One of my favorite quick stop food places has gotten an extension on it's closing. Rick's is has another 9 months of making my stomach happy. They were supposed to close sometime right around now so that they could be some low income condos (read with dripping sarcasm).
Spuderitios for all!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Ritualistic Aging
On the 5th (of February) I turn 27. The celebration, however, has already begun. One of the signs that my birthday is arriving is the need to consider what to get my brother for his birthday (on Jan 31st). Now the both of us being guys we have kinda reached the point where we just look at each other and go out and buy something in the name of the other. It is kinda sad, but it works, it is less work and probably a sign of our relationship. (that last part coming from the nagging part of my brain.)
That thought aside I spent the weekend with my family and doing very little schoolwork, with the exception of scouting out my Youth and Evangelism project. Saturday night I played volleyball and, after a shower, drove down to San Diego to celebrate with some old friends from High School and a bunch of my brother’s friends from college. Being the only Christian in the room it made for an interesting evening. I learned how to play a drinking game (they allowed for soda or water to replace your alcoholic beverage of choice), watched another (alcohol required), and had some really grubby carne asada for dinner. It was a good time where the games even allowed for conversation and enjoying a good time of making fun of each other. There was of course the evilness that eventually comes out of a few extra drinks and is not fit to post in a blog, but is still really funny to describe if you ask.
That night I stayed at the brothers-girlfriends-parent’s house. This is an experience that I have had before, and the second visit confirmed some existing suspicions, and made me realize some others. The family has some of the most ordered-chaos that I know of. Let me explain … no that would take too long, let me sum up. The family has 9ish kids, I can’t remember the exact number, but ages range from 30ish to 7 or so. They live by the strict code of “You sleep where you fall.” When we walked in at around 11pm, the dad was on the floor curled up in the fetal position and sawing logs while the rest of the family was getting a second dinner, or chatting about upcoming events. Think Cheaper by the Dozen, but with added chaos and larger variety of ages. Yet the thing that was confirmed for me the most, was the family unity that flowed through that family. That family functions in some form of unified front that defies natural logic. I can’t explain it, nor do I think that I would understand it if I spent a week there (granted I would probably go insane first) but there are admirable qualities within the chaos.
I spent Sunday morning recharging batteries, checking email, talking about life and plans, then drove up to Mission Viejo to scout out my Youth Evangelism project. That is another story, but after spending about 3 hours there I left and met my parents for some pre-dinner dinner. Had a good talk with them about classes and looking at youth ministry and trying to form what I have learned into coherent thought and having only minor success.
After that we went to dinner at a restaurant called The Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar. Spent the evening in fine dining and good company. It was a nice rest, and a good time to just enjoy being a family again, even if just for a moment.
As I get older I realize how much friends and family mean to me. As I get old one of my hopes is that I become wiser. I think it is weird that at almost-27 I still get comments on my teach-ability. I think more than that is an understanding where God has blessed me. I have come to an understanding that one of the greater gifts that have been given to me is that of friends who surround me and are there for me. Those of you who are just around, all I want for my Bday is to enjoy time spent together.
That thought aside I spent the weekend with my family and doing very little schoolwork, with the exception of scouting out my Youth and Evangelism project. Saturday night I played volleyball and, after a shower, drove down to San Diego to celebrate with some old friends from High School and a bunch of my brother’s friends from college. Being the only Christian in the room it made for an interesting evening. I learned how to play a drinking game (they allowed for soda or water to replace your alcoholic beverage of choice), watched another (alcohol required), and had some really grubby carne asada for dinner. It was a good time where the games even allowed for conversation and enjoying a good time of making fun of each other. There was of course the evilness that eventually comes out of a few extra drinks and is not fit to post in a blog, but is still really funny to describe if you ask.
