A Season of Transformation

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. However, every year, I let the busyness of the season overtake my time to reflect. This year, I'm determined to take more time to reflect on Advent.

Our church has provided some great resources for reflecting during this time. There is a printed guide and also a daily interactive guide that will provide a unique vantage point on weekly themes. As we meditate on the transformations that Christ’s birth brought to our world as well as the transformations that are promised upon Christ’s return, I hope you will have the opportunity to reflect on the season too.

By Rev. Scott Seaton on Emmanuel's blog:

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, a time of preparation for Christ's coming (the Latin word adventus means "to come"). On one level, the Church prepares for Jesus' "Second Coming." His sudden and dramatic return will be a time of sweeping transformation, ushering in the new heavens and the new earth. So it's altogether appropriate that Emmanuel's Advent devotions will center on the theme of transformation. This week, we consider the change from light into darkness. Step into a darkened room, turn on the light switch, and the place is suddenly transformed. How you walk in it, what you see, even how you feel--everything is suddenly and dramatically different.
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100

Beauty Will Rise

This is probably the most honest 12 songs I have ever heard from a Christian artist. All I can say is WOW!

From Steven Curtis Chapman's website:
The result is "Beauty Will Rise," a stunning body of work inspired by a circumstance no father should ever have to endure. Steven is unflinchingly honest in his exploration of grief and loss. He asks the questions we all ask when horrible things happen to the innocent, yet throughout the album hope shimmers, faith becomes more real and even more precious, and the peace that surpasses understanding leaps from the page and becomes palpable.

Who are You God?
Cause You are turning out to be so much different than I imagined
And where are You God?
Cause I am finding life to be so much harder than I had planned
You know that I"m afraid to ask these questions
But You know they are there
And if You know my heart the way that I believe You do
You know that I believe in You
But still I have these questions

... from "Questions"

And, yet, he sings about how God is in control and how He is faithful.

I will proclaim it to the world
I will declare it to my heart
I will sing it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark
You are faithful, You are faithful
When You give and when You take away
Even then still Your name is faithful
You are faithful

...from "Faithful"

I Am Thankful for...

I'm sure you've seen this, but I really like it.

I AM THANKFUL FOR ...

THE TEENAGER WHO IS NOT DOING DISHES
BUT IS WATCHING TV, BECAUSE THAT MEANS
HE/SHE IS AT HOME AND NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES THAT I PAY, BECAUSE IT
MEANS THAT I, AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY,
BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT I HAVE BEEN
SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO
SNUG, BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME
WORK, BECAUSE IT MEANS I,
AM IN THE SUNSHINE.

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND
GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING, BECAUSE
IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT
THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR
END OF THE PARKING LOT, BECAUSE IT
MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND
THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL,
BECAUSE IT MEANS I, AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
THAT SINGS OFF KEY, BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING,
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT
MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS, BECAUSE IT
MEANS THAT I AM ALIVE.

Ellie's New Best Friend

I believe this might be the best invention ever!

During my recent surgery, my doctor inserted the ON-Q® PainBuster® Post-Op Pain Relief System, which automatically and continuously delivered a local anesthetic to my incision areas for four days.

The use of this device meant no need for the prescribed Percocet and significantly reduced the pain level.

If you're having surgery, ask your doctor about it!

Remembering Linda Franklin

The New York Times
By SARAH KERSHAW
Published: October 16, 2002

It was a tumultuous year for Linda Franklin. But hers were not just the stresses of working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the time of terror, or the reflexive motherly worries about her children and the health of a first grandchild about to be born.

A year ago, at 46, Ms. Franklin, an analyst for the F.B.I., had faced the prospect of her own death: a diagnosis of breast cancer and tests showing the disease so advanced that she had to have a double mastectomy, relatives said. Then, late in August, they said, her 18-year-old niece was killed in a car accident, and there was a funeral, a wrenching family gathering that turned out to be the last time she saw her parents.

Despite all that, there were to be cheerful things ahead as Ms. Franklin made her way on Monday night with her husband to Home Depot.

There was the first grandchild, of course, and Ms. Franklin had recently received a clean bill of health from her doctors and was making good progress in her physical therapy. She was adored at her job at the F.B.I.'s National Infrastructure Protection Center, where she had worked for four years as an intelligence operations specialist in the cyberdivision and was considered a keen analyst, colleagues said.

