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? ;)

A Weekend of Gaming

The weeks of preparation are at an end. This evening at 6:00 PM, friends of gaming days past and present will be coming to Webster Hall to participate in a 1st Edition AD&D Gaming Marathon. We will be playing both tonight and most of the day tomorrow. This summer session will be part of a continuing campaign that has occurred for the last two spring semesters here at UWO. If everyone shows up, there could be nine people, ten with me included.

We will be playing in the basement of Webster. Everything is not put back together, but it's dry and our usual room is usable again. I would mention who is coming, but I wouldn't want to publicly out them for their dorkiness ;).

Other News:

1. For what it's worth, Corey Hart won the last National League All-Star spot. Thank you to all who voted, or who may have used my blog as their portal to vote.
2. I created a University of Wisconsin Oshkosh fan page for Facebook. I was sad to see the we did not have one. Let's hope a few people join.
   

A Win, Almost..

With some solid rain on Monday canceling my men's league game, it has been a little while for a softball post. It was three years ago when I started playing with Tex's men's team in the Oshkosh city leagues. I had never played any organized baseball or softball in my life; I hadn't thrown a ball since probably middle school. That first summer was rough. I didn't have any direction to save my life, not any power. At times it was honestly embarrassing.

Some similar happened although, it wasn't me this time. Our game last night was close, it was 4-4 going into the seventh inning. We had already given up one run, a run that was controversial regarding whether or not an out made would have negated the run. Anyone, there were two outs and it was only 5-4. The next batter hit a weak grounder to second. I was at first awaiting the throw and it went over my head. In fact it went over the fence and out of play...automatically allowing the base runners to advance. It was now 6-4.

The bats were moving early and we had some base runners. We scored one run! With one out and runners on second and third, a nice hit allowed the runners to move. For some reason we held the tying run at third even through she could have made it home. Our next batter fouled out and that was it. 6-5.

We played some good ball at it was competitive throughout. I enjoyed my time at first base.

Brewer Fever

C.C. Sabathia was victorious in his first start with the Brewers. Even when the lost a couple days ago, they kept it close. The Brewers are 10 games over .500 and are but a few games out of both the Wild Card spot and the National League Central title. Putting the playoffs together with the Brewers is a foreign concept. They made a run last year, but really folded near the end of the season and allowed the Cubs to sneak into the playoffs.

As I said last year, I am a fair-weather fan of the Brewers. It's easy to back a team that's playing well. I will always keep track of the Brewers and check up on them, but it's more fun now that they are a relevant team. They are getting lead stories are even becoming the subject of bonus stories. I hope they can keep this up; it's fun to see the city of Milwaukee have something to cheer about in the area of sports.

It will also provide a welcome relief from all the Packers talk that has already begun...

Summer Runnin'

Building off my efforts in the spring semester and my preparation for the Oshkosh Half Marathon this last April, I have gotten into a running routine this summer in preparation for the Fox Cities Half Marathon. I had contemplated doing the full marathon, but I don't think I'll be ready for that my September. Plus, I have already run two half marathons and feel confident that it is a distance I can actually finish. Perhaps I can try in a year when I have run consistently over time and feel that I am in better shape.

As I continue running in the summer, I am looking ahead to the fall semester when I have the opportunity to participate in the Healthy Titans Program. I have participated in this program for three semesters and have appreciated the benefits. I am paired with a UWO student who works on an individual workout plan for me; we do a before and after assessment to see what gains were made. I have worked with Nate Regal, Ryan Schuh and Tyler Schuette. They have all done a great deal to get me into something in addition to running. I have become much more knowledgeable about weightlifting and how it can supplement my cardiovascular training. For $35, it's a great deal.

Other News:

• This Favre retirement talk continues. While everyone tries to stay hushed, it just allows rumors to continue. Hopefully, this gets resolved soon one way or another.
• C.C. Sabathia starts tonight for the first time as a Brewer. Unless the Brewers make the playoffs and win at least one series, this trade wasn't worth it. I highly doubt Sabathia is staying after this year. Some compensatory draft picks would be nice, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. I will say that it is nice to see the Brewers makign moves to make a run at the pennant. Let's hope it pans out.

Vote for Hart!

My dad reminded me how easy it is to vote for this last spot in the National League All-Star line-up. Vote once...vote a bunch of times! Voting ends July 10, so do what you can.

Back in the Saddle Again

This morning I led the worship service at FUMC Oshkosh. It gave Pastor Steve an opportunity to take an extended vacation. The service was typical of a holiday weekend, with the congregation relatively small. It was nice to Christa joining me as the liturgist for the service; folks out there really got a kick out of that.

As I prepared the sermon for today's worship service, I was beginning to implement some of the ideas that I learned from my books on sermon writing. I felt like today's sermon had a clear message and was better organized. The weird things was that when I actually preached the sermon, I was sweating profusely. Typically, I only sweat like that when I'm nervous (which I wasn't) or when I perceive something isn't going well. I thought it went great, but my body disagreed.

The more I read and observe, the more I look forward to having my own church with an opportunity to lead worship and order the service as I would like. The readings I am doing offer so many cool ideas I would like to try out. One day, that opportunity will hopefully come.

We Never Win Anything...

My Mom picked the right day to watch the Brewers play and also picked the right seats to watch the game...she also picked great weather! ;) The Brewers won the game 9-1, despite some shaky pitching from Ben Sheets. In addition, we another special bonus...

Earlier in the game, there was a give away which happened to take place in our section of the stadium, section 211. Christa overheard that there would be a giveaway later meant for our section, but I missed this.

In the eighth inning, it was announced that those in section 211, rows 11-15 and seats 4-13 were winners of a Brewers tailgate. All four of us were in the designated area! This was a first. I had never won anything at a Brewers game before.

We made our way to guest relations and claimed our prize. My Dad signed off for our prizes. It includes:

1. 8 tickets to the September 24th, 2008 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
2. 8 tickets to a tailgate before the game.
3. Retail value: $400

What was already a pretty special day got that much better. Hopefully, the Brewers will continue to play well and this game may make a difference for the playoffs.

A Trip to Miller Park

My parents invited Christa and I to watch the Brewers play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park today. This is the first Brewers game of the season that I will see live, and I think the last time I saw a Brewers game was around this time (with my parents and Christa). If they can win today, I would be on a two-game winning streak for watching Brewers games.

The last time I went to see a Brewers game with Jason Bock, the Brewers lost and I think I had accumulated a losing streak with games I went to with him. Hopefully, I can string a few wins together so that we might be able to catch a game. I'm sure right now, my overall record is around .500.

I do have some fond memories of watching the Brewers in Miller Park:

1. My dad and I watched the second regular season game ever in Miller Park. They played the Cincinnati Reds...and won!
2. My friend Nick and I went to see the Brewers play when they were in an awful losing streak. By our game, I believe it was at 13 games. We saw Mark Loretta hit the winning run. They played the Halleluia Chorus at the end of the game!
3. I remember watching a game with Nick wher Gary Sheffield hit a home run against us right after her were heckling him on his way to the plate. We didn't win that one.

I'll keep you posted on today's game. The weather looks gorgeous! Happy Fourth of July to all!

A Few Interesting Links for the Day

Here are a few interesting links for you to check out today:

The Power of Watermelon - I found this linked from the Drudge Report. Here's another reason to have that watermelon for dessert over the 4th of July weekend.

