Bracket Busted

So, I picked Kansas to not only make the Final Four, but to lose to UConn in the title game. See, this is why I didn't fork over five bucks in my office pool. I hadn't watched much college ball, but I knew that KU had rock chalk Jay-hawked all over my 'Horns in the Big XII championship game. They're my 'Horns because I'm an alumnus of 2001. But for posterity and just to have something to talk about with friends and coworkers, I filled out a bracket on ESPN.

Some brief comments on the Tourney so far:

A&M suffered a severe Stomach Punch game against LSU last night. I really feel for my Aggie coworkers. But they have a bright future as long as Billy Gillespie stays.

Lamarcus Aldridge is for real. He's pretty much the only reason we won that Penn game on Friday night. He just needs to take it to the hole with more authority. None of this namby-pamby layup jazz. Throw it down like you mean it big man!

You thought the NFL had parity?! None of the 1-seeds beat the 16s by more than 16 points, with UConn nearly being on the wrong side of history against the Great Danes of Albany. And kudos for Jim Calhoun tipping his hat to those kids and their coach. They had a great game plan, but just couldn't hit those buckets at the end of the game.

The Big Least is exposed! Mo Valley and the CAA are not overinflated. I bet Dr. Littlepage from UVa is giddy as a school girl with the results of this first weekend, especially after the vitriol he endured from Jim Nance and Billy Packer during the Selection Show last Sunday. And major co-jones on his part for actually being accountable for the committee's picks. Sure, he danced around like a good politician, but it was good to see him defend himself. And even better when the Air Forces of the collegiate world backed him up.

The NCAA. It's faaaantastic.

And finally, props to my gal for letting me plop in front of the tube for hours on end watching this Madness. I love you C!

P.S. Coming Tuesday: Reminiscing on the first year of M and that crazy weekend one year ago.

It's a Flurry!

No, unfortunately, I'm not talking about snow, although we are expecting a freeze tonight. I haven't written in a long time and tonight you get two blogs for the price of one. Well, this is going to encompass a lot of things since it's been so long, but that's what you came here for anyway. Right?

Awkward pause....

First things first, huh? How's the family? Doing great. C and I both just got over the flu. It was a pretty nasty one since it actually took me out. It's hard to imagine, but C and I will be married four years come early March. In some ways it doesn't seem that long, but in others, it seems like this is how it's always been. We continue to learn more things about each other. There are some overachievers out there who say they learn something new about their spouse everyday. Is that even possible? If it is, am I just being lazy? Wait, don't answer that one. M is 10.5 months now and has learned to walk. She's only stringing together 10-15 steps at the most right now, but she's picking it up fast. Looks like a zombie, but a cute zombie at that. She still doesn't have any teeth. She's a picky eater. Gee, I wonder who she got that from?

You guys moved into a house? Congratulations! How's home ownership? Harder than I expected, but superb nonetheless. We've had a lot of help from Opa and Grandma. But that's what's great about grandparents. They would help you do anything as long as they get some baby time. And that's scarce when you live 200 miles away. They really have been a great help, from helping us clear out our back yard and haul off the brush to helping us refinish our deck. The next time they come down, they'll actually see some green in our front yard. Yep, we're getting our grass tomorrow. It'll be nice when it's done, a culmination of a lot of sweat and not a few unhappy thoughts about the previous owner and all the trees and rocks she put in the yard. But hey, this will be the last time we have to do all this work for this front yard. And it'll be nice to have a place where M can play and we won't have to worry about her getting hurt. This house is such a blessing and the Lord gave us a great deal on it. It's not more than we need, but not less either.

So how's the job? The obligatory shooting the breeze question. Well, it's going alright. There've been a lot of changes in the seven months since I started and we're headed in the right direction. Sure, I may not have gotten the raise that I was hoping for, but any raise is a good raise. A lot better than a pink slip. I've learned a lot and there's still much more to learn to be the best analyst I can be. The best thing is that I've got a great team to work with. And you know how important that is, and what a luxury it can be, especially if you've had a not-so-good work environment. It really is fun to work with the folks I work with. Especially the Scrabble guys. D-Money, BES, A-Wong and G-Ray. They've worked together for several years now and they've let me join the club. I really look forward to those days when we gather around that board. You never know what you're going to get with these guys. Every now and then someone gets a little excited or someone slips Freudian-like and the hilarity ensues. I haven't laughed as hard with such frequency in a loooong time. Good times, good times. And you can't beat a <10-minute commute that doesn't include I-35 or Mopac. :o)

What are the other typical questions? Ooh, How bout those 'Horns? NATIONAL CHAMPS BABY!! I really do feel sorry for whatever pro team drafts Matt Leinart and his dad. Because they're a package deal, just like Doug and Mr. Christie. Do you really want a guy leading our team that spouts such an absurd statement "I still think we're the better team. They just made more plays than we did." Do you want some cheese with that whine? Was I disappointed that Vince left early? Of course. But I can't blame him.

Well, my computer's doing weird things, so I'm off for tonight.

Good-bye and good luck.