That night I stayed at the brothers-girlfriends-parent’s house. This is an experience that I have had before, and the second visit confirmed some existing suspicions, and made me realize some others. The family has some of the most ordered-chaos that I know of. Let me explain … no that would take too long, let me sum up. The family has 9ish kids, I can’t remember the exact number, but ages range from 30ish to 7 or so. They live by the strict code of “You sleep where you fall.” When we walked in at around 11pm, the dad was on the floor curled up in the fetal position and sawing logs while the rest of the family was getting a second dinner, or chatting about upcoming events. Think Cheaper by the Dozen, but with added chaos and larger variety of ages. Yet the thing that was confirmed for me the most, was the family unity that flowed through that family. That family functions in some form of unified front that defies natural logic. I can’t explain it, nor do I think that I would understand it if I spent a week there (granted I would probably go insane first) but there are admirable qualities within the chaos.
I spent Sunday morning recharging batteries, checking email, talking about life and plans, then drove up to Mission Viejo to scout out my Youth Evangelism project. That is another story, but after spending about 3 hours there I left and met my parents for some pre-dinner dinner. Had a good talk with them about classes and looking at youth ministry and trying to form what I have learned into coherent thought and having only minor success.
After that we went to dinner at a restaurant called The Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar. Spent the evening in fine dining and good company. It was a nice rest, and a good time to just enjoy being a family again, even if just for a moment.
As I get older I realize how much friends and family mean to me. As I get old one of my hopes is that I become wiser. I think it is weird that at almost-27 I still get comments on my teach-ability. I think more than that is an understanding where God has blessed me. I have come to an understanding that one of the greater gifts that have been given to me is that of friends who surround me and are there for me. Those of you who are just around, all I want for my Bday is to enjoy time spent together.
Friday, January 19, 2007
A Dim Mirror
Ok Ok … I’m putting the soapbox away and actually going to go against what might be my better judgment (This in itself is a paradox as if I am lacking in judgment how do I know if I am having good judgment to begin with). For all the talk that I did in my last post about video games I am going to get in my car and go see what potential there is. To be honest I am not sure what I am going to find down there as I have been removed from being a member of the world. Now I come and view from the outside looking in, and I’m not sure what I will see.
I know on the surface I will see a large number of individuals playing computer games and having a good time. What I am scared of is finding out what is underneath that facade. I think one of the dangers is seeing my own dark side, or at least a shadow of it. Understand that I am aware that I still have my dark side tendencies. I normally don’t have to go very far either. Now as an ‘outsider’ looking in what will I see? Or maybe better yet is what will my reaction be?
One of [Professor] Chap’s biggest things about doing youth ministry is to be looking at a group of kids and to see, understand, and feel for the kids; and as a result be unable to hold back the tears. One of my mentors in my younger years commented on the difference between seeing the crowd and seeing the faces of the individuals. I have seen the crowd most of my life, and while I have seen the individual faces it was a smaller group and there was no crowd to blur the lines. To be talking to a larger group of people and to see the difference between the crowd, as a single unit, and the individual faces. To see the individual needs, wants, aspirations, pains, joys, sorrows, trials, and so on.
One of the topics of discussion that came up in our foundations small group was a youth pastor’s role; specifically in the difference between being a friend and being an authority figure, spiritual as it may be. My personal mode is of a friend; I have not been in the situation where I had to be the authority figure. I take that back, I choose not to be in at least one situation. (It is a good story, but not presently applicable.)
What am I going to see when I go down there … I’m not sure. I am sure I will see glimpses of myself. I am sure I will see glimpses of my future ministry without knowing it. But I am not so sure I will see the faces come out of the crowd.
Note: After typing this whole thing I looked on my calendar and realized I am working on that night … figures.
I know on the surface I will see a large number of individuals playing computer games and having a good time. What I am scared of is finding out what is underneath that facade. I think one of the dangers is seeing my own dark side, or at least a shadow of it. Understand that I am aware that I still have my dark side tendencies. I normally don’t have to go very far either. Now as an ‘outsider’ looking in what will I see? Or maybe better yet is what will my reaction be?
One of [Professor] Chap’s biggest things about doing youth ministry is to be looking at a group of kids and to see, understand, and feel for the kids; and as a result be unable to hold back the tears. One of my mentors in my younger years commented on the difference between seeing the crowd and seeing the faces of the individuals. I have seen the crowd most of my life, and while I have seen the individual faces it was a smaller group and there was no crowd to blur the lines. To be talking to a larger group of people and to see the difference between the crowd, as a single unit, and the individual faces. To see the individual needs, wants, aspirations, pains, joys, sorrows, trials, and so on.
