Brooktown Blog

New photo blog

2009-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

Hi all (my two official followers and mom)! I know I haven't been updating this blog very often, as a result of an especially busy few months, but I still plan on using it to communicate my thoughts. I am grateful for this page because it allows me to voice my opinions (see "Reason why we'll be home schooling..." below) and, hopefully, start some meaningful dialogue, without doing so in the context of our new business endeavor.

Yes, that's right, Dori and I have officially started a new business, called it "Brooktown Photography," and set up shop over at BrooktownPhoto.com. The photo blog is where we'll post all our best shots, so for eye candy, hop on over there. But this is still where I'll write about things that mean a lot to me, and where I will continue to be my opinionated self. When we're traveling, the new photo blog will probably be the one we update, just because it's nicer, I'm in complete control of it, and I'll want to showcase any traveling images over there. One bummer is that I believe you have to be registered with WordPress, the blog engine, to comment. (I can't remember if it's the same with blogger.com.)

Anyways, for those of you who check in on me here from time to time, thank you. Please continue to comment with your thoughts, agreement and dissent, because I really do want to have meaningful discussions about important issues. Until next time...

Reason why we'll be home schooling #427

2008-12-12T10:41:00.001-08:00

"(Teachers) are there to make sure that the kids are being appropriate."

-Mother of a middle school student at a campus in Florida where a handful of 13- and 14-year-olds are in trouble for having sex during class. If that's what teachers are for, then what about teaching? Transferring knowledge? Who does that?

Read the full story here.

It goes without saying that sex in the classroom is way high on the list of social reasons I would never send a child to public school. But when parents start saying things like this, it points to the utter brokenness of the system. Instead of, "They need to be better instructors," we now have, "They need to be better babysitters." I know some very dedicated teachers, and I respect their heartfelt efforts, but how can anyone have faith in a system that is so far off the mark that most schools cannot even get 20 percent of their students up to grade level in English?

Folks--and I may be preaching to the choir here, but so be it--home schooling is not just about keeping children out of the world, because I'm not even completely sure that's what kids need. They certainly don't need to see their classmates going at it in the back corner. But it might not hurt for kids to see what the world is like every now and then.

Home schooling these days is about providing quality instruction, and if anybody asks, that's what I tell them. Some children don't have the privilege of parents who will teach them at home, so I hope the public school system improves for their sake. But my kids will have that privilege.

Here we go again

2008-10-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

Fire season. Santa Ana winds. Southwest Fallbrook and northeast Oceanside are threatened tonight by the advance of a wildfire that began on Camp Pendleton Monday afternoon. Dori and I drove out tonight around 10:45 p.m. Traffic was blocked off at Sleeping Indian Road, which I think is to guard the houses of evacuees from potential looters. These shots were taken from the northeast.

They're saying on the news that it'll get worse tonight, and maybe spread a little more tomorrow, but that conditions will be easing by Wednesday. We know at least two families whose homes are threatened.

What's more, I grew up watching this indian sleep, but I've never seen him on fire. R.I.P. Sleeping Indian.

Chengdu, part 2: the city

2008-08-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

After getting run out of town up in the hills, Adam, our translator friend and I left early Sunday morning for Chengdu, the nearest large city and the location of the airport we were scheduled to leave from on Tuesday morning. We figured that, if there were any lingering hard feelings about what we were made to feel was an unwelcome intrusion, it would be more difficult to track us down and hassle us among the millions of people in Chengdu. So that's where we ended up for the rest of our stay.

I'm not going to lie--it was relaxing. Probably the most relaxing time I had in China this summer. (I'm home now, and readjusting to American life--driving and so on.) If you ever find yourself in Chengdu needing a place to lay your head, find a hostel called The Loft and take a shower. Check your e-mail. Sleep in. That's what we did. Here's a photographic sampling of the activities we participated in while sequestered in a city with far less foreigners than the other Chinese cities I visited this year. (We were stared at a lot in the city, as well as in the countryside. There were simply no other white guys around, other than the few French and Australian tourists we met at the hostel.)

This was what all the hallways looked like at The Loft, which was converted into a hostel from an old printing factory.

From the minute we checked in, all three of us were doing plenty of this:

And a little bit of this:

Pizza Hut was our first meal when we got back to the city. It was expensive (thanks, Adam), but it was so, so good.

Adam kept telling me about how the Chinese would visit the one-trip salad bar and come back with a bowl stacked about a foot tall with produce, all contained within walls of cucumbers stacked meticulously to bring back half the salad bar. He was upstairs at the produce buffet for about 15 minutes, then came back down with his cucumber tower halfway accomplished...

...then came the quote of the day: "I don't even like cucumbers," he said. "I hate cucumbers." Which, from a man who eats anything--and lots of it--only means he'd rather be eating copious amounts of something else, but cucumbers would do. He's such an easy-going guy, and a great brother. There is no one I'd have rather spent that particular weekend with. If you read this, Adam, thank you. You're the man.

After explaining what "hut" meant to our dear Chinese friend (I'm not naming him or showing him in any pictures because he's afraid of getting on the wrong side of the authorities), we felt a little sheepish about our language. At least I did. "Shack" was the best translation we could come up with, to which he repeated, "Pizza Shack?" Yeah, tell us about it. "Radio Hut" doesn't sound quite right, either. Neither pizza nor radios should be peddled out of crude shelters, in my opinion.

So here we were, feeling sheepish, wishing English made more sense, when we saw it.

Now, I hate poodles in the first place (sorry to any poodle lovers out there, and forgive me if this specimen is not truly a poodle). But poodles with orange eartips? I felt better about my language immediately. We saw many, many other interesting sights, and I wouldn't be surprised if a picture or two of Adam and I are floating around on some Chinese dude's blog. Folks were staring, snapping photos with their cell phones and generally making us feel like dogs with orange ears or something...

Turns out Chengdu is usually a touristy city--giant panda breeding grounds are nearby, and a travel agency located within our hostel was advertising trips to just about every place in China you would want to see besides the Olympic complex in Beijing. I think that must have been where all the foreigners were, because as I mentioned, we didn't see one outside of the hostel.

All in all, it was an amazing four days. Saturday, when we got to talk to earthquake survivors and hopefully cheer them up a bit, was definitely the best. But the rest of our time wasn't so bad either. (We also got mostly painful foot massages from a guy named Bob whose orientation, if you get my drift, was questionable.) It may sound like our time in the city was fruitless or frivolous, but remember that our good friend is an earthquake survivor. He'd been away at college when it hit, but his family has been devastated, and he spent the summer living in the refugee shelter. He's one of the estimated 15 million people left homeless by the quake, and I think Adam and I were able to encourage him a bit. In fact, I know we did, because he told us so repeatedly. Just hanging out with him was a privilege that I will not soon forget.

So that about says it for our adventure in Chengdu. I am extremely glad that we chose to go, and that God opened doors like he did. Please pray for our friend. Many of you know his name; even if you do not, our Father will know who you are talking about.

I have a few more things to say about the entire six-week trip, and as I catch up on my sleep and memories, I'll jot down a bit more in retrospect here. Thanks for reading, and for following our adventures in the Far East. It's been a pleasure to keep you in the loop.

The pinnacle of this summer

2008-08-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of "Chengdu" is gonna have to wait, because last night... was... awesome! We took the five orphans with us for week six of camp here in Beijing to the Olympics, thanks to a former Olympian named Gary Morgan who's stayed involved with the U.S. side of things since he competed in '88. Gary helped us get 10 tickets to tonight's track and field competition--which included several huge final events such as the men's 100 meter hurdles, in which the U.S. took gold, silver and bronze. We also saw women's javelin, men's triple jump, and women's 400 meter. It all took place inside the Bird's Nest stadium, and it was every bit of the Olympic experience we'd been hoping for.

But the really cool stuff happened before we even set foot in the stadium. Gary rallied four 2008 U.S. Olympians, including three of the eight-man rowing team that won the bronze last week. Two of the guys brought their medals, and let me tell you, seeing Olympic medals hanging around the necks of orphans was out of this world. After everything I've seen and done this summer, that moment stood out as the highlight. That's the only way I can describe it. Here are a few photos from today.

I don't need to describe this one...

And here is a view of the aquatic center when everyone was leaving. It's opposite the stadium, and the two made an amazing spectacle all lit up at night.

Here's a good view of two of the largest things in Beijing: Bird's Nest Stadium and my beard, which hasn't been trimmed in more than a month and bears striking resemblance to a bird's nest...

I'll have more to write later as I continue to process what happened last night. This morning, we're leaving to watch some more Olympics with the little guys, then I'm coming home tomorrow. It's been an epic trip. Thanks for all your Thoughts and support.

There are no words to describe the last photo. I hope the sight hits you like it did me.

Chengdu, part 1: the hills

2008-08-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

After a flight and a train ride over the last two days, I'm now in Beijing with David Bolt and Adam Neesby. We'll be attending a few Olympic events with the five orphans who are here for the sixth--and last--week of camp. One is standing at my elbow now as I type, pointing to the screen and asking me questions in Mandarin that he knows I couldn't possibly answer. They are so precious, and I'm glad to have this final opportunity to spend a few days with the children we came here to serve.

While I'll have more on the Olympics and Beijing sights later, I wanted to revisit Adam and my trip to Sichuan Province to visit a friend there. You might recall that Sichuan was where the 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit in May, killing tens of thousands of people and destroying even more homes and places of work. It was a huge tragedy, one which everyone in China seems to regard with the same kind of somber recollection that enters the American heart when it remembers Sept. 11, 2001.

First, I will post a few photos from the hills about two hours north of Chengdu, where we visited an earthquake refugee shelter but were promptly asked to leave. Because of the sensitive nature of our visit there, I can't post some of the best images, but I hope these will give you an idea of what the area was like (hint: it was beautiful).

There was a river flowing right by the camp. This photo shows scenery typical of what we were surrounded by during our brief stay in the mountains.

On Saturday afternoon, we took a rickshaw further up the mountain, via this road...

Then hiked up this path...

Past this flock of noisy geese...

To meet this man...

He was a tobacco farmer up on the hillside, and the walls and roof of his house were destroyed during the earthquake, along with his pig sty and chicken coop. You can imagine what kind of financial hardship this put on the 70-year-old farmer. We met dozens of good, sad people who had lost possessions, land, family members, and yet still found hospitality in their hearts for us. We were blessed over and over during the 16 or so hours we were in the foothills of the earthquake zone, and even though it was a crazy and sometimes nerve-wracking day, it was totally worth it to meet the valiant survivors of China's worst natural disaster in decades.

Next up: What we did after we had to leave the mountains.

Shanghai'd in Chengdu

2008-08-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

So after a crazy 18 or so hours beginning yesterday morning, a good friend and I are staying in a hostel in the southern city of Chengdu. It's fairly close to the Himalayas, and to the epicenter of the earthquake that killed tens of thousands of Chinese people in May. I can't go into all that we've done in the past 36 hours, but suffice it to say that we didn't sleep where we thought we would last night because of pressure from local authorities. Yesterday was definitely one of the craziest days of my life.

But now we're here, this friend and I, with a little time to kill in Chengdu. We're totally safe now, because there's no reason we wouldn't be allowed to sightsee in this tourist-oriented city. It's pretty nice, the weather isn't too oppressive, and we've actually had a really relaxing time. We checked into a really nice little Danish-run place called "The Loft," which has comfortable, clean rooms and showers, among other luxuries.

While we've been here, there has been plenty of stimulating conversation. I can't upload any photos because I don't have my own computer, but Adam and I have been talking about a lot of different stuff. After dinner at Pizza Hut tonight, we walked to the nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken (that's right, we've only seen a handful of other foreigners, but they have Pizza Hut and KFC) for one of their coffee sundaes. While we were there, Adam continued a line of questioning about marriage that began earlier in the trip. We got to talking about how men and women think and operate differently, and I said, "Take multi-tasking, for example. Dori says women are good at it and men can't do it. To which I say, 'Huh?'"

That's just a little snippet of what it's been like. Even though some potentially heavy stuff was going down around us, God has kept the mood light and our friendship has grown really close. What a blessing to spend such an intense time with a good, strong friend and Brother.

I'll write more later, but I just wanted to get a brief update up about my continued adventures in the Far East. Next week: Beijing and the Olympics. Then home on Saturday. The countdown begins.

What I've been calling 'home'

2008-08-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images of the curious campus known as "Sias International University" an hour outside Zhengzhou. It's where I've been for nearly two weeks, and where I'll leave from when I head to Beijing next Wednesday. It's also the site of Bring Me Hope's primary camp location, where there is one day of camp left before the 2008 season is officially over. I'll have more later on what I'm doing for the last week of my trip, but for now, here's where I've been staying.

This place is huge, and it has a lot of huge buildings. I don't know how else to explain it. There is also a ton of construction going on right now, apparently because the place isn't huge enough already. There's a lot of scaffolding that looks something like this:

And here is my home away from Starbucks. It's a restaurant directly below the fourth-story room where I'm staying with David Bolt and a bunch of other guys. It serves decent coffee, although ordering the correct type is not as easy as you'd think (apparently even the point-and-nod method does not work out here...).

Lastly, I'll leave you with a few photos from camp. This is the same water slide as last year, in case any of my long-term readers were wondering...

