Instead of work today, my coworker, Mohammed, and I had the pleasure of volunteering (for hp) to install a server at a non-profit IT company, Genesys. They hook up with high schools (Reagan) to provide students with the opportunity to work for different companies doing IT work. It's a win-win situation - the contracting companies get cheap labor, the students make money and more importantly, get the experience they need to get a foot in the door. Some of the students now have hope of going to college, and have drastically different outlooks on what they can do with their lives. It's great. The place has only been open for a year, and the guy who started it used to be a Compaq employee. He's had this vision since he worked at Compaq - and it came with a cost too. He had to invest much of his own money to get things started. Now, they're funded by grants and stuff from corporate sponsors and the govt... But he had to take the first step of faith to get things going. Anyway, it wasn't anything big today, but it was a super-refreshing change of pace from the usual. What a great day. For lunch, a group of us 10 volunteers, male & female (the others went to different locations - schools, etc. - to install hardware or software) went to the Cadillac Bar for a late lunch. Haha, as soon as we walk in, we quickly discover its a "gentlemen's buffet" - it turns out there are two separate parts to the restaurant, and we definitely walked into the wrong place. Since there were ten of us all wearing bright blue HP shirts, the entire place turned around and watched as we walked in. Then they watched as we look about in confusion, nobody sure what's going on, and one woman in our group is like, "OK everybody out!!" and we all scurry out. What a funny scene it was. In other news, there's now a national do-not-call list that we can sign up for. Freedom from telemarketers. Now ... what about spam?

Oh my gosh dude, things are getting so intense in there. I'm not so sure that thing is a fly anymore. Its so huge. This big black loud buzzing thing. I think its a killer beatle. At one point in time I thought I killed it. And I saw it just sitting on the ground. So I layed down in my bed. The next thing I know, two minutes later, I hear the BZZZZZZT again and this time he does a fly by - I think he tried to attack me! Man my heart was pounding and the blood is flowing. Dude what the what. Don't make me sleep on the couch!

I frickin have developed a sudden dislike for flying things. This morning, I woke up to several mosquito bites and the sound of the attacker buzzing around my face. If there's one thing that's nearly impossible, it's sleeping around flying attackers. I smothered myself under the blanket hoping he would go away but he didnt so I turned on the light, sat up in my bed, and asked the Lord to destroy this guy. A few minutes later, the vile enemy, fat and drunk off of my blood comes staggering by, and I smoosh him vengefully. Sigh. the senseless bloodshed, the ridiculousness, the folly of it all. Why must we travel down this road? What do we have to show for our bloody and merciless morning battle? Me - a few scars from his bites. Him - his pitiful life lost between my fingertips. Nothing gained at all. Now. Tonite, all I wanna do is go to sleep. And there's a FLY buzzing around. Like for the last hour. So. Loud. And flys are so frickin much harder to get rid of - they have some sort of weird wind-detection radar instinct. Its like the moment you even think about eradicating them - before the message impulses can travel thru the human nervous system - the fly already knows your very next move. It's like playing chess against a guru who knows the outcome of the game after the first 2 pieces have been played. Oh yes, this is a worthy foe. Lucky for him and me, he doesn't bite, otherwise I'd probably have to bust out the heavy artillery - some hair spray and a lighter, or something more drastic and effective. However, because he's less beligerent than the mosquito - there may be a chance for survival for both he and I. Maybe he'll fly out of my door and go bug one of my roommates instead. Hah! Keep them up all night instead of me. Lord, strike down this wretched fly with your hand of justice. Repay him for his evil. Amen.

OH MY GOSH! The weekend is finally here! This has been one rough week. Not that I'm owed an easy life, but man the hits just keep on coming. Anyway, in retrospect, it's kinda been fun walking thru this hardship. I guess there's not one thing in particular that's been crazy - just everything sort of slipped in at once: work has been operating at a really stressful level, no house church to look forward to, spiritual difficulties, a lot of daily goals left unaccomplished (sense of frustration, unworthiness at not accomplishing what i'm supposed to), distractions to the left & to the right. Just a general sense of "life isn't gonna come easy." Bring it! Ahhhhhh. There. A deep breath. Gonna make some time this weekend to rest in the truth of God's love - and next week I'm gonna dive on in with some reckless abandon and tear up my circumstances. RAWR. With difficulty comes the exciting sense of God's goodness and deliverance, his personal love & involvement, and his precise plan for my life. woohoo!!! Haha. Look at the look on that guy's face. (courtesy of The Onion)

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w.bloggar test, wmp9 plugin thing ...

