A statement of the husband/father of the family killed when the fighter jet crashed into a neighborhood in California.
"I believe my wife and two babies and mother-in-law are in heaven with God," Yoon said at a news conference afterward. "Nobody expected such a horrible thing to happen, especially right here, our house."
Yoon said he bore no ill will toward the Marine Corps pilot who ejected safely before the jet plunged into the neighborhood two miles west of the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. "I pray for him not to suffer for this action," Yoon said. "I know he's one of our treasures for our country."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Butterflies
There is a guy here this week i recognize from last year around this time. He is a really nice guy to talk to, but he does seem kind of odd at first, bed head and all. He can be seen on boardwalks sitting there, waiting for something. He has a really nice camera which tells you this is something he really cares about and does often. Most people probably walk by him and think its kind of odd but go about their day just like i did the first few times.
I remember the first time i stopped to ask what he was taking pictures of and how it was going. He opened right up about the butterflies. He had been sitting there for quite some time and I asked if he had taken any good photos, but he replied "Not really". He said it can take a really long time, but that when he gets a good one its so worth it. From where we are standing, behind him is Whistling Key with the turquoise waters surrounding it. Most are in awe of that view, and fill their cameras with dozens of the same photo. Not him, he's got his back to it. Something tells me he may not have even been to the water yet. He loves the butterflies, and that is why he is here.
We are intended to take care of this world. God created this guy to love and watch over his butterflies. Others were created to take care of sea turtles or horses or dogs and cats. Some will care for plants. We were each created to care and look over something. If we all did our part in caring for creation and each other the way we were intended to, seems we wouldn't have the problems we have. Starvation? Pollution? War?
Sometimes its easy to look at something, like a butterfly, and admire its beauty for only a fleeting moment. What would be the point of creating something that most would pay little attention to? But that's what makes this world so amazing, that nothing was made plain. Everything is intricate and beautiful in its own way, and there is always someone there to appreciate it.
This guy is lucky. He may seem odd to most, but he has something to be passionate about and many would struggle to name their passion as fast as he could, i know i can't.
I remember the first time i stopped to ask what he was taking pictures of and how it was going. He opened right up about the butterflies. He had been sitting there for quite some time and I asked if he had taken any good photos, but he replied "Not really". He said it can take a really long time, but that when he gets a good one its so worth it. From where we are standing, behind him is Whistling Key with the turquoise waters surrounding it. Most are in awe of that view, and fill their cameras with dozens of the same photo. Not him, he's got his back to it. Something tells me he may not have even been to the water yet. He loves the butterflies, and that is why he is here.
We are intended to take care of this world. God created this guy to love and watch over his butterflies. Others were created to take care of sea turtles or horses or dogs and cats. Some will care for plants. We were each created to care and look over something. If we all did our part in caring for creation and each other the way we were intended to, seems we wouldn't have the problems we have. Starvation? Pollution? War?
Sometimes its easy to look at something, like a butterfly, and admire its beauty for only a fleeting moment. What would be the point of creating something that most would pay little attention to? But that's what makes this world so amazing, that nothing was made plain. Everything is intricate and beautiful in its own way, and there is always someone there to appreciate it.
This guy is lucky. He may seem odd to most, but he has something to be passionate about and many would struggle to name their passion as fast as he could, i know i can't.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
I'm thankful for the dumbest bird God created.....Turkeys.
There are only a few occasions when thanksgiving isn't that great. First is when you get assigned to be a Pilgrim instead of an Indian. Face it, Pilgrims are lame. The hats are embarrassing and you can't really spice up black and white. Indian's on the other hand, are much more fun. You get to wear feathers and decorate your own vest made from a brown Krogers Bag. It can have hand prints, and deer, and buffaloes, and bows and arrows. And you can't argue that Runs Like the Wind and Squatting Dog aren't much cooler Thanksgiving names than Jedidiah and Esther. Thanksgiving also isn't that great on islands.
Thanksgiving is a great holiday because there is no pressure. You don't have to buy any presents or decorate the house or tree. You don't have to wear a certain color scheme. The Iron Bowl is only two days away. You can eat more on that day than is physically possible on any other day. And then, you get to nap. Not because you are lazy, but because it is a fact that turkey has sleep medicine in it (please comment with name of that drug). Also, its always on a Thursday, so you take Friday off of work and you get a 4 day weekend, getting Wednesday off too is even better (important to note that in the hotel industry, you don't get extra days off, only your scheduled days).
I spent my Thanksgiving Day on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Kind of ironic that most of my day was spent in a country that doesn't celebrate the holiday. After that I had dinner at Maho and the food was great and abundant. Friday went sailing in the Thanksgiving Day Regatta out of Coral Bay which was nice, but even after spending two days on the water and on beaches I'd give it up to be in Kentucky with family.
