Grapes are cool. You can enjoy them straight off the vine. But if you can wait, leave them around and they make a great raisin (I highly recommend the Uzbekistan raisins). Squeeze them now and you will be enjoying a nice grape juice. Again with some time that liquid could be a fine wine (Might I recommend testing a Villeneuve wine). They have even discovered that leaving them on the vines during the frost produces another variety of wine altogether.
But I did not come here to praise grapes, but talk about things that get better with time. Sometimes I write these posts, but do not publish them for one reason or another. They sit mysteriously somewhere out there in the cyberspace waiting for the day that I rediscover them. Sometimes I tweak them a little more. Sometimes I release them as they were. Sometimes I return them to the draft pile to wait longer.
Exactly one year ago today I wrote the following....
Tonight I was sitting watching an amazing sunset over the soccer field where some of the students were playing. All of a sudden, one of them pointed behind me and made some statement in Korean I didn't understand. When I turned around to see what caused the game to stop, I saw a double rainbow set alongside a dark and stormy sky. The view behind me was far more stunning than the sunset.
Makes me wonder how much of life I have missed by being focused in the wrong direction, even though it might have been a good thing in itself. Sure the sunset was great, but they happen most every night. I can only think of a few times I have witnessed a double rainbow in this life.
A few weeks ago I added a little image in the left side bar of this blog that shows where people are visiting from. As I checked it as time went by, I could not help but think of War Games. For those not blessed with a knowledge of classic eighties films, it is a film about the potential start of a nuclear war. There were screens in the command center that showed potential targets, as well as missile silos.
Call me crazy, or just bored, but sometimes I like to look at those maps and try to figure out how to get more red dots on it. And how do I get more in locations like Africa, South America, or even Alaska. Perhaps on my upcoming trip I'll just log on to my blog a couple times just to put a dot on the route.
Well, I should either go to bed, or continue my plans to take over the world.
I blame Dave for this post... He was suckered into doing one of those "list up to ten things you want to say to ten different friends... Do not state who these people are. Do not confirm or deny any 'comment speculation' ...Then tag five people" things that spread around the blog world. And since I probably haven't blogged enough about some of my friends, I thought I would join in the fun. Although perhaps not fully, so there might not be ten. So here are my comments on some of the people who have help make me a better person on this planet.
1. We need to do another road trip, as the last one was too long ago. You can always make me laugh. Yet your words have also been a source of challenge and inspiration (I'm glad that they are downloadable too). I knew you would make a big impact on this world, which is why I helped you with stalker awareness training. While our paths might not cross now, I know someday they will again. Marx said it best, "Now and forever, I will be your man."
2. Your name can be found in some of my favorite dorm stories, as well as a few of the best travel stories. You set the bar high for all my future coworkers to live up to. The kids we worked with are not the only ones who are better people by having you in their world.
3. If we had not signed up for that missions trip we might not be the friends we are. It was the beginning of many humourous and great experiences. I treasure the many discussions we had over food and/or drinks. I am honoured to have been a small part of your wedding. It was only fitting that the last time we saw each other was for the "Old Friends" concert.
4. You taught me that every day is a gift, and should be used accordingly. (Yet how often do I forget that?) Nothing held you back. I miss the conversations we had while trying to prevent each other from world domination. I know our next visit will be heavenly.
5. When we first met, I didn't know what exactly to say to you. Now there is little that we have not talked about. You taught me not to give up and to not let anything stand in your way. Seeing how your faith got you through the good and the bad, has been an encouragement to me, and many others. Oh, and I blame you partially for my music collection. Can you believe it has been eighteen years?
6. Did my parents put you up for adoption? For you could easily be a brother of mine. I don't know where I would be without your advice. Nor do I know where I would be with some of your advice. Yeah, I pick and choose from what you tell me. Either way you have been a great sounding board. If I ever become a superhero, I've already decided you will be my sidekick. We need to dance down Main Street USA again soon.
7. You have said you are a bad friend. But I'll take your bad friendship over most of the people who have claimed to be good friends. Your love for the Lord and desire to serve him is contagious. And that is part of the reason I enjoy our time together. I'm still trying to figure out the other reasons I call you friend.
8. If I were picking an all star RA team you would be on it, although you might have to serve as the mascot too. You've poured your heart out into kids, even when you known some will let you down again. "As iron sharpens iron," is the phrase I think of when looking back at our time together.
9. When you volunteered to house the missionary, I bet you didn't expect he would move in. You shared your home, your friends, and your life with me. You continue to play a key role in my life, and I look forward the next time I crash on your sofa. Sometimes I think I was a fool to pass up the chance to work and minister alongside of you.
Ok, I'm going to stop there. As I've worked on this for a couple days, I've noticed that many of these could be about a several friends of mine, minus a sentence or two. So if you don't feel like you are on the list, just read the lines that apply to you. I could fill books writing about all the people who have gotten me to where I am. I'm blessed to have such a great cloud of witnesses.
As for tagging someone else... if you think you were mentioned above follow my lead and post a list. If you think I left you off, make your own list and leave me off it to teach me a lesson or two. Either way, leave a comment on your way out...
I decided to check the logs of my site today to see how people are finding me. It always amazes me what people enter into Google or Yahoo that leads them here. Here are a few of my favorites of the last few months' searches. My snarky responses in italics.
1. Sell Your Girlfriend - Try eBay. 2. Debbie Gibson haiku - Two of my loves together in one search. 3. Little boy dancing to shake it like a polaroid video - I got nothin'. 4. Peanut butter butts - Is this one of the Reece's snacks? 5. Oops I peed - and you are typing this why? 6. "Give me a shot in the butt" - Sometimes I think that is what we are all looking for. 7. Cordell hoax - Exposing this hoax is the plot of the next Dan Brown book. 8. How to mummify someone - Information to keep on file. You never know when you might need to perserve a friend. 9. Johnathan lipnicki wears underwear - Who searches for this? And does the FBI know? 10. Do british pigs perspire - This question has kept me up nights since I read it. 11. Best way to say "be my girlfriend" - You're asking the wrong guy...
Greetings and welcome to my newest venture, the weblog. For those of you completely out of the loop, here I will post random thoughts and ideas. Maybe a good or interesting website I come across, or just some random letters I hit on my keyboard. So keep checking back from time to time. Each time I post, I'll make sure I tell you what I'm listening to or watching at the time.
Currently listening to Moving Pictures - Days of Innocense.
