I Need a Hobby...

You want to know who impresses me? People who do stuff. They impress me. If you are in the business of doing stuff, I'm genuinely impressed. You are my hero.

I've been watching the Olympics off and on. The marquee event on NBC lately has been swimming. Have you seen this? I could look up the fancy terminology, but my comments come down to one statement: Those muh fuh's are FAST! I watch Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe race and the only thoughts I have are "Wow. Fast," and "Wouldn't it suck to have an erection in those tight outfits in front of all those people."

Tonight I (a heterosexual,) and my friend Jason(also a heterosexual,) watched gymnastics. Man, you should see all the stuff those little girls do. They were doing all this stuff and the only thing we could say was "Wow. Did you see that? With the, and the, and the no hands thing, and spinning around in the air, with, like, no hands....... AWE-SOME."

Christy was painting cool things for her Community Leaders. I was very impressed. The stuff she was doing was very artistic. Artistic stuff is good stuff. All I could say was "Wow. That's cool. With the..., and the, like, colors and stuff. And the, you know, with good handwriting. That's some good stuff."

Aaron and Myles and Keith do really cool stuff with their minds. They write stuff down and I'm very impressed. They believe stuff and know how to communicate that stuff to others. It's really cool.

My roommate Tom runs like, I don't know, eighty, ninety, miles in the rain and calls it his "short run." His stuff is hard. He does stuff that makes me lose my breath.

Jen raises eight or nine kids, keeps the Lake house spotless, and finds time to, like Christy, do artistic stuff. I'm very impressed by all the stuff she does.

Jason does ministry stuff. I used to could do cool ministry stuff like he does, but I don't think I could do it. He's really good at the stuff he does. (Yeah, I really think you are.)

For over twenty years my sister has written at least a letter a week to missionaries who have birthdays. She hasn't missed a week. Ever. That's some neat stuff right there.

I don't do enough stuff.

Don't pity me. I know, I know. I'm good at stuff. People. Politics. Books. Television. But I don't see that as doing stuff. Maybe it is, who knows.

So here's what I'm thinking. I'm going to become an actor. Waco has a Civic Theater and they take auditions from the public, and I'm going to audition.

My dream of being an actor goes way back to around 5:00 this evening when I heard an interview on NPR with Phylicia Rashad (Clair Huxtable,) who is in a play right now. They played clips of her performance and, wow. It was....so....cool. So the stuff I'm about to do is acting stuff. I'm also about to start writing a script for a sitcom. But after that, I'm going to become an actor.

This morning I considered becoming a synchronized diver, but, you know... the erection thing. So, an actor it is.

Just Like Rip...

After work and working out yesterday I came home without a thing on the agenda. So I did my ritual emailing and checking out blogs, then lay on the couch to watch a couple of episodes of friends. I thought I might spend the evening watching the Olympics after that. But when 7:00 rolled around, I realized how tired I was. Remembering the after school naps I used to take in high school, and how happy they made me feel, I decided I'd go to sleep for about an hour then wake up and blog and read some before I go to bed for good.

Ten and a half hours later I woke up, refreshed as ever. I finally caught up on sleep I missed in Seattle.

I really wish I had something better to tell you today, but I don't. So feel happy that you're "in the know" when it comes to my sleep patterns.

Today's Words...

After months of planning and anticipation, I travelled to Seattle last week for Blake and Karla's wedding. The times spent with them and old friends were rich and fulfilling. It is in times like those where God peaks G0d's head into our reality and says "peekaboo." And we are awed.

After weeks of waiting, I attended Avery and Sutton and Jude's birthday party last night. You haven't known fun until you've been to a kids party as an adult. It is in times like those where God peaks God's head into our reality and says "peekaboo." And we are overjoyed.

After an intereting conversation on Tuesday night about the links between family and community, and how the contemporary reality of being seperated from your family becomes a difficult row to hoe, my dad called me to let me know a cousin of mine (who I haven't seen in years) passed away, and that the family wants me to be a pallbearer. It is in times like this where God peak's God's head into our reality and says "peekaboo." And we are humbled.

So I'll be headed to East Texas today. Here's hoping your 24 hour block is awe-inspiring, joyous, and humbling.

The Impartiality of Water (An Ode to the West Seattle Seven)...
Seven stand
At the shore
All are full
All want more
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
Across the way
The city stares
Our confusion
She will not share
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
One is bound
ToUncle Sam
One is worried
About the damned
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
One awaits
For his bride
Three have theirs
By their side
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
One can't seem
To find his way
Six can't wait
To see the day
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
On second thought
We all are lost
Slaves to want
Slaves to cost
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
Seven hearts
Long for home
Where the deer
And 'dillos roam
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
The one who writes
Has come to learn
Most will leave
And not return
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
Seven are bound
By God and chance
All have heart
All will dance
The waves don't care. Splash...Splash
Seven stand
At the shore
All are full
All want more
And the waves don't care. Splash...Splash.

Days Go By...

I'm still trying to find some time to write about last week, but it's not showing up.

So, while you're waiting, check out my new favorite song by Keith Urban.

http://www.capitol-nashville.com/index.cfm?method=artist.artistBio&artistID=23

Around top center is "Days Go By." Click "Hear It."

P.S.-- Listen to it loud.

Back...

My assumption has been that the post Blake and Karla's wedding week would usher in a blogging Renaissance on my bahalf, much as the months following Jason and Christy's wedding. I'm sure it will, I've just been too tired the past couple of days. I never got more than a few hours of sleep last week. Got in late on Saturday. After church on Sunday I took a 3 1/2 hour nap, went to see Shrek 2 with Tim, then slept from around 10:30 last night to 9:30 this morning.

The parents are coming at 11:00.

But stay tuned. I am working on a poem in my head as well as stories from the trip, and other musings inspired by a week with old friends.

Blessings.

Happy Trails, Until...

It'll be at least a few days until I'm able to blog again. With the recent infrequencies of my writing, however, it won't feel much different. I'm off to Seattle tomorrow for my good friend Blake Edwards' wedding. Looking forward to a joyful reunion with old friends.

In the meantime, I leave you with the best advice I can think of, straight from the mouth of one of America's finest poets, Tim McGraw...

Love Deeper
Speak Sweeter.