What Exactly Does Retirement Mean? - I found this on ESPN.com. Apparently, Brett Favre has the itch to return. Favre has since gone on record to say that there are simply rumors. I want to believe him, but I have this feeling Favre isn't completely retired. Check some of the comments left by readers...they are priceless.

Another Step Toward Moving - I found this on EPSN.com. One more step has occurred to allow the Seattle Supersonics to move to Oklahoma City. From what I am reading, it looks like there is plenty of blame to go around. With the Bucks record recently and the iffy fan base, it makes you wonder if the Bucks may be the next team to move. Not a whole of players are excited to play in Milwaukee.

Big Break-Up - When you think of the contract that A-Rod is under, this could be a messy divorce if it comes to it.

Other News:

• The Neenah softball team lost last night. We lost 10-1. We could not string any hits together. Hopefully, a practice will be scheduled for Sunday or Monday. That would be very helpful.
• I continue to read for License to Preach school. I have gotten through five books or so and need to get started on some of the papers.
• Christa has gotten a lot of scrap booking done over the last few weeks.
  

One Dinner to Change the World

Since my Dad has been working during the week in Green Bay, Christa and I will meet him in Appleton to catch dinner. We have finally agreed on Tuesday evenings because it is the one weeknight that we don't have a softball game.

Our conversations together hit on major things that have been going on in our lives, with snippets of sports talk in there as well. Invariably as conversation makes its way into current events and politics, we usually talk about the state of the world and how we could make it a better place. No matter the topic, we usually boil it down to a few keys things:

1. We need term limits for politicians starting...well, now! Vote out all incumbents now and only allow people one term. "Politician" was not meant as a career. You were a public servant in addition to your chosen career. It is career politicians that have caused many of the problems that we are in.
2. People can't take responsibility for anything. That's why loads of people are in credit card debt. People sign for mortgages they can't afford and assume someone will bail them out. That's why nothing changes in government, but we aren't willing to make a difference.
3. The political issues between nations inside and outside of the middle east go beyond anyone's ability to talk or negotiate. Sadly, it will likely escalate to some kind of war where one side or the other will pretty much be wiped. It's hard to think of another realistic. scenario.

Perhaps in the future, I may expound on one of these areas.

Our dinners will soon be running out as my dad will be done with the traveling portion of his job and will likely be working for the company in the Milwaukee area.

Focus & Control: A Softball Update

Our Monday softball team came up on the losing end again in our game. It was a bizarre turn of events during the game. In the first inning we scored five runs, and they scored zero. Then we added four more and things were looking up. It looked great until the bottom of the second inning when they dropped 15 runs on us. That was the end of of it. The team did an excellent job of hitting balls just over the infield and right in from of the outfield. It was a rough evening. We managed to put 13 runs up there...but they put up 24.

Now for a little wisdom from Yoda:

Yoda: "All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph."

Yoda: "Control, control. You must learn control!"

Last night I went 2-4 in the game and had four RBI. The big difference for me over the last few weeks has been patience at the plate. I have been better at taking pitches until I get the pitch that I want. As a result, I made excellent contact at every at bat, and two of them happened to go toward the center fielder. I have also learned to not feel so much pressure when I'm up and there and just have fun.

Now I think of Yoda when I play softball. Focus and control. Focus and control.

UW Oshkosh Dining Update

This past Saturday, I helped out in presenting the Campus Life component of the Odyssey presentations that we do for incoming first-year students. Also in this presentation, there is a discussion about food options available as well. I learned some new things along with the first-year students. A few things to keep in mind:

1. The Blackhawk To Go room will be open until 11 PM Monday - Thursday. I am a big fan of the chicken sandwiches offered here. I know there are other students that love it as well. I am glad to know there will be an alternative location to grab food later at night.
2. Scotty's (aka Stone Willy's or Stoner's) in Scott Hall will be a Pizza Hut Express. Pizza you can recognize! :) In addition to the pizza option, there will also be buffalo wings, bratwurst and subs. I can see this being a very popular options for college students. I also see this being an upgrade to the quality of pizza.
3. The 21 meal plan will have "flex" meals that can be used in the Clow Mi Tazas...I see this as an option that I will be using for lunches and Clow is right near by.

With a new food contract, I have already seen some positive changes. Let's hope they continue.

Other News: Saw Wall-E this weekend. Great movie! My only complaint is the big business/environmentalist/capitalism is bad messages found within the framework of the movie.

Sunday Reflection

As I've said before, I try to pot here everyday. It's rare that I actually remember to post of the weekends...this one is an exception. I want to make sure that from now on the posts I make on here are meaningful and worth reading...worth reading to the 5-10 people that actually check this blog each day ;).

As someone who is looking to go into United Methodists ministry, this is tough to write: Christa and I are both struggling with going to church. Gasp! It had more to do with our own church than it does with church in general. When I go to my parent's church or to another environment, it always seems better. Perhaps the grass is always greener on the other side. Here are a few things that we are struggling with:

• Our service is pretty much the same every week. I am all amount having a certain schedule that people can come to be comfortable with, but some variety helps keep things fresh. Our service has the same components week to week.
• Church is at 9:00 AM. Hey, for the weekend, that's early...especially on a weekend. Try as I might, I can't get anyone to buy into the idea of a late morning, or dare I say, evening church service.
  
• Since our congregation errs on the older side, it is a pretty passive group. There doesn't seem to be much motivation there. The younger folks are trying to participate, but it can be easy to get burned out and frustrated if things don't change.
  

It will be interesting to see how I feel when I am a pastor of my own church or part of a ministry team. How might my feelings change? How will others view the service that I/we put forth for the congregation?

New Phone/PDA

I have had my Tungsten III PDA for quite some time now. If I remember correctly, I received it the summer before I started as a Residence Hall Director. So, it has given me five years of faithful service. The main drawback now is that I have charged it so many times, it has next to no battery life. In talking with Christa we agreed it was time to upgrade to a new PDA.

Still thinking in the old paradigm of PDA only, I did some research on Palm's website as well as a few other retail sites. I was noticing that there wasn't all that much variety. We also went to a few stores and a nice gentleman at the Appleton Office Max said that most stores and selling off PDAs because most people are going for the PDA/cell phone combo.

From there, I did some research and noticed that Blackberry's are expensive, especially when you figure in the data usage (internet access, E-Mail, etc.) It would add almost $30 per month to our plan for something I don't use. I just want the Palm features with a better battery life. So, I check Verizon's phones and found this. It is the Palm Centro.

I can keep my old plan and not pay anymore and I just blocked the internet stuff until I may choose to add it later. It runs Palm software and has a full keyboard. So far, I like it. It caused me to updated my numbers which it is obvious I have not updated in quite some time.

Post #600: Alive & Kickin'

I am glad that the blog continues to survive since its inception in 2005. I thought with the 600th post I might spruce things up a little bit. I don't want to change things around too much, but change is good.

Other News:

• I played in my third softball game of the week, this time on Christa's co-ed team. The game went 10 innings and I batted in the winning run. The mosquitoes were brutal and it was a 9:30 PM start...late night.
• The Bucks picked up Richard Jefferson in a trade with New Jersey. He gave up Bobby Simmons and Yi. I say we got the best part of that trade. A change for Milwaukee.
  

