I am a ROH-bot

That's what we call Ring of Honor fans. Well, I hooked Greg and I hooked James on the best wrestling in the world today. Saturday's show (Chicago Spectacular Night 2) was incredible. The turnout wasn't what I was used to, maybe 600-700, but that's really from having shows in the same building on back to back nights. That will make the crowds dwindle somewhat.

From Homicide's ghetto fork, to Matt Cross' shooting start press to the outside floors, to Delirious winning the elimination match, to Kikutaro's comedy, to the steel cage, to Samoa Joe's agility and power, to the match of the night, Davey Richards vs. Jay Briscoe, I got way more than 25 dollars worth.

Here's how good it was. They announced tickets were on sale for the next Chicago show at the Windy City Fieldhouse on the west side of Lincoln Park. I didn't even ask them if they wanted to come with me to buy a ticket and they came along with me and we brought FIVE tickets for the show!

Sarah, Jill, you missed out...

Getting through Friday

Well the service project I had hyped for Saturday is off. So if nothing else I get a little time to relax after today's grind. I did the math and I'm estimating I will be out of the house working for 17 hours. I left at 7, am at CEC now, will leave at 5, and drive down to Lombard. I'm grabbing some dimmer before I cover the basketball game. And I'll probably be home at 1 or so in the morning. Before I hit my bed tonight, I will do whatever it takes tonight to keep all the darkness inside my room. I will duct tape the blinds to the windows if I have to.

Maybe I'll be able to get some Christmas shopping done tomorrow morning. Thankfully, we're supposed to get some warmer weather which cannot come soon enough. It's to the point where you're grateful for a temperature above freezing.

I've got a couple of items reserved for me at the library. CD's include Los Lonely Boys-Sacred, ZZ Top-Rancho Texicano (gotta love a band who can rhyme the words much and tush!), and a few DVD's from the Ken Burns Baseball series.

It seems to me that the people who care about you are the ones who will take the time to point out your faults and out of compassion and care, help you deal with them. There are not enough people like that in the world. The truth is hard, but if we're not real honest with one another, how can we expect to develop real relationships. No I did not get that from Dr. Phil! That's after a rough experience Friday night at Houlihan's.

I wonder what will matter to God when my life is over. I'm sure there are a number of things he will ask of me, but what will stand out above all else? How I treated other people? What I did for him on earth? Did I discover a purpose I was called to go with?

Appreciate what you have today. Because you may not have it tomorrow. No, I didn't get this from a fortune cookie or a Hallmark card or anything, I just felt a need to write it.

And as I write this, It's 4 p.m. Which means It's 5 o' clock somewhere.

One thing about the Northeast

It doesn't have that aggravating wind chill like the Midwest does. I have to hear from people in New York it's approaching 50 degrees some days while we've had a solid week of never hitting 40. Ah, what can you do.

I guess I was right on both counts as far as the NFL goes. Giants lose, Jets win. Actually the Jets annihilated the Packers so bad, it looked like Ohio St playing Illinois in the horseshoe. Giants vs. Panthers, Jets vs Bills. I pick a pair of New York wins.

The money being tossed around on the free agent market in baseball is outrageous to me. The demand is so great and the supply so limited that average pitchers (No. 4 or 5 starters) are earning 10 million a year. I was hoping the Mets could sign Barry Zito for something like 5 years and 86 or 87 million dollars. After seeing the contracts of Jason Schmidt and average pitchers like Randy Wolf, Adam Eaton, and Vincente Padilla, it will now likely take 6 years and 100 million to bring that looping curveball to Shea Stadium.

The upcoming weekend is looking busier by the day. Now it looks like I'll be covering the Montini-Marmion boys basketball game Friday night. That means instead of driving 30 minutes southwest home to St. Charles, I'm driving 40 minutes southeast to Lombard only to drive 30 more back to the office to write my story and do the whole scoreboard. So Saturday I'm doing my volunteer work with my small group in Lombard at a senior citizens house. Not a nursing home, but more like an apartment where several seniors live together and I'll be part of the morning crew that will be doing some painting. I figure that'll go from maybe 9-noon. I'll drive home, get cleaned up, go to work around 3, stay until 4, which is when I'll begin my drive to Downers Grove to have dinner with Greg and James at Portillo's. Chances are I will either have the Big beef with cheddar and hot peppers or a double cheeseburger. I know it sounds heavy, but hey, I gotta have some manly food before going to Ring of Honor! Sunday will probably be my day to collapse and stay home.

