Get Ready...

Oh, yeah...it's coming.
And it's going to
Rock

Your

World

My Friday...and it's a long one

Jonah woke up at 5:20 but thankfully went back to his bed (instead of climbing in ours...)

After I took him back upstairs, I sat in the living room for a minute or two while he went back to sleep. While I was waiting, I grabbed the laptop. (I know it's weird. It's what I do.)

I checked a few emails and looked to see if any of my night-owl friends had posted anything while I was sleeping. When I opened my browser my eyes immediately saw "Top 100 Guitar Songs Of All Time." Did I click it? What do you think?

I flew over to Rolling Stone's website and started reading through the list. My first thought was something mean and angry regarding their pick for number one. My second thought was "I must blog this."

So I opened up blogger and spend a few minutes pasting in Rolling Stone's top 30 picks. (Post forthcoming.)

After awhile I looked up and realized it was nearing 6am, so I went back to bed. Finley woke up about an hour later, but Kristen was kind enough to let me sleep. I woke up about 8 and took over. Krist laid back down for a bit. I got breakfast for the kids, cuddled with them on the couch, picked up the kitchen a bit...nothing major.

Once Kristen gets back up, Jonah and I head upstairs for a Transformer battle. He's been really into his Bionicle toys lately, but I think watching Optimus and his boys last night reminded the kid that he has dozens of Transformers in his room. We go upstairs and battle for awhile. Originally, Mudflap tried to ambush Hot Rod. Hot Rod couldn't stay in the fight and called in Optimus. Before Optimus got there, another Autobot named Landmine showed up and try to settle things down, but Mudflap knocked him down and stomped him until he was dead. But have no fear - Optimus showed up, went into "Super Mode" and destroyed the bad guy in just a few seconds.

Jonah and I came downstairs and he found some other brand of toys he wanted to play with. I headed back to the treadmill and ran a few miles. I'm really enjoying the running these days. And the treadmill really helps me maintain my pace. I plan on marking off some running paths around the house here over the next few months to mix it up a little.

After the treadmill, I grabbed a shower and started getting ready for our date!

Friday was our Tenth Anniversary. For ten years, Kristen Carnley has filled my life with laughter and joy and purpose. She taught me how to be a better follower of Jesus, she's given me two amazing kids (who seemed to get all their good traits from her,) and she makes our home my favorite place to be.

Because we try to keep a pretty consistent routine for the kids at night, we try to do our dates earlier in the day. Kristen's mom got out of school at 1 and came home to take care of the kids.

We packed their bathing suits and headed over to mom-in-law's ("Sugar's") house. She had the kiddie pool pulled out for them and they could not wait to jump in! We got them settled and then headed to eat. The original plan had been to see a matinee and then grab an early dinner before picking up the kids. However, we were so hungry that we skipped the movie. Plus, there was nothing that we wanted to see. (Where are those summer blockbusters when you need them?) So, we chose "late lunch" over "early dinner."

As many of you know, restaurant options are not that great. I figured we'd do Olive Garden or maybe even head to Nacogdoches to eat. Imagine my surprise when Kristen tells me she wants salmon from Logan's! So we go to Logan's. (That was fine with me. Any place that keeps bringing warm yeast rolls to your table is a five-star in my book.)

Thanks to the generosity of my parents, I had a crisp, clean $100 bill in my wallet and we wanted to spend it! We decided that we'd live a little and instead of rushing out and buying each other a gift, we'd go out and buy our own. That might sound weird, but we thought it was really fun.

So, after lunch, we run by Target to pick up some stuff and I then I head over to Game Stop. Yes. I bought a video game with my money. I'm a nerd. But it was really cheap and it left me lots of cash leftover.

We hop back in the car and Kristen is driving.

"What do you want to do now?" I ask.

What happened next managed to fill up about four hours. However, to avoid "stealing thunder," I will simply direct you HERE to find out what happened. (Don't worry...I'll eventually fill you all in my experience when I'm able.)

After that, which you can read on Kristen's blog, we finally headed back to pick up the kids from "Sugar's." When we got there, they were tan, tired and ready to see Mom and Dad after a full afternoon of playing outside in the pool.

We gathered them up, packed up their gear and headed home. Finley fell asleep in the car (actually right at her normal bedtime!) Jonah lounged on the couch for about half-an-hour and then went to bed.

It was a great day. (And my new game is awesome.)

Thanks, Ebay

Film and television composer Earle H. Hagen died at the age of 88 on Monday.

I caught the blurb on http://www.cnn.com/ and was fascinated to find that Hagen was the composer (and "whistler") of the beloved theme music for The Andy Griffith show.

Hagen performed with all sorts of swing bands, scored a lot of hit TV shows and was even nominated for an Oscar for his work in a Marilyn Monroe film.

I found the entire story so interesting. I wasn't aware of Hagen, but was intrigued at the idea of a man being so successful, so honored within his own field, and yet virtually unknown to the world at large.

The end of the article referenced Hagen's literary accomplishments - two or three books on film scoring and a memoir.

Hagen's memoir sounded like a great read, so I flew over to http://www.half.com/. The site is owned by Ebay. It's not an auction site, though. Folks post what they're selling...you find the price and the conditions you want and you buy. (Lots of folks use it to get rid of college textbooks, I think.) And what did half.com, this amazing online bargain center, ask for Hagen's book?

$110.

$110.

Can you believe that? I thought there must be some mistake. I mean, sure, a hardcover is great and all, but...

$110?

Since I don't have a hundred bucks laying around for film composer memoirs, I went where we all go in the end. Amazon.

$32.99.

A better deal, but still too high. And then I realized what this means...

When I die, copies of All The Freed are going to sell for $95 each.

Anybody want to go ahead give me their hundred now?

YOU THINK I'M PLAYING...

Vespa S
$4200
72 miles per gallon...

Kristen...I hope you're reading this.

TODD RECOMMENDS...

Listed below are some things I've recently discovered. I think they are cool. I think you will agree with me.

The King Of Kong
A documentary about the "hardest video game ever created" and two men obsessed with holding the world record.

This is a great look at obsession and what it can do to a person. And even though a documentary, there are some fantastic characters in this film.

It's really, really good.

Aerotone
Aerotone is a netlabel that focuses on "melancholy music." And most of it is free!

In addition to the overall hipness of a "web-label," the music is actually really good. (If you dig such spacey, mellow things.) As best I can tell, these artists are posting their stuff for free. This seems very cool to me. Songs are perfect for chilling out or even cool videos or contemplative services.

