OPE Remote Post, Number 2

It was another early morning at the Oshkosh Placement Exchange. I was here at 7:00 AM to help out with the morning rush. I got buzz around to a few hotels and displaced some of the backlog. :)

After that, I got a break and caught 3 more episodes of the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. Christa came back during the second episode, and she watched another one. She, too, remembered watching this while growing up and is now "hooked".

Right now, I am holding down the Transportation fort until 6pm. Then I drive for two hours. Then it's time to socialize. Then I'm done...for Saturday! Yay!!

OPE Remote Post

I write to you from GCC Room 123, also known as the Transportation Center. I started at 7:00 AM this morning with supervising the six drivers that are bringing candidates from the various Oshkosh hotels here to the University.

I am thankful to be here this morning! Last night, Christa and I ventured out to Madison to watch the first day of the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament. The weather was not too bad on the way out to Madison, although there was one patch of heavy snow. They way the weather folks were talking, they said it was going to be awful. While the weather seemed awful north of here, it really wasn't too bad. We had a few rough patches of ice, but we made it back safely.

Robby won his first match 7-5! He was a little nervous, but won in overtime. You could tell he kicked it up a notch and felt the sense of urgency. His second match was a tough one. He wrestled someone who was very aggressive and very talented. He lost that match :(. It's a double elimination tournament...so, he will be wrestling at least one more time this morning. I am awaiting news.


Well, it's back to the grind. More updates tomorrow!

Lent Begins

Christa and I attended a combined Algoma Boulevard/First Church Ash Wednesday service last night. There is always a feeling of starting over when Lent begins. Perhaps you try giving something up for Lent. You may choose to add a new discipling to Lent. It's a second chance to try out some of those New Year's resolutions. I am hoping through Lent this year to be more faithful to the covenant agreement I made for myself.

Other News:

1. Robby begins his matches at the State Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison. His first match should be around 4:00 PM. We'll see how the weather is before we make the trek out there. The trip there will be fine. It's the trip back that worries me.
2. OPE beings today!
   

Jim on the Road

On March 8, I will be leading the 10:00 AM worship service at Eureka United Methodist Church.

On March 15, I will be leading the three worship services at Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church in Oshkosh, WI.

I always appreciate the opportunity for Christa and I to experience worship and preaching in different churches.

The Calm Between the Storms

CA Interviews are complete. I am glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the opening and closing portions of the interview process.

We have a few days reprieve before the fun of the Oshkosh Placement Exchange begins. We have quite a few graduating seniors who will be using OPE to either find an RHD job out of school or find a graduate program.

This will be my last OPE. I have participated in one OPE as a student work, two as a candidate, and six as a Transportation Supervisor.

One-Eighty

Christa and I have decided that during the spring semester we are going to branch out and try some different churches with different worship styles. I have seen advertisements in the Union for the One-Eighty service. I have had residents talk about positive experiences at the service. We decided to check it out this Sunday.

Christa and I were both pretty impressed with the sermon. He used a PowerPoint presentation to guide those watching and also had one clear message. He also based a sermon series on Nehemiah, which I thought was pretty cool. Everyone there was very friendly and we were greeted by multiple individuals both before and after the service.

They definitely use a very contemporary style of worship, where Christa and I are looking for something of a fusion of both traditional and contemporary worship. I do think this service would be seen as being great by college students. I encourage you to at least check it out.

They worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30 AM in the Reeve Ballroom.

State Tournament Bound

Christa and I made our way down to Hartford Union High School to watch the Division I Sectional Meet. Robby won his three matches today, won Sectionals and will now be going to the state tournament in Madison. Christa and I are going to try to rearrange some stuff so that we might be able to see him wrestle at state! Congratulations Robby!

Some Links for Your Perusal

I was checking out the Drudge Report this morning and found a few interesting articles worth checking out ***WARNING: CONSERVATIVE-LEANING LINKS FOLLOW***:

Rush Limbaugh's Letter to Obama About Fairness Doctrine

Taxing By the Mile

When Does an ex-President Just Leave the Spotlight...*sigh*

What Kind of President was W?

Weekend Notes:

1. Robby wrestles in sectionals tomorrow. He's got a good chance at winning!
2. Webster Hall will be hosting a 12-hour game-a-thon starting at 3:00 PM in the lobby/basement. Check it out!

A Note

Because of commitments to CA interviews, I had to alter my office hours in GCC and left a note on my door letting residents know that I wouldn't be in the office Wednesday afternoon.

I came in to the office this morning and was greeted with the following message found underneath. It was partially erased, but it would be something like: Good. We don't f****n like you anyway.

Huh.

I had an interesting stream of consciousness as I started to think about this note:

1. There are only 30 or so students on the FVTC floors. I could probably round it down to about three or four students who likely did it. Oh well.
2. I'm only in my office in GCC 2-3 hours a day. It sure doesn't take long to make enemies.
3. I realize that most of the time residents in GCC only interact with me for conduct concerns or CAD issues. Perhaps I have made a lot of enemies.
4. Perhaps I don't have the best image anyway.
5. There are a few residents I interact with and we have a good relationship.
   