She and her husband, Ted Franklin, a network engineer for a Washington technology company, had recently bought a penthouse apartment in Arlington. It was bigger than their red-brick, two-bedroom, one-bathroom condominium on South Wakefield Street, which had accommodated so many relatives in need of a place to stay and stray animals that Ms. Franklin had taken in.

Their condo, along a tidy row of town houses on a gentle street in this Washington suburb, was virtually all packed up; moving vans had already carted away boxes and furniture.

It was the new penthouse apartment -- and all the planned repairs and tinkering they planned to do after moving in on Friday -- that drew the Franklins to Home Depot, for what was their last errand together, friends and relatives said. As the couple loaded up their red convertible, Ms. Franklin became the suburban sniper's ninth kill.

''She was the most giving person I know, ''said Paul Hulseberg, who worked with her
and remained a close friend after he left the bureau. ''There were times when there were six adults living in this two-bedroom town house. Because if anybody in the family needed anything they came here.''

Ms. Franklin, 47, had begun her career as a teacher. Her father, Charles Moore, who lives with his wife, Mary Ann, in Gainesville, Fla., said she was bent on teaching and interested in community service from a young age. She spent part of her childhood in Indiana, but the family moved to Florida while she was in middle school, Mr. Moore said. She studied education at the University of Florida and then spent years working overseas -- in Guatemala, Honduras, Germany, Okinawa and Belgium -- as a high school English teacher employed by the Department of Defense. She raised two children, a son and daughter, as a single mother, before marrying Mr. Franklin eight years ago. She also raised a second niece, Mr. Hulseberg said.

''She was tough, she went through a lot,'' Mr. Moore said.

He said that after years of teaching she got ''burned out,'' and when she heard the F.B.I. had jobs available she applied and ''the F.B.I. snapped her right up.''

Mr. Moore said he and his wife were planning to go to Arlington next week to visit their daughter, something they did three or four times a year. ''I don't think we'll ever go there again,'' he said flatly.

Robert S. Mueller III, the F.B.I. director, issued a statement today, saying, "Tragically, a member of the F.B.I. family last night became the latest victim of the Washington, D.C., area sniper killer.''

Mr. Mueller continued, ''The employees who worked with Linda -- and all of us -- are deeply shocked and angry over this tragedy.''

Outside the Franklin home today, an F.B.I. colleague of hers read a statement from the family expressing devastation and appealing to the public for help in catching the killer.

Mr. Moore's voice was devoid of emotion as he listed his daughter's accomplishments and described her life in a numb monotone. ''It hasn't sunk in yet,'' he said.

At the Home Depot where Ms. Franklin was killed, a memorial was set up this afternoon in the parking space on the lower level of the parking garage where she was shot, and Arlington residents drifted over to the spot, some weeping, to stare or leave something behind. The spot was surrounded by four orange cones. Inside the cones, there was a pot of white chrysanthemums, with three American flags stuck into the soil. There was also a statue of an angel, a stuffed red heart, four candles and a bouquet of carnations tied with a red, white and blue ribbon.

A neighbor of Ms. Franklin's, Verena Mueller, who did not know the latest victim, stood on the sidewalk near her home today sobbing uncontrollably as she recounted her plans for Monday evening: a trip to the same Home Depot, a few miles away in Falls Church, at roughly the same time Ms. Franklin went, to buy Plexiglas and wood to fortify her greenhouse for the winter. By 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Ms. Mueller said,
she realized that she had not finished the measurements, so at the last minute she postponed the errand.

''We all go shopping there,'' she said, referring to Seven Corners on Arlington Boulevard, near where the shooting occurred. ''That's my mall, that's my Home Depot.''

Who Is the First QB To Beat All 32 NFL Teams?

Here are some clues:

He went 24 for 31
He threw three touchdown passes
He had 271 yards
He will be 40 on Saturday

Oh, and it was the first game against his former team!

Is the Third Team the Charm?

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Year #2 where I have to say, "yep, that's what it looked like." Only this time, it's Brett Favre in a Minnesota Vikings jersey (OUCH, I can hardly type that!). This was after his first TD throw to rookie Percy Harvin.

