Car Update

So I realized that I have yet to update you on the status of my car. I got it fixed. It was a mouse that chewed a wire and after 10 days we figured it out and I am now in Chicago. Don't worry there will be more soon, but I know people have been asking for updates.

Keep up the fight

Crankshaft Sensor

This object to the right is a crankshaft senor... I think. I don't really know for sure because I am not a mechanic. It could be a airbag senor that was labeled wrong when I did my Google image search, but that doesn't really matter for the point of the story.

I want to take you back to Monday morning. I got out of bed and went to St. Agnes for morning prayer. If I ever skip morning prayer, it is on Monday, but I made it this week. So I pulled into the parking lot, put my car in reverse to park and it dies. Won't start. No big deal I will go into prayer and when I come out it will be fine. Nope. I have Ray give me a ride home, thanks again Ray, and grab my scooter and head to work.

Let me back up. Why was I in my car to begin with? Well I had a spiritual direction appointment in Bloomington that I was going to go to right after morning prayer.

I got out to work and went to talk to CB. CB is a great guy. He grew up in the area, knows a lot of people and is our property manager. He calls his mechanic buddy and he said sure, he can have a look at it. So we meet him at the car, he plugs in his computer and it said crankshaft senor error. No big deal he said, we will toe it to my shop, it is one screw, have it done this afternoon. Great, get er done.

Tuesday morning I see CB, we call Mark (his friend) and it was not the senor, maybe it is the wiring, he will give me a call.

Wednesday... no phone call, but I figure he is a busy man and I have my scooter so no big deal.

Today, not the wire but may be the whole computer. Awesome!! Anyone have a spare one of those hanging around? Nope but if we go to the store, buy one and it is not the computer they will not take it back so I will have a spare one.

You (as in you the person who is reading this right now) may or may not know that tomorrow I am supposed to leave on a little vacation, and no, Sara, I am not going to take my scooter. Maybe vacation will get pushed back a week.

*****Sensitive Readers Beware*****Foul Language Alert****
Now I trust CB and by extension trust Mark, but I can't help but feel like in the grand scheme of things I am getting my shaft cranked a bit.
***** Foul Language Over****

Keep up the fight

Demolition Derby

This weeks photo credit goes to Jessica Tyson. This was of the Demolition Derby at the State Fair but I will be discussing the county fair.

As if the title didn't say it all. I had the amazing privileged of seeing not one but two demo derbies this year. It had been a few years since I had seen one and I was super excited to go. (One might note that driving in Texas is in fact one big demolition derby.)

The first derby was the Brown County Fair. It was a Tuesday in July. The 28th day of July to be specific. It was a hot one also. The kind of day where all you want to do after work is sip some lemonade in the AC and enjoy a comedy on TV. Not me...not me! I dawned my best pair of overalls and tightest old cut off work shirt I could find, drank a beer and set off to the fair in search of the most manliest sport ever.

I didn't have to walk far to find that sweet smell of leaking fluids and funnel cakes, after all I live in Nashville and the county fair grounds are only 2 blocks away. Once I got in the gate I headed right past the midway. No fairus wheel or tea cups for me this day. There are 364 other days in which I can win a giant stuffed bear to give to my Bianca. Today is demo day.

The line for tickets was backed up as long as the line for free pretzel day at the office. I was Stanly and I would have my treat. I was waiting for Kevin and Addison to join me also. This would be the day his father and I taught Addison what manhood was all about. They got there just in time for me to buy them tickets so they didn't have to wait in line and we where in.

It was glorious. There was a high fence to protect the fans from flying car parts, large cement barricades that stood futilely by lining the pit, an announcer box complete with an old crackly sound system and a dream on the face of each one of those noble racers as they pounded the crap out their cars in the pits to get them ready.

Not long after I got my seat a beautiful 1950's instrumental version on vinyl of our nations anthem rang out. I took a quick trip for chili cheese fries and tea and the action was soon under way.

We watched as heat after heat the best of the best from Brown county and the surrounding area shocked, amazed and stupefied us. We all bet a dollar on each race and cheered on our racers as if we ourselves were in the car. I can't describe what it means to be at a demolition derby itself. Words are to confining. All I can say it that at the end of the night I was $12 richer, my buddy Pat has a possible date with a driver from the Powder Puff heat, my tea glass was full of mud and I was ready to walk home with the joy of a well raced derby.