6. Thank you to whoever erased most of the message. I appreciate it, but it still left enough to decipher. The message next to it was illegible. Perhaps it was supportive.

Regardless, I didn't let it get to me too much. After a long week last week and a really busy week this week it was the last thing that I needed to see. It stills makes you wonder why someone would bother writing something like that?

Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon

I remember this cartoon. It aired in 1983. That 25 years ago. Recently, a few friends have purchased boxed set containing the entire 24-episode series. I have borrowed the series and I am slowly watching the whole series. So, a few thoughts thus far. Please keep in mind, these are my perspectives on the series now:

*** Caution...dorky material to follow ***

1. It pains me to see such powerful monsters reduced to being easily defeated. Would Lolth really die by having a baby unicorn cut her web? Did I just write this? Needless to say, Tiamat gets scared off by one magical spell. It's not right. Those characters would totally be dead.
2. The cavalier's main weapon is a shield? Really??
3. I do appreciate seeing monsters and places from the game being put into the cartoon. Same goes with the character classes.
4. Peter Cullen does the voice of the main villian. No, Jim, it's not Optimus Prime.
5. The cartoon is so very 80s. I love it! It's dated, but in a funny retro way. It'd be interesting to see what it would look like with today's cartoon standards.
6. I wonder why the series only lasted 24 episodes. For a kid's cartoon, it was quite good.

Note: If you buy the complete series, you are provided with the AD&D 3rd Edition equivalent of their character sheets. Can't we just have the mystery?

CA Interviews

Tomorrow and Thursday the Department of Residence Life will be conducting interviews for prospective Community Advisor candidates:

1. Good luck to all folks who are interviewing!
2. Thank you to all the current CAs and PAs who have taken time to help interview.
3. Thank you to all RHDs, ARHDs and Central Staff folk who have also taken time out of their workday to help with interviews.
   
4. This means you won't be hearing from me too much over the next few days. I will be helping out quite a bit between the hours of 2-10 PM.

Firsts - OK, This One I'll Do

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Gina Lauer
2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Does Facebook count?
3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink? Long Island Iced Tea
4. What was your FIRST job? Server Assistant at Chancery in Mequon
5. What was your FIRST car? Jeep Wagoneer
6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Verizon, telling me I had to pay my bill.
7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Christa :)
8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Don't remember.
9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? When we traveled from NJ to WI
10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk? Adam Davidson; Nope
11. Where was your FIRST sleep over? I don't remember.
12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Christa
13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? Tom Dittl
14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Exercised.
15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? Three Dog Night...yep. Sweet.
16. FIRST tattoo? No tattoos...ever.
17. First piercing? See #16.
18. First foreign country you've been to? Canada
19. FIRST movie you remember seeing? Pride tells me it had to be a Star Wars movie. :-D
21. What was the first state you lived in? Oklahoma (from birth to 6 months)
22. Who was your FIRST roommate? Bart Achterburg (in college)
23. If you had one wish. What would it be? I would wish to a world where people would genuinely listen to one another.
24. What is something you would learn if you had the chance? To play the banjo
25. Who do you think will be the next person to post this? No clue.

A Thought

As per the lectionary texts for this week, the epistle lesson came from 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

Only one person can win a physical race, but in the race of the Faith, we are all encouraged to race as to try to win. There is no trophy we are hoping to earn. Our imperishable gift is the love and compassion of God through Jesus Christ. What other motivation do you need? We are warned to exert ourselves with discipline and purpose, lest our energies be used poorly. The Good News is that there can be more than one winner in the race described in the text.

That is a good feeling, but it does not come without work. Being a Christian does require hard work. Being a disciple and helping others to become disciples is not an easy task, but it is a task we are asked to do. Continue to run the race! Don't falter!

Trip to the Alma Mater

Christa's brother Robby has had an incredible second half in his wrestling season. Today is regionals for wrestling and the prospects are good for him to make it all the way to the state tournament. Christa and I will be heading down today to check it out.

Interestingly enough, the tournament for regionals will be hosted at Homestead High School. I took a self-guided tour two summers ago and got to see some of the grounds. But today will give me a chance to check out the new field house.

Christa was hoping for a tour. I'll see what I can remember!

Long-Awaited Weekend

This week has been busy. It's hasn't necessarily been stressful, but it has been jam packed with a lot of stuff. Some new projects have arisen and new old projects have been completed. I've dealt with some tense student issues. Regardless, I am ready for a break.

Saturday does not have any appointments, so we can sleep in tomorrow. As it is Valentine's Day, Christa and I will be celebrating by dining at Chili's. Mmm...fajitas.

Just for the record, this is post 750. Woot!

Lexulous

It you use Facebook (which is quite a few people), please add a module called Lexulous. It's like Scrabble, but with a few rules differences. The Scrabble beta application sucks. It's a fund game and I'd love to play more games :).