Neenah Softball Update

Well, I can say without question that yesterday was the best and most enjoyable game of softball I have played in the three summers I have played softball. Some of it had to do with my own performance, but it also had to do with the team. On a personal note:

• I went 2-2 and also drew a walk. I also scored two runs.
• I played in the outfield with people who wanted to play hard, but were also willing to have some fun.
• I made a nice catch and did not feel nervous out there. I made all good plays!
  

From a team perspective:

• We changed our pitcher and we got quite competitive in the later innings. In fact, after we changed pitchers we actually outscored our opponents!
• Everyone was having fun on the field. Even though we lost, it seemed like we enjoyed the game.
  

License to Preach Reading Update

As of this morning, I have completed reading two books related to leadership and administrative structure in the United Methodist Church. I am now switching my focus on two books that relate to sermon preparation. I am trying to put 1-2 hours aside each night for reading. I don't think that's gonna be enough to cut it. Most of the books are smaller, but some of them are pretty big.

While having dinner with my dad yesterday, he mentioned that it must be difficult to take in all this information in such a short amount of time. He's probably right...I highly doubt how much I will retain in these five weeks of reading and paper-writing.

What I appreciate is that I find the material so interesting! It makes reading easier and more. I also feel like I am really learning things that will be useful to me in the future.

It does seem weird to do so much reading without class to go along with it. I look forward to supplementary lectures later, although it will come in one two-week rush!

Oshkosh Softball Update

Monday's softball game reiterated the same problems that we have as a team. If we can't change these tendencies, there is no way we will be competitive in games. This includes:

• Making unnecessary extra throws after we try to throw one runner out. Usually the person overthrows and misses the target and extra runs will score. I'd say we gave up five runs alone because of this.
• Swinging at junk pitches. I admit, I don't like waiting for pitches. I want to swing, but we can't swing at junk. As a result we get lots of foul balls and high pop ups because we swing at everything. Again, as a team we need to all work on this.
  
• Don't tell someone on the team that they are doing something wrong when they themselves are doing the same thing. Perhaps we all need to have a group practice to work on fundamentals.
  

I went 2-2 in the game. I did get caught trying to stretch a single into a double and was called. I thought I was safe, but you always think you're safe. I just let it go. I wish I could say the same thing about some of my teammates. Just as Pau Gasol has never committed a foul in his life, there is a guy on our team who argues every slide he makes. Guess what? Sometimes you are just out.

That brings up a larger issue. I have worked hard to not take these games so seriously. There were times when I'd come away from a game extremely frustrated and get worked up about my performance. I am doing better at letting go and having fun. I still would like to win, but I don't let it consume me like it used to. Unfortunately, there are too many guys on our team that forget that this is community softball. Let's have a little fun!

Some Random Thoughts From the Weekend:

• I checked the UPS tracking site on Amazon.com and all of my textbooks are waiting for me at the GCC Front Desk. That's 23 books. I already starting the reading the first of book of around 15 that I need to read over the next five weeks!
• I did golf at Settler's Mill this weekend. Not my finest hour.
• I have been getting in some serious Oblivion time this weekend. I am already up to level 19.
• I need to get cracking on the July 11-12 gaming session. My goal is to do a little bit each night so that I'm not under the gun when it gets to be a few days before. Based on who has expressed interest, we could have 8-9 people playing. It won't take all that much material to take up that many hours.
• I am trying to cut down on soda and candy...again. Also, I am trying to stay consistent with the running. So far, so good.
  

A Weekend to Relax

I have really appreciated the summer program thus far, and really enjoyed the experience of working with the staff to get the building open. In the flip side, I really didn't have any weekend last weekend because I was so busy getting things ready for opening. Now that we are back into sweet routine, I have a weekend again. No big plans for the weekend, but that's probably for the best. What's up tap?:

• Get my reading lists and work lists ready for License to Preach School. I should have most of my books by this Monday. Based on what I have ahead of me, I need to get started right away.
• Play more Oblivion...of course.
• Catch 18 holes at Settler's Mill...after all, Christa is working ;).
• Clean the apartment; it is suffering from two weeks of not really being cleaned.
  

Neenah Softball Update

We lost...but, not by as much. The final score was 11-5. There were definitely some signs of hope for the future. Overall, we stayed consistent and did not allow a lot of early runs as we usually have. We still couldn't get consistent hitting going, but out fielding was much improved for the game. Since we have so many guys of the team, I sat out the first two innings but played 1st base the rest of the game. Hitting was a mixed bag. First time up to bat, nice single right down the middle. Next at bat, strike out! Doh.

If we can keep our team consistent from week to week I think we have a shot to compete, and even possibly to win. It's just the constant changing from week to week that gets frustrating.

Other News:

• As of this morning, all of my textbooks were ordered.
• The summer AD&D game-a-thon is set for July 11-12.
  

License to Preach School

I got a letter in the mail yesterday from the folks in Iowa saying that I will be able to do License to Preach school. Along with the letter came the syllabi for the classes I will be taking this summer. I also got the list of books that I will need to have for this two-week intensive session. My thoughts so far:

1. I have a lot of reading to do this summer to be ready for school. I figured I'd have to some reading, but not this much. It looks like the books will run me around $450 dollars. Many of them I ordered through Amazon.com, but there were a few that I needed to order through a specific company.
2. Along with all the reading come a variety of reflection papers. At best count, it looks like around 20-25 pages worth of papers to be handed in when I arrive. Sweet.
3. I need to see what my home church might be willing to help sponsor. I also need to check with our Wisconsin Board of Ordained Ministry regarding possible reimbursement.

Monday Softball Report

Strikeforce United fell to the Oblio's team 12-5 yesterday in our softball game. For some reason, we could not get the bats going. A lot of balls were being hit right to the fielders, which you can't always help. We were also swinging at pitches that could have been balls. We need to learn to be more patient at the plate. Again, you can tell that people go up to the plate looking to hit a home run. That's why we have so many pop outs and foul outs. Just make a solid connection!

Fielding was a mixed bag. I got a lot more work than I usually do during a game. I had one good catch but had a few where I might have been able to make the catch but wasn't able to get there in time. For me personally, I had one really good hit and managed to score a run. It didn't matter in the long run as we did not do very well. Wednesday usually equals a loss, so let's hope Christa's team can get over last week's loss and chalk up a "W".

Anniversary!

Christa and I were married one year ago today. Exciting! What's on tap for the evening? First, of course, there is a softball game at 6:45. Hehehe...after that, Christa and I are planning on going out to Kodiak Jack's for dinner. Then, we'll have some wedding cake. It's been in the freezer for a year; let's hope that it's still good. After that, we'll be going on-line and ordering some more songs for Rockband.

Bonus Move-In Day; Other News

My fellow Residence Hall Directors are all to familiar with the move-in day or days that occur in the fall semester. I get to have a bonus move-in day for the summer. As I write to you, students for both Project Success and the Titan Advantage Program are checking into Webster Hall. So far they both seem like great groups. I know the staff is excited to have them arrive and I am, too. It will be nice to get back into a work routine. It's been way too long since I posted, so I'll highlight a few things that have happened over the last few days:

• You have no doubt heard about the flooding in Oshkosh. In Webster Hall, we had 3/4 inch of standing water throughout the basement by the end of the night. It smells something awful down there, but the staff were able to move most valuables to higher ground. We are currently waiting for a restoration team to go through and sanitize the basement. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but it was nuts. River Center had nine foot floods in their offices. Christa's office was completely destroyed. Algoma Blvd. and High Ave. were completely underwater around campus. I walked over Peal Ave. and the water went up to my knee! Things are much better now, but on Thursday evening, 75% of roads in Oshkosh were closed.
• Christa happened upon a nest of baby bunnies that were in the middle of the flood and happened to rescue one. With a shoe box and a heat pack, the rabbit survived the night and was taken to an area pet shop. "Noah" is doing well, both eating and drinking. Christa will be stopping in for periodic check-ups.
• Our Wednesday softball team got destroyed again 21-3. The last few games have been tough. I was on first base and didn't mind too much. The team we played was good at lofting balls just over our infield.