The "Cheeseheads" fantasy football team begins its fourth season. Here are today's starters:

QB • Peyton Manning • IND
RB • LaDainian Tomlinson • SD
RB • DeAngelo Williams • CAR
WR • Braylon Edwards • CLE
WR • T.J. Houshmandzadeh • SEA
WR • Reggie Wayne • IND
TE • Chris Cooley • WAS
K • Mason Crosby • GB
TDSP • Minnesota Vikings • MIN

Remembering 9-11

Today is a day to remember the Moms, Dad, Wives, Husbands, Sisters, Brothers, Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews. The list just seems endless. We remember all that were lost that day eight years ago.

We also remember all that have put themselves in harms way to protect us. Thank you.

Also see I Remember, Eleven Tears and In Remembrance

We'll Never Forget You...

Couldn't resist.

You know the type, right?

A Banquet On-a-Stick

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the marks of the end of summer. What I failed to realize is the intensity in which Minnesotans go about the Fair. There are many who actually plot their once-a-year food path. Some strategize on how many days they'll make it to the Fair. The first initial question is not what you saw at the Fair or what you did at the Fair, but what you ATE at the Fair.

One of the actual food categories is "On-a-Stick." You can find 79 booths were some type of food can be eaten on a stick. One of my favorite descriptions was from Ole and Lena's:

NEW foods this year: Deep Fried Norwegian Banana Split (banana wrapped in lefse, deep fried and topped with ice cream, chocolate, pineapple and strawberries) and Krumkake, made fresh and rolled into a horn shape then filled with whipped cream and topped with your choice of fresh fruit! Tater tot hot dish on-a-stick with cream of mushroom dipping sauce, Uff Da treat (a filled krumkake topped with caramel sauce and butter roasted pecans)

A Banquet On-a-Stick: In All Its Glory!


Not to be outdone: Pastor On-a-Post

FAVunREtired...and it Gets Worse

I believe I'm having a nightmare and I'm waking up to seeing Brett Favre in purple, and then I realize, I'm not sleeping!

Viking fans hail; Packer fans wail.

Out of the Mouths of Four and a Half Year Olds

Yesterday, we were at lunch after church with a bunch of friends. I was sitting across from one of the kids who asked how old I was.

I replied "thirty-X."

A few minutes later, I realized he was blowing on me (picture a kid blowing out birthday candles).

I asked him what he was doing.

He said, "I'm turning you into a dinosaur."

Nationals Game

A friend gave us two tickets to tonight's Nats game: Section 115, Row B. Right next to the visitors' dug out! However, only made it through the fourth inning, we're fair weather baseball fans.

Gramma or Grampa

A visit to the upper Midwest this past weekend resulted in the following conversation between my Dad and my 29-month old niece.

Dad: I'm GRAMMA

Niece: No, you're GRAMPA

Dad: No, [pointing to my Mom] that's GRAMPA, I'm GRAMMA.

Niece: No, you're GRAMPA

Dad: No, [insisting] I'm GRAMMA

Niece: No...YOU a MAAANNN! You're GRAMPA!

On Washington Photo Safari Location

I was Brian's guest on the Washington Photo Safari's DC Monuments at Night.

Brian got a few new tips on night photography and I took some pictures of him taking pictures!

Happy Independence Day!

This is one of my favorites. Enjoy. Happy Independence Day!

Air Force Memorial

We visited the Air Force Memorial this evening.

God is God, and He is Good

Recently, I have been dwelling on the theme of "God is God, and He is good."

I think it's easy to agree with that statement when life seems to be going well, and there's minimal challenges.

How about when life isn't exactly what you thought it was going to be? How about when someone you know dies of cancer and leaves a wife and three young daughters? How about when a dear family friend has a massive stroke, and his recovery path is not clear? How about news you receive about your own health?

I think that's when I dwell even more on "God is God, and He is good. Always good." Difficult circumstances are not easily explained in earthly terms. Colossians 3:2 reminds us to, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

So I also dwell on:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Honoring D-Day Soldiers

One of the last times I visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France, I saw the movie Saving Private Ryan. To me, it's still one of the most poignant movies about D-Day.

