25+ Random Facts About Me

Originally posted on my Facebook profile...

You all know the drill by now so I don't feel like I need to post the instructions. In fact, I'm probably one of the last people on Facebook to go through this exercise until it cycles around again in about 18 months. It's taken me many days to compile this list and I did so in my current notebook (#14).

If I tagged you, it's either because you tagged me and I'm respecting the rules (which I have not included. See above.), because I think you might be interested in what I've written, or because one of these items has/had something to do with you. Feel free to comment. I'd love the feedback.

1. Pennsylvania is my 50th favorite state.
2. My son is the same age I was when I had my first kiss.
3. I often get Alice in Wonderland Syndrome and have ever since I was a kid. I also have sleep apnea and Epstein-Barr Syndrome (recurrences of mono because of prolonged stress or if I don't take care of myself).
4. I started shaving my head when I was going to audition for a band and knew they wouldn't want someone with thinning hair.
5. I find myself constantly battling being impulsive and undisciplined. I think I've been winning lately more often than not.
6. I often wish I were as fun and likable as I used to be.
7. I think I alternate between being an extrovert and an introvert.
8. I have a large collection of playing cards. I also still have my collection of Garbage Pail Kids from when I was a little fella.
9. I would quit my job to be in a band if it were financially feasible. (I think I'm good enough.)
10. I blame my somewhat short fuse and impatience on years of exposure to stupid people.
11. I broke both arms at the same time at Camp Patmos (Kelley's Island, Ohio) grabbing the basketball rim, broke my hand playing volleyball, broke my finger bowling, and sprained my ankle playing street hockey.
12. My brother Tim and I have dated sisters at the same time on three occasions.
13. Until 7th grade, I didn't want to have anything to do with playing a musical instrument. I changed my mind in 7th grade Music Appreciation class (had to choose between that, choir, or band) because the music theory appealed to my mathematical and logical mindset. Much of my life since then has revolved around music.
14. I've been writing in notebooks/journals for the last 3 years and anticipate people will read them after I am dead if I don't destroy them first. :)
15. I have a Bachelor of Science in Bible and a Master's degree from a seminary and served as a pastor for three years and hope to again someday.
16. Say Anything is probably my all-time favorite movie.
17. I feel like I've matured a lot over this past year more than any other year that I can remember.
18. I was named "Most Neo-Normal" (whatever that means) in my high school senior yearbook.
19. I prefer to set the volume on the tv/stereo at a number that ends in 0, 2, 5, or 8.
20. In college I gave plasma regularly and saved the money to buy Stephanie's engagement ring.
21. I didn't play any school sports after 6th grade because I didn't want to get a physical exam. I really regret this and wish I would have continued with baseball.
22. By tasting, I can usually tell if someone bakes with sweetener vs. sugar and canned vs. real pumpkin.
23. In 11th grade chemistry class, I memorized and recited 53 of the periodic elements with their names, symbols, and atomic weights including all decimal places (Oxygen, O, 15.9994) and still remember many of them.
24. I have elaborate playlists set up on my iPod/iTunes that feeds into one playlist that acts as my personal radio station that I listen to every day.
25. I consider myself very fortunate, blessed, and undeserving to be married to such a loving and beautiful wife of almost 14 years and have the two most adorable, unique, and creative children a father could ask for.

Alternates:

• I cannot stand mouth sounds or the sound of someone eating.
• I like to make ring tones for my phone.
• I am fed up with the fast food industry.
• I have great disrespect for country music.
• I prefer to drink water at room temperature except at meals.
• I have much more compassion and love for people than what I let people believe. That is, unless you've contributed to #10 above.
• On a related note to #2, I fully expect the next several years until both my children are married to be very difficult on either me, my kids, or both.

Facebook is bad when...

... you learn about the death of one of your best friends through someone else's facebook status.

Presidential Race

The only reason I'd want Hillary to win the presidency is so that I could refer to Bill Clinton as The First Lady.

Flooded Findlay

Most likely if you've seen the news over the last few days, you'll know the midwest has been pounded with rain recently. Findlay, OH has been in the spotlight because of the Blanchard River overflowing its banks covering much of the town in feet of water. Downtown Findlay, in addition to many residential areas, was deeply impacted by the floods crippling businesses, displacing residents, and ruining property.

I work in downtown Findlay. In fact, the company I work for sits less than a block off Main St and 2 1/2 blocks south of the river. A couple times a week, I eat my lunch at the river. Fortunately, our building was spared much destruction because our first floor is several feet above street level but our basement completely flooded.

Yesterday, since the city was shut down and you couldn't even get to our building, many of us worked from home. Today, however, we were able to make it in because the waters receded, leaving the city dirty and muddy... kinda like Scranton.

Findlay's a really nice town and I love the people I've gotten to know there so it's sad to see people I work with who have lost everything as a result of the flood. Here are a couple pics for your enjoyment.

Artisan in the Park

"Sir, can I interest you in a hand-carved trinket?"

Those are the words I heard from a gentleman who approached me as I entered the park to eat my lunch. He held up some sort of wooden pieces attached with a string. I didn't take the time to study what it was he was selling to properly identify the exact nature and usefulness of said trinket. After a few minutes of eating my lunch and pondering our brief dialogue/sales pitch, I realized the question he asked was a different one than I had heard, although he probably meant the same thing. What I heard was, "Are you interested in buying this configuration of wood and string," when in fact he asked me if he could interest me in whatever he was selling. I though he was giving me a sales pitch when in reality he was giving me a lead-in to one. Now, after having considered his actual question as to the possibility of interesting me in something, I should have answered, "Probably not."

