XBox 360 Gaming Update

Over the last few weeks, I have had the chance to rent a few games and catch up on some of the recently released titles. Here are my brief thoughts on the ones I've been able to get my hands on:

1. Army of Two - Dumb...the "aggro" concept is difficult for me to master. Draw attention to you so that your partner and do other stuff. I got frustrated by the second level. A little to out there for me. I would not recommend it.
2. Call of Duty: World at War - I am glad that I only rented it. I thought the single player campaign was pretty cool and visually stunning. It seemed like a best of CoD 3 & 4. There was not a whole lot of new content there. I thought the achievements were skewed a little to the hard end, with each board being completed on the hardest level netting 30 GP. The multi-player options look good, but there are no achievements associated with them. Overall, go for me for five days.
3. Left 4 Dead - So far, I like this game. Simple mechanics and mass carnage. Playing this with three other folks on-line is priceless!
   

Mequon Update

I write to you from Mequon, WI. I am hanging out at my parent's house for the weekend! The Christmas celebration was great, with three meals of great food:

1. Breakfast in Oshkosh (eggs, bacon, hash browns and homemade waffles :) )
2. Lunch in Mequon (prime rib!)
3. Dinner in Sussex (ham, pot roast and lots of other food)

I did get some wonderful gifts (and many gift certificates). Christa and I are also proud of the gifts that we got for others.

My mom had an avulsion fracture on her foot. The swelling had gone down, but it is still pretty painful and she will have more tests to find out exactly what is going on. Prayers would be appreciated so that her recovery might be as quick as possible.

I have appreciated the time to relax, with some reading and video game playing sprinkled in. My Dad ran an internet cord into the guest room, so I am able to use XBox live while I am at home. That is pretty cool!

Filing Updates

When it is -2 degrees outside, it's best you stay indoors. I started work on it this weekend, but over the course of this week and the next I am going through my personal files, updating and throwing out. An emphasis can be placed on the throwing out part. It's time to make room for more files :).

Otherwise, Christa and I have been utilizing our Netflix account and have been watching about a movie per day. It's working out great.

We will also be finishing our Christmas shopping today. Sweet!

The Post Semester Report

Hey folks! I know it's been awhile. The 14-week fall semester is over and UWO students now have a three week break until the three week fall interim. If they don't have an interim class, they have a seven week break! As a 12-month employee, I need to take vacation to have any time off. I will be taking the next two weeks off, but decided to do some work this week.

I would definitely say that motivation has been a struggle as there are no students around, but I have been productive in working ahead in working ahead on items that would have otherwise needed to be taken care of during interim.

Christa and I have officially signed up for Netflix as our two week trial has run out. I think being members of Netflix will allow us to watch more movie for less money. We really enjoy watching movies and we appreciate the flexibility Netflix offers. also having the option to watch movies instantly with the XBox 360 only sweetens the deal.

This Sunday, I will be participating in the performance of a Bach Cantata at our church service. I will be performing the bass solo and singing with the choir. Even though I haven't been able to sing in the choir throughout the semester, I was able to make the last few rehearsals because school being over. It has been nice to be back with the group. If my schedule isn't quite as crazy on Wednesdays, perhaps I can sing with the choir in the spring semester.

When I got the red ring of death on my XBox and had it fixed, they gave us a free month of XBox Live with it as well. I attempted to use it for Christa's account, but her original account got corrupted. We created a new one and we have been able to play Rock Band 2 on-line. She is going to rent a few games and try them out on the 360.

Having the next two weeks off will definitely free up some time to play some games that have come out recently. On my to play list:

1. Fallout 3
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Grand Theft Auto 4
4. Left 4 Dead
   

Friday Fun Time

I saw a friend do this on Facebook. It is posted here and on Facebook. Feel free to to post a comment if you can name the song and an artist(s).

Step 1: Put your music player on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Strike through the songs when someone guesses both artist and track correctly.
Step 4: For those who are guessing -- looking the lyrics up on a search engine is CHEATING!
Step 5: If you like the game post your own.

1. No one knows what it's like to be the bad man.
2. Someone's knockin' at the door, someone's ringin' a bell.
3. Very superstitious, writing's on the wall.
4. Please allow me to introduce myself; I'm a man of wealth and taste.
5. The place where nobody dared to go, the love that we came to know.
6. I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadence.
7. The sun shines, people forget.
8. No I can't forget this feeling or your face as you were leaving, but I guess that's just the way the story goes.
9. In the town where I was born lived a man who sailed the sea.
10. Don't go changin', tryin' to please me, you never let me down before.
11. I know when to go out. I know when to stay in. Get things done.
12. Never know how much I love you; never know how much I care.
13. Seems I got to have a change of scene, every night I have the strangest dream.
14. It's very far away, it takes about a half and a day to get there if we travel by dragonfly.
15. When you were young and your heart was an open book you used to say live and let live.
16. I hear the train a'comin', it's rolin' 'round the bend and I ain't seen the sun shine I don't know when.
17. Risin' up, back on the street, did my time, took my chances.
18. Darlin' you've got to let me know.
19. It's been such a long time, I think I should be goin'.
20. There once was a musical troupe, a pickin', singin' folk group.
21. I have a mansion forget the price; ain't never been there they tell me it's nice.
22. Happy, and I'm smilin', walk a mile to drink your water.
23. Really don't mind if you sit this one out.
24. They say we're young and we don't know, won't find out until we grow.
25. I lived alone, my mind was blank; I needed time to think to get the memories from my mind.

24 Hours from Now...

...Webster Hall will be closed. The 14-week fall semester will be over. Students (and staff) will get a three week break. Granted, I'll be working next week, but it will be a different kind of work. It will be an opportunity to clean my two offices. It will be an opportunity to begin (and finish) projects that have been pushed back. It will also mean a well-deserved two-week break where I can re-charge my batteries and think about fall interim and spring semester.

The CC Situation

I figured that CC Sabathia would not be signing with the Brewers. When we signed him last year, most of us knew that he was a hired gun. He was a player that would give us the extra push that we needed to make a playoff run. This goal was accomplished! But you figured he would go where the money is.

There were rumors that he wanted to live on the west coast, where is building a home for his family. I heard that he wanted to play in the National League where he could bat as a pitcher, something he is pretty good at doing. I also figured he wanted some serious cash, as he is probably the most sought after pitcher in free agency.

This is what I didn't think would happen:

1. He would sign with the Yankees! Boo...the most hated team is baseball.
2. That any player would get signed for that much money.
3. That apparently what was important to him was all less important than making a boat load of cash.

Well, the Brewers can't compete with a seven year, $161 million deal. There's a recession going on?

Fantasy Football Ends...

...well, at least it ends for me. Despite a furious attempt by DeAngelo Williams, who gained a whole bunch of yards and 2 TDs on Monday night, I lost in the first round of the playoffs 112.5-110. That was rough.

Again, though I feel as though with DeAngelo Williams, Thomas Jones & Tom Brady as my keepers for next year, things are looking pretty good! We'll see.

Other News:

1. So we did get hit with quite a bit of snow. It should be fun digging my car out of the snow bank.
2. The 14-week fall semester ends in three day. Yippee!
   

Two Monday Random Thoughts

There is a big storm coming through Oshkosh (and elsewhere) tonight. The predictions keep getting bigger and bigger. They are not up to 11-14 inches of snow. They started with 3-5. Every time they predict a big storm, it is usually quite underwhelming. I'm guessing 2-3? :)

The Packers lost again yesterday. For the second week in a row they had a lead or tie late in the game and gave it up. I was ready this time...I was not surprised. The Packers play just good enough to stay int he game and then find a way to lose. They have major issues to take care of on defense. Geez!

Kindness

Redeeming some credit card points, Christa and I received a $25 gift card to Chili's. We are big fans of Chili's so we decided to use the card last night. Christa got back late from rehearsal and I was going to hang out with someone later, so we wanted to get up to Appleton quick.

We got there, ordered our food. I wanted to see how much cash I had in case our bill went over $25. It was then that I noticed that I did not bring my wallet with me. I flagged down the waitress and let he know to hold our order until we could figure what we could order that would stay under that dollar amount.

The manager happened to stop by when he saw our worried and faces and asked us what was wrong. We explained our situation. He said that because we were so upfront about what happened, that he would comp the cost of the meal to fit within our $25 budget. That was wonderful! We felt bad about the situation, but we really appreciated what they did.

It took a awkward situation and made it much better. It also secured our business with Chili's! :) We plan on sending a letter to their restaurant and to the corporate headquarters letting them know our appreciation.

My House Is Worth What?

Last night, Christa and I were sitting down together watching television. I was waiting to leave to hang out with my little brother and she was relaxing from taking her exam. We were watching the Home & Garden Channel, a channel I do not watch often. Specifically, we were watching a program called My House is Worth What?

In this show, homeowners have their house assessed because they usually are interested in putting it up for sale. They talk about how much they paid for it and also talk about the improvements that they made to the house. A expert real estate assessor comes in and gives them a theoretical sale value.