June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which "we will accept nothing less than full victory." More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day's end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.
From Army

Run, Walk ... or Sleep

This Saturday is the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure®.

This year's Global Race for the Cure® celebrates 20 years of raising funds and awareness for the movement to end breast cancer forever. You can run or walk the 5K route.

However, Saturday's event in DC:

You can run or walk the 5K route, or even join WTOP Radio as the official Sleep In for the Cure sponsor - raise money to support the fight against breast cancer- and stay in bed the morning fo the race!!

Does this mean we're too lazy to run or walk in DC, we have to sleep?

Exposing the Truth

As I was browsing the headlines in my RSS feed, this caught my eye. Now really, how can you not click on the link to this story from The Hill: "Nudists to lobby on Capitol Hill"?

The good news: You may see nudists next week on Capitol Hill.

The bad news: They will be wearing clothes.

“We want lawmakers to know that members of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) enjoy their pastime within appropriate settings,” says Executive Director Erich Schuttauf.

Translation: The nudists won’t be naked.

Read more

I guess even lawmakers need to be exposed to all sides of an issue! :-)

Susan Sings Again

Memorial Day Remembrance

Remembering those that fight for our freedom

and have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Buttermilk

Why does the winner of the Indianapolis 500 drink milk in Victory Lane?

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk to refresh himself on a hot day and happened to drink some in Victory Lane as a matter of habit after winning the 1936 race. An executive with what was then the Milk Foundation was so elated when he saw the moment captured in a photograph in the sports section of his newspaper the following morning that he vowed to make sure it would be repeated in coming years. There was a period between 1947-55 when milk was apparently no longer offered, but the practice was revived in 1956 and has been a tradition ever since.
From Indy 500

Tour Eiffel sans une jambe

The last time I was in Paris, I bought a key chain. A few weeks ago, I dropped it and one of the Eiffel Tower legs broke off. So sad.

Garrick Ohlsson

We saw an amazing performance tonight.

Garrick Ohlsson performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25. Along with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jun Märkl, Ohlsson made the Concerto appear effortless.

I believe he was the best pianist I've ever seen. Seriously. Ever.

If you ever have the opportunity to see him play, you must.

(See, I can be cultured; I'm not always all about sports.)

Will He Play or Not Play, that Is the Question...

New and Old

New York is full of contrasts such as old and new. It struck me as were walking down Fifth Avenue, the contrast of the new skyscrapers and the St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Of course, our trip to New York wouldn't be complete without a stop at Joe's Shanghai, Jamba Juice and J&R Camera!

Here are a few more pictures.

Do Britains Have More Talent?

In case you're needing a little more inspiration for the day.

I Dreamed a Dream

This is quite inspiring. The entire clip is about 7 minutes long. It will give you goose bumps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Les Miserables I Dreamed a Dream Lyrics:
There was a time, when men were kind
And their voices were soft
And their words were inviting
There was a time, when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untested

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Grace

A little Good Friday reflection.

In John 19:30, Jesus utters these final words, “It is finished” (Grk. Tetelestai – [it is] paid in full.) Tetelestai is the same word that was written on first century tax receipts that had been paid in full.

My sin has been fully paid. Jesus on the cross has fulfilled the wrath of God.

I recently ran across this wonderful definition of Grace:
When God could have condemned all, He chose to save some for His glory.

Commuting to the Refrigerator

Yesterday, I worked from home waiting for the plumber to arrive between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. He finally called at 1:30 p.m. and arrived at 2 p.m. However, that's not the point of this post.

So, there were some significant pros and cons to working from home.

Pros:

• No commute
• It doesn't matter if you're having a bad hair day or don't feel like wearing make-up
• You can throw in a load of laundry on your lunch break
• Fewer office ambient noise interruptions

Cons:

• It might get a little lonely
• I would get a little stir crazy
• It is a little quiet
• I would weigh 8,000 lbs

I'm sure the carpet is always cleaner in the other office.

P.S. we have a new garbage disposal and water filter system.

Ouch

So this morning, someone didn't think I was wearing green and they pinched my arm. There are two points here: 1. my bracelet has a green pearl (maybe even two or three), and 2. I had never heard of this whole pinching thing.

So I turned to the St. Patrick's Day etiquette and all-knowing www.wikianswers.com for the answer.