Thanksgiving is a great holiday because there is no pressure. You don't have to buy any presents or decorate the house or tree. You don't have to wear a certain color scheme. The Iron Bowl is only two days away. You can eat more on that day than is physically possible on any other day. And then, you get to nap. Not because you are lazy, but because it is a fact that turkey has sleep medicine in it (please comment with name of that drug). Also, its always on a Thursday, so you take Friday off of work and you get a 4 day weekend, getting Wednesday off too is even better (important to note that in the hotel industry, you don't get extra days off, only your scheduled days).
I spent my Thanksgiving Day on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Kind of ironic that most of my day was spent in a country that doesn't celebrate the holiday. After that I had dinner at Maho and the food was great and abundant. Friday went sailing in the Thanksgiving Day Regatta out of Coral Bay which was nice, but even after spending two days on the water and on beaches I'd give it up to be in Kentucky with family.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I have held on with one foot in the world for far too long. While maintaining this slight grip, it has hindered my growth in the Lord. This is not to say that I have not been changed or that I have not progressed, because i certainly have and am thankful for it, but i cannot help but think where i would be had i released completely sooner. There are a few reasons i feel i maintained my grip.
First, a fear that i would become irrelevant in the sense of no longer getting it like an unhip parent of sorts. I held onto a false assumption that if I did not keep just a foot in, that I would all of a sudden lose my ability to understand those who remain. As long as i still had issues, i would be able to relate. As long as i could relate, it would prevent me from becoming judgmental which leads to my second reasoning.
Second, a fear that i would become judgmental. I feared that if i did not hold on to a least a few small things by keeping a foot in there that I would become a judging Christian who looked down on others, that i would lose my ability to love them and to care. Once i was out, wouldn't it be easier to condemn those who were still there or were struggling with something? I was afraid I would become unsympathetic. Many are hurt by the judgments of those who have no right to the gavel, and that is a problem the church has had historically. I want no such gavel.
I am anxious to move forward as i feel a burden has been lifted and I can move faster and wiser toward the man i will be.
First, a fear that i would become irrelevant in the sense of no longer getting it like an unhip parent of sorts. I held onto a false assumption that if I did not keep just a foot in, that I would all of a sudden lose my ability to understand those who remain. As long as i still had issues, i would be able to relate. As long as i could relate, it would prevent me from becoming judgmental which leads to my second reasoning.
Second, a fear that i would become judgmental. I feared that if i did not hold on to a least a few small things by keeping a foot in there that I would become a judging Christian who looked down on others, that i would lose my ability to love them and to care. Once i was out, wouldn't it be easier to condemn those who were still there or were struggling with something? I was afraid I would become unsympathetic. Many are hurt by the judgments of those who have no right to the gavel, and that is a problem the church has had historically. I want no such gavel.
I am anxious to move forward as i feel a burden has been lifted and I can move faster and wiser toward the man i will be.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Its a Dogs Life.......seriously
I've been starting a youth group here on St. John. We do a bible study every Wednesday at Ronnie's Pizza. Last week i informed my group that we would be doing some sort of community service as a group, although no one would be required to help. James 2:18 "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."
I said we can raise money for a charity, we can clean up something for someone, we can feed people who need feeding. We can do anything you want as long as it is not for ourselves. They seemed skeptical at first, until they had something to go with. They chose raising money for the ACC (Animal Care Center). The ACC for the last few months has been extremely low on cash. They have too many animals and not enough money for an employee, food, or utilities. If they run out of money they will have to put down all of the kitties and puppies.
Now i know that most youth groups in the states would chosen starving children, or disaster area like New Orleans, or money for missionaries. But this is St. John, and we've got our own drum beat. This is what is important to the kids and its great that they are willing to put forth the effort. We will be having a bake sale on Sat Nov. 22nd (location TBD) to raise money. They are going to bake and get others from the church to donate edibles to sell as well. I'm glad they chose something they care about. Even the boys are baking and making lemonade. This is going to be a good year.
I said we can raise money for a charity, we can clean up something for someone, we can feed people who need feeding. We can do anything you want as long as it is not for ourselves. They seemed skeptical at first, until they had something to go with. They chose raising money for the ACC (Animal Care Center). The ACC for the last few months has been extremely low on cash. They have too many animals and not enough money for an employee, food, or utilities. If they run out of money they will have to put down all of the kitties and puppies.