What disturbed me the most was how much these houses were going for...most were valued at around $700,000-800,000. Now, I realize that some of these houses were in rich neighborhoods, but seriously...

...who needs a house that big? And most of these folks were interested in getting a bigger house. I just don't understand. I realize we all need shelter, but can't it just be a matter of finding what meets our needs as opposed to purchasing a castle? I also realize that houses provide equity, but how much do you really need?

I wonder what Jesus would say to those who have houses so large. How might some of that money be put to better use?

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

In what was really a formality in my ministry candidacy process, I received the endorsement of my home congregation to continue being a ministry candidate. The vote was unanimous and did not involve much discussion. I was touched that the pastor leading our Charge Conference (annual meeting) said that he would highly recommend me :). Granted, he is the pastor that leads my bible study class.

One member of our church said that we should vote no so that Christa and I could stay as members of the church. That was also very moving for both of us. Having E-mailed Gordon (the District Superintendent) with my placement preferences, I now play the waiting game.

I go before the District Board of Ordained Ministry in April to have my candidacy (hopefully) renewed. Let's hope by then there is also a church placement in my future.

Other News:

1. I did make the playoffs for fantasy football. I am the seventh seed. I play the second seed, and I think I match up well. First round upset anyone?
2. I trying out the weightlifting thing again. I am tired of running every day. We'll see how that goes.
   

Fantasy Football Update

In what can be described as fantasy football hell for the first few weeks, my team was in deep trouble:

1. Tom Brady went out in week one with a season ending knee injury.
2. Willis McGahee has totally underperformed and now doesn't even start for the Ravens anymore.
3. I traded Reggie Wayne to get a starting QB, Philip Rivers.

Those were my three keepers! Needless to say, it was a scramble to put a team together. Over the course of the season, things have gotten better and I will win three in a row if finish our regular season. I am pretty sure I will make the playoffs. I think I already have my three keepers for mext year settled:

1. DeAngelo Williams - Had a big year. Had 4 TDs last week!
2. Thomas Jones - With Brett Favre, he has had a great year!
3. Phillip Rivers - Decent year statistically...the Chargers have just sucked this year.

The match-ups for my players this week are favorable. We'll see what happens in the first round of the playoffs.

Thanksgiving Break Highlights

I had a good opportunity to relax over the Thanksgiving Break. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but the time was productive:

1. I had two tasty Thanksgiving meals. It's just a shame that the football games weren't worth watching.
2. Christa and I saw Quantum of Solace in theaters. It may not be as good as the previous Bond film, but it is a great action movie. The stunt sequences are some of the best I have ever seen.
3. We also saw Hancock on DVD. Not impressed. The first half was pretty good, but then it took plot jump after plot jump and was not enjoyable anymore.
4. I realize the Assassin's Creed is not the video game for me. I don't do well in games of stealth. It only took me one evening to realize this ;).
5. Fable 2 freezes up on me now. I think it might be because of the XBox Live Update. Let's hope not...I have gotten pretty far in the game and would hate to have to stop playing.
6. The Packers suck! But, DeAngelo Williams was my fantasy football RB. Sweet! 4 TDs.
   

Building Closing

At 10:00 PM tonight, the residence halls close for Thanksgiving Break. Given that we have been in school for 12 weeks straight, the student deserve a break! They can use some time to relax and get away from the stress of school. I know I can use a break. This is one of my favorite days of the year...slowly seeing people trickle out of the building. Soon, it gets quiet. I forget how quiet a residence hall can be when there aren't any people in it :).

Other News:

1. Wow! Did the Packers lay an egg or what? Way to show the world what a crappy team you are.
2. I have won two in a row and have climbed to 7th place in the league. I just might be able to sneak into the playoffs!
   
3. I am excited to be having lunch with Peter tomorrow. He is in town for the Thanksgiving Break.
4. This break will be a great chance to catch up on my video game playing and a great chance to get working on the AD&D campaign.
   

Weekend Highlights

1. I saw the Badgers barely beat a Division I-AA team on Saturday. I definitely enjoyed seeing the Madison Marching Band, especially at half time. I also enjoyed participating in the "Jump Around" at the end of the 3rd quarter. The game was a joke, but at least they won.
   
2. Christa and I saw Shooter this weekend. Good flick! It was an under the radar movie, but we really enjoyed it.
3. I got to help out with the church service this Sunday, sing a quartet and make a salad for the potluck. It was a busy Sunday, all before noon.
4. Christa and I watched Empire Strikes Back on the HDTV with the new sound system. Wow...
   

The New XBox Live Experience

Yesterday, I downloaded the new XBox Live system for my XBox 360. It only took 20 minutes total, so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Here are my brief thoughts:

1. I sense a need to compete with the Wii. I now have an avatar that looks strangely like what is offered with the Wii.
2. The interface is much more hip and high-tech, with lots of graphics and a fancy interface. Personally, I find it much harder to navigate. But, it doesn't have the three year old feel of the original interface.
   

Huh...really, that's about it. I am curious to check out the new features over the next few days. It's probably like Facebook. We hate anything new, but later get used to it and don't find it too bad ;).

Shouldn't Air Be Free?

One of the tires on our car was pretty low on air...our hall custodian pointed this out to me. I stopped by a gas station on the way back from Waukau to get the tire filled with air. I thought air would be free, but it cost $0.50! I don't want to be that old guy, but I do remember a time when the air machines were free. How much money do they expect to make?

Badger Game

I am pumped! My friend Jason Renard invited me to see the Badgers play the Cal Poly Mustangs this Saturday at 2:30 PM. I have yet to see a Badger game and I have never been in Camp Randall.

Back To It

Today was one of those days where I didn't have much of a chance to breath. After a full day of work in the Webster RHD Office, I ran off to three hours of CA/PA interviews. Now I am sitting in my office helping out with the pizza sale. OK...I am pretty much sitting in my office chair, playing Scrabble, but I'm here.

As the day went along, I had very random requests come up that kept me away from some of my more major tasks this week. I am presenting the book Fish Out of Water for the RHDs on Tuesday and I am starting to coordinate the application and selection process for a Residence Life scholarship.

I am definitely looking forward to Thanksgiving Break...it has been a crazy fall semester!

Weekend Highlights

Sorry for not reporting much for the last few days. It was a busy week for me at work. I had a nice relaxing weekend and can report on a few highlights from the weekend that was:

1. The AD&D group I head up actually played yesterday. It was necessarily the most action packed in the combat area, but the group can to a decision on where they were headed next. It also helps me to prepare for what is in store for them in December and 2nd semester.
2. Nick stuck around and I got to preview some games that may be worth a look at: Fallout 3 and Assassin's Creed (which he let me borrow). We also got to play some Rock Band 2 with Christa.
3. Christa and I got to watch a whole Packer game together. We haven't been able to do that in quite some time.
   

Fable 2 & Video Games

I have not had a lot to talk about over the last few days. Now that things have seemingly died down a little bit in my life, I felt as though I could start playing some video games. I finally cracked open Fable 2 and have played it for around 1-2 hours for last couple nights. The game is quite good! I haven't advanced too far into the story, but I really appreciate the open-ended of the game. The combat system is simple and reminds me of a Kung Fu movie; one person attacks while the others wait around. I will keep you posted as I continue playing.

Christa and I have had the chance to play Rock Band and it's been great. But, it has been nice to get back into playing other games on the 360. Making some time to play has rounded out my day and decreased my stress level, especially when I play late at night before I go to bed. I do make sure only to play games after I've gotten all other work done (It's like being a kid!).

My good friend Nick is right, there are too many good games out right now:

• Call of Duty: World at War
• Gears of War 2
• Lost Odyssey
• Guiter Hero World Tour
  

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving and Winter Break.

Time of the Season

The temperature is getting colder. Rain becomes sleet; sleet becomes the "wintry mix"; the mix becomes snow. Snow accumulates. Accumulated snow can only mean one time:

Jim begins growing his winter beard! (This is the point when my Mom cringes.)

In what has become a tradition since I have been an RHD were in Oshkosh, I will start growing a beard beginning with the first measurable snowfall of the year and ending on Good Friday. The weather this week is looking good for some snow. We'll see what happens.

Weekend Highlights

Highlights from the Weekend:

1. Christa's presentation at MSOE went very well. She was forced to go over time because she answered so many questions!
2. Hamilton won their football game. Robby will get to play more football. They are one win away from the Division II Championship! Hamilton will be playing Verona next weekend. I am hoping to be able to get to go to that game. I will need to find someone willing to hold the duty phone...
   
