Enlarged to Show Texture

Integrity...

2008-10-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to have integrity? Well, are you the same person when you are at church? ...at school? ... alone at home? ...in another country? ...when you are around your friends? ...when you are around your family? ...when you are having a bad day? ...when you are having a good day? ...when God seems far away? ... when God feels close?

A man or woman of integrity will be the same everywhere, with friends and family, at school and at church, with people or when alone. The rules never change, so why should our actions change? Could you do what you are doing with your friends with the same confidence on a Sunday morning? Would it be OK if Jesus suddenly walked into your room when you were watching TV? Would you mind if you met one of your Christian friends in the movie section at Blockbuster?

But it's not enough to say that we are the same everywhere when our "same" does not reflect the image of Christ. Our "same" has to be pure, faultless, blameless, white as snow. That is Christian integrity... being the same person (who is striving towards righteousness) all the time, no matter who is with us, where we are, who we assume is watching.

Imagine a group of athletes. They meet at the track every day and begin warming up by stretching. After warming up their bodies they take to the track, but "no one" is watching them practice so they don't need to go for the gold because they are only playing around. Then imagine the horror they would feel if an Olympic scout appeared from "nowhere" and began choosing the ones he thought were worthy of competing.

Run the race well because God is watching. He is the Scout, watching and waiting, wanting you to do your best. He is watching, and we have no room for slack when it comes to our race. We have to produce gold metal quality runs all though out the day, no matter how tired, no matter how many hurdles obstruct our path, no matter who is telling us we cannot win, no matter what our attitudes we choose to have that day are. God demands perfection, and we cannot blame anyone but ourselves when our times don't measure up.

Thank You?

2008-10-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

So, I have had tests all week it seems, and I noticed something today after geog. that I have never noticed before: when you hand in a test, both the recipient and giver say thank you.

Now I know that some of the loyal few are students, and if you think about it, don't you realize that you say thank you when you finally hand in those pages covered in blood, sweat and tears?

The more I thought about this, the more confused I felt. Why the heck would I say thank you for torture? POW's don't say thank you to their captors... Jailbirds don't say thank you to the policeman who dragged him in. It's almost like I'm enjoying this...

And then I kept thinking... Why in the world would the teacher say thank you? I'm giving him work to do! Does an employee thank his boss for bringing in a mountainous stack of paperwork to file?

Then it dawned on me.

I was saying thank you for the opportunity to learn. I was thanking him for his time spent preparing the lectures. I was thanking him for the time he would spend grading 43 test papers, one of them being mine. I was thanking him for being open to answering questions so that I could take this test, pass the course and eventually graduate and build a life for myself. I was thanking him for his part in preparing me for my future.

And as for his thank you, he was thanking me for working hard. He was thanking me for trying to pass his class and at least look like I learned something and kinda enjoyed it.

yup, so there's my random thought for the day.

Dark

2008-10-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to do something in the dark? I mean, so dark that you can't tell if there is a wall three inches from your face. Yeah, DARK. I have been trying this experiment of walking around in the dark to see if my brain can remember where everything (chairs, benches, counters, walls, light switches etc.), and it's AMAZING how well one's brain will automatically fill in the blanks.

I actually tried for the first time to use the restroom in the dark this afternoon. That was an interesting experience, but I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought it could have been.

The other day I walked down the stairs (without using the railing) to see if my brain remembered how many stairs there are. Luckily I didn't end up rolling to the bottom when carefully felt my way down.

I also tried walking all the way up the stairs (there is a U turn almost at the top) and walked all the way into my parents bedroom, past their bed, around random pieces of furniture and into the bathroom, and amazingly, I put my hand right on the light switch (correct button and all).

Our brains are amazing, and do things that we don't often realize how important they are. Take care of you brain, my friends!

For Matthew...

2008-08-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

Spadoodles was recently told that the new background (which was done as an experiment) was blinding our readers, and we (meaning I) should change it.

Hopefully this one will satisfy... if not, Spadoodles is responsible. ;)

Chihuly

2008-08-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago, my grandparents invited my little sister and I to spend the day with them at some museums in San Francisco. I, of course, said yes! It was an amazing day. I just got home and wanted to share with all of you what an amazing time I had. My Grandma, who we call Grammy, had heard that there was a blown glass exhibit in San Francisco. So, we got up early and started our journey towards the bay. I had the best time. I was blown away by the exhibit. And I couldn't keep it all to myself. I have some pictures of what I saw. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

The exhibit started with the "glass forest." This picture doesn't really do it justice, but you can get an idea of how beautiful it was. These pieces of glass were probably around six or seven feet tall.

