Picture in the Paper

We haven’t received a newspaper for years now. Does anyone receive a newspaper anymore? Even if we did, I’m not exactly sure which one we’d get. The L.A. Times is an obvious choice, but then again, Malibu has two papers all its own: (1) Malibu Surfside News, and (2) the Malibu Times. All these choices!!!

But with the wonders of the WorldWide Web, I’m not much motivated to worry about it. It’s not like I’m missing access to any information or anything. Further, I mean, sure, who doesn’t miss getting black ink all over your fingers, but still, I already go to the trash dumpster every day – why shoot for twice a day?

Anyway, one thing that hasn’t disappeared completely is that it’s still cool to get your picture in the paper. Best I can tell. But the bad thing is that all of us yahoos who don’t receive a paper don’t find out about aforesaid pictures until it is too late.

All this to say that Hillary’s picture was in The Malibu Times recently. If anyone finds a copy laying around the house, feel free to save it for us. Otherwise, like us, you can just enjoy THIS LINK to the picture (note: Hillary is on the far left).

Fifteen Years

Fifteen years ago today, I was barely twenty-four years old, and already in my third season as a high school basketball coach. I had married following a whirlwind romance just a few months prior, and with that suddenly became the father of a cute little second grader. We had bought our first house on Westview Drive in my hometown, a nice three bedroom/two bath situated on a huge lot not far from my work. We were there that night, having already gone to bed.

That was the night my dad died.

When my dad was dying, my mother and sisters had asked me to talk him into going to the hospital. He was literally wasting away, not able to eat, weight dropping below a hundred pounds. I have long been convinced that he was putting it off because he knew that, once he left home, he wouldn’t be coming back again. Somehow, he listened to me. And I had the pleasure of driving him to the hospital – his last time riding in a car, his last time feeling the fresh air on his face, his last time being outside, his last time alone with me…

My last time alone with him.

As we rode together, at some point the conversation shifted to all those times we were alone in the backyard, he and I, playing catch. He said he wished we could do that again. I agreed.

I guess that’s why Field of Dreams is now my favorite movie, and the heavenly scene were Ray and his dad get to play catch together again – against all odds – is my favorite scene. After fifteen years, I maintain a similar dream. Given a wish, playing catch with my dad would be hard to beat.

That movie scene means even more to me today as I think about my dad. That Ray and his dad are about the same age as they play catch – well, I’m not there yet, but over the past year, when I think of my dad, the feeling of looking at each other as equals has been growing. I’d like to talk to him now, not so much for advice anymore, but more just to share the experiences that make up what we call life. Just to talk.

Or, better yet, just to perform that wordless, age-old ritual of equality: playing catch.

Here is the link to a movie scene that portrays my inner dreams today. And thanks for listening.

Jody’s Soccer Star

I like to joke with Jody about having a personal trainer (she is made for the Malibu life!), but in fact, her “trainer” this semester is a freshman who got matched with Jody through a sports medicine class. One of the class options involved doing a training program with a faculty/staff member, and because Jody signed up for this ultra-cool concept, she is under the tutelage of Anisa Guajardo.

Jody liked Anisa immediately. They meet at the track once a week, and Anisa has promised to help Jody meet her goal of running a 5k by her 40th birthday. Of course, Jody’s 40th birthday is decades away, but just for kicks, they’re acting like it’s next April.

Anyway, Anisa is on the Waves soccer team, and Jody wanted to see her play sometime. Truth is, according to Anisa, she hardly ever gets to play, what with being a freshman and all. However, she told Jody that she thought she would get to play yesterday during their last home game of the season. Jody planned to go.

Well, turned out that Hillary had to work a booth for her dance studio yesterday, so Jody didn’t get to the soccer game until the second half was already underway. But as soon as she sat down, Anisa scored a goal!!!! This tied the game at 1-1. A little later, Anisa scored another goal!!!! And the waves won 2-1 on Senior Day with Anisa completely carrying the day, and Jody’s favorite soccer player was the hero of the game!

Very. Cool.

(You can read the article complete with Anisa quotes HERE.)

Talkin’ Bout My Generation

People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to d-dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

A Happy Halloween

It has been a Happy Halloween if I do say so myself:
* My mother-in-law arrived safe and sound.
* I’m off to a flying start on my Negotiation Theory paper.
* We had a fun & tasty dinner at the Le house.
* Today was so cool it took 25 hours to live it.
* This morning, the families here at the George Page Residential Complex had a super fun Fall Carnival for a bunch of cute kiddos. I took pictures, and I highly recommend checking them out! HERE’S THE LINK.

She’s a Witch!