One of the topics of discussion that came up in our foundations small group was a youth pastor’s role; specifically in the difference between being a friend and being an authority figure, spiritual as it may be. My personal mode is of a friend; I have not been in the situation where I had to be the authority figure. I take that back, I choose not to be in at least one situation. (It is a good story, but not presently applicable.)
What am I going to see when I go down there … I’m not sure. I am sure I will see glimpses of myself. I am sure I will see glimpses of my future ministry without knowing it. But I am not so sure I will see the faces come out of the crowd.
Note: After typing this whole thing I looked on my calendar and realized I am working on that night … figures.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Soapbox: Video Games and Youth
I am a video game addict. Not was, am.
While I have done ok through the course of my seminary career I still have my ear to the sounds of the electronic gaming industry. I realize that I could open up a whole can of worms here, and I might.
What is often missed is that people are not very stupid anymore. Sony made a very very large advertisement mistake this Christmas when they hired an advertisement company to use ‘viral’ marketing. (viral Marketing is basically a word of mouth marketing, but using internet tools such as myspace, blogs, etc etc) Three days later: Sony had removed the information from the site and had been found out. (Link) Next fun thing is the Christmas releases of both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. How bad was it? Gaming stores gave individuals redeemable tickets after robbers held up a line waiting outside overnight.
Now I don’t care how anything really gets advertised, more than anything I normally buy second hand stuff in a technology oriented system. Any computer is outdated normally by the next year, and video gaming systems have a life span of about three. Here is where it gets fun: video game consoles (Xbox, Playstation, Wii) all have price tags starting at $400 and up. That is more money than I spend on food in a month. Add on the joy of games at $50+.
Now I have never been a true console gamer, I normally try to barrow a console and play the games that I want to once through and then be done with them. My vice has always been computer games. Most notable was the modification for Half-Life called Counter-Strike. In my heyday I could sit down and play for 5 hours straight with only breaks for a refill of my soda, or get another snack. I can rationalize the time spent as well; at least to myself, others might disagree. Shortly after college I got out, and let that part of my life go.
Even in college I had my limits: it was the age of Everquest. One of my early rules in playing games was that I would not pick up a game with no ending, nor would I pay money beyond an Internet connection to continue to play the games. Today there is World of Warcraft. How popular is it? It has been on Jeopardy.
Blah blah blah … so what’s the point I’m trying to say here? Seminary class: Youth and Evangelism Final project. One of the choices is to spend some time in an area where youth hang out and just listen in on conversations. In the back of my head I want to find an Internet gaming café and hang out there. I know of a 300 computer/100 Xbox café south of Irvine (40 min drive) that is open till 2am on Friday night. One of the largest fights in my ministry to youth has been that of dealing with technological attraction to video games. The literal truth in some cases has been that paying for the kid to play on the computer is cheaper than a baby sitter and the kid has more fun. Now granted most conversation over video games are those complaining about how the game is cheating them or some other player is cheating, but there is a who culture of video gaming that I would say (blind guess) 85% of males have been exposed to, what is scary is the slow growth of female population find interest in the games. (At least of people that I know) One of my old high school girls could probably put on a clinic at some console games. (She can also hurt me if she really wanted to, so I try to stay on her good side.)
I concede the point that there are some people who should not play video games. Not for reasons that uses up time, but for reasons of mental instability. I know of multiple stories where individuals have logged onto games, then killed themselves while logged in. (I just don’t feel like using my google-fu) I have had friends where the relationships within games were more important than those outside. I could take this into a whole different realm of online anonymity, but that takes a whole rant unto itself.
Part II to come next week when I get some free time ...
While I have done ok through the course of my seminary career I still have my ear to the sounds of the electronic gaming industry. I realize that I could open up a whole can of worms here, and I might.
