I'm moving

I have decided, after 4 1/2 years, to move away from Pepperdine and be a real adult. Thousand Oaks is the new home, and it is only about 5 miles from work, which will be nice. I am renting a house with a few buddies. Nothing special, but it will be nice to be closer to work, given the price of gas. Unfortunately, I don't get to wake up and see the ocean every morning anymore. What am I stupid? Wait, don't answer that.

The Dark Knight

Well, I went to go see the new Batman movie this weekend and I was not disappointed. It was very good. The Joker was very well played, and overall the action and story were very well balanced. I did not like some of the camera work as I felt like I was on a roller coaster during some of the fight sequences. Christian Bale was adequate, but he is no Michael Keaton. I also think he tries way too hard when speaking as Batman and the voice makes him less believable. Speaking of voices, I love hearing foreign born actors like Gary Oldman and Heath Ledger trying to mask their accents (Ledger was more successful in this one). Overall, though, I thought it was a good second installment for the new take on the Batman story.

Off for the weekend

I am headed out to Lake Havasu this weekend for some wakeboarding and other relaxing river activities. Never mind the fact that it is 110 degrees there right now- the water will feel fine. I have been trying to put a good road trip playlist together for my iPod, but I have to plan for about six other listeners as well. It is hard to keep other people's tastes in mind when you only have your own music to choose from. Oh well, they will have to learn to like what I like I guess. My one loyal reader will be happy to know my list includes The Beatles, The Who, and Weezer. Turns out you'd have to be a communist to not like that.

I'm Old

It just dawned on me today that in two more days I will be thirty years old. Yes, that's right, it isn't a typo. I always pictured my life to be a little more settled by the time I turned thirty, and I don't expect a lot to change in the next two days. So, I guess I will have to spend some time readjusting my life's expectations. Here are some things I want to try and accomplish as a new chapter in my life begins (in no particular order):

• more exercise
• more healthy eating
• more spiritual discipline
• find a house
• find a wife
• go to Europe
• pay off student loans
• get a master's degree

Any suggestions for this old man?

Vacation

I am off to the Grand Canyon for a week of camping. I am sometimes struck by the emphasis on rest and relaxation when it comes to vacations because my experience is the planning and organizing that goes into vacationing can be more stressful than work. But it will be nice to get away for a while and enjoy the outdoors.

I am a horrible blogger

So I have not posted anything in quite a while. That is partially attributable to the fact that I do not have many exciting things that happen in my life so I don't ever think to write about it. I am officially done with work for the year, which is actually pretty exciting. Summer will be busy, but not stressful. I am looking forward to seeing what interesting twists and turns life will throw at me as well. I anticipate some changes and this might be the time. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, I will try to post a little more frequently for my one loyal reader.

Calling all legal experts

I recently got a ticket for being illegally parked in a temporary no-parking zone. I am not that upset about it because the truth is, even if I wasn't looking for a random no parking sign, it is still my fault. However, what upsets me is that I actually received not one but two citations for the same violation. They were issued five minutes apart from each other by two different officers. They both cite the same vehicle code violation. Is this legal? What would keep an officer from sitting in front of an illegally parked car and writing 500 tickets in a row for hours on end until the owner showed up to move it? The Constitution has a protection against double jeopardy, and I feel like the city of Los Angeles is ignoring this fundamental principle. Am I wrong? Can anyone shed some light on this predicament?

Time Off

I have been quite busy with work lately, so I have neglected my blog for a while. Fortunately for my one reader, I haven't been doing anything worth reporting. But there were a few things I had been thinking about. I attended a wedding last weekend and a funeral this weekend. It got me thinking about leaving a legacy. Weddings and funerals are all about memories. Jesus says that our lives are defined by the love we have for each other. I would hope that when people think of me when I am gone, they will think of someone who led a life full of love for others. Solomon said we should fear God and keep his commands because that is our duty as humans. Will people say that I lived up to that charge? Ultimately, I hope my legacy is one that leads people to know without a doubt that when I appear in heaven before the Lord he will say "well done good and faithful servant."

Work

Work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work work.

Easter Break

I am officially on vacation for a week. I have a variety of things I need to work on this week, but for today, I think relaxing is the number one task on my list. Sure I have a stack of papers to grade. And yes, I have chores around the house I ought to be doing. But I am going to take one day and accomplish as little as possible. In fact, I am staring at a stack of clothes I just pulled out of the dryer and I have no motivation to fold them. But tomorrow is a new day.

No Spring Chicken

I realize that old is more a state of mind than anything, but sometimes I get subtle reminders that I am not as young as I think or wish I was. I realized that this year's high school seniors are the first group born predominantly in the 1990's to graduate. I don't know about you but that is a little scary. Everyday I discover a new gray hair, but those don't bother me because they are a natural part of aging. But when you find things out that put your life in perspective it can take you by surprise. I recently asked some students of mine how many of them remembered the Columbine tragedy, but very few did. I was shocked until I did the math and realized they were only six. So what have you come across recently that made you feel old?