What we did in the Philippines, part 2: Manila

2008-08-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

Once we returned to the capital from Bicol, we spent three more days with Justin and Erin, staying in their condo and seeing all the sights they see on a weekly basis. It was great to hang out with them again, and it was also very interesting to discover more of Manila. I thought it was a fascinating city.

Our flight from Bicol to Manila landed Friday afternoon. After cleaning up, we headed to a concert that Justin had purchased tickets for before we had arrived. I was excited to learn it was a Passion production, Passion being a U.S.-based ministry for college students that includes top names in Christian music such as Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman. We got to see Tomlin and another artist, Kristian Stanfill, and a guy named Louie Giglio spoke. It was just the spiritual refresher we both needed, even though Dori's camera was pick-pocketed afterwards. That little bit of spiritual warfare only worked for about fifteen minutes, and although we are still sad she lost her images from Nanchang through Bicol, it didn't dampen the amazing night of worship we enjoyed in Manila.

I didn't take my camera to the Passion show, but we took a few photos of our cool wristbands the next day. On one side they said, "Passion Manila," and on the other, "Passion Kuala Lumpur"--the next city they were taking the tour. We were to turn our wristbands inside out to remember to lift up the Malaysians on Sunday night.

We did a little bit of sightseeing over the weekend, including this Starbucks built into the wall of a 16th-Century district known as "Intramuros." More than 400 years ago, the Spanish built a walled city to keep out the hostile natives; in 2008, invaders from Seattle invite hostile coffee addicts into the very walls of the old walled city. (Despite my cynicism, I'll be the first to admit that it was pretty cool.)

One of the more interesting forms of transportation in Manila are the jeepnies (see my picture in a previous post of an ungodly-looking vehicle with a "Jamaica" sign on the front). They are like taxis, except that they have defined routes. Up to 19 people can be crammed in, and they usually are.

Being an intensely Catholic country, no visit to Manila would be complete without a stop in one of its venerable cathedrals. This one was dubbed a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Philippines in January 1995.

This is the guy who holds the holy water:

After visiting the basilica, we headed over to Luneta Park, which just so happens to have been the site of the largest papal gathering ever--4 to 5 million people during John Paul II's 1995 visit, according to Wikipedia. Not to be outdone, Justin and Rowell lead a Bible study of about five to 10 homeless men every week in Luneta Park. It sounds small, but it's a good bet that no one else is doing what they do, and we were blessed to see a glimpse into Justin's heart for the homeless of Manila. Here is the small piece of real estate where they hold court once a week:

In keeping with the theme of this summer's travels in Asia, Dori and I were privileged to visit two unique but similar shelters on our last day in Manila: a government home for abused women and children, and a Catholic orphanage. At the government home, where Calvary Chapel Manila visits every Sunday after church, I was not allowed to take photos that showed the faces of the women and children staying there, out of fear that an abusive relative would be trying to locate them on the Internet. But I still got several wonderful shots.

The good people of Calvary Manila bring food, teach and play games at this home once a week; please lift them up as they endeavor to spread joy and hope among a group united by so many tragedies.

The last stop we made on Sunday was the Catholic orphanage where Jon lives. Jon is the 10-year-old orphan Justin and Erin are trying to adopt. He stays with them on the weekends, and they take him back to the the orphanage on Sunday. It was so much fun--but also heart-wrenching--to escort Jon and Erin to the orphanage, where about 20 boys greeted us with huge smiles. It didn't take long for the wrestling to commence.

Our time in the Philippines was so rich and powerful; we can't wait to return next year. We owe a big thank you to Justin and Erin for hosting us and showing us all the best parts of the beautiful country they now call home. Please remember them in your prayers, along with the amazing people they have moved across the globe to serve. We'll see you guys again soon.

What we did in the Philippines, part 1: Bicol

2008-08-05T03:55:00.000-07:00

Dori and I arrived safely at the second Bring Me Hope camp in Zheng Zhou late last night, after 20 hours of traveling from Manila. We are settling in for the week, and the weather here is much more merciful than in Nanchang. Plus, the swimming pool is great--nice and cold, very clean, and indoor. I'll have more on that in a later post, but for now I wanted to rehash some of our adventures in the Philippines.

There's too much to fit into one post, so I'll split them up into our three-day trip to Bicol (I was mistakenly referring to Bicol as an island in previous posts; turns out it's a region of the Philippines that includes the two small islands we visited) and our last three days in Manila.

First of all, to give you an idea of where we had the privilege of spending three days of our lives, here is a typical view from the compound where we stayed:

The "Shekinah" is the larger of the two boats where we spent a good portion of our stay--we stalled twice in the middle of the ocean in the smaller one. There are no cars on the San Miguel and Cagraray islands; only boats like this one. On the bow stands Than, short for "Jonathan" and pronounced "Tawn." And, in the background, that is the 8,000-foot-tall Mt. Mayon, a perfectly shaped cone volcano that juts up out of the bay at Tabaco, the nearest city to where we were staying. Overall, the views here were overwhelming, as if one could not possibly take in all the beauty in a few short days.

Besides boats, the main mode of transportation is the human foot. We spent hours and hours walking to our various destinations on San Miguel Island. Typically, the scenery was so awe-inspiring that I actually enjoyed all the walking.

Next come the creatures--so various and exotic, the animals we encountered on the islands ranged from monkeys to water buffalo. Here are two of the monkeys that were kept in the compound's miniature zoo:

This one was mean, and that's all I have to say about him.

And here is what the front end of a water buffalo looks like (you don't want to see the back end):

She didn't really like having my camera in her face, so she stood up and I ran. They're domesticated, but there's still only so much taunting one water buffalo can take:

The islands were very fertile; farms and animals were everywhere the tropical foliage wasn't, and rice was one common crop we saw.

Lastly, I wanted to include this picture of a beautiful little girl I met at the Bible study we spent two hours walking to on our first day in the islands. She was so shy at first that it was difficult to get a picture of her, but right before I snapped this one she went and put a flower in her ear. She was still shy until the end, but as we walked over the hill away from her family's home, we could hear her shouting, "Bye-bye!" Such sweet people, those Filipinos. We miss them.

Beijing to Manila: night and day

2008-07-29T00:36:00.000-07:00

After a semi-harrowing day of travel arrangements that began Sunday morning in Nanchang and ended last night in Manila (we had to buy my airfare to Manila in the Beijing airport on Monday morning, then I was on a different flight than Dori, then I had a strange layover in the southern China city of Xiamen just to go through an immigration checkpoint), we are now with Justin and Erin McDonald in The Philippines. What an amazing, enchanting place. Justin and I spent the morning exploring the part of Manila right around their condo, which is located on the eighth floor of a 22-story building. My love of cities was rekindled in this lively place filled with warm, friendly people. I can also see over almost everyone's head when we're in the train.

Needless to say, I've already taken hundreds of pictures here in Manila. Tonight, we'll ride the bus 12 hours south and ride a ferry to the island of Bicol, where Justin and Erin will eventually be living as missionaries. We will return on Friday, then head to a Chris Tomlin/Louie Giglio concert. After spending Saturday and Sunday checking out the city and hanging out with our long-lost Fallbrook comrades, we will fly back to China on Monday to continue our work with Bring Me Hope. Thanks for staying with us as we jet around Southeast Asia...

Here are some of the photos from last night and this morning.

Last night, after our arrival at the Manila airport, Justin and Erin picked us up and took us back to their condo. After dropping our stuff off, we headed around the corner for an amazing dinner of chicken inasal, which is basically barbecued chicken that's spread over garlic rice. It was surprisingly good.

And, of course, the hand-made sauce was key to our meal.

This is the view from the top of Justin and Erin's building.

And here is the view looking up from the street.

The train is super cheap to ride, and we rode it twice this morning on our way to a nearby mall and to get haircuts, which was also a great experience. Justin and I walked into a barbershop full of Filipinos with about a quarter-inch of hair apiece and asked for haircuts. It's the first time I've ever had my hair buzzed down to my scalp, but I still have my beard. After the buzz, my barber put no less than three different products on my head, wiped it down with a hot towel and rubbed my shoulders. The whole thing cost about $2.

There are regular taxis here, and then there are the "Jeepnies." I can't really explain them, so have a look for yourself:

Please continue to pray for us as we spend the next three days at Bicol. Traveling mercies and health, as usual, are still at the top of our list. But we also praise God that we have already had some sweet fellowship with Justin and Erin in the 18 hours we've been here. Until next time.

Two weeks of camp are over

2008-07-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

... and the next leg of our adventure begins. On Monday, we will fly to Manila in The Philippines to spend a week with our dear friends, Justin and Erin McDonald. They're in Manila learning Tagalog while they prepare for the mission field, which happens to be a tropical island in the southern part of the country. We will also be visiting that island with them for a few days, so I should be able to post some great photos from the Philippines.

After that, we'll be flying back to Beijing and hooking up with the other Bring Me Hope group, including David and the Bolt sisters, who are located about six hours from Beijing by train. There, I'll be working on the book for three weeks. Dori will be coming home on Aug. 10.

These two weeks have been eye-opening and heart-breaking. There have been some amazing stories happening right before our eyes, and I look forward to relating those to you when we get home. For now, though, I'll leave you with some photos of our time, including two that were taken inside a Chinese orphanage.

This is Jonny doing what he did best: Coloring.

This was taken inside the orphanage in Nanchang.

Two of "our" boys walking to their home inside the orphanage complex.

And every Thursday night, there are fireworks that the staff set off in the hotel parking lot.

Please keep Thinking of us as we travel around Asia and love our Brothers, Sisters and orphans, and anyone else Dad puts in our path to love. We are so blessed to be here, and blessed to have such wonderful families and friends back home. We love you all.

This...

2008-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

... is Jonny. He's a little slow, but he remembers one phrase very clearly. And he doesn't talk a whole lot, but he repeated this phrase several times into my translator's ear tonight when we asked him if he could remember anything about his childhood. It was the last thing his parents ever said to him.

"Wait here, and I'll come back for you."

A Nanchang Saturday -- in photos

2008-07-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

We had some free time today, so set about the daunting task of hand-washing the week's accumulation of dirty laudry. After that, we headed into downtown Nanchang, to an all-too-familiar retail store. There was more than a little irony to shopping at this particular store in this particular country. Then we ate at McDonald's and came home. Enjoy.

The task...

The instructions...

The washing machine...

Add a little elbow grease...

A little music...

And a little more spin cycle... (I really did help, I was just taking the pictures at these precise moments.)

Now we're off to downtown Nanchang and...

That's right, Wal-Mart. The lightning rod of labor unions across the United States, hated for its low wages and low prices. Well, guess what? The prices are even lower in China. Plus, there were these sweet escalators in the middle of the two-story store that were outfitted to accept shopping carts as well as customers. Pretty slick.

And no shopping trip would be complete without candy. Lots of candy.

Tomorrow is a well-deserved and much-needed day of rest, then we start the madness again. Thanks for staying up to date with us, and please continue to remember us in your Thoughts as we labor in love for the orphans. We love and miss you all.

Week one kids are gone

2008-07-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

This update won't have pictures because I haven't had the time to process them since we got back from the orphanage this afternoon. We had the privilege of driving the orphans back to their home, since this group lives about an hour away from where we're having camp. What a great experience. We walked them each to their respective houses in the compound, where each house's "mother" met us with a smile, set out stools for us and dished out water and snacks. They were very sweet, and made us feel a little bit better about having to leave these precious kids. One of our girls, the younger one who has, perhaps, experienced more abuse, went with a separate group of orphans to a facility about three hours away. All in that cohort of kids were thin, and several always ate as if it was their last meal, so I'm not sure if I have confidence about her living conditions.

Mom, the orphanage we visited today is where Peam lives, and we had our picture taken with her on the front steps of the main building. I'll send it to you separately.

A little more on our travel plans: None of our flights will need to be changed. Dori is still flying to Manila next week, and I'll be seeing her off and picking her up in Beijing on either end of that side trip. As for me, it looks like I may be traveling to the earthquake zone by train during the week she's gone, then hooking up with the rest of Bring Me Hope for the remaining three weeks of my trip.

Our health has still held out, aside from a few headaches and upset stomachs. So much about this trip is different from last year, however, and it's been fantastic experiencing a completely new side of China. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a white person who was not attached to Bring Me Hope the entire time we've been in Nanchang.

Thank you all for your Thoughts. We are having a wonderful time, and I can't wait to get home and tell you all--over a cup of genuine, strong coffee--what our Father has done and will do with the rest of our stay in the People's Republic.

Nanchang, China: Week one

2008-07-17T01:18:00.001-07:00

Finally, my first 2008 post from China! So much has happened already, and so much that we had anticipated has changed. I can’t detail it all here, but hopefully I will have more time to blog later. The local authorities have clamped down on us out of simple suspicion (dozens of Americans and Australians in the rural hills invites all kinds of attention), and there are only three Internet connections in the whole hotel. That's why it's taken this long for me to post an update.

After 32 hours of traveling, we arrived on Sunday evening in Nanchang—actually, in the mountains outside of Nanchang. The setting looks like this:

There are forests of bamboo on the hills—huge bamboo with leaves and six-inch-thick trunks. I’ve never seen anything like it. Then, surrounding the road to downtown Nanchang are dozens of terraced farms like you see in the movies. My translator told me while walking to lunch on Tuesday that this area is one of the oldest in China, with thousands of years of history. As we drive through the countryside, I wonder which abandoned buildings are modern and which are ancient; which terraces were in use last year and which were abandoned before cars and printing presses were invented. It’s certainly a rich place, and much more interesting than last year’s setting.