As we continued on we saw this incredible view. I think these were called the "Persians," but I am not certain. To me, they look like huge flowers on a lattice.

Now, I think these look like huge hats upside down, but you can decide for yourself what they remind you of......

This is a picture of the "Reeds." They don't really look that big, but if you put them in comparison with the logs they are connected to, the are really tall. My Grammy said that they looked like penguins, and then my Papa walked up (not hearing my Grammy) and said that they reminded him of penguins. Scary! I guess that's what happens when you have been married a long time to each other :)

This was the "Boat" room. I forgot to mention that the glass was placed on mirrors. I thought that was important.....

These pictures are from the "Chandelier" room. The green photo shows the detail of the glass up close.

This was the last room we went in. It was like the grand finale of a fireworks show. It displayed all the techniques in one magnificent masterpiece.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the pictures. If you would like to see this exhibit, I believe it continues through September. I would suggest buying your entrance tickets online. The artist of all this beautiful work is Chihuly. Here he is photographed with some of his work.

Shoes

2008-08-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

I showered and shaved...............
I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat..............
In a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer.........
As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me.....
Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side......
I thought, "Why must our soles touch?"
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine...
But it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: "Our Father"............
I thought, "This man with the shoes...has no pride
They're dusty, worn, and scratched.
Even worse, there are holes on the side!"

"Thank You for blessings," the prayer went on.
The shoe man said...a quiet, "Amen."
I tried to focus on the prayer.......
But my thoughts were on his shoes again.

Aren't we supposed to look our best....
When walking through that door?
Well, this certainly isn't it," I thought,
Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended...........
And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud......
Sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters........
His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear....
The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering.........
And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached....
Into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out...........
What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft "clink"
....as when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me..........
To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man.....
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service........
As is the custom here.
We must greet new visitors....
And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow.............
And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer..........
I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark.....
And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming.........
For being our guest.

He said, "My names' Charlie..........
I'm glad to meet you, my friend."
There were tears in his eyes.........
But he had a large, wide grin.

"Let me explain," he said...........
Wiping tears from his eyes.
"I've been coming here for months....
And you're the first to say 'Hi.'"

"I know that my appearance.........
Is not like all the rest.
But I really do try.................
To always look my best."

"I always clean and polish my shoes....
Before my very long walk.
But by the time I get here........
They're dirty and dusty, like chalk."

My heart filled with pain............
and I swallowed to hide my tears
As he continued to apologize........
For daring to sit so near.

He said, "When I get here...........
I know I must look a sight.
But I thought if I could touch you..
Then maybe our souls might unite."

I was silent for a moment............
Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison...
I spoke from my heart, not my head.

"Oh, you've touched me," I said......
And taught me, in part;
That the best of any man............
Is what is found in his heart."

The rest, I thought,.................
This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am...
That his dirty old shoe touched my soul!

~Author unknown

Talking to Flo

2008-07-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Last night after an extensive day of work, a wonderful concert, and dinner out, Spadoodles asked me to help her with Delilah. She figured out on her own how to import songs onto her, and only needed a bit of guidance here and there. But last night she had hit a wall. I'm not terribly techy, but I agreed to help her sift through some sites she had received from a friend and try to get The Importance of Being Ernest onto that tiny screen.

We ran into a few issues, the main one being that it is really hard to read the computer screen (excuse me, Flo) when you are yawning every 10 seconds. I was having a hard time focusing my eye balls on the texts when suddenly Flo froze. And if I might add, she was frozen in a very inconvenient place for me to read the text I needed to read.

Spadoodles had left the room for some mysterious reason, and when she reappeared, I said, "I cannot work with this device if it's going to freeze on me."

Her response caught me off guard.

"Turn down the speakers."

What?

I repeated myself, "I don't think I can get the movie thing to work tonight if this computer doesn't stop freezing."

Without hesitating, she reached over to turn the volume knob on the speakers down to off. "You need to call her Flo; that's her name. I don't want Flo to hear you talking about her that way."

I'm sure I looked something like a freshly-caught cod fish with my mouth hanging open the way it was, but she continued to babble on as if nothing out of the ordinary had been said. Now, understand that I have no problem with naming things, in fact, my guitar is named Cato, my computer is named Fern and my pillow is named Andrew. But... I don't treat them like people. The one of the main reasons I have for naming objects is for easy referencing. "Hey, have you seen Fern?"