3. The Shully's reunion was a lot of fun, but it was at the end of a long day. I had the chance to meet some of the cooks that I worked for in various parties in 98 and 99. Almost everyone remembers me for making all of those Parmesan cheese cups. I did make 1,500. That's hard to forget.
4. The church service I was supposed to do today was already being covered by someone who assumed he had the service, but never contacted the pastor to verify. So, two people were ready. He already had an organist on the way and was set-up, so it was fine with me. Christa and I got some grocery shopping in.
5. Packers...not a highlight. Just poor play. They were lucky to even be in that game. *sigh*
   

Another Weekend on the Road

This Saturday Christa and I will be making our way down to the Milwaukee area. In the morning, Christa will be making a presentation at a Science Olympiad Conference in which she will be explaining the rules for the robotics competition. She has about an hour to present and she will be presenting at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

After that, we will be making our way to Mequon, WI. We will going with my parents to a 25 Year Reunion of Shully's Catering. Back in middle school and high school, I worked for Shully's serving food and doing clean-up. When I was in college I came back and worked a couple summers in the kitchen. I have great memories of that job and met some great people. Scott and Beth Shully are wonderful people and were wonderful to work for. They are also our next door neighbors in Mequon.

On Sunday, I'll be running the soundboard for our church service. After that, Webster will be hosting the 3rd Annual Webster Taco Fiesta (WTF) in the basement starting at 11:30 AM. We will have tacos and hopefully watch the Packers beat the Vikings. That afternoon, I will be leading the vesper service at the Evergreen Retirement Community.

In between all of that craziness, I am hoping to have the chance to play some Fable 2. It is look amazing.

Who's in Charge?

If I have learned anything over the last few days, I have learned that I am not in charge. I have learned this lesson continually throughout my life, but only until the last few months have I been learning to let go and let God. I have become better about realizing who is in charge.

I have found that there is no point is sweating things that I can't control. Obama won the presidency. I may not like it. But it's the presidency. One person does not change the world...no matter what he or others think. He may make it a little better or worse, but the world will keep going. I have uncertainties in our financial planning, but they all work out. I get stressed, do some research, and realize we are fine.

In 1 Chronicles 28:20 it is written, "Then David said to Solomon his son, 'Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.'"

I continually have to remind myself of who is in charge and where the glory goes. This is not an excuse to sit back and enjoy the ride. It's knowing that while we're on the ride, let's not loose sight of what's most important in our lives. God.

Election Reflection

I will go on record saying that I am disappointed with the results of the election. I voted for McCain and was hoping for a McCain victory. Oh well.

Barack Obama's election as president is a historic event. It is a huge step forward for America to have elected a person of color to the White House. It is exciting! What is not exciting, however, are his promises and platform.

While I respect Obama as a person, I think he is completely backwards politically. I think he has made promises he will soon discover that he cannot deliver. I think his liberal thoughts will creep up and really surprise people...although, I wouldn't necessarily consider him socialist. But he has said some things that come close. He's going to change the world? Umm...OK. But, he may have the ability to cause a lit of change with Democratic majorities...scary.

Some say we were able to survive eight years of Clinton. Others say we were able to (soon) survive eight years of Bush. I say we can survive four years of Obama. Only time will tell what he will be able to accomplish, good or bad.

32

Today I turn 32. Technically, I turn 32 at 6:35 PM today. Since turning 30, there really isn't any big milestone to "look forward to" until you turn 40.

It's been a good day today:

1. I voted at 8:00 AM. I was glad to take care of that. Now we sit back and wait and see who wins. At least the advertising will stop after today.
2. I will dining at Kodiak Jack's with Christa tonight. They offer $20 off your bill if you dine there on your birthday. That's pretty sweet!
3. Otherwise, it will be a day to relax and enjoy.
   

* sigh * Friday...

This has been a crazy week. Many crisis situations and have come up and I have more than my fair share of conduct meetings this week. You through in some Preview Days work and I am ready to call it a weekend. I'm on duty this weekend, which will actually be good! It might force to relax and stop doing everything on the planet ;).

Some stuff on the to-do list:

1. Play AD&D tomorrow. Yay!
2. Watch the Packers in my apartment...on Fox! Glad that's all resolved.
3. Sleep in on Saturday. Well, sleep in for me. That's probably until about 9. ;)
4. Play some video games! I'd like to try out Forced Unleashed.

OK kids. Be good this weekend. Let me have a quiet weekend.

To Missouri and Back

I arrived back in Oshkosh on Sunday afternoon after driving to and from Kirksville, MO with an RA Conference in the middle. It made for a long weekend, but an enjoyable one as well.

The UW Oshkosh delegation did quite well. They presented two programs and one of them won a top five program award. Two pairs of UWO students participated in the case study competition and one group won. They represented their school well.

I presented two programs and "advised" the delegation, but they really didn't need an advisor. I also logged over 1,000 driving a 15-passenger. Needless to say, I aam relaxing tonight because I want to squeeze in a little weekend ;).

Heartland Conference

This weekend I will be in Kirksville, MO for the Heartland Conference. We're leaving at 7:00 AM on Friday morning and won't be back until Sunday last afternoon/evening. Not since the days of my WURHA advising have I had the chance to go to a student conference. It will be cool to be back in that environment.

I will be delegation advisor for nine CAs & PAs on our campus who are going. We are presenting four programs as a delegation. I'd hesitate to call this a vacation, but it will be nice to get away for a little while.

Interesting side note: We are taking a vehicle from Enterprise down. The vehicle is not allowed to enter the state of Iowa. Bizarre.

Covenant Discipleship

I am currently reading the book Covenant Discipleship, and I am curious if anyone else has read the book or started a covenant discipleship group.

I have the concept of this book intriguing. It dates back to the times of John Wesley, when small groups of Christians met together to talk about their discipleship. They would hold each other accountable and would "watch over one another in love". The groups met weekly and were met as a supplement to regular church attendance.

In its current format as explained in the book, groups would put together and sign a covenant agreement. Each week, each person in the group would talk about each point in the covenant agreement (there are usually around 10 points in the agreement).

I find the accountability component of this very intriguing. I think it could vastly help one to grow in grace and be a better disciple. Thoughts?

Monday Shake-Up

Monday was going rather well...I had a great running session in the morning. I was sore afterward, but felt like my interval training put me in a position where I had nothing left to give. With a shortened meeting, I managed to get more of my task list done and even had time to take Christa our to eat at China King. Suh-weet!

Oh but the E-mails piled in. Issues I thought were resolved reappeared. Work I did not anticipate came out of nowhere. What was once a great day now took a nasty turn for the worse. I realize that it is part of the job. In fact, it's the party of many problems. Even more, our lives are built around problems...and solving them.

I say this not for sympathy; I say this because it's my blog and I can say what I want! ;) This is one of those days where you don't really get all that much validation that your doing your job well, or at least doing your job. You get so caught up in stuff, a lot of negative stuff, that it feels as though you aren't doing what you need to do.

Oh well, I suppose that is what comes with Monday. Back to work!

Sunday Wrap-Up

A few reflections of the weekend:

• The apartment looks and smells clean. It is nice to be able to walk around without obstructions. As busy as we both were, the apartment was getting pretty bad.
• The Homecoming parade seemed to lack life this year...there also seemed to be a lot less entries. I also saw that UW Whitewater beat us 44-3. I am surprised we picked last year;s national champs as our Homecoming game.
• Kickball today was a blast! I am glad that I had the opportunity to participate. I only hope that we will continue to get together and do that when the weather allows.
• The Packers won...and in convincing fashion. The offense (especially Grant and the running game) looked solid. Defensive coverage was really good. The team overall looked strong. It's a great way to go into the bye week. They have a game against the undefeated Titans when they come back from two weeks off.

Another Busy Weekend

Similar to last weekend, Christa and I will be out and about this weekend as well.

Friday - Christa and I are attending a reception for a new scholarship being step up for CAs and PAs on campus. It is being named after Kelly Warnecke who was a staff member for Residence Life when I was just beginning my leadership journey at UWO. It will be nice to reminisce with some folks from that era. I also imagine it will be an emotional event.

Saturday - Christa and I will be attending another wedding, this one again in the Milwaukee area. We will again need to drive back that night from the reception which will be another late night. At least time I will not be sick.

Sunday - I will taking part in a charity kickball event. Then, I will hopefully watch a Packer victory...in Reeve Underground.

There should be time to relax. I am looking forward to a break from what has been a pretty crazy two weeks of work.

What's Goin' On?

I have really appreciated being able to participate regularly in the Disciple class at Waukau UMC. The discussions are great and I like the idea of taking some time in my day to talk about my own Christian discipleship and how it fits into my life and the lives of others.

In our discussion yesterday, we talked about the time of prophets. We talked about how the Jewish people slowly, over time, began to deviate from the teachings and law of God. Despite the warnings of the prophets, things got worse and eventually the people were put into exile for a number of years.

I can't help but wonder if we are on the same track as Christians today. I look at our current financial crisis and wonder if God is trying to tell us that we put too much emphasis on money and financial issues. I wonder if our recent string of natural disasters stems as a wake up call that we have lost our way.

It doesn't take very long to realize we have lost our way. Our faith is being pushed aside by jobs, hobbies and other pursuits that have us racing so much from obligation to obligation, we can forget about God. Our society puts wealth, fame and status on a pedestal. Our country was founded on rugged individualism. We have lost our ability to look out for one another and realize who's really in charge.

It is frustrating, but it reinforces my call to ministry and most importantly, my call to discipleship.