However, he gave up after hearing me say, "No, thank you." I supposed technically I wasn't shutting the door on his presentation but rather predicting the success of it. Could he interest me in his hand-made trinket? No, he cannot nor did he attempt to. He then merely wished me a good day.

But as I continue to think, I'm wondering if my no response was to his inability to sell or my ability to resist a sale and succumb to being convinced to be interested. Since the subject of the question was himself, my answer would indicate that he lacks the ability in this instance to motivate me to be interested. In which case, I probably should have answered, "I'm not sure if you have the skills it takes to interest me in your product." It's apparent he didn't.

Emo

Being emo is like being poor on purpose so you can get food stamps and attention from the government and then pissing and moaning because you're poor.

My Celebration

Tonight's little celebration is for my friend, Joe. Joe is a true friend who has demonstrated selfless love, genuine kindness, what it means to be a father and husband, creativity beyond compare, child-like faith, and a spirit that delights the hardest of hearts. Joe has known pain like I probably will never experience and fear like I will never face. Yet, he has also felt peace and love like I will most likely never feel in this earthly body.

Tonight I am drinking a good beer and enjoying a good cigar in honor of Joe. I've been saving this cigar for the past year for one occasion: to celebrate a life that has touched mine in innumerable and profound ways.

You see, Joe has been battling a horrible cancer - the worst and most fatal - that has inflicted his body for the last 15 months. It was a long, fierce battle that has caused many tears and elicited many prayers.

Tonight, I celebrate with this cigar and my own tears because the battle is over...

Joe has won! He is cancer-free.

Buy.com price alteration

I was searching buy.com for the price on a Maxtor external hard drive. As the page was loading, I saw the price of $180.89. When the page finished loading, however, the price displayed was $220.21. I was able to reproduce this each time I hit F5/refresh. Even though the lower price was displayed for a fraction of a second, I was able to get a screen grab as it was loading... seen here:


Here's a screen grab of the final loaded page:


Evidently, buy.com, in this instance at least, displays a lower price when the product is not in stock. Is anyone actually selling this item for $180.89?

Music Skillz... Recognize

Last night, while watching TV, I correctly identified a Violent Femmes tune which played briefly in the background of a commercial or whatever show was on. Yeah, that's right.

I have come to the conclusion that my preferred way to fix a burger has everything to do with mustard and nothing to do with ketchup.

Top 5: Albums

In the spirit of High Fidelity, which I watched again recently, here are my top 5 albums* in no certain order:

• Def Leppard, Hysteria
  
• Delirious, Glo
  
• Giant, Last of the Runaways
  
• U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
• Switchfoot, The Beautiful Letdown

Here are some honorable mentions:

• Anberlin, Never Take Friendship Personal
• Audio Adrenaline, Lift
• Audio Adrenaline, Underdog
• Audio Adrenaline, Until My Heart Caves In
• Bad Company, 10 from 6**
• Coldplay, X&Y
• Coldplay, Parachutes
• Delirious, King of Fools
• The Fray, How to Save a Life
• Fuel, Somthing Like Human
• Grammatrain, Flying
• Journey, Greatest Hits**
• Our Lady Peace, Gravity
• Pearl Jam, Ten
  
• Pete Stewart, Pete Stewart
• Sanctus Real, Fight the Tide
  

* Yes, I still call them albums, not CDs, because, to me, the word describes the collection of songs put together by the artist in its raw, pure form regardless of the medium or delivery.
** I know these are compilation albums. It's my list and I can include those if I want.

ChurchHacks.com

I've been involved in Christian ministry for most of my life. From helping in AWANA, singing in the choir, spending summers working at camp, participating in worship ministries, pastoring, and being involved in various other ministries, I enjoy serving God in the local church.

Considering my ministry experience, my spiritual gifts, my passions and interests, and the way God has wired me, I began a project that combines all of those things with a desire to see pastors and churches succeed in changing lives and honoring Christ.

www.churchhacks.com - Hack your church. Stimulate ministry and worship.

Here's a description of the site posted on the About page:

ChurchHacks.com is for church leaders, ministry professionals, volunteers, musicians, secretaries, janitors, teachers, coordinators, helpers, greeters, and everyone who assists in the building up of the local church and the furtherance of the Gospel. It is intended and designed to help you with the practical and logistical areas of ministry so that worship and people ministry can take place. We feel that when Christ said, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations," (Matthew 28:19 NIV) that meant a little more than getting an accurate attendance in your Christian Education program and preventing bloodshed in your quarterly business meetings. That giving glory to God involves more than choosing the software you use in your church office and running an effective and meaningful worship team rehearsal.

Making disciples and glorifying God happen within the small details of a church's ministry as well as the life-changing, eternal destiny-types of occasions. We're here to help you hack your church so that your community of Christ-followers can worship God and minister to each other effectively for God's glory.

Visit often, contribute through the comments or by sending ideas to tips@churchhacks.com, and let your friends in ministry know about churchhacks.com. My desire is to help pastors, churches, and volunteers be successful in what they do and be able to focus on worshipping God and ministering to people.