Summer School

Although my summer staff have already moved into Webster Hall, we officially begin training this evening. I have been putting together materials for training throughout interim, but now is the final push. I think I'll have everything ready for staff by the time we have our grill out at 5:00 PM. Training will take place Thursday-Saturday. The summer program students move in this Sunday. From there,we go into a six week routine of Webster being open like a traditional residence hall, with desk hours duty coverage and the full complement of meetings :).

I am excited to get back into a routine of the hall being open. I don't mind the summer work so much and the staff that we have in Webster is top-notch. I did wish I had a bit more of a break in here somewhere. To go from summer school to license to preach school to training is going to make for a grueling summer.

Other News:

• Desk carpeting and apartment tiling are done and we have our washer and dryer installed. We have the backed up laundry to prove it. We will be busy catching up in that department.
• The Lakers grab a game in the best of seven with the Celtics in the NBA. Perhaps it will be a series after all.
  

Weekend Review

Some internet updates that were taking place in Webster Hall made it difficult for me to update the blog as we did not have internet access. Access is back for now, so let's get to it:

• Christa and I played through the Hall of Fame concert in the Band World Tour mode for Rock Band and both earned 100 achievement points for the effort. We played both guitar parts on hard and got five stars on all the songs except for one.
• I got back into playing Oblivion again. This isn't good. I can hear that giant sucking sound which is my free time going away.
• Our apartment is in pretty rough shape right now. They are re-tiling our front entrance room so we have extra crud spread around our apartment. They took out of washer and dryer to do this, so we have a nice pile laundry waiting to be done. Our air conditioners aren't working either, so hopefully we'll get those fixed.
• We were in Oconomowoc on Saturday when the weather got absolutely crazy in the state of Wisconsin. We managed to get some hail coming down while we were at a graduation party. We drove back up to Oshkosh at night where we drove into some more pretty bad storms. From what I've read, the damage and flooding is pretty bad all over.
  

NBA Finals

Last night Christa and I watched game one of the NBA Finals on TV. Usually, basketball doesn't come to the top of the list of things that I do, but it did so for a few reasons:

1. It was on ABC, which means we got to watch it in HD. It really does feel like you're watching it live. And hey, when tickets courtside are going for $35,000 each, you might be better oiff watching it on HD.
2. The Lakers/Celtics history makes for an intriguing match-up. As the announcers said last night, no matter who wins, it won't be an upset.
3. If the Lakers win, Kobe gets his first post-Shaq championship. If the Celtics win, Garnett, Pierce and Allen all get rings.

Regardless, there is a lot at stake in the finals. I am intrigued to watch it all and see how it unfolds. Sadly, you have to wait until Sunday to see game two.

Enjoy a nice shot from atop the Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf.

Last Night on Earth

Last night, I played a game for a second time. The game is called Last Night on Earth and I have enjoyed the game both times that I have played. The premise of the game is pretty simple. One group people (4-5) play the roles of the heroes. One or two other people play the role of zombies. A scenario is picked and the heroes try to fulfill the scenario while killing off a bunch of zombies. the zombies try to thwart these efforts.

The heroes fulfill many zombie movie archetypes:

• high school quarterback
• town sheriff
• priest
• track star
• nurse
• school cook
  

Zombie and hero players both can draw and play event cards which modify actions, affect the entire board or only affect one person. Heroes can hold on to item cards that they can use to fight or search (chainsaw, flashlight, baseball bat. etc.).

It is a turn-based game and the action goes quickly. A game only takes between 60-90 minutes I encourage you to check it out!

Today's picture is the sign for Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Meals in Wisconsin Dells. This all you can eat buffet is no no joke for breakfast. You get donuts, eggs, ham, sausage, pancakes and hash browns...as much as you want. It's a solid foundation for all your sightseeing needs ;).

License to Preach School

When I became a certified ministry candidate, I was approved to attend License to Preach School. Until someone completes this, they are technically not a licensed pastor, but a supply pastor. I assumed that I would attend school after I was done as an RHD and would become a official licensed pastor after I was appointed.

Before I went on vacation, I met with the District Superintendent about the next step in the candidacy process, and through on conversations, I found out that I could attend license to preach school this summer. That would work out great, because I would be a licensed pastor before I would be placed for July 1, 2009. It will be less headaches for Christa and I when we move after we're both done in Oshkosh. It will mean more headaches this summer...it will be a busy July/August.

Regardless, it is exciting news to get that major hurdle done this summer. The picture today is from right outside the Circus World Museum. The museum is nestled on both sides of a river. It is a gorgeous view, as you can see. Thanks to Christa for capturing this great photograph.

Settling In...

Christa and I returned yesterday afternoon from a long weekend hanging out in the Wisconsin Dells/Baraboo area. We left Friday morning and got back Monday afternoon. During our stay, we visited a variety of places:

• Circus World Museum
• Lost Canyon
• Pirates Cove Adventure Golf
  
• Tommy Bartlett Robot World and Exploratory Museum
• Knuckleheads
• Paul Bunyan's Breakfast
• Dells Mining Company

This is definitely not an inclusive list, but marks the highlights of some of the places that we went. For only being there for a long weekend, I felt like we got to quite a bit. The only rule was that we couldn't plan anything. We had to be spontaneous. For the most part, that worked ;).

We stayed at the Best Western Ambassdor Inn. We had a jacuzzi sweet (yay!) and that was very nice to have. Our accommodations were quite cheap so long as we attended a sales pitch for the Wyndham Hotel ownership. Ugh...that was not a pleasant experience. I will be writing about that more in a future entry. I also saw Iron Man, which I will review later this week as well. I will also a have some more pictures with each entry for the week as well.

My softball game last night shocked me back into normal life. We won the game! I don't quite remember the score, but we won by about three runs. I went 0-3, but had three solid connections that just went right to somebody. I didn't have to field too many balls, but the ones that I did field went well. We are now 2-2 and I hope we can avoid the slide that we suffered last year. Let's hope we can string a few more wins together.

WB Softball Game #3

Ouch....our team was the recipient of a 23-8 whooping last night. It was hard to really find a lot of high points in the game. As the score would indicate we managed to chain a few hits together and got some runs. But, that's where it ended. Nothing on the defensive end went very well. Out pitcher was having trouble hitting the strike zone. There were lots of infield hits that were not covered. We under (or over)estimated catches in the outfield and our throws were off. In two innings, they had tagged us for 12 runs. If you could cut those two innings out, it would have looked a lot closer.

Second base continues to be good for me. It has helped me to read base runners and to know where the throw should go if I get the ball. Batting went great! I only had one at bat (don't ask) but I hit a nice single and was brought in on an inside the park home run the next at bat. Christa had some good cuts as well and feels better playing in the outfield. I just hope we get better, but because getting creamed each week is not that much fun.

