More about me

Stolen from .

() Smoked a cigarette
( ) crashed a car
( ) stolen a car
(x) Been in love
(x) Been dumped
( ) shoplifted
( ) Been fired /laid off
( ) Been in a fist fight
( ) Snuck out of your parent's house
(x ) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Been arrested
(x ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Lied to a friend
(x) Skipped school
( ) Seen someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been on a plane
( ) purposely set a part of yourself on fire
( ) Eaten Sushi
() Been skiing
(x) Met someone in person from the internet
(x) Taken pain-killers
() Love someone or miss someone right now
(x) Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by
(x) Made a snow angel
() Had a tea party
(x) Flown a kite
(x) Built a sand castle
() Gone puddle jumping
() Played dress up
(x) Cheated while playing a game
(x) Been lonely (More than I care to think about)
(x) Fallen asleep at work/school
( ) used a fake id
(x) Watched the sun set
(x ) felt an earthquake
() Touched a snake
(x) Slept beneath the stars
(x) Been tickled
( ) Been robbed
(x )had a cavity
(x )broken a bone
(x) Won a contest
(x) Ran a red light
( ) Been suspended from school
() Been in a car accident with another car
(x)got a speeding ticket
(x) had braces
( ) eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(x) Had deja vu
( ) Danced in the moonlight
(x) Liked the way you look
() Witnessed a crime
() been obsessed with post-it notes
() Squished barefoot through the mud
(x) Been lost
(x) been to the opposite side of the country
(x) Peed in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
() Recently colored with crayons
() Sung karaoke
() Paid for a meal with only coins
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
() Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
() Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
() Been kissed under a mistletoe
( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
( ) made a bonfire on the beach
( ) Crashed a party
(x) Gone roller-skating
(x) Had a wish come true
() Worn pearls
( ) Jumped off a bridge.
() ate dog/cat food
( ) told a complete stranger you loved them
() kissed a mirror
(x) Sang in the shower
(x) Had a dream that you married someone
(x) Glued your hand to something
( ) Got your tongue stuck to a flag pole
( ) Kissed a fish
(x) Sat on a roof top
(x) Screamed at the top of your lungs
() Done a one-handed cartwheel
() Talked on the phone for more than 6 hours
(x) Stayed up all night
( ) didn't take a shower for a week
() pick and ate an apple right off the tree
(x) Climbed a tree that had a tree house
() Been told by a complete stranger that you're hot

Family Holidays

I felt out of place again this Thanksgiving. My family has a much smaller gathering of late that just includes myself, my parents, my "aunt and uncle" and cousins. The reason I felt out of place is that both of my younger cousins had their serious significant others with them. It reinforced the loneliness that I've been dealing with. I'm ready to move on and find "the one"... Maybe by Easter I won't be alone?

Lyrical Thought 6

Thanksgiving -- Tom Lehrer

We gather together to ask the lord’s blessing
For turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce.
It was slightly distressing but now we’re convalescing
So sing praises to his name and forget not to floss.
Our nearest and dearest we don’t want confessing
It’s sort of depressing to have them so near.
Our feelings supressing for lightly acquiescing
And perfectly professing we’re glad they were here.
We gathered together and got the lord’s blessing
Of course we’re just guessing ’cause how can you tell?
Our stomach’s are bloating
Our kidneys nearly floating
Hellos are very nice but goodbyes can be swell

Lyrical Thought 5

A Christmas Carol -- Tom Lehrer

One very familiar type of song is the christmas carol. although it is perhaps a bit out of season at this time. however, I'm informed by my disk jockey friends - of whom I have none,
In order to get a song popular by christmas time, you have to start plugging it well in advance. so here goes. it has always seemed to me after all. that christmas, with it's spirit of giving,
Us all a wonderful opportunity each year to reflect on what we all most sincerely and deeply believe in.

I refer of course, to money. and yet none of the christmas carols that you hear on the radio or in the street, even attempt to capture the true spirit of christmas as we celebrate it in the United States. that is to say the commercial spirit. so I should like to offer the following christmas carol for next year, as being perhaps a bit more appropriate.

Christmas time is here, by golly,
Disapproval would be folly,
Deck the halls with hunks of holly,
Fill the cup and don't say when.
Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens,
Mix the punch, drag out the dickens,
Even though the prospect sickens,
Brother, here we go again.

On christmas day you can't get sore,
Your fellow man you must adore,
There\u2019s time to rob him all the more
The other three hundred and sixty-four.

Relations, sparing no expense'll
Send some useless old utensil,
Or a matching pen and pencil.
Just the thing I need! how nice!
It doesn't matter how sincere it
Is, nor how heartfelt the spirit,
Sentiment will not endear it,
What's important is the price.

Hark the herald tribune sings,
Advertising wondrous things.
God rest ye merry, merchants,
May you make the yuletide pay.
Angels we have heard on high
Tell us to go out and buy!

So let the raucous sleigh bells jingle,
Hail our dear old friend kris kringle,
Driving his reindeer across the sky.
Don't stand underneath when they fly by.
Actually I did rather well myself, this last christmas. the nicest present I received was a gift certificate good at any hospital for a lobotomy. rather thoughtful.