Now i know that most youth groups in the states would chosen starving children, or disaster area like New Orleans, or money for missionaries. But this is St. John, and we've got our own drum beat. This is what is important to the kids and its great that they are willing to put forth the effort. We will be having a bake sale on Sat Nov. 22nd (location TBD) to raise money. They are going to bake and get others from the church to donate edibles to sell as well. I'm glad they chose something they care about. Even the boys are baking and making lemonade. This is going to be a good year.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sept Still Awesome
Well, no more sailing. With engine difficulties and stolen dinghies, planning was becoming more and more difficult. I decided to forgoe the sailing even though i know it would be great. So I will spend three days in Costa Rica instead. I'm going to give the solo traveler a shot, kind of like a sabbatical. I'll go rafting and hiking and whatever and i'll be the only one in on the decision. I normally thrive off of having others around, so one of two things will happen:
1) I will discover that being alone every now and then is awesome and something i should have been trying to do sooner.
2) Being alone sucks like i previously thought and to never try traveling alone again.
Its either going to be enlightening or boring. But either way i'm gonna be in Costa Rica so who cares. Now all i have to do is actually set dates and buy tickets, which is proving more difficult than originally thought. But once i can hammer that out, i'm on my way.
1) I will discover that being alone every now and then is awesome and something i should have been trying to do sooner.
2) Being alone sucks like i previously thought and to never try traveling alone again.
Its either going to be enlightening or boring. But either way i'm gonna be in Costa Rica so who cares. Now all i have to do is actually set dates and buy tickets, which is proving more difficult than originally thought. But once i can hammer that out, i'm on my way.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Favorite Part of the Olympics?
Tonight I was asked what my favorite part of the olympics was. I thought about it and i don't have a favorite olympic sport that i look forward to. The opening ceremonies is a huge ongoing peeing contest. Every four years the opening has to be bigger and better than the previous, "oh yeah? well watch this!"
My favorite part of the olympics is when they show how many medals each of the countries have. USA is always in the top, the last three summer olympics we are number 1, and here are our results overall. Its one of those moments where everyone watching all over the country has a sense of pride. We get special cups at fast food restaurants with your favorite athletes you've never heard of and contests you can win by ordering bigger fries and America winning. It transcends political differences. America.
My favorite part of the olympics is when they show how many medals each of the countries have. USA is always in the top, the last three summer olympics we are number 1, and here are our results overall. Its one of those moments where everyone watching all over the country has a sense of pride. We get special cups at fast food restaurants with your favorite athletes you've never heard of and contests you can win by ordering bigger fries and America winning. It transcends political differences. America.
Sept Awesomeness
Remember this post?
Yeah, me too. Still not going around the world anytime soon as i chose being an adult instead. I will however continue to go places i haven't gone. In sept i will visit Costa Rica for a few days on my own unless someone wants to come with me. After that i head to meet my friend Josh in Panama where we will team up with our buddy Doug who we crewed for when we worked for Calypso doing sailing trips. We will sail around the San Blas islands for a week. After that back to Nashville, not quite as exotic, but still good. Phileas did it in 80 days, i'll do it eventually.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Summer Camp, from the other side
Traveling with younger teenagers is an experience i will not soon forget. Four of them flew to the states to go to camp at Double Head Resort with me and my old church in Nashville for the week. I drive to Birmingham to meet them and take them the rest of the way. As i'm driving to the rendezvous, i pass a beautiful barn up on a hillside about 45 miles out of Birmingham. It sits in front of a large pond with nice fence rows all around. I admire the barn, not knowing that this would be one of six times that i would pass it. When they first hop in my vehicle, one of the girls informs me that she left her wallet on the plane and that it had not been turned in yet. One of the boys tells me that he was pick pocketed at the airport, so he also has no money. About the time he is finishing with his story, i receive a text from his mother letting me know that someone turned in his wallet, they found it in his seat on the plane. I wonder how the pickpocketter knew which seat was his, he must be a professional. So we are 50% at this point on making it to camp with our belongings.
It is obvious by the nonstop twitching and wide eyes that they have done nothing on the ride from Atlanta to Birmingham but dip candy into sugar and take the occasional breath. Their stomachs are full, but i decide that a little substance will do good to suck up the remaining sugar that has not yet entered their system. Wendy's is the unanimous decision. "Go ahead, order what you want". I realize i should have been more specific, rookie mistake. The two boys each order a frosty.....thats it....just frosties (sugar). The girls split a frosty and some actual food. Instead of prevention, i could have very well sent one of them into a sugar endosed coma. How to explain that to a parent was not in "Taking Kids to Summer Camp for Dummies".