Julios
I've already blogged about these chips, but they continue to impress me.
I am discovering, however, that they may induce some of the worst "chip breath" known to man. (Think Funyuns-meets-Doritos Cool Ranch-meets-Olive Garden Breadsticks.)

Just started reading hypebot. It's a sort of new reader/blog that focuses on music industry developments - primarily related to digital distribution. (Which is pretty much all the industry is, these days.) So far, I really dig it.

There are mine...what about you?
Got any "recommends" for us?

Special thanks to Jonny Baker for the aerotone info.

Daddy and Jonah!

Sorry the volume level isn't that great...crank up your speakers and enjoy. With Jonah, you never know what you're gonna' get!

Update

Update on the Chapmans...

Jim Houseman posted this update today:
________________________________
Everyone wants to know... how are they doing? I understand the question. So many care so deeply, so many can't imagine this loss. But the question is unanswerable, really.

I think Caleb did it best when he said at the visitation and at the funeral that the best term he can find is "confused." "We're sad and happy. Together and Lonely..." and then he stopped, realizing you can't describe confused, in his words, "it's sorta the point of the word." So much wisdom in this young man.

In this difficult time, the Chapman family has not done any interviews. In fact, the only comments the press or media has had from anyone associated with Steven has been through this website, quotes pulled from what we were sharing with you about what has happened. And in a few other instances, Steven's pastor Scotty Smith or the Executive Director of Shaohannahs Hope, Scott Hasenbalg.

Still... it is just too painful, just too crazy, the grief too deep.

On Wednesday night and Thursday, they were truly despondent and wailing through this horrible unthinkable thing. On Friday late morning, I saw the family start to string sentences together. And then at the Memorial Service, Saturday, though the emotion was still raw and the pain is still so deep, profound things were said by these people struggling to find their way in a world without Maria.

I've been privileged to be with them each day of this horrible week... so how are they doing? It is unanswerable... but I'll say this... I see them holding on to the Gospel better than you could imagine or hope for, just as you might think they would. Today, the room is quiet, the talk is somber... but occasionally you'll see a smile. Once in awhile, you might even hear a light laugh. Hope never left, and hope is just starting to show itself again, in small ways. There is still profound sadness. There is still deep concern for some in the family and how they will chart their way out of these dark days. But, there is a Savior, they are sure of it, I hear them talking about it. Heaven is real. It's real-er than ever to this close knit family. Sadness with hope.

A wedding cake picked out today, hope with sadness.
A little girl crying missing her sister, sadness with hope.
Basketball practice and carpool and lasagna from friends for dinner.
The new normal is not much fun right now.

And then there is a community of family and friends (including you!) praying. Your prayers are often talked about and appreciated. The family is overwhelmed by your support and is comforted by it, be assured. Grateful for you.
________________________________

Please continue praying for this family. It's one-week today. Keep praying.

What Is Cool...

I remember seeing an old interview with Corey Feldman once. It was at the apex of Feldman's fame...he was perched at the very "top," and was about to devote more of his time to his music.

I distinctly remembering him being very proud of writing a song called "What Is Cool?" He thought it was going to be some broad-sweeping statement about culture and trend.

I don't ever remember that song becoming a hit. But I could be wrong.

Regardless...here's the deal.

I'M NOT COOL.

I'd like to be, and at random times I might sort of accidentally acheive for four or five minutes worth, but my Inner Loser quickly arrives and let's everybody know: THIS GUY ISN'T COOL.

So...I'm enlisting your help. Lately, I've come across situations where I've been around people who seemed to be trying very hard to be cool. However, in most of those situations, I found what they were doing to be very awkward and upsetting. So, I thought I'd maybe mention a few of these experiences and see what all of you think.

Perhaps you just want to respond with "Cool" or "Not Cool." Maybe you want to elaborate your position. Either way is fine with me. All I'm asking is that you help as I echo the immortal words of the great poet, Feldman...

What Is Cool?


Cool or Not Cool: You Decide

1. High Fives - Are these making a come back? And does if someone actually says "High five!" as they do it, does that help things or harm things?

2. Old Catch Phrases - I'm still hearing stuff like "Wasuuuup?" and "Don't Tase Me Bro." That's not cool, right?

3. Repeating A Zinger - Lately, I've been around a couple of folks who tend to repeat a punch line if they felt like the group didn't hear them. Ouch.

4. Telling People You're Really Good At Something - This seems all kinds of wrong. If you really are good at a thing, does it deserve to be shared?

A Message from Daddy and Finley...

Reach Out...

This is Ken King. He is the brother of Ross King.

If you read Ross' blog, you're probably up-to-date on what's going on with Ken and his family.

Ken is currently in the second week of what will probably be 7-8 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. He had a pretty intense surgery and is now dealing with a massive, very painful rash that covers him from the waist up. The rash is, apparently, a sign that the meds are working, but it's a miserable way to get treatment.

Ross has been bragging on his brother and sister-in-law throughout their ordeal and referred folks to a really cool site that Ken and the family are maintaing.

After just a few days reading this "journal" from Ken and his wife, I am humbled by their example. Every time I get that little notification that they've written something new, I go to the journal immediately...because I know they are doing and saying and living out amazing lessons of faith. It's also a great way to find out how to pray for the family.

I'm asking all of you to check out Ken's journal. You will be amazed...I promise. And I'd like to ask you to do something. I'm asking everybody who comes to this site to sign up to receive the email notifications of each post. For those in my little circle...let's use this whole blogging thing to pray for a brother and support him in any way we can. If you go by the site, drop Ken and his wife a little message...I know they'll love it.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/kenking

A Story (and a snack) Well Worth The Time...

Those of you that follow Kristen's blog might remember that back in April, she took her "Golden Girls" trip. This is a trip that Krist takes with her three best friends from childhood. On the 2008 trip, they went to Florida and Kristen came back full of stories about this amazing place called Rosemary Beach where the girls stayed.

One of the Golden Girls, is Melissa, and she lives in Tennessee. Not long after their return, Melissa blogs about these chips she recently discovered. They're called "Julio's" and the girl seemed to have some sort of strange co-dependent thing happenin' with the chips. So, I read the blog one day and ask Kristen,

"Did you see that Melissa blogged about chips?"

"Yeah," Kristen said. "Those are the chips from our trip."

"Are they really that good?"

"They are amazing."