What is often missed is that people are not very stupid anymore. Sony made a very very large advertisement mistake this Christmas when they hired an advertisement company to use ‘viral’ marketing. (viral Marketing is basically a word of mouth marketing, but using internet tools such as myspace, blogs, etc etc) Three days later: Sony had removed the information from the site and had been found out. (Link) Next fun thing is the Christmas releases of both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. How bad was it? Gaming stores gave individuals redeemable tickets after robbers held up a line waiting outside overnight.
Now I don’t care how anything really gets advertised, more than anything I normally buy second hand stuff in a technology oriented system. Any computer is outdated normally by the next year, and video gaming systems have a life span of about three. Here is where it gets fun: video game consoles (Xbox, Playstation, Wii) all have price tags starting at $400 and up. That is more money than I spend on food in a month. Add on the joy of games at $50+.
Now I have never been a true console gamer, I normally try to barrow a console and play the games that I want to once through and then be done with them. My vice has always been computer games. Most notable was the modification for Half-Life called Counter-Strike. In my heyday I could sit down and play for 5 hours straight with only breaks for a refill of my soda, or get another snack. I can rationalize the time spent as well; at least to myself, others might disagree. Shortly after college I got out, and let that part of my life go.
Even in college I had my limits: it was the age of Everquest. One of my early rules in playing games was that I would not pick up a game with no ending, nor would I pay money beyond an Internet connection to continue to play the games. Today there is World of Warcraft. How popular is it? It has been on Jeopardy.
Blah blah blah … so what’s the point I’m trying to say here? Seminary class: Youth and Evangelism Final project. One of the choices is to spend some time in an area where youth hang out and just listen in on conversations. In the back of my head I want to find an Internet gaming café and hang out there. I know of a 300 computer/100 Xbox café south of Irvine (40 min drive) that is open till 2am on Friday night. One of the largest fights in my ministry to youth has been that of dealing with technological attraction to video games. The literal truth in some cases has been that paying for the kid to play on the computer is cheaper than a baby sitter and the kid has more fun. Now granted most conversation over video games are those complaining about how the game is cheating them or some other player is cheating, but there is a who culture of video gaming that I would say (blind guess) 85% of males have been exposed to, what is scary is the slow growth of female population find interest in the games. (At least of people that I know) One of my old high school girls could probably put on a clinic at some console games. (She can also hurt me if she really wanted to, so I try to stay on her good side.)
I concede the point that there are some people who should not play video games. Not for reasons that uses up time, but for reasons of mental instability. I know of multiple stories where individuals have logged onto games, then killed themselves while logged in. (I just don’t feel like using my google-fu) I have had friends where the relationships within games were more important than those outside. I could take this into a whole different realm of online anonymity, but that takes a whole rant unto itself.
Part II to come next week when I get some free time ...
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Decompression
Seminary is amazing, but there are times when there is no choice but to react and not think about some of the things that are being taught in class. Nor are you given time to fully stop and consider self-belief in some of the topics brought up. So here I am with about 2 weeks to consider my last quarter/year of seminary and think about some of my personal beliefs on each of the topics. These are boring and uninteresting to common readers, or at least they bore me.
Yet I am sitting typing this, waiting to go out to dinner with my Arroyo Grande friends for all you can eat pizza, I am turned back to a simple cross that is around my neck and what it means. It is odd to think that it was not a month ago I was in Texas at Cursillo, and I had a whole post on the sudden shock of going back into the real world, and not much changed about my life. With the sudden dunking of papers, finals, midterms, third declension of Greek nouns all looming over my head, I was just able to scrape by to Thanksgiving, and then crawl my way through finals week and into Christmas break. I have only one regret about Cursillo: That I did not go out and stand in the Texas Thunderstorm, despite every instinct to do so.
So now I am at my parents house and have just been listening in on some of the things that my Dad has commented about being in ministry. About problems, about congregations, about governing Presbyterian bodies. He is getting close to 20 years at the same church with is a statement of commitment to his goals, but being in Seminary has shown me many things that have just gone wrong in churches. The question hasn’t come down to ‘why are there problems?’ but has become more along the lines of ‘which problems do you want to deal with?’ Slowly I am beginning to see how each church is a living breathing thing that has a personality (or multiple) that needs help in more way than one.
