Just a video from Jeju

I wanted to share a video that I created from my trip to Jeju. I was able to play with a great group of players. I won't mention names just in case they are either wanting to stay anonymous, or that they don't want to admit that they played with us. =)

Just a few thoughts

You know I have very few places to voice my concerns and issues. But since very few, if any people read my blog, I guess I can write what I like on here, get things off my chest and move on.



When I was a young child I was given an allowance. $3.00 a month. Half of that went into the back for savings. I knew that if I wanted anything, I had to save my money, and buy it myself. I remember wanting a nintendo and begging my parents to get one for me. But all they would say is that I had to save my money and buy it for myself. I remember mowing our neighbors yard, and making $5.00 a week. I knew that if I wanted that nintendo I would have to mow his yard for 25 weeks. I always found things came up that took my money faster than I could save it. Mainly baseball cards, candy, movies, things that I realize now should have and could have been putting money aside for the things that I really desired. I eventually did get that nintendo but in the end it just wasn't what I had hoped it would be. It wasn't worth the pain of saving up for it.



Now please understand that I am not an economist, but it seems to me that the simple things seem easier. As a teacher I follow the motto: "Keep-It-Simple-Stupid" or K.I.S.S. Money is a touchy subject for a lot of people, it is like a monster and needs o be taken seriously. Now let's take a brief look at my distorted look on fiscal responsibility. It seems to me that you can't spend money you don't have. I can't walk into a car dealership and tell them that I want a car, and tell them not to worry and I'll pay them for it, but I won't pay for it for another 10 years. Go ahead, see what happens. Or I have another scenario. Try going into Best Buy and buy a flat screen television. When they ask for payment just give them the richest guy in the neighborhoods name and address and tell them that they will be paying for it. But it seems to me that this is the exact way the U.S. government seems to work. The money that is brought in doesn't come close to matching the amount that is going out. But this doesn't stop them from spending it. It doesn't matter who is in office. Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, they all do this. Try this...go take a credit card out and use that to pay off another one, and when that one comes due, pay that one off with another one. At some point those notes are going to come due. You have to pay your bills. Every credit card user knows that. But our elected officials seem to think that doesn't apply to them. Seems simple to me...if you don't have the money, you don't get it, whatever it is. Or better yet, you don't have Bill Gates pay for the things you want just because he has more money than you do. He worked hard for that money and doesn't owe you a dime of it. Whatever happened to the expression "There is no such thing as a free lunch." We need someone in office that can make the hard choices, the tough ones...the ones where if you don't have the money, you don't get it. And you don't take more money from the rich to pay for the things you want. I am not rich by any means, and shockingly I don't think I deserve their money. The things that are promised to us by our government are "Life, liberty, and the PURSUIT of happiness." No where does it talk about that flat screen or nintendo that I want. This nation has a huge miss perception of what is a 'want', and what is a 'need'.



The war in Iraq:



Just a couple of thoughts really quick in this area...



Again a story growing up. Don't you love those? I remember growing up and being a smaller kid. I was picked on, and thrown into lockers. I even remember being too scared to go to school because I was threatened with a 'swirly'. For those who don't know what this is, this is where guys will pick you up, turn you upside down, and place your head in the toilet. Then they would flush it, hence a 'swirly'. I remember a guy, we'll call him Todd, he was much bigger and would stick up for kids who were picked on. We didn't ask for his help, and he didn't expect anything in return for his aid.



This is the way that I see our involvement in the wars. The people of Iraq and Afghanistan are the ones about to get a 'swirly' and the U.S. is Todd. Do we NEED to be there, of course not. But I heard a saying one time that made a lot of sense: "Those that have the ABILITY, also have the RESPONSIBILITY to help." Were there W.M.D.? Who knows? Who cares? Were we lied to...probably. But let's not focus on the fact that only congress can go to war, which happened to be democratically led, when Bush was in office. Let's focus on the fact at hand. The world, like it or not, is a safer place without Saddam Hussein in it. I love to hear people say that the only reason we got into the war was for the oil. That's funny, after 10 years, I am paying almost twice as much as I did in 1999 at the pump. Where is this oil...I know, probably the same place as the W.M.D.'s. There is no perfect way to get out of the mess we are in, and yes there are still dangerous people in the world, but maybe we should do what we can to rid ourselves first of people that want to rid the world of us. Just a thought. Here's the fact...people are not going to get along. I have had enough discussions trying to get people to see things from my point of view, to no avail. We have always been a country based on REactive thinking rather than PROactive thinking. Which is one of the reasons that Clinton, who had Osama Bin Laden in his sights, didn't give the order to fire. We waited until two buildings came down, another was crashed into before we took action.



