Bill Gates and Warren Buffett play online bridge

Bet you can't guess their online names. I'll tell you in the comment section.

Christmas vacation

We leave today for Christmas vacation. I'm really looking forward to warmer temperatures. Right now it's 21 degrees here in Michigan. It's only 23 in West Virginia, but Friday it's supposed to be 51 and mostly sunny. Excellent. The NOAA site even says it may snow Christmas morning. Not that I care. I'm sick of snow. Myrtle Beach is supposed to be in the 50's too. I'm really hoping to get down there for some golfing.

Have a Merry Christmas.

This is a blow to my Americocentric ways

I love American sports like basketball and football. I often make fun of soccer even though I find it fun to play. I've gone to MLS games and find them like hockey to be slow and boring compared to football and basketball. I love the Superbowl and always am amazed at how many people watch it and how many countries it is shown in. Last year, according to Superbowl.com, 144 million people watched.

December 9th was the draw for the World Cup. This is similar to the seeding for the NCAA March Madness. Understand that December 9th there wasn't even a game played. It is estimated that over 300 million people watched. More than twice what the Superbowl gets and it wasn't even a game. The U.S. census bureau says that the United States population is 297,890,005. That earns a "wow".

Thoughts on Christmas

I've been thinking about Christmas lately and teaching it in youth group. Here's a couple of interesting thoughts.

Jesus was the only baby born to die. All other humans are born to live but are tainted by sin and because of that must die. Spiritually humans are born dead but can have spiritual life. Jesus was born spiritually alive but took the punishment, spiritual death, for sins from us.

Jesus was born without sin and lived without sin.

If Jesus had not taken our sins upon himself would he have ever died? Tell me what you think about that question.

I've been neglecting sports here on Weaves writes

I haven't been talking about the Colts undefeated season. The big question is whether to play the starters or rest them. You have to play them. The Colts first playoff game will be January 15th. If you sit them now you sit them for a month. Anybody remember how long it took the offense to find its rhythm this year? Keep playing and keep the rhythm. Now that being said, I firmly believe that when the game is in hand you sit them in a hurry. Oh and I think you could mix Mungro and Rhodes in some more to give Edge some rest.

The other big topic is Ron Artest. Some of you may know that I've wanted to trade Artest for a while. Ever since they lost to the Pistons in the ECF a couple of years ago. He has never fit into the offense. He has always been a distraction. These things aren't new. I will not be sad to see him go. I'm not opposed to shipping him into deep freeze in Toronto for a couple of players and a first round pick either. Remember that you heard that from me. It's funny because I chatted to Rob last week and told him I was hearing rumors of a trade and then boom here comes Artest with his interviews.

A Primer on Postmodernism

I just finished reading "A Primer on Postmodernism" by Stanley J. Grenz. This was a good book. I would recommend the first 3 chapters and the last chapter to everyone. The rest of the chapters should only be read by someone who wants to go way way in depth into studying postmodernism. Let's just say that Grenz is thorough. It's too bad he died earlier this year because he wrote some pretty good books. Here's a teaser from the last chapter entitled "The Gospel and the Postmodern Context".

"As Christians we must stand against the postmodern rejection of the metanarrative. We simply do not share the despair over the loss of universality that leads to the radical skepticism of the emerging era. At the same time, we dare not allow our resounding "No!" to postmodernism at this central point to blind us to the validity of its critique of modernity. On the contrary, closer inspection of the phenomenon should convince us that we are in fundamental agreement with the postmodern rejection of the modern mind and its underlying Enlightenment epistemology."

Good stuff there, good stuff.

Sunday School outline

I know some of you like this sort of thing so here is my outline from Sunday School yesterday.

Being a good leader – I Samuel 11

Saul was working. V. 5

He cared about people. V. 5, 6

People were inspired to follow him. V. 6-8

Saul used his authority to help people. V. 9-11

Saul wasn’t about gaining more power or punishing those who weren’t loyal followers of his. V. 13

A good leader has the Spirit of God. V. 6

Look: “Effective leaders use their authority to honor God and build up their people, but ineffective leaders use the people to build up their authority.” Warren Wiersbe

Took: Recognize whether or not God has made you a leader. If he has make sure you are building the people you lead, not building your self.

