Fortune Cookie

Recently, I ate at a Panda Express for dinner. The food was good and I ended the meal with the traditional fortune cookie. What I read on the fortune cracked me up.

My fortune cookie read, and I quote:

Every person is the architect of his own future.
Lucky Numbers: 32 14 44 2 38 7

Excuse me? You've got to be kidding me right? I'm the architect of my own future????? Then what in world do I need "Lucky Numbers" for?????? LOLBBQ!

I thought it was so funny, I took a picture of it. (Sorry for the poor quality)

I guess the Chinese ancients were lottery players?

Snow Forts

When you're a kid, you can dream up the most incredible plans for a snow fort. The reality, though, is that you very rarely can execute the plan. Yes, you can tunnel and build. And in the end, you can be proud of the result. But I have to tell you something: there is nothing like being a full grown adult and building a snow fort!

And that's just what Tyler and I did last night.

Before I get too deep in to the details of last night, I must provide some background into why I take my snow forting so seriously.

It all started the moment I saw Empire Strikes Back. The opening of that movie has our heroes on the artic planet of Hoth. The Rebel forces have devised an intricate labyrinth of ice and snow. Outside are a series of snow trenches that provide cover for the dug in Rebel forces. It was the snow fort par excellence.

Fast forward to 1993. I am a senior in highschool. A buddy and I are bored and driving around town. I see a large pile of snow in a parking lot and suggest we go make a fort. We climbed up to the top of the pile and started digging away with our gloved hands. No good. We're seniors, we can do better than this. So off to our garages to get some tools.

Back at the site, we continue digging straight down through this pile of snow. Eventually, it gets too deep to throw the snow out of the hole, so one of us stands halfway in the hole while the other one digs at the bottom and hands shovels of snow up. We finally bottom out, the completed shaft is somewhere between 10-12 feet deep.

Now we start to hollow out the pile and create a "room" We decided to leave a pillar of snow in the middle as a support, but in the end, we had a nice room that you could walk around the pillar. We even carved out little nooks in the side walls and put votive candles in them. (We didn't even know that that's what they were called)

Other guys showed up to see what we were doing and we planned to sleep in the fort that night. We had 5 guys down in there all able to stand and talk around the pillar.

But our plans were dashed. Because we hadn't been careful when we started digging the main shaft, we had tossed large chunks of snow out onto the sidewalk and parking lot. That drew the attention of some people and in the end, law enforcement shut us down. The officer requested that we destroy our fort, and for good reason: there was an elementary school nearby and if one of those kids found the fort, they may not be able to get out. And if the thing caved....lights out.

So, we destroyed our fort.

*moment of silence*

*wipes minute tear and clears throat*

Anyway, fast forward to last night. I want to make a snow fort and Tyler can come along for the ride. I survey the landscape, no large piles to work with in our front yard. This will have to be a classic snow brick construction. Out with the rubbermaid tub. I get to work with Tyler right there beside me. Eventually we have a good base for the wall that will face our adversary. Some of the neighbor kids show up and see what we're doing, and they join in.

When all was finished, we had a nice fortification. I'll have to get some pictures and post them later...as well as the battle stories that are sure to come.

Today.

Today, I decided to post another invisible text message. I don't know, call me desperate for content. I think it's kind of fun.

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I love to think about life, where I've been, where I am, and where I could possibly be going. Where I've been is easy to see, and I am amazed at the grace that has been granted me. God knows I am undeserving, and yet, here I am.

Where I am is sometimes clouded by the blur of life. Keeping up with work, keeping up with studies, spending family time, working on ministry, annoying my wife. It all blends into a jinormous pot that is the stew of life. But yet, when I stop to think, I can't help but feel enormously blessed. I strive to be where God wants me to be.

Finally, where I am going. Who knows? God does. I can pretty much envision anything for my future. More kids. A different job. Death. Life. Old age. Success. Failure. I can dream of it all. It doesn't scare me. But yet, there is a seriousness to the future. Others' lives depend on the future.

I guess all of this doesn't make too much sense, so I'll close with a final thought. I thank God that I am not the same now as I was in the past. And I pray that who I am now, prepares me for what I will do in the future.

A funny convo...

Last night, I took Caedmon to church. It was just he and I. What follows is the exact conversation we had.

*while backing out of the garage*

Caedmon: Oh, look dad, the moon!

Me: Yep, pretty neat.

Caedmon: Are there aliens on the moon?

Me: Nope, there aren't any aliens on the moon. But you know what? A while ago, there were some people who took a spaceship and landed on the moon.

Caedmon: Why'd they do that, dad? To see the aliens?

Me: No, they landed their spaceship on the moon, got out, and drove around and collected rocks.

Caedmon: But they didn't see the aliens.

Me: No, aliens aren't real.

Caedmon: Aliens aren't real? How do you know.

Me: Well, have you ever seen an alien?

Caedmon: No.

Me: Well, there you go. Aliens aren't real.

*some time passes, Caedmon thinks*

Caedmon: Dad?

Me: Yes?

Caedmon: Are Pop Tarts real?

Me: *supressing a laugh* Well, have you ever seen a Pop Tart?

Caedmon: Yes.

Me: Well there you go. Pop Tarts are real.

Caedmon: Cool. So aliens aren't real but Pop Tarts are real.

*pulling up to the church*

Me: Yep. Aliens aren't real, Pop Tarts are real. Do you remember your verse?

Caedmon: "She gave birth to a son."

Me: Good job. See you later.

Apparently, there is a Pop Tart commercial with aliens and the moon? So, I guess in light of that, the conversation makes perfect sense. To my benefit, I just didn't know that at the time.

It's OVER!!!!!

The saga is over. The process is finished. Acabado. Beendet. Rifinito. 終えられる.
[thank goodness for Google translator]

The xB is now my xB. Titled, registered, and plated. I feel so relieved. It took just over two months to get the title and everything in order.

Tis the season to be...

jol·ly ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jl)
adj. jol·li·er, jol·li·est
1. Full of good humor and high spirits.
2. Exhibiting or occasioning happiness or mirth; cheerful: a jolly tune.
3. Greatly pleasing; enjoyable: had a jolly time.

-------------------------------------------------------
So, what am I going to do this year to be jolly? To show my jolliness? To be Jolly-man Supreme?

I DON'T KNOW QUIT READING MY BLOG AND SHEESH ALREADY IN THE WORLD!!!!1

Just kidding. That was anti-jolly. I think I needed to expunge all anti-jolliness so that I can be filled up to the brim with jolly.

The reason for this post? I don't know...for some reason I thought the word jolly was funny. So it could be said that jolly is a jolly word.

Teh end.