Other News:

1. Thank you to Abby Sylvia for letting me know I am on the main website for Oshkosh & Appleton Big Brother Big Sisters! Nope...not smiling in that one. Maybe there's a smirk there.
2. Christa has her 2nd to last jazz concert tonight!
   

Get it Right!

November 4th is an exciting day. Not only will I turn 32, but it is Election Day and the constant barrage of political advertisement and signs will be over with. Tonight is the final presidential debate, and I really don't care. The debates have been boring and have not really been all the educational. How can there be a winner? No risks were taken. Nothing new was said.

I only wish people could understand that the problems we have now domestically and abroad are not the results of one man or one entity. Bush did not cause these problems. Clinton did not cause these problems. Congress did not cause these problems. Trust me...it was a massive group efforts. To hear McCain and Obama advertisements that put the blame on one person is just asinine.

Please spread the blame around because it deserves to be. Our system of checks and balances must not be working because the president does not get to singlehandedly turn the nation to the crapper. There is a Congress that passes laws. It is true of Bush and true of Clinton. They did not act alone. It will take the people to rise up and vote out corrupt and out of touch politicians, Democrat and Republican. Then thing might get better.

S0, get over your petty squabbles and acknowledge the larger issue. Government is corrupt and it needs a full-scale leadership change all-around. A new president isn't going to change all that much, sadly.

NHL?

The Brewers run is over. The Bucks don't look like they're gonna be all that good. The Packers are at 0.500, but I'm not sure if they are going to make a significant push this year. They barely got past a Seahawks team without their starting quarterback.

I was paging through a copy of Sporting News and saw a preview about the NHL. Hockey? An intriguing option. I've never followed hockey, even the Stanley Cup playoffs. The closest teams to cheer for would be in Chicago or Minnesota.

Is it worth it? Anyone want to chime in? What do you all think about the NHL?

Weekend on the Road

It would figure that the weekend that I need to do the most traveling this semester is the one that I am also sick. I'm not sure what happened, but I have the symptoms of a cold and they don't seem to be going away. Bleh.

On Saturday Christa and I will be traveling to Cedarburg for a wedding. We will leave at noon and won't get until late at night. On Sunday I will be traveling to Sturgeon Bay for a leadership retreat. I have to ready to travel at 7:15 AM and won't go back until 6 PM.

Somewhere in there I hope to enjoy some of the weekend...I realize the events will be fun, but some time to myself (and time to hang out with Christa) would be appreciated.

One Year!

This week signifies that I have been matched up with my little brother Isaac for one year. This is my second match through Big Brother Big Sisters and I have appreciated the time that he and I get to hang out.

Lately, we have gotten into a rut of playing Rock Band and playing pool which still remains fun. Next week, we will be watching Iron Man. I am pretty excited about that! Once the renovation are done at the YMCA we can get back to playing basketball. He'd probably like that...he kicks my butt regularly :). His basketball season will also be beginning soon. Go South Park!

I feel as though we have really started making a connection in the last few months and have started to talk about things other than sports and video games.

I appreciate that he and I share many of the same interests and I look forward to being able to hang out with him until June of 2009. We'll see if geography makes hanging out no longer possible.

Gaming Update

Our 1st Edition gaming group has been able to meet for three sessions this fall and also met over the summer. Sadly, I have been busy with other tasks and have not kept the blog updated. You may have noticed that I have submitted a lot of posts yesterday. I have caught up on what has happened over all the sessions and am trying to get caught up on other paperwork I have let go because of my work on ministry documents and because of hall opening tasks.

Feel free to check them out, or don't if it's not your thing.

Other News:

• I had the chance to meet with my candidacy mentor this week! It was nice to touch base...it had been 4-5 months.
• I am finally getting back into the Disciple bible class that I have started in last spring. With the craziness of opening behind me, things are getting back to normal...or close to normal ;).

Cool Brewers Off-Season Overview

As I have explained before, I follow the Brewers, but do not consider myself an expert. My friend Jason Bock was written a great blog entry about the future of the Brewer's players...from his perspective.

I think they could put a great team together...it would be sweet if they kept Sabathia. We'll see.

Need a Little Humor?

I should preface this by saying some of the things you see on this website are not completely appropriate, but many are quite funny. You can click a link to only show G rated material.

Anyway, failblog.org is a site that shows pictures and movies of unintentional (and sometimes intentional) things that happen which can be perceived as funny or sometimes tragically funny. Usually the caption makes it clear what kind of "fail" it is.

Enjoy!

Fitting...

The rain has begun to fall in the Fox Valley area...fitting for what can only be described as a sad day in Wisconsin sports.

The Badgers fall to Ohio State. The Packers fall to the Falcons. The Brewers lost their series to the Phillies, but did catch a home win and made the playoffs! :)

Some positive notes from the weekend:

1. Christa and I are 30,oooth or so in the world on Rock Band for the band The Hatin' Forkful.
2. We purchased and watched Iron Man on DVD. I knew there was a reason we bought an HD television.
3. I will be doing shopping this evening to by some new jeans and pants. They are sorely needed. We have a 30% coupon from Kohls!

Not a Good Start

The Brewers are 0-2 going into their game at Miller Park tomorrow. I would feel better about game 3 if Sabathia had pitched a strong game. I'm not sure what we have to throw at the Phillies that will extend the series. I am envious of those of you that have tickets for the game tomorrow. Go Crew!

I see that Bucks single game tickets go on sale tomorrow. With the move to pick up Jason Richardson, I thought the Bucks might be going places. Then I read this article. Now I am not quite as excited. In fact, I am bracing myself for another season of defense-less Bucks basketball. *sigh*

Apathy...

http://winneblogo.blogspot.com/2008/10/angry-republican-student-letter-in.html

In his post, the author talks about a Republican affiliated student who thinks there is a bias on campus. While I would be the first to admit that a college campus is going to generally be a liberal environment, I don't feel any bias on campus. If there is, join a group that can help balance it.

As for the feeling of apathy on campus, I can only wonder if students are disillusioned by the current status of the government. Our foreign and domestic concerns go fare beyond one president, Congress or one specific leader. It is definitely a group effort. I think many people, including many students, are just tired of the system and how it seems to screw them over.

I'm not sure if any candidate for president thrills me all that much. Obama and his ideas really scare me, so I will vote for McCain. But, he's no picnic either.

Getting involved in change is a start. In the end, though, I do agree with my dad. Term limits...for everyone. No more career politicians. That is probably our biggest problem in government. Let's start over. I think the system is great. It's the stinkin' people that are corrupting it.

Exercise: The Next Step

For my five to 10 consistent readers, you know that I have been running in the mornings for most of 2008. While I appreciate the improvements I have seen in my physical fitness with running, I wanted to work out muscle groups not used in running as well as try different cardiovascular opportunities. With my membership to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, I have access to the group exercises classes. With this in mind I have the following routine set-up.

Monday: morning - interval training run; evening - Core Adrenaline exercise class
Tuesday: morning - recovery run; afternoon - Sports Conditioning exercise class
Wednesday: morning - long distance run
Thursday: morning - recovery run; evening - Definitions exercise class
Friday: morning - short tempo run
Saturday: lift weights

I have tried this for a few weeks now, and here are a few observations I have made so far:

1. Christa as joined me for the weightlifting work on Saturdays and that has been fun. There's a big difference between lifting with someone and lifting by yourself.
2. I am a lot more sore now. It's not the unhealthy sore...it's the sore that comes with a good workout.
3. Running does improve my cardiovascular endurance, but other forms of cardio still wipe me out really well. I look forward to being in even better shape.
4. While I have not necessarily lost as much weight recently, I do feel slimmer and healthier.
5. Exercising, while tiring, does overall give me more energy!
   

A New Frontier

The Brewers will be playing their first playoff game in 26 years...they will be playing the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs. The folks at ESPN aren't giving the Brewers much of a chance. Everyone seems to think the Brewers will lose the series. Some think CC might game one game for Brewers, but otherwise it will be quick.

It's probably the correct assumption. The Phillies have more talent all around and have much more security when it comes to pitching.

The Brewers felt a lot of pressure this season. Last year, the Brewers surprised people. This year there was an expectation that they make the playoffs. They took the next step this year. The pressure is off. Let's hop they can actually relax and not tense up in the playoffs. Players are swinging for the fences...they must be patient.

If the Brewers can play relaxed and have fun...who knows they may just surprise a few people.

Turning Point

On Sunday, I was given the opportunity to lead the vesper service at the Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh, WI. The pastor who regularly leads this service told me that it should be no longer than 30 minutes and let me know the items that I needed to include in the service. This was the first time I took an opportunity to lead a service that I put together myself.

The process of generating a sermon, the proper prayers, hymns, etc. wasn't all that bad. What concerned me as the retirement community/nursing home environment. I wasn't sure how I'd react or how I'd be received.

Everyone there was so nice and accommodating while Christa and I were there. I was most touched by a comment that a lady made as she was leaving. She said to someone next to her, "It was so nice to be able to go to church today."

