Memo: Concerning Hot Pockets

To: The Oceanic 6
Date: 22 January, 2009
From: Oceanic Airlines
RE: Projectile Hot Pockets


In response to recent events we feel it necessary to make the following request: Please refrain from throwing Hot Pockets at Benjamin Linus. This is an inappropriate response in all but the most dire of circumstances.

We understand that Mr. Linus is indeed one creepy son of a bitch, prone to show up unannounced at decidedly inopportune times. However, as many of you are aware, once prepared in a common household microwave, Hot Pocket filling has the ability to main, scar and in some cases has been known to melt steel. When transformed into a projectile weapon, these moderately tasty pastry-like pouches produce a destructive power which would be considered overkill for even a weasel like Mr. Linus. Furthermore, should your aim be less than true, the scalding, greasy filling would produce a pepperoni and cheese filled mess to challenge the most skilled custodial technician.

Again, we understand the sometimes supernatural desire to inflict harm upon Mr. Linus; we just ask that you exhaust all other options before resorting to ballistic microwave sandwich pastries. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

A Thought Ponderable

So, at 31, I find I am finally enjoying school. All those years of going through the motions and I finally have a passion to absorb what the good folks at Cornerstone decide to place in front of me.

Well, this week they have chosen to place in front of me a book that has jarred me awake. The class is "Christian Foundations in Business" and the book is "Your Work Matters to God" by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks.


I've just finished the first chapter and it posited a question that made me sit up an take immediate notice:

If we spend most of our time (40%-75% by some studies) at work, why doesn't the church ever spend any time talking about it?

Sherman and Hendricks polled over 2000 church members and found that over 90% polled had never, repeat NEVER, heard a sermon or been a part of other church related learning involving biblical principles and everyday work issues.

It seems, to some extent, like we've turned "Christianity" into some grand mission, to be completed "out there". Sermons are geared towards how we need to get out, do more, about how we can use our time to spread God's Love. Granted, these are important aspects of what God calls us to do, but if we only focus on the big stuff, we miss the enormity of the everyday.

Most of our lives will be spent doing our jobs and most of us will have jobs that have little or nothing to do with the church. Does this mean that what we do means nothing to God? Of course not, but this area where a large chunk of our lives unfold is looked at almost as an afterthought.

The more I read the more I felt a light being shined on my struggles in my relationship with God. I'll admit I have not been very committed to my walk lately. I've felt just flat out complacent and unmotivated. Now I think I have an idea why: I've compartmentalized my faith into something to be practiced outside of the things I do everyday. God wants us to focus on Him in EVERYTHING we do. I reflect Him in all that I do; the difficult calls to deny a customer's claim, the accuracy with which I write my estimates, even the way I handle other commuters on the way to work.

So here's hoping I can focus God's work through me while inside that little cubicle this week. I don't need to find some grand calling to follow Him. He puts opportunities in front of me every day.

It was only one chapter, about 15 pages but they jumped out at me like a spiritual pop up book. I've got a few hundred more pages to get through over the next few weeks but these first few pages really got inside me and I wanted to get my thoughts out. Thanks for listening.

I'm sorry.

OK, so its been two months since I've stopped by. It seems the combination of hurricanes, homework, holidays and baby planning (I couldn't find a phrase that started with "H") have adversely affected my resolve to blog regularly.

Things are good here at casa de Wade. Jenny's tummy keeps on growing. It's freaking amazing that there is a little person growing inside my wife. Apparently our little girl has already started her kung-fu training in the womb and she likes to kick Jenny's bladder for fun.

Not much else going on right now, just lots of homework. I'll try to be a little better about throwing some thoughts out here in case anyone cares to take a look.

In the mean time, here's a tasty video to tide you over.


Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Family Matters

So we just got back from Georgia. We surprised my grandfather on Saturday for his 80th birthday. It was the first time since Jenny and I got married that the entire family was together. We got to eat a lot of great food, including all of the fast food hotspots (Chick-Fil-A, Krystal, Waffle House, and Varsity hot dogs).

The best part of the weekend though was the video I put together for the birthday party. Nana and Granddaddy really loved it, they even had a little cry that was really sweet. I thought I'd share it with everyone. Plus, for those who haven't heard yet, you can partake in the surprise we gave to the family.

Gators Wear Jean Shorts!

Go Dawgs!!!!

Hurricane Ike Strikes Again!

So how's everyone this week? Hopefully doing well.

Things have been crazy busy for me lately. This hurricane season is probably the busiest for us in the 9 years I've been at my current job, plus I've thrown school in on top of it. I had the pleasure of writing a paper on the Federal Reserve this week. Joy! But I wanted to drop a line out and say hello, you know, since our government is about to incur another $700 billion in debt which of course will actually wind up being more like $2 trillion by the time they actually get it completed. I fully expect to see Mad Max patrolling the highways by this time next year, keeping the few of us who are left safe from marauders on the prowl for the last barrels of gasoline. Not that I'm skeptical, I just don't trust politicians to do anything remotely sensible.

So anyway, to offset the doom and gloom of the previous paragraph, I give you a song by the always great Flight of the Concords. I'm sure Jenny will tell you that I am totally this guy.

Saying Goodbye

I've been waiting to post this until I got my laptop back so I could post the picture with it.

