inappropriate responses.....

There's a comedian who does a bit about "you too", and I can't remember his name. He talks about being in a cab on his way to the airport. When the cab driver pulls up to the curb to drop him off at his airline's counter, the cabbie says "Have a nice flight!", to which the guy responds "You, too!" Inappropriate response.

I read about a guy who attended the wake of a friend's grandfather. His friend was talking about getting his teeth laser-bleached by his fiance', who happens to be a dental hygenist with 3 months on the job. She had yet to perform the procedure on anything but tomatoes (don't know why tomatoes were used for this). The guy hearing this says, "Man, I wouldn't let her near my mouth unless she had at LEAST practiced on a cadaver or two!" Everyone within 10 feet of him stopped what they were doing and stared. Inappropriate response.

The mail carrier was leaving our office yesterday. As he passed by the conference room, I said "Have a great day, David!" His reply was, "You're welcome!" And he wasn't trying to be funny. Funny, unintentional, inappropriate response.

When I was about 10, we were visiting some friends on New Years Eve. Mom wanted me to try some Russian tea. I took a sip and said, "Mom, this stuff is horrible! I can't drink this!" Mom quickly informed me that the hostess had prepared the tea, not her. "Oh, I'm-I'm-I'm sorry, it's delicious!" Open mouth, insert foot, inappropriate response.

As I've gotten older, I'm a little better at keeping my foot out of my mouth. But there are still times when I say something and instantly think, "Man, I've got to start working on that inner monologue thing and use it more often......"

florida all over again.....

Apparently most of the American Idol voters must live in Florida, because Scott keeps dodging the bullet every week. Too many hanging chads, I suppose.

OK, so the guy's had a tough life. Does that qualify him to get a pass in a talent show? We keep talking at home about how Scott's receiving the pity votes. At what point will his lack of staying on key catch up with him?

Meg had a ball game last night (they won, 12-8), so I set the recorder to tape the results show. Right at about 8:30, someone in the crowd started circulating the news that Constantine had been voted off. One girl on Meg's team came running out of the dugout with a look of panic, saying "Mom! Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! No! They can't do that!!!!" Another girl said, "Anthony just keeps getting votes because of that hole in his neck!"

So we get home and decide to watch the last 10 minutes of the results show. The fact that Scott didn't even land in the bottom 3, even after singing COMPLETELY off key on Tuesday night, should be cause for concern with the producers. And Vonzell, in the bottom 3? Please......

Here's the thing - Constantine, while he isn't a pure singer, may be one of the better performers in the group. However, since this is a singing competition, I can understand that he probably wasn't going to win the whole thing. BUT Scott, after an awful "bag-packing" performance, ending up in the top 3?

I'm not really sure why I'm so surprised. This happens every year. It's a popularity vote up until it gets to the final 2 or 3. And every year, the best person from that final 2 or 3 has gotten picked. (With the exception of Ruben vs. Clay - that was probably a tie, even though Clay's gotten the upper hand since then.)

I guess I shouldn't complain. I've yet to vote this year, probably because when I've tried to vote in the past the lines have been busy. Plus, I rely on the other viewers to use common sense. Looks like that's flown right out the window.

As Constantine was singing his final song last night, Meg declared that she was going to quit watching Idol. Somehow I doubt it, because that's either the second or third week in a row she's said that.....

umm, yeah, that's one way to do it.....

A cowboy rides into town and stops at the saloon, gets off his horse walks around to the back of it, lifts up the tail and kisses it right on the rear. The bartender inside the saloon notices this interaction, and thinks it's a little strange.

When the cowboy saunters up to the bar and orders a drink, the bartender asks, "I noticed when you got off your horse you walked behind it and kissed it on the rear end. Can I ask why?"

The cowboy answers, "Chapped lips."

"Wow!" says the bartender. "It cures chapped lips?"

"No," says the cowboy, "But it sure as heck keeps you from licking them."

just some stuff.....

The weekend was very nice. Although we almost FROZE TO DEATH watching softball games, we did survive. Sara's team lost, I think they were shivering too much to hit and field the ball. Meg's team won, and she had a grand slam! After Meg's game, we went to Franklin's Main Street Festival to watch Sara and the jump rope team perform. The grand finale was Sara and Karis doing simultaneous round-offs into the double-dutch ropes. Very cool.