She said that about something that I led. I wonder sometimes how people feel about the services that I preside over. She didn't say, "Well that wasn't very good." She acknowledged my service as a church service, just like any other she might attend. That felt really good! I am really appreciating the opportunities I have to help with churches in the community.

It has me increasingly excited for July 2009 when I will hopefully be starting my own church appointment.

Other News:

1. I will talk more about the Brewers playoffs prospects tomorrow. Needless to say, they are in after a 26 year drought. My parents had tickets for the game and were there on Sunday!
2. It felt to get out this morning and do some interval training on the track at Oshkosh North.
   

Playoff Baseball

I have said before that I don't follow the Brewers all that much, but I have kept tabs on the team and recently have been checking the score and catching games when I can. Lat night, Christa checked in on the game while playing Rock Band 2.

It is scary how close the Brewers are to actually making it into the playoffs. With a win this afternoon and a Mets loss, they are in. They are one game up on the Mets in the wild card race.

If they do make the playoffs, they wouldn't play the Cubs in the first round (thanks, Jason). So, it could be interesting. I won't get ahead of myself. But it would be nice to see a Milwaukee team in the playoffs again in my lifetime. The Bucks get to the Eastern finals in 2000. I am wondering when something like that will happen again.

You Can't Win

To concentrate on the problems with the economy, McCain has suspended campaign ads, campaign fundraisers and has asked to postpone the first presidential debate. He wants to concentrate on working with Congress and the government on figuring out what we can do to improve things...it's looking pretty bad.

I honestly can't tell you whether this is a genuine move on his part...or, if this is a way to pander to voters showing he is a "maverick" and will put the country first in comparison to Obama. What I do know is that people jumped on this one way or the other and totally take it too the extremes: McCain is a hero! McCain is going to lose, he's getting desperate.

I want to think he's genuinely worried about the economy. He should be. As one analyst pointed out on the CM POTUS Station, this situation is way more important than an election.

I suppose we'll find out the merits of his move. Will it help the economy? Will it help his election?

I Think I'll Come Back

My first journey into the world of Group Exercise at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center was not all bad. Sports Conditioning lasted about an hour and had me doing a bunch of drills working areas that would not otherwise be worked while running. By the end, I was exhausted!

My instructor was surprised to see a guy at the session. There were only two of us there; the other person there was another RHD :). Maybe we can motivate more people to go.

There are two other classes I will be going to over the next few days. Hopefully, they will be a good complement to my running routine. If anything, for every 10 sessions you go to you get a free smoothie!!

Other News:
http://www.wptz.com/news/17539127/detail.html - This has to be the most disgusting thing I have read in awhile. Do they think people will actually take them seriously? Or, do they do this for the sake of being bizarre and different?

Small Victory

Thanks to a strong performance from Phillip Rivers, I managed to eek out a victory in fantasy football this week. Even at 1-2 I am now again in the cellar of the league. Four of my players are on a bye this week, so it might get even uglier. At least I have gotten any thoughts of an winless season out of the way.

Other News:

1. The Brewers start up against the Pirates tonight. This is a team that they could easily sweep. If the Mets continue to struggle against the Cubs, they might be back into it. I should be more excited about the Brewers still being in the hunt for the playoffs. What curbs my enthusiasm is the fact that even if they do make the playoffs, they will play the Cubs right away in the first round. Ouch!
2. I am trying out the Group Fitness classes at the SRWC Center this afternoon. We'll see how that goes.
   

What I'm Looking Forward to This Week:

Here is a list of things I am looking forward to this week:

1. Getting preparations ready for gaming on the 4th of October. Maybe I'll finally get a post on the blog. People are curious.
2. Seeing what the Brewers can get done this week. The playoffs are still possible. Can they do it?
3. Seeing how the Packers do against the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Battle of the Bays is back! :)
4. I do my first church service at the Evergreen Retirement Community. Their vesper service is at 4:30 PM on Sunday.
5. On Thursday we are having a Staff Development which will consist of us gathering together and enjoying pizza. How fun is that!?
6. After a break today, I will get back to running. I am hopeful to keep these workouts out for the rest of 2008 and see how my fitness and weight change. I am sprinkling in a few exercise classes at the Rec. Center as well.
   

The Fox Cities Half Marathon

At 8:00 AM this morning, the gun went off for the Fox Cities Half Marathon. This is the first time I have run this course, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The first four to five miles felt good, but I thought I was going a little fast. My goal was to try and run the race in one hour and 45 minutes.

As I got to the eight mile mark, I started to feel labored and my pace fell off a little bit. By mile ten, I found a nice gentlemen who let me know my time and I realized I was pretty close to the time that I was looking for.

When I got to the last mile, I just didn't have much left in the tank. I tried to do a kick, but I only had the energy to keep my current pace going. Based on the website, it appears that my time was 1:49:50. That was the time from the gun, but I know that I didn't get past the starting line until well over a minute after the gun went off. I am curious to see if they post a different time based on the chips. We'll see.

Regardless, it is a PR for me and that is good! :) The Oshkosh Half Marathon is in April and the Green Bay Marathon is in May. I am hoping to do both events!

Pirates in Our Pants

Not sure what that's about?

That's the name of the band that Christa and I play in for Rock Band. We kind of like Rock Band...a lot...and through the "World Tour" mode, Pirates in Our Pants has gained over 38 million fans. On XBox Live, that puts us around 3,600th on the overall rankings. I'm not completely sure what that means. One thing I can tell you for sure is that we play a whole lot of Rock Band :).

Christa and I are excited to pick up Rock Band 2. We're not sure when we are going to make that purchase, but we look forward to trying out that World Tour Mode as well. :)

My Fantasy Nightmare

I have participated off and on in fantasy football leagues, all of which are based on internet drafts. For the second year, I have participated in a league where we have a live draft. Last year, I finished in second place during the regular season and did decent in the playoffs. Things were looking up for the second year. We were able to keep three players from our team. I kept Tom Brady, Reggie Wayne and Willis McGahee.

Needless to say, the season has not gone well do far:

1. Tom Brady hurt his knee and is out for the season. Brady accounted for the majority of the wins I got last year. He had 50 TD passes.
2. DeSean Jackson decided to showboat early and ended fumbling the ball on the 2-yard before he actually scored a TD.
3. Willis McGahee has not played in the first two games.

I am 0-2 and I don't see things getting all that much better.

The Fox Cities Half Marathon

This Sunday I will be running in the Fox Cities Half Marathon. I have been training for months to get ready for this race. I will admit that Residence Life training and opening has made a few weeks more difficult, but I feel good about the race.

I have finished the Oshkosh Half Marathon twice so I know what I am up against. The weather should be at around 70 degrees, which shouldn't be too bad. It's the rain that I'm worried about. The race starts at 8:00 AM. If you're up that early, pray for me :).

A New Venue

This morning, I led the worship service at Waukau United Methodist Church. It was the first time I led worship there. It went very well! The group was very welcoming and Christa and I enjoyed our time there. A few quick thoughts:

1. I got to do a children's message on the fly. That was interesting. We talked about pizza toppings, it worked.
2. Although I developed a manuscript for the sermon, I often deviated from the script and it went very well. I need to learn to use an outline more.
3. I inspired a few people to learn more about John Wesley. Dr. Colyer would be so proud! :)
   

A Strange Experience

I killed my first Player Character (PC) today. No...don't freak out. This happened in our AD&D game. I am not guilty of any crimes, but it does feel weird. In our adventure, the party has been battling their way through a very difficult dungeon cairn in search of a very valuable item. This item is very secure and not meant to be found. I warned the folks in advance that character could possibly die in the process.

Saying it is one thing, but when five characters don't survive and only took make it, it breaks up the dynamic of the day's adventure:

1. How do you continue? You can't. So, we ended two hours early. We filled the time with other games, but it seemed awkward.
2. Those whose characters died wonder what will happen. Can they be brought back to life? Are they dead forever? Regardless, they wait weeks to find out.
3. How do things start again? How do you bring this group back together with any confidence?

In any video game RPG, this happens all the time. But, with the save function you can always start at the last save point. And, it's usually just you. This is a whole group.

I suppose in the end, it's not a big deal, but it was a new experience for me. It will be interesting to see how everything unfolds.

Tropic Thunder

So, I realize my Facebook status said that I had a lot of work to get done on Thursday night. I do have a sermon to finish for the church service I am presiding over at Waukau UMC. I am also doing another AD&D adventure this Saturday. I got some of that work done. But, I had an idea.
Christa and I have been trying to find a time to see Tropic Thunder. See decided tonight would be a good time to do it. The work will get done...eventually.

Popcorn and soda cost $13.00. $13.00!!! Yeesh...I like Regal Cinemas, but that is a little out of control when that almost equals the cost of the movie we are going to see. I did throughly enjoy the movie. Outside of the actors in the previews, there are some great roles played by mainline actors that were also priceless. Some of the humor is crude and minorly offensive, but still somehow funny.

If you have yet to see it, do so.

Go Crew!

