t_m*s

welcome to the gun show!

2010-06-18T13:41:00.000-05:00

a note on life

2010-06-15T16:10:00.000-05:00

in the Good Book, in the book of Daniel, there is a story of men being thrown into a furnace for failing to worship a king over God. these men did not perish however, and all were amazed as they walked out to safety. one of the first thoughts to my mind is: 'where is this today? doesn't God show us these types of signs and miracles anymore?'

i believe it's an honest question, and i would also believe that God would encourage curiosity and honesty in seeking out who He is. i have done that lately, and really had challenged some of my notions as to what we should look for and how we could identify these 'miracles'.

my focus has been adjusted:

i remember the darkness. it wasn't a grassy field or clear blue sky that i remember when i nearly lost my life. it was darkness, and intense, pounding pain. on a physical, mental, and emotional level the very lowest point that i could be.

then, it was life. not the grab a coffee and head to work life; i mean vivid, passionate, don't-take-it-for-granted life. i knew i could never settle for less, when you taste something so fine, anything else is just too bland.

i've written about this incident in my life before, but this time, it's different. it's not about that story, or me, or the doctors. it's about life.

through that darkness and pain, come two bright, beaming rays of life. these little ones are our miracles, and the very proof i was searching for. their sheer existence is a divine statement of purpose and responsibility for the two of us, and we rest assured that in our newfound role as parents, we are not alone.

God delivered those men from a fiery death, and in a couple months, He is delivering two more precious lives into this world.

a miracle? a sign? oh they're here, they're visible, and in this case, they weigh 2 pounds a piece...

let the adventure(s) begin!

2010-04-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

i'll let today's post speak for itself!

titles

2010-03-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

some people work their whole life for their shot at a new 'title'. CEO, President, Vice-President, Chairman, etc.

They gladly give up quality time for themselves and for their family for a shot at a higher rung on the ladder.

In a way, I can relate to their quest. I've spent my entire life hoping and praying that I can work my way up to a worthy title. I have certainly been blessed, as I'm on the doorstep, at 28 years old, of my most prestigious title yet:

'dad'

we have a sonogram in a couple more weeks, we're so excited to see the little one. i'll get some pics posted when the time comes.

a pulse!

2010-03-02T13:42:00.002-06:00

not every day of your life is a day that you'll never forget. most days you get up, go to work, go to bed, and repeat. but then you have one of those days..

yesterday was a day like that for us. it was the first time we were able to listen to the pitter patter of our baby's heart. at 172 beats per minute, it was the most unmistakable and miraculous sound i've ever heard.

the miracle of life pops into full focus, and you start to realize just how precious that gift really is.

as of today, our baby is about an inch long, has formed tiny finger and toenails, and is starting to grow its hair.

we're embarking on a new chapter in life, with a lot of uncertainty and a lot of excitement.

one way or another, we're expecting this Stein family to be +1 in September. and we couldn't be happier about it.

all i can say for sure, is that 2010 is going to be chocked full of days that we'll never forget. more to come..

stress relief..

2010-02-27T17:28:00.005-06:00

here's some rapid fire stress relief on a saturday afternoon

Rough trip

2010-02-12T12:23:00.000-06:00

Here's zeke on our drive out to CO for the weekend. He's obviously stressed about things...

rollin' to a stop

2010-01-14T15:07:00.000-06:00

the short bus is on its last trip this weekend, and it's done for another year. so far we've lost 2 games on the year, putting us at 10-2. we have the final league tournament this weekend, so hopefully we can finish it off well.

without further ado, here's the final shortbus post for the year:

----------------------------

player: wow, snow is cold.

----------------------------

player: i live over on the east side of town.
coach: oh, i thought you lived out on hedberg road by the interstate.
player: huh? why?
coach: that's where they keep all the other monkeys, at the zoo.
player: ha, i'm walking home.

----------------------------

player: hey coach, i got a deer
coach: nice job, how many times did you shoot?
player: well i shot it 4 times
coach: oh nice job, 4 times?!
player: yea, but it was the fifth shot that actually killed it.

----------------------------

coach (to C teamer): hey, quit hitting on all the girls at the other schools
player: what? i wasn't hitting on any girls
player 2: yea, he wasn't interested in the girls, he was after the lion (school's mascot with the cheerleaders)

----------------------------

player (C teamer): hey coach, when i set a pick can i do this? (player grabs his crotch).
coach: no, why would you want to do that?
player: so the girls in the stands think i have something down there.

----------------------------

take a look to the sky...

2009-12-18T14:02:00.000-06:00

just before you die, it's the last time you will..

that may not sound like a typical holiday greeting, but let me explain. these are the lyrics to a heavy metal song i used to listen to when lifting weights in high school....

there was a point in my life that i was actually physically dying, it was a time of which i had no control, only intense pain. during that experience, the lyrics above came to me, and i did just that. i looked to the sky, one last time, while i still had the chance. to this day, i remember what it looked like, i remember the location of the clouds and the shade of blue that radiated between them. a truly serene picture i will never forget.

most days at some point we all probably glance toward the sky. it may be to check the weather, or to admire a sunset, but when was the last time you glanced at the sky as if it would be the last time you saw it? have you ever?

another Christmas season is upon us. another chance to truly be thankful for the birth of our Savior, and the countless blessings and promises that he has laid out for us. let this be your opportunity to look to the sky, to look for the hope and peace that only Christ can bring you. one thing i can promise, is once you see it, you'll never forget it. it will be a part of you from that point onward.

but don't just glance, look as if you'll never have the chance again....

as if it's the last time you will.

A buck!

2009-12-06T10:21:00.000-06:00

Got this decent 10 point yesterday. Been awhile since I got a buck. I'll take it!

Look how trendy I am!

2009-12-05T18:38:00.000-06:00

Im in the organic section with an earth-friendly, low-emission hippy cart! Peace and love and health care for everyone!

and there's more..

2009-11-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

coach (to player texting): you don't have time to text your girlfriend, we need to get ready
player: it's not my girlfriend!
coach: sure it isn't, we can see through that one.
player: no really, it's my parents.
player: actually, you should give me props, i did get a 20 year old girl's phone number once.
coach: sure you did
player: no i did, because i gave her a klondike bar, she gave me her number.
player: you know what they say coach, (*singing*):what would you do for a klondike bar?!

-----

c team player(to coach during the 1st quarter): hey coach, do they have halftime at basketball games?

-----

coach(jokingly): hey, we're getting complaints from the other team's cheerleaders that you won't leave them alone
player: what? me? it wasn't me
coach: oh yeah it was, you better knock it off
player: sorry coach, it wasn't me. they must have me confused with some other asian kid.

-----

*during a c-team game
coach(during a timeout): guys, we have to set better picks, we're not getting open.
player 1(to player 2): do you know what a pick is?
player 2: *blank stare*
coach: guys, we went over picks in practice
player2: *blank stare*

On the shortbus..

2009-11-19T15:12:00.000-06:00

One of our players was so proud of his drawing on the shortbus today....here it is... God help us

shortbus..