Meanwhile, Melissa is in full investigation mode, trying to find out where exactly these chips can be found. She knows that they are made in Del Rio, Texas and soon finds out that, though rare in lots of places, they are distributed to Lufkin.

And that's when Kristen went looking. A few days later, she finds them. She buys them. She gets in the car and opens them. And we eat them. All of them. All....of....them....

I'm not sure if they're the best all around chip. You know - good with burgers or queso or sandwhiches or as nachos, etc. I do know that they are the best stand-alone chip I've ever eaten. I'm serious...you eat these things by themselves. You don't need anything else.

So, while Melissa and her husband are busy trying to negotiate some some of deal wherein the Julio's people will distribute to Nashville, the Wrights now have a home stocked with the finest chips that Texas has to offer.

Eat your heart out, Radke.

Chapmans...

Jim Houser, friend and manager of Steven Curtis Chapman just posted a brief recap of Maria Chapman's memorial service.

In addition to recount what appears to be an amazing service of thanks and praise, Jim also gives some great reminders to keep folks praying.

As a friend of the family, Jim's post is heartfelt and loving. You can check it out here.

Thanks to Carlos for passing this link along.

Movie Review (For those who care what I think...HI MOM!)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Kristen and I got the chance to go check out the new Indiana Jones movie on Friday night.

I was nervous...most of the reviews so far have been down on the film, and I really really really hate paying money to see a bad movie.

Let me just say that I loved the movie. It had some problems, but it was great in so many ways that I did not regret the hundreds of dollars I spent to see it.

The thing I think so many people are missing in this movie is the skill of creating images. Think about it - the Indiana Jones franchise was always been pretty outlandish. The Ark of the Covenant melting people into nothing? A secret palace of idol worship underneath a beautiful palace owned by the government? The Holy Grail being guarded for thousands of years by a guy who's still kickin' when Indy shows up?

So, when I read reviewers or hear my friends talk about how goofy this one is, I think they are forgetting...they're all goofy.

But who can forget the images? The giant boulder? What about that pit of snakes in the first one? Or the dude burning the medallion into his palm? Or the monkey eating the poison date? Second film - eating all sorts of weird creatures, a dude getting his heart ripped out and that amazing mine chase. And the third film? Oh man...all the tests that Indy faces to get to the grail?

These movies have created unforgettable images. And The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does, too. I was worried it would be too much story and not enough action, but I was wrong. And there are definitely some sequences that audiences will not forget for a long, long time.

And the movie does surprise...some may not like the ending, but it certainly one you won't see coming.

I also loved how many laugh-out loud moments there are in this new installment. Indy is just as grouchy as ever but he's backed a really amazing cast of actors.

I do think the climax of the film was overdone. At one point, I was definitely feeling "Okay, okay. I got it! Move on!"

Despite a few problems, the movie is an absolute blast. So go ahead...hire a sitter, buy the large popcorn and sit down to watch a pretty amazing continuation to historic film series.

(If you seen it and want to share your thoughts, please do! No spoilers allowed.)

SATURDAY UPDATE!

KAVX played "My Lips Will Sing" Saturday morning!

It ran a little after 12:30pm! The family and I all stood around and had a little screaming fit as it played.

I think it will run some more during the day. If you can listen, please do!

And...whether you heard it or not, how about shooting them an email and thanking them for me? That would mean so much!

Kids Change Everything...

Know what happens when you have a six-year old who LOVES Spongebob?
He gets "Crabby Patty" candy. And he wants you to eat it with him.

He likes it.
Me...not so much.

I Love These Things...

You know me...I'm a sucker for these little "tag" posts. Well, this one originated from Staci King, who is the wife of Ross King. Staci tagged Shelly and then Kristen, who is my wife. Then my wife tagged me. Staci's blog is good. If she likes you, she links you. She is the Queen Linker of the Blogosphere.

I strongly urge you to check out what those folks had to say on their little tag-surveys. It's good stuff.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING FIVE YEARS AGO?

1. Trying to figure out how to be a Dad. Jonah was one and Kristen and I didn't have a clue what we were doing.
2. Learning the finer points of government employ.
3. Working 2 part-time jobs at two different churches. (Different denominations! How ecumenical!)
4. Writing tons of songs and playing them immediately for any and all who would listen.
5. Firing up http://www.worshipnotes.org/.

FIVE THINGS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST TODAY?

1. See if I can master Pinnacle on my laptop.
2. Take my wife out to see Indiana Jones.
3. Play with the kids.
4. Drink Diet Pepsi.
5. Clean up the porch a bit. (Never happen.)

FIVE SNACKS YOU ENJOY?

1. Sugary cereal. Preferably late at night.
2. Ice cream.
3. Doritos.
4. Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Pepsi
5. Heroin

FIVE THINGS WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE A BILLIONAIRE?

1. I'd make some creditors VERY happy.
2. New cars for me and my lady.
3. Buy a truck full of guitars.
4. Open a restaurant where everything is free. (Until we go out of business.)
5. Buy one Macbook.

FIVE OF YOUR BAD HABITS?

1. Being too critical, too fast.
2. Staying up too late. Way way too late.
3. Not taking care of cars. (Oil changes, tire rotation, state inspection, refueling...) 4. Sighing when I'm mad at Kristen.
5. Too sensitive.

FIVE PLACES WHERE YOU'VE LIVED

1. My parents' home (Livingston, TX)
2. My parents' home (Cleveland, TX)
3. My parents' home (Lufkin, TX)
4. My own home (Lufkin, TX)
5. My parents' home again (Lufkin, TX)

FIVE JOBS YOU'VE HAD

1. Lawn boy, Angelina County Airport
2. Teacher/Coach, Harmony Christian School
3. Deputy Clerk, Angelina County Clerk
4. Minister

5. Rock star for Jesus

FIVE TAGS (AND WHY)

1. Susie Moore: Because she hasn't blogged in forever and I think she's funny.
2. David Runnels:Because he's the only man I know who's smarter than me.
3. Adrienne Acevedo: Because she's destined to be a blog celebrity.
4. Artie Anderson: Because he's destined to become a blogstar.
5. Doug Hedstrom: Because he's a dude with some cool stuff to say.
6. Clayton Wayne: Because he's a blogging machine lately!

Items Of Interest...

First things first - it's Thursday, which means there's a brand new post up at worshipnotes. This week, we're reviewing the brand new record from Tommy Walker. If you have a few minutes, sail over and check it out.