Underration (the state of being underrated)

So, I haven't had radio for a little over a year now in my car.
It stinks some times, because I want to kick out the jams.
But other times, it's nice not to have the radio.
Because then you get to hear things you might not have heard otherwise.

Namely, you can't just listen to the rain pelt the roof of your car.
You should try it some time. One might say it's therapeutic. To me it's just relaxing.
And that's a good thing driving in Austin traffic.

When I was growing up, one of the fondest memories I have is when it Texas-rained--and if you've lived in Texas long enough you know what I mean--we would open the garage door and put down the tailgate on my dad's truck and we'd just sit there watching it rain.
We'd feel the mist from those drops hitting the driveway.
And we'd take in a long, deep breath of the lovely smell of rain.
Aaaaahhhh.....
You know the smell, don't you?
Well, if you don't, I'd propose to you that the next time it rains, you take some time out of that busy schedule of yours and enjoy the rain.
Open the garage or sit on the porch with your socks off.
Pull up a chair and watch it come down.
Hear the ebb and flow of the intensity.
Watch it pour down in your yard and not in your neighbor's yard across the street.
Watch the wind blowing so hard that it's practically raining sideways.

And thank God for that wonderful smell and the peace that you feel in the midst of such violence.
Because only He could put those two together.

The Return of the Dadi

So,
It's been I don't know how long since I last posted, and mainly due to the following reasons:
1. Having our little girl M
2. Being bitten by my honesty and stupidity
3. Our computer is in M's room

With that being said, here is a run-down on what's been going on these past few months:
1. M is now 5.5 months old and nearly crawling.
2. I have been at a new job since June 26. I'm still doing analytical chemistry as a Quality Control analyst with a 60+ employee business that has a definite corporate feel to it. I'm still getting used to all the meetings, politicking and red tape.
3. We bid on a house in Round Rock about 5 miles north of where we currently live. We're concurrently ecstatic and scared. Huge decision. It'll be tight the first year or two, but it'll be worth it.

The question might be asked, "How is being a parent?" The answer to that is obviously wonderful. But besides that, it has been a good learning experience for me. If you think you've got that whole patience thing under wraps, or even making significant progress, try having a kid who fights going to sleep. You're thinking to yourself "Why don't you want to go to sleep? It's good for you! I know I want to go to sleep!!" But since she can't express herself well and it just feels weird to her, she cries, then screams, and eventually will need consoling before she falls asleep. But you find out ways to help her along that journey. A couple of weeks ago, I found out that scratching her back puts her into a somewhat catatonic state from whence she falls asleep easier.

Another question might be "What's the best part of being a parent?" My answer is, no matter how hard my day at work was, or my drive home, walking in the door and saying "Daddy's home!" and our eyes meet and she just beams that beautiful smile of hers, makes it all worthwhile. Of course coming home to an awesome wife makes things even better. It's also really cool watching her grow and develop as we try to answer the question of who she looks more like, which can change on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

And you might wonder how this has affected my marriage. I'd say it's strengthened our bond. It's helped us to continually be going to God with everything, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us. We also must continue to work on our communication. We've had a few trials, but God has allowed us to not raise our voices or get overly frustrated with each other, so we can have rationale discussions and share our true feelings without fear of rejection or anger.

So, I will try to keep this site updated at least once a week. And I'll try to post along with those blurbs a photo or two of our family, or at least M, so y'all can see how she's growing.

Quick final note: This might be the year the Longhorns put it all together. I was at my brother-in-law's wedding this Saturday night and went from happy (ahead 10-0) to what-the-heck-happened (16-13 halftime) to it's-just-not-gonna-happen (22-16 w/ 5 minutes left) as I got sporadic updates from the DJ and my friend Aaron. As we drove home at 10:15 I caught Craig Way calling those epic last five minutes and pumping my fists and screaming on the inside so I didn't wake M up. All I can say is, thank God for that defense! And as a last thought, I'd like to pause for a moment of silence to recognize the passing of Selvin Young's career. Who knows what he could've been had he just stayed healthy.

Take care and God bless,

R

Wheel of Fortune Redux

Two things today:
First, people high-fiving after a solve. I mean, seriously people, what's up with that? If I'm on Wheel I'm looking to crush you, not be all fake-nice and stuff.

Second, Pat copping a feel during Bonus Time. Have you ever noticed that when the finalist is a woman that Pat always takes her by the hand and leads her to the spot; whereas when it's a man he always lets him find his own way? Creepy huh?

We've got a lot of catching up to do

Can't sleep. Thankfully, C's conked out, but it's been hit and miss for me tonight--mostly miss. But hey, that gives me a chance to blog, which I haven't done in over two weeks. There are a lot of thoughts I've had, and I'll try to share as many as I can before hopefully getting tired enough to fall asleep.

The Kobe Bryant Saga: If Karl Malone had been a white man when making that "I'm hunting little Mexican girls" comment, he'd be strung up by now. But it's been brushed over by the media. Think about if someone like, say, President Bush said something like that they'd be holding a trial for sexual harassment and LULAC would be denouncing him and he would never get a single Hispanic vote again if he ran for public office. I'm surprised there hasn't been much of a fuss. But since it's Kobe, who knows if it's true or not. And that's probably why.