University of Colorado

The University of Colorado has truly been one of sports biggest embarrassments of all time. And they just made it worse. They fired Gary Barnett yesterday after an awful end of a decent season. He found out because someone leaked it to the media before they told the coach. He started out the season 7-2 and they athletic department was talking about extending his contract. Then things got ugly ending with a 70-3 loss to Texas. I'm not against firing Barnett. I just think the timing and the reasons are wrong.

While Barnett was at Colorado there was a huge scandal with his recruiting. Visiting recruits were given drugs, alcohol, and sex. The administration of the university, including the chancellor, president, and athletic director, resigned or were dismissed because of this scandal.

A former player, female kicker Katie Hnida, may have been raped while she was a player under Barnett. In a press conference after she went public Barnett said, "It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful. You know what guys do, they respect your ability. I mean you can be 90 years old, but if you can go out and play, they respect you. Well, Katie was a girl. Not only was she a girl, she was terrible. And there's no other way to say it. She couldn't kick the ball through the uprights." I don't care if the comments are taken out of context, as he claims, you don't make those comments in a press conference where you are responding to her allegations.

Barnett and his staff have been accused of having a slush fund. They have had gross accounting oversights that have included thousands of dollars.

An assistant coach sexually harrassed athletic trainers and a grand jury faulted Barnett for not properly reporting the trainers claims.

It wasn't any of those things that got Barnett fired. They were looking to extend his contract at the beginning of this year. Any one of those scandals could have been enough to cost him his job. However, it took losses at the end of the year to get him fired, earning the University of Colorado an official Shame on you. Mom you can shake your finger at them now.

"Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up"

I love when the Jimmy V classic comes every year and I get to hear part of Jim Valvano's ESPY acceptance speech from 1993. I cry just about every time. If you've never heard or read the speech click the link above. I recommend listening to it. It seems to be more touching that way. You can download the MP3 at that site.

Our Christmas tree

I bought a balsam fir from a local tree farm last Thursday. It's 7.5 feet tall and one of the best I've ever picked out. We don't usually spend $35 for a tree but I didn't want to keep looking. Here's a picture of it.

Here are two of the more important ornaments.

I just finished reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"

I started yesterday afternoon and finished this morning at work. It's kindof like doing work. Anyways, I wanted to read it again before I saw the movie. We'll probably watch it when we go down to West Virginia. Good stuff even for a kids book.

Big game tonight

I'm pumped about the Colts game so I'm going to post a picture I found recently.


What a great picture...the eyes, the veins, the perfect timing. So I'll gladly give credit to Jeff Gross/Getty Images. I wonder if it's legal for me to reproduce it?

Here's how the sermon went

Click on the link above to read about it.

Seriously though the evening service went great. In that service I did a short devotional on Colossians 3:15-17. We did that right after the opening song. After that I had handed out different verses talking about thanksgiving. We read those, shared thanksgiving testimonies, and sang thanksgiving songs. It was fun.

Sermon notes

Apparently the tape recorder at church is not working right now. So here is my outline and notes instead.

Intro: Death has been all around me lately. Visiting people who have died. Did my first funeral last Monday. Even in sports people have been close to death. Red Wings player, Fischer. All of this death around me has caused me to do two things. One remember the people that have passed. And second it has caused me to look at life. I think it is good for us to evaluate our lives. Do our lives have meaning? Are we living our lives to the fullest? I went to one of my favorite books in the Bible to help me with some of these questions.

I. Death in its time is beautiful. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. There is a time for everything in your life. And then there is also a time for death. Verse 11 though says that everything, even death, is beautiful in its time. Wow. If we can learn to see death as beautiful, imagine how that would impact our LIFE. If we learn to see death as beautiful it will help us with fear. If we learn to see death as beautiful it will help us in our mourning. If we can learn to see death as beautiful we come closer to understanding God’s view of life.