Secondly, this poll thing is turning out to be really cool. I'm really impressed at how many of you are voting on these things. (Although my friend, Julie, told me at church Sunday that she had been downloading all sorts of web browsers just so she could vote multiple times. For me. Nice try, Jules, but it didn't work. I'd link her, by the way, but her last blog post was seven years ago.) Thanks to those of you who have been sending me poll suggestions. That's very cool...and hopefully we'll get to all of them.

A few of you are sending me great ideas, but no actual choices. Once our "dream church" poll is over, I throw a link over in the sidebar where you can weigh in on what sort of choices ought to follow such strange poll questions. (Trust me...they're strange.)

Lastly, this questions been bouncing around in my head for awhile but it's not really anything I can throw on a poll. So, let's see what you think!

How do you waste time online?

What's the one site that consistently burns up valuable minutes of your life?

C'mon...we've all got 'em. Be honest!

Pray For The Chapman Family...

One of Steven Curtis Chapman's daughters was killed Wednesday in a car accident.

If you want to read what happened you can find the link here.

Pray for Steven and Mary Beth and the entire Chapman family.

Control!

INTER:VIEW

Interview with Lance Burch, winner of Coolest Guy Contest

Congratulations, Lance on winning the "Coolest Guy" contest over on Todd's blog. Can you put into words what's going through your head right now?
I guess the biggest thing is surprise... especially with the margin of victory. I had no idea that the guys I spent a lot of time with while in Lufkin were so incredibly uncool. I guess being super-cool like me has its disadvantages - one of those being the uncool hangers-on.

Have you spoken to any of the other candidates? Do you have a message for any of those guys?
I have yet to receive a congratulatory call from any of them so... no, I haven't spoken to them. My message to the others would be this: Maybe cool is genetic - if I were you I would just focus on being friendly.

This really is probably hardest for Todd, don't you think? Why do you think Todd lost? Do more people genuinely feel that you are cooler or do you think there was some sort of backlash against Todd's ego there?
I am concerned that this whole thing has been a huge blow to Todd. And, although there is some level of coolness potential in Brandon T., so far he has only been able to tap into the "hey look at me I'm sarcastic and funny" side of his personality. This is the main reason that Todd lost... I hope he's ready for this truth.

Did you have a strategy in this? What you were doing online and in the public to encourage people to let their voice be heard in your honor?
You don't win these things by accident. We had people out on the street - showing video clips of me during my coolest moments and giving out the website so others could vote. The organization was mobilized in multiple locations and we got the win.I didn't do anything. You let your team speak for you. Nothing is more uncool than asking for a cool vote.

Jason and Robert made very poor showings. Thoughts on why?
Uh... they're not cool.

Do you think Jason's proximity to you was detrimental to him? As friends and neighbors and co-workers, do you think you ended up stealing votes?
Jason only benefits from proximity to me. If anything, he got some mercy votes from people that would have gone to me if he wasn't so approachable and friendly.

Todd is playing your youth camp in July of this year. Is that gonna' be awkward to see him in person? Do you know what you're going to say?
I always find it awkward to see Todd in person... but, that's a long story and one that I won't tell today. I sometimes talk about it in my support group; but, even they shudder when I speak of it. First we will hug. Then, I'm sure, the tears will flow like rain. I will say, "I'm sorry, Todd. I'm so so sorry." I think he will believe me... and then we will move on.

There are some rumors that you will now continue your campaign - that you'll make an effort to showing up on more blog polls for coolest guy or even, as one insider tells us, "best male rock vocal"? Any truth to these rumors?
While we did have some feelers out to see if I could be a viable Coolest Guy in the Nation candidate, we gave up on that effort when we discovered that there was no such contest. I am currently working with the "powers that be" to initiate one.The "best male rock vocal" rumor was started when I totally rocked out to "Wanted - Dead or Alive" at Belisimo's Karaoke night. I am worried that as I age, I am going to lose the classic rock shriek that has been my calling card.

These sort of elections are hard on families. You have any vacation plans with your family now that this amazing journey has come to an end?
You know, the campaign was hard. But, they knew that I was doing this for them. This is all about securing the future... for my children. I am getting a little misty eyed even as I type this. Just think, what kind of difference would it have made in your life if your dad had been cool? We are taking some time off for travel... just the kids and me. I am billing it as an adventure vacation. We are calling it: Let's go find Mom!Seriously, if you hear from Amy... tell her we miss her and to come home.

Do you have a theme song for your campaign victory?
Word Up... by Cameo (not Korn)

For more campaign info from Burch HQ, check out http://www.iftheywouldjustlisten.blogspot.com/.

YIKES...

Here's what Jeffrey Overstreet's thinking about Prince Caspian. I like Overstreet a lot and he's usually right, which doesn't bode well for my Caspian experience.
__________________________
Once upon a time, a great storyteller named C.S. Lewis sat down at the fireside, and children from all over the world gathered there with him.

He went on to tell them the second grand tale of Narnia — Prince Caspian — which was full of imagination. And while it may not have been as memorable and thrilling as his previous story, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it brought back many of their favorite characters. It introduced many more, including the skeptical dwarf Trumpkin, the chivalrous mouse Reepicheep, and even figures from ancient mythology, like Bacchus.

In what seemed a simple, charming children’s tale, Lewis gave shape to great truths about the God of the universe. He demonstrated how faith can open our eyes to the designs of God in the world around us. And he celebrated the powerful ways in which mythology, through all cultures and eras, leads to the true myth at the center.

Then one day, strangers who seemed to mean well appeared at the fireside. Welcomed by one of Professor Lewis’s closest allies, they made a proposition: “We would like to translate your tale into a play, a pageant that will be performed for enormous audiences around the world,” they said. “We will honor you and your work by doing so.”

Professor Lewis puffed on his pipe for a moment. He had met these men before, and he had some good reasons to question their abilities as storytellers. Eventually, he smiled sadly and said, ”Very well, so long as you understand the heart of my story, and respect for whom it was written.”

The visitors seemed to pay fierce attention to the tale that dear Professor Lewis spun, taking copious notes. Then, they stole away into the night.

“Do you suppose we trust them?” Professor Lewis asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

“It’s hard to say,” replied the children. “Are they like the good kings and queens of Narnia, fighting for what is good? Or are they more like the Telemarines, taking over someone else’s property and cutting down the forests for their own advancement?”

“We shall see,” said Professor Lewis. “Watch what they do. You will know them by their choices.”