2009-11-18T09:11:00.000-06:00

player(to a player on the girls team): can i go to the movies with you?
girl: what? with me? are you serious?
player: yea, come on! i'll be quiet and everything, i promise!
girl: no way, not going to happen. ever..

---

*10 minutes after practice is over
coach: hey, where are your parents? it's 10 after.
player: i don't know, i'll call them
player(on the phone): where are you guys? huh? now? oh, ok..
*the parents were sitting in the car waiting for him to get in for 15 minutes, in plain view of us and the player....

---

*while checking out uniforms
coach(to player < 5ft., 85 lbs.): hey, you could just cut armholes in those shorts and tie them around your neck, then you wouldn't need a jersey
player: yea i know, in fact i can do that with all the shorts i own!

---

coach (after player made 4 shots in a row during scrimmage): man, you're on fire today.
player: man coach, i'm just getting lucky today!
coach: you know what, i'd rather have you lucky than good any day!

my view from blind

2009-11-16T13:59:00.005-06:00

here's my view during my latest turkey hunt. i'm glad i saw him, cause i'm sure i won't during rifle season...

Game time!

2009-11-10T17:30:00.001-06:00

more shortbus..

2009-11-04T08:31:00.000-06:00

player (an 8th grader): do we have to run if we miss free throws
coach: yes, just like we always have. didn't you play all last year?
player: yea, i did, but that was back when i was stupid.
coach: i see things have really changed

player 1: what are we doing again?
coach: come on man, what's wrong with you? i've explained it several times already
player 2: don't mind him coach, he's the guy who was convinced during football season that a circle has 2 sides.

coach: so are you still allergic to everything?
player: no, actually i think i've grown out of a few allergies. they moved me from a 5 year allergy shot plan to only 4 years now.
coach: good news, so what are you still allergic to.
player: mainly my teachers
coach: teachers?
player: maybe it's not the teachers, i think i'm just allergic to "mean".

-note*: i told you this was going to be a good year!

shortbus preview

2009-11-03T10:07:00.000-06:00

the season is early, and we got a few shy ones so far, but here's a post to get started: *as always, i couldn't make these up.

(coach demonstrating mikan drill)
player 1: mikan, mike and ike, mmm, i like mike and ike's. do you like mike and ike's?

player 2: you're an idiot....

(speaking to player sitting on the floor on the baseline)
coach: are you ok?
player: yea..
coach: what happened?
player: i got hit in the eye with the ball..
coach: it's tough to catch with your eye, try your hands next time

hop on the short bus!

2009-10-23T15:02:00.003-05:00

yes it's that time of year again. i've signed up another year to coach jr. high basketball.

so the short bus will live on another year, and i must say with the group of kids we have this year, it should be the best one yet.

so stay tuned, practice starts tuesday, i can guarantee it won't disappoint.

reminders

2009-10-07T09:32:00.000-05:00

i feel like a list today:

a few things that bring me pure joy (in no meaningful order):

watching my wife wrap herself in a king size down blanket, and completely disappearing
checking pictures of the game camera we setup on the creek
standing in my underwear and watching the sun rise through the front door
watching zeke chase elane through tall grass that neither can run through very well
listening to stories about the 'retard rocket' (you can blame the mccabe's for the lack of political correctness)
~~watching~~ dreaming of the chiefs winning a game
listening to bob seger while riding the bike through the mountains
driving big trucks with big trailers attached to them
having the freedom to live our lives as we see fit
seeing my 'little' sister so happy with her new family and life
sitting on the creek
having the support of a great family
riding on the back of a snowmobile elane's driving (ok, that may pure terror)
seeing my friends start their lives and families with great people
guns
catching trout with a light bulb as the bobber
losing a softball hitting it into the trees
3 day weekends
cutting firewood
watching my wife and dog sleep in front of the fireplace

you need to see this

2009-09-21T17:00:00.001-05:00

Read this story, then watch the video.

Nothing more needs to be said.

riding map

2009-09-10T10:23:00.001-05:00

here's a map of where we rode last weekend. all said about 450 miles, over 2 different days.

easy rider(s)

2009-09-05T22:13:00.001-05:00

rog and me at lake granby

come ride with me

2009-09-05T21:46:00.004-05:00

since you all can't be here, here's a taste of our ride today. we rode about 250 miles up through kremmling to grand lake and back down through dillon. beautiful weather, we only got rained on once. enjoy the ride!

Ridin'

2009-09-04T10:42:00.001-05:00

Here's a pic from the top of independence pass, rog and I rode through leadville and over the pass to aspen.

Beautiful scenery and sunny weather, doesn't get any better than that.

wedding pics

2009-08-07T09:52:00.001-05:00

here's a pic of e and me from melynda's wedding. i'll post more when i get them.

softball guy

2009-08-03T09:02:00.003-05:00

after playing 11 games of softball this weekend, and noticing all the 'professional softball players' at a co-ed tournament... i thought it was my obligation to post this today after reading it on ESPN. this nails these guys to a T.

The 20 things that make you a doofus

10. Wearing baseball pants to play slo-pitch softball

Yep, those look like baseball pants. Guilty!Dubious behavior: Self-explanatory. Often comes accessorized with the sort of wraparound sunglasses typically seen on American troops in Iraq.

Doofus factor: A mind-erasing supernova of doofusdom. Just as a shaved head and orange robes are the signs of a Shaolin monk, baseball pants in slo-pitch mark someone who takes softball waaaaay too seriously. Think someone who knows his on-base percentage. Someone who swings a bat that costs more than his couch. Someone whose uncontrollable, indiscriminate competitive fire would be better suited on a driving and/or firing range. Someone sports radio host Jim Rome has immortalized with a deceivingly innocuous nickname -- "Softball Guy" -- and someone you don't want to be.

Suggested solution: Wear shorts, drink a few beers, play co-ed.

2009-07-26T09:21:00.001-05:00

Ok lori, here's proof i'm a certified diver!

We had better visibility playing with the fish and crawdads today. Looking forward to hitting some clearer water next year!

2009-07-25T20:55:00.001-05:00

Here's a pic from eureka springs, ar. Very narrow streets and old buildings, it's quite a surprise when driving through the ozarks.

Well i'm all but scuba certified now, we have a free open dive tomorrow and i'll get my card in a couple weeks.

A fast but beautiful and fun trip..

cheers

Beaver lake morning

2009-07-25T07:27:00.001-05:00

Here's the view from the patio of our hotel this a.m.

underwater

2009-07-24T13:30:00.002-05:00

e and i are headed down to beaver lake in arkansas tonight for some scuba diving this weekend.

this is my check out dive, so we'll both be certified after this weekend.

i'll see if i can get some pics on here from the trip, but otherwise if you need me, i'll be on the bottom of beaver lake for the next couple days.

rafting

2009-07-02T17:11:00.003-05:00

we hit the rapids this afternoon, here's a few pics. (note, the feet in the picture are dad's!)

