Almost made it two years

It has been two years (nearly) since I've blogged last. Will there be more? Maybe.

I wonder if there's a way I can do this without making it public?

Some of my goals

Right now it's second period at Wingfield High School. I have a floater in my class, so I've built me a fort-like cubby hole with filing cabinets, a rolling closet, and a "smartcart." The class in here, right now, is talking about goals: short term, mid term, and long term goals. They had to come up with three of each. Thought I'd give it a go:

Short Term Goals (0-6 months)
1. Get back into running shape. I don't need to be the fastest or the greatest, but I'd like to run at least two 5Ks this spring and still be able to bench 225 and up.
2. Graduate School. I need to take my GRE and get my application into Mississippi College in order to take some summer classes. I also need to find a way to pay for it (taking all donations).
3. Credit Cards. I've got less than $300 to go to pay my last card off. It'll be nice to get that hundred bucks back each month.

Mid Term Goals (6-12 months)
1. Financial. Have at least $5000 saved by then end of 2010. It would be a nice tiny egg to help out whatever is down the road.
2. Continue Education. I need to have at least 9-12 hours of grad level classes completed by the end of 2010.
3. House repair. All the household chores that need to be done around the house are surely adding up. I've got to find a guy to put in a kitchen sink, fix the walls that MB has chewed up, work on some landscaping, and improved the look and comfort of my home. I can't procrastinate.

Long Term Goals (5 years)
1. Parental path. I want to be a dad. That's going to be so cool to be a dad. One day, that's going to happen. The in-laws are pregnant, so I'll get to experience being an uncle. I've got the dogs, so I'm working at taking care of those that can't take care of themselves. Being a dad, though, has joys I know that are going to be wonderful.
2. Professional path. I think my future has several options, professionally. I'm either going to stay in the high school work force and try to teach a night class at a college, or I'm going to try to find a way to work at a college full time. I think the first option is a good one, but the second one is great too. It would be nice to have time to work on my Ph. D. as well as retire in 25 years AND continue my teaching, but pull in two incomes.
3. Leadership path. I'd like to either help someone fulfill a goal or help an institution by having some sort of leadership position. I feel that I can help, but I need to stay humble.

So those are just some of my goals. It'll be nice to see how these fall into place. We've got five minutes 'til the bell rings, so I've got to pretend to get back to work.

A blog from the BlackBerry

So, today has been quite an interesting day. Actually, that's not true. Along the lines of productivity, I've done nothing today. Along the lines of stress, it's been nice.

The state of Mississippi requires all those students in the public school system to take four standardized tests in order to graduate: Biology, US History, Algebra I, and English II. If you fail to pass these tests, you're allowed to retake the test however many times it takes. It SHOULD only take once. But like plans tend to do, sometimes things fall apart.

The group testing this week are all the kids who haven't passed the first attempt or the second attempt. With that being said, they know that if they do not finish on a timely manner, then classes get held.
Today I've been in the gym with the basketball and football coaches. I guess I'm allowed because I coach soccer and baseball. I've gotten absolutely nothing done today, but I have worked on my jumpshot and goofing off abilities.

It's just nice to enjoy even the "rough" days at work. I still have soccer practice to lead this afternoon, but other than that, I'm free sailing. I do have some work that I need to get to, but if I did it, I wouldn't have figured out I could blog from my BlackBerry.
This weekend is a big one. I've got my alternate route class meeting at 9, a soccer game at 1, and the SECOND championship at 3. Oh, and the Clinton Christmas parade, I believe, at 5 (maybe?).

So it's back to work for me. Maybe we'll do lay-ups or pick-and-rolls.

I remembered my blog password!!!!

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! Can you believe I remembered the password to my blog? Seems like it's been forever since I've posted, or for that matter even written for myself. Since the last post (I think) a lot has changed. I'd say things have changged for the "good," and we're headed upward.





I finally left the paper. It was my first job, and as sad as it was to say good bye to your first job, it was nice to take the skills I had aquired and move on towards something I felt was my calling. After nearly a whole semester as a "high school English teacher," I miss the media-world, but I know that I'm where God has placed me.





