Full of Thankness / Full of Forgetness

to nobody in particular:

...today is/was Thanksgiving, and because it is/was so, i am going to write out a few things from the top of my head that i am thankful for -- but things that are not necessarily always at the top of my list...

...i am thankful for spoons...

...i am thankful for footprints in the snow...

...i am thankful for BIC Atlantis ball-point pens...

...i am thankful for nostril hair...

...i am thankful for webcams...

...i am thankful for carpenter jeans...

...i am thankful for the smiles and laughter or children -- my children, especially...

...i am thankful for bikes...

...i am thankful for functioning eyes...

...i am thankful for sunsets -- beautiful ones, especially...

...i am thankful for comfortable silence...

...i am thankful for caller ID...

...i am thankful for most sports...

...i am thankful for inspired and beautiful paintings...

...i am thankful for a vocal Father...

...i am thankful for challenges...

...i am thankful for singing birds...

...i am thankful for other people...

...i am thankful for homemade beef teriyaki...

...i am thankful for life, and for true life...

...i am thankful for so much more than this...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: get everything written down on a shopping list before you go out shopping, even if it is a short list...

...today, i learned: thankfulness is a necessity...

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currently watching: Million Dollar Baby



...Sarah and i watched this last night for the first time -- good acting, interesting story, and, overall, it was okay/pretty good -- not my favorite, but alright...

...yeah, definitely liked Atonement better...

Poetry-Reading / Child-Naming

to nobody in particular:

...when i don't have anything specific to write, maybe i'll bust out some of my old poetry?...


My Poetry... (an Intro to...)

my poetry is not to be
.criticized.

my poetry is not to be
.intellectual.

my poetry is not to be
.normal.

my poetry is not to be
.predictable.

my poetry is to be
.me.

just .me.


(10/25/2000)

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: there are people in this world that want to give their children names like "Stalin" and "Lenin"...

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currently anticipating: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Hooray for Technology! / Hype, Time & Cold

to nobody in particular:

...the other day while we were out, i noticed something that i don't think i had ever seen before...

...i witnessed a male and a female, probably in the late teens/early twenties, and they seemed to be very good friends...their friendship was so deep, in fact, that they were completely comfortable with holding each other and kissing each other in the middle of a fairly public arena...

...now, this wasn't the uncommon thing, but the following could be used for cell-phone marketing...

...the young man had apparently given the young lady a hickey on her neck, and since the young lady could not see it for herself, the young man proceeded to pull out his cell phone and take a picture of his work of art to show the young lady...

...thank God for cell phones, huh?...

...on that day, i also encountered three very tall ladies at different times during the day, a dog with three legs and a person on a bike that would not stop staring at me...

...it also snowed...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...two days ago, i learned: hype is exactly that --hype...

...yesterday, i learned: time is overused, overspent and overrated...

...today, i learned: even though it's sunny, 0 degrees celsius is still cold outside...

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currently watching: Atonement

Freischwimmer Checklist / Humanity Evaluation

to nobody in particular:

...name? -- check...

...vision and goals? -- check...

...leaders? -- check...

...home group? -- check...

...committed and motivated core group to start from? -- check...

...art gallery showing local artists? -- check...

...initial place to meet on Sundays? -- check...

...possibilities for Sunday meetings? -- check...

...excitement about starting Sunday brunches with "input"? -- check...

...ahh, yes -- Freischwimmer is moving along...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: "Klüngel" is a German word for clique, or crowd...

...today, i learned: humans are humans and should know that other humans are humans too, but nonetheless, we as humans sometimes don't know how we humans should humanely interact with other humans -- but then again, that's what makes us humans human...

...but life isn't disappointing...

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currently watching: The Incredibles



...a.k.a. my favorite computer-animated movie...

...also, one of the few family movies that shows a young boy getting punched in the face out of a fast-moving vehicle...

Lego in Berlin / Lost in Space?

to nobody in particular:

...we visited Legoland Discovery Center in Potsdamer Platz today -- Travis really enjoyed it, and i think we all had a fun time together...

...it was very cool...

...thank God for Lego...

...well, that's all i got for today...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: J.J. Abrams & a new Star Trek movie?...

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currently wondering about: Star Trek

A Thought / A Weekend

to nobody in particular:

...no matter what kind of days may face me...no matter what kind of tears i may end up crying...no matter how many people i may fail...no matter when the hardest problems may come...no matter what kind of leadership may steer global affairs...no matter how long i fall short, how often i let go, how humiliatingly i disappoint, how quietly my heart screams -- God is always God...

...God's faithfulness, as i understand it through the Bible and through personally deep and perspective-changing experiences, is my favorite aspect of God's character...

...i'm not sure if, as a follower of Jesus, i should have a "favorite", but i kind of do -- His faithfulness...

...yes, God is love, is holy, is light...

...yes, God is merciful, is gracious, is patient...