The hotel we are staying in has four floors of rooms, with the first three overlooking a large plaza where we hold assemblies and play games with the orphans.

It’s oppressively hot outside, and the 10-minute walks to the restaurant where we eat lunch and dinner are among the hottest I’ve experienced. The room that Dori and I are sharing has ice-cold air conditioning, though, so we have a convenient haven when the heat gets the best of us.

Both of us have been healthy and safe since we left California. So far, I haven’t had any problems except a small headache Tuesday morning. Dori had a headache and upset stomach that same day, but after spending the morning in the AC, she was feeling better and downstairs that afternoon, helping our two orphans with their crafts.

This week, we were assigned one translator and two girls as a couple, so the five of us get to go everywhere and do everything together. It’s nice being in the same “family” as Dori, although she can relate to the girls better than I can. I hope to have a couple of boys next week to roughhouse with and toss around in the pool.

Which brings me to the final item I’ll describe in this post: the huge public pool in the center of Nanchang where we’ll be spending a portion of almost every day with the kids. It’s an Olympic-sized lap pool only half filled with water to accommodate children, and the orphans love it. I was fascinated the first time we went there because it’s surrounded by 10-story buildings on every side.

A few things for our supporters to keep in your “Thoughts”:

1) Quite a few things have changed this year from what we originally expecting. Bring Me Hope’s Beijing camp had to move elsewhere for reasons I can’t get into, and it definitely affects what I was supposed to be working on and our travel plans. Family members, we’ll update you by phone on when and where we’ll be going, but none of the big stuff has changed…

2) “What I was supposed to be working on.” Things are a lot tighter than last year, and moving around the country could get interesting. With Beijing out of the question, I’ll be relying on my Father to help me seize the right opportunities and meet the right people. Please keep this foremost in your Thoughts.

3) The leaders of Bring Me Hope. They’re having to adjust and be creative in the face of changes and challenges flying in from all directions, and at a dizzying pace. The Bolts preparing for camp in a city most of us have never heard of, less than a week after they were going full-bore with plans to set up shop in Beijing. With the Olympics in town, things can change at a moment’s notice.

4) Even with all of the difficulties I’ve described, there have already been some blessed, inspiring moments, and we rejoice in the simple relationships that are forming between us and the various orphans who are our entire purpose for being here.

Thank you all for your Thoughts and support. We will try to keep you all as updated as possible through this blog and our e-mail loop at tom.and.dori@gmail.com

We love you; stay in touch.

Two more random photos. This is downtown Nanchang:

And this is one of the little orphans at camp this year. I don't know his name, but he's malnourished and eats more than anyone else--even myself and the other men--at each meal. He weighs around 40 pounds, I'd estimate, and he could sure use your "Thoughts."

Technicalities of traveling to the most populous country on earth, which is also hosting the 2008 Olympics this summer

2008-06-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

If that title doesn't say it all, here's what I mean: Please pray for us as Dori and I try to secure visas in order to enter and stay in China for four and six weeks, respectively. Travel plans are the most stressful part of preparing for a trip like this, so please remember us in your prayers as we chase a dozen loose ends and try to tie them.

Who's ready for summer?

2008-06-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

The nephew is...

The wife is...

But am I?
A wedding tux to wear.
Six weeks in China.
Tens of thousands of miles to travel.
A book to write.
Please pray for us as we try to do what we know is good, both for us and for the "little children" whom it is our duty to visit and encourage and wrestle with and cry over and bid goodbye.
We have a lot to do.
And love.

Grad school countdown: 15 months

2008-05-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are still reading this blog (we salute you!), a quick update on my USC application.

I found out two weeks ago I was accepted into the Specialized Journalism master's degree program. Due to scheduling conflicts in August, when the program starts, I will be unable to attend this year, but I will enroll next year and, if all goes according to plan, will graduate in May 2010. It's an expensive program, and over the next year my task is to line up scholarships and grants. I will also be attempting to brush up on Spanish and possibly wade into one or two more languages. All of this is for the purpose of bettering my chances of earning a fellowship. I'll keep you posted as the weeks and months carry me closer to grad school.

What is up

2008-05-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a little sampling of what's going on in our busy lives right now:

-- In early April, I applied to U.S.C. for a specialized journalism program that begins this August and would result in a master's degree in about 10 months. I would be learning how to cover global human rights struggles and humanitarian causes. Haven't heard yet whether I've been accepted; haven't figured out how to pay for it, either...

-- We're getting close to buying plane tickets for our second trip to China. This time, we'll be heading to Nanchang for two weeks in mid-July, then spending three to four more weeks in Beijing as I write a book about Bring Me Hope, the orphans and the Olympics. This means we'll be away from home for more than a month, and will need to figure out how to keep everything here paid for while we're away. Support letters will be mailed in the very near future.

-- Photography. I'm trying to start taking portraits and getting paid for it.

-- Our very dear friends, Justin and Erin McDonald, moved this week to The Philippines, fulfilling a long-held goal to become missionaries to that nation. We will miss them at church, where they each wore several hats and helped with pretty much everything but the preaching. And we will miss hanging out with them, although we may be able to visit them while in the neighborhood (read: Asia) this summer. Read their ministry's blog here.

There is much more going on, but these are the highlights. I hope to start blogging on a semi-regular basis again between now and when we leave for China. Thanks for reading!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Classic bunny-in-the-headlights look from Snowball, my nephews' rabbit. Easter came early this year--about as early as it'll ever be. Here's the formula, courtesy of our pastor: It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. The equinox (first day of spring) was on Thursday. The full moon was on Friday. So here we are.

Bunnies and springtime aside, let's remember what Easter's really about.

CA judge rules home schooling illegal

2008-03-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

A 2nd District Court of Appeals judge ruled on Feb. 28 that home schooling is illegal in California if the parent-teacher does not have a teaching credential. For some reason, the decision did not come to light until today (March 6). Under the ruling, handed down by Justice H. Walter Croskey, parents who teach their kids at home without possessing teaching credentials would be subject to criminal complaints. I have not yet heard a good analysis of how this ruling may be implemented, nor how immediate of a threat it is to the dozens of home schooling families I know.

Under current laws, parents were supposed to jump through certain hoops in order to legally home school their children--such as hiring credentialed tutors or enrolling their kids in independent-study programs--but I understand those rules were rarely enforced. Whether or not this judge's ruling will be given the same treatment remains to be seen.

What also remains to be seen is whether it will actually see the light of day--in other words, several organizations that support the right of home schoolers to control their children's education are already lining up to oppose the ruling in some way. And I doubt that the state's law enforcement establishments are going to start rounding up otherwise law-abiding parents for a family decision that has otherwise been legal and does not pose a threat to anyone in society.

Nonetheless, it is obviously a disturbing and illogical blow to the ideals of family liberty.

In an Associated Press story on the matter, Justice Croskey was quoted as saying, "Parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children." How he arrived at that conclusion is beyond me; I was not under the impression that the parents needed to consult the Constitution for permission to educate their children, nor do I think the Founding Fathers considered the document as a set of limitations on how parents may exercise their authority within their families.

As a college-educated man who was home schooled by a credentialed mother, I am outraged at this court decision. I encourage anyone who reads this post to get involved by calling your congressmen. Another good place to start would be at the Home School Legal Defense Association's Web site.

I will update this blog with any developments I hear regarding this court ruling and its consequences.

Rain = green

2008-02-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been admiring the unusual amount of vivid green on the hills around Fallbrook. Even plants that are hardly ever green--that Baja desert variety which hides the life in its roots--have blushed a little green following weeks and weeks of rainfall.

I suppose it's human nature to desire what we don't have. When I lived in Portland for five years, it was sunshine that sounded good about nine overcast months a year. Now, I crave rain. This week has been sunny and balmy--the sort of weather we're known for in San Diego--and it's been great. I think the sunshine is a blessing, too. It's just hard not to love all the green, nor wish for more.

Ills, automotive and physical

2008-02-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

It starts on Jan. 19, when my neighbor backed into my car and thrashed the hood. Before I could take the car to the repair shop, I came down with a really bad cold and took three days off from work.

Two Tuesdays ago, I get my car back from the auto shop and I'm like, Sweet! It looked great, new hood and all. Then on the one-week anniversary of that happy occasion, on the one-week birthday of my new hood, a young guy pulls out in front of me in Escondido and I've got this:

And this:

And this:

This is what the whole thing looks like from the front. For once in my life, it looks better than it is. The bumper is actually trying to fall off every time I turn around...

Add to all of that the fact that Dori is now sick with the flu, and you've got a glimpse into our last month or so.

However, I must say, I am thankful that I have a car. And when I was sick, I was thankful that most of the time I have good health. Perspective, I have learned, is a true blessing necessary to perseverance and faith alike.

Nothing like an ill spouse and a wrecked car to remind one...

...things could be worse, and they're not. Praise God.

A few shots

2008-02-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

As I was reviewing my blog, I noticed I hadn't posted any pictures in a while. So to add a little color, here are some around-the-yard photos from last week... so much to shoot around our little house...

Sweet climate change Web site

2008-02-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

Today, as I was trolling for news on the World Wide Web, I came across a Web site addressing climate change that I immediately appreciated for its approach. It's called "Climate Debate Daily," and it pits the arguments supposedly proving a man-made warming trend against the arguments opposing that idea--side by side.

The simple fact that the arguments opposing global warming are even given a place on the page may make it feel like the site is biased, but I would argue that's just because we're all used to seeing the issue presented as if there were no serious debate over the scientific merits of global warming theory. While Al Gore is busy flying all over the planet spreading his gospel, neither he nor the reporters covering his events nor his audiences even think to mention that well-educated, intelligent people disagree with his message. So if the debate interests you even a little bit, I'd recommend checking out this site.

Word of the day: 'Swum'

2008-02-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Of all the past-tense oddities of the English language, this has to be one of the oddest. It's my word of the day simply because I don't think I've ever said it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I would doubt myself if I ever did use "swum" in a sentence. And you would laugh at me. Admit it!

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

I voted

2008-02-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

This morning, I donated my "I VOTED" sticker to my wife, who forgot to grab one on her way out. But I really did vote. Our polling place happens to be the First Christian Church of Fallbrook, the oldest remaining church in town. Several of our good friends have gotten married there over the past few years, and voting inside such a venerable establishment just makes me happy.

Blogging is like our ceiling fan...

2008-01-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

It starts out strong, with four fresh light bulbs and plenty of illuminating energy. One bulb burns out immediately, imperceptibly, and you don't start to notice the fading light until a second one goes. OK, you reason, I can get by with just two bulbs--more efficient that way, anyhow. By the time the third bulb burns out, you've come to rely on other sources of light, and only visitors notice the difference. They stop by less frequently.

In my next post, I may divulge how many bloggers it takes to screw in four new light bulbs...

New Year's in Mammoth

2008-01-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

The bad news first: I didn't feel like lugging my big Nikon all around the slopes of Mammoth Mountain to capture even one of the stunning views that can be seen from the chairlifts. I was too busy exploring. So forgive me for not posting any images of the Minarets, the Sierra backcountry or snow-dusted peaks.

Next, the good news: We had a great time, and everyone came home safely, without injury or hurt feelings.

More bad news: New Year's Eve kind of fizzled out for Dori and I, who were watching Dick Clark mumble something about the weather in New York while Dori's brother and his wife slept on the sofa.

All in all, it was a great weekend. If you are a snowboarder with intermediate or higher skill, I strongly recommend going to Mammoth to explore one of the most majestic ski areas around. Seriously.

Here are a few pictures that I did manage to capture off the mountain.

Whoever owned the cabin where we stayed was evidently a masterful hunter. No less than twenty heads and pelts adorned the walls.

... also masterful at collecting corks, apparently.

Christmastime busy-ness

2007-12-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

So much has been happening lately, between picking out a tree and hanging ornaments, that I haven't had time to write blog posts, let alone take pictures. My family had a Christmas photo session at Buddy Todd Park in Oceanside last weekend, though, so here is one shot of the wife and I...

What's been happening: 9009 words

2007-11-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since my last post, I figured I'd update my readers with nine photographs accompanied by one word apiece. Since a picture's worth a thousand words, that equals 9009 words, although I sometimes feel my pictures are worth more like one or two hundred words than a thousand. Here goes...

Desert

Arnold

Slides

Guardian

Carefree

Thanksgiving

Karaoke

Limousine

Downtown

Ghost downtown, wasteland outskirts

2007-10-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

The two descriptions in the headline basically sum up what it feels like to be in Fallbrook tonight, before the evacuation order has been lifted. In the downtown area, you're more likely to see a National Guard humvee or a law enforcement cruiser than a normal, civilian car. And all along the eastern and northern borders of town, the scenes are going to be eerie and foreign for weeks to come. Here are a few more pictures from the last few days.

Yesterday, I cruised around with Kenny, collecting addresses of homes that were burned down to put on the North County Times Web site. We visited Valley Oaks and made a list of all the coaches still standing, which is also viewable at nctimes.com.

Here, Kenny inspects a dead cat at Valley Oaks.

This is what fire retardant looks like up close. This photo was taken Wednesday afternoon at the Pala Mesa Villas, right next to the golf course, and the streak of pink from an air tanker is visible from I-15.