The visitors went on to build similar fires all over the world, and in the light of those fires, they performed their play. Just as these performers and playwrights had hoped, people came from all around, lured by the dazzling brightness of the fire. The storytellers welcomed everyone, charging them admission of course, and making a fortune from Professor Lewis’s story. And as they collected the money, they began to tell the tale, saying it was “Based on the story by C.S. Lewis.”

Audiences cheered, for the play was spectacular, indeed. The costumes were impressive, the sets quite extravagant, and the special effects were really quite dazzling. It turned out to be a much-revised version of Professor Lewis’s story. And this was no surprise, for the story was never really designed as a compelling play.

But what was surprising, to those few who had heard Lewis’s original tale, was the fact that this whimsical story had been transformed into a story of war, full of long and vivid descriptions of spectacular battles, in which the young heroes bravely pincushioned their enemies with arrows, ran them through with swords, and even beheaded them. Viewers had never seen such lifelike centaurs, such breathtaking griffins, such valiant mice. Nor had they imagined these creatures engaged in such a cacophony of conflict.

To give evidence that this was indeed a tale of Narnia from Professor Lewis, the playwrights included many familiar names, although several prominent characters — especially High King Peter, Queen Susan, Reepicheep, and Trumpkin — bore little resemblance to Lewis’s characters.
But that did not seem to matter, even to many of Lewis’s friends and fans. In fact, so stirring were these scenes of courage that Prince Caspian won many new fans. It even inspired some to go looking for the all-powerful Aslan, the benevolent Authority in Lewis’s tales. (Yes, even in shoddy stories, Aslan’s power can still capture minds and hearts.) This was a happy effect of a rather questionable “adaptation.”

Nevertheless, this play showed that the storytellers had not met Lewis’s challenge. They had either failed to understand the heart of Lewis’s story, or else they did understand it and, disapproving of Lewis’s convictions, actively sought to conceal them. For the play was quite different from Professor Lewis’s original tale in ways that made it more exciting but less meaningful.

High King Peter, while played with passion by William Mosely, was not a very admirable king anymore; he was an egotistical adolescent. This revision certainly added more drama to the play. Peter spoke with venom about attacking the enemies “there, before they attack us here.” This may have been a well-intentioned attempt to critique the Iraq War, echoing the U.S. President’s words so boldly. But it had nothing to do with Professor Lewis’s story. And sure enough, Peter leads the forces of good into a quagmire that costs many noble characters their lives, and the withdrawl of troops is a messy affair. All of this was invented by the playwrights, filling time left open by the deletion of some of Lewis’s chapters.

The skeptical Trumpkin of Lewis’s story was deleted and replaced with a different Trumpkin, one who’s not skeptical but temperamental. While he was acted with great skill and depth by the brilliant actor Peter Dinklage, these unnecessary revisions eliminated one of the story’s most meaningful threads.

Susan, in a likeable performance by Anna Popplewell, was revised to become a swordswoman and archer, one so skilled in open war that she would scare Tolkien’s Eowyn from the battlefield. Quite a different character than Lewis’s Susan, who was forbidden to fight. Now, it’s one thing to dislike Professor Lewis’s limitations on his female characters. It’s quite another thing to decide that the way to make a woman respectable is to turn her into a resourceful killer.

And Reepicheep — one of Lewis’s most beloved and noble characters — was reduced to a wisecracking sidekick, more like a character from the Shrek franchise (which makes sense, since the director of this play also directed the first two Shrek movies).

In perhaps their most confounding and dismaying revision, these misguided storytellers deleted the culmination of Lewis’s endeavors to celebrate the sacred threads running through ancient mythology. Characters such as Bacchus, Silenus, and the “riot” of characters united by the truth of Aslan were never given their opportunity to celebrate and affirm that power.
And speaking of Aslan, these storytellers allowed for only a few appearances of Narnia’s greatest character. They’ve reduced one of his most important appearances to a dream sequence, allowing him to be seen in the real world only at the very end when he could provide a convenient rescue.

While this new Prince Caspian was a better crowdpleaser than some of the Harry Potter plays, and the fine work by these actors made it arguably more compelling than the Star Wars prequels, there was very little that could be praised as original. Instead of inventing threads that reinforce and strengthen Lewis’s story, they ripped sections out of the story and patched them with elements that could easily be converted into video games. In fact, some sequences in this second Narnia tale seem to be designed to mimic scenes from other great “second stories,” especially a sequence resembling the march of the Ents at the conclusion to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

These seemingly endless battle scenes made Prince Caspian more a story about battlefield heroics than an exploration of the “deeper magic” of Narnia. And these battle sequences transgressed the second important concern–they made the story inappropriate for its original audience… young children.

The storytellers, when questioned, talked about how stories told to such large audiences need to be abridged. But Lewis’s story was short to begin with. While the play did succeed in entertaining and pleasing audiences, and while it did not entirely obscure the meaning of Lewis’s story, it should never have been presented under the same title as Lewis’s story. Lewis’s wit, his heart for young adventurers, and the most unique insights of his story lay among the casualties strewn across the battlefields of this violent play. That’s how a G-rated fairy tale became what should have been rated a PG-13 production.

In spite of all of this, the play went on and on. Many critics rightfully praised it for what it did well, and some even rejoiced at how meaningful it was compared to the standard big-budget play.

But most reviewers failed to mention how insubstantial, shallow, and derivative the production was in view of Lewis’s original story. It’s likely that many failed to mention this because they could not be bothered to read a fairy tale writen for children in the first place. Or maybe they had grown too old, and merely forgotten the story they had enjoyed when they were younger.
The playwrights, meanwhile… were they really as sinister as Telemarines? Perhaps. It could be that they sit around a table and discuss how to subvert or downplay “Christian imagery.” But it is also likely that they, for all of their best intentions, were merely lacking in the vision necessary to properly appreciate those original tales.

Whatever the case, their play brought them great wealth and success — by worldly standards. And thus it convinced them and their financiers to go ahead and steal the next story in Lewis’s series, most likely to exploit and transform it by similar means. (And that’s a crying shame, boys and girls, because The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is one of the most imaginative and meaningful of Lewis’s series. All who love dear Puddleglum, say your prayers that he is not spoiled by presumptuous, intrusive imaginations.)

While children all around the world were drawn to the flashier fires, Lewis remained in the woods, beside his humble campfire, happy to share simple, delightful fairy tales with those few children lucky enough to find him there. These wonderful audiences did not need clamorous wars to hold their attention. It was enough for them to have inspiring characters and mysteries deep as the sea.