Transistion: It sounds simple enough. But how can we see death as beautiful? Most of the deaths that I’ve seen recently have actually been pretty ugly. What is beautiful about a painful prolonged death? I think the rest of verse 11 answers that in two ways.

II. “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;”. KJV says, “He has set the world in their heart”. World there has the meaning of “beginning of” and “without end”. So eternity is an easier way to say it. Eternity helps us see death as beautiful. We know that like war, hate, mourning, killing… all these are temporary things. They are beautiful in their time and their time ends. Death is not a permanent thing. It is a part of life.

III. Verse 11 goes on to say, “yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end”. Even though God has put eternity in our hearts we can’t fully understand it. We also can’t understand what God has done. What God does and continues to do will not always make sense to us. I Corinthians 13:12 says that “we see through a glass darkly”. It just means that we cannot expect our finite minds to understand God’s infinite wisdom.

Example: Story about Laura and Colleen.

So what should we do?

I. Examine our lives. Do we have meaning in life? Eternal meaning in life? How do we have meaning? In order for our lives to have eternal meaning we must trust Christ. Ecclesiastes 3:17. Will you be found guilty at that judgement or will you have trusted Christ to talk you place, be your substitute, pay the penalty for your sins.

II. Then we need to make sure that we are taking advantage of life. Ecc. 3:12 and 13. We should enjoy life. Enjoying life is the gift of God. We shouldn’t spend our lives trying to fill it up with things that are not eternal. We shouldn’t spend our lives trying to make more money. Work is important and even mentioned in verse 12, but it isn’t to be the focus of our lives. We need to enjoy the life that God has given us. Verse 12 also says that we should do good. Do good here isn’t the absence of doing bad. It is action, not refraining from a bad action. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

What are you doing?

Are you getting your meaning in life from things that are meaningless to God? We try to get meaning from lots of wrong places. We try to build a legacy. Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 14 really wrap it up well for us. You want your life to have eternal meaning? “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Fear God and obey Him. That includes salvation, running from evil, and doing good. Those are the ways that we have an eternally meaningful life.

I also threw in some other verses. II cor. 5:8 for death not being permanent. Matt. 6:19-21 about storing up treasure in heaven.

Trial with Sermon prep

I'm preaching this Sunday and thought I'd do something new with sermon prep. I'm going to share some of my prep here on the blog. You can have a chance to be involved. I will read comments that are left and may use some of your ideas in my sermon.

Here's the rough idea. I've been faced with death alot lately. So I'm going to share two big ideas. By the way, I'm not the normal preacher. I avoid alliteration and the three point rules and all that stuff that I actually find very boring. I try to have 1 big idea and I try to present it in a way that will make you think about it again in the coming week. This week I'm having two big ideas.

First big idea is that we don't have to fear death. I will focus here on Ecclesiastes 3. Sing it with me, "To every season, turn turn turn...". Verse 2 says that there is "a time to be born and a time to die". Then verse 11 says "He has made everything beautiful in its time". Death, when in its time, is beautiful. I don't want to argue about the sovereignty of God and the in its time business. I want to focus on the beauty of death. Verse 11 goes on to say "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;". This leads into point 2.

Second is that when death happens around us it makes us look at our own lives. Does your life have meaning? Does it have eternal meaning? We look to lots of things for meaning in life. I have 1 trophy in my house. I have won a fantasy basketball league once in my life. Do I get my meaning in life from fantasy basketball? People like to talk about leaving a legacy. People look to many things for meaning in life. Some have buildings named after them. Some get as much money as possible or as many things as possible. Some try to help as many people as they can. But I want to look past having earthly meaning and look to eternal meaning. Verse 11 of Ecclesiastes 3 says God has "set eternity in the hearts of men". He has caused us to want meaning in our lives.

So what must we do to have eternal meaning?