And after all that planning, to think it's still only Wednesday! And I'm sure they're not reading this, but happy birthdays to Ingrid, Bess, and Josh, three of my best friends from Gordon.

Welcome to December

and to the first snowfall of the year. 6 inches for my morning commute to Hoffman Estates. I seriously have no idea how I drove to work without any problems. I passed at least 15 cars that were just stuck in the middle of the road. Driving was like playing a video game and trying to avoid the obstacles. I even gut stuck behind a big green garbage truck that got caught in some snow.

I made it to work around 8:30, a half hour late, but there was no need for me to be worried. About a third of the people on the floor showed up and the majority showed up after I did. The cool part was the company brought Lou Malnati's pizza for us. Very cool to get lunch, but I have to say as good as their pizza is, their sausage is downright horrible.

Meanwhile last Monday night, Seattle hosted Monday Night Football. It snowed throughout the whole game. The next day, I'm driving to work , listening to the radio, and hearing all the horror stories. People didn't get home from work until 2 or 3 in the morning. Some motorists actually left their car on the side of the road. It sounded very serious. Know how much snow accumulated? ONE INCH!!! How pathetic is that? If you're from that area, I'm sorry, but that is pathetic. One lousy inch of snow and you're leaving your car? In Chicago, we call that kind of weather the month of May! Have these people never heard of rock salt or plows or shovels or 4-wheel drive? They get rained on 350 days a year and they can't handle a little cold white dusting from high up above. I just don't get it. Enough of that. Let's move on.

If you're ever in Wisconsin, go to a good cheese shop, (I went to Market Square Cheese) and get some Butter Kase cheese. It's got a little more fat than most cheeses and it's a solid cheese, but it is so creamy and flavorful. I guess that's where the fat comes in.

Onto sports. Tom Glavine is back with the Mets, 1 year with a player option and 10.5 million dollars. I am absolutely convinced he wanted to return to Atlanta to be with his family. I can;t really blame him for that, but the fact that the Mets gave him a no-trade clause and the Braves wouldn't, the Mets offered more money, that all tells me that he wanted to give Atlanta every chance to get him back. I am happy that he made his decision before the winter meetings begin next week. Now Omar Minaya needs to get Barry Zito, a relief pitcher (maybe an Octavio Dotel), and a second baseman (Mark Loretta, maybe Julio Lugo, please no Ronnie Belliard) and I'll be happy.

Onto football. After all the Giants have been through the last few weeks, I can't possibly imagine them beating Dallas, even if the game is in New York. Unfortunately, I can't watch the game live as I'll be playing in the volleyball playoffs, so I'll have to tape it. I think the Jets-Packers could go any number of ways. I do think if the Jets are going to win, they need to lead early. Pressure Brett Favre and make him hurry his throws, because that is when he turns the ball over. It's amazing we came so close to drafting Favre in 1991... And instead we wound up with the immortal Browning Nagle. I will watch the game at Rookie's in St. Charles and I'll say the Jets win.

There is no Knick player I want to see succeed more from a Knicks perspective than Eddy Curry. Not that he's the most likable guy in the world, he isn't. The way he looks on the floor sometimes, you wonder if he has a pulse. But for giving up 2 first rounders and Mike Sweetney for him? He's been looking better the last few games. The question is was that a mirage? If he can give 16 points, 9 rebounds per game, I'd be happy. And who would have thought this. The Knicks are tied for the most road wins in the NBA with 5 and are one game out of the Atlantic Division lead with the hardest month of the season behind them. How sad is it that there are only four teams in the Eastern Conference out of 15 with winning records?

Eight days from the Ring of Honor Chicago Spectacular! I know Greg and James are both pumped up for this as am I.