Mid-Week Updates

A few thoughts at the middle of the week:

• I finished the solo tour mode on drum on the medium level for Rock Band. It is amazing to me to see how much easier something can be when you walk away from it for a few days and some back. After taking 3-4 days off, the drum patterns seemed easier and I was able to get through things pretty well. I am curious to see how things go if I try it out on hard.
• Christa and I leave for Wisconsin Dells on Friday. We will be out of town until Monday evening...I will be back to play my softball game that night. The chance to get away will be much appreciated.
• Tonight is the third game in the WB league in Neenah. We have had a solid win and a solid defeat. I am curious if we can get a little more consistency in our team. We might actually be able to put some victories together.
• Tomorrow at 5:00 PM is the CA/PA vs. A/RHD softball game. I will actually be able to make it this year. My Dad will be joining in to watch the game as well. I hope we do well. Check out the game at the softball field behind the parking ramp at UWO.

I think that's all for now. Peace.

New Indiana Jones Movie: Meh... (**spoilers**)

I had an opportunity to see the new Indiana Jones today. As the title of this entry seems to indicate, the movie was OK. It could have been much worse. The movie was entertaining for the most part and I am glad that I saw it. Let's break things down, both good and bad.

The Good

• I appreciated that they paid homage to the other three movies. Early on, there were a few references to the first movie. Would have liked to here, "It belongs in a museum." They also used the red line moving across maps to show travel.
• The dialog was actually good...especially for a Lucas film.
• I liked Shia in this film. A great improvement over his role in Transformers.
• I liked the move to the 50s...it seemed like a good transition for the films and seemed natural.
• The aged Indy worked. The old jokes were sprinkled throughout and they did a good job explaining the jump forward.
  

The Bad

• The soundtrack seemed uninspired...I really only appreciated the borrowed themes from previous movies.
• The ending was over the top. In fact, the whole "alien" concept wasn't really needed.
• I am willing to give these movies a few liberties, but some of the stuff they pulled was just stupid. The whole "duck of the cliff and into the tree" thing was the worst offender. The monkey scene was also pretty lame.
• Ford seemed to force his role for the first 20 minutes. It seemed to get more natural as the movie went on.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 6.5. Entertaining, but not close to the scope on movies #1 and #3.

4th Annual Memorial Day Service Coverage

For the 4th year, I covered the church service at FUMC Oshkosh. Although I joked about it with the congregation, it was probably the largest crowd I have seen for a Memorial Day service. It probably has something to do with the fact that the choir is still singing and they make up a chunk of the congregation.

I am feeling more and more comfortable doing the services for the church. It felt more natural and less forced. I didn't need to script as much. It showed in the prayers and especially the sermon. Certain parts I read from my sheets and other I improvised. That is how I best operate.

Now that it is over, though, I feel like I can enjoy my weekend. It still makes me a little nervous ;).

Come On, Brewers!

As I have said before, I am not a die-hard Brewers fan. I follow the team and watch the games when I can and feel as though I know most of the players and can carry a decent conversation about the team.

Last year, the Brewers exceeded most people's expectations and their late contention for a playoff spot made for an exciting summer. Braun won rookie of the year and Fielder was mentioned in certain circles for possibly being the MVP. The team seemed to be having fun.

Given their success last year, it seems the expectations have increased. With the Brewers in a division with a strong Cubs and Cardinals team, it will be difficult for them to copy the success of last year. It doesn't look like the team is having fun and I wonder if the pressure to succeed is getting to them.

They are four games under .500 and haven't been playing good ball. They only have 2-3 years with this young core before they all begin to demand more money. They have Braun signed, but Fielder will definitely be looking for money after this year. What about Hardy? Weeks? Hart? Gwynn jr.? It should be interesting.

Game 2 against the Nationals tonight. Let's hope for a victory!

The Memorial Day Weekend Preview

As has become a tradition for me over the last few years, I will be the RHD on Duty this weekend for the Department of Residence Life. I am allowed off-campus, but I can't leave the city of Oshkosh. When you add in that it is a three-day weekend, it makes for a nice long weekend to hopefully get some things done. What's on tap?:

• I need to get final preparations done for the church service on Sunday. My sermon on Sunday will be reflecting on Matthew 6:24-34. There are some memorable quotes about not being able to serve two masters (see picture) as well as the lilies of the field. It has been interesting preparing material for the sermon. I think it will go well. They get easier to put together the more I do it...imagine if I did it every week? ;)
• Christa and I will continue to play Rock Band. She and I have enjoyed the flexibility of jumping between lead guitar, bass guitar and drums while playing the World Tour Mode. I am slowly getting the hand of drums. I am also working through the Solo Tour on guitar on expert. Thirty songs down, 15 to go. I will say that it is at least easier that Guitar Hero 3. Hopefully I can make my way through it. Fifty achievement points on the line :).
• I am also hoping to get a jump on writing the adventure for the June 27-28 AD&D weekend marathon we will be having. I am hoping with some designated time for preparation, I can make a really nice, detailed adventure that will have a good balance of fighting, role-playing and even a few puzzles. You can fit a lot into 14 hours.
• I may end up seeing a movie this weekend. The summer blockbusters are starting to pile up and I need to make a dent in the list.
  
• Otherwise, it will be a time to rest and relax from the craziness of move out last weekend.
  

WB Softball Game #2

While we came up on the winning side last week, we definitely came up on the losing side this week in the Neenah Willie Beamon's (WB) league. We went down 17-2 in six innings. Yes, the mercy rule was invoked. :(

It was at this week's game that I realized how frustrating it can be to play in a league where there is unlimited arch for the pitches. The pitcher that we had for this game was really heaving the balls up into the air. It's not easy to swing at a pitch that is coming straight down. I struck out swinging the first time. The next I got up to plate, I took two pitches, both of which were balls. At that point he had to throw a more decent pitch and I managed to make contact...which again went straight to the infielder.

This team had more than a good pitcher. They turned three double plays and didn't let much get by. They also all could hit very well...but, out fielding didn't help much either. I think that was probably my biggest frustration with the game. We had players that were simply not paying attention to the ball. Only when the ball was coming back to the ground did som folks make any effort to go after the ball.

As for me, I am appreciating my stay at second base. I am getting more used to the infield and appreciate playing a more active role in the game.

Rock Band Drums!

Well, as stated on their website, my Rock Band drums came in the mail yesterday. I left work a little early and hung out my my little brother...and then I grabbed Christa and we started playing.

When you've been used to playing the Rock Band/Guitar Hero guitars, the drum set is quite the paradigm shift. The whole hand-foot coordination is going to take some getting used to.

I am trying to get through the solo career on the medium level and I have just decided to be OK with getting four stars on most songs. It should get easier as we go.

I look forward to inviting some folks over and trying to get a three to four person band going!

It's Only Softball, Right?

Last night, Strikeforce United went down to the Peabody's team 19-17. All things said, our team did put in quite the effort. Having the minimum ten people to play, we had an injury early in the game that forced to play with one less outfielder. After a first inning drought, we managed to find out bats and put up more runs than I can ever remember us putting up. Unfortunately, fielding was all around our downfall. I think almost everybody at some point blew a catch or made a fielding error. Both phases of the game were not in sync.