First we must be pure. Matthew 5:8 says "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." How many of us are pure? Ugh. I John 1 says that God is all the way pure and cannot have any impurity around him. "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." Verse 8 says "If we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." We are not pure. We are all sinners. The good news comes in verse 9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." We can be purified. We can "see God". But there is more to it than this. (I realize I just scared the pants off the good conservative Baptists that will read this. "more to it than this") Hebrews tells us that we aren't just purified to be with God. We aren't purified to just wait for Him to come and let us spend eternity with Him. Being purified isn't about heaven. Being purified is about getting eternal meaning. And that starts now. Hebrews 9:14, "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse" (that purifying thing again) "our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God." Why are we cleansed? So that we can serve. We get eternal meaning by serving the living God.

Ok so there is some rough ideas. I'm going to go read some commentaries and think about this some more and will edit it more later. I wanted to get some rough ideas out there though so you can get thinking about it too. Please feel free to leave comments.

Kevin Garnett

I have been wishing for a while now that KG would become an Indiana Pacer. I like Jermaine O'Neal and all but I'd rather have KG. I'm thinking that maybe the wish comes closer to coming true every day. Here are some KG quotes.

Speaking of Kevin Mchale, "Kevin has a very, very high basketball IQ, but managing egos and things, I don't think he wants to do that."

He says that Mchale, "wanted in his heart to coach, but he didn't want the responsibility of being a coach."

Talking about those two quotes he says, "I don't feel I was disrespectful to anybody. Everything I said, everybody knows that's how I feel. Last year, it was pure hell for me. It was a circus."

I'm hoping the big tent stays in Minnesota but the "big ticket" , KG's nickname, comes to Indy.

Oh the weather outside is...

This book was very depressing

I bought this book while on Mackinaw Island. Everything was 40% off because they were closing the island for the winter. The book started depressing and then pretty much stayed depressing all the way through. The book follows a family, the Laments, through their moves around the world and their trials at every spot. The title says it all.

Snow again today.

This is the view out of my office right now.

This is what happens when a redneck discovers the web

Follow that link and see what I'm talking about.

Oh and note that this is from "Northern Michigan's News Leader".

here

Michigan = Canada

One of the guys from the fantasy nba league recently was insulted by my suggestion that Hobart is really Chicago and fired back that Michigan = Canada.

Here's 3 proofs that Michigan = Canada or anywhere else that is really weird.

1. These are pictures that I took last night.


2. Schools were closed today. Not for snow. Schools here are always closed for the opening of deer season.

3. This picture is from a town here in Michigan. Towns up here have what they call Buck poles. You bring your buck and hang it in the middle of town for everyone else to see.

Ok here it is.

Apparently the guys from one of my fantasy basketball leagues are interested in this blog. I haven't posted here in a month but there are enough archived posts to keep you busy until I put some new stuff up.

Here's another weird one

The award for the fake dog testicles is good and all but the other awards farther down in the article are great. The physics, peace and chemistry awards just ease my mind that people are out there researching these things.

Finally finished another book

It seems like it took forever to finish this book. It was a good book that was somewhat interesting but it was a book that was easy to put down and I did that often. Great content but it must not have come at a good time for me. I don't know. Anyways I finished it. I'd recommend it. But I'm not reading it again any time soon.

Pacers new jerseys

What do you think?

I don't know if I like the neckline.

It's been a week

It's been a week since I posted. Both my home computer and my work computer went down. I've got the home computer working now. So here's a post.

Corey Simon

If you don't know Corey Simon, he's the new Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle. He used to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. Here's some past, present, future pictures that my friend Mattman sent me.

Another picture

Warning! Do not click on the link if sports injuries gross you out. This is one bad break. Talk about putting your best foot forward.

Myles Brand watch

I saw this story last week and didn't have time to comment on it. Many of the colleges and universities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have had to suspend classes because of Hurricane Katrina. Most of those have cancelled the fall semester. The NCAA is worried about these "student athletes". So in order to allow them to still play, they have decided to let students of those universities compete without being enrolled in classes. But they will not let students transfer and play at other universities without sitting out of sports for a year. So in the best interest of the "student athlete" and to prevent "athletic looting" students may play without taking classes but if they transfer to take classes they can't play. Way to watch out for the students Myles.

