Movie Review: From Here to Eternity

This latest movie "feels" better than earlier ones, but is still kind of a joke. I felt empathy for the main character. However, I didn't have any interest in the other characters. They were all drunks and adulterers, doing those things the whole movie.

It is a movie about an army unit in Hawaii right around the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. The main character has a previous reputation as a good boxer, and most of the movie is about him getting "the treatment" for not wanting to box. If he were to box, he would supposedly make the unit look good, and get everyone some vacation. Meanwhile, a sergeant is having an affair with his captain's wife.

Him and his buddy find love interests. His buddy dies due to some corporal punishment from a guy who didn't like him. Then the main character kills the guy who killed his friend, and becomes AWOL. Then Pearl Harbor attack happens and the main character dies from friendly fire, because he is apparently an idiot and doesn't halt when ordered to.

This movie also has what people call Frank Sinatra's "career-defining role".

Also features an unfortunate return to Black and White.

Oscar Best Picture 1953

CCC Modern Worship Service in Gym

Our church has moved our worship service to the junior-sized gymnasium.

This post may be awkward, because there really are some negative things about this. I cannot ignore the negative side; I really have to express my true feelings about it. Therefore, I will probably not broadcast this post to my co-leaders in the worship service. However, there are many positives as well.

The main negative is that we are $7 million in debt, mainly to build a beautiful sanctuary. The church leaders now admit that this was an error. The sanctuary is too small for the $$$, and it has sound reverberation problems. (It was a great place to get married, though!)

Even with this huge financial investment, about 150 people weekly initially worshipped in the youth room. It was a lot of fun, but it doesn't make sense to have a brand new building, and to take over the room that was made just for youth. I actually enjoy worshipping in the gymnasium now, and I think it will be a real blessing to the community. However, the fact will always be apparent that we are worshipping in an unnatural location in a brand new building that we designed. This is because our worship style differences were not resolved before we planned the new building.

But, that being said, our worship service leaders did an incredible job of purchasing equipment, and creating a nice look-and-feel for the gym. We also have incredible volunteers that set up and tear down each week. We also had a generous anonymous donation that made it all possible. Don't get me wrong on my previous sentiments. The move to the gym was a good one, and it will work out.

I played keyboard on the opening week, guitar the 2nd week, and bass the 3rd week, and last week I was in the seats. We have an incredible in-ear monitor system that I love.

*God has been blessing our church, and we are thankful.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2007

We kept busy this past weekend. I had rented two movies in anticipation of having tons of free time, but we used it all on social time, sleep, and home projects! We didn't watch any movies

It started out with a time with the Tim and Janice family. I had many cousins there and 2nd cousins, including a 3.5 week baby. Baby below with parents.

Then after the wonderful food, we had a music and sharing time. (Courtney is thankful for me. yess!) I'm thankful for her, and for my enormous extended family who live everywhere. We played some Rummikub. Then I practiced some songs at the piano with Aunt Janice for Elissa's wedding. Courtney played a game named Set.

Then we headed to their neighbor's house, where Ben's girlfriend was housesitting. (By very strange coincidence, they are great friends with their next door neighbors). We watched the KSU basketball game on TV, along with Ben's new dogs, who had bad gas from gorging themselves on the cat food stash.

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Friday, we spent a couple of hours raking and bagging leaves. Courtney cleaned out the gutters. Then we went to Nate and Ann's house just to hang out and make sugar cookies. Second cousin Elizabeth was awake for the first part.



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Saturday, Dad came over, and we measured and cut the bathroom baseboards for a couple of hours. Then Courtney and I headed to the Bade's for Thanksgiving dinner. It was excellent, and we watched part of the KU-MU game, which I thought was very boring, and didn't live up to the hype.


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Sunday we headed to Union Station and saw a Christmas tree auction, and a really tall fake Christmas tree, with a train for kids around it.

Book Review: The Cat Who Wasn't There

One of the most boring books of the series. Qwilleran took a tour of Scotland with many Moose County residents, and one of them died during the trip. It was called the Bonnie Scots tour, but we liked to call it the BS Tour.

Anyway, Courtney did make an excellent correct guess at the identity of the "Goodwinter Prowler". Anyway, not much more to say about it. It was kind of interesting involving a former love interest of Qwilleran.