Reasons to Post “She’s a Witch!” from Monty Python today:
1. Posting “She’s a Witch!” from Monty Python is a good thing to do any day
2. My friend, John Dobbs, posted it
3. It is the day before Halloween
4. The scene is a good depiction of the law school’s Socratic teaching method
5. If you watch specificallly from 1:50-2:03, you will see exactly how I act in class during the aforesaid Socratic teaching method

So, justification complete, enjoy!

Vocation

We have the privilege of going to church with a plethora of impressive teacher-scholars. Darryl Tippens is one of them. Many have probably read his terrific book, Pilgrim Heart. If not, I highly recommend it.

Today, my friend, Melissa, sent out a link to an article Dr. Tippens wrote about finding your vocation, and it is terrific, too. I thought I would pass around the link. You can find it HERE, and for all who have sought their purpose in life (and who hasn’t?), you ought to check it out.

Using Your Head

Well, the World Series is starting. And with all due respect, I really don’t care.

As a sports aficionado, I like to rank things a lot. I’d now say that baseball is my second favorite sport. I love the strategy, the statistics, and the history. It’s a bit slow, but all in all, I appreciate baseball. But the Phillies and the Yankees? I couldn’t care less. I want to be a National League guy, but I grew up disliking the Phillies in the old NL East. And I don’t hate the Yankees as much as the average guy, but I just can’t root for them either. So I am indifferent.

Let’s talk football instead. Over time, football has become my favorite sport. It used to be basketball, but something about both the college and professional game has just lost my interest over the years. At the same time, both the college and professional football game has captured my attention. I love me a good football game.

Football was in the news today. Congress called a hearing about some very real concerns over the game of football. No, not the salaries. And no, not the steroids. Instead, there are some very real studies concerned with brain injuries coming from the game. Commissioner Goodell was taking heat in front of Congress today, doing his best to field the hard questions. You can read about it HERE.

I am interested in seeing what develops in this regard. I’m going to have a hard time loving a game if it gives people brain injuries. And it doesn’t take that many brain cells to wonder if a sport where human skulls violently crash into a variety of things may have a tendency to do so.

I do have a question myself that I haven’t heard addressed just yet, so if all you in Blog Land will tell me if it is ever addressed, I would greatly appreciate it. Well, let’s say I have two questions:

(1) Are helmets flying off football players’ heads much more frequently these days? (They sure seem to be to me. I’m saying a LOT more than ever before. The few friends I’ve asked about this haven’t really considered it before, but once I mention it, they tend to agree.)

(2) If so, what’s up with that?

I am obviously not an expert on much anything, definitely not helmet design. But I do think that the possibility of playing football without your helmet on your head – even in brief intervals – has got to do bunches to increase the possibility of brain injuries.

Psych

I haven’t had a favorite television show not aired on ESPN since the Andy Griffith Show, and even that was restricted to the black & white seasons. But all that has changed now. I officially declare my love for “Psych.”

We’ve been watching the first season on DVD on those rare occasions we get a chance to watch a show together. Thankfully, Psych is only in its fourth season, so I have faith that we can catch up.

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, a little “Ebony & Ivory” by the show’s stars.

Which Side?

I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy our Sunday Bible class. If the only advantage to Malibu living was that particular class, it would be worth it.

John Wilson is the teacher, and he is the reason behind my high praise. Recently, John told us a little about Capernaum, the place Jesus called “home” as an adult. John is one of the leading experts in the world on Capernaum – how would you like to be one of the leading experts in the world on Jesus’s hometown?

John is unable to teach from time to time. When that happens, Randy Chesnutt fills in for him. This is like pinch hitting Alex Rodriguez for Albert Pujols.

Anyway, of all the cool classes, this past Sunday’s was one of my all-time favorites. We are working through the Gospel of Mark verse by verse (worth a mention – working through one of the Gospels verse by verse is my favorite Bible study all by itself!). We were spending some time in the early part of Mark chapter two when John mentioned an assignment he used to give his college Bible students. He would ask them to take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle, and read through a Gospel noting on one side of the line the type of people Jesus had good things to say about, and on the other side the type of people Jesus have negative things to say about.

You could guess the results. John said the big surprise was how overwhelming the actual data turned out to be. The positive interactions were with the common people, the “sinners.” The negative interactions were with the religious leaders.

John almost seemed embarrassed to say it out loud, but he said that “the church today” has come nowhere close to comprehending the ramifications of this data. He said he has no political agenda and is no “bleeding heart” or anything, but the data is undeniable. There is a “side” that is the problem for Jesus. There is a “side” that Jesus takes.

I wanted to stand and applaud.

What this data means for those of us claiming to follow Jesus today is a discussion worth having.