Football this week

It was a split weekend for me. Notre Dame lost and crushed my Saturday evening. I lost in the fantasy league that I care more about. The Colts won and Manning had one of his worst games ever. I won in the other fantasy league. I hope things turn around next week and it's all roses again.

Swordfish

Last night I celebrated the unprecedented 2 Monday Night Football games by grilling swordfish. It was my first swordfish. It was ok but it wasn't that spectacular. I think I'd rather have salmon. But trout is still my favorite.

Apples

Today I golfed at St. Ives. A beautiful course that is very very challenging. I got to golf there with my dad and a friend from church. Normally it costs between 85 and 99 dollars, which is a ton up here. It has gotten a 5 star rating from Golf Digest. Here is their website. It has a picture of each hole. If you want to find one I lost a ball on just look at 1-18. http://www.canadianlakes.com/home.asp
We golfed free. I stunk the place up and was frustrated with myself. Not because I scored lousy but because I didn't use the better swing that I've grown into the last few months. I came home very tired. Partly from golfing and partly from staying up late last night cleaning puke out of the church van. When I got home I decided to try an apple from our apple tree. It was delicious. I can't believe I have an apple tree in my yard that has great apples and I'm just now discovering it. I then took a nap. It was nice. I woke up and used the elliptical maching, did some situps and pushups and had a good dinner. I've just finished playing with my fantasy team and plan on going home and having a good evening. It turned out to be a great day and just when I needed one.

Interesting article

Tell me what you think of this article.

Last weekend

This has been a great football weekend. Notre Dame wins at Michigan and thanks to Dan I got to go to the game, I guess I can like him as a brother-in-law even if he does like the Pats. Colts D dominates Baltimore. I won in both my fantasy leagues. Wow.

Great picture

Click on the link for a great picture. I didn't read the article but I loved the picture.

Busyness

This week has been crazy busy. There's not even time for sleep. I'll probably end up getting sick again. Oh well. I'll post more later in the week if things slow down at all.

Hurricane effects on economy

What do you think the long term effects of Hurricane Katrina will be on our national economy?

Puzzle

I know some people like puzzles so here's one. I'll be honest. I stunk the place up. The goal is to find 9 hidden people. I got 7 or 8. I don't remember now because I've seen the solution.

Hurricane

Everytime a major hurricane hits the U.S. I have a strong urge to go and experience it. I wish I was in Louisiana or Mississippi right now. Unfortunately, my wife has just as strong a desire for me to not go and experience it. Someday, I may try and ride one out.

Finished another book

I just finished a book. "A new kind of Christian" It's a very interesting book. I don't agree with everything in it, but surprisingly I agree with some of it. The book is a fiction book that tries to teach a nonfiction idea. The idea is how the church and Christians should function in a postmodern world. I plan on reading it again soon and I'll give you more thoughts on it then. I had to interrupt it for the bronchitis. I didn't feel comfortable reading it with a fever, I tend to be more emotional when I have a fever. This book tends to generate some emotional responses. A pastor up here read it and decided to resign and go start a church in Arkansas.

Hey 98.6 it's good to have you back again

The fever is gone. The cough is not. I went golfing yesterday anyways. Shot a 46. I think it's my best ever. That's with an 8 on the 9th hole. I'll get this game figured out just in time for winter and then forget it all next year.

Bronchitis

I'm recovering from a good old fashioned case of bronchitis. So maybe some day I'll go back to posting more. But read my thoughts on the NCAA and NIT.