Wi-Dell Part 2

After hitting the gym and shooting basketballs for the first time since I left college (quite miserably until the end), we headed for the Dells. Our first stop was the Cheese Factory, a vegetarian restaurant. Yes, for the first time in my life, I ate in a veg. restaurant and I have to say it is a very unique place. They had everything from rattlesnake tofu to onion rings to a soda fountain. I settled on a veggie omelet while mom had a blue cheese quesadilla with cranberries and walnuts. I know it sounds weird, and I didn't try, but several waiters (all of who are veg by the way) said it was excellent.

From there it was window shopping at the local outlet mall and in spite of the post-Thanksgiving Day savings, I wound up wandering aimlessly. No purchases. For dinner, we ate at Ginza, a Japanese steak house. I love this type of food for the flavor and the entertainment from the chef when they cook in front of you. Great dinner and far cheaper than a visit to a local steak house would have been. I actually got a shrimp flipped to me and caught it in my mouth. Because I caught, I slept peacefully that night.

The next day, we went to see Bobby, the movie about Robert Kennedy. I really credit director Emilio Estevez for bringing so many complex stories together in a way that they made sense. I thought it was cool that Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek fame) was in it because he played Charlie Conway in the Mighty Ducks films where Estevez played the coach. I was waiting for Kenan Thompson to run on and scream "It's knucklepuck time!"

One of my favorite times was the walk through Mirror Lake State Park. I took Hogan off the leash and let him run around and explore. His favorite walk seems to be when he's jogging and dragging his nose along the ground, just smelling. Don't know what he's looking for, but he's got a hunter-side in him. After wards, we played mini-golf at Pirate's Cove and I sank 4 holes in one.

Lunch was an elk and bacon burger at Moose Jaw which was so-so. They actually have a Pumpkin Spice ale beer with cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. If it wasn't for where we went to dinner that night, I might have tried it. That evening, we went to a German restaurant that will remain nameless because it doesn't deserve any publicity. It does have a good atmosphere with long rows of tables like you'd find in Germany. I learned two things. A liter is a whole lot to drink and German beer is way stronger than the beer we're used to in this country. Can you see where this is going?

I've been seriously drunk only once or twice in my life and I don't like doing it. Among the polka music I could barely hear what the waiter was saying. So I asked his advice on beer on settled on the DAB, a medium bodied pilsner. He asked me what size I wanted and I asked what they had. I heard "Liter, 1 liter, 3 liter, 5 liter." I asked for 1 liter. I think he also said 1/2 liter too, but I found out too late. I get this near pitcher of beer, enough for about 30 or 35 ounces. About halfway through, I knew I was in trouble. Later that night, after watching Million Dollar Baby and playing Deal or No Deal on DVD, I sprang up in bed and had that dreaded moment of realization. You know the moment. It was time to get sick. I'll stop there.
And the food was average at best.

Sunday morning, we drove to Madison to visit Karen, Nef, and their girls, Sofia and Emma. We went to Blackhawk Church and then went on our way home.

I've learned to really appreciate time off in a way I never had before. Maybe knowing what working in the real world is like, I can appreciate my free time more and more. Maybe I'm growing up... Oh I shudder at the thought!

Back from Wi-Dell

Sounds like a cool way to say Wisconsin Dells you know. Anyway four days have done me wonders and I am back in Illinois, ready for work, and happy to be back with you, my loyal readers.

So let's start this off with a trip recap. Mom, Hogan, and I drove 2.75 hours from St. Charles to Lake Delton, WI, a small town just west of the Dells (for the east coasters, the Dells are an area an hour NW of Madison loaded with family entertainment and waterparks). We check into Tamarack, which has been designed by a couple of different groups including Fairfield. There were all kinds of different accomodations, from a 20 story motel-type building to small houses that were for 1 or 2 people. A lot of space to walk around, a lot of pine trees, and a big lake with flocks of ducks swimming around.

Now we wanted to know a place to get Thanksgiving dinner. This area is usually packed in the summer so we knew we wouldn't have to worry about reservations. They recommended the buffet at the local casino. Now I'm usually not a fan of buffets or going into casinos. But the cute girl at the desk promised it would be good so we took her up on it. We drove to our room, snuck Hogan in (since dogs were not allowed we would've been fined $100 and gotten rid of from the site if they saw him) and drove down to Baraboo, about 10 minutes south. By the way, I got the phone number of the girl at the desk. It's Zero. I called her back later on, but her voice had changed.