Cabin living

2009-06-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

Here's a few pics of our cabin and my beautiful wife with some beautiful scenery.

goin' mobile

2009-06-23T15:21:00.001-05:00

e and i are headed west thursday to camp for a few days in colorado, celebrate a wonderful year of life together (a year already!?!?), and head down for my sister's wedding!

congrats to them both, it'll be a great time! we're happy for you two!

either way, i plan on keeping this updated with some pics and happenings from the next couple weeks. so as long as i have some cell service, i should be able to get some updates on here about our trip.

give me some real news

2009-06-05T16:10:00.003-05:00

ok, where do i need to go for news??

i've had it with all the 'mainstream' news shows and websites. sure every once in awhile they throw something in relevant, i.e. stimulus money, tax issues, government policy that actually affects us, but how about this headline i read today:

'Gay penguin pair raising chick' THIS IS REAL! i actually saw this headline today. GAY PENGUINS?!? how do they know the penguins are gay, do they have earrings, do they live on a pink iceberg together?? how much tax money was spent on a couple of fruity penguins?!?!? what is going on here?!?!? ok, i digress..

but seriously, is this the most important thing going on right now? (isn't our economy crashing??)

and i've had it with people's weird obsession with celebrities. what's the big deal, why would anyone give a crap what angelina jolie ate for breakfast, or what sandra bullock has to say about her husband?

maybe i'm in the minority here, but i'd rather hear about actual issues that are affecting my family on a daily basis. i'd rather understand more about the bankruptcy of GM, or the decline of the housing market. THAT'S WHAT I WATCH THE NEWS FOR!!!!!

ok, i'll climb off my soap box now, but please someone, anyone, give me the real news.

my prediction

2009-05-28T11:36:00.003-05:00

based on my last article on the NBA, i am predicting the outcome of tonight's game.

even though the cavs are down 3-1, they will win huge tonight, renewing interest in the series, cause no one will care if the magic win in 5.

my prediction: magic 89 cavs 113

call me a nerd, i don't care

2009-05-19T14:42:00.002-05:00

this thing is cool:

http://www94.wolframalpha.com/

Type in something, anything and it'll give you answers. It's a collaborative effort to make all systemic data available almost instantly. It currently contains over 10 trillion pieces of data, and 50,000 types of algorithms.

How do I know it's so cool?

I typed my name in, and now I know that of all the people named Thomas, 1.63% of them are asian! who knew!!

welcome back Lloyd!

2009-05-11T08:42:00.002-05:00

This past weekend we went on a poker run for the spiritual life center at the ellsworth prison. after checking in, we stopped in at kevin's (and mine) grandparent's house to say hi. After visiting for awhile, we picked up two extra riders! Lloyd broke out his VStar, and Erna hopped on with dad and we all hit the road together.

Undoubtedly one of the best motorcycle rides I've been on, it made the whole event worth it. We had an absolute blast. It was perfect weather, and perfect company.

It'd been quite a few years since Lloyd had been back on his bike, so let me be the first to day, 'Welcome back to the road Lloyd!'.

Check out the pics below:

rigged

2009-04-30T08:49:00.001-05:00

ok, i'm usually not one for conspiracy theories, but i've got one of my own here.

the nba is rigged, it's all about the 'show', and money. they place terrible officials with volatile players in big games, just to push their agenda. i don't know who's all in on it, but i think it's heading the way of WWF.

that being said, i'm saying right now that the cavs and lakers will be in the finals, with the cavs winning a dramatic game 7, making lebron even more marketable. (kobe already has his rings, so they need a new, fresh face).

the NBA needs a pick-me-up, they need people to be interested, so something big needs to happen. the spurs are boring, and they're gone for the first time in 10 years. everyone likes to watch lebron, so he'll coast into the finals, probably overcoming some major injury to inspire everyone.

so you heard it here first, there will be at least 1 major comeback from a major injury in the playoffs, a fight or suspension of some kind, and lebron will beat kobe in game 7, after they both score 50 and 55 points respectively.

is this news?

2009-04-20T09:11:00.003-05:00

doesn't every boy at some point in his life use bugspray or hairspray with a match to torch bugs?

i recently found out that some people don't think this is normal behavior? huh? i was always under the assumption this was just the way it is?

a good day

2009-04-10T15:48:00.002-05:00

today is a good day

on my drive to work i had a few thoughts:

on this day, some 2000 years ago, what was Christ thinking about? surely He felt anxious, nervous, maybe a bit scared. but i'd bet He wasn't thinking about his job, money, or material things. i'd say He was thinking about his purpose.

imagine having a purpose so powerful, that no amount of pain, humiliation, or torture could deter you. that even though the weight of this purpose dropped you to your knees over and over again, you continually got back to your feet, and continued on. how many of us would get back up? how many would admit defeat, or crumble under its massive weight?

this purpose was love, in its most pure form.

not love of Himself, not love of His act, but love of you and me.

it hardly seems possible. how many of us know love in this form?

now consider the challenge to love others as Christ loves you. are you capable? is it even plausible that any of us could bear this kind of love for anyone?
answer -- yes.

how? you'll find out Sunday.

have a blessed Easter!

simple

2009-03-27T15:43:00.002-05:00

earlier today i had the pleasure of dealing with a customer who presumed to yell at me for 10 minutes, for circumstances beyond my control. she was irrational, disrespectful, and completely oblivious to what she was talking about.

somewhere during her incognizant rant, i thought about life, and how simple it really should be, and questioned whether this lady had any concept of it.

see, life to me is extremely simple. don't confuse that with easy, however. we all have a choice in our behavior, our beliefs, and our actions. what we do with them is a product of our own free will, whether its losing your religion on the phone with someone, or helping an elderly lady across the street.

on the other hand, life is rarely easy. we all deal with pain, death, unfairness, economic struggles, etc. on a daily basis. again, how we handle these circumstances defines who we are, and what we're capable of.

so the challenge is to handle this 'difficult' life in a simple way. it doesn't sound like such an easy task, but again, i would go as far to say it really is simple.

live your life for something greater than yourself, live it for your loved ones, live it for your dog, live it for the falling snow and the rising sun, live it for something you CAN'T control, live it for God and his Son.

our perspective makes this difficult at times, but at its core, it is certainly one thing:

simple.

your definition

2009-03-03T15:11:00.003-06:00

what is your definition?

if someone was to look you up in the dictionary, what would they read?
would it be something like:

Thom⋅as
/[tom-us for 1]/
–noun
1. IT nerd for a bank
2. Works 40 hours/week
3. Complains/Wishes away 39 hours/week
4. makes/spends money

sadly enough, i believe that a lot of the time i let that become my definition. let me try a definition that i'm striving to write for myself:

Thom⋅as
/[tom-us for 1]/
–noun
1. follower of Christ
2. devoted husband
3. caring brother/son/cousin/friend
4. freely forgiving

the way i see it, we all write our own definition everyday; we use (or don't use) Jesus as the pen, our life as the ink, and those around us as the paper. funny thing is, when we're gone, that definition remains scribed on others, for countless others to read.

so how do you write yours? do you use a pen? or do you just splatter it on paper..

what will God read in your definition? will it be legible?

my advice...

get yourself a pen.

profound

2009-02-27T10:37:00.000-06:00

Thought this was a very relevant quote:

'Life's tough......it's even tougher if you're stupid.'