Needless to say, Spadoodles and I discussed her need to talk to devices (with Flo's speakers still turned down, of course), but she still wasn't convinced that there was anything strange about it.

Then my mom poked her head into the office to say goodnight.

"Mom," she started, "what's wrong with talking to Flo?"

"Well, she's a computer, dear. Goodnight." And with that she exited the room.

Now it was Spadoodles turn to resemble a cod fish. She sputtered and gasped out that it just wasn't right to not talk to Flo like she was a person. Being tired, I excused myself and promised Spadoodles that we would work on the movie thing in the morning.

So, that's the story. And now you all know that not only does Spadoodles name her devices, she also treats them very well. :)

Mmmmm....Tasty

2008-07-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Food. It comforts. Everyone loves food. There are some people that don't enjoy eating, but I'm pretty sure that everyone has a favorite food. Since our blog is called "Enlarged to Show Texture," we thought it would be nice to put something enlarged as the background. Now, although our inspiration for the name of the blog did come from a cereal box, it isn't necessary to use food. But we like food, so that's what we are using.

The reason for this post was to explain why there is a monstrous Lasagna as the blog background. We understand that your stomach may begin to grumble as you read our tasty looking blog.......

But do not fear. Mommy G makes a fierce lasagna.

Proud to be an American

2008-07-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day Everyone!!

Pale Is The New Tan

2008-06-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

I have fair skin. But that should not come as a surprise to anyone who has ever seen my mom. She has fair skin too, as do both of my grandmas, all my aunts, my grandpa and both my sisters. I basically come from a very white family. I resemble my mom and her mom in so many ways that it's not unusual for me to be pasty like them too.

I used to want to be tan, but I know now that's not going to happen. I've come to grips with that. My dad was born in Iowa, is mostly German, and should be white, buuuut he's not. In fact, his white in the winter is tanner than my skin in the summer.

I guess my obsession with not being a "whitey" comes mainly from my dad always being more tan than I was. Often he would hold out his arm to compare skin color while asking, "Who's tanner?"

But I have come to a conclusion, pale is the new tan. With the rising concern of skin cancer and sun damage, I have become a firm believer in being white. Yes, I may blind people with my whiteness. Yes, my skin can be used to reflect sunlight. And no, I don't glow in the dark... but that's ok with me because as far as I'm concerned, pale is the new tan.

My Electrical Friends

2008-06-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

I want you all to meet the newest member of my family. This is Delilah. I adopted her about a week ago. Yes, I name my electronics. I thought it would be nice to introduce all my "friends" to you.

So, to start, here is my newest friend, Delilah. She is an 8 GB ipod nano (teal). Her favorite song is "Hey There Delilah." She sleeps in a isock and that's about it.

Next is my cellular device. This is Dwight. He has awesome voice activation capabilities, and is specially sleek to fit in pockets well. He spends most of his time in his sling back chair from Hawaii. He used to be the good friend of my Dad, but since my parents were concerned about knowing my whereabouts, he was placed in my care. Not to mention that I was aching to have him at my disposal.

Now I want to introduce my dear friend Flo. Flo is my Computer. She definitely has a quirky sense of humor. She is such high quality that she has a mind of her own. Sometimes she is so hilarious as to, just when I am doing something really important, cut off my Internet and claim it is "having trouble connecting." *laughs hysterically* I am blown away by her intelligence! She also has a very special connection with Dwight. Whenever Dwight has a call coming in, Flo warns me by telling me (It sounds like screeching in English). You couldn't ask for a better computer!

Last but certainly not least is my calculator. This is Einstein. He helps me with my math. He is very easy going. He doesn't mind at all if I press all his buttons. He is so brainy! He has everything that a person would want. He is so lucky! He has everything from a "TAN" button to "SIN" "CLEAR" buttons. Not to mention he makes incredible pie!

Well, that's the end of the introductions. I hope you enjoyed meeting all my electrical friends.

A Confession

2008-06-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. And what better way to lay it out in the open than writing a post about it on cyberspace? I have an addiction. Yes, it is true. It has been carrying on for some months now, and I am helplessly stuck. We all have things that we get addicted to. We feel as if we can't possibly live without this thing (whatever it is). Ok, I'm ready to release.