So we drove to this hotel/casino in the middle fo a lot of cow pastures. That was one ripe smell surrounding this place. We went from one awful smell to another as we went through the doors and became engulfed in a cloud of cigarette smoke. The buffet was 12.95 and I have to say it was marvelous. Carved roast beef, the enormous turkey leg, sage stuffing, wild rice, desserts, fried shrimp, rolls, salad, just about everything I had was great. It wasn't the same as spending time with my family, but it was still good.

Exhausted from the turkey we wnt back to the room. With the weaher a rather plesant 55 degrees, I took a book and my Bible and walked over to the lake and sat down on one of the benches for about 2 hours. I must say I had one of the better quiet times I've had in a few months. I don't remember anything about the rest of the night except we stayed in. After the driving and the meal, I guess we planned and prepared for the next few days.

50 chairs collapse

You ever been humiliated in front of over 100 people, most of whom you knew? That happened to me Sunday putting the steel chairs on the racks after Ecclesia let out. I had 40 or 50 of them set up inside the brackets which hold them in place on the racks. I guess the brackets were defective. Like a long line of dominoes, one started to fall and that was it. It was one of those moments where I knew it was about to fall and yet I stood frozen thinking "There's no way all those chairs will fall. They're secure." Now this is where your mind starts racing trynig tofind a way out of this. You can't vaporize yourself and disappear. You can't act like you didn't hear anything. So I did all I could think of. I started looking around trying to find someone, anyone, standing close to the now mountain of chairs who other people might think let them all collapse. Of course, no one was was within 5 yards of me. So I called it a night.

And with the crappy recap

OK, let's get to the Jets-Bears game from yesterday. I didn't think the Jets would win the game. But they outplayed outperformed and outclassed the almighty Chicago Bears for the whole first half. The defense dominated the Bears offense. And the Bears defense (which was supposed to be great anyway) limits the Jets. With a 3rd and goal from the 4 or 5 yard line, I wanted a pass. And Chad Pennington throws an off-target pass that Brian Urlacher intercepts. No points. And late in the second half, Thomas Jones runs a draw for the Bears, gets 20 yards on a 3rd and 28. But he fumbles. Jets recover and get it down to the 35 yard line and have a great chance to put points on the board before halftime. But oh no. The officials review it and they rule Jones down. So the Bears get to punt, it costs the Jets 35 yards and the first half ends 0-0.

Now I love Eric "The Penguin" Mangini. But what was he thinking trying an onside kick to open the second half? In a 0-0 game, don't even risk giving a team like the Bears a spark. The Bears get the ball and drive down the field and Gould kicks a field goal and Chicago leads. Then Chad throws a horrible INT and a series or two later, Mark Bradley burns Drew Coleman and waves bye-bye to the Jet D. 10-0 and that was it.

Chad had a bad game, no doubt. He turned the ball over which Grossman did not do for Chicago. Although Grossman made one good pass the whole game, for the record, the long pass in the third quarter to Muhammad. So to the Bears don't do the ultimate sin by beating my two favorite teams only to lose to my least favorite team next week in Foxboro. Because can't you see that coming?

And another thing, how many penalties did the Jets take. I mean it was like watching the Rangers play hockey! There were numerous false starts that killed drives. I can think of 5 off the top of my head.

So a very empty feeling as a Jet fan is rippling through my system. We had the Bears beat and we blew it. Two games back in the division, but a very favorable schedule from here on in. Chad needs to step up like he did early in the season, the defense is doing better and better, and the run game is ok. Good to see Cedric Houston, the one power runner we have on our team, return after 4 weeks of being injured.

So a huge game for both NY teams tonight as the Giants play Jacksonville.

A few important manners and some not-so-important manners

OK, I'm taking a quick break for processing financial aid to write about a few things. I'm starting with something that really unnerves me. No it's no the Giants laying an egg against the Bears.

