Currently Reading Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading By Eugene H. Peterson see related

"God builds his temple in the heart on the ruins of churches and religions." 
                                                                                                             ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The annexation of Texas looks like one of those events which retard or retrograde the civilization of ages. But the World Spirit is a good swimmer, and storms and waves cannot easily drown him. He snaps his fingers at laws."
                                                                                                             ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I thought the first quote was spot on. I have always loved Emerson. And then I read the next quote, and I laughed out loud in an empty house with a trio of Dogs cocking their heads in my general direction. I don't know what made me laugh so hard....I guess it has something to do with perspective.

15 or so years ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me that I would be spending the rest of my life in Texas. I am from Southern California....and very proud of it. The land of Fruits and Nuts......I've heard it all. It didn't matter. The Southern California lifestyle was mine. Laid back and sunny with stars in the eyes and, on the horizon, a bright future in the Entertainment Industry.
I mean.....I actually had connections.
 Friends in the "biz."

 Somehow I never got caught up in it. Sometimes, often lately it seems, I wish my Mother had been more of a "Stage Mom." The kind of Parent that becomes Joe Jackson to my little Michael. Okay, that might be a bad idea......perhaps she could be the Joe Simpson to my Jessica....damn, that doesn't work either. And by the way, what is it about domineering megalomaniacal puppetmasters named Joe?

I am going off on a tangent here.....pull it in!

Anyway I guess the point I am trying to make is that life happens. And more often than not it happens without your consent and irregardless of your desires. 
I hope and pray that new desires are formed and dreams conjured. The temple that God is building in my heart is created to be in communion with Him and to appreciate the life given to me.  Because this life that I am living.......Is most definitely a gift.

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Go here to see what I am listening to on my way to Waco!!
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Jen tagged me.........

How fun! I've never been tagged before. Here it goes:

~4 Jobs I've Had:
    Truck Packer For RPS (2am-8am) in Waco
    Cabana boy at Horseshoe Bay Resort (flippin' burgers in the Central Texas heat)
    Louis in the King & I (my first paying gig as a 13 year old acting!)
    Line Cook at Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar in Scottsdale.

~4 Little known facts about me:
    I faint when giving blood, but fine when getting a shot.
    My uncle played basketball for John Wooden, legendary coach at UCLA.
    I met Ray Charles at DFW when I was in college.
    I was in a performing arts class with the kid who played Ben on Growing Pains.

~4 City Airports I have visited:
    LAX
    La Guardia
    London Heathrow
    Waco International Airport

~4 Favorite Male Actors:
    Zach Braff
    Harrison Ford
    Steve Martin
    Ewan McGregor (he's dreamy!)

~4 Favorite Female Actors (I must include this to get my ManCard back):
    Natalie Portman
    Jennifer Garner
    Audrey Hepburn
    Angelina Jolie

~4 Foods I hate to love:
    In-n-Out Double-Double/no onions/Large Coke
    Bush's Chicken
    Uncle Dan's Texas Tater
    Lumberjack Slam @ Denny's

~4 Websites I visit daily:
    All the Blogs listed on my Links.
    Bankshot Billiards at MSN Games.
    Monster.com
    Fulltiltpoker.com

~4 things I want to do before I die:
   Write a screenplay for a movie.
   Write the next great American novel.
   Travel to the Netherlands to see where my family is from.
   Enter the World Series of Poker.

~People I am tagging:
   Adam
   Tom (c'mon buddy, you know you want to)
   Blair (we're going to keep on tagging until you come back!)
   Joell

So.....this concludes the entertainment portion of our evening. Go here for more thoughts.

Currently Reading Peace Like a River By Leif Enger see related

Same Old Routine

Routine. Repetitious. Common. Everyday.

These are the words that I want to use to describe my life? Not really, but kind of, yeah!

I have had only one job my entire life that I worked Monday thru Friday 9 to 5 (actually it was 7 to 4). I really miss it. It feels like I have more of my own personal time when I am in a set schedule. I get all of my weeknights free to be able to spend with my wife, when I can, and to schedule other fun things to do.

I have not been able to go to Church in over a month because I work Sunday mornings. Don't tell me to put my foot down, I have. They knew before I took the job that I wouldn't work on Sunday mornings. But a promotion comes, and you start working 40 hours a week, and the next thing you know you're the only one in you're position and they "need" you to work on Sunday mornings. I am tired of it.

Anyway, just venting.

And looking forward to the routine sometime soon.

Wake Up!!

Hello Friends......

So here I am at a new site. New digs. Fresh paint on the walls and new carpet on the floors. Do you smell that? That's the cookies in the oven. Comfy, eh?

I like it here. A few more options........I like the layout better, less clutter. I'll slowly be making it my own. I want to try to keep the same links, especially to my friends Blogs. Until Kristin and I get back to Waco, that's how we keep up with everyone.

I am making my foray into the "real world." (read: real jobs for real money.) I have sent out about a dozen resumes in the past week or two to a bunch of different jobs. I am anxious to see what happens....

I have been thinking a lot about the future lately. There are so many questions, and not many answers right now. I guess I have to be okay with that.....right? There's not much I can do, other than do my damndest to provide for my wife. I feel like the wheels are spinning, yet we're nowhere near the destination we began towards almost four years ago when we got married. Again.......I guess it truly is simple:

Love God. Embrace Beauty. Live Life To The Fullest.

If we make it too complicated it becomes hard. I am not saying that life should be easy, But it should be simple. Breathe in, Breathe out. Right, left, right, left. One foot in front of the other. Squint into the sun.......temporarily blind yourself in the brilliance. Feel it sting......you're alive.

Wake Up!!