contrast

the exterior shell only masks what's hidden inside: the contrasting blend of two parts, wholly separate personalities, firmly planted at two opposite ends of the spectrum. This blend of opposites creates a tense compromise of two worlds, one representing the lighter, gentler part of life, with a sweetness that can only be described as mildly satisfying. The polar opposite, firmly pressed against it's lighter counterpart, represents a darker, more morose side of life, thickened in consistency by the labor of human life and carrying a burdensome, some would even say, saltier feel, much like the avenue of life it embodies. The bonding of these two sides creates a subtle and fragile peace, with a scale that is easily tipped, either one way or the other, by a slight change of either factor. Each part has it's own benefits, and it's own drawbacks. When synchronized, the sweet and salty halves create a harmonizing taste that is uniquely desirable, and fondly pursued. I'm not quite certain what makes this unique combination so tantilizing, but man, I love pbj.

tinkering with the washer

I just got my new washer!

Before we go any further, I must point out that it’s been 14 years since my family last purchased a washer. Needless to say, washer technology has vastly improved since then (apparently you don’t even load the clothes from the top anymore). Since the sellers took their washer/dryer with them, I had to get another one if I ever wanted to do anything crazy like wash my clothes. The nice washer guy even came out to install it and explain the intricacies of laundry.

Ten minutes and a few whacks later and the washer was in place. Turns out it’s a completely different system and interface than the one I’m used to using. Apparently it offers much more advantages than simply getting your clothes clean, but I couldn’t recall what they were. Maybe it’s also a toaster. I don’t know. The washer guy didn’t either.

In any case he showed me how to use the washer. My old system was too complicated (he tells me). You had one knob to turn, and when you pull on it the washer goes. But the new and IMPROVED washer no longer features the one knob system. This comes with a much easier-to-use control panel, featuring more cranks and buttons than a 747.

If you want the wash cycle to go, you must first push the power button (which inexplicably is step 9), then set the cycle, temp, spin speed, soil level, and volume of sound the beeper makes, all IN THAT ORDER. Be careful. If you push the cycle setting twice it’ll power off the washer, which would hinder you from getting your clothes washed. If you push either the temp or spin button before the cycle setting your garage door opens.

Also be aware that you have only three minutes to whiz through the 15 settings and the multiple choice test at the end. After that the washer will shut off due to “inactivity”. Once you’ve set the wash, push the start/pause button. Be aware that pushing it more than once will mess with your TiVO. Now you can sit back and relax as your clothes go through the wash.

With me so far?

Good, because I haven’t gotten to the part about the new and improved dryer yet. Stay tuned.

camping out...

Ok...so apparently there's a new movie out called new moon. Let's just gloss over the obvious question of "why the heck is everyone so freakin obsessed with this movie?" and move straight onto the second question: "Why camp out for a movie?" This isn't a musical or a play where every performance has something different and the first showing will likely have all the leads and the actors will have brought their "A" game. It's a MOVIE. It stays the same. It's not like, if you don't watch it on the first day the actors will change and you'll find that next week the main role will be played by Ben Stein.

Don't give me the "it's for the theater experience" crap either. Really? You can have the same theater experience the next week when you aren't stuck in line with the 200 other crazies that HAVE to see the movie on the first day. Also, what if the movie's a disappointment? I can tell you most of the people who lined up for the new starwars movies probably wished they had saved their $10.95 for something marginally more useful, like a shamwow or something.

I really can't think of any good reason to go line up and pack yourselves into a full theater to watch a movie at midnight on the day that it opens. If any of you have a GOOD reason...please let me know.

farmer's market

There’s something about Wednesdays that just brightens my day. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s hump day (midpoint of the week), or perhaps it’s because it’s Alejandros day (Mexican place by work), but I’m almost willing to bet that it’s cuz of farmers market! There’s just something special about farmer’s market that will just make the day better. I like the fact that I can take a break from work, walk out of the lobby and into the mayhem that’s downtown Sac; however, the minute I jaywalk across 9th St (unless you’re a cop, in which case I’d saunter over to the crosswalk and wait my turn to walk, not run, in a leisurely pace across the street) I’ll have stepped into a whole different world. Between the fresh smell of flowers over by the Caesar Chavez statue and the overwhelming array of colors at the fruitstand by the fountain, the experience of the market hits all senses at the same time. There’s a sweet aroma of nectarines as you walk by the first stand, crowded by people picking out white and yellow nectarines, vying and tussling for the attention of the busy fruit peddler. As you keep walking you encounter the vegetables table, with an assortment of greens and reds, zucchinis and tomatoes. The entire time, the smell of kettle corn fills the air, but you can always buy a bag as you head out. It’s not all fruits and vegetables at the market, as the cheese, juice and nut guys all hawk their product to folks walking by the stands. By now my hands are full of bags of peaches, grapes and occasionally some bok choy, but I still swing by the nut guy to pick up some garlic almonds. As I head back across 9th St, I glance back at the world I’m leaving. There’s nothing like getting away from work for a good twenty minutes of locavorism and relaxation. In a week filled with spreadsheets and meetings, it’s definitely been a welcome break. Until next week, there will be other things to keep me entertained, but there’s nothing like the welcome break of a Wednesday farmers market.