Got It!

Ok so I braved the cold, the lines of shoppers and the ocassional hip check by an overzealous woman and got to the pile of digital cameras at wal-mart. I got my new HP E317 5MP camera for $88. A big upgrade considering that when my current digital camera came out they weren't using the mega prefix for the number of pixels.

Crazy? Perhaps...

Well normally I skip the big day after Thanksgiving sales, but a HP 5 megapixel camera for $88 is just screaming my name and well I'm listening. So for the others in Jacksonville, IL thinking the same thing... please stay home! :-p

Get a Human When You Call!

Haven't tried these yet, but it looks promising.

http://paulenglish.com/ivr/

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving all. Safe travels, good eats and good rolaids!

Lyrical Thought 4

What's the Buzz -- Jesus Christ Superstar
Andrew Lloyd Webber

APOSTLES

What's the buzz?
Tell me what's a-happening. (Repeat 8 times)

JESUS

Why should you want to know?
Don't you mind about the future?
Don't you try to think ahead?
Save tomorrow for tomorrow;
Think about today instead.

APOSTLES

What's the buzz?
Tell me what's happening. (Repeat many times)

JESUS

I could give you facts and figures.
Even give you plans and forecasts.
Even tell you where I'm going.

APOSTLES

When do we ride into Jerusalem? (Repeat many times)

JESUS

Why should you want to know?
Why are you obsessed with fighting
Times and fates you can't defy?
If you knew the path we're riding,
You'd understand it less than I.

APOSTLES

What's the buzz?
Tell me what's happening. (Repeat many times)

MARY MAGDALENE

Let me try to cool down your face a bit. (Repeat 5 times)

JESUS

Mary that is good,
While you prattle through your supper,
Where and when and who and how.
She alone has tried to give me
What I need right here and now.

APOSTLES

What's the buzz?
Tell me what's happening. (Repeat many times)

Normal

Your Normalcy Quotient is: 54 out of 100.

You are a Wonderful Eccentric
You’ve earned the title of wonderful eccentric, and while you’re not a wild, gun slinging maverick, you certainly like to follow your own way. Of course, you probably don’t think of yourself as eccentric. As Einstein might say, “It’s all relative.”
Take this quiz by Clicking Here.

Jedi Meeme

You scored as Qui-Gon Jinn. You are Qui-Gon Jinn; respected for your wisdom and strong connection to The Force yet considered unorthodox and defiant by the Jedi Council. You rescued Anakin Skywalker from Tatooine because you believed him to be The Chosen One. You train the lightsaber form Ataru in which The Force is used to aid physical skill to achieve an amazing combination of speed, accuracy and acrobatics. A diplomat before a warrior, you fell in battle to Darth Maul though your apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi avenged you. You were the first Jedi to achieve a preservation of personal identity after death. Qui-Gon Jinn 93% Darth Revan 89% Obi-Wan Kenobi (Post Death of Qui-Gon Jinn) 89% Mace Windu 86% Yoda 86% Luke Skywalker 79% Anakin Skywalker 75% Obi-Wan Kenobi (Pre Death of Qui-Gon Jinn) 71% Darth Vader 61% Darth Sidious 57% Bastila Shan 57% Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus 54% Exar Kun 50% Darth Maul 36% What Star Wars Jedi or Sith character is most like your personality? created with QuizFarm.com

People of Influence Installment 2

Julio Carmen Viola

Otherwise known to me as Grandpa. I remember him taking me up to the KC Hall as they were building the new addition and letting me see the construction equipment. I remember him on the couch as we watched the Cubs on TV. He may have closed his eyes, but he was watching that! I never got the chance to really know Grandpa when he was alive, but everytime someone calls me a little Julio at the KC or talks about him at the club I learn more about who he was and how important he was to the people that knew him. Someday the Cubs will win the World Series again and I know that he'll be watching right along with Harry and the rest of them.

Benjamin

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Well I finally got to see the new Harry Potter movie today. Below are my thoughts:

Well overall the movie was good. They did their best to put as much of the story into the movie as they could with the time allowed.

Unfortunately, the studio didn't bring back John Williams for the musical score. The now famous Harry Potter theme was only present in the title scene and credits; and shortly at that. Hopefully they'll see fit to bring him back for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

My other complaint is that the Hogwart's castle is vastly different from the first three movies. I had to wonder whether there was anyone worried about continuity.