Well we get on the road and radio station roulette begins. Round and round we go....static...static...half a song...more searching...girls love the country songs, unfortunately neither one of them were up on their shotgun calling reflexes, so more searching...another half song...then a song they love which i am forced to change because of its lyrics (that WAS in the book)...and so the story goes. We are having a pretty good time, everyone is excited to be going and are asking all kinds of questions i can't answer because i myself have never been to this particular camp before. The guys number 1 topic of conversation are the girls who will be there. One of them notices the barn (passing #2) and they start talking about how cool it is. After shortly passing the barn (remember, 45 miles out of Birmingham) the other girl says, "Oh no, i lost my purse!". We go through the whole "when is the last time you saw it?" dialog, all the while telling the boys to be quiet and to leave her alone, to find out the last time it was seen was on the back of the chair at Wendy's....."who needs another frosty?". So we turn around to head back to recover the goods. Oh look, there's the barn (passing #3). We make it to Birmingham and the kids laugh at the cars going in the other direction because they are sitting in traffic. I wonder to myself how long it will take them to realize that we will make a u-turn and get into that line ourselves. We make to Wendy's but I determine that letting them go in is a bad idea, so I go myself to retrieve the treasure. After getting in the car and getting the inventory on what's in there, I realize that I spent more on gas in my Tahoe than what is in the purse..................thanks OPEC. Luckily the traffic is flowing nicely as we are departing the city (again) so it is smooth sailing. 45 miles later we see the good ole barn (passing #4). No problems after this point. Along the way one of the boys points ahead to a distant hillside and remarks, "From here to there is St. John!". I'm not sure it was quite nine miles but he was right, this was definitely more land than we had seen in a long time. We make it to camp just in time to be the last ones through the dinner line. As we walked in the boys immediately began taking account of the girls around them.
After dinner it was time for us to find our cabins. The girls went off with their female leader and I took the boys to our cabin to see who else i was in charge of for the week. I walk into my first "Of course, that makes perfect sense....." moments of the week. There is a futon mattress and pillows all piled up in the middle of the floor. The Nashville kids had already been here for a few hours since we were running the Barn Circuit for the last three hours.
"Why is everything in the floor?"
"We were jumping over the balcony onto it."
"Of course, that makes perfect sense......"
"Why is there a steak knife on the floor?"
"Oh, well, if you take it and toss it like this, it will stick in the ceiling (demonstrating as explaining) like this"
"Of course, that makes perfect sense......"
The cabin is right on the lake. We have our own dock which it takes only 3 minutes of being there before the rocking chairs end up on it. We are all pretty excited to be at the lake and we run around checking things out. I walk back inside to hear a noise, a noise that i am pretty sure i have heard before. If this noise were played over the radio in one of those "name that sound" contests, i would definitely have tickets to a concert.
"I thought i told you not to throw knives at the ceiling?"
"We aren't, we are throwing them at the wall." says the kid at the top of the stairs
"Of course........"
Needless to say we didn't eat anything the rest of the week that needed to be cut. By the way, if anyone ever says they bet you can't stick a butter knife in drywall, take that bet.....it can be done.....
This is just the first five hours. Other things we learned at camp were it is possible to fill a water balloon with chocolate pudding, which is valuable to know. You can also fill one with lighter fluid, but it will soon pop because it eats through the rubber in seconds. If you fill one with a carbonated beverage, and shake it, the gas will expand the balloon and it will eventually pop. I feel that these few bits of information would definitely be useful in the second edition of "Taking Kids to Summer Camp for Dummies".
More learnings not involving water balloons:
When it comes to driving kids on JetSki's, the quality of the ride is determined by how close you can come to being flung off X number of times without actually being thrown off. Throwing them off is also acceptable. If you don't throw them off at least once, then they don't realize how close they came the other times which is the thrill of the moment. Other skills required to be known as the guy that everyone wants to ride with is the ability to send a wave of water onto an unsuspecting group of people on the pontoon boat (without actually running into said pontoon boat).
Young teenagers do not understand the concept of the "full flush", i will leave it at that.
We had a great week and they want to go back next year. We stopped at a gas station on the way back to Birmingham and you would have thought we were at Disney World. On St. John the gas stations only have gas, and that they only have sometimes. More candy was bought and novelty rings were tried on. $30 worth of food was brought to the register with only $10 cash to pay for it, so one by one, items were put back, with a subtotal given until we had it down to $10. Kids can evenly divide a bag of skittles into four even piles, but adding up the cost of that candy remains a mistery to them. Stopping at as many gas stations as possible on the way to camp next year has been added to the itinerary by the group. "Next time I come to the states, I am going to bring $50 and spend it all at a gas station!"
On the way back to Birmingham we pass the barn (passing #5) and find a Chik-Fil-A to eat once we reach the city to meet our rendezvous. Of course, a coke is spilled on the table. Actually half on a tray and half on the table/floor. Upon taking the tray to the garbage, the coke caught in the tray finds its way over the edge and leaves a stream from the table to the trash......"of course, that makes perfect sense...."
Look, theres the barn again as i head back to Nashville.