M has been kicking like crazy lately. It's amazing to feel her movements and watch her roll around in C's belly. A lot of folks who know C are making "We've got a gymnast on the way" comments. I'm thinking not so much. I mean sure, if I want her to be less than 5.5 feet tall, have delayed development, spend untold thousands of dollars for lessons, leotards and shipping her around for tournaments and have all sorts of bone problems when she's in her 30s and 40s. If she's tall like her daddy, then I'll teach her to play basketball she'll have it made. And if she makes it to the WNBA, if it still exists, then she can help retire her parents. That my friends is the American Dream.

Parenting, huh. That's gonna be a kick in the pants. But seriously folks tell your child no and stick by it, present a united front for your children and spank 'em every once and a while and the world would be a better place. And if someone tries to tell me it's wrong to spank your child, I'll point them to the Bible (Heb 12:4-11, Prov 13:24, Prov 23:13-14, Prov 29:15, etc) and I'll tell them that they can raise their kids their way and we'll raise 'em ours and I'll see you in 20 years and when mine turn out to be better citizens, then they'll see that spanking ain't so bad after all. Kids crave boundaries. They want to know what's right and wrong, what they can and can't do. Thankfully, God has given me an amazing woman who is going to be a great mother and has helped prepare me to be a good father. I'm excited to be a dad. I'm just wary of raising our children with all the political and social turmoil that awaits them. However, we're not going to try to shield them from everything, because that's impossible. And if we do, when they get to college it'll be total culture shock and there's pretty much two things that will happen: either they will entrench themselves deeper into isolation or they'll go hog wild, neither of which is healthy.

Texas in the Rose Bowl. Now, I do feel sorry for Cal players and coaches and fans, but, one, that's the way the system works, and two, if history is any indicator, they'll be in the BCS next year. Texas got jobbed last year, so it's their turn this Saturday. But they have to beat Michigan. No ifs ands or buts about it. If we--I speak in terms of we due to my alumni status--don't win, and it'll help to win big, then all the naysayers will have fodder for the "Cal is a better team than Texas" debate. Possibly. Possibly not. All I know is, breaking it down, it's gonna be a tough road ahead of our boys come 4pm CST. Let's break it down and give you the stats leaders for skill positions:

PAS	Vince Young-1669 yds	Chad Henne-2516 yds
RSH	Cedric Benson-1764 yds	Mike Hart-1372 yds
REC	Tony Jeffery-399 yds	Braylon Edwards-1221 yds

UT Off vs UM Def: Ernest Shazor & Marlin Jackson versus Vince Young & UT's weak receiving corps is the key matchup here. Cedric will get his yards and a TD or two, but they have a lockdown corner that'll take away one side of the field and a hard-hitting safety waiting for the deep ball. Our only chance is to use our talented tight ends to stretch the field, making the Michigan 'backers have to cover, thus opening up running lanes for Ced. I mean, just look at our receiving "leader" Tony Jeffery: 399 yards is pitiful. But it's not his fault VY can't throw the ball. Edge: Michigan
UT Def vs UM Off: No lockdown corner to put on Braylon Edwards scares me. People will say that Henne & Hart are freshman, but anyone who's not a casual fan of the game understands that by this time they've played in two tough conferences. It's like Diaper Dandies in the NCAAs. Just like Oklahoma's AD, Hart will get his yards, at least a buck fifty. They won't be employing the services of #2 receiver Jason Avant thankfully, but they still have Steve Breaston & Tim Massaquoi to create matchup problems with our defensive backfield. We've got the Dick Butkus and Bronko Nagurski Award-winning Derrick Johnson (DJ) wreaking havoc, but unless we get a decent pass rush and run defense from our front four, it's gonna be a long afternoon and evening. At the end of the day though, it's Braylon Edwards giving the Slight Edge: Michigan
Special Teams: We've got great kickers, but we don't have a return man. I mean, it's been since Eric Metcalf donned the Burnt Orange & White since we've had a game-changing kick returner. The Wolverines only weak link is PK Garret Rivas. However, the hidden yards of a field-position game will be won by Michigan, with a difference of about +14 yards per possession considering punting and return averages. Edge: Push
Coaching: As Bill Simmons would say, I just threw up in my mouth. You've got the Good Ole Boy Mack Brown versus the grating, stodgy Lloyd Carr. You also have Mack's "Stuck on You" partner Greg Davis, he of the "Gee, it's 3rd-7 and we've got Roy, BJ & Sloan, let's go 5-wide and run them on 3- to 5-yard slant and out patterns and let them make up the yardage needed for first down" fame. I mean seriously, if you had on coaching staff to win a game that determined your life or death, who would you pick? Me too. There's a reason a recent ESPN.com Sportsnation poll had the answer of Zero (26%) for the question "If OU & UT played ten times, how many would Texas win?" The kicker? 10 was not an option! Edge: Michigan
Intangibles: Players who grow up wanting to go to Michigan or any other Big10 or Pac10 school dream about playing in the Grandaddy of 'Em All. Texas players? I guess the Sugar Bowl. Here's the deal. Last year, Arkansas players were geared up about renewing the old SWC rivalry with Texas and our boys were ho-hum about it. They were like "Sure...Southwest Conference...makes my blood boil" while stifling yawns. It was just another game. The Hogs had the mental advantage. Fast forward to Jan 1 and you've got Texas with a just-happy-to-be-here we-need-to-beat-them attitude going against a team that understands and enjoys the pomp and circumstance that surround the Rose Bowl. They were bred for this game. Texas not so much. That's why I have to give a Slight Edge: Michigan
My final score prediction: UM 24 - UT 13
As much as it pains me to say that, I'm a realist. If I was just another fringe college football fan, you wouldn't get all that stuff I just said. Now, if you were to ask me about the USC-OU game, I honestly have no clue. They're evenly matched in all facets of the game, although OU got pushed around by balanced offenses late in the season. So maybe a very slight edge to USC. Traditional thinking says this game is gonna be a shootout, but then you have the OU-FSU title game a few years back that ended 13-2. And that, my friends, is why they play the games.
I leave you with a haiku...