And so it is today. Most children will miss the quieter, subtler fire, running instead to the bright and roaring fires of a lesser tale with the same title. There, Aslan may show up and inspire them in spite of everything. But some, we can hope, fill find their way to Professor Lewis out there in the woods, find Aslan in all of his glory, and bask in a light more penetrating and beautiful.
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HT: Overstreet

Who's seen it? Agree or disagree?

Confessional (webcam version)

You're welcome for that terrifying digitized picture of me.

Somebody buy me a Flip Video so I can do this from my house in higher quality. Come on, the "ministry" needs one.

PROPS...

Today's "props" goes to a good friend who never lets me down. He consistently bring joy and contentment to my life and I don't know what I'd do without him.

We all have folks like this - those friends we can count on no matter what. They're with us in our dark times and in our celebration. They are there for us in the wee hours of the morning or late at night, when the rest of the world has gone to bed.

This "prop" is for my good friend....Diet Dr. Pepper.

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1. He is faithful. I'll be honest. I'm not always the best friend. I can often be seen hanging with Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi or even others like that strange Coke Zero or that wild man, Diet Pepsi Max. But he's always there...waiting for me to return home, to kill the fatted calf, to put a ring on my finger.

2. He really is the MOST like his sugar-filled predecessor. Since going off hard soda a few years ago, real Dr. Pepper has lost it's appeal. It kinda' makes me sick...but when I drink Diet D.P., I'm reminded of all the goodness those 23 flavors bring into my life. Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi are good, but they are their own thing...Diet Dr. Pepper is authentic, he's real and he is worthy of as much love as I can give him.

3. He's rare. From my experience, every restaurant in America has either Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi. Very few have Diet Dr. Pepper. He's selective that way. And, oh, the joy that fills my heart to open a menu or talk to a waitress and find that he's made the trek with me - he's back in the kitchen ready for me whenever I call for him.
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Mmmm...maybe all my "props" should be food related? Yeah...I'm looking at you, Big Texas SINnamon Rolls.

Thank You, Hollywood

Now, we all know that I love the movie "Point Break." I mean, come on, it's got everything:

1. The acting of Keanu Reeves. (Always something to see...)

2. Patrick Swayze playing a West Coast surfer without doing anything to his accent. (Maybe he moved to the beach from Texas?)

3. Lori Petty, who is the hotness.

4. Bank robberies, President masks, football, surfing, gun play, sky diving and the FBI.

5. Oh, and Gary Busey.

So imagine my surprise when I read this news story from The Hollywood Reporter.

May 13, 2008

CANNES -- Seventeen years after "Point Break" washed up in movie theaters, surf's up for the sequel, "Point Break: Indo," with Jan de Bont aboard to direct.

RGM Entertainment and Essential Entertainment will exec produce this Asia-based follow-up to director Kathryn Bigelow's original, which starred de Bont's "Speed" lead Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent casing a gang of surfer bank robbers.

The new film will take place 20 years after the disappearance of one of the criminal surfers (Patrick Swayze). Both the original and sequel are written by W. Peter Iliff. Plot details and possible character reprises have not been disclosed, but the film will shoot in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Taylor Morgan Pictures' Chris Taylor and John Morgan will produce. RGM's Devesh Chetty, Essential's Jere Hausfater and Neil Kaplan, and the Paradigm-repped de Bont will executive produce.

HT: The Hollywood Reporter

Would you go see a Point Break sequel?

I Don't Understand...

You guys know I love these things...found it here, but it originated here and now it's, well, here, as in here-on-my-blog.

This is an interesting variation on the typical personal survey thing. ("7 things you don't know about me," or "I am...") The only problem is that it can come off pretty negative if you're not careful.

So...I'll try to keep it positive. Let's go...

I DON'T UNDERSTAND

1. How Shakira and Robin Thicke got record deals.

2. Jazz music. I just can't get into it.

3. Why more of my friends don't twitter, because it's totally awesome.

4. The female mind.

5. Calculus. Or pre-Cal. Or geometry. Or Algebra. Or any math whatsoever.

6. How we'll ever stop Oprah from taking over the world.

7. How to balance a checkbook.
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You know the drill...now you go post your "I don't understand" list on your blog and link all your friends right back here so that I can get more votes and soundly defeat Lance in the coolest guy contest!

My Friday...

When I heard Finley waking up at 6:40 and felt Kristen's elbow digging into my back, I thought,

"Well, I guess it's time to get up."

Got Finley her juice (this kid drinks like a fish!) and headed into the living room. Jonah woke up about ten minutes later. Realized I Hadn't done a "my Friday" post in awhile and figured today would be a great day to start!

Woke Kristen up around 8 and hit the treadmill while she sat sleepily on the couch. Did a couple of miles on the treadmill then grabbed a quick shower.

I don't know why, but it takes the Wrights a really long time to get ready every day. Compound that with the fact that I somehow lost Kristen's makeup bag last night and you get an idea of what we did for a good long while.

We got out of the house and ran some errands - got gas, ran to the bank, and stopped by the Olive Garden, Lufkin's newest restaurant. (New restaurants in Lufkin are quite the experience as most of them are completely packed for their first two weeks because everybody has to check it out. Ah, the joy of a small town.)

Anyway, we beat the lunch crowd and ate a quick lunch. When we were finished, I took the kids out to the car while Kristen paid. As the kids and I passed a table, I heard an elderly man whispering "hermaphrodite" very quickly and passionately. It sounded like Beverly Leslie sitting right there at the table. I grinned, but kept going.

After lunch, we tracked down my mom at her office, where we, of course, had to buy something from the snack machine for the kids. He went home and laid Finley down for her nap.

I laid down for about fifteen minutes before Kristen caught me. I got up to hang out in the living room with Jonah. Pretty soon, Kristen was asleep herself! Woke up Kristen after awhile. She went to go wake Finley up and I thought I'd just lay there on the bed for a minute. At the door, she turned to me and said,

"How long?"

I realized she was asking me how long I wanted to nap. So I said, "Twenty minutes." An hour later I finally got up. Nice!

Once everybody was up, Jonah and I had wrestling match in the living room while Krist took Finley to the trampoline outside. After I had been soundly defeated, Jonah and I went outside to get in on some of the trampoline fun. Jonah, Finley and I all jumped for a good while. We came on in.