I must admit, now the NFL has begun I have not maintained as clear a fix to the Milwaukee Brewers. When last I checked, they are 4.5 games behind Chicago in the Central Division in the National League. It is a shame the Brewers have been playing crappy when the Cubs have been playing crappy. This would have been a great time to make a run.

The Brewers are playing a four game series against Philadelphia, a team only four games behind them in the wild card race. Now would be the time to put them away. Be careful for Houston, who has won five games in a row and is also only four games out of the wild card race.

There are only 16 games left and the Brewers, if they keep winning, can make it to the post season. Twenty five years since they made the playoffs. I will be seeing the Brewers play the last week of the season. Let's hope the game is meaningful!

Perspective

At yesterday's A/RHD staff meeting, we had a lengthy discussion about calendaring systems. As RHDs and ARHDs, we are being asked to utilize iCal through Apple for calendaring purposes. It will be a new venture and a little weird to get used to and may cause some frustration, but I think it is something I can manage.

We spent quite a bit of time talking about it, and it helped me to realize something:

1. No matter our quibbles with technology upgrades and technology change, we are truly blessed in our computer access and computer upkeep. It is amazing at how current we are with trends. It also can cause some headaches.
2. It's gonna be a tough transition when I move into a church environment and no longer have the computer technology that I do now. I will probably be lucky to have a computer with access to the internet. I doubt I will need to worry about what scheduling program I use. Heck, there were colleagues at licensing school that talked about congregations where no one has an E-mail account. Yikes!
   

Safe Until Sunday

Well, the Packers managed to win the game last night. Although not a resounding victory, it was a victory none the less. The Packers have a few things to work on:

1. Way too many penalties...the first few drives were killed by penalties. A penalty also called back a touchdown.
2. Getting beaten in coverage a few times. There was a sure touchdown that a Viking wide receiver dropped that could have been a touchdown. I appreciate the desire for man to man coverage, but it leads to pass interferences penalties and getting beaten on coverage.
   
3. Offense was a little slow. Rodgers managed the game and didn't make mistakes, but they also did not generate a whole lotta yards. Like the Superbowl, they needed a big special teams play to put it away.

On the plus side:

1. Rodgers looked poised and calm in a high-stress game.
2. The defense was solid overall, but was on the field way too much due to a lack of offensive production.
3. The wide receivers did well and look to be in rhythm with Rodgers.
4. Favre who? Just kidding...

We can enjoy the victory until Sunday. Let's hope the Packers don't have too much trouble with the Lions.

Tonight's Game

I am curious to see how the Packers do in tonight's game against the Vikings. If the pre-season is any indication, they may be off to a slow start. I think the defense is pretty solid, the running game should be OK. A lot of the Packer's future rests in the hands of a QB who has not started a single game in his career. He is backed up by two rookies. Wow...

If Rodgers can have a halfway decent game (and season), the Packers could do great things. If he struggles, the team struggles. The defense can only do so much. It's so hard to predict the game, but I just don't see the Packers coming out on top in this one. But, I hope they do!

In fantasy football news, Tom Brady was my team savior last year and is likely out for the season this year with a knee injury. This could spell major trouble for my team this year. Two of my keepers from last year did not play! Argh.

Now, A Day to Catch Up

Yesterday was a fun day, today was a day of chores. Don't get me wrong, I will be watching the various football games today. I already saw Favre play quite well in his Jets debut. I also saw the Brewers get destroyed by the Padres.

Today has been an opportunity:

1. Do the laundry
2. Clean the apartment...which was never cleaned in the month of August. It was a mess!
3. Catch up on some stuff related to gaming.
4. Catch up on spiritual discipline stuff.
5. Pay bills and other paperwork items.

It's not all done yet, but hopefully it will be. It will make it much more pleasant to start the week.

A Day of Leisure

I was able to do something today that I have not been able do to in a long time. I had a complete day of leisure. With training and licensing school, that has been about impossible.

I woke up when I felt like it (still at 9:00 AM) and watched TV and slowly got things ready for gaming. I DMed a AD&D adventure until 5:00 PM, went out for BBQ at Pearson's Pig and Poultry in Oshkosh and then played Last Night on Earth until a little while ago.

After church tomorrow morning, I will have the chance to watch football all day, while cleaning the apartment and working on small tasks throughout the day. It will be nice to come into the week with the batteries recharged.

One of the things I am trying to be conscious of this year is having enough time for myself. I want to be able to exercise, pray and practice my spiritual disciplines. It means sacrificing things that were important to myself and others. The hardest thing to give up was choir. The choir could probably use me and it's not a big commitment...but choir was frustrating and energy draining. I have decided not to be in church choir. I will probably get flack for it, but oh well.

I have also cut down on committee and other outside involvement with my job. As I transition into a new career, I don't feel the same drive to excel in the field of student affairs. I still care about my job, but it is not the focus of my life.

Hopefully this becomes a theme, more centered in life with less stress.

Fasting

While I was at Licensing Schoo in Dubuque, I heard a few of the folks talk about how they incorporated fasting into their spiritual disciplines. They would fast until 3:00 PM. I thought that seemed reasonable to try some time.

Today was the second time I tried it. I first designated Thursday, but that's my long day for running. It's hard to run nine miles and then not eat until 3:00 PM. Fridays fit better into my overall schedule :).

It's about 1:15 right now...I should be able to make it until 3:00. It's amazing how much you think about eating or snacking during a day. I fended off many opportunities for chocolate...

The Weekend...Yay!

I can't tell you how excited I am that the NFL season kicks off tonight. In fact, as I write this the Giants are beating the Redskins 13-0. Usually games not involving the Packers didn't matter all that much to me. Thanks to Fantasy Football, many games become important. I have the Giants defense...so far, so good!

On Sunday, there will be three games to watch on TV and two games on Monday, one of which is the Packer game. Here's to hoping that the Packers can beat the Vikings. Should they lose, I can always try for a fantasy football victory.

In addition to lots of football, the AD&D group gathers again to continue adventuring. I am excited for this as well. It should be a great weekend!

Reunion with the SRWC

My membership to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center on the UW Oshkosh campus started up again today. It felt good to get in there and lift some weights.

It should work out well together with the running.

Tweener Day

The Tuesday after move-in is always an interesting day at UW Oshkosh. Classes don't start until tomorrow, so people have way too much time on their hands. There are packs of students wandering all over campus, figuring out where their classes are, checking out Taste of Oshkosh, or doing who knows what else.

For me, it provides an opportunity to catch-up on tasks that I did not get to during move-in. I think I finally have the office the way I want it to be...sooner or later I need to get started with the real work of my job. :)

The Countdown Day

It is returner student move-in today. The nice thing about today is that people move in at a pretty steady pace and, more the most part, they know how they process works. Unfortunately, they also skip steps and make things difficult. We may have a few disgruntled people that won't be able to get into their bathroom tonight!

Hopefully by around 4:00 PM today we should have almost all of our folks moved in. It can be loud at times, but it will be nice to have the building at full capacity again.

I hope everyone out there is enjoying a relaxing Labor Day Weekend. I do appreciate the irony that we move in about 1,500 students into the halls on a day that traditional celebrates relaxing from the labors of life :).

Freshmen Move-In

Today we move in about 25 freshmen! Indeed, we are definitely a returner building. Our work is cut out for us tomorrow, as we will check in about 120 people.

One move-in day to go :).

Other News:

1. Brewers sweep the Pirates!
2. Fantasy Football draft is tomorrow night. I should probably figure that out.

Move-In Day #1

Today is Early Move-In Day here at UW Oshkosh. We have greeters, Odyssey leaders and desk workers moving. They get to avoid the rush of move-in days so that they can help us move in all of the residents of Webster Hall.

So far, everything has gone pretty well...no major issues with the move-in process. This means Jim gets to spend a lot of time in his office getting things done. :)

Other News:

• The Badgers won today...against Akron. Seriously...they always have such a cream puff non-conference schedule. But, their Big Ten schedule is rough. They can probably use all the victories they can get!
• The Brewers won! They are 22 games over .500. That is crazy. ESPN.com lists them as having an 89% chance of making the playoffs. Yes, these are the Brewers we are talking about.
• ESPN does not seem to have all that much faith in the Bucks. They have them set to place 12th in the East and finish under .500.
  

Last Day of Training

I have tried a few times this week to post something on the blog. Many times, I have been so busy that my mind is racing and it is difficult for me to concentrate on writing an entry. Other times, I was so tired I didn't have the energy to finish. Today...is the last official day of training. Students begin to move in tomorrow.

The hall leaders have moved in and are busily decorating the lobby for move-in. The staff have their floors ready to check in about 180 students in three days. I have done what I can to have everything ready for the residents of Webster Hall.

I have mixed emotions about the end. In some ways, I am thankful that I will not have to complete again some of the arduous components of training. But, I will miss the bonding time with staff and hall leaders and many memories.

Let's begin another year...

A Few Links

There was some definite improvement for the Packers.

The US basketball team struck gold. Definitely a "redeem team."