1) Elton John wants to ban religion because he says religious people are not compassionate towards gays and other minority groups. He didn't specify what religions he just said religion. There are a lot of things I could say here. I will go this way. I believe in an all-powerful God and I believe in right and wrong. I do believe homosexuality is wrong but I realize that a lot of religious people (and non-religious people can be included as well) have been unfairly rough on gays, and I admit I'm not exactly comfortable around gays. The message may be right, but the delivery of the message is usually in anger and hostility or maybe in timidity and fear. So I can see where he is coming from. But I have two questions for Sir Reg Dwight (John's real name).

One, who has the authority to ban all religion? How does that decision happen? And can man keep something down that is bigger then him?

And second of all, and more importantly, what do you put your hope in? What will happen to you when you die? I've certainly heard you use God's name in frustration and anger enough times in interviews. Do you believe in God? If you do, what will your story be? I applaud your work with AIDS groups but don't go stereotyping like that. Because by putting all religion down, you put all religious people down. And that's the majority of the world. So Reg, for your sake, stick with your music and get off your delusional pulpit.

2) The Jets beat the Patriots! In New England! Yes! Now let's take Chicago down!

3) Why are the Mets bringing back Jose Valentin? And for 4 million dollars. He's 37, he'll break down just like he did last year. As a bench player, fine, but Omar still needs to get a second baseman. Mark DeRosa, Adam Kennedy, and Mark Loretta all sound okay to me.

4) Looks like 2 years, 6 million dollars for El Duque. Two years might be a bit much to some people, but it's a player's free agent market. If teams want free agents, they will have to pay a lot of money. And 3 million per is not bad. And he wants to pitch in the big spots and can deliver the goods in the spotlight of October.

5) The biggest priority signings for the Mets should be getting Barry Zito, keeping Chad Bradford, finding a good bat for the bench, and a good left fielder who can hit sixth or seventh.

6) I got an e-mail from careerbuilder.com. You can really tell how in touch they are with the job market. The subject title of the e-mail was "Relax and let us find your new job for you." I'm sorry, am I wearing an "I'm a moron" t-shirt? What kind of job do you have in mind, cleaning out the juice machines at IHOP? By the way, you know what the funniest thing in the world is? Seeing a one-legged waiter at IHOP.

7) Two weeks to go in volleyball and we're second of four in the league. I missed the games from two Sundays ago, where we played the undefeated team. Amazingly we took a game from them without me and going in, I think they had a record of 24-0. So this week we took 2 of 3 without Kevin, who is one of our best players. If we can get all 6 of our players on the court against that team, and save our energy, I think we can beat them.

8)Thanksgiving is approaching too quickly. It's times like this I wish I lived closer to my family.

9) High school football in Kane County will be huge this weekend. Playing in the state semifinals are Geneva and Batavia, two neighboring towns with a long rivalry. Both schools are 12-1. Batavia won the head-to-head match 24-6 on the last week of the season to create a 3-way tie for first place in the WSC with Kaneland. But this game will be at Geneva. I wish I could be there just to experience that type of atmosphere. I never went to a school with football, basketball was really the big game. And Kaneland is also 12-1 with a game against Marian Catholic to go to state. This will be an exciting weekend for Tri-Cities football.

10) I always try to make 10 points in these posts. But I don't have anything else to say.

A few football notes

I don't know if I can really see the Giants beating the Bears tomorrow night. The team has way too many injuries. And the Jets against the Pats doesn't exactly have me feeling too fuzzy either. Die Brady die. Congrats to Rutgers on an incredible win over Louavull!

CMA's-Country Music and Female vocalist rant

I haven't written about country music in a while, but I feel it's fading about as fast as WWE. At least the mainstream is. Last night, the CMA Awards took place and I dreaded something that I expected to happen, but I hoped it wouldn't. It did. Carrie Underwood not only won the Horizon Award, which was bad enough, but Female Vocalist!