-- John Wayne

8th grade band night

2009-02-24T11:10:00.001-06:00

It's only been about 13 years since i've been to an eighth grade band concert, so this will be one to remember.

I am currently a mentor for Tylor (trumpet player extraordinaire), so we took in a show.

nice job Tylor!

one of those days -- update

2009-02-03T14:18:00.004-06:00

Awhile ago, last September, I wrote about a friend (Ken) here in Salina whom I had the privelege of meeting and who was struggling with cancer. I've talked with him half a dozen times or so since then, mainly about how to use his laptop, and just things in general. He was even in the bank last month, stopping in to talk and setup a few things for his remaining time here.

Ken passed away Friday evening, at the hospice here in Salina.

From the accounts of his pain and suffering we'd heard from his wife in the past month, it was a blessing.

She came into the bank last Thursday to take care of a few things. We sat and talked for 1/2 an hour or so, and I can say that I don't know that I've ever seen anyone as broken as she was. It was heartbreaking. Money is already very tight, and coupled with her husband's imminent death, it was almost more than she could handle.

In the midst of all this, she told me something that really stuck with me. She said last week, Ken was lying in bed, and the doctors asked him if he'd like to try to sit up. Ken (being bullheaded) muttered, "No, stand". The doctors, knowing that he hadn't stood in weeks, asked him again if he could sit up. He again muttered "No, stand", and presumed to not only sit up, but to make it to his feet beside his bed. His wife and the doctors rushed over to hold him upright so he wouldn't crumple on his weak legs. She told me, as they braced him upright, that he just stared out the window of his room, into the trees by the river. She said there wasn't anything special outside, but he looked out wide-eyed and said "Beautiful". She asked him what he saw, and again, he just said "Beautiful".

Afterward they laid him back on the bed, ending what would be his last time standing on this earth.

In such a frenzied and turmoiled time, it seems to take a life and death situation to force you into submission to what is important to us while we're here. At that point in Ken's life, money didn't matter, he was clinging to all he had left. And what he did have left was unarguably "Beautiful".

The challenge for all of us who stammer to work everyday, complain about the routine of life, and let it slowly slip by, is to let life be what is was designed to be. Let relationships grow into their full potential, and simply and purely forgive as we were forgiven.

I believe then, and only then, will we look out our windows, and see life as it was truly designed to be:

"Beautiful"

day off

2009-01-20T14:32:00.003-06:00

every day off should be spent laying in the creek watching turkeys, followed by the fixing and eating of said turkey.

value

2009-01-06T15:42:00.002-06:00

I read a great article by Ben Stein today about the lessons for investors in the past year and a half.

Check it out here

i LOVE his perspective, he had the best conclusion about the markets I've ever heard, here's his ending:

'In any event, I will take some comfort in knowing that even Warren Buffett's
stock fell by about 45 percent in the 2007-2008 debacle; if the father of value
investing could feel he had made mistakes, and if the gurus of value investing
got clobbered, then I will not torture myself too much about the horrible year
and a quarter just passed.

After all, my wife has not lost value. My dogs have not lost value. My son
has gained greatly in value by getting engaged to a fabulous young woman. My
friends have not lost value (but, sadly, there are fewer and fewer of them). The
sunshine outside my house in Rancho Mirage, Calif., has not lost value, and
every year I have left has greater value because of scarcity.'

around the house.

2008-12-23T14:15:00.000-06:00

here's my wife and our dog relaxing around the house...

more shortbus..

2008-12-16T09:24:00.001-06:00

*as always... i couldn't make these up..

(after a play, where literally 7 of the 10 on the court fell on the floor, the ball had bounced off at least 3 kids' heads, and got swatted out of bounds)
coach: well that was pretty
coach 2: *sigh*... put a tent on this circus...

-------

player(s) in locker room after game: man, i'm hungry. i want burger king
player 2: don't go to burger king, eat something healthy like pizza hut

-------

coach: we have got to do a better job of blocking out, we're getting out rebounded.

player: coach, when i try to block out that kid, i mean, his butt is
so squishy i can't move him, it's like a trampoline or something..

keep rolling...

2008-12-10T15:14:00.001-06:00

when we were in iceland last summer, we visited a small fishing village in the northwestern corner of the country. while we were there, we walked to the only grocery in the village, and purchased a few things to eat (loaf of bread, granola, water). we sat out on the shore, and watched the waves roll in, perfectly peaceful, perfectly serene. all of 3000 miles away from home, i have no doubt that those waves are still rolling in as i write this, as peaceful as the day we were there in person.

or last weekend, i sat in my tree stand, and watched 4 deer walk quietly under my tree and lie down on the creek floor. i took some video of them, and just watched them for some 30 minutes. it made me think of those times in your life, when everything seems to be as it should be. when things just make sense.

we go through life, getting so caught up in negative people and negative actions, that we won't allow ourselves to consciously recollect the aforementioned times.

when i begin to get tied down by negativity or difficult circumstances, i know those waves are still rolling in on that village in iceland. no matter how big of a jerk someone is currently being, those waves keep rolling. no matter how upset or frustrated i get, the waves keep rolling.

when you get treated unfairly or inappropriately, the leaves on the creek still blow in the wind, the deer still meander through the fields and lay down to rest in the grass.

no matter how 'big' of a situation you're going through, there isn't anything you can or cannot do to stop those waves, or to keep the leaves from falling. it's just bigger than you are, whether you like it or not.

now translate that to our God. he created the waves, leaves, and the deer. do you think there's something in your life that can limit Him? is your situation so significant that the creator of all heaven and earth takes a back seat? like it or not, believe Him or not, He's always going to be there for you.

and those waves keep rolling in...

feel better yet?

shortbus update

2008-12-08T13:33:00.003-06:00

*as we're walking to the gym from the locker room to warm up before the game

player (in full uniform and warmups): hey coach, should I put on my basketball shoes now?

-------

*on the bus after someone cut one
player: coach, can you put the window up now, it's 30 degrees out
coach: in a minute, maybe next time you'll think about that before you cut one
player: but i couldn't help that one, it just slipped out!
coach: if you don't have any more control than that, then you got more problems than i can help you with

-------

*after a player fell down and hit his head on the floor
coach: how many fingers?
player: 2.
coach: are you feeling dizzy?
player: yea, quite a bit
coach: more than normal??
player: no, i guess not.. haha

Zeke says..

2008-11-27T15:49:00.000-06:00

HappyThanksgiving!

more shortbus

2008-11-24T08:27:00.001-06:00

*after a game at home last week:

player: hey coach, can i leave after our game?
coach: yes, but we'd like you to stay and watch the next game
player: oh ok, are we home or visitor on the scoreboard?

-----

player: coach, can we steal the ball if they throw a bounce pass?

-----

*after a 3 second call (we were on defense)
official: 3 seconds, #30

player(as he's running down the court): coach, i thought i was on defense?
coach (shaking head): you were on defense, the other team has a #30 also.
player: ohhh, right.