For me, it was a performance I would like to forget. I got to bat five times, and did not get a hit all game. Of the five at bats, I hit the ball four times where I made a good connection, but the ball happened to be going right to where there was an outfielder/infielder. It got to be really frustrating. Worst of all, in our last inning, the bases were loaded and there were two outs and I was up to bat. I hit a great line drive...that went right to the short stop. Game over...

Other News

• The Rock Band drums should be coming soon. Amazon.com says that they should be delivered today! We'll see. I am excited for that.
• I am getting ready for the church service this Sunday. I looked at the Gospel lesson and I think it should be pretty easy to find things to talk about.
• Webster Hall is now without residents. Around 50 folks are now living in Donner, but the building is empty. Cleaning to get the building ready for summer conferences has already begun. It seems so quiet!
  

A New Softball Experience

Christa and I made the drive to Neenah at around 8:40 PM. We were both pretty tired and figured it would be a late night. We got to Willie Beamon's at about 9:00 PM and started to warm up with some other members of the team. WB's was hard to miss...the bright lights of the stadium had a Field of Dreams feel to them.

Besides Christa, Stu and Tex I really didn't know anyone else on the team. But, we won! We came out on top 8-5. Our hitting wasn't the greatest, but we managed to put some runs together. Despite a few hiccups here and there, the fielding was OK. I bounced between second base and right center. Christa was in left center and then first base. Neither of us likes the infield so that was a great experience.

It was my best hitting night. I went 1-3 and scored a run. I did make a nice connection n my second at bat, but got underneath it a little bit and it carried right to the outfielder. He almost missed the catch. The unlimited arch pitching method is definitely going to take some getting used to.

The field at WB's is very nice and well-maintained. It is nice and flat and is way above what we play on at County Park.

I'm 2-0 this week in softball. We'll see if the luck continues...

Season #2 Begins Tonight

Tonight we have the first game in the co-ed league that Christa and I are both playing in. I'm not sure who's on our team or who sponsor is. All I know is that Tex is in charge of the team. If it's anything like previous teams I've played with him on, I'll see some old Breese residents on there from the good old days.

The knee is healing pretty quickly. It's probably healing quickly because I stopped running and putting stress on it. I have a feeling a nice evening of softball will likely ruin all the progress made on the knee. We'll see.

Other News:

• Rock Band has to be returned to Family Video tonight. I'll be sad to give the game back. I completed the guitar career on medium and hard and was starting to work my way through the vocal career on medium. It turns out the mic that comes with the XBox system can be used. Not ideal but a change. Classic rock songs worked for me...anything modern, not so much.
• Christa is working her way through finals week. She had one big exam today and another on Friday. Then she's done. Kudos to her for finishing her research binder for her trip to Belize. It's amazing!

Softball Game #2: Much Improved!

After taking a tough loss in an extra inning game, the Strikeforce United Men's Team earned a strong victory by winning 14-2 in the bottom of the six inning; the mercy rule was invoked. As a team, we managed to put everything together. The fielding was solid and we weren't trying to swing for the fences. We strung hits together and made them count. I am hoping that we can keep this up for more than one game.

I probably had my best offensive game...well, ever! I went two for three (my third at bast resulted in a high pop fly that should have been caught...we'll score that one as an error). I had 3 RBI and 3 runs. I also hit a triple and once a pinch runner as well. Needless to say, I felt like everything came together for the game. Going around the bases the first time I slid into third base. I have a really nice scrape on that knee now. Ouch! It should make running interesting.

Defensively, I never had anything hit to me. That helped preserve the good game :). We'll see now Wednesday goes...new league, new experience.

Weekend Review

It felt like the weekend blew by! Here are the highlights:

• The banquet was short this year! Including the meal, we were done in under two hours. While I appreciated the fact that is was concise and that it moved along, it felt somewhat empty. Congratulations to the many USRH and OTY award winners!
• I presented Jason Dufek with a replica wrestling belt at banquet. We enjoyed cigars and even got to have a impromptu confrontation as well...a busy night indeed.
• I helped out with the Sunday service in the new alb. It fits well...and looks good to. It will get used two more times this month!
  
• AD&D was canceled on Sunday due to lack of people. Nick and I, however, played a nice long session of Rock Band. "Headache in a Bottle" now has 225,000 fans and will be soon jetting around the world playing shows :).

Wedding & Banquet

Tomorrow, Christa and I will be attending the wedding of Kris DuBois and Adam Noe. Kris was a bridesmaid for Christa in our wedding. This will be the first wedding of the spring/summer season for us. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stick around for the reception as I will be on my way to the Residence Life banquet.

This will be my 5th banquet as a Residence Hall Director. I am excited to gather with colleagues and celebrate the accomplishments of staff and hall leaders throughout the year. I am only saddened that the awards given at the banquet will only honor one small fraction of the amazing people and amazing things done this year.

Sunday marks the final AD&D of the spring semester. Then we must wait until June 27-28 for the summer extravaganza!

New Item of Apparel

Over the next two Sundays, I will be helping out our pastor with the church services. On the 25th, I will actually be leading the service at our church. My pastor has recommended for awhile that I purchase an alb so that I might look more like an officiant for the service.

My preference was to go with something that was off-white, maybe a nice tan color. But, that was $40 more. So, I went with the more economical model seen to the right. Hopefully, people won't mistake me for an angel ;)!

My pastor said that white is pretty much universal so it should have some solid long-term use in the future.

Post-Assessment #3

I met with Tyler yesterday to go over the results of my semester of work with the Healthy Titans program. Overall, the results are good. I lost 7.5 pounds, my body fat percentage went down quite a bit (results pending), and cardio test improved and I even increased my sit and reach (a first)! Overall, I was very happy. Of all three semesters, I have noticed gains and definite muscle growth.

These post-assessment results are great, but they need to be followed by continued work over the break period between. I am hoping that I can work with Tyler to generate a program that I can work on over the summer so that when I come back for the fall semester I will have made additional gains. I want to avoid the cycle of being in shape and out of shape.

Softball Game #1: Umm...

Last night was the first game of the Monday City League. It was an extra inning affair, but we went down 9-6 in eight innings. As a team, I can see two problems that we should probably address. One, whenever we try to make a second throw to get someone out on an additional base, we inevitably overthrow it and runs score. Two, the top of our order tries to swing for the fences and has a tendency to pop out...quite a bit.

There were a few bizarre incidents during the game. We had someone called out for leaving the bag early before a ball was caught. We was on third so that saved us a run. We also had a runner moving to third that was hit by a ground ball; he was called out so that also saved us a run.

As for my performance, I alternated with Greg in right field. We each put in four innings. Besides one fly ball that went all over the map and dropped between me and a teammate, things went pretty well. I was 0-3 at the plate. My first contact was a weak grounder. The second two times at the bast I made really good contact but was not able to get the ball past the fielder. Hopefully this changes in the future.

Hopefully my hitting improves and the team can learn from its mistakes in the first game. It was close.

Weekend Catch Up

Past News

• The Brewers got swept by the Houston Astros. Boo. That is a series they should have taken.
  
• We completed our second to last gaming session for the semester. Our last session is this weekend!
  

Future News

• My third semester of the Healthy Titans program has come to a close. I will be meeting with Tyler on Tuesday to take a post-assessment. I will be interested to see how the results come out. We have seen some definite progress. I am now starting my own weight training routine.
  