This is a photo I took off North Stage Coach Lane, as Kenny and Paige and I watched the fire burn in De Luz. Please note: This photo was taken Tuesday night; there is nothing that looks like this burning anywhere near Fallbrook at this point. Not that I know of, anyway.

This is a view of downtown Fallbrook, looking north on Main Street from in front of McDonald's around 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

And, finally, the sun as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. This ordeal is almost over; folks will start coming home soon. I can't wait.

Don't trust the Web!

2007-10-25T09:55:00.001-07:00

There is a ton of misinformation floating around the Internet right now about the Fallbrook fire. Don't believe it, and please don't spread it. Potter Jr. High has not burned down. Nothing west of Gird Road and Live Oak Park Road burned down, from what I've seen. The fire is pretty much dead south of East Mission Road in Fallbrook, although there are a few hot spots--I just confirmed that with the fire department.

For the most part, you can believe anything you read on nctimes.com. Independent bloggers and sensationalist rumor-spreaders on the Web do not have to be accountable to anyone; a newspaper does, even with the information on its Web site. So, please, don't worry about your house unless it is east of Gird or Live Oak Park Road, or north of East Mission near Red Mountain, and don't let those who say the fire's still raging in Fallbrook concern you. It's not.

My clips

2007-10-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

If anyone is interested in reading a first-person column about my parents' mobile home park that I wrote for the North County Times, you can read it here.

There is also a video clip with me narrating that you can watch.

Update

2007-10-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

I have no idea what I will end up reporting on today. Last night, I slept at Kenny and Paige's house on the western border of Fallbrook, and when I woke up, the smoke was very thick overhead. My car was covered in ashes.

The fire has moved north, into De Luz. Right now, it's heading for the Riverside County line, and officials are also worried about it turning around and heading east toward Rainbow. Residents of Fallbrook may be let back in beginning tomorrow, and there will be a state emergency resource hub set up at the Fallbrook Community Center on Thursday morning. For those of you who are displaced, sit tight. If your home is in or near downtown Fallbrook, chances are it is fine. Keep praying for the firefighters and decision-makers, and please pray for me, that I would be able to do some good, useful reporting today.

Fire update

2007-10-23T20:21:00.001-07:00

Since quite a few folks seem to be reading this blog for info, I'll post what I know right now. These are official numbers, as of 7 p.m.

-7,500 acres burned
-10% contained
-206 homes destroyed
-21,000 avocado trees destroyed

Additionally, I was told at the command post an hour ago that tomorrow morning could prove to be the turning point in the fire. If the wind doesn't pick up, the chiefs seem to think they can contain a good bit more of the blaze--probably the portion that was threatening to move closer to downtown Fallbrook.

The area of most concern tonight is Rainbow Glen, where the fire is making headway. It remains to be seen how far it will burn toward De Luz, but the northeast part of De Luz has been evacuated. Rainbow Glen appears to be the only area where the fire is growing, though, so that's good news for folks in Fallbrook.

I've returned at least 30 e-mails from various people about the status of their homes. The town is pretty much deserted, and everyone who lives here is cooped up somewhere along the coast. They all are concerned about their houses, and some of them will return to find only ashes. They need our prayers.

That's all for now.

Reporting on Fallbrook fire

2007-10-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if anybody will be checking this blog during the next day or two, but if you have come here looking for information about the Rice fire in Fallbrook, our family, my role in covering the fire, etc., I want to fill you in.

I worked 13 hours yesterday and I'm going on nine hours today. This is the worst fire in the history of this town, and I must say on the front end, the blaze claimed my parents' house at Valley Oaks yesterday. So if I get emotional at all during this post, please forgive me.

I've just returned to downtown Fallbrook from Valley Oaks, and the place is desolate. The northern half of the park is totally destroyed. I broke down when I finally walked around my parents' lot and saw things I recognized in the ashes. It was also eerie to walk around the streets I've walked so often, either in deep conversation with my mom or when courting Dorinda. I have so many good memories in that park, to see it torn apart is hard.

Taking a wider view of the crisis, the fire is far from going out. It's still threatening to move closer to downtown Fallbrook--and, by extension, our little guest house behind my sister's home. Plus, it's spreading into De Luz and south toward Highway 76. It's going to be a long couple of days before it's finally put out, and I don't even know when Dori can come back from her parents' house in Oceanside.

I must say, thank you all so much for your prayers. All the fire authorities were worried when I awoke this morning, fearing that the anticipated 50 MPH winds would drive the fire to our doorstep, but by 10 a.m., there was really no wind stirring. 11 a.m., nothing. Noon, I looked out the window in the North County Times office in Fallbrook, and there was still no wind. It is now 3 p.m. and the trees aren't moving outside. That means the fire isn't spreading, and it's exactly the news we've all been hoping to hear. So keep praying for calm, humid weather with a coastal breeze.

If you would like to stay up on my Fallbrook fire coverage, please visit www.nctimes.com. I will be posting updates throughout the week, and may even be able to provide a first-person piece about my experience today at Valley Oaks.

Again, this community--along with many others in Southern California--needs your prayers.

Here are a few pictures I took today.

New lens

2007-10-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

I picked up a new "glass" for my Nikon this morning from a good friend of mine, Michael Chan. I've already taken some pictures with it, and although it's going to take me a while to figure out how to get the most out of it, I love this lens. See for yourself. (Click on a picture to enlarge it.)

Sunday baseball

2007-10-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

While the Chargers were punishing the Raiders yesterday, I joined up with a crew of friends that plays baseball every Sunday afternoon at a park in Oceanside. I was reminded of how much I love playing baseball. I was also reminded of how out of shape I am at the present time--several muscles and joints hurt, and yesterday's pick-up game wouldn't even have passed as a light practice when I was in high school. I guess writing and taking pictures don't quite keep one in tip-top physical form. Here are a few shots from yesterday.

I love cold weather

2007-10-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was cold and rainy, and I loved it. Who's with me?

I started out the day at Starbucks, reading a book and drinking strong coffee. Just knowing it was cold outside was enough--it felt like we were actually experiencing a season other than summer! What a novelty!

Outside Costco later in the day, Dori and I saw a small deciduous tree with leaves that were in various stages of turning dark red. When I lived in Portland, the trees would all look like fire at this time of year, and I miss that. I miss [some of] the rain. I miss snowboarding on Mount Hood, watching the billow of my breath disappear, and cold days that were genuinely cold, but not so much so that a brisk walk down a street lined with fire-headed maples was unpleasant.

As you can tell, I am having some fond memories of the climate of my old home, but what is kind of funny is that, come February or March, I will be gloating about the blessed sameness of Fallbrook's 12 months of summer to my friends in Portland, who in turn will be ready to thaw, yet still months away from relief. When it comes, they might value summer more than I, but I value what little measure of fall and winter we are allowed at this time of year more than they might understand.

The Wednesday evening commute

2007-10-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight was my seventh trip to Chula Vista for a poetry workshop with Steve Kowit, who, it turns out, is a brilliant and inspiring teacher, and worth the two-hour round trip every Wednesday. Today, as I sat on the 805 approaching my exit to Southwestern Junior College, I saw an amazing sight. Truly amazing. To describe it, let me just say this:

See what I mean? I am almost positive I know what this laden truck was doing on the southbound 805: It was heading for Mexico. I know this because, at a garage sale to raise money for my nephew last year, a Mexican man came at the end of the day and bought all the furniture that was left over--furnishings, he explained, for a home across the border. Another woman bought bags and bags of clothes for the same purpose.

Still, this truck was stacked frighteningly high--higher, thought I, than most semi rigs that you see on the interstate. I could not stop looking at it, and managed to snap a few photos.

And that was all in the first half of the commute. When I reached Starbucks, for my pre-class kick, I was pleasantly rewarded with free coffee (it was brewing for four minutes before they handed me a cup), vouchers for two free songs ('Bucks is giving out a free song a day through iTunes--all you gotta do is ask for one), and a free day-old copy of the New York Times. Coffee, music, a paper, and not a dime spent. Not bad.

The drive home is typically relaxing. I found from the very first night drive back to Fallbrook that the trip affords me the opportunity to think, mull over what was discussed in class, and listen to music on my iPod. (I'm pretty sure activities such as listening to music via headphones and, say, taking pictures are illegal while driving. Don't tell.)

So that's my weekly Wednesday routine after I get off work in Escondido. Although, it's not every week that I see three houses' worth of used furniture commuting next to me toward Mexico. That, it seems, is a rare privilege.

First shot at photo editing

2007-10-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I tried my hand at creative photo editing for the first time, thanks to a new program (new to me, anyways) that is extremely powerful and fun to use--not to mention the industry standard for photographers. Here are the first few photos I edited. I hope to get a lot better as time goes on...

New toy

2007-10-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

In July, we were cleaning out my grandpa's house in La Mirada when I found a beat-up old guitar case in a closet. My heart started racing, and I took it in the living room and opened it up. Two months and $350 later, here is the new 12-string Takamine I have added to my lineup of instruments...

I had it cleaned up at Buffalo Brothers (great guitar store in Carlsbad--if you can make it there before they close at 6 p.m.), and had them install the same pickup that I have in my six-string Larivee. I have yet to plug it in and hear how it sounds amplified, but organic, it sounds great. Very rich and loud, with a hint of the signature tin sound that 12-string guitars have from all the high-pitched steel strings.

I hope to learn how to tastefully integrate this guitar into my music leading at church and Bible study. Any tips on playing 12-strings would be appreciated.

It's silly I'm so worked up about this, but...

2007-10-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

... may I just say, the Padres completely lived up to my expectations last night. I am a bitter, jaded, cynical fan, and they did exactly what I would expect a San Diego sports team to do in a pivotal situation. The Rockies deserve to be in the playoffs. The Padres do not. Go Rockies.

Don't even get me started on the Chargers...

Wouldn't that be today?

2007-10-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

I recorded this gem in July, after a conversation with my then-6-year-old nephew:

I almost always love children. I especially love the things they say, because when they're young, their speech is an unfiltered glimpse into the way they think. Jonny, my oldest nephew at 6 years old, came into our yard just now sporting a fresh buzz-cut.

"When did you get your hair cut?" I asked.

"The day after yesterday," he replied.

Long weekend

2007-10-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

I spent Friday night and Saturday morning at a writer's conference in Rancho Bernardo, where I met two literary agents and an acquisitions editor for a publisher in Ventura. I also met Lynn Vincent, features editor for WORLD Magazine, who gave me some good tips on reporting and writing. I had never been to a writer's conference before, and I honestly wasn't expecting much. But the experience turned out to be great, both for learning how agents and publishers think, and for picking up some tips and inspiration. I will post updates on what happens with the three book proposals that I will be sending out to follow up on the conference.

Then, Saturday night, I had the privilege of shooting a 60th anniversary party in Vista. I will try to post some pictures from this weekend in the next few days.

Word of the day: 'Heimlich'

2007-09-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, why are they called "maneuvers"? Wouldn't "Heimlich hugs" be more accurate? Wikipedia, in its page on choking, calls them "abdominal thrusts," but notes that the venerable Heimlich himself rejected that term on the grounds that it sounded disgusting.

Not really. In fact, Mr. Henry J. Heimlich objected because he felt the word "abdomen" was too vague, and might lead the thruster to apply his thrusts in the incorrect spot on the choker's torso.

I also like the word because of how it's spelled. It's obviously German, just like my name, and that makes me feel good. I wonder how many people tried to put a "k" on the end of his name, instead of the "h." Not to worry, Henry, very few get my "Pf" right. I feel your pain.

The pain of no one spelling your name correctly, that is--nothing that would require an abdominal thrust...

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Three little bandits

2007-09-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

Triplet raccoons visited us tonight. There's not much to say about them, except that they were cute, and two of them were very outgoing. The third had better sense. Dori and our neighbor were feeding them, which I wasn't thrilled about, but it allowed me to get some good, close photos of them.

'Ghost blogs': breaking the silence

2007-09-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

So, apparently, it's been more than two weeks since I posted here... and it was about gun control. Really, I'm not that into guns. It just happened to be where I ran out of steam.

I have seen several blogs previously updated by friends of mine that have fallen silent, sometimes for as long as two years. The sites are still out there, drifting on the Internet, but the last writing on them was done in 2005 or 2006. It feels kind of eerie to read them; they feel like ghost towns -- ghost blogs, really.

I do not want mine to become a ghost blog, so I am asking that anyone who feels so led would post a comment suggesting topics that I could discuss in this space.

I will post more pictures soon, more links, more thoughts on my own interests, but it would help me to know what anyone who reads this blog would like to read more of. Thank you for your kind assistance in breaking the silence.

Gun control, part 2

2007-08-28T13:11:00.001-07:00

Following up on my previous post--which I intended as an analysis of human nature, not gun control laws--I would like to direct your attention to an article published today about the ratio of guns per citizens in various countries around the world. Turns out the U.S. is the most heavily-armed nation, with 90 guns per 100 people, according to this article.

The numbers from other countries around the world are very interesting.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this topic, nor the numbers presented in the article. If you have any thoughts, please share them.

Denying God = death

2007-08-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article on the state government's attempts to curb gun violence in the Aug. 15 edition of the L.A. Times. Here is the first paragraph:

"A proposed state bill requiring all new handguns to be stamped with microscopic identification tags could significantly decrease violence and shut down the illegal gun market if passed, proponents said in a news conference Tuesday."