NCAA NIT thoughts

In case you missed it. The NCAA bought the NIT basketball tournaments. This is a big deal for me. Here's a little background. The NIT was suing because the NCAA was doing what every good monopoly should do and that's put the competition out of business. The NIT is the longest running basketball tournament. However, the NCAA had a rule that if a college was given an invite to the NCAA tournament; it could not turn that invitation down and instead play in the NIT tournament. The NIT was suing the NCAA because of this rule and it appeared that they were going to win the case. The NCAA then did what any self respecting monopoly would do and that was buy the competition. Now here is why this is a big deal. If the NCAA had not bought the NIT, the NIT probably would have won the case. Now an NCAA team would have the choice which tournament to play in. Not normally a big deal. Who wouldn't choose the NCAA tournament over the NIT? How about a team with an Indian mascot? You remember the ruling about mascots and the NCAA? If not look at the Myles Brand post.

Why is this such a big deal? Let's take Illinois as an example. Last year Illinois had an incredible season. They went 32-1. This year it's reasonable to expect them to have a chance to win the Big Ten again. Let's say they go to the Big Ten Championship game and win securing the automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. Then, angry about the Chief Illiniwek ban, use their new option and choose the NIT tournament. The NCAA selection committee releases the brackets less than two hours after the end of the Big Ten Championship. This would have caused a huge mess for the NCAA. Then what if FSU, CMU, or Utah, all teams that have been in the NCAA tournament in the past had made the same decision. Bedlam. I only wish we could have seen it happen.

Fantasy Football

One of my leagues had it's draft. This league uses return yards and they are very valuable. For example, last year Wesley Welker scored more fantasy points than any other WR besides Dante Hall. So my strategy for this league was to get very good RBs and QBs and just use return guys for my WRs. We'll see if this works. Here's my team in the order that I drafted them.
1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2. Curtis Martin
3. Brett Favre
4. Marc Bulger
5. Dante Hall
6. Carnell Williams
7. Buffalo D
8. David Akers
9. Ronnie Brown
10. Jeb Putzier
11. Doug Gabriel
12. Antwaan Randle El
13. Tim Dwight
14. BJ Sams
15. Marcus Pollard

Finally

I finally finished Booker T. Washington's autobiography Up From Slavery: An Autobiography. I wasn't sure I would.

Interesting Article about Bono and Christianity

It's a good read even if you don't like U2.

Myles Brand

I was going to write a huge post tearing apart Myles Brand the president of the NCAA. Instead I'll just ask a couple of questions.

1. Should the head of the National Collegiate Athletic Association be a man who has had no experience in Athletics?

2. Why make rulings on mascots and the eligibility of endorsed athletes and ignore big issues?

3. Should a guy who preaches that college sports aren't a business get paid more than $800,000 to be president of a collegiate athletic association?

Jr. High Camping Trip

I've been gone the past 3 days on a camping trip with our Jr. Highers in the Upper Peninsula. Besides the girl that cried countless times and the black flies it wasn't too bad. Here are some pictures.



Lighthouse at Mackinaw City

Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks

Miners Falls

Black Biting flies

I love this picture of me and Colleen on the beach south of Myrtle Beach

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Last night Steph and I took the girls to meet my parents at a thing called Picnic Pops. It is a thing the Grand Rapids Symphony does. I grew up going to the symphony so I was interested in doing it in a relaxed atmosphere. We didn't have to dress up. You're allowed to talk and bring in food. Things that I was sure would make it much more fun. Unfortunately, if you bring in your own food you can also bring in your own alcohol. The orchestra played 4 songs before being joined by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, from here on out BBVD. During a pretty interesting song called "Remembering Gatsby", I hear from behind me loudly "I crack myself up. I'm going to get a Dove Bar, I'll be right back". No biggie really but still a little disturbing. When he gets back the first thing I hear is PFSST. A new Bud Light opens. Then I hear him singing "When the saints go marching in" with the orchestra. And then I hear him miss with a Dove bar and loudly proclaim, "I was aiming for her boob!" Sheesh. Later during BBVD one of the guys with him came down to dance in the dancing area right in front of us. His smiling face looked like a cartoon. His dance was jogging in place. What a fool. Now I'm an old, stuck up, maybe wishing for the old symphony days guy. Anyway here are some pictures.

The Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra; GRSO and BBVD

Colleen and Laura; Laura dancing to "Minnie the Moocher"

Aka Hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi by Cab Callaway

Rockstar thoughts

A couple of things that I thought while watching Rockstar last night.

1. Ty sang "Everybody Hurts" right but he missed the pain that Stipe puts into it. That song needs the pain.

2.MiG's (it kills me to type his name like that) new version of "Lola" was great. The ending could use some work though.

3. JD had me at the beginning of "We are the champions". He started off slow and low and had me ready to boo him, then they rocked and if he could have hit the notes it would have been great. I don't think he goes because in reality t.v. the guy who causes strife stays. Think he planted his sister as a distraction? Brilliant.

Sports updates

1. Looks like Larry Brown and the Knicks have a deal. Sounds like it will be announced Thursday. Looks like it'll be pretty close to 60 million. Sheesh.

2. The Pistons offered Darko to Atlanta for Al Harrington. HA.

3. The Sixers are talking with Andrew DeClercq. HA!

Heart Shaped Box

Mattman told me that I missed an important episode of Rockstar: INXS. He told me that he fell in love with Jordis after she sang "Heart Shaped Box". He then sent me a MP3 copy of her performance.

You're right Matt she rocked.

P73!!

I have found the new p73! I ordered it and it should be here Thursday.

Jul 25, 2005
7:15 PM
Left origin
SPOKANE, WA

7:00 PM
Package data transmitted to FedEx

1:25 PM
Picked up
SPOKANE, WA

I never thought it would be that hard to get a new one. And never thought a discontinued camera would be so expensive.

Hi Dan and Mattman

Hey guys. I don't know if you'll read this often or just once but thanks for stopping in. Leave a comment if you'd like. You don't have to have an account to do it. I'm still working on the appearance of things here so if you have advice about colors or anything let me know. I'm still learning how to do it but you can adjust everything on this page.

So some introductions. Dan this is Mattman. He was a good friend in college. He produces (is that the right word) sports talk shows. He is a big fan of fantasy football. Matt this is Dan. He's my brother-in-law and a good friend. He researches medicine for the U of M. He's a big fan of fantasy football and is currently leagueless.

Now that I've probably botched both of your jobs feel free to do whatever you want here.

Sarunas Jasikevicius

Most of the people who read blogs could care less about Sarunas Jasikevicius. But I'm pumped. He will sign with the Pacers. He has led his teams to the last three Euroleague championships. Winning all 3 and he lit up team USA in the Olympics. He'll be an excellent backup point guard and may even start soon.

Maybe he can help me get over the loss of Reggie.

I want to leave the Larry Brown thing alone but...

Here's another quote that I couldn't pass up.

"I really did have two fabulous years, and whatever happened afterward happened. I'm OK that way, it's just that you don't like to feel like you're a failure and you don't like your kids to hear you were 'let go,"' Brown said. "Moving kids across the country is tough, and I want to make sure we don't ever have to do that again."

Quotes

I've run across a couple of cool quotes recently. First is from Deitrich Bonhoeffer. "The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people from everyday Christian life in community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ; for in the poor sister or brother, Christ is knocking at the door."

The other is just funny. Booker T. Washington in his autobiography Up from Slavery. "I am not quite sure of the exact place or exact date of my birth, but at any rate I suspect I must have been born somewhere and at some time."

One more from Fredrick Douglas in a speech back in 1865. "It is said that we are ignorant; I admit it. But if we know enough to be hung, we know enough to vote. If the Negro knows enough to pay taxes to support the government, he knows enough to vote; taxation and representation should go together. If he knows enough to shoulder a musket and fight for the flag, fight for the government, he knows enough to vote. If he knows as much when he is sober as an Irishman knows when drunk, he knows enough to vote, on good American principles."

Books I've read recently

This week I got bored watching stupid reality shows and started reading again. Here's what I've read.

Last week I read Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen. It was a fun book. I wouldn't recommend it to my mom or anyone who goes to my church, but it was a fun book. It's about an extreme environmentalist who is as much mental as environmental.