That night, the bride and I went to J Alexanders for supper. We didn't realize that both Franklin and Page had their proms Saturday night, so there was a bit of a wait. It would have been worse had we not called ahead before arriving. The waitress was very good, and got us out of there in time for our movie, Guess Who. Funny movie! Very nice night out. We even had enough left on the gift card from JA to go back for dessert one night.

Sunday was a nothing day for me, as in "I did nothing but go to church and class, then came home and hung out in the den" kind of nothing day. I guess I could have done something more productive, but it was nice to get to do nothing for a change.

Yesterday I attended a "Get Motivated" seminar. I got to hear Zig Ziglar, Rudolph Giuliani, Payton Manning, Steve McNair and others speak. All in all, a very good seminar. I took one of my board members, and the cost was just $49 for both of us. How do they make money like that? Some of the speakers have "get-rich" methods to sell. After their presentation, you can buy into their methods for just $500 or something like that. Call me cynical, but I would think it takes more five hours a week to make $35k profit off of real estate each month.....

Last night, Sara's team won. Sara pitched the whole game, struck out three and made some good defensive plays. Her walk in the last inning brought in the winning run. We're undefeated on Mondays, but have yet to win on a Saturday. Maybe that'll change this weekend. Tonight, Meg's team is supposed to play, but it's been raining all day, so it might get called.

oh, wo, wo, sweet bride of mine.....

the bride and me in marina, california

Seventeen years ago tomorrow, I will have been married to the sweetest woman alive. I can honestly say that this has been 4 of the best years of my life.....but seriously, folks.....

Our "romantic" day together will start with picture-day at the ball park beginning at 9:30, followed by Sara's game at 10:30, Meg's pictures at 2:00, her game at 3:00, then the bride and Sara will head over to Franklin's Main Street Festival, where Sara and the rest of the Moore Elementary jump rope team will perform. Thankfully, the day will end with dinner for two at J. Alexanders, followed by a movie. Devo will serve as referee for the two princesses while we're out tomorrow night.

I am truly blessed to be able to share my life with my lovely bride. And I look forward to the next seventeen-plus years. Happy Anniversary, my bride!

license plate frames.....

So I'm driving home yesterday, minding my own business. About a mile from our house, I'm in the turn lane that leads to the neighborhood entrance. Suddenly, with no warning, a guy in an olive-colored Explorer evidently decides "Huh, I think I need to be in that turn lane, too! Heck, no need to look and see if anyone is coming, I'll just jerk the steering wheel to the left and go for it!" I was forced to stomp on the brakes and come to a screeching halt. I laid down on the horn, but there was no response from the other driver.

As he sped into the neighborhood (doing at least 45 in a 30), I noticed something about the rear of his car - NASCAR stickers. Not only that, the guy had a Bobby Labonte #18 license plate frame. Maybe it's just me, a license plate cover for an individual seems pretty odd.

All over town and across the country, people have license plate frames for their favorite pro and college teams. Our van has a UT frame, and my car has a big orange "T" in the back window. In the Nashville area, there are lots of Titans frames. But when you think about it, the majority of the license plate frames and other sports-related items on cars are targeted at teams. Other than NASCAR, I don't think there is another sport that does this for individuals. Think about the possibilities for the frames:

Phil Mickleson - "Phil Phanatic"

Davis Love III - "Luv Me Some Love"

Lance Armstrong - "Loopy for Lance"

OJ Simpson - "I used to date OJ, and I'm still alive"

As silly as I think the NASCAR driver frames are, there might be some merit in this after all.....

2 reasons why i'm blessed.....

This picture is smaller than I intended it to be, so let me "translate" for you:

The top item is a pack of "Warheads" that Meg gave me several years ago, and I've held on to it ever since in my desk. I think it has moved with me during my last two job changes. She wrote a note and stapled it to the packet, and the note says, "TO: The best daddy in the Word From! Meg"

The bottom item is an e-mail that Sara sent me about three years ago, and it says, "iloveyou you are the best dad in the whole why world xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo"

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. Sometimes decisions and indecisions can be frustrating. But knowing that I've got two sweet little girls at home is just about all the comfort I need.

it's just a thin piece of cloth.....