Laughing yet? I was, by this point in the article. Those who refuse to acknowledge that people are basically depraved and sinful--not basically good--never give up on this idea that making guns more difficult to obtain or risky to use in crimes will not change the hearts of criminals. People will always kill other people, no matter what kind of technology tries to deter them, and whether or not guns are available to do the job.

Read the entire article here.

To me, this isn't a gun-rights issue, even though I feel passionate about the right to own and use firearms. It is, first and foremost, an issue of the gross misgivings that stem from denying that everyone is fallen and needs a Savior. That denial is dangerous--in this case, it means that a bunch of misguided politicians are trying to attack a spiritual problem with a physical solution, while folks continue to kill each other. It's a Band-Aid on a broken heart.

I am all about reducing gun violence. And war. But while the true solution escapes these decision-makers--or, more accurately, while they avoid it--people keep dying. We should be angry about the consequences of their denying God, not about guns and bullets.

Word of the day: 'Classicist'

2007-08-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

"n. An advocate or the principles of classicism ... one who advocates the teaching of Greek and Latin in the schools."

I have a friend (you know who you are) who has recently converted to classicism, which is basically a different and more logical way to approach education than what is currently in place today. This friend sent me a link to an article written by Dorothy Sayers, whose name I recognized, but whose writing I had never read. Sayers was a contemporary of Lewis and Tolkien, and she argued--convincingly--in a 1947 essay, "The Lost Tools of Learning," that classical education should be revived, updated and implemented instead of the modern system of education. After 60 years, her words ring truer than ever. In this post, I will include a few snippets from her essay, which can be read in its entirety here.

"Have you ever, in listening to a debate among adult and presumably responsible people, been fretted by the extraordinary inability of the average debater to speak to the question, or to meet and refute the arguments of speakers on the other side? Or have you ever pondered upon the extremely high incidence of irrelevant matter which crops up at committee meetings, and upon the very great rarity of persons capable of acting as chairmen of committees? And when you think of this, and think that most of our public affairs are settled by debates and committees, have you ever felt a certain sinking of the heart?"

(This happened to me on Sunday, as I was watching part of a debate among Democratic presidential candidates on C-SPAN.)

"Do you ever find that young people, when they have left school, not only forget most of what they have learnt (that is only to be expected), but forget also, or betray that they have never really known, how to tackle a new subject for themselves? ... Do you often come across people for whom, all their lives, a 'subject' remains a 'subject,' divided by watertight bulkheads from all other 'subjects,' so that they experience very great difficulty in making an immediate mental connection between let us say, algebra and detective fiction, sewage disposal and the price of salmon--or, more generally, between such spheres of knowledge as philosophy and economics, or chemistry and art?"

Sayers' argument goes on and on, with ample evidence of the failure of modern education to do its job. She then proposes a return to classical education, under which we would teach kids the tools of learning before we start throwing information at them by the bucketful. I encourage you to read the entire essay. This last quote sums up what I have felt for a long time about public education in the U.S.

"Is not the great defect of our education today--a defect traceable through all the disquieting symptoms of trouble that I have mentioned--that although we often succeed in teaching our pupils 'subjects,' we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how to think: they learn everything, except the art of learning."

Please share your thoughts on this subject. I would love to explore educational philosophy in further depth, if my readers would be interested in participating.

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Flying is... fun?

2007-08-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Two articles I recently found illustrate what a joy modern air travel is, from packing two weeks' worth of contact solution and shampoo into three-ounce bottles to sitting on the tarmac for five hours.

The first is about the fiasco that happened the day we came back from China, forcing everyone on our flight to sit in our seats for five hours because of a faulty network card in one computer in U.S. Customs. At least, that's what this article says. The ordeal pushed our arrival back from 6 p.m. until after midnight, and caused my parents' parking bill to run up to $27. It was the single worst experience I have ever had while traveling via airplane. Good ol' government technology.

The second article made me shudder a little bit inside. A China Air flight burst into flames on a runway in Japan after landing. No one was hurt, according to the article, but it was China Air, so, yeah...

I love flying.

Reflections: What I didn't show, nor tell

2007-08-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

I have been uploading photos to the safety of my hard drive for several hours now, thinking about all of the pictures and details that were missed as I tried to capture the most relevant images and thoughts during our trip. Many observations went unpublished on this blog because there was so much rich subject matter from which to choose. In this post, I will try to complete the experience a little, both with photos and with memories that are still fresh in my mind.

The first thing that comes to mind is the city. Beijing. Where smog presses in on otherwise clear days and cranes fill the horizon. There was construction happening everywhere we turned in Beijing, from the huge Olympic stadium that looked like massive scraps of metal folded one over the other to the downtown renovations that I assume are underway to make the city more palatable to wealthy Westerners for the 2008 Games next summer.

Although frequent rainfall cleansed the air while we were there, smog crept in any time it wasn't raining, and atmospheric moisture combined with the smog for a confusing, unsettling canopy over the city during our ventures into downtown Beijing. We stayed in a school about half an hour away, but visited the city often, attending church there and taking the children to Tienanmen Square during week 2.

The city felt like so many others I have visited, noisy with traffic and full of tree-lined sidewalks. But it was also different, of course. A little more subdued than the major U.S. cities I have visited.

So much of our time was spent riding through the countryside on buses that I cannot go without describing that experience. First of all, it was usually so hot outside that we looked forward to the air conditioning the vans provided, even if it meant cramming our long, American legs into seats made for smaller people. Second, I am one who thoroughly enjoys just looking out the window as I ride, especially in a foreign country. Fascinating to see the people commuting, working, selling, trying to avoid being hit by vehicles that don't stop at crosswalks.

Most times, the kids would fall asleep when we rode somewhere in the vans, but on the way to the Great Wall during week 1, Dori's girls started peeking around the seat at me, poking my leg when they thought I wasn't watching, then retreating to their seats. It was especially sweet because it was the first time that Sarah (on the right in the picture below) had shown such outgoing playfulness. Until then she had been very reserved.

The campus where we stayed often felt deserted. With empty rooms full of discarded furniture and whole buildings I never saw anyone going in or out of, it was especially lonely on the weekends, when the other camps, ones where Chinese teenagers arrived to practice basketball or music, had left.

One thing I mentioned but did not have time to describe was a beautiful garden attached to the famous "Forbidden City" where emperors supposedly spent their entire lives. We only had about an hour inside, after purchasing tickets for something like 80 cents, but it was enough to take in the immaculately-maintained paths and plazas.

What else can I say? Plenty, I imagine, if I completely combed my memory. But I think I have exhausted that which you would find even remotely interesting. I will leave you with a couple of random photos.

OK, there is one more thing I just have to post. While we were at the gorge on Saturday, Aug. 4, there was a man on a motorcycle going across a tightrope. With a man in a seat hanging ten feet below him. These two guys were at least 300 or 400 feet above the lake. I have no idea what kind of wire-gripping equipment they were using, but I hope in these photos you can get a feel for their insanity.

Home, sweet home

2007-08-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

So our trip to China was full of new experiences, from beginning to literal end. Neither Dori nor I had ever sat in an idle plane on the tarmac for five hours before yesterday, but a computer failure at U.S. Customs inside LAX apparently was enough to cause us to do just that--an entire 747 full of weary travelers stranded from 4:45, when we landed, until around 9:30. It took three more hours to get our baggage and clear customs. We arrived home around 4 a.m.

Thank you all again for your prayers of safety and health. Neither of us fell ill during the trip, and neither broke any bones or worse. We are simply glad to be home, in our little guest house in downtown Fallbrook, spiritually and emotionally recharged after our life-changing trip with Bring Me Hope.

Day 5 of week 2: On our way home

2007-08-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

Today, the second group of children left to return home early in the morning. We ate a quick breakfast, gathered their belongings and sent them on their way. One interesting thing happened during all the commotion, which was the emotional breakdown of my toughest child during these two weeks, named Jake. He was barely touching his food at the 6 a.m. breakfast--poking it with his chopsticks, really. I asked my translator if he thought Jake was sad, and he said he didn't think so. But, 30 seconds later, we both watched a tear slide to the tip of Jake's nose.

I had made a difference.

These two weeks have taught me so many things, and I expect it will take months to unpack all of them out of the bag of memories that I will carry home with me. Dorinda and I can't wait to come home and see our families, sleep in the same bed again and be able to drink the tap water if we wanted to. But a part of us enjoyed being needed so much, being in a place and time where we knew we were doing God's will, obeying Him, pleasing Him. That is a great feeling, and rare.

We have had fun these two weeks...

But it is time for us to return, and we are ready. Thank you so much for your prayers, your correspondence and your enduring support. We hope to see you very soon.

From Beijing, this is Tom Pfingsten reporting.

Day 3 of week 2

2007-08-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

Today is the first true sunny day since we arrived. It rained yesterday, on my birthday (see below post), but today has been beautiful so far--reminiscent of San Diego weather, actually. So we have all been enjoying it. When the sun is not shining, it's still about the same temperature, but so humid that you don't want to move. Actually, Dori rewashed some of my laundry today, and it dried in less than an hour hanging outside. It had taken three days to dry previously, with complications, so let's just say I should not be doing laundry.

The water park is a big hit again this week. The inflatable water slide attracts boys like a magnet, and there were only a few heel-to-face collisions today. The pool is equally popular, although I tossed in a translator this morning who could not swim, did not know she could just stand up to keep from drowning, and commenced the drowning sequence--arms flailing, etc.--in four feet of water. I felt terrible.

It is interesting how the end of the week is in sight almost as soon as each one-week camp begins. It is already mid-Wednesday as I am writing this, and tomorrow will be our last full day with the orphans; they leave Friday afternoon. My two are an interesting pair, one 18 with disabilities and one 13 with serious willpower issues, but I love them.

I hope to complete one more post with photos before we fly home on Saturday. Thanks for reading, for your prayers and support while we have been here, and for taking an interest along with us in these orphans.

Birthday in Tienanmen Square

2007-08-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I turned 25, and it just so happened to be the one day of this week that we would take all the children out for a day in Beijing. We went to Tienanmen Square, then to a massive park that was built 800 years ago by an emperor, then to a museum that was equally impressive in size. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, between the kids, my wife and friends, and the sightseeing.

It started out cloudy, then rained. But not until we were on the far side of the massive park, with about half a mile to walk back to the buses. Then, as I predicted, it cleared up as soon as we reached the museum, and it was partially sunny when we got back to the school. Indeed, my sense of Murphy's Law was in fine form on my 25th birthday.

Here are a few photos from yesterday.

This baby was wandering all over the place in the square. She was so cute and animated, and the group of firefighters so stoic, but one saw her fall over and bent to pick her up.

The woman in the picture above was playing a song that a Bring Me Hope translator informed me was entitled, "Mother is the best person in the world." I don't think she knew "Happy birthday." She also told me she wanted her picture to "go all over the world" (in Chinese).

The museum was full of cool historical items, but, unfortunately, each lengthy paragraph of Chinese description would be followed with one or two English words. It was not, therefore, the most enlightening experience, even though it was neat to see all the artifacts.

And here is a picture of my second translator and I, wearing sleeves on our heads. Good times.

Day 0 of week 2

2007-08-05T04:29:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, the orphans of week 2 will arrive. A few just pulled in this evening, but those who will be assigned to Dorinda and I will not get here until the morning. We have had a crazy weekend, and I will try to relate a bit about what we did.

Saturday: We left mid-morning for a lake several hours away in a place named "Dragon Gorge." It was a combination of natural wonder and Disneyland-style commercialization. Dramatic vistas with moss-covered crags set behind street vendors selling goat-kebabs and flimsy swords. It was definitely not like any other experience I have had. Only one place ever felt even remotely like it: the Bufadora in Ensanada, Mexico. Below is a photo of the boat ride we took to the bungee-jumping/zip line area.

Several people in our group jumped, and several others rode a zip line across the lake; Dori and I took pictures and ate lunch from the safety of the dock. After leaving the extreme sports complex, we rode a boat back to the entrance of the gorge and rode an alpine slide to the bottom. The views and the rides were worth the five hours it took to get there in a van made for oriental (read: short) legs.

After the gorge, we drove back to the suburbs of Beijing, ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant near Li Mai school, and spent about an hour at Starbucks, now a lush indulgence, after a week with no coffee.

Above are two pictures of where we went today. You may have heard of it: Tienanmen Square. It's huge. And there were a lot of Chinese people there--go figure. We walked a ton after our lunch of pizza and soda, and a sermon at the same international church we attended last week. We are exhausted, and in some ways, I am looking forward to a week with the orphans more than I would a week of pure touring. The kids are worth the trip, they are what we came for, and I am looking forward to another week with them.

There were several highlights from week 1, many of which came right at the very end. My translator, Ai Lin, really came out of her shell on her last night here. We talked about God and family, about her future and mine, about the boys we both learned to love in less than five days, and about next year. There's always next year.

But somehow that's not what you think as you watch the Chinese people--translators and kids alike--return to their homes. You think, "I wish there were more of this year to spend with them, more of today, more of this very moment." It is sad, but at the same time it puts everything in crystal-clear perspective. No amount of getting ahead in a career, no amount of toys, can take the place of loving other people, especially when those people need love so much.

