Tuesday, March 28, 2006

I've changed, but didn't realize it

It's odd for me to realize that my tastes have changed, but I didn't realize it.

There are two examples that I can think of on this trip. The first is that in college, I was more into going to see bands at live venues. Then again, my roommate was in a band for a while. So I was a roadie by proxy :) However, about the time that I met Mark, I was moving from smoke clubs with hit or miss music and expensive drinks to the India films at the SXSW Film Festival.

The other example, that seems odd of me not to have noticed: night life in general. Once again, smoke clubs, and their loud thumping beat ... not so much. Not so exciting. You'd think I'd notice these shifts of taste.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Quick plug for a Hospital

This is just a quick plug. My sister's friend, Sachie, works for a foundation that supports Angkor Hospital for Children. They are in need of a number of things that I know I take for granted as being at the local drug store or in an endless supply at any hospital or clinic in the United States.

I'm actually wishing I had taken a look at the wish list first. I had plenty of room in my luggage for even a few of the basic necessities of the children.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Just put it on the schedule and go.

One of the biggest struggles I have right now is feeling like I can take off of work. Everyone has their own situation. For me, there's always more issues at work. There's never enough time to get everything "done done". And I always feel guilty for leaving. Mainly I worry that I've forgotten some detail or I've forgotten to cross train someone on some aspect.

This explains why last year I only took 6 of my vacation days... of which I worked from the hotel's internet cafe during part of the trip. (Note to self, do not stay in the same time zone as work) (Note to self, let very few, if any, people know where you are going)

Of course, this negates the fact that all of my coworkers are very capable intelligent people. Many of them are better developers than I am. I should trust that should an emergency arise, they are more than capable.

So, the short of this long paragraph: Book something in advance so that your can arrange coverage of your items. Book something in advance so that you have to go, and a whole year can't go by without you taking some time.

To that end, I've joined the tr4v3l3r blog. More importantly, we leave Tuesday for our first vacation of the year. Woo WOo!

Friday, January 06, 2006

Thanks be to God, his Church, and Jesus Chist our Savior

My Family, Jim, Church Family, My Friends who have become Family

On January 1, after a gentle decline, my grandmother passed away. Some of my earliest memories of her, aside from her wonderful heartfelt cooking, are her always telling me to "Pray to the Lord" and "Thank God for Every Day". In living a Good life, she was a good example of a Godly woman who planted and nurtured the seeds of my Faith. As her health declined in the past year, The word of God testified that he was with her, The people of God echoed this and were a source of comfort and strength for me and my Family, My Church Family and Family of Friends were examples of this as you offered comfort, healing, and words of Wisdom.

You also helped me keep my heart pointed to God and not to the despair that this situation could bring. Your obedience to the Holy Spirit helped bring me to a place where I realized I need to give my whole heart to God, like my Lola had.

You have all helped reminded me that God was with her. Every time we lifted her up to Prayer, God was saying "I know her. She always believed and testified about my Son. My Holy Spirit has always dwelt with her and worked through her. Her place by me is made. ... and I want her to cook her Chicken Adobo and fried sweet potatoes."

The T-shirt "The thing about me, is that it's all about me" still comes to mind. Because I find myself and see my family occasionally drift to the "I never got the hang of her Chicken Adobo", "I didn't visit enough when she was alive", "I never heard her tell how she and my Grandfather met". But stepping back, and remembering this time is not about me, I see not only the impact my Lola had in my life. But I also see how even through such little acts as a few words over sweet potatoes to a young boy, God was constantly at work through her. Her life, her work, is a part of a Tapestry that boggles my mind as I try to contemplate it. A complex web that I'm glad that The Big Guy is in charge of, for he is a Good God.

As Kenny and Jacque have told me, "it's still hard". Even knowing she was "resting" and "comfortable" it was still hard, and Troy always made space for me to let me say as such. Even when Lynn's prayers for the caregivers and decision makers of my Lola brought me some comfort, it was still hard. And I hurt. I've let work carry me through the past week, but Tim's card brought me to tears and I finally let myself start crying. She is with God, but it still hurts.

But I know that God and his people are doing a Good Work even through this. And for all of this, and all that I cannot yet see and do not yet know that God is doing around me, through the Holy Spirit and his people here on Earth, I am so grateful. The flawed human that I am, I am so grateful that this is our God, and that my Lola is with him.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

All I want for Christmas ...

Ok ... I don't really want it for Christmas. But, if a Red Swingline Stapler should appear before me, I would be a very happy geek.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Always things to do

Well, I did write Jason Yelverton.

I have been reading Hieu's blog and I even caught up with her yesterday. Actually, I got here to blogspot / blogger via her link. How 'bout that.

What else?

Work's been busy, but good.

I walked Blanche this morning before going to work. We saw some of the neighbors like the greyhound. That was good :)

Lola is still in the hospital. We're praying for her every day so that her heart is guarded, that she is given healing and comfort. And just praying fo her ...

More to say, but I'll say it later.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Things I need to do

Things I need to do:


  • Write back Jason Yelverton, and congrat him on his family :)

  • Catch up at work, but isn't that always,

  • Read Hieu Nguyen's blog

  • Pray for the 2 people from my church who just left to help in Sri Lanka

  • Pray for the people afected by the Tsunami, as well as everyone in Africa we always forget and all kinds of suffering in the world

  • Pray for the family of Murdered Kidnapping Victim, Oscar Sanchez



I'm sure there's more, but I gotta get working