Biden? Really?!? McCain needs to take this opportunity to pounce. Too much ammunition. Let's start here.

Camp Onaway

The first week of my final Residence Life Staff Training is over. In all honesty, it is a mixed bag of emotions. I can safely say there are certain sessions that I will be happy that I don't have to attend. But, there are also some yearly rituals that I will miss as well. It will be tough around this time next year when I will anticipate them and they will not be there.

A week from today the residence halls will be opening up for the early move-ins that help with our two larger move in days on Sunday and Monday. One more time...

Tomorrow, my staff and I leave for Camp Onaway. It is an overnight retreat where staffs really get to bond. Camp Onaway is also a beautiful and scenic environment where one can truly relax and by at peace. I have enjoyed the many opportunities to be at camp and will not realize until I leave the island how rejuvenating it can be for me.

The Upcoming Weekend

And now a taste of what's to come for Jim this weekend:

1. Working...a lot. I suppose I deserve it for missing the first week of training. I have to finish getting things ready for the Webster CAs as well as work ahead toward opening. It's not insurmountable, but it will make for a busy Saturday and Sunday.
2. Hopefully, if we get out work done, Christa and I will be seeing the new Star Wars animated movie. It looks good, but we'll see if it turns out to be good. It couldn't be any worse than their attempts at live action movies ;).
3. While I'm working on Saturday morning, I'd like to catch some of the USA/Spain game as part of the Olympics. We'll see if the Redeem Team can keep up their winning ways.
   

Ready or Not, Here They Come

This afternoon, the Fox Valley Technical College PAs and my Webster Front Desk PA are moving into their respective buildings. This means that training has really begun. I meet with my PA at 4:00 PM and then I meet with my FVTC staff tonight and over the next two days. On Sunday, my Websters CAs move in...and it just goes from there.

I want to make it clear that for the rest of August, you may not hear from me all that much. It starts to get really crazy for me until we open the building on Labor Day. Wish me luck!

Monday Softball

Monday's game was a tough loss...24-23...in eight innings. The bats were definitely going for us. We were patient and it paid dividends in walks and hits. Unfortunately our fielding left a little to be desired. We also had an injury that left us one fielder short for an inning. I managed to draw two walks, get one hit, score a run and get an RBI. Not bad, not bad. Too bad we lost.

My dad had talked a little bit about this photograph, and after sending it to me, I am truly amazed.

This is a still photo of the play in the NFC Championship where Favre threw his final pass as a Packer...an interception.

Favre threw the pass to receiver farthest to the left...where the coverage was quite tight.

If you look at the other receivers, they have the defense beat and could easily catch a Favre pass. For a QB with so much poise and experience, it really seems like he forced this one. Just interesting...

Other News:

1. I had my first day of RHD training. It was a little overwhelming when you've been gone for the first week. But, it's all gonna get done one way or another.
2. Tonight is my first softball game in about three weeks. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
   

Transition

I have gone through the RHD Office and Webster Hall and am trying to get things cleaned out. Tomorrow, I jump back into the role of A/RHD training. I better be ready...my Webster PA and FVTC PAs move in on Wednesday!

I have gotten a few good nights rest and am beginning to feel more in the flow of things. The last few days have been quiet. I am sure things will pick up soon.

Traded

I was in class when it all went down, but it didn't take me long to find out the Brett Favre has been traded to the New York Jets. I can't say that I'm not surprised and I am definitely sad that Brett wasn't able to finish his career in Green Bay. However, I think this is best for the team.

Think about it:

1. Brett Favre retired....emotionally. The Packers acknowledged the retirement, thanked him for his service and moved on.
2. They put Rogers in the driver's seat and encouraged him to get to know his teammates. He did so and has been considered the started for four months.
3. We drafted Rogers for this eventuality and moved on.

It was Favre that decided to "un-retire." Is Favre the better quarterback? Possibly. But, the Packers are a young team and they need to develop this team with a young quarterback that can grow with them. In a few years, this team could be really good.

As for Favre, he did have a good year. But he also majorly benefited from a great running game and some great receivers. He also had a few stinkers during the season, especially in the cold. Let's not forget the interception to lose the NFC Championship game. Whow throws a pass like that?

I have great memories of Brett. I hate to see him in another uniform. But the Packers moved on and I support their move. We'll see how things turn out for the Packers and the Jets.

Tuesday Update

The University of Dubuque has some strange policies when it comes to the internet. Their software download requirements to use their internet is way too cumbersome. They also have these strange limits that they place on web usage. If the university goes over a certain amount, access to certain sites in cut off...sites like Facebook and Blogger. So, posts on here may be a little less frequent than usual. Tonight I got lucky! :)



Things are going well here in Dubuque. I am down to just two assignments left to complete. I need to write a sermon manuscript and an order of worship for a church service. For the most part, these are fun activities, but I am pretty burned out. After a full day of classes, it is hard to get motivated to keep reading and writing papers.



I have kept up my running and got a new pair of shoes while I was home. Mine are orange, not pink. They are working out great!

Weekend Respite

I realize it is a lot of traveling, but I decided to drive back to Oshkosh last night so that Christa and I could enjoy Sunday together. We may see a movie, do a little shopping or perhaps play a little Rock Band :).

Otherwise, all is well...a relaxing Sunday of rest.

Priorities

It is amazing to me how productive you can be when you don't have a television and your internet access is limited enough that you need to get it all done in 45 minutes. I can read, relax and exercise with time to spare. What will it be like in two weeks when I have all this stuff back?

Anyway, all is well in Dubuque. I am close to being done with one week. It has been wonderful! I am almost done with three classes and we have four next week.

Licensing School: Day 3

It is not too often that I can say I am excited about being overwhelmed. I have learned a great deal over the last few days and look forward to the opportunity to grow in knowledge and begin to apply it. That is all.

Licensing School: Day 2

I have classes for the second day of licensing school. It's going well...but it's a lot of knowledge to take in in one day. I have learned a lot and look forward to using it in the work that I will do as a minister in the future.

I still don't have interent access in my room. I check E-mail when I get with class and dinner. Go Sheets and go Brewers!

Other News:

1. I see Brett Favre is asking for reinstatement. I am really curious now to see how this all plays out. Let's hope they can find a trade to another team. They need to get something for him.
2. My XBox arrives tomorrow. I hope Christa has fun playing Rock Band while I am gone.
3. I am bummed that Scrabulous is not available on Facebook for the time being. I have a feeling the Scrabble folks are pushing them out.

Licensing School: Day 1

I have completed my first day of licensing school. I don't have a whole lot of time to chat about it, but I'd at least like to toss a couple thoughts out there thus far:

1. I haven't taken a quiz in a long time. One professor has daily quizzes on the reading materials. Yeesh...that was a wake up call. It's amazing what you forget when you haven't read material in awhile.
2. The housing facilities are pretty good. It is air-conditioned, but I am having trouble accessing the internet. Apparently we needed a special kind of internet cord to connect to the internet here.
3. The food is really good. That is much appreciated.
4. Overall, thus far it isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. But, there is going to be a lot of work to be done. I had visions of doing other work while I was here...I don't think that is going to happen :(.

I'll try to post once a day if I can.

I'm Finished!

I have written the final paper for License to Preach School. The books are read and the paper written. This afternoon and evening, I will finish packing so that I can head out at around 12:30 tomorrow.

I will be traveling to the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. From various folks have said, it is a gorgeous campus and a gorgeous area. I haven't talked to anyone else who has gone through the school, so I am not sure what to expect. It is both exciting and scary at the same time.

It's Fixed!

I received an E-mail early this morning letting me know that my XBox 360 has been repaired and it is on its way back via UPS. So...my guess is that I make its way back just a few days after I leave for two weeks. Funny how these things work. Regardless of the timing, it will be nice to have it back when I return from Dubuque.

Other News:

• The Brewers swept the Cardinals! They have one eight in a row and went 7-0 on a road trip. It's really unbelievable. Hopefully Brewer fever will draw folks away from all the Favre nonsense.
• I am looking forward to watching The Dark Knight tomorrow! Word is that this movie is amazing...I am curious to find out for myself.

Packer Stockholders Meeting

This morning, Christa and I attended the Packer Stockholders meeting. It went around 90 minutes. Folks starting leaving after around 50 minutes, which made sense because all the good stuff happened in the beginning. I think everyone in Lambeau Field (around 13,000) wanted to hear something about Favre.

I give Mark Murphy and Ted Thompson credit. He addressed the Favre situation right away. They said they were making tough decisions that were in the best interest of the Packer organization. Their comments were met with a mixed reactions of applause and boos. Overall, I sensed a lot of support for Ted Thompson when he gave a status report on the team. That was definitely reassuring! A few highlights:

1. As folks were gathering, they were playing highlights from 2007. They stopped the tape right before the Giants game. Probably a smart move.
2. Mark Murphy is not an engaging speaker. He is facilitating the enter meeting. Joy.
   