Ai Lin wrote me a short note and gave it to me Friday night. She would not let me read it until she had left. When I did, several parts of it really hit home. She wrote, for example, that I had helped her understand that she should study English to communicate ideas to other people, not just to get a "high grade." And she demanded that I tell her when Dori and I "have the baby."

"I'll miss you," she concluded. "I love you."

Day 4 of camp 1

2007-08-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today, we have spent all of our time here at the private school called "Li Mai." The Bring Me Hope staff has set up a water park, with an inflatable slide that's a lot of fun, and there is a swimming pool where our kids like to hang out. Ping pong and basketball are also popular activities.

Tomorrow will mark the end of our first week of camp. The time has just flown by. My two boys have opened up and left most of their timidity behind. They are extremely polite, and do as I or my translator say. Dori's two girls have become very active and outgoing, as well. One of them, whom Dori named Sarah, was shy and quiet to the point of not speaking when she arrived, but now smiles and waves whenever either of us look at her. I even heard her shout just a few minutes ago at lunch. She is so cute.

We are having a great time playing with the kids, and in the evening the staff and volunteers--all the Americans--gather for a devotional led by Steve Kettering and some worship. The fellowship has been awesome so far, and we are being blessed right and left. Even in a foreign country, we have it so good.

Day 2 of camp 1

2007-07-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

I don't have much time to write, ever, between walking Bill and Tom to the cafeteria or, say, touring the Great Wall.

That's right. Today we visited the Great Wall, hiked on it, and took many, many pictures of it. Bill and Tom are the orphans that have been assigned to me for the week. They are quiet and shy, but they're coming out of their shells more every day. Right now it's about 10:30 p.m., and I am exhausted. But I want to share a few photographs of our day. I hope this weekend I will have more time for a lengthy update.

Thank you all for the e-mails and the comments you have left at this blog. I read them and appreciate them. Home is so far away. But we love what we are doing here, and what God is doing through us.

Above are my two boys--Tom on the left, and Bill--and my translator, Elva. Her Chinese name is pronounced "Eileen," and she is much more organized and responsible than I am.

Day 1 of camp 1

2007-07-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's Monday at 7:15 a.m. Breakfast is served, and in a few hours the orphans will arrive. Sleeping has been easy, as our room has air conditioning and it gets cool and dry at night. By "our," I mean the guy room where I'm staying--with five other men. Dori is staying down the hall from me, with a handful of girls.

We are excited, if a little apprehensive, about meeting our new friends this morning. Now begins the work we came for. Now begins the first five days of our true adventure, one of relationships. More to come.

On location: China

2007-07-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

I am thoroughly exhausted, but thrilled to be navigating the Internet with words and photos to share from Beijing. We have had a crazy day, settling into a dormitory in a huge private school and touring a nearby medical clinic for orphans and foster children.

I am not sure how often I will be able to update this site, between struggling for access to a computer and finding the energy to write. So I have posted a few photographs from today, in hopes of providing a decent view of where we are and what we're doing.

Below is a picture of the front of one of the several dormitory buildings where we volunteers are staying. Notice Steve Bolt on a bike--a rare sight indeed.

One of the most surprising things about Beijing is how lush it is. In part because of a strong monsoon season that just started, there is green everywhere, and flowers.

So long...

2007-07-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for China. Check back for live updates from Beijing beginning tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for reading, and for your support. Please continue to pray for us as we travel and work and tour.

Countdown: 1 day

2007-07-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

So. (That is how the unknown author of Beowulf starts his story, and I always liked it.) We are down to our last full day at home before we leave for China. Our journey will begin at the Bolt's house, then we'll carpool to Los Angeles International Airport, then we'll fly--or, more accurately, be flown--for nearly 13 hours, landing in Beijing on Saturday.

Neither Dori nor I has ever been on a plane for longer than about four hours, and we have never flown on a 747. We are not sure whether to look forward to the experience, or dread it. But it is what we'll do once we step off the plane in Beijing that is the purpose of our journey, so even if the flight is awful, it won't matter.

In recent days, I have noticed slight changes in my attitude toward children. I saw a little guy get his finger pinched in the swinging door of a trash can at a fast food restaurant yesterday, and I was overcome with compassion. And yesterday may have been the first time I have not, in some small way, felt uneasy about spending two weeks trying to cheer and love a bus load of orphans.

I believe this is an answer to prayers--my own, when I have asked that my heart be prepared for the task, and those of others. So thank you. For my wife's part, I believe she carries in her a strong love for children that never needed bolstering. What we both still need are prayers for stamina, good health and servant-like love for our teammates.

I will try to post a few updates from Beijing while we are there, but my first priority will be seeing to the Bring Me Hope blog, where photos and writing will probably be several times a week. If you are interested in seeing and reading about our daily activities with the kids, I would highly recommend visiting that blog.

Well, that's all I have for now. I must go pack or something. Thanks again for your support.

Word of the day: 'Noncontroversial'

2007-07-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

You gotta love it when someone chooses to use this five-syllable word when they could just say "boring." I suppose things that are noncontroversial are not always boring, but usually that is the case. We are human. Our nature is to revel in observing a good controversy. We hate to be embroiled in one with consequences, but watching one from a safe place--is there anything more satisfying to our curiosity? Could this be the reason why we love gossip?

And could this word of the day be the antidote to gossip: To consider scandals and failure in other people's lives as noncontroversial because they were not our decisions to make, and not our consequences to reap? I can just imagine all the noncontroversy that wouldn't travel from person to person within our communities if our love for one another was so strong that we could override the gossip gene.

How boring, but how very safe, that community would be.

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Three Rivers photo essay

2007-07-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

Here I'll post some photographs from our trip last weekend. There were so many good images, and I captured but a few of them. I have sized down the thumbnails to fit more in the post; to see the larger images, click on the thumbnails. Enjoy, and please leave some feedback.

Kenny tried for well over an hour to start a fire the old-fashioned way: by rubbing two sticks together. He almost succeeded.

Building character is fun, kids!

2007-07-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long one, so I'm sorry if you're a fan of quick hits, or if you do not have enough time to scroll through it all. It's been a week since I posted, and for good reason. At least once a year, Dori and I like to spend a few days out of cell phone range. By that I mean backpacking, somewhere remote, where the mighty bear, and not the computer, is king. Our experiences last weekend ran the gamut, from thrilling to relaxing to frightening to downright exasperating. I did manage to capture a couple dozen good photographs, a few of which I will post separately. I think the best way to relate the trip would be to list the events of each day, so here goes:

Day 1: Friday, July 13
Dori and I packed frantically after I got home from work, then left the house at 7 p.m. Two hours later, we left Temecula after a handful of last-minute errands. We jury-rigged my laptop to play DVDs and made it through Sweet Home Alabama and half of S.W.A.T. before arriving in Three Rivers at 1 a.m. Kenny and Paige are staying in Three Rivers, a small town about an hour southwest of Hume Lake, and that is where we slept.

Day 2: Saturday, July 14
The first half of this day was extremely trying, and I'm not just saying that to be dramatic. A hot, sweaty hike that I pegged at eight miles was followed by a steep descent through low-slung trees and poison oak to get to the river by which we would camp. As soon as we started into the ravine toward the water, all the muscles in my left leg and most in my right started cramping. It slowed everyone else down, and made it much harder to pick my way down the slope and through the poison oak. Psychologically and physically, this was an extremely difficult morning for me.

But the afternoon was better. We set up camp right by the North Fork of the Kaweah River, just inside Sequoia National Park. The effort it took to get there was rewarded by how remote our campsite was. We knew we wouldn't see any strangers, and we didn't, as there was really no trail leading to, from or past where we camped. We relaxed, ate dinner and dipped our feet in the river and then slept for about 12 hours Saturday night.

Day 3: Sunday, July 15
This was our day to kick it, and we did. After breakfast, we hiked a few minutes up an old mining road nearby to a shanty where ore pulled out of mines on the hillside was crushed for tungsten. We poked around for a bit and I took some pictures, then we proceeded up the road to a real, honest-to-goodness mine. There was even an ore cart sitting in the mouth of the mine shaft. Headlamps on, we explored the mine for about an hour, climbing into the vents that were blasted diagonally upward 80 years ago by miners. Outside, the temperature was in the 90's and it was bone-dry, but in the mine, it was cold and moist. I have never been a fan of dark, enclosed spaces, but this was fun. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Later in the afternoon, we hiked upstream and chilled at a pool that was fairly deep. I got a sunburn, and we scoped out a suitable place to scale the steep hillside to get back to the road out.

Day 4: Monday, July 16
We woke up before dawn and began packing our things. Breaking camp is really not as bad as it sounds. But hiking out of a river gorge with no trail is not for the faint of heart. It took us about an hour to get from our campsite to the old road that led out of the hills to Kenny's truck--a distance of less than half a mile, over the river, up a steep hill and ultimately about 400 to 500 up in elevation. Then came the long walk. When we arrived in Three Rivers, I could barely move for all my sore spots and worn-out muscles. But we had a relaxing afternoon eating pizza and watching Comedy Central, then we topped it off with dinner at Bubba's, a barbecue place in Visalia.

The craziest few hours of our trip came on Monday. When we got back from our hike, we noticed that the right rear tire on my car was flat, so Kenny put the spare on and I went to a tire place in Visalia to get it fixed. It turned out the tire place was not the same company from which I had purchased my tires, as I thought, but after an hour of coaxing, they fixed it for free. So we were good to get home Monday night.

Or not. We had been cruising down Highway 99 for less than five minutes when I hit something in the road and my right front tire immediately went flat.

I don't think I can accurately convey what I was feeling as I put the spare on for the second time that day--the only day in the last year when we had 300 miles to travel to get home. The hassle of getting the first flat fixed was completely eclipsed by the bent wheel and destroyed tire that I had to deal with off the side of the highway.

We spent Monday night in a Motel 6 in Bakersfield, tired and defeated.

Day 5: Tuesday, July 17
We ate breakfast at Denny's while the tire place in Bakersfield fixed my tire and put it on my car. We left for Fallbrook around noon, and pulled in at 3 p.m., never so happy to be home.

Summary
I don't want to make it sound like the trip wasn't an adventure, or fun, or even that it wasn't relaxing. It was all of those things. We especially enjoyed spending time with Kenny and Paige.

However, I am convinced that God was determined to teach us some very important lessons using a few pages out of the old pain and suffering textbook. In exactly one week, we'll be on a plane to China, headed for an experience unlike any we've had, as individuals or as a couple. Maybe the stress of the hike and the two flat tires were a primer for summer camp in Beijing. Or maybe they were designed to make anything tough that happens there seem tame. Either way, here are some valuable lessons Dori and I learned this past weekend:

Leaving the house does not equal departing on a road trip. It equals another set of to-dos that each whittle away at the true time of departure;
Long pants are the new short pants when hiking through hills inhabited by poison oak;
The tougher it is to reach a campsite, the more rewarding it will be to stay there, providing it is situated between a river of pure snowmelt and the entrance to an old tungsten mine;
Bug spray is bliss--potentially cancerous in the long run, but instant bliss, all the same;
Fixing one flat tire does not automatically exempt a vehicle or a motorist from hitting large objects in the highway, causing more flat tires.

Illness and tons and tons of driving

2007-07-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Between driving to and from Escondido almost every day this week and the cold I had to fight off, I did not have much time for blogging. Sorry. But I thought I would post at least a little something before Dori and I leave for a weekend backpacking trip with Kenny and Paige near Three Rivers.

My first week working out of the Escondido office has been interesting. I like the people I sit next to and the environment--a busy newsroom with dozens of reporters and editors all making phone calls and working on stories--but I absolutely hate the driving. Half an hour each way, and that's just the time. What the extra driving will do to my gas bill remains to be seen, but I don't have a good feeling about it.

While it is a bit frustrating to be moved around like a pawn by my employer, I am thankful for my job. I get to pursue my curiosity, be in the middle of things and write. That's most important, writing. All the driving I will be doing is worth it if I just keep getting paid to write.

Well, I must embark for the journey home now. I want to be home before the next full moon, so I must move quickly. Farewell.

Wireless camping

2007-07-10T08:33:00.001-07:00

An article posted yesterday on Yahoo! News talks about the genesis of campgrounds sporting wireless Internet connections. Having been camping just a few days ago, in a place where my cell phone display said NO NETWORK, I can testify that a Web connection would sometimes come in handy. However, it could also be a nuisance.

Does having Web access defeat the purpose of camping? Please weigh in with your thoughts and comments.

Observatour

2007-07-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a good one, albeit hot. We spent Saturday atop Palomar Mountain, camping with some friends that are fixing to move to Florida. When you only have forty to fifty regular members in your church, losing a young couple is tough. But he is a Marine, and move they must, and so we bid them farewell with a camping trip.

On Saturday morning, we set out for a five-mile hike to the Palomar Observatory. Between the heat and the altitude, I became keenly aware of my severe lack of stamina. But we made it.

Throughout the high country surrounding Palomar Mountain, there are beautiful plateau grasslands. The yellow grass contrasted with the dark green oaks is just gorgeous. It is a kind of beauty I never recognized as a kid--serene, quiet and understated. I highly recommend a day trip through the northeast portion of San Diego County so you can see what I'm talking about. Specifically, try driving up Palomar on South Grade Road, checking out the observatory, then descending via East Grade Road, which drops back to Highway 76 at Lake Henshaw. You won't be disappointed.