It is obvious by the nonstop twitching and wide eyes that they have done nothing on the ride from Atlanta to Birmingham but dip candy into sugar and take the occasional breath. Their stomachs are full, but i decide that a little substance will do good to suck up the remaining sugar that has not yet entered their system. Wendy's is the unanimous decision. "Go ahead, order what you want". I realize i should have been more specific, rookie mistake. The two boys each order a frosty.....thats it....just frosties (sugar). The girls split a frosty and some actual food. Instead of prevention, i could have very well sent one of them into a sugar endosed coma. How to explain that to a parent was not in "Taking Kids to Summer Camp for Dummies".
Well we get on the road and radio station roulette begins. Round and round we go....static...static...half a song...more searching...girls love the country songs, unfortunately neither one of them were up on their shotgun calling reflexes, so more searching...another half song...then a song they love which i am forced to change because of its lyrics (that WAS in the book)...and so the story goes. We are having a pretty good time, everyone is excited to be going and are asking all kinds of questions i can't answer because i myself have never been to this particular camp before. The guys number 1 topic of conversation are the girls who will be there. One of them notices the barn (passing #2) and they start talking about how cool it is. After shortly passing the barn (remember, 45 miles out of Birmingham) the other girl says, "Oh no, i lost my purse!". We go through the whole "when is the last time you saw it?" dialog, all the while telling the boys to be quiet and to leave her alone, to find out the last time it was seen was on the back of the chair at Wendy's....."who needs another frosty?". So we turn around to head back to recover the goods. Oh look, there's the barn (passing #3). We make it to Birmingham and the kids laugh at the cars going in the other direction because they are sitting in traffic. I wonder to myself how long it will take them to realize that we will make a u-turn and get into that line ourselves. We make to Wendy's but I determine that letting them go in is a bad idea, so I go myself to retrieve the treasure. After getting in the car and getting the inventory on what's in there, I realize that I spent more on gas in my Tahoe than what is in the purse..................thanks OPEC. Luckily the traffic is flowing nicely as we are departing the city (again) so it is smooth sailing. 45 miles later we see the good ole barn (passing #4). No problems after this point. Along the way one of the boys points ahead to a distant hillside and remarks, "From here to there is St. John!". I'm not sure it was quite nine miles but he was right, this was definitely more land than we had seen in a long time. We make it to camp just in time to be the last ones through the dinner line. As we walked in the boys immediately began taking account of the girls around them.
After dinner it was time for us to find our cabins. The girls went off with their female leader and I took the boys to our cabin to see who else i was in charge of for the week. I walk into my first "Of course, that makes perfect sense....." moments of the week. There is a futon mattress and pillows all piled up in the middle of the floor. The Nashville kids had already been here for a few hours since we were running the Barn Circuit for the last three hours.
"Why is everything in the floor?"
"We were jumping over the balcony onto it."
"Of course, that makes perfect sense......"
"Why is there a steak knife on the floor?"
"Oh, well, if you take it and toss it like this, it will stick in the ceiling (demonstrating as explaining) like this"
"Of course, that makes perfect sense......"
The cabin is right on the lake. We have our own dock which it takes only 3 minutes of being there before the rocking chairs end up on it. We are all pretty excited to be at the lake and we run around checking things out. I walk back inside to hear a noise, a noise that i am pretty sure i have heard before. If this noise were played over the radio in one of those "name that sound" contests, i would definitely have tickets to a concert.
"I thought i told you not to throw knives at the ceiling?"
"We aren't, we are throwing them at the wall." says the kid at the top of the stairs
"Of course........"
Needless to say we didn't eat anything the rest of the week that needed to be cut. By the way, if anyone ever says they bet you can't stick a butter knife in drywall, take that bet.....it can be done.....
This is just the first five hours. Other things we learned at camp were it is possible to fill a water balloon with chocolate pudding, which is valuable to know. You can also fill one with lighter fluid, but it will soon pop because it eats through the rubber in seconds. If you fill one with a carbonated beverage, and shake it, the gas will expand the balloon and it will eventually pop. I feel that these few bits of information would definitely be useful in the second edition of "Taking Kids to Summer Camp for Dummies".
More learnings not involving water balloons:
When it comes to driving kids on JetSki's, the quality of the ride is determined by how close you can come to being flung off X number of times without actually being thrown off. Throwing them off is also acceptable. If you don't throw them off at least once, then they don't realize how close they came the other times which is the thrill of the moment. Other skills required to be known as the guy that everyone wants to ride with is the ability to send a wave of water onto an unsuspecting group of people on the pontoon boat (without actually running into said pontoon boat).
Young teenagers do not understand the concept of the "full flush", i will leave it at that.