Book Review: How to Settle An Estate

Probably the most dry non-fiction book I've read this year. I read it more out of necessity. I will most likely someday be required to be an executor. I read this book to give myself an introduction. I'm honestly intimidated by the whole idea. There is a ton of work to do. And it really goes on a long time before beneficiaries can get their inheritance. The most important thing is to avoid taxes. It is also important to keep very detailed records, because an executor is accountable to the courts and to the beneficiaries.

Maybe every few years I will read an updated book on the subject. Tax laws continually change for the better. I would love it if death tax did not exist. There doesn't seem to be anything more disrespectful to citizens.

K-State game continued

I also want to mention that this is the 3rd sports event (college or better) I've attended with my wife, since being married. We have been to 2 Royals games previously.

Also, I got to see my grandparents briefly in Manhattan. It was raking day, and they had a lot of Chinese students helping them.

Movie Review: Amazing Grace

Courtney and I rented Amazing Grace, the store of Willam Wilberforce and his quest to end the slave trade in England.

I thought it had good acting, good art, and a good story. We learned about the slave trade along with Wilber. With support from his pastor, John Newton, and several other friends, he fought to end the slave trade. It met opposition, due to several politicians with financial interests in slavery. It was delayed further due to the war with France.

Then Wilberforce was able to sneak a law in, that would technically end 80% of the slave trade. Then 2 years later, with not really any explanation of why, his final bill had overwhelming support, and the slave trade ended in England. That is my only criticism of the movie. It didn't explain that change of support.

Wilberforce almost gave up after 15 years, but then met his future wife, who encouraged him to keep fighting. He was very sick, and took opium for a long time. He died 3 days after the final bill was passed.

I almost forgot to mention that the movie ties into my blog name - I once was lost, but now am found.

KSU Football Game in Manhattan

It was a beautiful day, and Courtney, Dad, and I went to Manhattan along with Dad's game buddy Mark

May I repeat, it was a beatiful day. We brought jackets to weather the predicted 55-65 degrees, but it ended up being around 70 the entire day. I just left mine in the car.



The Wildcats were expected to be beaten, and they kept the crowd interested by being within 2 touchdowns most of the game. But they really didn't bring their A game, with 3 fumbles and 1 interception on the 3rd play of the game, and at least 1 dropped pass, and 2 missed extra points, and 2 red zone trips with no touchdown. I thought the coaching was too conservative. With 4th and 1 on the 1, in an unlikely victory, they decided to kick a field goal.

The field officials also did not do much to prove their competence, indicating a fumble, and then changing their minds, and not explaining it.

It was my first trip to Bill Snyder Family Stadium since 2002. And my first football game of any kind since Sat, Nov 6, 2004, when I saw K-State at Missouri.

Guys and Dolls at SMNW

Courtney and I had the priviledge of going to SMNW to see Guys and Dolls. It was special, because I also performed in Guys and Dolls in Fall of 1997. We really enjoyed it. the part of Adelaide was played really well.

It all made me want to dig into boxes at my parents and find my old Guys and Dolls program from 1997, so that I can remember exactly who played what part. Strangely, I think that I played the MC (just a few lines), but I'm not sure.

Book Review: Movers & Shakers, Deaf People Who Changed the World

Due to our recent interest in deaf culture, I decided to look in the library. They don't really have much on the subject, but this was a good small book. It was written, illustrated, and published by deaf people.

This book shares the story of 26 deaf people who made a huge difference in the world.

It included stories of people I did not previously realize were deaf, such as James "Deaf" Burke and Erastus "Deaf" Smith.

No, just kidding, the people I'm really referring to are Thomas Edison, and Daisy Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts in America.

It was educational about how deaf people really made a difference in the world.

Restaurant Review: Ted's Montana Grill

Sometimes referenced as "Buffalo Ted's", we have one of these near the Kansas Speedway. I had always wanted to go, and since we spent the night at Hollis Renewal Center, it provided a great opportunity to go.

The setting was nice. The waiter first bragged about how they didn't use microwaves or freezers (except for ice cream).

I also wanted to take advantage of their Gluten-Free menu. Unfortunately, most of the things on the GF Menu were steaks, and more than I wanted to pay.

I ordered a Buffalo Burger without a bun. They actually accidentally put it on a bun, so they re-made the whole thing. It was actaully not that great. It was better when I microwaved it the next day. Made they should have microwaves there.

My salad also came late, and I ended up getting that for free. The fries were good. Overall, it was not that great. Go with something else.

