When I last left off, I was stung, itched, and battered if you will. The scars of all seven bites still serve as reminders of just how fast I need to mow the grass - at least in the summers. Did I ever mention how much I dread the middle months of the year? Well, add yellow jackets to the ever-growing list of things I despise this time of year. Last time I checked, there were none of these demonic things flying around our yard, but I have also been away for almost a week now...perhaps they built another nest underground? Let's hope not.
I'm coming to you this time all the way out on the west coast. As the minutes tick away in this early morning, some of you on the east coast will be waking up shortly to the reprieve that is TGIF. Most of you just got paid - and that means most of you will send that money right out the door to bills and such. Not so fast. My dearest friend, Bruce, has been slipping me his copies of Money magazine as of late...and I must tell you, it inspires me to be even smarter with our money. Especially in these financially trying times. At what point in history did spending become easier than saving? I'm first in line as someone who is guilty of that. Most of the time I find no shame in that cold hard fact. But let me tell you somethin', perspectives sure do change when you're thousands of miles away from home; a wife that I miss and love ever more today than yesterday; and routine. Gotta do what pays the bills though. When work calls for me to travel, I've got to suck it up and do the best I can. I suppose it's not as bad as I make it out to be, but come next business trip, my better half will be joining me - I'll bet a hot dog on it!!!
Even before I made the trek across country, I still felt unsettled. Maybe it was the busy weekends; or the days where there just wasn't enough time to eat, take care of the house, work on the car, and ride my bike. But when I get back, I'm hoping I'll absorb all the familiarities of living in a warm and loving home. All in this little corner of my world called, Killearn Lakes.
For the past week, I’ve been setting up camp at the Sheraton Hotel in Anaheim. Right smack dab in the middle of all the summer tourism next to Disneyland. I was just out here in May with the Tallahassee Posse - excuse the "gang" term, but I've been stuck with 1,600 law enforcement officers learning about gangs all week. The first couple days were great as I got to spend some quality time with dad and Nai Nai. Today I’ll be able to spend more time with family, but the in-between time was hard to bear. These gang conferences take me out of my routine. Add my newly-wedded wife into the equation and that just makes it downright brutal. Some folks thrive on travelling, but this kind of stuff just doesn't amuse me as much anymore. When I went on my first out-of-state business trip, it was all cool cause I was a man travelling all by myself and doing work-related stuff. OK, in no way is there a written rule that you have to do the aforementioned things to prove your manhood. It's not even remotely close to being a rite of passage, but for the sake of being dramatic, just pretend. Travelling is just such a hassle these days. Muse with me if you will for just a moment. I want to bringforth an issue to all of you. It's the almost-for-certain predicament that you're put into when you sit on a plane between two behemoth-sized men (or women) and their BO is kicking more than soccer players do at the World Cup. Add some halitosis into the mix and you've got yourself a plane ride that's ten million times worse than any baby crying behind or in front of you. Yellow jacket bites anyone? I'll take seven...or maybe 8, 9, or 10. I'm not bitter. I've just had my share of stinky people on planes. Maybe instead of cheap snack mixes and beverages they could offer up SUPER STRONG mints and a thick coat of deodorant. And whilst pointing fingers to the exit rows and doors, perhaps the flight attendants could demonstrate the easy but integral task of inserting mints into their mouths and applying said deodorant. Charge those items to my credit card. Trust me, it'll be worth it.
The oh-little-surprise of the week award goes to the quake Southern California endured on Tuesday. What a fun new addition to an already "I'm counting down the days 'till I get home" trip. All 1,600 of us were in the main ballroom listening to a reporter speak about the importance of not putting all media in such bad light and fighting off hunger pains. Next thing you know, hundreds of people are running and screaming for cover while the ground shook and danced its way into our anxiety-ridden nerves. Clearly the ones ducking for cover were not from California. There were ones that stood calmly; and burly officers that morphed into women for a split second; then you have the ones like me. I first sat there as if the shaking was part of the presentation - don't ask how this stupidity even crossed my mind. But when I saw these men hop-skipping over my face, I stood up and grabbed my belongings as if I were about to immigrate through the imminent cracks beneath me. Alas, no such catastrophic events of epic proportions happened this go around. But many experts say that this certainly is a pre-cursor for what's to come. The experience was both amazing and wet-your-pants frightening. I had never stood in the face of natural disaster before. I mean I've been through numerous hurricanes and tropical storms before - and even little tremors in Taiwan, but nothing ever this close. Please do not mistake this as an attempt to brag. How absurd that would be of me.
Instead, I'd like to take this golden opportunity to thank the Creator for shaking up my inadequate and most-of-the-time mundane faith. For without the 5.4 earthquake I would've not realized at that very moment what an amazingly beautiful life He has laid out before me to live. As I stood in the midst of falling chandelier glass and split-second mayhem, the stillness of Christ revealed His splendor before my eyes. What an awesome and mighty God I get to serve every morning and every day. Adorned with mercy and grace, the ebb and flow of His creation shook this newlywed up pretty good. Give me some mints and deodorant. Honey, I'm coming home...