I knew it would happen, but I wanted to have the same shocked reaction Faith Hill had. This is a girl coming off American Idol, has paid no dues (kind of like Tom Brady), gets handed two or three magical songs, and runs with them. First of all, I could name at least five singers from that season who were better: Anwar, Lindsey, Vonzell, Bo, and Nadia. And so many other singers are struggling to even get noticed and Underwood just stands in, looks cute, and sings hand-picked songs. That's not art in any way, shape, or form. Once this little love fest ends in a few years, and she has to actually work on her own for success, then we'll see what she's really made of.

I'm just tired of country too often being this sunny happy thing with Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, and people like that. I know that's what's selling records and that's what radio will likely continue to play. I just hope there will remain a place for the more honest, hard country too like Toby Keith and maybe a Gretchen Wilson.

Seafood could be wiped out

I don't get into current events much, but I have to say this concerns me.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/11/02/seafood.crisis.ap/index.html

Fortunately for mom, she probably won't be around long enough to see that happen. I don't know if this seafood disaster will happen, but certainly something needs to be done. Economies and people's ways of life can be eliminated. I hope politicians will recognize this problem and address it accordingly.

Too early for Christmas music!

If I were President, the first law I would pass is no Christmas music can be played on radio or in stores until the day after Thanksgiving. I'm driving in the car on Nov. 1 and Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" comes on. And I heard four more X-mas songs that day alone. Now I love Nat King Cole and that song, but Nov 1? I barely have the egg yolks cleaned off my window and the toilet paper off my car and I already hear "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas." Too soon! We need some Thanksgiving carols. Because two months of Christmas songs is too much!

If you go to Cheeseburger in Paradise, try the island quesadillas. Marvelous. And the Arnold Palmer (ice tea/lemonade) is literally the best AP I've ever had.

Got 24 NY bagels sitting in the freezer. It's all about boiling the bagel in the kettle water. It makes all the difference in the world.

Man, there's nothing like a good workout at the gym to make you feel better. I was in the cardio room and I even recognized a girl from the St. Charles East tennis team, whose matches I covered a few times. We made a little small talk. Smart girl.

Giants win over Houston, albeit barely. It was close as I knew it would be with all the injuries we have and the fact that the Bears are on tap for next week. Of course both the Patriots and Bears lost meaning both teams will be aching to kick the crap out of my teams next Sunday. Hopefully, Brian Urlacher's injury will keep him on the sidelines for the next two weeks when the Bears play the Giants and Jets. Michael Strahan hurt his foot and is in a walking boot. Great. We've lost our top three defensive ends. Not to mention three linebackers, a corenerback, and a wide receiver. On Sunday, we could be without five of 11 defensive starters. Meanwhile, Hollywood Brady throws 4 INT's and the Pats lose at home on national TV to still undefeated Indy. Now they host my Jets next week. Great timing. I could see us losing that one 31-3.

The Knicks are playing like themselves after winning opening night. Two straight losses. In all three games, they've allowed over 100 points. And tonight? San Antonio at the Garden. What will Tim Duncan do to poor Eddy Curry? That will be frightening.

And the Rangers are so out of sync. Lundqvist has been a major disappointment in goal. We need Brian Leetch to come back and play the point on the power play. And get Marek Malik out of here. Then again, I wonder if Tom Renney is suited to still be coaching this team. I'm not calling for anything yet, but I still wonder...

Let's get to this

A few thoughts on a Friday morning...

1) I saw on the highlights of the MLB All-Stars vs. the Japan All-Stars, David Wright hit a game-tying 2-run homer. Where was that during the postseason David?

2) For my Ecclesia group tonight, McElwee is BBQ'ing for dinner. Oh I can't wait! But then again, I really go to the group to learn more about God...

3) I've been complaining a little too much about certain circumstances at work. There are certain miscommunications that should be avoided and certain policies I don't understand or agree with, but I wish I would hold my tongue in check a little better.

4) Two good back to back wins out west for the Rangers in Anaheim and San Jose. And amazingly, backup goalie Kevin Weekes win both games.

5) As for work, while I'm getting most of the basics down, there is always going to be something to learn. I want to be competent confident and on my own and I don't think I'm where I want to be. Not that I expected to get everything down in 2 weeks, but I'm a little unsure of what my future here will be. It may be 3 months, it may be 3 years, I don't know. I just hope God shows me a reason for me being here.