Before I started this job, I had worn a tie almost every day of my work life. In our current office environment, we have a business-casual dress code. I wear a tie about once every week-and-a-half. The rest of the time, I usually wear dress pants or khakis with a dress shirt. (I know, this is riveting stuff, and you can't wait to keep reading!)

Whenever I do wear a tie, people seem to treat me differently. I was walking through the halls in our sponsor's building yesterday, and this guy who's a higher-up with their company was suddenly very friendly to me. Then I walked a little further, spoke to a lady by asking her how she was doing, and she gives me a "fine, sir!" Later in the day, I had a couple of other similar happenings.

On an episode of MASH, Hawkeye talked about the absurdity of the tie and how future generations would probably laugh at the fact that we wore them. I have nothing against ties. True, they're not as comfortable as open collars, but they're not all that bad. When I was little, I remember seeing men out in public in suits during the day and think "Wow, he's dressed up, he must be successful!" Now whenever I see a guy in a golf shirt and khakis during the middle of the day, I think, "Yeah, he's made it in life!" It's funny how your perspective changes as you grow older.

I guess it's just human nature to want to pay special attention to those who are all clean and dressed up. But think about Christ's life while on earth. He made it a point to be around the dreggs of society. He didn't treat people different because of their position or because they wore the "right" label on their clothes. He had the ability to see past all that and into the real person. Maybe that's something everyone needs to work on.....

**Anniversary Moment of the day - the bride and I honeymooned in Hawaii at the Sheraton Waikiki. Hawaii is the most beautiful place I've ever been, and we hope to make it back there someday.

weekend wrap-up.....

Beautiful weather this weekend! Great time of the year to be out and about.

Sara and her friend Chloe had their birthday party Friday night. Parties have changed quite a bit over the years. No more just getting 12 kids together for cake and ice cream and presents. Nope, these two girls wanted to invite one friend each and go shopping at the mall. We took them all to Cool Springs Galleria. The first thing they wanted to do was eat - in the food court. After that, each girl was given some cash and they had a ball spending it. Yep, different kind of birthday party. The funniest line of the night? I don't think I was supposed to hear it, but one of the girls said, "Um, I just burped, so if something stinks, that's what it is." Then she followed it up with, "Yeah, but something that really stinks is one of ****'s farts!" This was met with a raucous erruption of laughter by all four girls. Such delicate flowers.....

A good part of Saturday was spent on ballgames. Meg's team won, Sara's team lost. Meg started at 2nd and made several plays there. She also had 4 or 5 hits. They've got a good team again this year. Sara had a hit and played 1st most of the game. Her teams bats were stone cold again. Hopefully they'll be able to get things going again tonight. The bride and I spent a romantic afternoon after the ballgames in the car, driving around looking at replacement windows that had been installed by the three different companies we've looked at already. The more we see, the more confused we are. We're just sitting on it for a couple of days, and we'll hopefully have a decision made within a few days.

Yesterday after church, both cars were washed inside and out. Then the bride and I had another romantic outing at Home Depot. I came back and mowed, then we took a walk around the neighborhood. I finished up the evening by getting my weed and feed out. Very busy, but productive, day.

17 years ago this week, I was getting ready to marry a beautiful brunette. 17 years later, I'm still married to that beautiful brunette. Saturday is our anniversary, and we plan to go out somewhere other than Home Depot or Sam's. I've been blessed countless ways during my life, but being able to share my life with the bride is one of greatest blessings I've ever received.....

a place where clocks have no meaning.....

I've found several places where clocks have no meaning: our house, when the bride or the girls look at them; our church, when it's time to start the 9:15 worship service on Sunday mornings; and a doctor's office.

When I made my doctor's appointment 2 months ago, I made the assumption that a 7:30 AM appointment would be great for two reasons. First, since I have to have bloodwork done and can't eat before going to the doctor, I won't have to feel light-headed as long during the day. Second, by being the first appointment, I can get in, get out and be gone. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, it's done. The first assumption worked, the second didn't. Big surprise.