After a few minutes, Finley and I decided to make a drink run to Sonic. Jonah grabbed a bath and settled in for family movie night (E.T. on DirectTV.)

The movie was a little longer than we expected, but we let Jonah stay up and watch it. Once it was over, Kristen took him up to his room and he was asleep in no time. I played around on the computer for awhile then went to bed.

The perfect thing if you're a nerd who's rich. Which I'm not. (Rich, that is...)

HT: Jeffrey Overstreet

Another New Feature? What's This?

A while back, Clay started a new feature on his blog called "props."

It's a great idea...a nice little encouragement for his friends and family. So, in that same spirit, I figured I'd give some props myself. (Although, I have a cool logo for mine.) I think Clay does his every Tuesay. Not sure if mine will post on a consistent day...might be a bit more random over here!
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My first edition of "props" goes to this gal.

It may be a tad predictable to make my wife the first one celebrated on this thing, but hey, I can't always be full of surprises, can I?

Here are a few reasons why I think she's so great.

1. Smart. Seriously, amazingly, almost frighteningly, smart. Usually finds an answer to problems before most folks know there's something wrong.

2. A great mom. I love to watch her raise our kids. She's raising them to be intelligent, respectful little beings. (A hard job, to be sure!)

3. The Voice. Come on...she's still got one of the coolest voices around. I am still listening to All The Freed just to hear how amazing she sounds.

4. Hot.

5. Funny in all kinds of ways. She has a very sharp wit, but also a silly side that only I get to see.

6. She knows me completely...and loves me anyway.

7. She's the one I was meant to be with. I have no doubt of that. I believe she's the absolute perfect one God had in mind for me.

8. When I'm out of line, she calls me on it.

9. When I'm rattling off about a dozen different dreams or ideas, she listens and supports me, even though she knows I probably won't do any of them. (Us dreamers need that, because every once in awhile, we actually chase one!)

So, here's to you, baby. Premiere "props" to you.

WORSHIPNOTES IS LIVE!

New Thursday post at wn.org is up and running. Check it out!



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Singer-songwriter Warren Barfield has always talked a lot about his heroes - guys like Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman.

I dig that...because I still love all of Chapman's old stuff.

But when I saw Barfield new album cover, it looked really familiar. Check it...

Too much alike?

Word Survey...

I'm gonna' be introducing a new feature here called a Word Survey. I could use it my normal polling spot over on the right toolbar, but I think this sort of survey will require a disclaimer that must be posted each time.

Here's how it goes. I'll give you a word and four possible definitions. I will try to find a hard word, a word that's pretty unique. (At least, to me...)

But this disclaimer is this...don't go look it up. Use your head and try to deduce the definition. We all know that you can go over to http://www.dictionary.com/ and find the answer, but where's the fun in that?

I think we're all comfortable within the confines of the honor system here...

Here we go!
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inculcate
1. To teach and impress by frequent repetition or instruction.

2. Holding obstinately to a belief, purpose or design; also, stubbornly persistent.

3. Incapable of being removed or erased.

4. Hardened in feelings or in wrongdoing; unyielding.
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Of course, if you actually KNOW the answer, then you're really smart and cool and you and I should definitely be best friends. I guess if you want people to know how smart you are, you could throw a "K" beside your vote, signifying "known."

But then does everybody else have to put a "G" for "guess"?

Up to you, gang.

My wife knows that I'm trying to stay off the sweets these days.

So what does she do?

She buys a 12 pack of Big Texas Cinnamon Rolls.

Get thee behind me, Sinnamon Roll...

And yes, I am wearing a camp t-shirt that says "Call Waiting."

Another Reason You Should Be Friends With John Simmons...

He sends you stuff like this:

Mark Driscoll Says What He Thinks

"And all the nonsense of emerging, and Emergent, and new monastic communities, and, you know, all of these various kinds of ridiculous conversations - I'll tell you as one on the inside, they don't have converts. The silly little myth, the naked emperor is this: they will tell you it's all about being in culture to reach lost people, and they're not."

Driscoll, at the Convergent Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THOUGHTS?

TRAVEL GAME!

In our countless hours of driving on the Six Flags trip, the Wrights came up with two very fun Travel Games.

Now, these games certainly are more converstaion-starters that just plain games, but both of them can be played over and over, forcing folks to get more and more creative each time!

As best as I can tell, these are games invented by the Wrights, so should you ever play either of them, it would be appropriate to say a short prayer thanking God for awesome we are. Just sayin'.

1. The Phone Would Ring...
This one was really fun. Here's how it works:
-A family member is picked. (Kristen, for example.)
-Then each member takes turns saying this to person: "My wish for you is this - the phone would ring..." At that point the family member makes up some wild, cool dream for the person. Jonah said to Krist, "My wish for you is that the phone would ring, and it would be Target. And they would would say, we have five thousand, one hundred dollars for you. Come spend it at Target."
-This is a great way to find out much you know about your family members and what their dreams are. It certainly doesn't have to be materialistic, but it's fun to hear whatever everybody considers as a "dream come true" for you.

2. Thankful Game (yet untitled)
In this game, everybody takes a turn naming two things they are thankful for. Here are the conditions:
-The first reason has to be big - some giant, amazing gift of God that you're thankful for. This could range from the health of the family to protection in a disaster to gratitude for God's mercy. You know, the BIG stuff!
-The second reason has to be small. You have to talk about something very small and seemingly insignificant that you're still grateful for. These are things you could live without...but you're glad you don't have to! For example, one of my big things might be that God called me to ministry and one of my small ones might be my iPod. Get it?
-I'm thinking of naming this Big Thanks, Little Thanks.

So, why don't we give it a shot?

Let's play the thankful game. In the comment box, share your Big Thanks, Little Thanks with the rest of us! (It's been awhile since we hit the 10+ comments, why not comment, then invite other folks from your blog to join in? Let's hear it? What are you thankful for?

Six Flags Recap, Part II: Jonah

There was no doubt about it - the Wright boys had decided they were going to get the full Six Flags Experience.

I'm not sure which one of was more excited, but suffice it to say that we couldn't not wait to pull into the parking lot. (Mom was excited, too...but there's just something cool about a Dad and his boy riding roller-coasters, right?)

First off, Jonah was great. Those of us who know him well know that patience is not his strongest suit, but he really was great for the whole day.

Up until this trip, the toughest thing Jonah had ever ridden was a very very tame "kiddie koaster" at Fiesta Texas last year. Now, he loved it, but had yet to experience that flipping-stomach-involuntary-scream-experience. I wasn't sure he would want that on this go-round, but we decided to live a little.