BCS: Texas
At number four? Methinks Cal
Doeth protest too much.

It's a Love/Hate Relationship

Love:
Quiet car running on smooth pavement with no radio. Makes the long ride go along so much smoother and quicker.

Hate:
Austin meteorologists bemoaning the cold weather coming...in December! They say "Enjoy these 70s while you can because there's a cold front moving in on Monday."

Love:
College football bowl season. Nothing beats sitting on the couch and watching 12 straight hours of football.

I leave you with a haiku:
Texas Longhorns in
BCS. Didn't get gypped
Two years in a row.

More on the BCS later.

Truth and Consequences (not the New Mexico town)

The following from the MSNBC.com blog pages:

	
NEW YORK - We have been inviting Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell to

appear on Countdown since we began to cover the voting irregularities story on November

8th. It struck me as not quite coincidental that he finally joined us the same day the

Ohio GOP issued what might be the first Republican recognition of any kind that there

are questions about the vote - a news release with the gaudy headline “Democrats

Struggle to Justify Unnecessary Recount / (Jesse) Jackson swoops in to fuel conspiracy

theories even Kerry lawyers admit are baseless.” While it was the Greens and Libertarians

filing for the recount, the Republicans seemed to prefer silence. But after Jackson spoke

in Columbus Sunday and Cincinnati Monday, suddenly Mr. Blackwell was available. “I think

what happened,” he said, “is that Jesse Jackson ran around the block and tried to get

out in front of a parade that was already on the march.”




Jesse Jackson has done some great things for the Civil Rights movement; the

Rainbow/PUSH coalition comes to mind.  However, in recent decades he has done more to

set it back by making himself a media circus.  He did the same thing back when I was

at The University of Texas.  I can't remember what exactly had happened, I think

something about race and SAT scores, but he indeed swooped in to fuel the fire.  He

made it about his face time rather than the comments made by the UT professor.  But

don't think this is racism.  Many white folk in Hollywood have boarded bandwagons as

though they are the engineers, and, while it's good they can put their money and their

faces toward campaigns against human suffering, it can quickly become about them.

So, I salute Mr. Blackwell for having the guts to say something like he did.  I know

he'll get a lot of flack for it, with many pundits labeling him a racist.  My hope is

that he won't back down and retract his statement.  That's a pet peeve of mine.

People say something that is both harsh and truthful, but when someone gets offended

they tuck tail and run and hide behind their PR people.  They said they didn't mean

what they said, blah blah blah.  Sure you meant it or it wouldn't have come out of your

mouth.  Now you just lost your integrity.  I told someone recently that you can't

please 100% of the people 100% of the time or you'll die of a heart attack by the time

you're 30.  Sure I want people to like me, but I'm going to say something that's going

to get under someone's skin.  You know why it gets under your skin so much?  Because

it's possibly true and you don't like that you could have a weakness.  I know I don't

like to think I have a problem or weakness.  And I feel hurt and angry when someone

points it out to me.  But it's up to me to react in the correct way; to look at myself

and figure out if what's said is true.  If so, then I should thank the person who

pointed it out to me and work on it.  I've said things in the recent past that,

although I'm sorry I hurt feelings, I absolutely meant.  I could have done it in a

different way and perhaps not had such a hard time.  And hey, I could be wrong;

perception isn't always reality.  I deserved the consequences of my actions.  But I

take responsibility, apologize for the way I went about it and try to learn from it.



Until next time, Hook 'em Horns, go Southern Miss.  I'll be posting my fix to the

BC-Mess.