I cruised into the reception area at 7:20 feeling good since I was the first one there. Literally the first one there, no receptionists. Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I believe receptionists are essential in a reception area. 7:30 rolls around, still no receptionists, but three more patients. 7:40, still no one to sign us in. At around 7:45 a nurse-type person, sensing our frustration, tried to help us. Like any good health care employee, she had us all fill out a form. At 8:05, my doctor comes to the door and has me come on back. He apologized for my wait. Apparently the nursing staff and others had a meeting this morning, and neglected to be back at their stations to take care of patients. Minor detail.

I really like my doctor. I've gone to him for 12-15 years, and we have a good doctor-patient relationship. He asks about the family, mutual friends, etc. Very nice guy. But just once I'd love to bill him for my time. I'm thinking of keeping a running record of all the time I've been delayed and handing him an invoice. Who knows, maybe I'll add up enough time and get a free colonoscopy one of these days.....

my new best friend.....

It sometimes takes me awhile to convince the bride of things. The running joke is that I could tell her it's raining, during a heavy downpour, and she'd have to look outside to see for herself. However, if her dad told her that there were little red monkeys invading his bathroom, she'd believe him completely and call 911 to report it. Probably doesn't have anything to do with her being a daddy's girl.....

For the past several months, I've tried to persuade the bride that we "needed" a dvd recorder with a built-in hard drive. And for the past several months, she told me that I needed to wait until the price came down more. I finally said, "Look, woman, I'll do what I want, when I want!" The swelling in my left eye went down after a couple of days, and the doctors have assured me that within a few months the double vision should go away. So I've got that going for me.....

One afternoon, while e-baying, I found a great deal on a Toshiba and won it. She agreed that it was a great deal, and was fine with the purchase. The next morning, I found that the seller had suddenly become a non-registered user. This voided the sale, so I was back to my search. A week or so later, I found one through Beach Camera that was a better unit. After putting my foot down again with the bride (translated to mean "begging"), I made my purchase.

I got the unit within a couple of days, and starting playing with all the features. The advantages over vhs recording are huge. Anytime I want to record something, I don't have to look for a tape or a blank dvd. All I do is go to the TV Guide screen, scroll down to the show I want to record, and it's set. After watching the show, I can either keep it on the drive or erase it. If I want to keep it permanently, I can even edit out the commercials before burning it to a dvd. While watching the show, fast forwarding is much quicker. Also, I can watch a recorded show while recording another one. The best feature is the chase-back or time-slip feature. While watching a program, I can rewind and go to an earlier point in the show. Also, if I'm not sure that I can watch the program at a certain time, I set the unit to record. Then can start watching it, from the beginning, and skip the commercials in the process.

I'm telling you, if this thing could hang out with me and play golf, it would be a great best friend.

back to square one.....maybe.....

First of all, let me just say that I hate shopping for windows. I don't dislike it, I hate it. I hope I haven't offended anyone who likes shopping for windows. Not only is it time-consuming, but it's no fun to have salesmen calling to ask you "what could I do to earn your business?" I have your number, I'll call you if I need anything.

The bride and I had a second visit from the salesman that we thought we were going to buy our replacement windows from last night. We weren't sure about having the grids installed in the new windows, so we decided to look at a few houses that this company had recently done. We only looked at two houses, but we were both disappointed with what we saw. (This, after we thought we had made a decision.) The windows, while they looked like the other companies' windows that we saw in the demos, seemed to have very skinny frames. This would be a big difference from our windows now, and we're not sure we want to see that big of a difference.

On the positive side, perhaps we avoided an expensive mistake. Plus, we now know what we need to be looking for and asking about. On the negative side, we may be starting the process all over again. So if you call us at home and we don't answer, don't be offended. Your phone number may look very much like a window company's number, and we may be dodging them for awhile.....

for my friends in the mc.....

My morning commute is just under 21 miles, and about 18 of those miles are on Interstate 65. I usually leave the house at around 6:15, so traffic is typically pretty light.

I see the same cars going the same direction every day. It's almost like a fraternity out there on the interstate. I wasn't in a fraternity in college, but I had a few friends who were. Just like any fraternity, there are a few bad apples in our "interstate fraternity." And it seems that the bad apples all have the same county on their tags: Maury.