We had a great week and they want to go back next year. We stopped at a gas station on the way back to Birmingham and you would have thought we were at Disney World. On St. John the gas stations only have gas, and that they only have sometimes. More candy was bought and novelty rings were tried on. $30 worth of food was brought to the register with only $10 cash to pay for it, so one by one, items were put back, with a subtotal given until we had it down to $10. Kids can evenly divide a bag of skittles into four even piles, but adding up the cost of that candy remains a mistery to them. Stopping at as many gas stations as possible on the way to camp next year has been added to the itinerary by the group. "Next time I come to the states, I am going to bring $50 and spend it all at a gas station!"
On the way back to Birmingham we pass the barn (passing #5) and find a Chik-Fil-A to eat once we reach the city to meet our rendezvous. Of course, a coke is spilled on the table. Actually half on a tray and half on the table/floor. Upon taking the tray to the garbage, the coke caught in the tray finds its way over the edge and leaves a stream from the table to the trash......"of course, that makes perfect sense...."
Look, theres the barn again as i head back to Nashville.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Locked and Loaded
Supreme Court Rules on Guns
I picture people standing on the front stairs of capital buildings and in front yards all over the nation yelling yee haw and firing six shooters in the air when the decision was announced........and then that one bird who happened to be flying overhead falls to its death from a stray bullet and kind of dampens the mood.
I do think it is important to allow people the right to protect themselves in their home. Banning guns in homes will not stop violent crimes with guns, as they are acquired illegally anyway. I am glad i live in a place where i don't feel the need to have one, but I cannot speak for the neighborhoods that everyone else lives in.
Yee Haw
I picture people standing on the front stairs of capital buildings and in front yards all over the nation yelling yee haw and firing six shooters in the air when the decision was announced........and then that one bird who happened to be flying overhead falls to its death from a stray bullet and kind of dampens the mood.
I do think it is important to allow people the right to protect themselves in their home. Banning guns in homes will not stop violent crimes with guns, as they are acquired illegally anyway. I am glad i live in a place where i don't feel the need to have one, but I cannot speak for the neighborhoods that everyone else lives in.
Yee Haw
Friday, April 18, 2008
Living the life....sorta
It seems you can't go a week here without hearing at some point "Man i wish i had done that when i was young, you're living the life!". Seriously, i've been here since June 15 2005, so that makes a minimum of 148 times that i have heard that. Now, i am certainly not taking my island life for granted nor am i complacent with where I am. I certainly know that I am blessed to live in the house i live in, with the job i have, on the island i love. Please do not misconstrue any of this for that. Here's my point, Dude...
Blue waters and white sand do nothing to alleviate the everyday normal stress, problems, mishaps, and difficulties that companion everyday life. When your interactions are with those who believe that the everyday normalities could not exist here, it only adds to the situation. Islands still have rent, taxes, and people who have to eat, bathe, and clothe themselves. There is no escape from that. The escape is the end of the work week when your days off are sand filled instead of traffic and mall filled. But rest assured that you WILL work harder during those five days for the small things that come easy stateside. If the average ATM in America breaks once every 3 months, the average ATM here will be down three times every two weeks (which is 33% of all machines on island, assuming only one of the two ATM's at First Bank is down). If the printer at the DMV goes down in the states every six months, they will plug in one of four extras and no time is lost. Here, try back on Monday, but check the calendar because of the 52 Monday's a year, 37 of them are VI Government Holidays.
Part of what makes life here great is that you work really hard for the season, and then things slow down and you can enjoy yourself. What makes life hard here for those whose income depends on visitors (which is everyone) is that you work really hard for the season, and then things slow down and you are no longer making money. There are the same number of businesses competing for a third of business.
Entrepreneurs will come and go here. People give up the city or suburbia America and bring their life savings to St. John to give it a go. They've got a great idea that no one has thought of and they are going to do really well. They pack up, show up, set up, break down, tear down, and head back to the suburbs with their head down. You try to be supportive and you give the new eatery or coffee shop or all-in-one (because no one ever tried that here before.......) place a shot because you honestly want others to succeed. If only someone had done their homework, or given us a $500 consulting fee to tell them, "We realize that you are a hard worker with a lot of passion. However, the space you want to put this business in, well, the last four hard workers who tried that same idea in the same bad location shut down. We realize that the difference between you and them is that you will change the color scheme, but you should keep your life savings and come visit twice a year. It will be much cheaper." But alas the "For Lease" sign goes back up in the window after having not been down long enough to collect dust.
Paradise is not easy, there is an inherent tax built into your life that is difficult to explain. Everything here is Come and Go. The tourists come and go, the season comes and goes, your friends come and go, businesses come and go. But there are many people who remain. They have adapted to the pace, allowed to initial frustrations to become a normal part of life, figure out how to work with the quirks, passed the test, and life is good. Actually, although hard, life on St. John is great. The key is to make sure the "and" in Come and Go lasts a long time.....three years and counting.