-----

coach 1: we've got to do a better job of breaking to the basket on offense
coach 2: oh come on, we couldn't break wind if we ate a whole pot of chili

-----

*at practice

(before a drill, player comes sprinting up to me, jumps in the air, and clicks his heels together)
coach: i'm just going to pretend that didn't happen... *sigh*

shortbus vol. II

2008-11-13T11:12:00.000-06:00

yes, it's that time of year, back to shortbus comments. remember, the year is still early, so they're bound to loosen up and i'll have plenty more..

let's dive right in

*1st day of practice
coach: stop and introduce yourselves after you shoot freethrows
player: (mumble, mumble... ) bathroom
coach: your name is bathroom?
player: yea
coach: really? nice to meet you bathroom
player: no, um, wait, it's alex. but i need to go to the bathroom

-------------

player: coach, throw me the ball, i'll show you what i'll do if we're ahead at the end of the game
*coach throws him the ball
*player dribbles behind his back, and off his foot out of bounds, nearly tripping and falling..
coach: very nice, but we may never need that play

-------------

player: hey coach, how was your wedding?
coach: it was great
player: how come i wasn't invited?
coach: your invitation must have got lost in the mail.
player: yea right, i don't think you sent one
coach: you're right

not again...

2008-10-23T09:02:00.001-05:00

rogers, i didn't know you were in florida.. and haven't i warned you about this before??

Man Arrested for Paying Toll Without Pants On

right direction

2008-10-17T09:42:00.001-05:00

God gives us road signs. Not unlike the signs my wife and i saw on the way home from Colorado yesterday, that simply say I-70 East. those signs aren't specific directions or instructions, they're merely reminders of what road you're on, and what direction you're heading.

here's a few of the sign's i've seen lately, that keep me focused on the path and direction i'm heading:

we've been taking a scuba diving class thursday evenings. each week i get the privilege of watching my wife take her time to help others in the class (elane is already certified) who are struggling with some of the exercises under water. it is inspiring to watch her put herself into others on a regular basis, and makes me so proud to be her husband, and to have someone of her caliber as my wife.

I-70 East

out in colorado last week, we took zeke out to an old WWII base and hiked up a few trails leading into the mountains. we climbed for an hour or so, and stopped to rest on a large rock while zeke explored the various bugs, rocks, and sage around us. sitting there in perfect silence, wife on my lap, dog slobbering on my shirt, with the sun slowly setting over the westward rockies.

I-70 East

scrolling through our recent wedding pictures, at the family and friends who have made this life possible. recalling my sister (and true friend) reading the scriptures on that day, the look of pride on my parent's and grandparent's faces as I seated hem, and the overall joy expressed by everyone in attendance at the proceedings of the day.

I-70 East

tailgating with my friends before a terrible football game, wearing ridiculous pants, and having a great time just being together again. posing for pictures that will embarrass our kids someday, and seemingly not having a care in the world for that couple hours.

I-70 East

waking up this AM, cranky about returning to work. have my oatmeal, shower, and leave the house. stopping at the intersection facing east, and watching the rising sun pierce the morning sky, and suddenly finding myself thankful i have a job to go to, and looking over my shoulder at the house that it provides for my new family.

God, it's a long drive, but I don't have the slightest doubt that I'm on the right road.

go west

2008-10-10T16:05:00.002-05:00

elane and i are heading to colorado this coming weekend, going to spend a few days out there just getting away from everything.

really looking forward to a break from work, and just getting a beautiful change of scenery for a few days.

so we're loading up zeke in the mini cooper, and hitting the road.

one of those days

2008-09-23T16:56:00.000-05:00

some days are different than others. some days are not the normal, ho hum, same old thing kind of days. some days seem to transcend what we view as 'normal' life, and 'normal' priorities.

i had one of those days today.

i've had the pleasure of meeting a man here in town, who has been told that he has anywhere from 1 hour to 3 months to live. cancer is shutting down his heart, it's destroying his body, and any breath he takes may very well be his last.

i was put in a position to help him today. he likes to keep in touch with friends and family with email, and look at his pictures from his camera on his computer. problem is he has an old desktop computer at his house, and obviously won't be able to take it with him when he eventually has to move to a permanent care facility.

through several circumstances and opportunities, we were able to acquire a laptop for him, so he could keep in touch wirelessly from his bed. we delivered it and set it up this afternoon.

it was truly a remarkable experience, here stood a man who literally could pass on at any time, and the ability to bring him the smallest bit of joy is something i will not soon forget. i don't know how many times he said thank you, or let me pay you, and it didn't matter. what a feeling to know that at least a small difference had been made in a man's life that was drawing to an end.

i'll never forget that last handshake, i hope i have the fortune to spend some more time with him over the next few weeks. i'm just so thankful that i was in a position to help, as small as it may have been, to shine a bit of light in a very dark situation.

on my way out, i noticed on his couch a card on which was scribed a prayer, and a NIV bible laying next to it. it's my prayer that i have the strength he has when my time is coming to an end, and to truly be comforted in knowing that the end is really just the beginning.

me, my wife, and a pile of doves

2008-09-04T08:31:00.002-05:00

yesterday was my wife's first (and potentially last?) dove hunting experience. it was 60 degrees, with the wind blowing. about 30-40 degrees colder than normal for our first time out for the year. but nevertheless, we made it.

the hunting was marginal, between 4 of us i think we got 15 or 16, but still well worth the time. of course, it was much more entertaining for me thanks to a few calves out in the pasture, that elane had to point and giggle* at every 5-7 minutes.

overall a great night, nice to get out and away and enjoy some peace and quiet* out in the country (*mostly quiet!)

words fail

2008-08-28T10:58:00.001-05:00

wherever you are, whatever you're doing: stop it, and watch this right now:

Beautiful

27

2008-08-25T16:18:00.002-05:00

made it another year. birthdays may not be a huge deal to a lot of people, but every morning i wake up on one, i can't help but to think how lucky i am to have it. especially as i sit here 11 years after not being guaranteed any more!

so i'll appreciate each one, and the opportunity they provide for the next 365 days.

i do have to say, of all the years before it, year 26 has to be the best so far.

whale watching

2008-08-12T19:31:00.002-05:00

finally got a clip of our whale watching. this is off the coast of olafsvik, iceland. i didn the best i could holding the camera still, but it's harder than i thought out on the boat in the ocean... oh well. good shot of the tail. they told us this was a sperm whale.

olympic football

2008-08-12T09:57:00.002-05:00

i had an epiphany this morning, after watching a few days of the olympics.

let's start having football (real football) in the olympics!

sure, the chinese men's gymnastics team may be able to beat us on the parallel bars, but how do they stack up against the chicago bears D-line! what would romania's pass rush look like? would the french team start 11 kickers?

don't tell me you wouldn't tune into every second of brian urlacher or derrick brooks tearing through the line and blowing up some foreign QB taking the snap and running for his life.

why hasn't this been implemented? what are we waiting for?