* Takes Big Breath *

I am addicted to chapstick.

Yes, chapstick.

Now I know what your thinking.....

"Oh, come on."

But the truth is I LOVE chapstick. How can you not? It makes your lips soft and supple. Just don't buy that other stuff. That stuff is not true chapstick. Buy the good stuff. Ok, I feel much better now. The word is out. I have shared about my addiction before, but to only really close friends. But now everyone from here to Russia knows. Sometimes you just have to be vulnerable.

Dead Man Tell No Tale

2008-05-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

It all started in the evening of May 4th. We had, as a family, traveled to the lovely city of Davis to celebrate my cousin's 12th birthday. On our way home we decided to make a stop at Raley's to purchase some nourishment. It was a decided that everyone except my Mom would stay in the car. So we parked. And she ran in.

It was not long, however, before my attention span of sitting and waiting came to an end. I began looking out the window for some interesting scene to entertain me. We had parked one space away from another car. Standing next to the car was the store manager and another employee. They appeared troubled. There was a man sitting in the front seat of the car, however, he had his head hanging down. My Dad, being the caring man he is, asked the manager standing there if the man slumped in the car was ok. The manager just shook his head. We then realized that the man sitting in that car was dead.

I was quite shocked. It was a weird thought being parked next to a deceased man. My little sister became deeply distressed. Although she can be quite tough, anything medical makes her freak out. By this time my Mom was back in the car, and we could leave. Then the ambulance came. We could no longer leave because it was slightly parked behind us. I watched as they did CPR on the victim. We later were informed that he had been sitting in his car like that for at least an hour. As soon as all the EMT's were out of the way we backed out our car and drove away.

Seeing this kind of situation gets one thinking......

Was he saved?

Does he have any family?

Did anyone notice his absence?

We never know what day will be our last on this earth. We should make every moment count.

Adam and Eve

2008-05-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

We had a question in the comments section of the last post which went something like, "Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?" Here is my answer:

I don't know. :)

God did not find that piece of information important enough to put in with all the other details He gives us about creation. He tells us that He created the animals to continue making the same kinds of animals so that we would have no other choice than to believe that God created the animals in the first place. He told us that He created everything in 6 days and rested the seventh not only to give men an example of how our week should be spent, but to erase all the ideas men have come up with about millions and billions of years.

So, although I can express my opinion and say, "they had belly buttons" or "they didn't have belly buttons," God ultimately knew that the answer to that question could be answered later on in person for those who truly believe in Him. I believe that God only gives us enough information to show us His supremacy, power and love for us in the Bible because if He tried to explain all of His greatness to our finite minds, we would explode.

And that's the best answer I know how to give for that question. :)

Dr. Tank

2008-05-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

I started working at my current job in January, but it's quite a story about how I finally came to get it. I'm in my second semester of my freshman year, and on the way to church in the family Expedition, my Dad starts talking about me getting a job. Now, mind you, I was working for my church as the children's director's intern, but he was talking about a "real job." You know, the ones that actually make money. (He didn't really count my tiny compensation for the bit of work I did as pay.)

The first thing I said when he brought up finding a job was the fact that I was taking over a full load at school and would never find time. But after about 5 minutes of discussion, I began to see the monetary as well as mental benefits to finding work.

So, next week between classes I set off to put in as many applications as possible. Delta, for those of you who don't know, is located right next to two malls and several shopping centers. I figured I would hit as many stores as possible in those and also try many of the businesses in Lodi. Lowe's, Pier 1, Target, Macy's, Claire's, and Talbots were just a few of the places I started with. My Dad had said to make food places one of my last options, and I tended to agree with him after hearing a few of his stories...

But then came the part that I dreaded, the waiting part. I waited and waited. Laughing to myself about my Dad's saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," I went in to check with the stores, but the answer was always the same. "We'll contact you when we know."

Two weeks after I began looking still nothing had come up, and my sister and I went to a friend's house for a girlie movie night. This invite may seem inconsequential, but my friend's mom had heard that I was looking for a job, and she was wondering if I would mind if she mentioned me to her boss. I was thrilled, of course, and immediately replied with a yes!

Turns out that my friend's mom worked at an orthodontic office in Stockton right down the street from school, and one of their receptionists was going on maternity leave soon. Next Tuesday I got a call from "Dr. Tank." He wanted to interview me, but he was going to wait a little bit longer until Jolene, his receptionist, was closer to her due date.