I had not visited the Palomar Observatory, which is built around the Hale Telescope, for at least fifteen years. Unlike most impressive things that I saw during my childhood, the dome was much larger than I remembered it. I have always loved astronomy, and the thought of spending just one hour looking out the telescope into deep space gave me chills. For more information about the observatory, click here or check out the Palomar Observatory Wiki.

Here is a shot of the inside of the facility, including the bottom portion of the telescope, which holds the mirror. Turns out the 200-inch (16.7-foot) mirror is actually made out of Pyrex. True story.

Moving day

2007-07-06T07:13:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the distinct displeasure of packing my desk in the Fallbrook North County Times office to transplant it into the Escondido office (a.k.a. the Mother Ship, the Big House, Central Command). I threw a bunch of stuff away that, at some point, I was sure I would need. Two and a half years is a long time to accumulate dusty post-its and meeting agendas. My favorite were all the business cards for people I could not even remember. Most of what was there is now in boxes and will be moved today.

The significant change afoot here is that I will no longer be based in Fallbrook. The powers that be have decided that all reporters shall be grouped into the Escondido and Oceanside offices. So maybe two days out of every week I will be able to work in Fallbrook, but I'll be doing the rest of my time in the Big House.

It's really not that bad, except for the drive. I spent yesterday in Escondido, and it was a little odd sitting two desks away from a handful of people who could fire me, seeing the publisher walk through the newsroom, things like that. But I suppose it will add new challenges to my job. I have a feeling it will make a better reporter of me, so I cannot complain. OK, maybe a little bit. As I'm driving half an hour each way to and from work.

Reflections

2007-07-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

It's taken a couple of days to recover from the Fourth of July festivities. Fireworks in Fallbrook were pretty--not the most spectacular display ever, but just having our own fireworks here was sweet. We were home in a few minutes when they ended, instead of waiting in traffic for an hour, like we would have had we gone to the beach or any other display in one of North County's bigger cities. Working the cops shift for the Times yesterday, I also found out there were three stabbings at the July 4 celebration in Oceanside by the pier. I'm pretty sure there were no stabbings and no gang fights at the event in Fallbrook.

Before watching the sky pop red and yellow over the Grand Tradition, my family and Dori's dad and brother got together for lunch and swimming.

Note on the picture below: I love the "NO DIVING" sign. "CAUTION. WARNING! RULES." To a kid, it all means NO HAVING FUN! And then the one in the upper right explaining how to perform CPR. If I pulled a drowning person out of the pool, the first thing I would do is mosey on over to that sign and read up on artificial respiration.

Freedom of our fathers

2007-07-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

We hear all the time that we live in a free land, a land of liberty and hard-bought political freedom. On a day named "Independence," I think we would do well to reflect on the freedom that truly matters and will carry on into eternity.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

"Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:34-36)

The most common and ruthless tyrant is sin, which has invaded every household, every heart and every government to make them captive, and it is that enemy we should loathe most. That we can be free of it is something to celebrate even more than our freedom to vote, own property and worship openly, as citizens of the United States.

Freedom was not our idea--it was God's original plan. And it was Christ's objective. When I look at the colors of the flag, I see His blood, His snow-white purity stained with murder, and the blue of the royal robe they laid on His shoulders. To the extent that Christ's gospel is honored among the American people, we shall be free indeed.

Happy Independence Day.

Caution: Eating your computer may cause indigestion

2007-07-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dori directed my attention yesterday to an entertaining little Web site that lists some frivolous lawsuits and outrageous warning labels. A few of my favorites are "Never use hair dryer while sleeping"; "Do not drive with sun shield in place"; and "Do not allow children to play in the dishwasher." A label on a can of pepper spray reads, "May irritate eyes," and on a pack of fireplace logs: "Caution--risk of fire."

The site makes a good connection between redundant warning labels and frivolous lawsuits, and some of the most entertaining labels conjure great images of human stupidity. Like, "Do not eat toner," found on a laser printer, or, on an electric carpenter's drill, "This product not intended for use as a dental drill." Hm. I wonder what happened there.

In other news, it was reported today that the $67.8 billion fortune of a Mexican businessman has surpassed Bill Gates' $59.2 billion, and has made Carlos Slim the richest man on the planet. Or at least the dude with the most money. There are a couple of interesting points in the article, such as the fact that Slim's personal fortune equals about 8 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product.

Film reviews: Tuxedo surfers, tough guy, rat in the kitchen

2007-07-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since Dori and I saw a bunch of films all at once on the big screen. A few months ago, we watched Apocalypto and We Are Marshall in the same evening, but since then we have been selective about the pictures we want to see in the theater. This weekend, we broke the trend and saw movies three nights in a row. Two were animated, and one had a wryly animated lead character. All three were good.

Surf's Up: For an animated film about surfing penguins, this movie was actually pretty entertaining. I thought it had just enough of a lesson to be worthwhile, and that the lesson was not over the top, like is the case with some animated movies. There was some pretty good music in the soundtrack, and the animation was great. For a boy who grew up on the Animaniacs and TaleSpin, modern animation is a marvel. However, this is the last penguin movie that I care to see for the next few years.

Live Free or Die Hard: Watching Bruce Willis kill bad guys is cool enough, but the one-liners laced throughout the fourth Die Hard installment really make this one worth seeing. It has noticeably less bad language than the first three, which were all made back when writers and directors must have thought action stars needed to be cast with vocabularies somewhere between sailors and rappers to be believable. Willis (a.k.a. NYPD detective John McClane) seems appropriately worn out, and his sidekick, played by Justin Long, is a computer hacker who provides great contrast to Willis' gruff cop. Like Surf's Up, this film also does not try to be more than what it is, which is an action movie. Those who made the film know we bought tickets just to see John McClane shoot stuff and be tough, not to be lectured about some thin moral value. Live Free or Die Hard delivers plenty of explosions and humor, as well as the catharsis of watching the good guy win. Again.

Ratatouille: The animation in this film was slicker and more technical than Surf's Up, and the story was also more intricate. The trick here was getting audiences to fall in love with a rat, and once I got over that hurdle, I thoroughly enjoyed Ratatouille. What was interesting was that a lot of the dialog and some key chunks of the plot were at an adult level of understanding. At one point, the film's villain says something like, "...not that anyone can be a great artist, but that a great artist can come from anywhere." That line hit me like I've never been hit by a line from an animated movie before. It took me surprise that a film about a rat who dreams of being a chef could be deep. In the end, though, it's the fancy animation and typical slapstick laughs that are the best reasons to see Ratatouille.

Little white lies

2007-07-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how to frame this one, so I'll just put it out there: A new study has supposedly revealed that people begin lying at the ripe old age of 6 months. Read it for yourself here.

I personally do not have a hard time believing this. I think you mothers will also relate to what is reported in the article about fake crying, when a child feigns distress to get attention, pauses to see if their adults are listening, then continues bawling.

Boy, to think I started lying before I even started walking...

On another level, it is a sad tribute to how thoroughly the human race was tainted through one man's sin. The sinful nature does not creep up from behind us at some predetermined age; it is there all along. Learning how to use it is what takes a while, but we all eventually learn.

On this Sunday morning, I am thankful for the power of Christ--not only to save us from our sin and seal us for heaven, but also to set us free from the grip our sinful nature.

Longest day ever

2007-06-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

I'm usually just saying that, but I cannot remember a day when I had as much driving and work to do as I did today. It started at 8 a.m., when Dori and I left for the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles. Keep in mind I have never driven to downtown Los Angeles. But we found the consulate, picked up my visa for this summer's two-week trip to China, and made it back to Carlsbad by 12:15 p.m. I was proud of that, but whether it implies something about my driving I will let you decide.

Once we had In-N-Out burgers and fries in us, we were ready for round two, which was the drive down to La Jolla for my newspaper assignment at Seal Beach. That is the informal name for a small cove that used to be a children's beach but has been taken over by seals. If you live around here and haven't seen it, well, whether you should make the trip or not depends on how much you like barking marine mammals (read: water dogs).

It turns out the sand was too hot for the seals (read: sissy water dogs), so there were none on the beach, but I still took plenty of pictures.

Someone else was taking a photo of this seagull, so I felt I should, too. Maybe there's something special about it. Maybe I'm just susceptible to even the mild peer pressure of a weekend warrior with a disposable camera bothering the wildlife.

The sea wall at Seal Beach is neat, and the view of La Jolla Coves makes one feel he is somewhere exotic. Today the sky was spotless and the weather was just right, cool and breezy.

At one point, I lost track of Dori. Then I turned around, and there she was, just standing and looking wistful. Or maybe she was waiting for me. Oops.

If you require evidence of our wide-ranging adventures today, I will show you my sunburned arm. It is proof of the three hundred miles I drove with my left elbow poked out the window. Toward the end of the day, Dori mused, "You know, all the time we've spent in the car today is only a third as long as our flight to China will be." Now that's something to look forward to.

Word of the day: 'Gibbous'

2007-06-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

"adj. More than half but less than fully illuminated."

Today's word was selected not for how it sounds or is spelled, but because I deem it useful in everyday conversation and writing. Before this word became part of my vocabulary about 30 seconds ago, the closest I could get to what it means was "partially-lit," which just doesn't cut it. In case you're wondering how it's said, the "g" is hard, as in "globe" or "gimme a break," which is what you're probably thinking right about now. You don't have to thank me for trying to expand your verbal horizons. It's what I do.

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Shooting a rose garden

2007-06-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

A friend asked if I knew anyone who could take some good pictures of his rose garden. Having just bought my camera a month ago, I volunteered. It was an amazing display--at least a hundred bushes, most in full bloom. Here is a sample of what I got.

Lions and poison ivy

2007-06-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

You've heard of the horse whisperer? The dog whisperer? Now meet the lion whisperer. That's right. He befriends young lions and they treat him as "one of their own," according to the article.

Also, from the global warming news department, poison ivy is supposedly becoming more poisonous. The article is interesting, but a little misleading. Look closely, at the beginning of the third paragraph, and you'll notice the data came from "controlled studies." But, the article suggests, since we know without a doubt that global warming is happening just like Al Gore says it is, this must be occurring in the wild, too. There you have it; watch your step.

At least someone is enjoying the new, warmer planet.

Word of the day: 'Fluorescent'

2007-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

To the adjective describing the most mind-numbingly white light imaginable;
To the way that light drowns colors and bestows headaches;
To the way fluorescent bulbs pop when they shatter;
To the fact that it is perhaps the only kind of light that actually makes one feel colder;
To the frustrated writers who can never figure out how it's spelled;
I say,

At least it is an interesting word, with a "u" before an "o." And it even comes packaged with a verb that I bet no one has ever used before: "Fluoresce," which means, roughly, to act fluorescent. Please let me know if you ever use "fluoresce" legitimately in a sentence. You may win some kind of prize, and it will most likely be a pocket protector, because you are either a bored scientist or crossword puzzle freak and I know how you guys love your pencils.

Episode 1

2007-06-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

I think I am a little rusty at sitting at a desk and taking notes. It's been three years since I last set foot in an English class, but hopefully, I will have reason to again soon.

I earned my bachelor's in June 2004, and when several of my friends received graduate degrees in recent months, it rekindled my desire to study creative writing and begin my post-baccalaureate education. There are two reasons why I want to go back, and two more why I want to go back now. Unlike my bachelor's degree, the creative writing master's will be a matter of writing and improving my craft. Instead of having to read and digest hundreds of pages of literature and regurgitate them in term papers, I'll have room to write things that are actually rewarding. That's the first reason I want to pursue my secondary degree; the second is because it will open more job possibilities in future years.

As far as timing, I feel like I need to seize the moment because we don't have children yet. I am also starting to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life (besides living in a van down by the river). I need to be able to go beyond newspapers in order to provide well for my family without having to spend fifty hours a week in the office. A master's degree is great for teaching, and it is also the requisite stepping stone on the way to a Ph.D. I'm not sure yet whether I want to go that far, but there is a distinct possibility that I would, depending on how my master's goes.

At this point, I only have a rough list of schools to which I will apply this winter. If I am accepted, I would begin classes beginning in fall 2008. It seems so soon, but I am ready.

My journey back to school will be chronicled here. Please share it with me.

Busy day

2007-06-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday began early for me--7:30 a.m., to be precise, when I started getting ready for my first guitar gig outside of Bible study or church in more than five years. I played at an outreach just south of the Oceanside pier with Jim Hollingsworth, a really experienced and talented guitarist from Fallbrook. On Thursday night, he showed me the songs we'd play, then we practiced yesterday morning for about an hour and a half. So, with about four hours of practice, we did eight songs ranging from John Mayer to Jimi Hendrix to Miles Davis. Yes, Miles Davis. Jim has an eclectic taste in music.

It was fun, but it was also challenging. For example, when I play guitar, a pick is like a blankie. I don't feel right if I'm not using a pick, but the first thing Jim did on Thursday when we practiced was tell me to put down the pick. The songs were mostly outside my frame of reference, and one was in 3/4 timing, syncopated. But I think we sounded OK. We got plenty of compliments afterward, but that could have been church folks just being nice. Overall, it was a great experience, and I look forward to playing more with Jim in the future.