[Listening to: Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds - The Black Crowes - I Am Sam (03:50)]

[Listening to: Julia - Chocolate Genius - I Am Sam (04:35)]

Hey, here's a test from w.bloggar posting software. It's pretty nifty! Looks like it knows how to integrate w/ blogger, b2, and moveable type. Provides an easy interface to posting and editing templates and such. Oh, by the way, I set up a movable type blog for fun. Long run, I may migrate over to that blog - its quite tempting! But, in the meantime, somnfic.blogspot.com is here to stay. Check out the other blog here: the spot (almost a mirror) The process of importing blogger entries was more or less flawless - so that's really neat. --- Man, work has been really really busy lately.

spiritual disciplines i think, are really crucial to maintaining good spiritual health and drawing closer to God in a walking relationship. Into Abba's Arms has so far, been an awesome book about what it really means to relate to God, and to listen carefully. Sandra talks about bridging the gap between spiritual truths that are understood in the mind, and receiving those into the heart and experiencing them firsthand by faith. Really very valuable and cool stuff. "For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come." (1 Tim 4:8)

I remember once when I was younger, my dad and I were playing catch (baseball). And it was all pretty fun. And then the "last throw" he was like, "scoot back, I'm gonna rocket this one" and I was like "ok daddy." And so he really chunks it. And my uncoordinated self just watched this white blur headed towards me, and I can't react fast enough BAM - right in the face. So I always thought that was a sort of funny story, that my dad beaned me in the face with a baseball. But I never realized what it might seem like from his perspective. Can you imagine just tryin to have some fun with your kid, and watching as you release the ball - realizing in that split second - "he's not catching this one" and then proceeding to watch your son go down for the count. Man, that can't be a good feeling. It must be a relief to see that your son is ok, but still maybe feel kinda sheepish for what happened. I dunno, just speculating ...

Father's day was kinda weird. Our family planned on going over to Michael, Grace, & Andy's house for dinner to celebrate and honor our fathers. Turns out my mom was busy working overtime, so my parents never showed up. So Daniel & I had Father's day dinner without our father. The steak we had was nothing short of incredible, however. My uncle said it cost $10/lb for the meat, and it was so tender and delicious - marinated only with a little salt and pepper. Very, very, very good.

wow, cong put up his pictures and its arranged really nicely. Quite entertaining.

Wow blogger looks really different now. I guess this is dano. The colorado weekend pictures are finally up, captioned, sorted, and ready: adventures in colorado. Enjoy!

Hey! It's Friday the 13th!! Yeeehaaaw ... gonna be a fantastic day. I've published the Colorado hiking pics, but there are waaay to many so I'm gonna quickly go thru and delete some of them, caption a few, then I'll put up a linky link here.

Jim Elliot writes: "'Nothing is too good to be: so believe, believe to see.' In my own experience, I have found that the most extravagant dreams of boyhood have not surpassed the great experience of being in the Will of God, and I believe that nothing could be better. That is not to say that I do not want other things, and other ways of living, and other places to see, but in my right mind I know that my hopes and plans for myself could not be any better than He has arranged and fulfilled them. Thus may we all find it, and know the truth of the Word which says, 'He will be our guide even until death.'"

time to head out to the ol' rocky mountains .. don't bother checkin here for the next couple of days, coz it ain't gettin updated. ;P later..

"It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring ..." Has anyone noticed how the banner at the top has targeted ads according to the contents of this page? And they're text banners which are much less annoying than flashing gifs or whatnot. I was thinking about sending moneys into blogspot, but I kinda like having banners around now. GoogleEnjoyment++. Grace, I'm with you on the loyalty to blogger/blogspot thing. 4EVAR. Either that or roll-your-own blog. :) Down with xanga ... :P This morning's intouch broadcast was good. Dr. Stanley lists out ten different stages in a person's obedience to God. Some of those stages listed were principles that the Lord has helped me realize just recently and it was so neat to hear them articulated. Basically, one day I realized - it is always better to obey God, no matter what the consequences look like. Because at that moment of decision - the crossroad (obey, or do my own thing?) - I've been down at that place enough times to realize that obedience will always carry with it a sweet, light fragrance of joy & peace. And just doing my own thing, walking in disobedience will carry with it regret, emptiness, and frustration. If not immediately, down the road, its always turned out this way. And ultimately, obedience to God will be simply out of love for Jesus Christ - because of who he his. Dr. Stanley also emphasizes teaching children from a young age, and I really appreciate his focus on that.

A slow evening tonite ... bought some chicken thighs and tried my hand at cooking. Used olive oil, but it still turned out pretty greasy - almost fried chickeny without the crispy skin. Not bad tasting but not too healthy i think. I had to eat a banana and wash down some orange juice afterward just to sort of balance out the greasy feeling. "How great is your goodness, which is stored up for those who fear you which you bestow in the sight of men, upon those who take refuge in you"