A couple of things about Maury County. First, the word "Maury" isn't pronounced like it looks. It's more like "muhr-ree" rather than "mahr-ree." Just say it like it looks one time in middle Tennessee and they'll look at you like you've just belched during a Sunday morning worship service. Second, just because you live in Maury County doesn't mean that you're automatically a bad driver. It just seems that way. Whenever I see someone doing either 45 or 95 on I-65 at 6:30 in the morning, most of the time they're sporting MC tags.

So here's my message to the the three MC drivers I encountered this morning:

To the old lady - You're probably a very sweet lady. You are probably a great wife, mother and grandmother, and I'm sure you participate in church bake sales and things like that. But please don't get on I-65 (and stay in the second or third lane from the right) if you don't plan on taking your car over 40 miles per hour. Yes, I know the other drivers need not gesture towards you as they do, but as they say here in the south - if you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the front porch. Also, you may not need to leave for your 10:00 doctor's appointment quite so early next time.

To the tailgater - I'm all for getting to know new people. However, riding my bumper for two miles isn't the way to introduce yourself. Perhaps you didn't see the 8 cars in front of me that I had no way of passing, seeing as how I was already in the far left lane. I do hope you were able to make it to the tatoo artist on time!

To Mr. NASCAR - I realize that NASCAR is a growing sport, and that many people won't miss a race. I even have friends who are NASCAR fans. However, it's just not for me. Having said that, since I wouldn't dream of sitting down and watching a race on Sunday afternoon, don't you think it would stand to reason that I'd rather not see someone imitating this sport on the interstate at 6:25 in the morning? Yes, I'm certain that your Chevy Silverado, with its Diablo wheels, and Bass Pro Shop and deer hunting stickers, is quite fast. However, seeing you "draft" and weave in and out of traffic while doing at least 90 on wet roads was a bit more than any of us sharing (yes, sharing) the road with you wanted to witness.

So that's pretty much a normal morning commute for me. In the afternoon it's more of the same, just a little more congested. The bride gets nervous anytime she has to drive into Nashville because of all the traffic. As you can see from my brief description above, I think you can understand why.....

the older i get, the better i was.....

This phrase is used alot in reference to aging athletes (or guys who thought they were jocks in high school) whenever they "lose" their ability to play a particular sport. After Saturday, I'm using it for me in reference to, well, getting older.

From March until the first part of June, Saturdays are a blur to us at our house. I'm not complaining, it's just a fact. Both girls are playing softball again this year, and I'm helping coach Sara's team, so there's not alot of time to do anything else besides softball on Saturdays. But when have I ever used logic when it comes to getting stuff done?

I got up around 6:45 Saturday morning, got dressed, then made some bacon and eggs. I left the driveway in my father-in-law's truck at 7:30 to get my first load of mulch for the day. I was back by 8:00, and finished up the first load by 9:15. At 9:20, I went out for another load. I worked on spreading it until 10:15, then went to get cleaned up because we needed to leave at 11:00 for Sara's game at noon. (Sara started her first game at pitcher and struck out 5 in the first two innings. She even struck out the side in the first inning with no walks, hits or errors. They lost, but I was proud of her and the team for their first game.) Meg had to be at the ballpark (same complex, thankfully) at 2:00, so we drove to Sonic to pick up lunch. We came back to the park and ate in the car. (Most people like ketchup on their fries, but for some reason the bride seems to like it on her shirt. And only on white, sleeveless blouses, by the way.) Meg's game started at 3:00, and so far they look very good. She was nervous, but she played well. Only one ball was hit to her, but she fielded it cleanly and made the throw to second. Pitching on her team is outstanding, so there weren't alot of balls hit out of the infield. They won 16-1. By this time, it was about 4:30. We dropped Cole off at his house, and we were back home by 5:00. Time to unload the rest of the mulch. After getting the biggest, most inconvenient section out of the way, the bride came out and asked if she could help. (I think she was peering out the window, waiting for me to finish this section before offering to help.) I finished up the final load at 6:30, then proceeded to mow. The grass was so high that I had to go over each section twice. After cleaning out the wet grass from under the deck of the mower, I finished my work for the day. It was about 7:15.