Passing the Time

What do you for entertainment? We have so many options that it makes me wonder what people did before TV, computers, and electricity. I recently played a board game with several friends and I realized I had not done that in a really long time. And yet, I had watched TV and looked at the Internet several times that week. I went on a hike yesterday and it was so great to be out in nature and talking with people instead of isolating myself with earphones in. I wish I made more time for activities that don't require being plugged in or connected by satellites. Those things can be convenient but I don't think they can replace real human contact with the world around us. God did not create us to be isolated beings. Unfortunately, all of the things we use to replace being with God's creation are creating a very anti-social world. It makes me wonder if some of the problems people have could be avoided if they simply spent more time exploring the natural world around them and interacting with real human beings instead of LCD screens and iPods.

Someone's got a case of the Mondays...

Going back to work after a lazy weekend is always harder than going back after a busy, productive weekend. I pretty much epitomized laziness this weekend and let me tell you, this morning came very early. Getting up and out of bed was difficult at best. I think the moral of the story is that I need to do a better job of utilizing my weekends so I don't get my week off to a bad start. I am in the middle of a busy time of year at work and I can't afford to be feeling like I am in a rut. Bad Mondays are big time rut-builders.

Leap Year

It is officially the 29th of February, something we don't see very often. By the way, I wonder if it is a coincidence that Leap Year, the Olympics, and presidential elections all happen in the same year. Anyhow, the reason we need the extra day is something most people aren't too sure about, so as a service to the masses (well, the one person who has ever read this) here is one bloggers attempt to explain it. Enjoy!

We're Talkin' Softball...

So softball season starts up again next week. I always like playing because it is a good recreational activity that does not require a big time commitment. I have been looking into buying a new bat for a couple seasons now and I think I am about ready to do it. The problem is if I want to get a good one, it is going to cost way more money than I should spend on one. The best things always cost more, whether it is a car, a house, a computer, or a bat. How do you pick and choose what to spend money on and what to be frugal about? I think about this sometimes as I grocery shop. Is the brand name really that much better than the generic? What should I spend more for and what is the limit? In the end I will probably spend more than I should, but less than I could. A good bat is nice, but having a good time whatever equipment I use is probably worth more.

Spring (Training) Fever

It is no secret that I am a diehard Angels fan. It is music to my ears to hear that spring training games begin in a week. However, I came across this article regarding an arbitration hearing for a key member of the Angels. This guy loses his bid and has to "settle" for $10 million a year. If I could be considered the loser of a dispute and still got to receive $10 million I would be the happiest loser on the face of the earth. Meanwhile, he will probably finish the year out and then become a free agent so he can find someone willing to give him $12 or $13 million. Sheesh. And I thought I had it rough, poor guy.

Generational Differences

This article offers some of the most concise and frank analysis of the differences between Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the latest installment, Millenials. In some ways, I feel like the descriptions contained in it are describing me or people I know with uncanny accuracy. Since I deal with kids everyday, it is very helpful to know how people view the world around them. Post-modernism has drasitcally altered the worldview of an entire generation of people. See if you agree.

Politics

I hate to post twice in a row on related topics, but I just got through reading about the results of yesterday's primaries and it got me thinking about the upcoming November election. Looking back on the few presidential elections I have voted in, going back to 1996, I cannot say I have been an ardent supoorter of any candidate I ended up voting for. Is it just me or is anyone else tired of voting for the lesser of the evils? Why is it that my horse in the primaries inevitably gets eliminated before they can make any real push toward the nomination? All the candidates are promising change but I don't believe any of them can or will actually do it. Some of them are gifted speakers but I wonder if they have the fortitude and conviction to back up their speeches with genuine action. I will continue to do my civic duty and send my vote in (thank goodness for absentee ballots) but I wonder if I will ever see a candidate that I am really excited about get elected.

Is The United States a Christian Nation?

I came across this resolution currently in committee in the House of Representatives. It raises some very interesting questions about the intent of our nation's founders and what exactly our heritage is. It may take a while to read it, but I encourage anyone interested to check this out and see what you think. It is worth the time.

A Blog? What's a blog?

Ok, so I know what a blog is, but I have waited until now to start a real one because I never thought I would have anything useful to say. Turns out I still don't, but it could be an interesting experiment. I have a hard time coming up with things to talk about of any consequence, so I anticipate having a lot of posts revolving around my latest disappointment in sports or what I had for dinner. I hope that this turns out to be like panning for gold, where I get a whole lot of nothing for the most part, but the cumulative effort will make it vaguely worthwhile. Plus, there is always the possibility that I may come across the rare nugget here and there. Anyhow, that is the plan.

The first thing I want to say on my blog is not really that important, and I fear I may be setting a bad precedent by making my first impression a disappointingly boring one, but here goes: it is still several months away, but as I approach 30 this summer, I realize that there are a lot of things I haven't done that I assumed I would have done by 30. Most of them will not be feasible before that momentous day, so how do I handle that? I will not be married, have kids, own a house, or have travelled to Europe, all goals I assumed I would have accomplished by now. Most of my friends have done some or all of those, and some of them are younger than I am. I suppose I have to understand that good things come to those who wait (among other cliches) but the key element here is that none of those things were in God's plan for me yet. If I am genuinely seeking his will for my life, I will be content to know that he has allowed things to play out the way they have for a reason. My timing is not always going to be his timing, and that's ok. I have the tendency to want to make things happen myself, and perhaps 30 is God's way of reminding me that I need to let him be the captain of my ship. Who knows, maybe I will meet the lady of my dreams next week and she will come with a huge dowry to buy a house with and spend on a luxurious honeymoon to the Mediterranean. Or not...