3. When talking about depth of QB, Thompson's immediate reaction to the crowd was, "Hey! easy." It was pretty funny. He explained we have three QBS...none of them are Brett Favre. It seems pretty obvious to me that Favre will not be a Packer.
4. As you look at the other positions, we have a really deep team. There is a lot of talent. They are still working on a contract extension for Ryan Grant. This is a little concerning.
5. Ted Thompson said that defensive backs are, "Not normal people." This is a good thing!?
   
6. Mike McCarthy came to give a brief speech about the time. He is a very funny and engaging guy. When he spoke of the team's offensive achievements in 2007, Favre's name was never mentioned. He said the anchor of the team was the defensive. Are we avoiding someone Mike?
7. Since I last went to the stockholders meeting, they added a lot of extra speeches. I could have done without the last 40 minutes or so. *yawn*

After going to this, I am pumped for the season. Let's just hope we can put the Favre crap behind us, move on to 2008 and root for the Packers.

A Mid-Week Update

I thought I would let everyone know the news at the middle of the week. As I have mentioned several times already, I leave Sunday for License to Preach School. The weekend was busier than I anticipated, but I got a lot of work done. Other this week in the evening, I am reading my last book and putting together the final drafts of my papers. I should be able to have everything done and still be able to spend some time with Christa, including seeing The Dark Knight.

The Brewers have won their first two games against the Cardinals and are only one game behind the Cubs for first place in the NL Central. Let's hope they keep this up. The last two games against the Cardinals have Sheets and Sabathia pitching. We should fair well!

My XBox 360 made its way to Mesquite, TX and is currently sitting in the customer service station waiting to be fixed. From this point, they say it will take 2-3 weeks to be fixed. No matter what, I will be sitting in Dubuque when it finally gets fixed.

I found out today that I will be representing the Oshkosh Placement Exchange along with a A/RHD to be determined. We will be traveling to North Carolina A&T to present about OPE along with job searching in the field of student affairs. I am willing looking forward to this trip!

Summer Coming to a Close

It feels as though just yesterday that the students in the Titan Advantage Program (TAP) and the Project Success program moved into Webster Hall. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, they move out. It is amazing how quick six weeks can go by. I have really appreciated the experience of the summer programs. It has been fun to get to know some of the future student at UWO and have it in an environment that is lower stress. I have also appreciated working with Dani, Adam, Nick and Chris as staff members in this process. They do amazing work and made my job much easier.

This morning, I had a nice informal chat with students who asked a lot of questions about the residence halls, involvement and the academic programs they will be involved in. It is conversations like that which remind me why I am an RHD. I forget who rejuvenating it can be to have a good conversation with a student that doesn't involve a conduct or disciplinary issue ;).

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

My apologies if you see a theme coming up over the last few days...I am beat. Over the course of the weekend, I have read four different books and have written eight different papers. I still have 2 books left to read and one paper to write. I do have next week to finish everything up and it will all get done.

The knowledge-fest over the last two weeks has filed my brain with a lot of thoughts and ideas. It has also filled my brain with so many questions! I am both excited and scared to be a pastor. There is so much I want to try, but so much I don't understand...

..either way. When I come back from school on August 8. I will have hopefully accomplished something great and will open a big door to the next step in my life.

Other News:

• The Brewers sweep the Giants! Excellent...it should be an interesting journey to the end of the season. My only coverage of the game can through periodically checking the on-line Gamecast on ESPN.com.
• Whenever my 360 gets back and when I get done with License to Preach school, I have a "new" game waiting for me. I found a copy of Elder Scrolls III: Morrowwind at the mall. I have heard good things and look forward to playing it :).

Papers, Papers, Papers

I am writing to you from my RHD Office in Webster. I am in the process of writing many of the papers that are required for License to Preach School. As this moment, I have written four papers and I hope this afternoon to complete three more. After dinner, I need to continue reading. So far, my day has been very productive and I am hoping to keep it up.

Last night, I found out there was a seventh class that I forgot about. As a result, there is an additional three books that I need to read with three two page summaries to do with them. Even with this unfortunate happening, I should still be OK.

The Brewers came up big last night. I will probably try to listen to some of the game this afternoon as it is an afternoon game.

What Will I Do With the Weekend?

My XBox 360 is on its way to Mesquite, TX where they will hopefully fix my hardware problem and ship back and working game system. It would figure that they will have it done and sent back while I am in Dubuque. At least Christa will get to play some Rock Band while I am gone :).

As I said before, I am thankful in a way that the 360 doesn't work, but it takes away a major distraction from my class preparation. I do miss it, however, for those 30-45 minute breaks between commitments where I can sit down and play a little Oblivion. Christa and I also miss getting to play an hour here and there of Rock Band.

This weekend will be chock full of reading and writing. I am hoping to get a great deal of the work done on Friday and Saturday so that Christa and I can have fun on Sunday. She has to work today and tomorrow anyone, so it would be a good time to work!

Other things I'd like to get to this weekend:

1. I'd like to catch some of the weekend Brewers series. I'm curious to see the start that they get after the All-Star break.
2. If time (and ticket availability) permits, Christa and I would like to see The Dark Knight on Sunday. The reviews have been overwhelmingly good...let's just hope the theater has tickets left.
   

A Few Sports THoughts...

The Bucks continue to make moves in the off season, as they will be signing Tyronn Lue. This move makes sense to me. You can never have too much depth and Lue provides some depth at the guard position. I still feel as though the Bucks have some work at the Power Forward position, as I'm not sure that Villanueva is the long-term solution. Even if they are done, I feel as though the Bucks have a shot at being in the playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference. Every time I get my hopes up, however, the Bucks manage to get injured, tank the season and make Buck fans depressed.

I am really nervous about the second half of the season for the Brewers. I appreciate that the owner is willing to make trades to win now. As I've said before, this is a major change in strategy. The bullpen is still highly suspect and I'm now sure if it can carry us through the season. Our starting pitching is great and our offense will be better once everyone starts to click. I want to believe they can finish strong...and this may be the year they have to do it. With Sheets and Sabathia being free agents...I doubt they'll be here. Hart, Weeks and Fielder (among others) will want new contracts. Will they have enough to sign them all? Are we willing to wait to see prospects develop?

Favre is really starting to tick me off. In the end, the Packers are smart to not release Favre. I don't buy the argument that the Packers "owe" him anything. You're not letting a franchise player go for nothing because he retired when he wasn't ready to retire. Maybe he'll end up back with the Packers...but you won't see Favre anywhere else.

Wednesday Morning Potpourri

I really don't have a main storyline for today, so I thought I would just layout a few random thoughts for the day:

• According the UPS tracker I was E-mailed, the mailing box for my XBox 360 should arrive today. From others I have talked to, it doesn't take too long to get it fixed. Here's to hoping!
• My preparations for License to Preach School continue. That July 27 deadline is coming up quick!
• The date is finalized for the Fourth Annual Fox Valley Mini-Golf Tournament. It will be August 9, 2008 at 11:00 AM (yes, it's Christa's birthday). She will be working at one of the golf courses that we will be playing at. Should be fun

Oshkosh Softball Update

In what can only be considered an offensive bonanza, our team lost 21-20. There were some interesting firsts in the game last night. At one point, we actually batted through out entire line-up. We also got through an inning 1-2-3. After three innings, things were looking really good. Unfortunately, as the game went on, it got humid and the field got wet. That's when things got bad. Our fielding took a dive and we ended up giving up a lot of runs. We were one person short, so the outfield got a little dicey. We also had three people not playing in their natural position.

As for me, I went 2-4 and had 2 RBI.

The "Red Ring of Death"...

I mentioned yesterday that my XBox 360 is broken. *sigh* Over the last few weeks, Christa and I would be playing Rock Band and our 360 would just freeze up. Every once in a while, this might happen throughout my ownership of it, but they were becoming more frequent. In the last week, it froze up every time we played a game. While I was playing AD&D downstairs, Christa was trying to play Rock Band and it froze up not too long after she started. On Sunday, we got the urge to play and a few freezes later, the red ring arrived.

My 360 was originally only under warranty for one year, but they make an exception for the red ring problem and extended it to three years. The process to have it fixed is by no means quick, but the Microsoft website laid out the procedures fairly well. Microsoft will be mailing me a box that I will send by 360 in. When it arrives at Microsoft, it will take 2-3 weeks to have the machine fixed and sent back to me. They will only fix the red ring issue.

It is a bummer that I can't play games. It is probably for the best right now as I do have a lot of work to do before I leave for Dubuque.

Now It's Time to Focus

The 12-hour gaming marathon has come to pass. I had nine people over and we played 1st Edition AD&D for around 12 hours on Friday and Saturday. It was wonderful to have so many people from so many different periods of my life coming in share in a hobby together. I am now in the process of computing experience and updating characters. We had a few new folks that joined in this weekend that are interested in joining us when we start meeting regularly in the fall.

Now that the gaming session is done, I need to start concentrating on my license to preach materials. Perhaps God has something to say about this as well: My XBox 360 now gives me the dreaded "Red Ring of Death". I have to mail it in to Microsoft...this will take weeks! What distractions will I have now? ;)