I was sore at first after dinner, but each time I got up from the recliner, I felt a little more sore. By the time I hit the bed at 10:15, I was feeling my day. I just knew that I'd be stiff as a board Sunday morning.

Sunday morning came, and I wasn't in much pain at all. Went to church, had lunch with some friends from class, and then came back home at 2:00. I came oh so close to washing cars, then the bride convinced me that I'd done too much already and needed to rest a little. I told myself I'd rest for an hour, then wash the cars. The Masters was on, and I started watching it. The next thing I knew, it was 3:30. I had been asleep for over an hour, then couldn't wake up enough to go outside and work. So I stayed on the couch for another hour, watching the tournament. Mark and Jennifer came over, and we couldn't eat until Tiger hit his birdie putt on 18 in sudden death. After supper I had a little more energy, but not too much more.

I'm sure one day I'll look back and say "Remember how much I used to be able to get done in a day at 40? Man, I wish I could do half that much now!" Back in my 20's, a day like Saturday wouldn't have done anything to me. But then, a day like Saturday wouldn't have involved softball games, either. It makes me thankful that we've got daughters who are physically blessed so that they can play sports with their friends. So if having a full life means being a little tired every now and then, I'll take the tiredness. There are a whole lot worse ways to live life.....

t-shirt idea.....

I came up with a great idea the other night to fund our daughters' college funds. I've created a t-shirt, and I believe sales will go through the roof. Here's the prototype:

the husband's list of standard comments

1. I'm sorry honey - you're right, and I'm wrong.
2. Yes, dear, it's all my fault.
3. Don't cook dinner, let's go out to eat!
4. Go shopping with you? I'd like to see you try and stop me!
5. Here, let me hold your purse.
6. What? If anything, that dress makes your butt look too small!
7. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather just cuddle.
8. You're right, those boxers do have too many holes in them.
9. I don't know, sweetie, what do you think?
10. What mood swings?

we all feel insignificant from time to time.....

Not feeling any creativity today, so I've procured something from BST. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

A visiting minister during the offertory prayer:

"Dear Lord," he began with arms extended and a rapturous look on his upturned face, "without you we are but dust..."

He would have continued, but at that moment one very observant little girl (who was listening carefully for a change!) leaned over to her mother and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, "Mommy, WHAT is butt dust?"

Church was pretty much over at that point...

one down, four to go.....

Answer - a new car, and a year of college tuition

Question - Can you name 2 things that cost as much as replacement windows?

I've never purchased replacement windows for a house. I've never even had a reason to price them. Let me give you a tip - if you ever have to get an estimate on replacement windows, make sure you've gone to the bathroom before the presentation; otherwise you may run the risk of soiling yourself when you hear how much it's going to cost.

We started the process of getting estimates for replacement windows last night. The whole thing took around 2 hours, between the mesaurements and the presentation. Again, I've never done this, so I thought it might take an hour. Of course, we heard about how much better they are than the competition, had discounts thrown our way if we signed last night, etc. The salesman, to our surprise, wasn't the least bit pushy.

Tonight we get to do the whole thing again with another salesman from another company. By next Wednesday night, we'll have estimates from five different companies. We hope to make a decision by the end of next week.

I know this is something we've got to do. We're grown-ups, and we've got a house to maintain. But I also know that if I'm going to spend this much money, the kid in me would like to have a little fun in the process. A friend of mine had to have his windows replaced a few months ago, and his wife said something like, "This isn't as much fun as when we spent the same amount of money remodeling the kitchen." Windows are things you look out of, not things you'll derive alot of pleasure out of. Windows are things you don't think about replacing when you buy a house. You think about replacing carpet, painting and papering walls, maybe changing out light fixtures. But I've never stood back and said, "You know what would make this house look great? New windows!"

So here we are, the bride and I, doing the grown-up thing by shopping for windows. And I've got to tell you, this will be the most boring purchase we will ever make. Maybe I can have a little fun in the process by messing with the salesmen, saying stuff like, "The salesman from XYZ said your windows were like garbage compared to their windows!" This could be a little fun after all.....

top 5 reasons why i like wendy's....