• Our softball season actually starts tonight. We got rained out last week. Stats from the game will hopefully be posted tomorrow.
• Two weeks until Webster Hall closes! The craziness continues.
  

11,000

For what's its worth, my Gamerscore for the XBox 360 has now reached the 11,000 point mark. For 99.9% percent of the population, this does not matter. But, it is exciting for me. Much of the recent surge has come as a result of playing Burnout: Paradise. I may end up buying that game. It's quite fun.

In gaming related news, I have rented 10 games from Family Video so my next rental is free! So many options for rental, but I am leaning toward Grand Theft Auto IV. Not sure what to expect, so it would be best to rent before I buy.

What Does a Degree in Music Get You?

I meant to write about this a few days ago when the Game-A-Thon was more fresh in mind. As I had mentioned, Rock Band was a very popular game during our event. It was going on for much of the afternoon and evening. The game combines the mechanics of Guitar Hero along with a drum set and a microphone. During the course of the evening I tried everything out, but the vocals intrigued me.

I grabbed the microphone for one song. I definitely felt a little nervous and self-conscious. This may surprise you because in college I was a music major and my primary instrument was voice. I was trained to be a singer. Well...things did not go so well. I managed to get through Highway Star OK. However, when I tried to sing Gimme Shelter it got pretty bad. We failed...because of me.

The mechanics for the singing component are interesting. It recognizes tone differences regarding of how high or low you are singing. Thus, it doesn't matter if you sing pretty or not. You just have to be within the pitch zone. This is a tough transition for a music major and one I'm not sure I can get over. Usually my game instincts kick in, but I am so busy trying to sound authentic to the song that I only make it worse. Curse this music education! ;)

Endings and Beginnings

Tonight is my last Wines Around the World class. We will be meeting at Primo restaurant on Jackson Street. We will have the option to order dinner while we survey various wines. This class has been interesting for me and I have learned a lot about wine. It does make me realize that I am more of a beer drinker. My range of wines that I enjoyed was pretty limited, but at least I know now :).

Tonight is a also the first game of the 2008 summer softball season. When I woke up this morning, the snow, rain and cold temperatures didn't seem too conducive to softball. The weather doesn't look like it's going to get much better today. We'll see if it happens. We don't play until 9:30 and we are the 5th game of the evening. When those games start to run behind it is possible that we won't play until 10:00 or 10:30. My bedtime is 11:00 PM! Regardless, the first game will probably be a struggled, and I will give you the full results tomorrow. Hopefully all this running and weightlifting will pay off :).

Other News:

• Gaming was fun again. Only two sessions left for the spring semester. This coming Sunday we may actually have six people there to play.
• Christa seems to also be a fan of Burnout Paradise. Perhaps this will be a game that we purchase after we return it to the rental store.
• Relay for Life was a good time. I made it to 2AM. It was a big improvement over last year. It will likely take awhile to recover from lack of sleep, but it was for a good cause!

Remote Post: Kolf Sports Center

I come to you from the Kolf Sports Center on the UW Oshkosh campus. It is 11:22 PM and I trying to stay strong. The festivities began at 6:00 PM. Christa and I have been walking off and on throughout the evening. Greg and I even ran for two miles :). In between the fits of walking and running, I have worked on other stuff: the AD&D adventure for tomorrow is ready, my Disciple work is ready and I even taught Christa and how to play Magic: The Gathering...again. She did pretty good. She remembers more than she thinks.

Can Jim make it until 2:00 AM? We'll see.

Relay for Life

Tomorrow evening, a group of 11 Webster residents will be taking part in the 2nd Annual UW Oshkosh Relay for Life event. This 12-hour event involves members of various teams walking around a track from 6PM to 6AM. Teams have raised money for the event, which all goes to caner research. Events like this are hosted all over the country all helping the American Cancer Society.

Our team is the Web of Hope. We had a fundraising goal of $2,000. I thought our team leader was crazy to set such a high amount. But, we reached it. Through some amazing individual donations and some great hall fundraisers, we reached our goal. I look forward to celebrating with teammates at tomorrow's event.

I am curious to see how I hold up staying up until 2:00 AM. Last year, I didn't make it much past midnight. I didn't think it was realistic to stay up until 6:00 AM, especially with church and other meetings coming up on Sunday.

It can also be easy to get caught up in the fun and celebration of Relay. It is important to also remember that this is a time to honor and remember those who have lost the battle with cancer or continue the fight. It is a chance to celebrate those who have overcome cancer.

Maybe I'll see you there...or else you will be participating in a Relay for Life near you.

Midweek Checklist

Here is an update as to what has gone on so far this week:

• If you live in the halls and you are reading this between now and midnight...call x2231 and order a pizza! $5 for a medium pizza...we deliver. It's a long shot, but why not?
• I need to turn in Forza Motorsport 2 tonight. It was OK. I now know that I am not really a racing game guy. The game gets into a lot of detail in terms of how you can customize your car and how you can calibrate it. I just don't care. In the end, you drive around a track...again and again. It gets old. I managed to get a few a achievements out of it.
• We had our first official Disciple class today. I was the only person who had the work ready for class. Doh!
• The weather continues to be gorgeous...it felt great to run!
  

Back to Running

After taking a little more than a week to recover from both a half marathon and a cold, I ran again this morning. The 3.6 mile run felt good and the weather makes it much easier to get up at 7:00 AM and do so. I have talked it over with Christa and I may be running in the Fox Cities Marathon in September. I should have sufficient time to train and I have always wanted to run a marathon. I'll keep you posted.

Sunday Randomness

I thought I would take today's entry to highlight some of the stuff that has happened over the last few days:

• I have been fighting off a cold the last few days. Each day it was a different symptom. I feel like I am now over the majority of my symptoms, but today I am still fighting the soar throat and raspy voice. Perhaps one last evening of sleep will put it away.
• The Game-a-Thon was a success! There were folks that lasted the entire 24 hours. I will find out how much money was raised tomorrow when I take the money in, but I am excited. We probably raised around $50. I made it from 3 PM until 2 AM. Then I had to go to bed. I just can't do the all-nighters anymore. That should be interesting because Relay for Life goes from 6 PM - 6 AM.
• Gaming today was a little sparse. We only had three people show up. But, those three people had a good time. I am really hoping that we can get more people to get involved with this. Three people won't cut it long term.
• I have been playing Forza Motorsport 2 over the last few days. It's OK. I just don't think I'll ever get into racing games.
  

How Much Do You Enjoy Gaming?

On Saturday, April 19 at 3:00 PM, a 24-hour gaming marathon will begin in Webster Hall. TVs will be brought down to the lobby as well as a variety of gaming systems. There are 120 cans of soda waiting to be consumed to keep active gamers await throughout this entire time. A variety of snack items have also been purchased. It should be a good time. I know that Rock Band will be available to play and I plan on renting a few new games for the XBox 360 as well.

Through the 24-hour event, there will be a container for you to donate change to keep these folks gaming. All change raised will be given to the "Web of Hope" team for Relay for Life. This group is truly gaming for a cause. Come and check it out. Play games for charity!

I do want to give special credit to Mark Medinger, last year's 1st floor CA in Breese Hall for originating this idea last year. I am excited to see this tradition live on with different folks in a different building. It is obvious that enough people found this event worthwhile to keep it going!