Two weeks later I got a phone call, and Dr. Tank wanted me to come in. That call was on a Wednesday, I went in for my interview on that Friday, and I was at work on Monday. :)

This job has taught me so much not only about the delicate art of being a receptionist, but also how I need to deal with people which I will discuss in a later post.

Give Me Jesus

2008-05-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

"Give Me Jesus"

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I am alone,
When I am alone,
When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I come to die,
When I come to die,
When I come to die,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,

Just give me Jesus.

I love this song. Just hold on to Jesus...

Change of Heart

2008-05-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

So far these past few weeks I have been fairly careless with the punctuation speling and grammar involved in my posts. I'm here to say I'm sorry. From this sentence on, I promise I will read my posts through at least 2 times before exposing everyone of our 2 readers to the blatant errors produced by my fingers. So, I will use commas, I will use the spell check, I will remember that I cannot just throw incorrect words into my posts just because they are big and look impressive. I know, they need to make sense. I have had a change of heart, and I'm going to be good now. :)

But What About...

2008-04-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Someday, when I get to heaven, I am going to make a 1,532 year appointment with God to ask Him questions. Questions that I have long desired an answer to. Here is a non-exhaustive list:

Why is the earth round and not square?
What is Your favorite color?
Why are there mosquitoes?
Do you have a favorite movie?

Why are frogs green and not pink?
What band will we listen to in heaven at a concert?
Will Your glory give us a tan?
What activity would be the best use of your time?
Why did You make mammals with hair?
Which mineral did You create first?
Why did you confuse the people at the Tower of Babble instead of just letting
them see Your glory and fall down dead?
Why did You allow people like Darwin or Hitler to live for so long?

Oh, I cannot wait to see His glory and ask Him my questions! Do you have any questions for God?

Beating my Best

2008-04-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

The other night my dad and I went to a leadership meeting at our church. He went because he's the head elder, and I went because I thought it might help me to manage people in the children's leadership group for my church. Little did I know that my heart would be touched again by His holy hands.

The smallish group sat together towards the back of the sanctuary, and Pastor Steve opened with a word of prayer. Then they played the clip of the evening, but let me tell you, i don't even remember what the guys name was who was talking or who made the tape. i was entranced by the words he was speaking because they seemed to be spoken just for me.

The man on the screen spoke with such conviction about giving your best, and I felt my heart jump at his words. Although much of what he talked about was people who gave up their high paying jobs to volunteer at the church, he did leave a lasting impression on me about giving God my best.

He mentioned giving God the "scraps" left over from the day, and how at one point in his life, he imagined God would be tickled pink by any attention thrown His way.

But then it hit him. God had spent all His time giving up His BEST for him that it only seemed logical to return the favor. All throughout the Bible, God's love letters to His people, God continually and constantly gives His best for us before giving the ultimate gift of His perfect Son.

But how does one give his best to God? What does "best" look like?

In my finite mind it can only mean that everything I do is not for me, my parents, my friends, my family or my pastor... it's done for God and GOD ALONE!

Wouldn't it change the way you wrote a paper for English class if you had to turn it in to be graded by the One who invented words? Wouldn't it change the way you scrubbed the stone tile in the kitchen to know that the One who created the stone would be looking over your work? Wouldn't it change the way you spoke to people if you knew that Jesus was coming tomorrow?

He gave His Son. His Son died for us while we still were helplessly entangled in our own sin. He gave his BEST for us. Isn't He worthy of your best?

My Trip to the Snitzel

2008-04-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a play by play of my first trip to Wienersnitzel.

11:45 a.m. It is almost lunchtime and my body prepared for the nourishment it assumed it would be receiving soon.

11:46 a.m. I glance again at the wall clock and wonder if the battery has died.

11:48 a.m. My brain has already left for its lunch break so I sit and stare at the wall mindlessly.

11:48 1/2 Refocusing, I try to look busy as my employer saunters past my cubical, but my mind is filled with thoughts of savory sauces, delightful dips, flavorful fruits and marvelous meats.

11:52 I silently debate where I should dine.

11:57 After five minutes of mental elimination, I still cannot choose.

11:59 The sound of fellow coworkers packing up their belongings breaks the steady hum of computers, and I begin zipping up my laptop bag.

12:00 The whistle blows from a distance, and everyone moves as one toward the doors which lead out into the bright autumn sunshine.