The Baby

Sorry I haven't written for a while. I've been busy at work and it's better that I don't use company time to blog. And we've been going places and seeing people most evenings, so we get home and it's time to go to bed. I'll make a more concerted effort to keep you updated. So, on with the news...
M Joy. We found out a couple of weeks ago that we are having a girl. It's so much better knowing, and even if there was a mistake, which we highly doubt, it's nice to call her by her name, even using the pronoun her instead of it. C has been feeling her move around for quite some time now, but I couldn't feel her moving inside C. Well, about a week ago I felt her kick for the first time. It's quite amazing. Now I can watch C's belly bounce whenever she throws an elbow or a knee or foot. M and C are both growing faster now. It's amazing how many people at church don't know. This lady we do nursery with every month didn't know until today, and that's really only because C has only recently started wearing maternity shirts that show off that magnificent tummy. It's wonderful to be able to see her body grow and how beautiful she looks. Matt LeBlanc, known to most people as Joey on Friends, said of his wife that "A pregnant woman is a beautiful thing." And I say Amen. Just watching her interact with M is fun to see. I can't wait till I can see her. She won't be short on love.
Also, God continues to provide so substantially for M and us, even though we're still four months away. A mother of one of her former students who has already given us several furniture items, let C loose on a few Rubbermaids full of baby clothes. It was like Christmas! I came home and she was beaming, not able to wait to show me everything she'd gotten, including a few cute outfits. And I apologize, but the cute meter is about to be overloaded, because everything is so tiny and cute. I used to tease C that "Inanimate objects can't be cute." Part of me was trying to play devil's advocate to her overutilization of the 'c' word. But there are these little purple suede shoes that can't even be three inches long. And everything's little too. Sorry, but that's the way it is with infants.
And hey, she's quite the outdoorswoman already. She went on her first camping trip this weekend. She did well, and even kicked a little bit for our friends to see. She's our little circus monkey. Instead of jumping through hoops, she's kicking on command. Just wait for C to relax a few minutes, and she wakes up as if cued by an invisible Inky Mendez.
Well, I must be off to bed. Busy week ahead and I need my rest. Good night.

A Long Way To Go

I mentioned as a concluding thought on my Oct 17th post how every decision has a price tag. My pricetag is integrity. I've made some poor decisions lately, namely bad-mouthing some folks on this site--this material has been subsequently deleted. A person told me a few months ago that I needed to work on my people skills, and I thought I had been doing better until it was brought to my attention how I have affected those people. I let him down and I have let Christians down because I have acted in a manner unworthy of the Gospel. I know I wouldn't want to be a Christian if I had to deal with me. I have made it a burden for these to be around me. So I have a heavy heart. I need to work to restore those relationships, if they can be restored. I have acted foolishly even though these have dealt with me only with kindness. Although I would like it, I don't expect their forgiveness. I have been insensitive to them and have condescended to them at times, which should never be done. The same person who told me of my problem mentioned that I should deal with everyone as though they were my wife. Sage advice. If I were to treat C like I have these, it would be a rocky marriage at best.
The old axiom rings true about if you don't have anything good to say, then don't say it. But it goes far beyond not saying anything. Rather, I should lift them up and sincerely thank them for their kindness. I know I can't make up for this. Only my actions and words will be able to express my feelings. So, if they ever read this, I apologize. As mature as I am compared to five years ago, I am still a two-year-old compared to Christ, and even to these I have offended.
Thank you for the second and third chances, even though I don't deserve them.
R

Song Stuck in my Head

So, I took German in college for an easy A to raise my GPA. Sounds silly, yet insane at the same time, but I pulled it off. My prof Doug, who I had for both semesters, taught us this particular song to help us remember the prepositions, to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb:
Durch, für, gegen, ohne, um;
Ohne, um;
Ohne, um.
Durch, für, gegen, ohne, um;
Ohne, um, entlang.
Which is through, for, against, without, around (around the corner) and around (around the perimeter of the lake).
I had that in my head for the better part of thirty minutes this morning. Annoying yes, but effective just the same.
Tomorrow I'll tell you about my weekend baby-sitting.
Get some rest.

R

November Second

So, C and I voted this past Saturday, fulfilling our democratic, God-given opportunity/obligation. Of course I'd prefer Bush to win, but I'm not going to trumpet his cause here. Both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I support Bush's war on terrorism, including the regime change in Iraq, but I don't support how he has catered to big business as well as tax cuts that help the upper class more than middle & lower class families. What I want, nay even need, is for the election to be decidedly in the favor of one candidate, both in popular and electoral vote, with margins in each state no less than 20,000. I don't want any controversy. I don't want either party complaining about voter fraud or anything else. God knows who He wants in the White House. I don't, but I'm at least going to vote and I'll still pray for the President and his Cabinet, whoever it may be. I know this is a pivotal election. It will determine the course of the next twenty to forty years due to the retirements of four Supremes.
That's my two cents.
Have a nice day.

And may God bless America.