After playing the gig, Dori and I headed over to her brother's house and then to the county fair with Dustin, Ashley and Danielle. We ate plenty of unhealthy food and browsed the shops. The hypnotist was funny but his act got kind of inappropriate a couple of times. It always amazes me that so many people want this guy to mess with their subconscious in front of five hundred spectators.

Dustin got plenty of compliments on his shirt, advertising the next installment of the Halo video game series.

We also walked through the photography exhibit so I could get my dose of humility. Just when you start thinking you're a good photographer, march your big head into a competition and it'll knock you down a few notches. Some of the pictures in there were unbelievable. So I walked out inspired, and took this:

Not the most difficult picture to take, but it was still fun. We ate some more and went back to Dustin and Ashley's house to watch a movie. When you start nodding off during Die Hard, you know you've had a long day.

You go, Mr. Huckabee

2007-06-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

My sister directed my attention to this YouTube clip of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee answering a question during the Republican debate. He gets a little testy with the moderators, which is always fun, but the main thing is how he articulates his position on evolution versus the biblical account of creation. Before today, I had barely heard this guy's name. Now I'm hoping he makes it to the election so I can vote for him.

As it turns out, the Home School Legal Defense Association has endorsed Huckabee for president. To find out more about him, visit his Web site.

Countdown: 35 days

2007-06-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

China is getting closer. Not really. The continents are staying where they are; what's getting closer is the date of our departure.

We are now in the tedious, stressful period of our pre-trip planning when we have to get all our paperwork in order. Today I filled out my second visa application, because the first was rejected, and in five days I will have to drive to the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles to pick it up. I have not traveled out of the country enough to overcome my wary fear of foreign governments. That of the U.S. and a few in Europe are perhaps the only ones I trust and under whose authority I would not be nervous to travel. I know we'll be fine, just as we were on our honeymoon to Mexico, but I can't just tell my anxiety to take a hike.

Looking back on our fund-raising effort, I realize that our friends and family were extremely generous to us, and that through them God has provided all the money we needed to pay our way for the two-week trip. We should be studying Chinese more often, should be practicing skits and hanging out with little kids as much as possible to prepare for two weeks of it, but what we need more than anything is for God to soften our hearts. Me especially, as Dori's is already tender toward children. I love kids, but I will need a celestial helping of patience and energy to do any good this summer in Beijing.

Film review: 'Seraphim Falls'

2007-06-21T00:46:00.000-07:00

Dori and I just finished watching this stunning Western about one man trying to kill another for a painfully tragic wrong done to him years in the past. It is beautifully shot and well-acted (Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson co-star), and if the plot sounds typically Western, it is. But the ending is not. It will surprise you. If you're familiar with John Wayne's films, the lessons that linger after Seraphim Falls will definitely resonate, even though the look and pace of the movie are unlike most early Westerns in every way.

One thing I enjoyed about Seraphim Falls was the fact that the dialogue and script do not make everything in the plot obvious. In other words, this movie does not treat viewers as unintelligent, needing every little detail spelled out. Instead, it allows things to happen that explain the plot--a mark of good literature and good film-making alike.

Warnings: Some foul language is peppered throughout, and a lot of realistic, gruesome violence is shown. It is definitely not a film to let the kids watch, but it would not offend most adults I know, and in the end it is actually edifying.

Summary: If you enjoy a compelling movie with adventure, guns and horses aplenty, combined with a meaningful plot, this movie is for you. I can't give too much away, but suffice it to say this film is worth an hour and 45 minutes of your time in more ways than one.

A good reason for thumbs to be sore

2007-06-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, I used to play Super Mario Bros. so passionately and for so long that my thumbs would be sore afterward. That stupid little directional pad would dig in and make things miserable. My thumbs are sore again this morning, but not because of any video game controller.

Anyone who's tried to force-feed eight rounds into a brand new magazine at the shooting range knows my agony. It feels like I should have a few blisters, but there are none yet. Just red-hot pain. It was worth it, though. As far as hobbies go, shooting is on the expensive side, but it beats Nintendo, even the cheesy duck hunt on the original console. I must admit, though, when I went with my in-laws to visit their extended family in Arizona for Thanksgiving last year, the aunts we stayed with had an original Nintendo and Dustin, Dave and I spent hours playing Duck Hunt. (Side note of interest: According to Wikipedia's page dedicated to Duck Hunt, the gun was named the "Zapper.") So last night, it was kind of like that, only more expensive and painful. I still give it two thumbs up. Ouch.

From the explainer of gravity: No Apocalypse before 2060

2007-06-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

A British news Web site published a story today about a collection of personal letters written by Sir Isaac Newton predicting the end of the world would come no sooner than 2060. It's an interesting read, but it has flaws that have become the standard when the media writes about faith and science. His calculation was based "on religion rather than reasoning," the story says. I love that. He used mathematical calculations drawn from timelines in the book of Daniel to estimate the soonest the end of days could arrive, and it's not reasoning. Not even from one of the greatest, most reasonable scientists ever. If he had been guessing at the Apocalypse based on the rate of global warming, divided by the number of years since the big bang, then the media would hallow his calculation as "reasoned." Draw anything from the Bible, which must be badly twisted to even begin to seem inaccurate, and it's tagged as religion and dismissed. But if it agrees with the trendiest pop-science, the newspapers will decide that it's infallible, newspapers that mostly don't know the first thing about science.

As one of my teachers used to say, I'm off my soapbox now.

I also really like what Newton said in his letter about trying to predict the exact date of the Apocalypse, exercises which he called "rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail." Sound familiar?

I recently heard Chuck Smith speak on the end times, and he said God wants us to live as if tomorrow will bring the end of the world. It's no mistake, he said, that every generation since Jesus' time thought theirs was the last. That resonated with me. If you have two minutes, check out the story. It even has images of the original pages of Newton's letter.

Quotations, v.1

2007-06-19T08:19:00.001-07:00

I love quotes because so many great men have said so many great things. I feel that trying to figure everything out for ourselves anew is counterproductive. Better minds than ours and stronger generations have already wrestled with most of the problems we now face. Here are a few good insights from those minds and generations.

"None can love freedom heartily, but good men;
the rest love not freedom, but license."
-John Milton

"Freedom: The state or quality of being free; liberation from the the control of some other person or arbitrary power."

"License (as in, "poetic license"): A formal permission to do something; freedom to deviate from strict conduct, rule, or practice, generally permitted by common consent."

The dictionary also says that the word "license" means "excessive, undisciplined freedom, constituting an abuse of liberty."

"Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal on immigration reform. In it Arnold complains that too many immigrants are sneaking into the country and becoming governors."
-Conan O'Brien

And here's a good post-Father's Day reflection from Mr. Twain:

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."
-Mark Twain

Lastly, having picked up my first pistol from the store last night, I give you this one:

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-Richard Henry Lee

I skimmed all these quotes from The Patriot Post. I would highly recommend visiting the Post if you appreciate good wit and a strong, historically conservative worldview.

Father's Day in photos

2007-06-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

I spent most of the day at Felicita Park in Escondido with my new camera in hand. It's an interesting place--similar to Live Oak Park in Fallbrook, only with more grass and better playgrounds. There were some great moments. Here are a few.

Dad seemed to enjoy himself, opening gifts and playing with his grandsons.

"Baby" was a very skittish chihuahua who only let me take his picture because he was on a leash.

At one point, Jonny saw me resting, camera around my neck, and said, "Will you take a picture of me with sticks, Uncle Tom?" How could I resist?

Routines

2007-06-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of our favorite: Trying to get up early, setting the alarm, then turning it off and going back to sleep. That's a must. We lead music every Sunday, play volleyball every Monday and generally do the same things over and over again. It's not boring, it's just life.

Interesting how the smallest chores become important elements in the daily routine. Watering plants outside is one of our favorite activities, perhaps because it is so easy, yet so necessary. We've rehabilitated our lawn back to health, we've watched our little mango tree grow and we've enjoyed eating blackberries and grapes from the vines along the walkway back to our little house.

We love living in a little garden of sorts, except for the spiders. They love our yard, too, and during the summer we routinely walk through webs spun face-high over the aforementioned walkway. See? There's another routine, wiping the spider webs out of our eyebrows.

All told, though, we enjoy the yard. God made people to live in gardens. Try it some time.

Word of the day: 'Fisticuffs'

2007-06-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

I love a good baseball fight, and there was a doozy on TV today. To make a long story short, Padres pitcher Chris Young beaned Derrek Lee, the best hitter in the big leagues, in this morning's game in Chicago. Lee charged the mound and punches were thrown. Jake Peavy, Marcus Giles, Lou Piniella--everyone got involved and three players and a coach got tossed. The announcers called it "fisticuffs."

The word is simply defined as "a fistfight," according to my dictionary, but it means so much more. When I hear it, I picture two gentlemen in three-piece suits and fedoras "putting their dukes up" to defend the honor of their women. You don't describe a UFC bout as "fisticuffs," nor a street brawl. But when baseball players punch each other, it still applies. Something about fighting over sticks and bases and a little leather ball deserves nothing more of a description than today's flippant and whimsical word of the day.

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. (Baseball announcers are full of them, too.) Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Cows and dirty feet

2007-06-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

This morning, my middle nephew stood at the threshold of our front door and peered in. Dori had come inside for something, but he stayed outside.

"Come here and give me a hug," I said.
"I can't," he replied. "My feet are duh-ty."

His feet, it seems, are always dirty. Those are his on the left:

Jason also has a great lisp. Last Sunday, he held up a shiny red model car and announced, "I have a Fewawi." Cars are "cows," and my wife's name is "Do-wee." He is even a little self-conscious about it, which makes it even cuter.

Some friends of ours have six kids, all full of personality and opinion. The parents made a book of all the outrageous things their kids said, and it was astounding. It gave me the idea of keeping a similar log of conversations I have with my nephews, since I see them every day. I'll post them here every so often.

Word of the day: 'Tarmac'

2007-06-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

It's precious when dictionary definitions include other words you have to look up. Mine defines "tarmac" as "A bituminous road or surface." Wow, thanks.

"Bituminous," in turn, means "Like or containing bitumen." Oh, OK.

And finally we get to the bottom of it. "Bitumen" refers to a component of asphalt and tar.

I chose "tarmac" as my first word of the day because I just like it. It's no-nonsense. Doesn't even have a "k" on the end of it, which makes me wonder how it survived the spelling inquisition where all words ending with the letter "c" were forced to add a "k."

"Tarmack" just wouldn't be the same. So, tarmac, I salute you.

The word also reminds me of some great memories, tarmacs across which I have traveled on my way to somewhere better, bigger or more exciting. A tarmac is all I've seen of South Carolina, when a flight to North Carolina was diverted during a rainstorm and landed for half an hour just over the border. And I plan on seeing my first one in Asia this summer, when we fly to China (see "Countdown," below).

Blogger's note: Books, and especially dictionaries, are full of good words. Feel free to leave a comment sharing one of your favorites, and keep watching for more of mine.

Countdown: 43 days

2007-06-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

For both Dori and I, this summer will mark the first time either of us has flown over an ocean to a different continent. We went to Cabo on our honeymoon, so we've been out of the U.S., and I've been to New York City. But that's about as far away from home either of us has been.

Beijing's a little further.

On July 27, we'll be leaving with dozens of other Bring Me Hope volunteers for two weeks. If you are reading this, you probably already know of our plans.

Preparations, at this point, are mostly emotional and psychological. Playing with kids all day long for 10 days is no walk in the park. But it seems like nothing that's really worthwhile is easy. Except eating at In-N-Out. And if there are no In-N-Outs in Oregon yet, I'll assume there are none in China.

The point is, we need prayer. Please pray that we will have the strength and patience to love these kids like Christ would love them. And to love our teammates. And to love each other, before, during and after the trip.

It will not be a walk in the park, but with God's help, it could be a life-altering experience, and that is what I'm trying to prepare for.

Stepping

2007-06-11T08:23:00.002-07:00

I have had baby nephews in a steady stream for almost seven years. There are three now, ages 6, 3 and 1. That little one, he's special.

Joel has a rare neurological disorder that caused seizures for the first year of his life, then he had brain surgery. In December, they cut out something like a third of his brain mass, because it was deformed anyway and was pushing against other parts of his brain and causing the seizures. He recovered quickly, was crawling within a few months, and this week took his first steps alone.

A few days ago, my wife called me and said to come over and see what Joel was doing, and when I stepped into their kitchen, he was waddling toward the dishwasher. He got there, banged on it a few times with his hand, then turned around and walked back into the living room. My sister said he'd been "doing laps" all morning. On Sunday, when our pastor called all the kids to come down to the first row for the children's story, mom got him walking down the aisle and he went almost the whole way himself. The church has been very supportive through this ordeal, and when they saw Joel walking, they applauded.

If you have met my littlest nephew, you know how special he is. To see him walking is so precious. Thank you for your prayers.

First stab at it

2007-06-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

I've now been blogging for a few weeks at Bring Me Hope's Web site, and I figured I'd better start my own page. This is my first attempt at personal blogging, so we'll see if I really have enough to say to make it worthwhile.

Writing about Bring Me Hope and its mission has helped me understand the benefits and drawbacks to instant publishing. I'm used to having at least an overnight delay when I write for the newspaper, and when it goes on the Web, I have but a few seconds to think over what I'm about to publish and decide whether it's worthy, appropriate, and so on. The benefits decidedly outweigh the drawbacks, however, and I think I will enjoy having this outlet. Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment when you feel so led.