stumbling blocks

here's something for ya'll to think about:

"The Day America Told the Truth" – "What are you willing to do for $10,000,000?"
25% - Abandon their entire family
25% - Abandon their church
23% - Become a prostitute for a week
16% - Give up US citizenship
10% - Withhold testimony and let a murderer go free
7% - Kill a stranger

Materialism is definitely a major stumbling block for Christians. Now…I’m not saying that it wasn’t a problem before, as Christ and the early Church dealt with such issues frequently, but that the magnitude of the problem is worsening, especially at a time and age where everything is instant and cable channels broadcast 24 hrs a day to feed the voyeuristic gluttony of a society hooked on bad soap operas and the home shopping network. Our society has come to a point where our successes aren’t measured by contributions to society or strong moral principles, but rather by low much money you have, how big a home you live in, how big your stock portfolio is, or how fancy a car you drive. Many people today (including Christians) measure themselves according to this standard.

I myself admit (shamefully) to sometimes measuring myself according to these standards, losing sight of what is really important. I think sometimes I allow certain things like gadgets, a good job, and other worldly measures of success to separate me from God. I’m not saying things like toys and job security are bad, but allowing these things to get in the way of my faith is obviously not healthy. I’ve vowed to not let material things get priority over God, but the temptations are still there. Every once in a while I find myself thinking that I need a better car, a faster computer, a nicer watch, or a cleaner place. These thoughts may be justified or reasonable, but when I ask God for it instead of praising him for the things he’s already given me, or when I forget to do devotions because I’ve been thinking about these things, they become a distraction from God.

I’ve noticed that many Christians are struggling with the same problems I am. We act nicely towards each other in church but subconsciously (and sometimes consciously) we compete with each other for the best house, or the best car, sometimes even the best answers during bible study. We let these material things dictate our social groups, sometimes judging others by how they measure up based on these trivialities. Sometimes we use these material things in order to make others feel inferior, rather than using such materials to build each other up in Christ.
My point for putting you guys through this horrendously long statement is so that we can all be more aware of this problem and perhaps if you’re dealing with this same issue, we can hopefully pray for each other and overcome this hurdle together.

Alright…now that you’ve heard my opinion, what do you think about the subject?

50 beans | weightless coffee?

Pretty cool video on how astronauts drink coffee in space:

relishing in pain

What the heck is wrong with people? Do you notice that sometimes people take pleasure in the misfortune of others? Are people hard-wired this way? Is it something that we're brought up with?

I know this sounds awfully cynical, but think about it. Remember when you were a kid, watching cartoons and all that stuff? Think back...Yogi Bear, Coyote and Roadrunner, Sylvester and Speedy Gonzales...the funniest moments where when Yogi failed to get a basket, or coyote blew himself up or fell off a cliff, or when Sylvester gets smoked trying to chase Speedy.

Even on TV these days, we see that the funniest plotlines are when the main character is failing miserably or about to fail. Take Frasier for example. In that show, for seven seasons Niles has been madly in love with Daphne, but has seen missed-opportunities and epic failures come in the way of asking her out. In Cheers, the recurring Bar Wars between Cheers and Gary's Old Towne Tavern has Cheers losing or screwing themselves up each time. Why is that?

Frustration is funnier than victory. It wouldn't be funny if Yogi got the basket right off the bat, or if Coyote and Sylvester ate their respective counterparts. The entertainment is built upon their knack for failure and ensuing frustration. Is that twisted that we find this funny? I supposed now that we've somewhat established that people are kinda screwed up, is it something we can change? I'm definitely not saying I have the solution, I'm just posing the question. Please let me know what you think.