...yes, God is strong, is powerful, is unconquerable...

...yes, God is wise, is just, is completely knowledgeable and everywhere...

...yes, He is all of this and more, and it is all incomprehensibly spectacular -- but it is His faithfulness that clinches it for me...

...His faithfulness -- in that He never changes -- binds all of these together, and strengthens and lengthens them as being His eternal essence...

...His faithfulness -- in that He is always Himself -- gives me a strong foundation with which my values, perspectives and worldview can be intertwined...

...His faithfulness -- in all the little things -- make me more and more thankful and aware of how He interacts with us and chats with us, how He relates with us and laughs with us, how He reveals Himself to us and brings us to more...

...yeah...

...i like His faithfulness...

(Selah)

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: next weekend is going to be busy -- but in a good way...

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currently watching: UHF

Speciecism / Sportism

to nobody in particular:

...on saturday, i had made my way down to Alexanderplatz and was greeted by a protest...

...well, not that this is a surprise, because protests are common in this country -- and especially in this city -- and, well, Alexanderplatz is a commercial center to the former east-Berlin...

...it was a protest against any type of cruelty against animals -- using animals for clothing, product-testing, research, eating...

...some of the banners read: "kill capitalism, not animals", "don't eat animals", and "animals have life" -- you know, the usual...

...but one stuck out at me -- it read: "against racism, against sexism, against speciecism, against capitalism"...

..."speciecism"? -- i don't think i have ever heard/read that term before, and if i have, i've never taken notice of it...

...my mind begins to whir -- am i guilty of speciecism? do i live out certain prejudices and hold some species in higher regard than others? do i treat animals better or worse than other humans? do i treat cats and dogs differently, because of deep, inner presumptions? what can i do to rid myself of any and every hint of speciecism? am i even spelling the word right?...

...then i think -- i'm not that bad of a speciecist, am i? i do hold a much higher value on actual human beings than on rabbits and minks, but does that make me a speciecist? would i kill a human and use it as a fur coat or boots, or eat it between two slices of bread? am i prejudiced against cows? what kind of a speciecist am i?...

...and then i think -- mmmmmm...bacon cheeseburger...

...next Bible study: what does the Bible teach about speciecism?...

...mental note: other Bible studies are probably much more important...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...two days ago, i learned: "speciecism" can spice up my everyday vocabulary (see above)...

...yesterday, i learned: chess-boxing is a real sport...

...today, i learned: there is such a thing as too (and almost unbearably) needy...

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currently watching: Monty Python and the Holy Grail


...heh heh -- classic...

...i'm not sure, but i think Michael Palin was my favorite from the group -- either he or John Cleese...

February Stars (live acoustic version) / Life & Lego (lesson learned version)

to nobody in particular:

...alright, well, i guess this one is for Sam -- i had no real desire this afternoon to write anything deep or original...

...so, here it goes...

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1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look.
4. Tag Your friends! (or not.)

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Pardon Me (acoustic version)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Send the Pain Below

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Falling On

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Something's Always Wrong

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Floaty

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Waste

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Parklife

WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
Don't Shut the Gate

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Airport

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Whatever the Deal

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
St. Andrews (This Battle is in the Air)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Crazy Life

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
eBay

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Breakout

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Move to Bremerton

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Beautiful One

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
No More Gold Lights for the Queen Earth to Keep You Warm in Your Kingdoms

WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS?
February Stars (live acoustic version)

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...yesterday, i learned: the first five years of your first niece's life can go by really quickly!...

...happy birthday, Brodie!...

...today, i learned: i'm a little excited to take Travis to Legoland tomorrow -- should be fun...

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currently listening to: Foo Fighters


...beautiful...

...i think this surpasses both Take That AND New Kids On The Block...

...would you agree, Optimist Prime?...

...heh heh...

Late Evening Stillness / Recent Dinner Satisfaction

to nobody in particular:

...Travis is dreaming, Hannah is snoozing, and Sarah is falling asleep...

...it's that relaxing part of my day in the evening where sounds are scarce and distractions are unlikely visitors...

...the fairly dense silence is sometimes accompanied by the faint whisper of a keyboard tapping, a disc whirring, or a page turning...

...it's where my body tends to shut down for a spell, needing to unwind, like a rubber-band being loosened and set free -- after being used for what was intended, it sighs back into comfort and rest...

...yes, i find it hard to just slip under the covers and "try" to fall asleep; i need the brain and body to slow down -- through a book, through the internet, through a movie, through a video game...

...'tis almost a de-energizing of the day before the re-energizing for the next...

...it is beautiful...

...now, if i could only find my groove for the mornings...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: my son likes eating green beans and two and half rolls for dinner sometimes...

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recently heard twice in German stores and reminiscing about: Take That


...i'm not 100% certain, but i'm pretty sure that Backstreet Boys, N*Sync and the like had/have nothing on these wonderful souls...