U-S-A U-S-A U-S-A!

life update

2008-08-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

in the (wonderful) whirlwind that has been life in the past month, i've neglected my posting on here. so here's an update.

married life is getting better with each day, fun to be so connected with someone you care so much about. it's a higher calling, a satisfaction that i don't believe has a match on this earth. the challenges, the effort together, the joy, they all intertwine to create a much more vivid sense of what it is we're here for, and what we really are capable of once we build our relationships around God and what He has in store for us. shoot, it's scary to think what life would be like out on your own, especially now being a part of a marriage that i know God had originally planned for us.

ok, i'm feeling a soapbox coming on... hang on.... here goes

i take a look back at my life, and realize the places i've been and the things that i've done. i think of all the situations i've had when i've tried to force a hand, to forge something out of my own will, and how nearly every time it's blown up in my face.

then i wake up this morning (10 years after i was given a 2% chance at life), look at my wife, and realize that this is what happens when i don't try to blaze my own rail. THIS is the life that God had planned for me all along.

it makes you think about your next step, makes you think of all the things God has in store for you, and what your true potential is. it's a life that maybe you can't fully understand today, but one that will ultimately drop you to your knees with thanks that it's the road you're on. and it's all because you have your focus on something bigger than yourself.

we can't contain God, who would want to? so why would we limit ourselves to what we believe is 'success', when the prize behind door #2 is far more than we could ever forge on our own.

i'm damn glad i knocked on it

few boston pics

2008-07-16T11:47:00.002-05:00

here's a few pics of our trip home through boston.

iceland honeymoon pics

2008-07-14T22:17:00.004-05:00

here's a few pics... hope you have a few minutes, we took quite a few!

we hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed taking them. feel free to comment if you have questions or thoughts.

updates...

2008-07-13T13:55:00.001-05:00

ok, it's been a bit busier than we'd liked. but we have finally gone through nearly all our photos. my plan is to get those posted ASAP (next day or so at the latest), and begin working on video clips to post as well.

hang in there, they're coming...

ahhhhh...... (cont'd)

2008-07-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

today we drove south from isafjordur to hotel glymur, about 45 minutes north of reykjavik. we took the ferry south for about 3 hours across the harbor, and enjoyed a day of puffin and seal watching, sailing the glassy calm oceans, and sitting in the hot tubs at the hotel for the night.

here's a few pictures, one of our drive on the way to catch the ferry (early morning here), and the other of us on a rocky beach where we met the ferry.

the scenery here is really beyond description, it's such an exotic, dramatic landscape. it has far surpassed our expectations. we're heading to the blue lagoon for a soak in the AM, before boarding a plane tomorrow afternoon for boston. we should arrive just before supper time.

this has been the perfect vacation, and this is surely one of the most beautiful of God's creations, that being said, we're still looking forward to returning to the good ol' US, and enjoying some kansas beef and hospitality!

talk to you all soon, we'll have more pictures in the near future. plus videos

nighty night

no cell phone, no internet, no problem

2008-07-05T04:48:00.003-05:00

i originally planned on updating this nearly every day with pictures and updates about where we are and what we're doing. however, this is the first internet access we've had since we left KC. and i couldn't be happier about it.

we are currently at our northernmost destination Isafjordur, Iceland. We're staying here another night, and heading back south for 1 more overnight before we fly back to Boston.

we're having the time of our lives, eating different foods, seeing the most amazing scenery and just enjoying the extreme peace and quiet that iceland offers. we're excited to get all our pictures posted and videos, and share with everyone... but i've had enough of the internet for today (about 2 minutes), so i'll post a couple for now, and work on the rest when I'm not so busy focusing on the finer things in life.

take care, see you all soon.

unworthy empowerment

2008-06-24T13:50:00.002-05:00

maybe it's the time in my life, the circumstances, the joy, or a combination of all of the above, but it's led me to a seemingly obvious but fleeting life discovery:

empowering those people and situations in life that are not worth the fight

what i'm trying to say by that is, there will always be people that treat you poorly, situations that really try to make life hard, but these things are not 'empowered' by themselves, they rely on us to elevate them to that position.

i have always (at least for the past 12 years), had a very different perspective on life. i believe that's helped lead me here. but i don't know that it's ever been this clear to me before. the fact that those obstacles in life are always present, it's just a matter of our response to them. for instance:

say you're running a marathon, along those miles there are undoubtedly tiny obstacles in the road (rocks, pebbles, leaves, etc). no one would ever give these a second look, they are there, we step over them with little effort, and continue without slowing down. however, imagine you're running that route and you see a small rock in the road ahead. instead of focusing your efforts on your running, you become obsessed with staring down the tiny stone. by the time you reach it, you're off stride, off balance, and totally unfocused on the big task at hand (running the marathon). some of us just get distracted, and lose focus. others completely fall down.

i think we all do this, and i've been doing it way too much lately. my current circumstances in life are so good, so joyful, that it forced me to this mindset. i will not let sour people or circumstances dictate my life, and i have been empowering them lately to do just that.

i will concentrate on the race, running it the best i possibly can, and doing everything i can for my wife and family along the way. it's funny to compare a life such as that, to a life scared of powerless pebbles in my path.

it's taken me a few weeks to fully realize this, but i tell you now, it's crystal clear.

what a life, what an opportunity, and the future gets even brighter saturday at 6.

Don't fly UNITED!

2008-06-15T23:40:00.001-05:00

it's 1030 PM mountain time, all these people have had their flights cancelled. There's 200+ people in line to get a hotel and a connecting flight.

Is there no reprecussion for this behavior from airlines? It's out of control.. Flying isn't worth the risk anymore.

update

2008-06-10T10:08:00.012-05:00

so it's been one of those times, just a lot going on and haven't been updating. here's a catch up:

1. wedding is 18 days away. wow, 18. after seeming like it was never going to happen, all of a sudden it's within reach! hooray!

2. sissy is graduating from oregon this friday, so we're flying out to the ceremony. congrats sis! quack quack!

3. received our red sox tickets in the mail 2 days ago for the game on our honeymoon! hooray again!

4. received an email today that our iceland trip is completely booked, documents mailed today. we should receive them later this week or early next! iceland here we come!

what a great summer that's shaping up. we're so blessed with the life we've been given.

more updates to follow..

Addition to the family

2008-05-24T19:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a pic of zeke welcoming our newest addition to the family

Time to start drilling Alaska boys!

2008-05-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

sponsor a good cause

2008-05-09T08:06:00.002-05:00

since i know you all have a little extra money burning a hole in your pocket, why not put it towards a good cause?

my sister is coordinating an event for parkinson's research. check it out here:

http://www.firstgiving.com/mstein

it's a great cause, with a great coordinator. nice work sissy!

shootin' turkeys with Jesus

2008-05-01T15:43:00.003-05:00

i read this in the paper this morning, taken from a speech by James Ryle, founder of TruthWorks Ministries and a founding board member of the Promise Keepers men’s Christian fellowship organization.

He's speaking of playing golf with Jesus:

“What it ends up being is me having three priceless hours of personal friendship with the Son of God,” Ryle said. “I can’t tell you how many times he actually speaks to me in those outings. I gotta tell you also — he hits some really good shots.”