Why do people get pinched on St. Patrick's Day if they do not wear green?

• You get pinched because you're a nonconformist.
• Pinching gives you a bruise so you can have some green on you.
• The act of pinching on St. Patrick's day began in America with Irish settlers who tried to get their kids to behave by telling them that fairies would come pinch them.

And the answer ACTUALLY is:

Pinching those not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day is an American tradition, having really nothing to do with Ireland or St. Patrick. It's thought that the pinching started in the early 1700s, about the time that awareness of St. Patrick's as a holiday came to the fore, too, in Boston, in the Massachusetts colony. They thought if you wore green, it made you invisible to the Leprechauns, which was good because they would pinch anyone they could see. So the pinching is to warn and remind you about the Leprechauns.

Your Friend is Just Not that into You

De-friended. Yep. That's right.

Are you wondering what in the world I'm talking about? In the social network, Facebook, your goal is to find your friends and add them to your friends list. It's easy, this is how it works.

To add a friend, just use Facebook Search to find people you know and then click on the "Add as Friend" button on the right side of the page. A friend request will be sent to that person. Once they confirm that they actually are friends with you, they will show up on your Friends List.

Well, I recently found out it was equally as easy to be "de-friended." Unlike a notification you receive when someone wants to become your friend, there's no notification. So how do you know? You begin to realize that you haven't seen any of their recent status updates. And when you do a search to find them, they once again say, "Add as Friend."

I'm not sure how I feel about being de-friended.

#54,742

I just received my annual notification to confirm my position on the Green Bay Packers season ticket waiting list as of the end of 2008 season.

My new Green Bay Packers waiting list priority is #54,742. That's up from #56,267 in 2007 and #57,027 in 2006.

At this rate, Brian has determined that I will be 105 years old by the time I get my four tickets.

Simon

No, this is not Milton Bradley's Simon game.

From Thrown Into Training:
Click here to determine what personality color you are.

Reds and blues are extroverts, though red is a “fighter” and blue is a “flighter.” Greens and yellows are introverts, although gree is a “fighter” and yellow is a “flighter.”

So reds and yellows are opposites and blues and greens are opposites. That doesn’t mean bad, just different ways of thinking. As with most tests of this nature, if you score similarly in 2 or more categories, you have bits and pieces of each in your personality. Or, you might score very high in one category overall.

So, in order to approach each person based on their personality color, scroll down toward the bottom of the chart.

"It's time to leave"

After coming out of retirement for a year, Brett Favre has decided to retire...again. And this time, it sounds like it's for good as he's already filed his retirement paperwork with the NFL.



The Packers also released a statement:
"Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future."

To Friend, or Not to Friend: That is the Question

If you want a really odd experience, join Facebook. Before you know it, you'll have 200 friends and all of your worlds will be colliding. What do I mean? You will be friends with people from:

• Elementary School
• High School
• College
• Church
• Professional
• Actual Friends! forbid

There is no other category other than "friend." At one point, Brian updated his Facebook status with the following:

Besides the category of "Friend", what other categories should FB offer?

Some examples:

"Acquaintance",
"I may know you"
"I-think-I-may-know-you",
"I don't know you, but I'm a facebook floozy and will 'friend' anyone"
"I know you, but I don't like you in real life",
"That was in college, it's all a blur, …. um... Read More…. I may know you"
"No!! That was you! Did you go through rehab?"
"Poured a milkshake on your head in 10th grade, but I'm nicer now"

He's so right.

You will also begin using "friend" as a verb: "Today, I friended Joe."

Stop the madness!

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God

Today, my heart feels truly broken for the Fitzgerald family.

Ray was diagnosed last May with metastasized liver cancer. After nearly seven months of chemo and radiation, his doctors determined on Tuesday that everything medical that could be done had been. Ray's home going was Wednesday, his cancer is healed and he has no more suffering.

Although, we rejoice with his family that Ray is in heaven, we pray for those that are mourning for him on earth, especially for his wife, Kristin and his three young daughters under the age of 7, Nora, Maggie and Lucy.

Kristin has been such an inspiration. Her courageousness is truly beyond any earthly ability. Even when sharing the news of Ray's death, she closed her email with this verse.