Blue waters and white sand do nothing to alleviate the everyday normal stress, problems, mishaps, and difficulties that companion everyday life. When your interactions are with those who believe that the everyday normalities could not exist here, it only adds to the situation. Islands still have rent, taxes, and people who have to eat, bathe, and clothe themselves. There is no escape from that. The escape is the end of the work week when your days off are sand filled instead of traffic and mall filled. But rest assured that you WILL work harder during those five days for the small things that come easy stateside. If the average ATM in America breaks once every 3 months, the average ATM here will be down three times every two weeks (which is 33% of all machines on island, assuming only one of the two ATM's at First Bank is down). If the printer at the DMV goes down in the states every six months, they will plug in one of four extras and no time is lost. Here, try back on Monday, but check the calendar because of the 52 Monday's a year, 37 of them are VI Government Holidays.
Part of what makes life here great is that you work really hard for the season, and then things slow down and you can enjoy yourself. What makes life hard here for those whose income depends on visitors (which is everyone) is that you work really hard for the season, and then things slow down and you are no longer making money. There are the same number of businesses competing for a third of business.
Entrepreneurs will come and go here. People give up the city or suburbia America and bring their life savings to St. John to give it a go. They've got a great idea that no one has thought of and they are going to do really well. They pack up, show up, set up, break down, tear down, and head back to the suburbs with their head down. You try to be supportive and you give the new eatery or coffee shop or all-in-one (because no one ever tried that here before.......) place a shot because you honestly want others to succeed. If only someone had done their homework, or given us a $500 consulting fee to tell them, "We realize that you are a hard worker with a lot of passion. However, the space you want to put this business in, well, the last four hard workers who tried that same idea in the same bad location shut down. We realize that the difference between you and them is that you will change the color scheme, but you should keep your life savings and come visit twice a year. It will be much cheaper." But alas the "For Lease" sign goes back up in the window after having not been down long enough to collect dust.
Paradise is not easy, there is an inherent tax built into your life that is difficult to explain. Everything here is Come and Go. The tourists come and go, the season comes and goes, your friends come and go, businesses come and go. But there are many people who remain. They have adapted to the pace, allowed to initial frustrations to become a normal part of life, figure out how to work with the quirks, passed the test, and life is good. Actually, although hard, life on St. John is great. The key is to make sure the "and" in Come and Go lasts a long time.....three years and counting.
Monday, April 14, 2008
What a lot of people are thinking
Interesting article. I don't get a vote though.
Obviously a lot of other people are not thinking this as she still has a lot of support.
Obviously a lot of other people are not thinking this as she still has a lot of support.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Note to Self: Postpone European Vacation
Turns out it wasn't actually the baggage system, someone tried to pay with cash instead of using their Visa checkcard.
Problems at Heathrow
Problems at Heathrow
Monday, March 03, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
VD
not venereal disease.....valentines day. This is another reason why i love college football, because of what brings out in others. Obviously you can get birthday gifts and christmas gifts that are Auburn related, but valentines? No way, surely there is no room for college football on Valentines Day........oh contrare:
Happy Valentines Day Sweetheart
Much of this won't make sense if you know nothing of Auburn or SEC Football, but you can at least enjoy the spirit of it.
War Eagle
Happy Valentines Day Sweetheart
Much of this won't make sense if you know nothing of Auburn or SEC Football, but you can at least enjoy the spirit of it.
War Eagle
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Lost Writings
I wrote this well over a year ago and never finished it.....its time has come:
Well, another year has kicked off in paradise. This year i will not be teaching school. I will be dealing with a much more difficult group of humans known as "The Tourist". I will be working on a sailboat Calypso (a catamaran for those who know boats) doing daily charter trips. I will also sell trips on said boat and other boats in a small kiosk big enough for me to do nothing in. I take that back, i can sit in it.....and if i suck my chest in, there is just enough room to think in it. I feel as if it should have bars on the front, and children should come up and point that the big gorilla in his small cage. I would then throw fecal matter at them......Its not so much like trying to put a square peg in a round hole, but trying to put a round peg into a smaller round hole. This year will probably look very different than last year. I do however feel that working with "The Tourist" will give me plenty of things to write about. "The Tourist" is a very predictable animal, while at the same time being extremely very unpredictable. Let me clarify: I mean that we are constantly amazed and astounded at what they are capable of coming up with as far as their words and their actions. While on the boat, they will ask questions such as:
What is the altitude here? (Altitude according to common sense is the height above sea level) A: one more dumb question away from experiencing sea level first hand
"What holds the islands in place?" A: Anchors, lots of them
"Can you snorkel all the way under the island?" A: Depends on how long you can hold your breath
It is important to know what to expect from "The Tourist" as we already know a little bit about the nature of the beast. First and foremost, "The Tourist" will most assuredly refer to our lovely island as St. John's. This is incorrect, it is St. John, and no argument otherwise will be accepted from anyone at anytime. How will we differentiate "The Tourist" from "The Local"? The skin color of "The Tourist" will not be one solid color. It will consist of splotches of blinding whiteness and lashes of painful red. The ratio of one to the other, however, will vary from person to person. Like snowflakes, the burn pattern of no two "The Tourist" will ever be identical. These patterns are sometimes quite remarkable, and i'm sure i could put together a "coffee table" book full of images and descriptions. There is a second class of coloring i need to mention, although a much more minor class. There are two minority variations of the "The Tourist" that are one solid skin color.
