, there were not casualties.

Thanks Rob for the fine trivia.

Change colors. Why bother?

Since moving to California, I've noticed that Fall is a formality largely reserved and revered for the mere fact that we get to set the clocks back (don't get me wrong, I revere the clock thing as well). In the Northwest, though, it was more of a process, and it was appreciated.

Where is this bitterness coming from? I'll tell you.

When Krista and I moved to Dana Point I took notice of all the deciduous trees, and I hoped (oops) that I might get to see some Fall colors. As it turns out, the trees here, much like everything else, just skip straight to the outcome and have no appreciation for the process. So, leaves don't really change color as much as they just pick a night and in the darkness die and fall off the trees. It's depressing.

Now I will go get a haircut.

Go Ireland!

It looks like the Irish are trying to keep up with the realestate prices here in California.

Rabies continued ... again

Krista and I had our last rabies vaccine shot today.

I vow to kill the next bat that even comes near me.

a reflection on the evening ...

Krista and I went with Jordo and Sue to check out the Shepard Fairey art show tonight. On the way we happened to see the Cinderella Carriage. (If you check out the link make sure to note the awesome graphics!)

During the art show I found myself thinking that in all likelyhood neither Jordo, Shepard Fairey, my cat, nor I will probably ever ride in the Cinderalla Carriage. Come to think of it, I'll be surprised if I ever meet someone that has.

That's all for this late night musing.

(No, that's not Jordo's normal look. It was a one-time deal ... as far as I know.)

Pet Day Spa

I had to run to the hardware store today, and I happened to notice there was a "Pet Day Spa" next door. Let me just say these two things:

First, I am by no means the man I should be, but I'm trying.

Second, toward the end of helping me become the man I hope to be ... Should I ever take a pet of mine to a Pet Day Spa, please remind me that there are people in this world that don't even know what a day spa is, and that they might have some needs worth meeting before my pet is subjected to the confusion and money-sucking experience of a Pet Day Spa.

Finally, as it stands right now, it would just be good for me to ask, and be asked, how I'm being a steward of my current resources. I'll have to think on that ... maybe that Pet Day Spa will be good for something after all ... but it sure won't be for my pet.

getty

getty girl
Originally uploaded by crotty.

My brother was in town a couple of weeks back, and we got some time to get to the Getty - hence the photo. (no the people in the photo are no direct relation)

Really I just wanted to say that I love my family and value what little time I do get with them. Ben, my brother that visited, lives in France, and he told me that the French think it's weird that we blog ... since most of what gets blogged consists of personal feelings and "private" stuff.

So, weird though I may be, let the world know that I miss being able to spend more time with my family.

Anniversary

Krista and I have been together for a little over a year now, and we still love it.

We didn't get to celebrate our anniversary on our actually wedding date, since we had a bunch of stuff going on. We did, however, celebrate this last weekend. It was so good to spend some time looking back at what was joyous and what was challenging about our first year. It was good to spend some time telling and hearing about our love for one another. In fact, I got myself to thinking that it's something we should be more intentional about.

The only reason I write about it at all is to let you in on it. If you are recently married and you haven't stopped, looked each other in the eyes, and spend an hour or two sharing about your love, joys, struggles, and dreams, then get to it. It's good for the soul. I assume that goes double if you've been married longer.

Oh, and thanks to all of you that sent cards and called to wish us well. I cannot tell you how much that means! We thank God for you.

published

My wife had an article published in the Youth Worker Journal complete with picture and brief bio. I think I'm married to a nerd, and I love it!

It's unbelievable

I never thought that I would be able to say that I can see the ocean every day on my way to work ... and not be lying.

Rabies continued

This morning Krista and I given more shots to fight the rabies ... yippie.

I'm thinking that since we'll be impervious to rabies for a season that I might hire myself in some sort of bat-removal capacity. What do you suppose the going rate for such a service is ... ?

Get this

Within 2 minutes of posting the "drunken cat" there were two comments. That's one comment per minute, which isn't too shabby. Both comments, however, were blog spam (for lack of a better term) ... which, of course, is funny if you read the post just before the "drunken cat."

Classic.

drunken cat?

drunken cat?
Originally uploaded by crotty.

Our poor cat has the worms. Today he gets a shot that will get the worms out ... which will probably make him feel ... well ... the same way he does in this picture.

Comments

I've had several people post comments that have nothing to do with anything being said on this site ... comments like:

"WoW !---Talk about SPAM ! I'm almost afraid to post on your site ! I was looking for ideas for web sites, cuz I'm putting up one called Cell Phones, which of course covers topics related to cell phone holders . Are you using a Blog Template or free-handing it ? ---Jack---"

Or

"So many Bloggs so little time. Thanks For letting me leave a comment. movue "

Whoever "Jack" is hit it on the head; it's SPAM. I thinks it's also annoying.

(As a point of humor, and to prevent anyone from inadvertantly linking to the sites these SPAMers want us to visit, I changed the original links to something self-serving.)

katrina

I bought a dollar sunday at McDonalds today, and I felt guilty. I think my guilt was justified. There are brothers and sisters in our own country that couldn't get a dollar ice-cream let alone use decent plumbing.

I've resolved to get my act together ... and soon ... to help those people - definitely before I get another ice-cream.

it's true...

...if you haven't seen this, you should.

(Click on the "watch this movie" link. It should be the Numa Numa dance)