With all this serious talk, I thought I would post a comic that doesn't have ANY political humor, but I saw the funniest "Wizard of Id" strip and had to post it. Enjoy and we'll see you later. You know...another day, more issues. =)


Be blessed...and be a blessing

This one is for you Laura...my love

See...I DID update it.

Obama Jokes

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's new Obama Value Meal?

A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you has to pay for it.

Q: What does Barak Obama call lunch with a convicted felon?

A: A fund raiser.

Q: What's the difference between Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?

A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers and threats to society. The other is for housing prisoners.

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat in the middle of the ocean and it started to sink, who would be saved?

A: America!

Q: What's the difference between Obama and his dog, Bo?

A: Bo has papers.

Apparently Lindsay Vonn's downhill gold medal was taken away from her and given to president Obama. After further verification it was found that no one has gone downhill faster than Obama.

Be Blessed...and be a blessing.

Been a while

Well people, I apologize once again for being away from this blog for so long. I have really no excuse other than that facebook took over my valuable internet time.

So much has happened since I have posted last on here. I will update with more pictures and items of interest in the very near future.

I wanted to get on here and pot some very exciting news...After seven years of international travels and teaching, I will be returning to the states. This is met with a lot of nervousness. I think I have a place to live lined up, I will purchase a car when I get back, and then the biggest issue is a job. I have approx. 175 job applications out there and am still anxious about this. If anyone knows anything about a job that might work, PLEASE let me know. I have considered getting out of the teaching market and would consider anything at this point.

So until my next post, please enjoy a picture, and we will catch up soon.

This picture was taken when my swim team went on a little journey to Shangi-hi, China. We'll talk about that later.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Craft Time

Several people have thought that I was joking when I said that I can do crafts, and so I thought I would post a few pictures here as to what I actually CAN do. Now none of these pictures have me in them actually performing the craft. So Iguess you will have to just take my word for it. Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

This is a piece by piece put together of a tissue box. I finally got the idea that I better do this so that I can see it coming together. This is kind of cute...

Updates & Things

I know that it has been a while and no one really reads this. It usually just ends up being me venting about something. I did learn from a relative that they wanted to have an update and possible see more pictures. I thought I would take this chance, now that I am so sick and on spring break, to update a few things and maybe post a few pictures.

I am still teaching during the 08-09 schol year here in South Korea at Seoul International School. It is a complete English speaking only school. I have learned quite a bit of Korean, however by no means fluent. I am the Aquatics Director and spend my days teaching swimming to students who have no idea how to swim, some of thoe are high school students. Our school has about 1,600 students and over 100 teachers. It is a large school to say the least. My pool is four floors in the basement and on MOST days I don't get to see the sun. I am at school by about 6:00 and after practice I go home just after 6:00. I know that I haven't mentioned a team that I coach, that is because I have coached all year long. In the fall I coached junior varsity boys volleyball, during the winter I coached middle school swimming, and now I am coaching varsity swimming.

Love Life: I am now dating a wonderful woman who lives back in the states. You can say that I sort of met her online. Several years ago when I lived in the states, I was good friends with a guy by the name of Dave Sampson (still am by the way) I ran into he and his wife a couple of times at our local Target. He was walking through with his wife Jenny and her sister Laura. I had known most of them from Mid America Nazarene University. Fast forward to the end of this summer. Just as I arrived here in South Korea, I got a friend request from Laura and we hit things off from there. She came and visited me in Korea, and then for the first time since I left to teach over seas, I got to go home for Christmas. I got to visit my folks and her folks. It was a great time and since then we have still been together. It is hard and there are times where I wish that I didn't teach over seas, but she is awesome and we are finding ways to make it work.

Personal Life: There is none. I am at school 6 days a week for 12+ hours a day. I get home and usually do some reading or crafts maybe a little tv or video games, but I am in bed and asleep by 8:30-9:30. Just call me Party Animal. I do get to play sports when I am not just beyond tired, but I go out on Fridays and Sunday afternoons to play a little ultimate frisbee. On Thursday night I try and get out and play a little basketball.

Work Life: That is all that it seems to be right now. Just read above.

Spiritual Life: I have tried several churches around Seoul, however most of them are not in English. I was also kicked out of the one that I really liked and haven't been back since. Okay pick your jaw up off the floor. It was just before christmas and I had been enjoying this church from the basement or 'overflow' room. I had met a bunch of people and really enjoyed it down there. On said Sunday, a person came down and told me to leave, that they were closing the 'overflow' room. I told them that there were a bunch of people that were going to be there and that we enjoyed each others company, didn't seem to matter. I was ushered upstairs and just kept going. I now watch College Church online, and do my daily devotions in the morning at my desk at school.