~KH
WALL•E (viewed on 6/12) - 8 Turkey Legs
The Dark Knight (viewed on 7/27) - 9 1/2 Turkey Legs
I'm coming to you this time all the way out on the west coast. As the minutes tick away in this early morning, some of you on the east coast will be waking up shortly to the reprieve that is TGIF. Most of you just got paid - and that means most of you will send that money right out the door to bills and such. Not so fast. My dearest friend, Bruce, has been slipping me his copies of Money magazine as of late...and I must tell you, it inspires me to be even smarter with our money. Especially in these financially trying times. At what point in history did spending become easier than saving? I'm first in line as someone who is guilty of that. Most of the time I find no shame in that cold hard fact. But let me tell you somethin', perspectives sure do change when you're thousands of miles away from home; a wife that I miss and love ever more today than yesterday; and routine. Gotta do what pays the bills though. When work calls for me to travel, I've got to suck it up and do the best I can. I suppose it's not as bad as I make it out to be, but come next business trip, my better half will be joining me - I'll bet a hot dog on it!!!
Even before I made the trek across country, I still felt unsettled. Maybe it was the busy weekends; or the days where there just wasn't enough time to eat, take care of the house, work on the car, and ride my bike. But when I get back, I'm hoping I'll absorb all the familiarities of living in a warm and loving home. All in this little corner of my world called, Killearn Lakes.
For the past week, I’ve been setting up camp at the Sheraton Hotel in Anaheim. Right smack dab in the middle of all the summer tourism next to Disneyland. I was just out here in May with the Tallahassee Posse - excuse the "gang" term, but I've been stuck with 1,600 law enforcement officers learning about gangs all week. The first couple days were great as I got to spend some quality time with dad and Nai Nai. Today I’ll be able to spend more time with family, but the in-between time was hard to bear. These gang conferences take me out of my routine. Add my newly-wedded wife into the equation and that just makes it downright brutal. Some folks thrive on travelling, but this kind of stuff just doesn't amuse me as much anymore. When I went on my first out-of-state business trip, it was all cool cause I was a man travelling all by myself and doing work-related stuff. OK, in no way is there a written rule that you have to do the aforementioned things to prove your manhood. It's not even remotely close to being a rite of passage, but for the sake of being dramatic, just pretend. Travelling is just such a hassle these days. Muse with me if you will for just a moment. I want to bringforth an issue to all of you. It's the almost-for-certain predicament that you're put into when you sit on a plane between two behemoth-sized men (or women) and their BO is kicking more than soccer players do at the World Cup. Add some halitosis into the mix and you've got yourself a plane ride that's ten million times worse than any baby crying behind or in front of you. Yellow jacket bites anyone? I'll take seven...or maybe 8, 9, or 10. I'm not bitter. I've just had my share of stinky people on planes. Maybe instead of cheap snack mixes and beverages they could offer up SUPER STRONG mints and a thick coat of deodorant. And whilst pointing fingers to the exit rows and doors, perhaps the flight attendants could demonstrate the easy but integral task of inserting mints into their mouths and applying said deodorant. Charge those items to my credit card. Trust me, it'll be worth it.
The oh-little-surprise of the week award goes to the quake Southern California endured on Tuesday. What a fun new addition to an already "I'm counting down the days 'till I get home" trip. All 1,600 of us were in the main ballroom listening to a reporter speak about the importance of not putting all media in such bad light and fighting off hunger pains. Next thing you know, hundreds of people are running and screaming for cover while the ground shook and danced its way into our anxiety-ridden nerves. Clearly the ones ducking for cover were not from California. There were ones that stood calmly; and burly officers that morphed into women for a split second; then you have the ones like me. I first sat there as if the shaking was part of the presentation - don't ask how this stupidity even crossed my mind. But when I saw these men hop-skipping over my face, I stood up and grabbed my belongings as if I were about to immigrate through the imminent cracks beneath me. Alas, no such catastrophic events of epic proportions happened this go around. But many experts say that this certainly is a pre-cursor for what's to come. The experience was both amazing and wet-your-pants frightening. I had never stood in the face of natural disaster before. I mean I've been through numerous hurricanes and tropical storms before - and even little tremors in Taiwan, but nothing ever this close. Please do not mistake this as an attempt to brag. How absurd that would be of me.
Instead, I'd like to take this golden opportunity to thank the Creator for shaking up my inadequate and most-of-the-time mundane faith. For without the 5.4 earthquake I would've not realized at that very moment what an amazingly beautiful life He has laid out before me to live. As I stood in the midst of falling chandelier glass and split-second mayhem, the stillness of Christ revealed His splendor before my eyes. What an awesome and mighty God I get to serve every morning and every day. Adorned with mercy and grace, the ebb and flow of His creation shook this newlywed up pretty good. Give me some mints and deodorant. Honey, I'm coming home...
~KH
WALL•E (viewed on 6/12) - 8 Turkey Legs
The Dark Knight (viewed on 7/27) - 9 1/2 Turkey Legs
Hancock (viewed on 8/1) - 7 1/2 Turkey Legs
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (7 Turkey Legs)
1 comment:
Bro, I did hear that the City of Los Angeles is using earth quakes to combat gang violence. It has similar effects to turning the lights on in a roach infested room.
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