If you are looking for more on the Demolition Derby then check out this video... wow it is great!!

Keep up the fight

Ingrid Michaelson

So I have a lot of good post but I am waiting for someone to send me pictures to post them. For now I want to tell you about the next concert I am going to. You may of guessed by now that it is Ingrid Michaelson. Check out her myspace.

The Lion of the Senate

I would assume all of you know by now know that Senator Edward Kennedy has passed away. There are of course hundreds of articles and posting of it everywhere on the internet and news coverage on tv and radio. I am sure if any newspaper is left in the coming days it will have at least one major headline about the funeral. Next week magazines like Time and Newsweek will have his face on the cover.

When I was growing up I could not understand older generations fascination with the Kennedy family. After all they were just one family and they were just politicians. Well some were in late high school and college I found myself becoming more and more interested in politics and as of about two years ago the Kennedy family itself.

I think the thing that strikes me the most about the family is how much it has given to this country. A son who was killed in the war, a son who was a president, a son who was killed in California, a daughter who inspired a sister to take up the cause of people with support needs, a daughter who founded the Special Olympics, a daughter who was an Ambassador and now the last son, a Senator.

Regardless of what side of the aisle a person may sit on there is no doubt that Senator Kennedy had an amazing career as a public servant. He has been credited as a major in player in all of the following:

Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990
Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993


Thank you Senator for all that you did for our country, may you rest in peace sir.

Thingy

This is my new roommate. I know what you are thinking. Why did Andy go out and buy a rodent to make his place smell even worse? Well I didn't buy it, I am a foster parent. One of our program staff owns this genie pig (Thingy). It is against camp policy to have pets live on camp so I said I would keep it.

Now why did I say I would keep it? Well it says in the bible, "It is not good for man to be alone." ~ Genesis 2:18

It is time I learned to share my space once again. I have become a creature a habit and comfort and a roommate is just what I need.

Well maybe I said yes because at one point last year I was thinking about getting a fish. I mean I stare at the wall a lot I might as well stare at a fish that moves.

There might have been some compassion in helping another person, but lets not go to far with giving me altruistic credit.

Perhaps when I said yes 6 months ago I thought Thingy might of kicked the bucket by now, relieving me from any obligation.

There are many rumored reasons why, but as Kant says, a man can never truly understand his motives for action.

Welcome to your new home Thingy, I hope you like it hot in the summer and cold in the winter because I am too cheap to run the air or heater.

Keep up the fight

Sing A New Song

So the new organ has finally been installed at church. It sure looks beautiful doesn't it? It is amazing how the community really pulled together and supported this project. It also included remodeling the back wall of the church for 8 custom speakers. It is the final chapter in a two year project. It is great.

Now, can anyone play the organ in our church? Anybody.... anyone.... how about you sir, no.... o well then it's a good thing we ripped out the old organ that was never used spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the new one. Don't worry it has four different styles to play in so if you do play "American" or "German" or the one of the other two styles I forget right now, you can play it.

I wonder if this is what Protesters (Protestants) mean when they say that the Catholic church gets/gotten to caught up in material possessions.

Now don't get me wrong I am not saying a person, or church, can't have nice things, but how about something nice that we use. For example the piano in the background is used almost every Sunday. I would support a top of the line quality piano for the church.

One good thing about it is that we as a congregation are very musically gifted. I dare you to find a better group of singers then 150 Catholics at a 8:30 Mass on a Sunday. We truly make a joyful noise unto the Lord. The organ with it's soft gentle tones will really accent the beautiful harmonies of, "Just A Closer Walk With The."

Hold on... this just in: the word on the street is that there is a woman who goes to the Methodist church who can play an organ, and that she might be willing to play every other month or so.

In other news, I have been busy at camp the last few weeks. Even though summer camp is out we still have a lot going on. I have been hosting groups and doing some facilitation of programs for the last two weeks. It has kind of made me feel like a counselor again. It has been a refreshing reminder of just how hard our counselors and program staff work. It is truly these front line workers (not the administration) that really make camp what it is for our participants.

A quick update: All power and water services have been restored to the county. For those of you who didn't know, last week we had a huge storm that left 80% of the county without power and the town went into a water boil advisory. Don't worry my water was fine to drink because I didn't have power to boil it, or at least I didn't notice if I got sick.

Keep up the fight