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." Isaiah 40:1-2

Inauguration 2009

Check back throughout the day for more photos.

Competitive Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics

I may have lost a competitive Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics game. I'm not sure; rules changed every three seconds, the 5 year old was sure of the outcome and happily declared she had won the match. The 5 year old is one of our favorite short people, and belongs to the class of children known as Emergency Broadcast Children, but that's another story.

Apparently, the 5 year old is named: She-has-an-unbelievable-amount-of energy….will-she-ever-slow-down…NOW-what-is-she-doing!

We believe that's her given name, because whenever her parents talk about her they do two things:

1. Quickly twist their heads about to possibly catch a glimpse of the blur they believe is their 5 year old daughter.
2. Say her aforementioned name

For ease of use, we can call her, 'Evie'.

Here is an unre-touched transcript of the actual Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics game.

Evie: Ok, first, first, first … um …. you hit the ball through there - in the goal BUT you can't hit it with the stick like this …. you MUST hit it slower than me …..
Me: Ok.
Evie: I get a point.
Me: How? (I realized I had much to learn about the game)
Evie: Now, we'll … um … we'll place the ball here and you have to hit ….
JuJu ... Stop It...STOP IT (to her older sister, Juliette, aka JuJu) …

- - - - - -

We go to commercial break while my worthy competitor, Evie, and her older sister, Juliette, carefully and thoughtful discuss who is allowed to play the game. Their mother has to intercede the gentle and civil discussion only three times.

With only minor gnashing of teeth, we return from commercial break.

- - - - - - -

Evie: OK…. Um ….. you can't stop my ball from getting the goal, but I can block yours.
Evie: (with out doing anything) I get another point, I'm leading by 5 points now.
Me: ??? (Apparently, my strategy is to stand around and wait for Evie to score more mystery points.)
Evie: Can I have some water?
Me: (Thinking: A-Ha! My big break! While she is distracted by using both hands on the "big girl cup", I can be assured a victory of the game)
Evie: (Apparently aware of my plans) I don't want any water, anymore.
Evie: I get another point.
Me: ??? (Apparently, I'm still flawlessly executing my strategy of standing around and waiting for Evie to score more points)
…

The rest of the evening continued this way until we had run out of points; apparently Evie had won all of the points "in the entire world". During the post-game press conference, I was careful to mention that Evie "came ready to play" and "wanted the win, more then me"

But I'm not worried about this loss, there will be more Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics competitions –

When that happens, I'll be ready. (Evie! Look! Over there! It's Mickey Mouse!)


(c) 2009 b shaw

Well-Vented to Reduce Odor

The nation's capital is decked out in portable restrooms. They literally line long portions of the National Mall and many sidewalks along downtown streets.

To the right is the "Deluxe Restroom," which seems to be the model of choice.

The product's website states the following. A couple of words specifically jumped out and I have bolded them in case you miss them:

[Company name] is a premier provider of portable restrooms for events held in the Metropolitan region. Whether you're hosting a wedding, show, race or festival, we'd be proud to service your event.

If you find yourself visiting one of the capital's portable restrooms. These are the features that you will find (with additional commentary):

• Forest green colored restrooms blend in nicely with outdoor settings [how about brick?]
• Dedicated event unit (never used on construction sites) [just your other four million friends]
• Indoor lock for privacy and optional outside lock to allow restricted personnel use [do they mean "personal" not "personnel?"]
• Interior non-slip floor [unless it's under 32 degrees]
• Extra large door opening easily accommodates people of any height [how about width?]
• Well-vented to reduce odor [very reassuring]

Did I mention that there have been reports that there are about 7,000 portable restrooms. Great, that means there's about one for every 575 people. Let the fun begin!

Business PJ

Business PJ (sometimes called PJ casual) is a popular dress code that emerged in offices along the Inauguration parade route in 2009 in response to the anticipated crowds, bridge and road closures, security screenings and prohibited items.

I Make a Lovely Wengormick Bull Terrier

Source: http://wengormickbullterriers.co.uk/html/Ellie.htm

Don't come any closer, or the orchid gets it!

This is what I found when I returned to my office today.

What was once my beautiful, blooming white orchid is now broken off half way up the stem.

However, I think the note clearly sums it up.