#1. "The Shadow Tourist". They look as they are leaving as though they have never been in diret sunlight. There are some who will wear 3 inch thick wet suits, head to toe, the whole time they are in the water as if they were snorkeling in Canada during January. Others wear SPF 85 and reapply four times per hour. They will actually manage to go back paler than when they arrived. However, the score is Them 1, Skin Cancer 0.
#2. "The Perma-Tan Tourist". This variation has no tan lines whatsoever.....seriously. Nowhere. Sometimes they referred to as "the leatherback tourist".
Now some may think that they blend in with "The Local", as if one our own because of their perma-tan. This is simply not the case. First, all locals have tan lines. Second, locals don't drink $8 fruity drinks in collectible cups. Third, locals only wear jewelry made from shells and hemp.
Thats as far as i got, i had intended to do a whole series but instead i worked over 60 hours a week. I did in fact enjoy my job very much and had fun working with "The Tourist" as most of them do understand that islands do not float.
Well, another year has kicked off in paradise. This year i will not be teaching school. I will be dealing with a much more difficult group of humans known as "The Tourist". I will be working on a sailboat Calypso (a catamaran for those who know boats) doing daily charter trips. I will also sell trips on said boat and other boats in a small kiosk big enough for me to do nothing in. I take that back, i can sit in it.....and if i suck my chest in, there is just enough room to think in it. I feel as if it should have bars on the front, and children should come up and point that the big gorilla in his small cage. I would then throw fecal matter at them......Its not so much like trying to put a square peg in a round hole, but trying to put a round peg into a smaller round hole. This year will probably look very different than last year. I do however feel that working with "The Tourist" will give me plenty of things to write about. "The Tourist" is a very predictable animal, while at the same time being extremely very unpredictable. Let me clarify: I mean that we are constantly amazed and astounded at what they are capable of coming up with as far as their words and their actions. While on the boat, they will ask questions such as:
What is the altitude here? (Altitude according to common sense is the height above sea level) A: one more dumb question away from experiencing sea level first hand
"What holds the islands in place?" A: Anchors, lots of them
"Can you snorkel all the way under the island?" A: Depends on how long you can hold your breath
It is important to know what to expect from "The Tourist" as we already know a little bit about the nature of the beast. First and foremost, "The Tourist" will most assuredly refer to our lovely island as St. John's. This is incorrect, it is St. John, and no argument otherwise will be accepted from anyone at anytime. How will we differentiate "The Tourist" from "The Local"? The skin color of "The Tourist" will not be one solid color. It will consist of splotches of blinding whiteness and lashes of painful red. The ratio of one to the other, however, will vary from person to person. Like snowflakes, the burn pattern of no two "The Tourist" will ever be identical. These patterns are sometimes quite remarkable, and i'm sure i could put together a "coffee table" book full of images and descriptions. There is a second class of coloring i need to mention, although a much more minor class. There are two minority variations of the "The Tourist" that are one solid skin color.
#1. "The Shadow Tourist". They look as they are leaving as though they have never been in diret sunlight. There are some who will wear 3 inch thick wet suits, head to toe, the whole time they are in the water as if they were snorkeling in Canada during January. Others wear SPF 85 and reapply four times per hour. They will actually manage to go back paler than when they arrived. However, the score is Them 1, Skin Cancer 0.
#2. "The Perma-Tan Tourist". This variation has no tan lines whatsoever.....seriously. Nowhere. Sometimes they referred to as "the leatherback tourist".
Now some may think that they blend in with "The Local", as if one our own because of their perma-tan. This is simply not the case. First, all locals have tan lines. Second, locals don't drink $8 fruity drinks in collectible cups. Third, locals only wear jewelry made from shells and hemp.
Thats as far as i got, i had intended to do a whole series but instead i worked over 60 hours a week. I did in fact enjoy my job very much and had fun working with "The Tourist" as most of them do understand that islands do not float.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
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