1. Price - I eat off the value menu most of the time. When chicken nuggets, chili, baked potato, side salad and medium drink are just 99 cents each, I can eat for $3 and be full.
2. Burgers - I don't eat hamburgers that often because of the bun (bread=carbs), but when I do, the Wendy burger is one of my favorites. (Favorite burger? Fat Mo's or the chili burger from Pal's)
3. Fries - I used to be a McDonalds fan when it came to fries, but Wendy's has taken the lead. (Favorite fries? Frenchie fries from Pal's)
4. Frosties - Something else I don't eat that often, but they're great on a hot summer day.
5. Employees - Where else could you get a fast food employee to LICK THEIR FINGERS BEFORE TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE TILL AND HAND YOU BACK YOUR CHANGE?????????????

I realize that this probably isn't that big of a deal. I wasn't in a 5-star restaurant, so I know I shouldn't expect 5-star service. However, this is just basic hygiene.

I think I'll go to one of my tellers and trade these soggy bills in for new ones.....

one man's work is another man's fun.....

I love to mow, and I'm not ashamed of it. I love the smell of a freshly cut yard. I love the look of the grass after it's been cut.

I know alot of guys who can't stand the thought of mowing. They hate wasting their time on a yard when they could be doing something else. They see it as a chore.

But I don't see it that way. I look forward to mowing every spring. True, my yard is right at 1/4 acre, so there's not alot to be mowed. I can usually do the whole yard, including any trimming and blowing off the driveway and back patio, it about 45-55 minutes. And because it takes so little time, I usually mow about every 4 days. Especially this time of the year, when the fescue is coming in and the winter rye is still growing high.

I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon in the yard. First mowing, then installing some corrugated pipe to improve water flow from a front downspout. I need to take a day off work and do some mulching, maybe early next week. In a week or so, the bride will plant some flowers around the mailbox and at various places around the house. They monkey grass is looking good, and the hosta is starting to poke its leaves out from the ground. The Bradford pears have bloomed all around Franklin and Brentwood, and their green leaves are now replacing the stark white blooms.

When I see creation rebirthing itself every year, it makes me wonder how people could ever doubt how this all came about. The fact that God's creation can cycle from life to death and back to life again isn't just a coincidence. It's part of a great story that, if you're not familiar with it, you should definitely read about it.

Before I go, let me wish my mom a Happy 32nd Birthday. You know, I've always been pretty good with numbers, but I've never been about to figure out just how my mom can be younger than me.....

who would my five people be.....

I read the book "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" this week. If you've not read it, I can highly recommend it.

It's about a guy named Eddie who was dissatisfied with the kind of life he led. He's 83, and still the head maintenance man at an amusement park called Ruby Pier. He blames the fact that he didn't amount to much on circumstances in life. Eddie dies tragically while trying to save a little girl on a ride. When he reaches heaven, he must first meet five people who either changed his life or had their lives changed by him. He learns that even though he was "just a maintenance man", he had a profound impact on those he met along the way, whether they were family members, friends or just people who walked past him on at Ruby Pier.

A reporter from the Atlanta Journal Constitution said, "It's impossible to read this book and not wonder who your own five people would be and what answers they would have for your life." Yeah, I've thought about it. But Eddie's five people weren't necessarily obvious, so maybe mine wouldn't be either. And I think that's the point to the book - we have an impact on people every day, whether it's obvious to us or not. It could be a janitor from your elementary school that you said "hello" to every morning. You probably didn't think much about it, but to him it may have been something he looked forward to every day. Or it could be the lady you screamed at on the interstate for going too slow or for not looking before she changed lanes in front of you. (I don't know that I understand how anyone could scream at another person on the interstate, so this is purely speculative on my part.)

My dad was talking with one of my uncles recently about living in a small town. He said something like, "It must be hard to live in a town where everyone knows all the dirt on everybody else." My uncle said, "It's not too bad. You just have to keep from doing the 'bad' things that make people want to talk about you." Pretty good advice, huh?

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always concerned about how people react to things that I do. But after reading this book, I've got a feeling I'll look at things a little differently. Everything you do in life leaves a good or bad effect on someone else.....or on at least five people.....