Tipping

Okay, so I'll start this rant by mentioning that I was a waiter/server on and off for three years at a joint called Italiani's in the DFW metroplex. Enjoyed it thoroughly. If you take pride in your work and do things well, you should make out like a bandit. Now, why, oh why, when your livelihood depends on it, would you just lollygag through your shift and not do the things necessary to earn serious coin?
Apparently there is this unwritten rule that, once a waiter, you are expected to tip 20% because you know that this is how they get by. Well, I say Whoa Hoss! Just wait a minute. Some of these people aren't busting their humps like I did, so why should I give them an automatic large tip simply because I was one of them? Now, I know they have nothing to do with how long a dish comes out of the kitchen once they order it. And always keep them informed if something isn't going according to planned. If you show them you're on top of the situation, they're less likely to complain, which means better tip for you. But there is a science to timing a meal. If they order an appetizer, you wait three to five minutes and put in their entree request, that way they get their main course when they're done with the app, if not only a minute or two later. If you do err, it's better to err on being a little late, because no one likes to get their meal when they haven't yet finished their salad or appetizer. And always, ALWAYS, do a quality check two to three minutes after they get their food, whatever portion it is. A pet peeve of mine is the two extremes: either they ask you how your food is when you haven't had a bite yet, or they don't ask at all. Also, don't wait for the drinks to be gone. As soon as the cup is half empty, or half full for you "positive-thinking types," get them a new beverage. The only caveat would be tea drinkers, who usually like to maintain a certain sweetness ratio, so filling up their glass when it's half empty upsets the balance. To end the meal, if a dessert tray is available, and seriously, why wouldn't restaurants have one available, bring it out to the table and let them see what they're missing. Don't just ask them if they'd like a dessert. That way, if you bring it out you can always propose a piece to go.
Moreover, I know there will be the inevitable slow time when you're standing around a little bit and those times when you do need to take a breather. But just don't stand around. Patrons peruse the restaurant and if they see you just standing around and not checking out your section whilst conversing with coworkers, they're more apt to slight you. And if you smoke, waft it off a little bit before going to your tables. Always have a smile on your face and try to make a little small talk during your short time. And if you had a great time with them, ask them their names and do your best to remember. And finally, your best selling point, ask them to come back and ask for you. You'd be surprised at how many people did just that. They feel like they connected with you and they felt cared for.
So, follow these simple steps and a 20% tip will be yours. If you mess up on a few of these things, it'll probably be closer to 15%. If you look like you just don't give a hoot, don't be surprised to find yourself with 10%. And remember, it was your fault. You're in charge of making your money. If you don't suggestively sell (i.e. "Would you like a glass of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay or a Spinach-Artichoke Formaggio to start off with?" instead of "Would you like an appetizer? and my personal favorite "You want some alcohol?") and don't pay attention to what's going on in your section, you're liable to wind up on the short end.
Alright, so this is really it. If you get a table with all waters, no appetizers and cheap entrees or a family with three kids, don't let them see you frustrated, and don't be frustrated. Yes, that means you'll by default get a little lower tip. But show them love. They have friends who they'll tell about your restaurant and you. Make sure they're telling good things.

Feminist Movement Moving Backwards?

So, C and I generally watch the Today show on NBC in the mornings while we eat our breakfast to keep abreast of the national news, but we'll hop around during commercials. I flipped over to ABC with Diane Sawyer and she was interviewing this group of women who are trying to make progress for women in corporate America. It's a good thing. Anyhow, they mentioned stats such as only 8 women are heads of Fortune 500 companies, which is quite a disparate number to be sure and should be remedied. They also said that women hold 2/3rds of the buying power in America. Which is a nice stat. However, my immediate question was "And how do they do this? Mostly with their husband's money, right?" Anyhow, they didn't back up their statistic, so I remain skeptical. The two talking heads of this group were saying that today they are going to "buycott," refusing to make any purchases today to show corporate America just how important they are, yada yada yada. Here's the kicker: the group's name is "85 Broads." Seriously. I'll just let you digest that for a few moments.


Y'know, I'm no marketing genius, but methinks myself a thinking man. And I'm thinking, if I'm wanting respect, not only from the masses, but especially from large businesses, I'm not gonna have a name like 85 Broads. I can just see it now. Business X has a job opening for a C-level executive and have narrowed their choices via résumé to two candidates. One is self-represented and the other represented by 85 Broads. Who would you pick? I mean, it'd be like a male photographer trying to get a job at SI and he's a member of 121 Pervs or 75 Chauvinists. He wouldn't be taken seriously at all. They'd say thank you for your time and they'd blacklist him, right? Right?! It's like that country song "One step forward and two steps back."

Hey, I'm all for women in the workplace. They make their sacrifices just like the men do. And C and I have talked about this a little bit already since we're gonna have our first child next March. I told her I wouldn't mind, I'd even encourage her, that when our kids are all in school and if she's bored sitting around the house, to take a job, part-time or full. My problem is when people are working so they can maintain a certain lifestyle, such asto continue to get their expensive hair stylings and drive their expensive cars and buy fancy clothes. Meanwhile, the kids are at a daycare or preschool be taught by a person who might or might not have the same moral values they have and would want to instill in their children.

As has been said in Grace's youth ministry: "Every decision has a price-tag." What are your decisions costing you? Money? Status? Integrity?