As some of you know we had to say goodbye to Dexter on Sunday. That was by far the hardest thing I have had to do in my life. We only had him for about a month but he fit right in to our little family. I have always said that dogs were an Earthbound illustration of God's unconditional love for us and this little guy proved my point even more. He came from a crappy family situation where he was locked up in a cage all the time but he was just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Yeah, he chewed up the couch, yeah he woke us up in the middle of the night, yeah he drove Emmet bonkers but we all loved him and he loved us right back.

Damn, I'm getting a bit choked up writing this but I guess I'm just a sucker for a good dog.

I'll miss you buddy.

Funny, Inappropriate Video of the Week

The Second Coming of Herschel

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you your 2008 Heisman Trophy Winner.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

2:42 pm - Well that didn't last long. At least this means OSU is still on track to get destroyed by 30+ points in the National Championship game again.

So it seems like the sale is winding down. This will be my last post for the day. We're heading out for dinner and a double feature at the drive in theater.

So long.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

2:08 pm - Ohio 14 Ohio State 6 4:42 left in the 3rd Quarter.

This warrants further attention.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

1:01 pm - Wow, people sure love junk. It amazes me what other people find valuable. We just sold a 30 year old vacuum cleaner for $5. It's one of those really heavy, really old vacuums that comes in a big chest to store all the parts. A couple of college girls bought it and you would have thought it was the greatest thing they ever saw. Just this morning Jenny was ranting about what a piece of crap it was and here are two people that thought it was awesome. (Rie, it was just like when you and Jenny found the dinosaur).

I don't get people. But I'll take their money.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

12:12 pm - We're on fire now. Apparently everyone decided that noon is the best time to buy other people's junk.

The best part so far, we have 3 large buckets of toys that we're selling for $1 per bag. Kids are stuffing grocery bags to the brim and getting completely worked up about the smorgasbord of toys. Lots of smiles around here!

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

1 hour down. We've made $1.

I just wet myself.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

10:30 am - Jenny keeps making fun of my setup out here in the garage. I've got my laptop for entertainment (I'm expecting a lot of sitting around and plenty of nothing-doing), I've got a notebook for keeping track of sales, a calculator because I suck at math and my coffee. I don't see what's so funny about this but Jenny thinks it's hilarious. I figured I would leave it to my readers (both of you) to decide exactly how humorous this is. Comment away.

Dwight's Birthday - A Running Diary

10:05 am - So I'm 31. How am I celebrating you ask? By sitting in my garage and selling stuff to people.


That's right, a garage sale! How do you celebrate your birthdays? I'll make a few posts to keep you all updated on the monotony.

Howdy!

Hello everyone. Just wanted to check in. Things have been busy and they don't seem to be calming down anytime soon.

Jenny and I have been enjoying a restful weekend, had a few nice dinners out and we're getting ready for a garage sale next weekend. It's the first weekend in a while we haven't had something planned.

So I started school a couple of weeks ago. I'm exited to finally get this damn degree finished. Just 18 more months to go? Keep my sanity in your prayers!

On the subject of prayer requests, please keep the prayers going this week for everyone involved with Hurricane Gutav. It's obviously going to affect a lot of people in the gulf coast still cleaning up from Katrina but it also affects us lucky few in the insurance industry. There will be many hours of overtime in the coming month or two and when combined with my classes I forsee some tired evenings and long weekends in my future.

Thankfully it seems like people got the message two years ago and are getting out of Louisiana. Hopefully we can do a better job of taking care of everyone this time.

Well, that's it for now. I'll check in when I can. Till next time.

Ike.

Join The Dwight Army of Champions

Thanks Skip

My little brother already took care of the memorial info for Mr. Caray on the day of his passing so i figured I would wait until the day of his memorial to pay my tribute.

Baseball lost treasure last week. The son of legendary announcer Harry Caray,
Skip was mostly unrecognized across the country. He started calling Braves games the year before I was born. His voice was heard by millions across the country on TBS but few outside Atlanta really appreciated it. I firmly believe Skip Caray was one of the most undervalued announcers in the game. Yes I am biased but I still believe that Mr. Caray was the best announcer that never got any attention. The only time I ever heard anyone ever say anything about him outside Atlanta it was to make fun of his style. Yet he was the voice of 14 years of Braves excellence and he is THE voice of baseball for me.

I grew up during the worst years of the Braves existence. Bob Horner, Pasqaul "I-285" Perez (ask me about that nickname and I'll tell you a great story), worst record in baseball, these were just some of the things we lived through back then.

Then in 1991 it all changed. Glavine, Smoltzie, Ronnie Gant and the gang started winning. They lost what may well have been one of the best World Series ever, but they rejuvenated a fan base. Skip was there to give me the play by play on my radio. Then dad cable and I got to enjoy his sarcastic whit along with all the games I could handle.

The Dodgers have Vern Scully, the Tigers have Ernie Harwell. I'll take Skip Caray every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I grew up with "Braves Win, Braves Win!" Who could ask for more?

Thanks Skip. I don't know if baseball will ever be the same. At least not for me.

Why Dwight Loves the Olympics

“The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.” - Alain Bernard; anchor leg for the French 4x100 relay


Results of the Mens 4x100 Relay:

1. United States 3:08.24 (WR)

2. France 3:08.32


Previous World Record 3:12.46


This is probably bad of me but I freakin love it when we beat the French.

12 more days. Bring it on!