Lyrical Thought 3

Casting Crowns -- If We are the Body

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
trying to fade into the faces
the girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
farther than they know

CHORUS
But if we are the body
why arent His arms reaching
why arent His hands healing
why arent His words teaching
and if we are the body
why arent His feet going
why is His love not showing them there is a way
there is a way

A traveler is far away from home
he sheds his coat
and quietly sinks into the back row
the weight of their judgemental glances tell him that his chances
are better out on the road

CHORUS
But if we are the body
why arent His arms reaching
why arent His hands healing
why arent His words teaching
and if we are the body
why arent His feet going
why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price
for us to pick and choose who should come
and we are the body of Christ

Chorus (2x)
If we are the body
why arent His arms reaching
why arent His hands healing
why arent His words teaching
and if we are the body
why arent His feet going
why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus is the way

Lyrical Thought 2

Audio Adrenaline -- Hands and Feet

An image flashed across my TV screen
Another broken heart comes in to view
I saw the pain and I turned my back
Why can't I do the things I want to?
I'm willing yet I'm so afraid
You give me strength
When I say

Chorus:
I want to be Your hands
I want to be Your feet
I'll go where You send me
I'll go where You send me

Repeat

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like You touched my life
And I find my way
To be Your hands

I've abandoned every selfish thought
I've surrendered every thing I've got
You can have everything I am
And perfect everything I'm not
I'm willing, I'm not afraid
You give me strength
When I say

Chorus

This is the last time
I turned my back on You
From now on, I'll go so
Send me where You want me to
I finally have a mission
I promise I'll complete
I don't need excuses
When I am You hands and feet

Lyrical Thoughts 1

Rascal Flatts -- Bless the Broken Road

I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love, along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign, pointed straight to you

Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That let me straight to you


I think about the years I spent, just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true

Every long lost dream, led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That let me straight to you

Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lovers arms
This much I know, is true
That God blessed the broken road
That let me straight to you

Hope Springs Anew

I finally got to meet Gabbie in person. We met up at Panera in Springfield. She is a really nice person with a great smile and personality. I really hope that she liked me as much as I like her. I'm really hoping that this turns out well.

Are You Being Served?

I have heard too many people my age when talking about the Catholic Church saying that they feel left out. Many wonder if there is anything in the church for people between college and marriage. Others wonder if the church listens to our generation's opinions. Still others have given up and gone to other churches where they feel more spiritually fed.

Why is this happening in the church? There are many reasons, but from what I've seen the laity and clergy have blinders on focusing on their own demographic and children. I'm not saying that either is wrong to focus on, but the young adult, especially single young adults are forgotten and left out in most parishes. At the most basic level, the two groups don't mix or socialize. This polarizes parishes and eventually the young adults fall away because they are a minority of attendees at Mass.

It's time for the leaders of the church to reach out to our generation. We are the future, or so we were told in youth group and Newman centers across the nation. We've been trained in various ministries much more than any previous generation simply because we're the first pure post Vatican II generation. For as long as we can remember, the church has told us how empowered the laity is now and how we should strive to take a role in this.

To any that may read this that aren't in my generation. I ask you to do the following:

1) Say hello to a young adult at Mass and introduce yourself.
2) Listen to their needs and ideas for the Church.
3) Treat our generation as adult members of the Church.

My Life Reduced to Numbers

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.7
Mind:	7.1
Body:	5.3
Spirit:	7.5
Friends/Family:	3.2
Love:	2.1
Finance:	9
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

People of Influence Installment 1

Louis J "Moose" Maurer Jr

Louis was one of my Assistant Scoutmasters when I was in Boy Scouts. I still remember my first meeting showing up and him getting me involved immediately in the wood carving merit badge that the scouts were working on. From then on he took me under his wing. Home sickness was a problem for me when it came time for scout camp, but he just boohooed back at me and told me he missed his mommy too. He made me laught and things were good.

Louis continued to help me through scouts and into the Order of the Arrow. He never achieved Eagle Scout himself, but I believe through how he helped me to achieve Eagle that he did. Towards the end he was very sick and I didn't see him much, but it meant a lot to me and I believe to him also that he was able to make it from the VA hospital to my Eagle Scout ceremony.

Unfortunately it wasn't too long after that I was standing as an honor guard to his coffin at the funeral home. Good job Louis and thanks for everything.

Here I go again?

Well I've met a very nice woman on match.com. We've talked a lot over the last week or so. I haven't met her in person yet, but I'm really hoping to sometime soon. She seems so awesome. She's a political science grad student in Springfield.

Enterprise

Ok so I'm getting on the train a bit late, but I'm finally getting to watch Enterprise in order on DVD. I'm really liking the show, but I have a strange question. What's up with the episode numbers? The pilot is 721 and then they're numbered 00x, but there are numbers missing.

Friend Biography

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want--good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

Donald Duck

Donald Duck


Which DISNEY character are you most like?
brought to you by Quizilla

NORM!!!

Ok so I'm watching Cheers on DVD (gotta love TV on DVD) and Norm just said a classic... "It's a dog eat dog world out there, and I'm wearing milk bone underwear."

Not a Surprise

You are a shy flirt You are more inclined to leave anonymous love notes for your crush then go up and ask them out. You prefer to leave the ball in their court and see where it takes you. A lot of people find this style romantic, but sometimes you are going to have to work up the nerve and ask your crush out, because if your crush is shy too, you may both like each other and never know. Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Dear God...

Please help Tom and I both sort through our issues about sexuality. Love and sex are often interchanged in today's society and they shouldn't be. They go hand in hand. Whitney's message got through loud and clear.