So here I stand with this understanding of agape love: a love that loves until the object of the love gives in. Looking back at the ‘work force’ that I am going into, I wonder how I could ever give up on someone. I look back and can see that I wasn’t able to help out everyone, but to give up on someone who had invested time in? My little brain cannot compute that equation. Maybe it is that I am tired at the time of writing this, but I know I am able to remember my failures more so than my successes. Yet when it comes to this I can only see the faces of the kids who I ‘know’ were affected by my presence and interaction.
Sometime later …
Back in Pasadena and reading this over again. Not much has changed, and I don’t have any answers to the questions, or worse the answer only produces more questions. I have finished one year of schooling, and have 2 more to go. With school starting on Wednesday (for me, I have no Tuesday class this quarter) I'm looking ahead with the question of: will I have time to ponder all of my questions? Wondering where I might be in two years is a little ambitious, maybe just three months out is far enough.
Yet I am sitting typing this, waiting to go out to dinner with my Arroyo Grande friends for all you can eat pizza, I am turned back to a simple cross that is around my neck and what it means. It is odd to think that it was not a month ago I was in Texas at Cursillo, and I had a whole post on the sudden shock of going back into the real world, and not much changed about my life. With the sudden dunking of papers, finals, midterms, third declension of Greek nouns all looming over my head, I was just able to scrape by to Thanksgiving, and then crawl my way through finals week and into Christmas break. I have only one regret about Cursillo: That I did not go out and stand in the Texas Thunderstorm, despite every instinct to do so.
So now I am at my parents house and have just been listening in on some of the things that my Dad has commented about being in ministry. About problems, about congregations, about governing Presbyterian bodies. He is getting close to 20 years at the same church with is a statement of commitment to his goals, but being in Seminary has shown me many things that have just gone wrong in churches. The question hasn’t come down to ‘why are there problems?’ but has become more along the lines of ‘which problems do you want to deal with?’ Slowly I am beginning to see how each church is a living breathing thing that has a personality (or multiple) that needs help in more way than one.
So here I stand with this understanding of agape love: a love that loves until the object of the love gives in. Looking back at the ‘work force’ that I am going into, I wonder how I could ever give up on someone. I look back and can see that I wasn’t able to help out everyone, but to give up on someone who had invested time in? My little brain cannot compute that equation. Maybe it is that I am tired at the time of writing this, but I know I am able to remember my failures more so than my successes. Yet when it comes to this I can only see the faces of the kids who I ‘know’ were affected by my presence and interaction.
Sometime later …
Back in Pasadena and reading this over again. Not much has changed, and I don’t have any answers to the questions, or worse the answer only produces more questions. I have finished one year of schooling, and have 2 more to go. With school starting on Wednesday (for me, I have no Tuesday class this quarter) I'm looking ahead with the question of: will I have time to ponder all of my questions? Wondering where I might be in two years is a little ambitious, maybe just three months out is far enough.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas
Sometimes others have better words than I do. Today is such a case.
And the first time that you opened your eyes, did you realize that you would be my savior?
And the first breath that left your lips, did you know that it would change this world forever?
And I, I celebrate the day
That you were born to die
So I could one day pray for you to save my life
Pray for you to save my life
- I Celebrate the Day, Relient K
And the first time that you opened your eyes, did you realize that you would be my savior?
And the first breath that left your lips, did you know that it would change this world forever?
And I, I celebrate the day
That you were born to die
So I could one day pray for you to save my life
Pray for you to save my life
- I Celebrate the Day, Relient K
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas Nostalgia
Around Christmas time I get nostalgic for some very specific memories. One of them is hunting up a copy of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation if only for the sledding scene. With the invention of YouTube I have found a pair of hi-larious claymations from my younger years. I found the whole thing in a Three Part Series. But there are two classic pieces that are here now for your viewing pleasure:
Angels we Have Heard on High (No Penguins were harmed in it's making):
And - We Three Kings:
Angels we Have Heard on High (No Penguins were harmed in it's making):
And - We Three Kings:
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