The Planet Earth

Christa and I are in the process of watching disk three of five in the Planet Earth series. Christa has been wanting to see this for a long time and with the Netflix subscription we have been having one come in periodically as we make our way through the cue.

When we popped in the first DVD, I was amazed. It is a visually stunning presentation with amazing camera angles depicting scenes in nature that are either rarely, or never, seen.

Then we watched the next installment. Same thing. But, at this point I was starting to realize something. While visually stunning and groundbreaking, I wasn't really learning all that much. A few facts might be shared, but so much of the footage involved animals hunting animals or animals feeding.

As we are finishing the third DVD, I am looking for more. Don't get me wrong; it is enjoyable to watch. I just assumed I would be getting more out of them then I am.

I can see this serious being a lot of fun for middle school and high school students to watch. But for someone who does love science, I would be left hoping for more.

Tuesday Thoughts

1. Going to bed at 9:30 is difficult in a residence hall. I guess we all have different ideas of what Courtesy Hours are.
2. I appreciate Obama's confidence with this stimulus package. I don't, however, share it. Maybe this will help short term, but it brings us one step closer to a socialistic society. That's bad, by the way.
3. The NFL football season is over. This is when the sports lag begins. The Bucks are OK and the Brewers don't start until April.
4. This weather is outstanding, but you know it is not going to last

Bowl for Kid's Sake

I have been a part of Big Brothers/Big Sisters for almost two and half years. I have been paired with two different little brothers and have tried in my time with them to be good role models when they may not have a positive male role model in their life.

Each year, a Bowl for Kid's Sake is hosted to raise money for the organization. The Webster Hall Staff has formed a team and we are looking for raise funds. Each member must receive at least $100 in donations. I am sending this out on my blog to see if anyone would be willing to help sponsor me.

You can donate on-line HERE.

Otherwise, you can E-mail me at droste@uwosh.edu or send me a message on Facebook letting me know if you'd like to donate. We can work out payment options later.

Please check the above links for more information. I would appreciate your help!

45 Degrees?

The snow is melting...
the college students are playing Ultimate Frisbee in the commons...
Christa and I could take a nice walk around the city of Oshkosh...
we can get our car washed and remove all the salt and crud that accumulated on it...
we can actually see the sun...

...I appreciate a nice reprieve from the cold. I will try to enjoy this as much as possible before it inevitably gets cold again.

The stimulus package now passed by both the House and the Senate has always scared. From what I had read, I feel as though any short term gain will be met with long-term loss....and our deficit will skyrocket.

This article confirms some of my fears.

This is not a slam dunk with for the American people.

Wesley Foundation at UW Oshkosh?

My prayers have often steered lately to where God is calling me to minister. Does God call me to be a pastor of a church?

Yesterday, I drove my Disciple Bible Study with the leader of the study who is also a pastor at Waukau United Methodist Church. At a recent circuit meeting, they have talked about the possibility of starting up a Wesley Foundation on the UW Oshkosh campus. He and I talked briefly, but the idea stuck in my head.

How cool would it be to start a Wesley Foundation here? The pastor of my church said you better be careful, you may create an appointment for yourself ;).

It would, however, be a neat possibility. To continue working on a college campus, but now with an opportunity to join with students in ministry.

I feel called to explore this possibility. I feel called to see if there is student interest in getting this started. What would they like to see? How would they like to organize? Hopefully, things may take off!

Vote For Bailey!

If you wouldn't mind taking a few minutes out of your day, I would appreciate your helping a staff member of mine. My Front Desk PA Darci has entered their dog Bailey in a contest to be the MVP (Most Valuable Pet). The winner gets to have their pet on the cover of a Bissell product. Pretty sweet! Please do your part to help. :)

Energy

I have found that over the last 3-4 days, I have had a lot more energy and seemed to be much more focused throughout the day. I have been wondering where that might come from and have narrowed it down to a few things:

1. Christa and I are on a much more regular sleeping schedule. In bed and reading by 9:30 PM and up at...6:00 AM. Yikes!
2. I am eating breakfast regularly.
3. I am exercising every morning for about an hour. It's amazing how productive you can be between the hours of 6:00-9:00 AM.
4. I am beginning to let go and realize what is beyond my control. Letting go and letting God has been a very difficult thing for me to do, but it has made a real difference.
5. I read the Bible and reflect a few times a day and I pray much more regularly.

When you put all this together, I feel more intentional about how I spend my time and I feel as though my days have more meaning. I am hopeful that this keeps up and would just like to share.

Some Superbowl Thoughts

A few reflections after the Superbowl 43:

1. Each year, the commercials get less and less exciting. Some were pretty funny, but there just hasn't been the standout commercials of years past. Isn't it sad that $206 million was spent on the ads for the Superbowl?
2. That has to be the most entertaining Superbowl I have ever watched. It went down to the wire, had a decent amount of scoring and left you wondering until time run out who the MVP was going to be.
3. For a second time, Roethlisberger won a Superbowl with a marginal performance. He did significantly better than his first trip (22 rating), but still didn't do all that hot.
4. Watching the Superbowl in HD is pretty frickin' sweet.