It Happens Every Year Around This Time

The EOY Task List is handed out. Express Checkout Training begins. You meet with next year's CA/PA staff. You hire an RHD secretary. You look to elect hall leaders...and it all comes at once. For the fifth year now I am experiencing the End of Year (EOY) push. It finally hit me today how crazy it has been and how crazy it will be. Having experienced this a few times, it doesn't come as so much of a shot, but it is still stressful. You just have to plug away at things one task at a time. It usually all works out once the residents have checked out ;).

Softball Season #3

On April 28, 2008 I begin my third season of spring/summer softball. I will be a member of the Strikeforce United team led by fellow RHD Thomas. That league is run through the YMCA. Christa and I will both be a part of a softball league in Neenah. I don't know a lot of the details, but what I do know is that you can drink in this league...not sure how I feel about that.

I feel as though each year I get a little bit better at this softball thing. My first year was a disaster. I surprised myself with my hitting ability, but I couldn't throw to save my life. Honestly...it was bad. There was maybe a 30% chance you could catch something that I threw to you without having to move. As the summer went on things got better, but it didn't help that we also weren't very good ;).

My second year, I joined the Strikeforce team and did me best to improve my throwing and fielding skills. I felt that by the end of the season I wasn't as much of a fielding liability as I was before.

Now, with the weight training (and additional practice) I can get even better. I'd like to sneak up in the batting rotation a little bit and would like to "graduate" from a position other than right field. We shall see.

I am hoping to bring back the box score of my performances...now in both leagues. We'll see.

Monday Morning Catch-Up

As I have begun my Monday at work and have had a few moments to reflect back on the last few days, I have a right to be exhausted. This has been quite an emotional time for me.

Becoming a certified candidate for Methodist ministry is a relief, I must admit. It is a good feeling to know that I can continue in the ministry process as Christa and I contemplate our status for June 2009. It does, however, open many doors and create a new feeling of uncertainty. I now need to start thinking about what path I wish to follow. Do I want to go toward ordination? Do I want to continue down the path of licensed ministry? Where would I be interested in working? I have been telling folks that I want to enjoy this moment before I continue my path.

My legs have a slight residual soreness from the half marathon. I think by tomorrow they might be ready for a little running. I want to avoid last year where after the half marathon I pretty much gave up on exercise until September. With no wedding planning and no NACURH this spring, I think time for working out will present itself. I am hoping to keep a good thing going.

A few more nights sleep and a few good days of work to catch up will go a long way. So far so good.

I Think I Ran 13.1 Miles

On Saturday, April 12, 2008 I participated in the 2008 Oshkosh Half Marathon. The weather did not cooperated. It was around 34 degrees with 15 mph winds and light snow for the duration of the race. When I crossed the finish line, the gun time was 1 hour, 55 minutes, 30 seconds. I wanted to confirm this time with the official results on the internet. I am not listed anywhere in there. Something must have been wrong with the chip I was wearing. To come up with my "official time" here is what I did.

About seven miles into the race, we were stopped by a train on Murdock near the Piggly Wiggly. I couldn't tell you how long we waited, but it was at least two minutes. Let's be conversative and go with that. Darla, the person that I ran with showed a 30 second difference between the gun time and the chip time. So, if you take off 30 seconds for that, I would say I finished in 1 hour, 53 minutes. Last year, I ran it in 1 hour, 59 minutes so that is a nice improvement.

My parents came up to watch me race, which given the weather was very nice. I ate my jelly belly "energy beans" 30 minutes before the race (like last year). I decided to dress light, figuring that I would eventually warm up. So, I wore shorts, something that very few others decided to do. I warmed up by mile three and shedded my jacket, leaving me with a long-sleeve and short-sleeve T-shirt. If the race were much longer that 13 miles, I probably would have gotten cold.

I paced myself much better this year. Darla and I were shooting for 9:00 per mile and despite the train stop, we did better than that, averaging a little below 9:00 per mile. Finishing now seems past me. I want to beat this year's time next year. Weight training this year seemed to be the X-factor.

I'm Certified!

At 11:00 AM yesterday, I met with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry so that I could interview for being a certified candidate for ministry. After a 40 minute interview and 15 minutes waiting period while they made their decision, they brought Lucretia, Christa and I into the interview room to let me know that I had been unanimously approved for certified candidacy.

It is a good feeling to have this major part of the process over. At this point, I wait until January 2009 to point my name out there as someone available for appointment for pursuit of licensed ministry.

AD&D Adventure Update

Our gaming group has managed to resurrect our AD&D campaign that we ran last spring. I am excited to have a group that is excited to play each week. It also keeps me motivated and has recently gotten me to pay more attention to detail and to be quite prepared for our sessions. The sessions bring back memories of gaming in high school, where we screwed around about as much as we played. It has been a nice relaxing experience this semester.

If any of you are curious, there is a link to the Pholtus campaign in the links to the right. I try to update it regularly. If you are interested in playing, please let me know. We are always looking for extra players.

Other News:

• Only a few more days to my dCOM meeting. I met with my mentor for the last time before the meeting to make sure everything is in order. I feel pretty confident for the meeting. I am not sure what to expect, but I look forward to finding out if I will be a certified ministry candidate.
• The weather today was crappy...whenever the "wintry mix" is forecast, you know it can't be good. It appears that cold, windy and wet weather awaits participants in the 1/2 marathon this weekend. *sigh* Should be fun...
  

Where Do We Stop?

I saw this article on the Drudge Report a few weeks ago and didn't get the chance to comment about it. They want to build a tower that is about a mile tall.

I can tell you for sure this is a building I would never, ever enter in my life. My fear of heights is only part of the problem. I can't imagine being in a building like that from a safety perspective, if anything happens, how would you ever get out? Can you imagine the temperature extremes at the top of this thing?

I can only imagine the risks that would be taken in constructing something like this.

8 Mile Checkpoint

No, this is not a reference to Detroit or to Eminem.

My training for the Oshkosh Half Marathon has been a little shaky for the last few weeks. I decided today to go on an 8-mile run this morning to see where I was at. I completed the run at the pace I would need to run the 13.1 mile race in two hours. So, that means I should be in good shape fore next Saturday. This is good news indeed.

Remote Post: Weekend Preview

I am again hanging out at FUMC Oshkosh playing the role of church administrative assistant from 8:00 AM to noon today. Hopefully, if MIO can get webmail going, I will have access to E-mail while I am here. I can actually get quite a bit of work done with E-mail access.

It feels like this week has blown by. Usually the second half of the spring semester goes really fast...it has certainly started that way. Already, I am thinking about the weekend and how to enjoy it.

Christa has asked about seeing a movie this weekend. I wouldn't mind seeing 21, but other than that there aren't many movies that I'd like to see. My XBox 360 has been sadly reneglected this week...I look forward to playing Mass Effect. I am also hoping to just relax, hang out with Cgrista and not worry about the paperwork for my ministry meeting next Thursday.

One Week from Today

The counter to the right of this entry is a little off. Officially, my meeting with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry is at 11:00 AM on April 10, 2008 at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Ripon, WI.

At this point, I am not so nervous for the meeting. If anything, I am concerned that I am making a bigger deal out of this meeting than I need to. Have I over-prepared?

I have some idea of what the meeting will be like, but until it actually happens, I can only guess as to the format. Regardless, I will be excited to get it done and find out the results...which I will get the same day!