Getting Political

So, I'm listening to some liberal talk radio. And this guy starts going on about how the Administration has used the media against the Democrats/Liberals.
Wait for it...
Wait for it...
So, we have liberal media complaining about the media. I mean, that's downright funny. How many media outlets are Republican/Conservative in nature? I can probably count them on one hand (Fox the primary outlet); most assuredly on two. That's gotta take the cake.
Y'know, I'm not sure how this election will turn out. I'm gonna do my part and vote. It's all in God's hands after all, right? He sets up kings and deposes them. Maybe He only needed W in office for four years, and He's giving America John Kerry.
Realistically, I'm a yellow-dog Republican. I'm gonna vote them into office 99% of the time because they are anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. Their values traditionally line up much closer with mine. I don't really know that much about Kerry, but I'd like to know what he thinks. Not just what the party line is, but what he truly, in his heart of hearts, thinks will work at home and abroad. To be honest, I think he emboldens the terrorists, and shows a lack of foreign policy know-how. Don't get me wrong, W didn't know much when he got into office, but the man was smart enough to surround himself with people who knew what they were doing. Sure, he may not be the best orator in American history, but the man has principles and sticks to his guns. Sure, I don't agree with his big-business policies, but when have the rich really wanted to give themselves a pay cut? About the 10th of Never. And sure, he didn't act quickly enough when those Swift-Boat ads came out. You'd think he'd be above a dirty campaign. But America doesn't understand clean. They understand comparison. They understand sleaze. They understand situational ethics and relativism.

Birthday weekend & Baby

So, I had a birthday this weekend. My folks--mom and stepdad--came down Friday night and most of Saturday. Partly because of my b-day and partly to spoil the grandbaby. Had a good time. Played football on Saturday at 11AM, the exact time Texas-OU was kicking off. We won the game. My stats were a PAT and a tackle and bruised abdomen and ribs. Ran a slant right into a defender and neither of us really saw each other until it was too late. Lemme tell you, that's the most scared I've been in a while, trying to get air into my lungs. Now I understand why NFLers come out of the game after "having the wind knocked out" of them. Not only do you need to recoup the O2, but you're gonna be sore. And sore I am. Anyhoo, as you know, OU beat Texas 12-0 to end the faint hopes for a national title, but I won't go there right now. My mom continues to be generous for the baby. Whenever God blesses you through someone, make it a point not only to be thankful, but to ask for them to be blessed on account of their graciousness. This works for friends and family, but it also works for employers. If God's blessed you with a good, steady job with a boss that is sensitive to your needs, pray for work to keep coming in, for God to bless your boss for taking care of you. After they left to go back to Watauga, we went to see some friends. Played some Tony Hawk on PS2. I'm an übercompetitor as many close friends and family know, especially C. So I want to do good. But I can't figure out how to do anything, so I monkey around for a while. Then Rocky goes for the 2-player mode and we play Slaps. Basically, you ride around and try to slap each other. High Comedy. Then, we let C and Sunee have a go of it. Highest of High Comedy! Both husbands rooting on their wives to lay the smack down on the other wife, the wives getting into it and C coming out victorious. Good times, good times. Sunday we were in the nursery. I helped out in 6-12 months. It's amazing that even as young as 3-6 months, you can tell which kids are high maintenance and which aren't (read: mommy doesn't put me down so as soon as you do I'm gonna cry until you pick me up, even if you've got 2 other kids that need to be held too). Well, I got this one little not-high-maintenance guy to sleep. The dad comes in after second hour to get him for the feeding, but I've put him to sleep. He looks at me agog, telling me how surprised he is because his boy doesn't let anybody do that. Makes me proud. I'm getting a hang on this kid stuff. My favorite phrase "put him/her down". Now, I know it's meant as an idiom for getting the kid to sleep, but it reminds me of what you do to Rover when he's too old and has problems. After church, we go over to C's parents' place for my birthday dinner and hung out with her family until 4:30-ish. Then we came home to have some time to ourselves. If you aren't married, you'll understand and better appreciate time alone when you've got one night to yourselves during the week. Plus, major props/kudos/thanks to C for being überwife this weekend. She baked us feather-light muffins for breakfast on Saturday, made hamburgers for lunch on Saturday, made tuna melts for dinner on Saturday and made a cake for my birthday for Sunday. She rocks!
Best birthday ever because it's my first as a father. Now, don't get confused. Since my wife is pregnant, I am therefore a father. Just because the baby ain't out of the womb yet doesn't mean I'm not a dad. That event is still another 5 months away--and closing fast by the way. I have enjoyed talking to the baby and listening to it slosh around in C's tummy. Looking forward to two weeks and two days when we get to sex the baby. Then we can start calling him/her by it's name instead of "it". Gets old after a while. Got word from the hospital and the bloodwork came out normal for the baby. So, we rejoice that things are so far, so good, but we keep praying for our baby's continued healthy development, as well as C's health and for our child's salvation at an early age. Honestly, my prayer life has been slack this year, but a child will enable to you find so many things to pray for. Amazing.
I'd rant longer, but it's time to go home and get ready to go out for my birthday dinner with C. What a gal.

Cell phones and rain

Okay, so I was getting my mail yesterday and the dude next to me starts talking. Listening, I determine that he is not talking to me, but it doesn't sound like he's talking to himself. I give you the "hands-free" phenomenon. You'll be standing in line at the grocery store, got your windows rolled down sitting at a light, or getting your mail, and the person in front of or next to you starts seemingly talking to themselves. Still confuses me at first, but then I get that they're on their cell. It's gonna take some getting used to, but I'd much rather be freaked out than be run off the road.
I'll leave you with this final thought. Something so pure and wonderful that there must be a God, the Creator of the universe: the smell of rain.