Then on Tuesday I was hurting for a book so I read one of the Hardy boy books. I can't remember which one. I've been tempted to try and read them all again. I did that when I was younger. I finished it Wednesday.

Wednesday I started another Hardy boy book. I finished it Thursday.

Yesterday I bought a book and started it. It is Under the Overpass: A journey of faith on the streets of America by Mike Yankoski. Mike did something that I once thought about doing. He became homeless for 5 months. I never thought about doing it that long, but I guess you'd have to if you were going to get a true feel for being homeless. So far it's an easy book to read and it's interesting to read the things he's learning. Mike has a website. http://www.undertheoverpass.com/index_flash.aspx

Guilty Pleasure

I've been watching (and halfway enjoying) Rockstar: INXS. While I enjoy parts of it others confuse me.

Shouldn't they be singing INXS songs?

Can they really have a girl lead singer since their success to this point hinged on songs made for Michael to sing? How would concerts go? You know they have to play many of the old favorites.

Shouldn't they be singing while INXS is playing and not just a house band?

Right again

"I take umbrage with the Pistons, or sources, saying it's a buyout," Glass said Tuesday morning. "A buyout encompasses a mutual agreement, and that's not what is happening. Larry Brown is saying, 'I want to coach the Pistons,' and they want to pay him off for whatever reason."

He wants to be fired.

Larry Brown

You'll find that I get on subjects and obsess about them. Larry Brown is one of these. I feel he abandoned the Pacers when they were close to winning a championship. I feel like he's abandoned many teams. So now I'm going to give you a couple of Larry Brown quotes from this last year.

"I told the guy I'm going to coach in Detroit and this is going to be my last coaching job. My statement to him was I'm not coaching anywhere else, this is my last coaching job. My goal is to finish here and hang with my family."

"Even if they offer me the job at the end of this season, I am not going to go coach the Knicks."

Remember that quote. Brown met with Isiah in June. That quote was from January.


Talking about the Cavs job he said he "has never had a conversation with [Cavaliers owner] Dan Gilbert regarding any job opening. I've never talked to him. I don't know if I've ever met him."

Then later rationalizing his half truth. "I read your article and you said I denied speaking to anybody from the Cavaliers. I never said that at all. And anybody that heard me, I never said that once. I said I never spoke with Dan Gilbert. I never said anything else."

Here's the best thing that will come out of this whole mess. Larry Brown will equate this contract buyout with being fired. This guy has made such a reputation for himself that getting fired looks better than leaving on his own. He wants people to think that he was fired.

First prediction comes true!

I know it was an easy one but it's good to have the first one come true. Look for more in the future.

4 techs in 3 summer league games?!?!

Why do we need these headaches? The Pacers' second year center David Harrison has 4 techs in 3 games. Wait, 3 SUMMER league games!

The search for the p73

This last spring we vacationed at Myrtle Beach. We rented a beautiful oceanfront condo with 4 bedrooms and had a great time. Unfortunately, Steph dropped our digital camera. A Sony dsc-p73. Since then I've been searching for a cheap p73 to replace it. I finally found a deal with Office Max where they were selling them for $120. I called every Office Max I could find a number for and they were all sold out. Steph got a hold of one in Midland that still had a display model and they sold it while she was on the phone with them. When will I ever find the elusive p73?

Heritage Days

Our town has an annual festival called Heritage Days. Our church does a free fresh squeezed lemonade stand for it. This year a storm came through dumping tons of rain. We were under a tent but in a low spot and the water got ankle deep. Then the lightning started and some of our people could feel it in the water. Scary. Lightning struck about 200 yards from the tent and split a tree. I chose to close the stand early. Craziness.

First Sports Prediction

I do not believe that Larry Brown will coach the Pistons for the 2005-2006 season. In fact I don't think he'll be the coach after today.

Weaves Blog

My first attempt at a blog hopefully will be entertaining for me and whoever else might be bored enough to view it. It will include sports. I will make sports predictions and talk about sports events. I will also talk about current events and about my family. I hope you enjoy.