the Mighty Ducks

Kira and I have a small collection of kids movies (mainly Disney) that we have started, knowing that we won't want to buy them all at once when we have kids someday. At least that's my excuse. Truth is, I sometimes like to snuggle up with a blanket on the couch and feel like a kid again. I recently had the urge to watch The Mighty Ducks and decided to buy it (on eBay, where they have EVERYTHING!!!). I watched it last night and it was fun to see how little the kids looked compared to when I first watched it. They're so cute! I have to say I remember them looking much older before. I know I'm not that old yet, but it's still nice to remember things from "a long time ago." (I admit that it feels cool to be able to say things like, "It's been a decade since I..."). So, until we have kids, I'll use the excuse of building an early collection for them; but secretly, I'm indulging the "little Robbie" inside. It's a nice escape from having to be grown up all the time. If I'm anything like my dad, I'll love having kids because I don't think "little Robbie" is going away anytime soon.

home run!!!!!!!

For anyone who has not seen me play softball before, here's a sample of my work tonight. I was 2 for 3 plus a walk. Not bad, especially since the two hits were home runs (my first two of the season :)). My fourth at-bat I flied out with two men on...very sad. We lost by four. :( Oh well, it's always fun to run around with the guys and get my exercise for the week.

My first three at-bats I got home quickly enough to pinch run for Larry (of the FCC gospel quartet) who bats right behind me. I'm still trying to catch my breath. I know, it's sad, but I'm a graduate student. Maybe I'll have time to exercise next year. So, anyway, here's the clip. Enjoy at-bat number two.

I like the rain

I'm currently listening to a book on CD called "The Curious Case of the Dog at Night." It is read/written from the perspective of a high-functioning autistic teenager. I've found it very interesting, funny, and especially informative (about the inner world of an autistic person).

I was listening to it this morning as I sat motionless on Interstate 5, and I began to resonate with what the character was saying. He talked about how sometimes he will groan and rock until all he can hear is himself and then he feels safe. I certainly don't take things to this extreme, but I definitely identified with a comment he made about the rain. He said that he loves the rain because it makes things blurry and if it rains hard enough, the drops explode when they hit the ground and make noise loud enough that the rest of the world fades away for a bit.

I like this about the rain. This is why sometimes I sleep best when it's raining out...and why I like to sleep with two or three fans on...and why I used to lie on the floor in my room when I was younger and turn on Metallica when I felt sick or had a headache. I sometimes like when there is enough going on around me that I don't really have to think about or feel any one thing in particular. I can just be. I let the noise just fill me. Sometimes worship is like that. Some of my favorite memories from church services and church camps have been when the room is full of the roar from guitars, drums, keyboards, and voices. Sometimes I don't sing. I just stand, lean my head back, and let God fill me with his music.

I've really enjoyed this book so far. It's a great read. I feel like although I am quite different from the main character, I have found at least one thing we have in common. One way I can be inside his shoes and understand him on a deeper level. This allows me to get lost in his world on my way to work. It's really nice. It's kind of like it's raining really hard in my car, but I don't have to change when I get to work. :)

How YOU doin'?

I'm just curious if this is just me here...

So I overheard something today that always bugs me. I'm in my office and I hear from around the corner on speakerphone:

"Hi [Joanne]. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you-so I was wondering if you...blah blah blah."

The part that bugs me you wonder? [Joanne] saying, "How are you" and then just steamrolling right into what she wants to get to. Do we really need to say this little "pleasantry" everytime we get on the phone with someone? So many people don't seem to care anyway. Is it more rude, I wonder, to not say, "How are you?", or to say it, and then not wait for the answer and keep walking past the person or start talking about what you want to say?

I personally try to keep up with social norms by consistently asking people how they are doing. I try to mean it, too. I don't always do it though. If I ask you how you are doing, you can be sure that I actually am interested in the answer. Unfortunately, I feel like I'll always be wondering if people actually care to hear how I'm doing. I'm sure that's partly just me, but also in large part it's having seen too many times when the above interaction prevails.

Hope you all are doing well. :)