Hollis Renewal Center

I spent a day at the Hollis Renewal Center, a Lutheran Run place out by the Speedway. Courtney and I won a gift certificate at a silent auction, and it expired in Oct 2007, so I figured Oct 31 was the best day to go.

The highlight was finding a baby mouse indoors. At first it was really gross, but then we realized it was still alive, and it was very cute. I put it outside, and found an ideal location for it, but unfortunately, it could not survive the day.

Best of October

Best Movie That I Saw for the First Time: The Greatest Show on Earth
Best New-To-Me Restaurant: Ted's Montana Grill (review forthcoming)
Best Life Happening: tie between Debt-free BBQ and Elton John at Sprint Center
Best Book I Read: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

State #2: NC

It's official. We've bought the plane tickets to go to North Carolina on Dec 28. We'll have the Carolinas covered on our first two big married trips to different States.

I'm an usher for my buddy BJ's wedding. Then we're hanging out with the Taussig Clan in Winston-Salem. Then they're giving us a ride to Knoxville, where I'm singing for Elissa and Martyn's wedding. Then hopefully we'll be getting some transportation back home.

Sorry about the lack of blogging. Partly due to being busy, and partly due to sharing 1 computer with my wife. We're in the market for a laptop.....

1 Thing I Love about Blogging

One thing I love about blogging is the comments I get from completely random people. I recently got this one below. No doubt this is a Southern person who is used to vinegar and mustard BBQ, and is shocked at my lack of understanding about it. But I definitely like KC-style BBQ better.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Restaurant Review: Shealy's Barbeque":

Truely you are an ignorant person when it comes to Bar B Que.

my ongoing engagement list

I've had a few friends and relatives get engaged recently. Here are their wedding days:

Jill and Blake - June 15
John and Brianna - May 2008
Dana and Marc - February
Rebecca and Eric - January 26
Matt and Kathleen - January 5 (Sophie's birthday)
Elissa and Martyn - January 4 (Courtney and Dad's birthday)
BJ and Natosha - December 29
David and Holly - December 15
Christian and Lindsey - October 28, 2007

Movie Review: The Greatest Show on Earth

This 1952 Best Picture winner was one of the better ones for sure. It was in color which was a huge plus. It featured real footage of circus acts that were amazing. It included elephants, dogs riding on horses, little people, clowns, acrobats, and amazing costumes.

The plot was good except for the love triangle, or square. I really didn't care if any of the characters ended up with each other. Actually the only character I really felt empathy for was Buttons the clown, played by James Stewart. That character had the added twist of being wanted for murder, hence why we wore makeup all of the time.

This movie also features Charlton Heston in one of his first ever movies, actually considered to be his breakthrough movie. I also read trivia that this was the first movie Steven Spielberg saw when he was 4 years old.

Book Review: Practicing His Presence

Courtney gave this to me to read I think when we were dating. I have a big box of books that I have to read from various people. So that is why some of the books I read are so random.

It honestly did not make much of an impact on me. And I was doubtful that the lifestyle exhibited in the book was really what I endorsed.

In a basic summary, this book contained writings from two men; Frank Laubach (1884-1970) and Brother Lawrence (1611-1692). The basic idea of their writings is that people should think about God every waking moment, and also focus all of our energies on loving him.

I have been in a presence of mind in the past where my mind is totally focused on some spiritual ideal, and it really wasn't my favorite time of life. I can see through these mens' writings that they have focused themselves totally on this ideal. It may have been good for them, but not for me. I would rather think about God at certain times throughout my day. But I will not ask Him to help me click my mouse to His Glory, or strange things like that.

Nevertheless, it is good to keep an open mind, and to hear others' perspectives on things. And through the extremity of others, there is usually some moderate application to one's own life.

Book Review: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Masterful. Inspiring. Thought-provoking.

I think I will read this book once every year, because I'm sure I will get a little something different out of it at different stages of my life.

At this stage of my life, the most helpful part was about how to listen and relate to others. There are certain things about this that I'm good at, and some that I'm horrible at, so the tips in here were helpful. So the second half of the book was much more interesting to me than the first half, which was about personal initiative and organization.

The best thing about this book is the personal message to my Grandmother in the front cover:

To Mother
Now you don't have to get
it from the library.

From: Andrew + Sylvia

Also, I'd like to thank the St. Louis trip and Matt for driving there, for giving me time to finish a big chunk of this!

St Louis trip slideshow