First off, El Sombrero. Or "the el sombrero," as Jonah kept calling it. (Which as most of you Spanish speakers know is incorrect.) And that's when I knew...because this rides angled-spinning-lift-and-drop provide the perfect amount of flipping stomach effect. Not too much...just enough to get hooked.

And Jonah did get hooked. He screamed with pure joy for the whole ride and all I could do was laugh. It was great.

From there, we moved to other rides. He rode the Log Flume with Kristen and fell in love with it, asking over and over to get back in line. From there, we took Finley to Looney Tunes Land for some tamer rides. While there, all four of us rode some Wile E. Coyote roller coaster that amped up Jonah even more for the big stuff.

We kept walking the park. At one point, Jonah and I were going to do the giant parachute thing, but Jonah kept saying, "Um, maybe we'll ride that one later," which, in six-year-old speak means I'm terrified at even the idea of riding that thing, Dad.

Then, he and Kristen rode Crazy Legs, which he loved. Kristen...not so much. About halfway through, I noticed she had that vomit look, but she held it together.

And then, things got a little crazy. It happened when I said, "Jonah, do you want to ride Flashback?"

I don't know why I said it.

But he said yes.

They strapped us in and when they started backing us up that track, Jonah started saying he didn't want to do it. Too late.

All of sudden, the locks released and we plunged in so fast, immediately into a loop and then a spin and then I heard the tears. So while I'm fighting the G-force and trying to raise my head to comfort him, we launch up the other side, hold for a beat and then...plunge through all of it again, backwards.

And I kid you not, during one of the loops, I looked over at him and realized I'm looking at my six-year old son and we're running upside on a looping roller coaster. What's wrong with me?

Once we both got our bearings and walked out of the ride, he quickly told me he hated it.

An hour later, he was asking to ride it again. I said no.

From there, we did some carnival game stuff, the El Sombrero two more times, another ride on the Log Flume with the whole family and then another pass on Crazy Legs, which immediately gave ME the vomit look. We capped it off with Aquaman, which drenched us nicely, but we were on our way out of the park, so it was a great finish.

Kristen and I spent the day laughing with Jonah, throwing our hands in the air and screaming as we made all those plunges. We paid ridiculous amounts of money for watered-down drinks and we walked miles and miles in search of the next big thrill.

Since New Years Day 2002, that little boy has been filling my life with laughter and wonder. A day at Six Flags may not be ideal for some, but for me, it was one more chance to look at my son and know that I am highly blessed of God to call this child my own.

Six Flags Recap: Homeschool Family Day

For those of you who don't know, the family and I headed off to Six Flags Arlington on Thursday.

We actually drove to Sanger on Wednesday to see The Conns. Robert was kind enough to let me lead worship and preach a little at his youth service on Wednesday night, which was fun.

Then, on Thursday, Kristen, Jonah, Finley and I drove to Arlington for a very special "Homeschool Family Day" at the park. Since we're really not planning any big vacation this summer, we decided to take a few days and enjoy ourselves without spending too much money. Kristen found the homeschool thing online last week, so we bought our tickets and got up there as quick as we could.

Now, the interesting thing (and the reason for this post) is the questions folks have asked us about our day at Six Flags. Since this was a themed day, the park was open only for homeschoolers, which ended up being very nice - relatively low numbers, everyone was very kind, and we just felt safer hauling our kids around the park when it was filled with homeschool families. But the question we've been getting has been something like:

"So, how was the crowd?"

I understand this question, because I went into this thing fully expecting to be surrounded by people who made their own clothes and managed a large farming commune. So the people who knew we were going have wanted to know just who exactly shows up to Homeschool Family Day? Here's the breakdown..

THE DADS
I'd say there were three types of Dads at the park. I will list them from most popular to least.

1. Golf Shirt Dad
These dads tended to show up in really nice SUVs. Most of them were dressed very "corporate" or even "business casual." These dads also seemed to have larger families (4+ children.) Most of them didn't smile too much, but that could be a product of having to pay for 6 people all day in a theme park.
2. Christian Radio Dad
The second most popular Dad at the park was "Christian Radio Dad." That may seem like a weird description, but they seemed like dudes I know and go to church with who are pretty cool, relatively hip on culture stuff, but still fully embracing their Christian Dad status. I don't know why I'm using Christian radio to describe them. I guess the guys I know personally tend to be big supporters of radio that's safe and fun for the whole family. These guys smiled a lot.
3. Bearded Dad
I expected to see more beards, but they were there in limited quantity. These dads had the hardcore farm look working. They seemed to enjoy the park a lot, but I also saw a lot of them walking around by themselves. Most of them were very large and/or strong.
4. Puff Paint Dad
Puff Paint Dad was there in limited supply. These are the guys most likely to wear shirts with words written in "puff paint." I saw one canary yellow shirt puff-painted with DAD / PRINCIPLE OF WALKER SCHOOL / LOVE YA, DAD! The very few of this quantity seemed to very sweaty, which seemed to prove that they were really busy playing with their kids.

I was really impressed with the number of Dads there. As I get older, I gain more and more respect for those guys who are willing to leave behind their attempts to be cool and embrace their calling to love and educate and parent their children. I respect everyone of these Dads.

THE MOMS
Nothing really surprised me about the moms. I saw a few denim jumpers, but for the most part, the women looked like any other mom. There were quite a few hip moms and one who looked like a bodybuilder. Wasn't expecting THAT.

THE KIDS
I was surprised at how many emo homeschoolers there are. Saw lots of girl pants (not being worn by girls,) lots of jet black hair and hoodies. (Hoodies...in May...in Texas!) I saw a few really well-dressed kids with tucked in shirts or elaborate ensembles. I was also surprised how few "little kids" I saw. The crowd seemed to be a 12 and over bunch.

OTHER SURPRISES
1. One funny shirt that said something like: WARNING, UNSOCIALIZED HOMESCHOOLER; STUDENT WILL BE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN NORMAL SOCIAL CONVERSATION. Thought that was funny. Saw three of these.

2. I'm not near as brave as I used to be. Some of those rides scared me to death.

3. I'm also surprised how mad it makes me to pay $4 for a drink. But a guy needs his Diet Coke, right?
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Jonah had an absolute blast. My next post will tell you more about him and how much fun he and I had together at the park. It was definitely an experience I will not forget.

This is what happens when Todd drives in Dallas.