Potpourri

Listening to KLOVE right now. Deejay says "There are a myriad of opportunities..." I'm all for using big words. It's good to increase your vocabulary. One exceptional way to do this is through completing crossword puzzles, whether print or online. However, with the enjoyment of using big words, there is the responsibility of correct utilization. The above line is best stated thusly: "There are myriad opportunities..." It's like the verb for "to do" in Spanish. It's implied. So you can call someone a milquetoast or a sycophant, but you better know that it means to be timid/walked on or to be a yes-man/flatterer, respectively. And know how to spell them as well. For example, I was quite impressed when my friend Kev correctly used the Latin phrase "non sequitur" in conversation. I was like, "Now there's a smart man."
Makes me think of the whole your/you're debacle. When reading a letter or an article, nothing makes me think less of the author than incorrect spelling. Now, I'm not the best grammarian, but I expect correct spelling and usage. That's what spell check/grammar check is used for! Your is possessive, as in your car, your wife, your zit. You're is the contraction of you and are, which expects an adjective to follow, as in you're annoying, you're ostentatious, you're cute.

Preachers, Comedians or Regurgitators?

So, what is it with preachers these days? I understand they need to keep the "audience" attentive so they may be taught. The first problem is the use of the word "audience" to describe the congregation at any church. This is not exclusive to preachers, but has affected worship leaders as well. Audience connotes entertainment. Are preachers called to entertain the flock? No! Pastor-teachers as described in the Bible are to lead the flock they've been given. Teachers are kept to a much higher standards than those who listen. James says in 3:1 "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."

So why is it that so many pastor-teachers (PTs) have resorted to one-liners and anecdotes to keep the listeners attentive? Is it because you think we need a few laughs on Sunday morning to wake us up? Is that what they teach in Seminary these days? Anecdotes are necessary at times to relate a vague piece of Scripture to our lives. Other times it just seems like they're reaching, begging for a laugh. They'll tell the joke and do the dramatic pause to wait for the laughter. And what happens? The congregation responds and affirms that the PT is funny. Does he need that affirmation? Is he insecure enough that he needs the chortles of the stoic masses to validate his sermon?
Also, I'm glad that God has given wisdom to men to interpret His Word and to help us apply it to our lives. Our church has made it a point that the job of the pastoral staff, as well as the Elders and Sunday School teachers, is to equip us saints to study the Word and to spur us on to maturity in Christ so that we will be able to more effectively understand God's will and to be able to minister better in our sphere of influence. We are blessed, nay spoiled, to have such excellent teaching from the pulpit each Sunday from Matt, such caring and mature Elders to help lead us, and gifted teachers to help us apply the Word to our life stage. Grace is famously a Bible church, meaning that our main focus is on the Word of God and the expository teaching thereof. Everything funnels into that, so that Worship in Song--after all, worship includes singing and hearing of the Word--men's and women's ministries, youth and children's ministry, and missions are all based in what we get from the Word. I enjoy this greatly, because, many pastors today, even a former Grace associate pastor and the pastor of a church I visited a couple of weeks ago, like to tell us what others have said about God's Word. Again, many of these authors have been blessed with incredible wisdom and insight from the LORD. The former Grace pastor spent most of his time telling stories and reading quotes from books. However, I don't come to church for story time. I could go to a bookstore to get that.

I find it very hard to follow along with both the jokers and storytellers, which are often one in the same. I even find myself getting a little angry about it. "What a waste of a Seminary degree" I think to myself. This does not mean that these men are bad people. Far from it. These men have excellent character and engaging personalities. It's as if someone said, "Hey, you're a great talker; you should try the pastorate!" The point is this: I don't want you to spend the majority of your time telling jokes. I want you to spend the majority of the time on the Word of God. The aforementioned recently visited pastor spent about 10 minutes of his 45-minute "teaching time" on the Word. The rest was spent telling jokes and anecdotes and mentioning the Redskins-Cowboys game 4 times. I came away filling so unfulfilled I couldn't wait to get back home to hear Matt, who, although he throws the occasional joke or story in his sermon, spends 90% of his message time on the Scriptures.

Baby news

C went to the doctor Wednesday and it took her a while to get a good heartbeat with the doppler because the baby was moving around so much. C has been feeling some weirdness in her tummy, but she wasn't sure if it was the baby moving or just her stomach gurgling. So, it's a great sign. I've put my ear to her tummy a few times to hear the baby sloshing around in there and it's fun. We'll get to sex the baby during her next visit! She's gaining weight at about 0.5 pounds per week, just as she's supposed to. So, we're very thankful for God continuing to knit our little bundle together in C's womb. I'm excited about it.
Also, thanks go out to the many woman who have given clothes, toys and furniture. Special props to the grandmothers, who, this being the first grandchild on either side, are going expectedly nuts with doting. My mom has been gracious enough to buy several things, while C's mom has been sewing up a storm for the bedding and 'silkies', etc. And we can't forget Grampa C who is making our cradle.
Just another example (our wedding being the first) of how wonderfully God has provided for us through the many people in our lives. If I didn't mention you, I'm sorry. But you will receive your reward.
Thanks,

R & C & Baby