12:06 I reach my car, unlock the door, place my bag on the passenger's seat and start up my GT mustang.

12:08 Pulling out of the parking lot onto the main drag, I contemplate my eating options. Taco Bell - filling, cheap and relatively tasty. Quizno's - also filling but more costly. In n' Out - VERY tasty and fairly cheap, but I had already given them my business twice that week already. Why not choose something totally different?

12:11 To be brave, I maneuver my car into the Weinersnitzel parking lot. I had driven by millions of times, but never stopped.

12:13 Never looking back, I stroll casually into the Snitzel and glance at my surroundings. Ten tables, all empty and a soda fountain are my only companions.

12:15 3/4 I redirect my focus to the menu above the counter. Hot dogs, fries and burritos... BURRITOS! What the snitzel? I allow my mind to move past the burritos and continue down the menu.

12:18 I wonder how many ways you can take the most unappetizing food, beans, and put them with something else to attempt to disguise them.

12:21 I scan the menu 3 times hoping something will catch my eye...

12:24 Choosing to play it safe, I decide upon a #7 which is two corn dogs that comes with a regular fry and medium drink.

12:26 Approaching the counter, I look beyond for any like forms. No one appears, and I continue to wait... and wait... and wait...

12:30 I notice a bell on the counter with a sign "Please ring for service."

12:31 I ring the bell.

12:32 The smallest, most wrinkly old woman who couldn't have been less than 120 shuffles up to the counter and looking up at me through her cokebottle lensed glasses, and in a cracked voice says with surprising intensity "well, wat'll it be?"

12:34 Struck dumb by her appearance, I stammer my order and pay in cash.

12:37 I watch the woman walk back to the kitchen and throw items that look anything like food but somewhat resemble chili beans into a pot and stir the steaming, bubbling brew for a times.

12:40 I watch in mortification as she "accidentally" drops a whole jar of chili powder into the pot, and jumping slightly, continues to stir.

12:42 The "corndog" appears from somewhere else in the back, and the worker gingerly places it onto a plate. I also notice that she has a bit of a cold... just an observation.

12:45 The brown, lumpy liquid is ladled from the pot and onto the corndog! what the snitzel! I'm beginning to feel not so hungry. As she carries the lunch tray out and hands it to me, my stomach turns.

12:47 I slide into a corner booth in the empty restaurant and begin a stare down with my dog.

12:52 I pick up the dog, it makes a mess all over the plate, and I return it to its place on the plate.

12:53 1/2 I cannot bring myself to eat it! I cannot do it. oh, boy. Laying an opened napkin over the lunch, I carefully carry the still steaming tray over to the garbage and slide it inconspicuously in.

12:54 I receive a dirty look from the woman behind the counter as I run for my life.

12:57 I hop into my car, rev the engine, shoot out of the parking lot into the street, and jam back to work.

12:59 I decide to never again risk my life at the Snitzel, and mark the day on my calendar as one of the few times where I narrowly escaped death.

other options

2008-04-24T22:21:00.000-07:00

Spadoodles mentioned KFC in her last post, and I thought it would only be fair to give you all some other options...

1. Taco Bell (gotta love the burritos)

2. In N' Out... nuf said.

3. Jimboys, a Lodi favorite

4. McDonalds (how much sodium is in that water?!?)

5. Burger King, the home of the strangely good chicken fries

6. Panera... uh, got two words for ya: good bread.

7. Burger Hut (oh to be back in Chico again!)

8. Chipotle (can you say best food ever?)

ok, so even if you don't particularly care for KFC, don't worry, there's quite a few other options for you out there. After all, this is a non-exhaustive list.

IT is GEttINg lATe

2008-04-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

HEy eVEryONe!

i THouGHt i WOulD WriTE a pOSt iN FunNY wrITtiNG. doN'T woRRy, i WOn't WRitE LikE ThiS FOreVEr. iN My pOInt OF viEW it IS geTTinG LatE. So i THinK I wiLL stOP. it IS acTUalLY veRY tiME coSUmiNG to WRitE LikE ThiS. WhaT TimE Is iT? Ok, nOW i aM GoiNG to STop.

ONe qUIck QueSTioN: DoeS AnyBOdy LIke K.F.c?

(lol, my spell check says that about 99% of these words are incorrect.)

Don't Sit Down

2008-04-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone in our house knows that my cat Jake doesn't like Spadoodles. He is totally annoyed by her presence and often stalks her like prey. One time when Spadoodles was relaxing on the couch, Jake walked behind her head, and while passing behind, he attacked her head, bit it and moved on.