It’s easy to fall into the habit of getting religious with God rather than getting real with him, Ryle said.

i love the way he puts this, a lot of the same way i try to explain my hunting trips or walks with my dog. a simple thing, that millions of people do each day, can mean so much more if you take it all into perspective.
there is no better thing than to quiet yourself, take some time with God and really let the reality of life soak in. nevermind the negative things that seep into your soul, they pale in comparison.

i really needed to hear that today, thanks James.

i'm looking forward to next week, when Jesus and i can do a little more turkey huntin....

the beauty of sports

2008-04-30T09:47:00.001-05:00

read this article

A REAL CHAMPION

another hurley

2008-04-21T09:21:00.002-05:00

as of yesterday about noon, there is another hurley rogers in the world.

congrats to kevin and traci, proud new parents of landyn hurley rogers! can't wait to see the little guy.

engagement pics

2008-04-18T09:11:00.001-05:00

here's the proofs from our recent engagement pics.

enjoy!

it's a bird... it's a plane.... it's

2008-04-11T08:27:00.003-05:00

THE ROYALS!! can you say "first place in the central"?!!

04.07

2008-04-07T10:11:00.002-05:00

great sermon yesterday at church about attitude. it was a very timely topic, being as i've been struggling against 'wishing the days away' lately. it was nice to hear a topic that i needed help with.

it's all about perspective, and the reality that you live in. you can choose to look at the same thing in many different ways, the point is to choose one that best suits yourself and those around you. not one that will just make the time pass.

we're 82 days out from getting hitched, getting the honeymoon booked, and growing more excited everyday. it's a great time, everything is coming together nicely.

hard to describe how thankful i am, impossible actually. i'm finally at the place in my life i've always wanted to be: getting married to the most beautiful person, a loyal great dane, a truck, and the brightest future i could ever imagine.

feel ashamed i should ever struggle with 'attitude' problems with the life i've been given. but with God's grace, getting a little closer everyday.

happy Monday

wedding website

2008-03-24T09:56:00.003-05:00

it's a work in progress, but we have a website now detailing our wedding and a few events surrounding.

check it out:

www.elaneandthomas.com

yankees suck... but...

2008-03-19T08:57:00.001-05:00

this was really cool

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3299946

negativity is a habit

2008-03-17T09:31:00.003-05:00

i think the older you get, the easier it is. it's easier to complain, easier to get in a rut, and easier to develop the habit of negativity.

cause that's what it is. it's a bad habit, and left untouched it will leech it's way into other parts of your life. it's dangerous, cause i don't think many people even know they're doing it. that's the scary part.

it can start so small, almost insignificant, and before you know it it's out of hand.

i think this is why you rarely see little kids constantly upset. they haven't developed the habit yet!

for example: at church yesterday, it was palm sunday. the children's choir sang 'He's got the whole world in His hands', and several of the kids were just dancing and running around. not a care in the world, nevermind the 200 plus people watching them, they were having a great time.

my point in all this is, those little kids haven't been jaded yet by the 'everyday' world. they just believe they'll be taken care of, and continue dancing and running, cause that's all they know!

so the challenge becomes, even though we've all had our fair share of experiences we'd rather forget, to believe that we are taken care of. to understand that no matter how bad it gets, no matter who steals, lies, or does you wrong, that there's bigger things than yourself. and that it will be taken care of, even if life itself leaves you, there's so much more.

why can little kids see it and we can't?

instead we let it sit, and boil, until it finally boils over into another part of our lives. from there the cycle continues, until that part is ruined as well, then on it goes to yet another part. -- a scary, viscious cycle

i write today this for a multitude of reasons, and at this point in my life for a very specific reason. we all have peaks and valleys, such is life, we all know that. however, i couldn't be on a much higher peak right now, and the view from up here is fantastic. -- it allows me to see things that previously i haven't seen.

i write this for you reading it, that hopefully wherever you're at in your life, it might speak to you and help you appreciate your current state, or light a fire under you to get you back to where you used to be, where you need to be. to drop the habit of negativity, and embrace a life designed specifically for you.

i also write this for myself, that in the future should i find myself in a valley, i can vividly remember what it's like up here, and get right back on my way to the top.

cause i like it up here

co. '08

2008-03-12T10:28:00.001-05:00

better late than never, a few pics from our co. trip

2008-03-03T21:30:00.004-06:00

if this isn't hilarious, i don't know what is... taken on our snowmobiling trip in colorado last week. enjoy!

heading west

2008-02-25T09:32:00.002-06:00

wednesday we're heading for the rockies. oh man, am i looking forward to some skiing, hot tubs, grilling steaks, and general laziness. they're due for another foot of snow before we get there, so the skiing ought to be prime! (hopefully vail pass is open).

i'll be posting pictures of the fun shortly.

test prep "live" questions

2008-02-21T14:52:00.003-06:00

funny how a few of my previous posts were about the pervasive cheating and dishonesty in the cisco certification paths. i ran across this article today, highlighting nearly my exact experience at unitek in california.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/21/sat.lawsuit.ap/index.html

even though this is concerning the SAT exam, this exact thing is very widespread in the cisco curriculum as well (at least in my experience). just an interesting read, especially the part about them revoking the scores of those who have used the services. it'll be even more interesting to see if cisco values their certifications enough to do their own investigation.

all i can say is, i've slept great since i failed those exams. lesson learned.

wishing it away

2008-02-20T08:59:00.002-06:00

nearly every morning getting ready for work, i go through the inevitable thoughts of 'what's going on this weekend?', 'what am i going to do tonight after work?', 'how many more weeks til the wedding?', 'when will it warm up outside?', and this morning it finally hit me that it will happen, all of it. just not right now.

think about how many chances you have to relive the very moment that you read this passage. none. you have 1 shot. that was my thought process getting ready for work this morning. i may not be excited about going to work again or getting up early, but how many opportunities will i ever have to relive february 20th @ 630 AM? none. think about that.

lately it's been awfully hard for me not to 'wish' my life away. i'm excited about the prospects of the summer: getting married, traveling, being outdoors, and all the other summer activities. but, am i doing an injustice to the last couple months if all i do is think about the future? yup.

i heard an excellent sermon from our pastor a couple years ago that i'll never forget. his entire theme was if you start wishing your life away, you'll eventually reach the end regretting not enjoying all the days you've already lived. think about it, it's a natural progression that i'm sure we all do. 'if i could just graduate, things will be better', then once you get a job 'i can't wait til the weekend', then you're excited to get married, then you're excited to have kids, then you're excited to retire, and on and on.

and all those things are fantastic don't get me wrong, but what is it in us that makes us constantly long for tomorrow? why can't we enjoy right now?

the way i see it, today was given to every one of us, it's up to us what we do with it. we can wish it away as another day in a rut, or we can actually identify it as a unique opportunity, one that we're guaranteed to never have again.

home

2008-02-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

made it back yesterday about 3 AM. at that point, i didn't care what time it was, just glad to be back and not stuck in traffic! was a long two weeks, but lots of good info and an overall good experience. met some great people along the way as well. nice to get back home where it's 4 degrees with a 30 mile an hour wind! got to love it.

ill try to post a few pics once i get my hands on them.