Retreat recap

Around 12 pm, I'm on my lunch break at work and realize I left my sleeping bag at home. Now I'm supposed to be in Wheaton at 5:45 to drive in the car pool. From Hoffman Estates in rush hour traffic, I figure it will take 45 minutes and I leave at 5 p.m. So I call my mother and she agrees to meet me in Winfield so I can pick it up. We make the exchange and I hurry over to Wheaton and arrive at 5:43.

Of course, only about 12 people showed up and we had a plethora of drivers with keys dangling in hand, ready to drive to Lake Geneva. So I went with Jason and Allison (friends of mine who are married and expecting their first baby in a couple of months.

After hitting Jimmy John's (Had an Italian Night Club) for dinner we got to the conference center around 8:15. I was one of the first non-leaders there. Ted and Melissa were there as were McElwee and his family. I was a little bummed the dogs couldn't come along. Then again, we were staying in the nicest building on the property (Maples) so that may have been a factor. In this building, the downstairs is one big room with a piano, ping pong table, fussball, the camp's snack bar, a couple of couches. A narrow hallway leads to four bedrooms, one of which is for handicapped people. The girls stayed upstairs.

About 30 people came. After some prayer and worship, we played a few team-building games. Including that brutal one where you have to build a house of cards. I had never done this. And I don't plan on doing it again either. Then we had some prayer and worship time and then we played Mafia for a while. I was the last person eliminated before the game ended. McElwee, usually the mayor, does these long stories when a player gets killed off. As soon as he said the words "New York Mets," I did like Kramer in the Seinfeld episode with the masturbation contest. I stood right up and said "I'm out!" and walked away.

I spent a lot of time playing ping pong and I really got better as the weekend went on. One of the games we played was around the world where the players surround the table. One player hits the ball, another returns it and everyone keeps walking or running around the table and takes their turn to hit and receive. It gets crazy when you get down to three players because you're sprinting trying to get to the ball. Then in the finals you play to 3 points. We hit the ball, put the paddle down on the table, spun around, picked the paddle up and hit the ball again. Even I got dizzy. The room felt like it was spinning, a little twinge in my head, the whole thing. But I won quite a few times. It was fun playing again.

I knew all but 4 or 5 people on the group. One girl I remember meeting was Megan. She's of Chinese descent and from British Columbia. She plays piano, teaches math (though she's in grad school at Wheaton now), and has a cool easy-going personality. She's been going to Ecclesia for only a month or two. But here's what I remember more than anything. The group is sitting in a circle on Saturday and our meeting is about to begin. I noticed she wasn't at breakfast or in the room. Someone mentioned she had gone running. She ran 13 miles and got lost! Someone drove her back to camp and when she came back, she looked like she hadn't even broken a sweat. Man, I hate people like that!

Anyway, we all spent 6 or 7 hours on Saturday in solitude. Like last year, I wound up sleeping most of those hours. I needed the rest, but I was having a little trouble concentrating too. I found myself asking a lot of very basic questions about God, faith, life, purpose, and things like that. I came away with more questions than answers, truth be told. Not that I'm fighting doubt, but more of wondering about myself, where I fit in the world, what my mission in life is, how to deal with problems. At least I came away from the time feeling relaxed, but a little frustrated too. I tried writing about it in my notebook, but didn't know how to start. So I kind of withdrew for most of Saturday night. I still played ping pong later that night, but declined to play more Mafia.

Around 8:30 pm, we all took a hay ride on two tractors through the campgrounds. Then we started gathering hay and throwing it at the other tractor. It got a little wild, but it got serious when my friend Bill lost his wedding ring in the process. One day before his anniversary, no less. We went back to search for it the next morning, but amongst fallen leaves and hay, it's hard to find a solid gold ring. So we're all pitching in to buy a new ring. Sunday morning was a quick wrap up time and we left around 10:30.

Here's my feeling right now. I was hoping I would work on some of my personal issues that I'm fighting and I don't think I developed a plan or anything like that. But maybe it was a productive weekend. Maybe I learned something and I just don't realize it yet. And I know I missed Ring of Honor, but hey, at least I can get the DVD.