The other night Spadoodles was, as usual, pestering the cat. Jake has become very social in the last year or so and has taken to sitting on people whenever they are on the couch. He was sitting on Daddy Gs lap and begging for attention by rubbing his face on Daddy Gs hand.

Dad and Spadoodles were joking around as usual and Daddy told her not to sit down on the couch. Well, Spadoodles being Spadoodles, she danced her way over to the couch and pretended to sit down. Although, she didn't get very far. Jake decided to take the side of my dad and whomp her.

Spadoodles didn't really care for the "kitty spank" and became rather annoyed. They ended up having a "batting fight" which is where Jake who has no claws and Spadoodles gently "bat" at each other. (normally Jake hits pretty hard while Spadoodles just kind of bats the air) FYI, Jake normally wins, and this time was no exception. In a moment, Spadoodles ran and screamed to the other side of the room while Jake continued to sit calmly on "his" spot on the couch.

After a few more failed attempts at sitting next to my dad, Spadoodles retreated to the loveseat but continued to eye the other sofa in envy. While this whole escapade is happening, my dad and I are laughing uncontrollably. Hopefully the thought of Spadoodles getting beat up by a cat makes you laugh in an amused sort of way. :)

And just so you know, Spadoodles did eventually get the spot on the couch, but she had to wait until Jake got tired of guarding the sofa...

Thanks Mommy G

2008-04-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know what day this is.

TODAY IS MOMMY G'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all know Mommy G. She is the one to give us advice when we need it. She gives us hugs. AND she makes AWESOME brownies!!!

As many of you know, Mommy G is very close to the authors of this blog....*GASP* I met Mommy G almost 16 years ago. She hasn't stopped loving me ever since. I may be difficult to work with at times, but she is continually forgiving and understanding. She has always been there for me when I need it the most. She is my school teacher and always wants me to be the best I can be. Words can't describe how much she means to me. Thanks Mommy G for everything. I love you so much!! Happy Birthday!

Please leave a birthday note for Mommy G in the comment section to show how much she is appreciated =)

The Dragon Part 2

2008-03-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

The Dragon worked tirelessly day in and day out to restore the stone. He carefully polished and buffed out many of the deep and painful scars. But the gem still have not been returned to it's glory. The knight also worked day in and day out to prepare himself to face the terrible dragon in battle over the heart he so desired.

The knight however had been wounded in a previous battle that had left permanent damage in his armor. A small but none the less noticeable puncture hole in the chest plate of his armor could be clearly seen by the dragon. The puncture had not been fixed in the knight's armor after the deadly encounter.

The knight went every day to sit by the mouth of the dragons cave in order to know and understand the jewel. He was not allowed to venture too close however, because the dragon had become very cautious.

The knight sat by the mouth of the cave and waited and waited for what he thought seemed like an eternity always watching and wanting to catch a glimpse of sparkle thrown off by the gleaming gem. He came to know the way the jewel would shine in different lights and moods. He came to understand just how to make it shine by holding it just the right way in the sunshine.
But the knight himself never came close to holding the jewel. He was forced to learn by watching the dragon.

Every day when the knight would come to sit by the cave entrance, he would gradually move farther into the cave. Soon over the course of a few weeks he had moved in past the door, and by a few months he was no longer sitting in the light of the doorway. The dragon slowly grew accustomed to the presence of the knight although he still watched him very carefully.

One night the dragon who was very tired after a long day polishing fell fast asleep with the gem next to him. The knight leaned in to look closely at the beautiful stone, and stared for a long time into the center of the rock. He believed the precious stone to be of great worth and value and gently whispered to the beautiful jewel beautiful things.

The dragon awoke, but did not make a sound. The dragon had promised himself to never let another thing happen to his precious jewel. And he vowed that no man would look at the stone for a long amount of time no matter how clear the stone had become or how sincere the knight was.

The knight having stared into the glassy eyes of the gem for many hours was terrified when the dragon rose from his place by the stone and chased him out of the cave. The dragon clutched the precious stone to his heart and locked it away in a tower for three years to guard it from all knights...

The knight was heartbroken that he had to be removed for such a long time. He longed to look and watch the gem, but the sparkle was hidden from all the world while tucked away in the tower. The knight was forced to remain on the ground and wait until the dragon granted permission for him to enter the tower...