update

2008-02-03T12:41:00.001-06:00

well just got finished bombing another test, and while i could go on another long soapbox rant (which i probably will at a later date) about why the ethics of this process sucks, i'll just say i miss good ol' kansas.

so i'm probably finished taking tests while i'm out here, no real point in trying to do this stuff right and actually learn the material in a 3-4 day span. i'm learing vast amounts everyday, a lot directly applicable to my current job. so i'll take what i can get and be grateful for the experience to see another place and live through something different. good or bad, it's a pretty good experience, and if nothing else truly makes me appreciate all that i have waiting for me at home.

cause this place sure ain't for me.

so to my future wife and zeke, i'll be home as soon as i can, and loving every minute of it.

crash and burn

2008-02-01T12:10:00.000-06:00

well yesterday was an insteresting day. totally bombed the first test, despite being overly confident walking in. had some long conversations with my instructor, and basically found the way to success is via the aforementioned purchasable answers on the internet. hmmmmm, interesting.

so had a heart to heart with my instructor, and still haven't come to a conclusion. but i believe it boils down to these things:

1. buy the answers, and get a certification that means basically nothing to me now (due to the fact that it's available for purchase)

2. or continue on in the class learning vast amounts of material, and just understand that i know the material very well, but just won't have the piece of paper yet.

at this point, i'd say i'm leaning toward #2. call it morals and ethics, call it stupidity and ignorance, but that's just how i'm feeling about it sitting here this morning. down the road i could always attempt the test again, but honestly this entire CCNP process means little to nothing to me now.

which in of itself, is very discouraging.

one way or the other, with this being a priority of > 10000 in my list of life priorities, i certainly won't lose any sleep tonight.

Day 3

2008-01-30T14:40:00.000-06:00

so far so good on the class, lot, lot lot of information, but is making a lot of sense, and i'm having no problem implementing it in labs. although, that is my concern with this material, i know i can make it work, i just wonder sometimes about answering questions right on the exam tomorrow. either way, done all i can do, study a bit more tonight, i'll take what's coming to me.

great news is after the test tomorrow, we have the rest of the day off. so i plan on getting down to don and jean's house, and getting outside and enjoying a bit of time. then it's back to class getting ready for another test sunday.

time out here will go fast, already the third day, and with tomorrow being a 1/2 day (or less), i'll be home before i know it.. hooray!

either way, that's the latest from CA, i'll let you know how things go tomorrow.

CCNP day1/2

2008-01-29T11:20:00.001-06:00

well made it through the first day last night, got out of class a bit before 7, so only 11 hours or so yesterday?!?!... made it home and did a little studying, before collapsing into bed. slept like a rock, it's great to have a nice hotel room in a nice area of town.

another good bit of news is there's a large mall just across the parking lot from the hotel, a couple of the other guys in class and myself strolled through to rejoin the real world for a few minutes, before heading back to do some more studying. nice to get outside and walk around some.

ran into a bit of a dilemma yesterday, as apparently the answers to these tests are available for sale on the internet, it seems like the widespread thing to do, buy the tests, memorize the answers, and the tests become much much easier. for whatever reason, didn't seem like the reason i came out here. i turned down the offer from classmates to go in on the purchase, guess it might raise my chances of crashing and burning, but at least i'll sleep better at night. it's an interesting position to be in, especially when everyone else feels it's the way to go. i may be stupid for not taking advantage, but i believe there's some time when integrity is worth the consequence, even if it means failing a test.

so here's to more class, more studying, and more learning. so far so good, at this point my first exam is slated for thursday, hopefully come out of here with a passing grade. time will tell, i'll give it my best shot, and that's all i got. i'll keep updating this with my successes/failures, it does me as much good as anyone to reflect back on this type of experience and the my decisions and actions during..

CCNP: the beginning

2008-01-27T23:22:00.000-06:00

well, flew into san jose today, to get the week started on the CCNP class. don and jean (great aunt/uncle) picked us up at the airport, took us out for a wonderful dinner, and delivered me to my home for the next 2 weeks. I have a nice place here, little kitchen, fireplace, bedroom and living room. nice to have a decent place to come home to everyday.

class day 1 starts tomorrow at 8 AM, supposedly we'll be in class from 8-8 everyday for the next 2 weeks. i'm hoping it's not quite that strict, allowing for a little more time with don and jean and enjoying the trip some. but either way, this is a great opportunity, and i'm grateful for the chance to get this accomplished.

i'll try to keep this updated as much as possible over the course of the trip, i'd appreciate the random comment or email while i'm out here, be nice to stay in touch while i'm out on the west coast.

here's a few pics of the digs:

update..

2008-01-23T10:10:00.000-06:00

just an update, basketball has been over for a couple weeks, kind of nice to have a few free evenings. on that note, i haven't had too many, been studying for my upcoming CCNP course in California.

i'll be flying out sunday, the 27th, and will return on february 10th. 2 straight weeks, class everyday. can't say i'm real excited about the prospect of 140 hours of classtime, but it will be nice to have a change of scenery for awhile. i plan on updating this blog during my time out there, just to give you an idea as to what the class is like, and how it's going.

so anyway, plan to be on here a little more frequently, assuming i have a few free hours everyday that i'm not glued to a computer screen being a total nerd.

more shortbus

2008-01-11T14:43:00.000-06:00

still catching up on some shortbus from the break, but here's a few from last night as well. we lost on a last second shot, hard to swallow, but can't feel bad about the effort. last game is monday. hope to end the season on a high note.

shortbus comments o' the week: (as always, real comments from real players)

player: 'hey coach, do you shave your arms?'
coach: 'do you shave your legs?'
player: 'no, and it's not my fault i haven't hit puberty yet! my parents say i'm a late bloomer'

player: 'hey coach, is your fiance hot?'
coach: 'well, i wouldn't be marrying her if she wasn't now would i?'
player: 'cool, but like pam anderson hot, or kiera knightely hot?'

player: 'coach, can i be your best man in your wedding'
coach: 'of course not'
player: 'but i want to be a part of it'
coach: 'great, you can pick up chairs after'
player: 'really? awesome!'

player: 'coach, i'll film your wedding for you, i'll even put it on ESPN for you'

player: 'when i get married, i'm going to buy 40,000 lottery tickets, i heard that every 40,000th lottery ticket is a winner, then we'll be rich'
coach: 'i'd work on getting a girlfriend first'

player: 'coach, do you have any sisters or cousins that are in the 13-15 year old range?
coach: 'boys or girls?'

my bad

2008-01-09T09:17:00.001-06:00

i've been terrible about updating this during the holidays, i do apologize. had a few basketball games the past week, so without further ado, the next chapter in the much anticipated 'shortbus comments o' the week'

'hey coach, i took a shower at 330 AM this morning'

coach: 'nice pink sports drink'
player: 'it's not pink, it's red'
coach: 'i got news for you, that's pink'
other player: 'haha, that's pink buddy'

player (looking out a window, talking to a player standing behind him): i thought you were standing outside, i couldn't figure out what you were doing out there. oh wait, that's just your reflection.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T09:22:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May God bless you and your families during Christmas, and on into the New Year.

Merry Christmas!