Visas & Humans / Lessons & Oceans

to nobody in particular:

...today, we headed down to get our visas renewed for staying here in Germany and, for the most part, it went fairly smoothly...

...we can stay here for another year...

...on the other hand, we didn't have that other lady helping us -- the lady that was short, quick-tempered, rude and completely flustered with the couple that was in the waiting room with us -- yes, that lady that beamed with venom and shone like daggers...

...thankfully, we had to two kind and very helpful, courteous ladies helping us -- yes, those ladies that listened to us and smiled at our son as he said "hi" and "tschuss" to them...

...what a difference it makes when human beings interact with others as fellow human beings...

...what a difference...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

six days ago, i learned: if i have a gut feeling of 86% or higher, i am right -- or maybe, the American voting population is fairly predictable...

five days ago, i learned: the Mexican restaurant on Oranienburger Straße is excellent...

four days ago, i learned: don't wait so long to change strings on your guitar!...

three days ago, i learned: i can sing, play guitar and lead music/praise in German for a weekend of meetings -- progress!...

two days ago, i learned: it's so easy to miss and forget something, but try not to do it with BIG things...

yesterday, i learned: just pray, especially if it's monday morning...

today, i learned: there's nothing as exciting as waiting until the very last minute to have everything you need to get a visa to stay in a foreign country...

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recently watched: the Ocean trilogy -- Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, & Ocean's Thirteen







...the first time i had seen each of these movies, i ended up liking the first and third, and was disappointed with the second...

...however, as Sarah and i recently watched these in the last few weeks, i think i liked the second film more the second time around -- it wasn't so bad...

...of course, it's not intellectually or philosophically enriching or challenging to one's worldview, as some movies are, but they're all cool in a sense that they are entertaining, enjoyable and fun -- exactly what they were made for...

...another example for my theme of "Movies: Art vs. Entertainment" -- my much-pondered/hardly-attempted blog topic...

Great Evening / Bad After-Effects

to nobody in particular:

...Freischwimmer tonight was great...

...good conversation, good ideas, good clarity, good understanding, good input, good direction and good passion...

...it is always a little more difficult for me to go to sleep after an exciting evening like this...

...i have a feeling, the coming days for Freischwimmer are going to be very ground-breaking...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...today, i learned: pizza + milkshakes = not-so-enjoyable combination...

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currently reading: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Presidential & Political Ponderings / Bicycle & Cross-Dressing Tips

to nobody in particular:

...i tend to stay away from the political discussions, and this is primarily a result of personally weak political foundations and a sad-to-say lack of desire and knowledge in the arena, but i suppose i can share a few thoughts as many Americans ponder their vote tonight, go to vote tomorrow, cheer or whine the day after, and then, most likely, whine for the next four years no matter who becomes president because of:
a) "i really wanted the other guy to be president"
b) "this guy just isn't doing anything right and my personal life is a shambles because of him, ultimately"
c) "the media and entertainment icons don't like him, and hey, i think i agree with them"
or
d) "whining is what we as humans do best" (okay, maybe this shouldn't be in quotation marks, but the idea still stands)...

...after chatting with a friend the other day, i looked into something this afternoon -- in '92, '96 and 2000 (three of the last four presidential elections), the winning candidate won with less than 50% of the vote...

...i find that rather funny, interesting, and then, scary -- i realize that, yes, they for the most part had the majority, but that roughly not even half of the country is in full support of any president before he (or down the road, she) evens steps foot into the Oval Office...

...looking over the past decades, the winning percentage hovers around the mid/high '40s -- even JFK didn't have half the country behind him...

...maybe this is old news, or not even that enlightening to most people, but i found it intriguing...

...additionally, it puts Bush's approval in perspective -- he's only really "disappointed" less than 20% of the population during his days...

...so yes, tomorrow, people will vote...

...and, for me, i will wake up on the 5th, turn on the computer and check out who will lead the U.S. for the next four years, will probably mutter a "hmmmmm -- interesting", and then will continue on with my life...

...it sounds a little politically apathetic and, perhaps, irresponsible -- and it probably is...

...but i have other important things in my life that i have responsibility for in my life that i need to take care of -- it's a matter of commitment...

...life goes on...

...and God rules anyway, so...

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..."you learn something new every day"...

...four days ago, i learned: cold weather is here -- ride bike with gloves on!...

...three days ago, i learned: not all cross-dressers shave their stubble before leaving the house...

...two days ago, i learned: an improvised trip to the zoo is never a bad thing...

...yesterday, i learned: riding a bike at night is a new favorite thing to do...

...today, i learned: Jonathan Ross and his funny voice got himself in big trouble...

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currently scared of and still questioning: Pink Elephants sequence from Dumbo


...Travis likes Dumbo for the animals (especially elephants), music and such, but this part still kind of freaks me out -- and when Dumbo is only 61 minutes long, this is almost 7.5% of the whole movie!...