I'm working at Wingfield High School with JPS, teaching one English IV class and five English III classes. My kids are great. They keep me on my toes, and they force me to present the things I love in a way that even those who could care less are picking something up. It's fun.





I'm also coaching. I'm the boys soccer assistant coach, and the girls head soccer coach. Did I mention that there has never been a girls soccer team? It's a rough road getting a team together when I don't know the "ropes" or who I'm supposed to contact. But I guess I'm learning. I'm also coaching the baseball team. We haven't started practice yet, but I'm looking forward to it (that won't be 'til next semester).





Today is my last day of the week-long Thanksgiving break. That week off was nice! Now we've got three weeks to plow through to get our second 9-weeks completed.

* * * *

Also, of note in my life, one of the pastors I've been following through podcast suffered a seizure this past week. He had a mass on his frontal lobe. They said he's met with a surgeon and they're going to work on it. He's a young guy with three kids and a great theological grasp on the Bible. I'd have to say he's one of the main voices that has influenced and guided me all through these past few years.

His name is Matt Chandler. He preaches at The Village Church in the DFW area. They have three campuses, and they're very, very community-based. I like their church. It's a nice bit of fresh air. I'm not too thrilled about the mega-church idea around central-Mississippi (or the entire nation, for that matter). I could go on forever about that, but I'll let that lie for a bit. Won't wake it until I have some true time to state my thoughts, unadulterated.





But we've got the Christmas tree up, we've got the Peanut characters out in the yard, and I've got my shopping finished! I'll take it. Now it's two weeks of class, one week of finals, and two weeks of Christmas break. Almost done with 2009. Odd. It's going too fast.

I'm lame, I know

Usually I don't like these things, but I figured it couldn't hurt to become one of the crowd.

Basic Info
Do you suffer from migraines?: No
What is your mom's name?: Stephini
What is your dad's name?: Chuck
Are you all or some of your grandparents alive?: Two, but I only speak to one.
What are your pets' names?: Maggie Belle (or MB as we call her).

Have you Ever
Been to a summer camp?: Yes. Learned how to get in trouble.
Been a summer camp leader?: Yes. Learned how to take God's payback.
Held an alligator or crocodile?: Yes. It was three feet long.
Wanted to go to the moon?: Not really. I mean, it's a moon. Big deal. It's a rock.
Been diving in the ocean?: Yes, off the coast of Belize.

Do you
Eat too much junk food?: No. I'm not a junk food eater and I don't usually have a sweet tooth
Go to a weekly religious service?: No. Long story. I don't believe in the meeting. I believe in the daily life of following The Way.
Know how to play darts?: Yes, and I'm not that great at it.
Own a Barbie?: No.
Play with your food?: No, I eat my food.

What is
Your dream wedding?: The one that was two years ago. So I guess my answer is "over."
Your dream proposal?: ditto
Your biggest turnoff?: Ignorance
Your least favorite part-time job?: Furniture mover.
Your favorite snake food?: Rat? Mouse? Muggles?

This/That
Mac/PC: Mac any day, hands down.
Google/Yahoo: Google
BMW/Mustang?: Neither. Truck.
Math/English?: English
Pacific/Atlantic?: Atlantic (you've got NYC and London).

Relationships
Why do you think people cheat?: Boredom.
Did you marry your highschool sweetheart?: No, but I did go to high school with my wife. Never really had a "sweet heart"
Which celebrity couple will last forever?: Jesse James and Sandra Bullock
Which celebrity couple will breakup next?: Paris Hilton and anyone
Who is the last person you wanted to kiss?: Megan.

Finish...
Once upon a time...: "Not at the table, Carlos."
I yell because...: you're not listening, and I deserve your undivided attention.
People who are annoying need ...: "Never take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive."

Firsts
Film you watched alone?: Um, maybe the 1989 Batman.
Craft you made in school?: Didn't make crafts. Got Becky to do them for me.
Time you rode a bike?: Rode many.
Time you broke a bone?: 7th, cracked my growth plate in my ankle in three places and broke my fibula.
Accident you got into?: No lie: After my mom and I sang one Sunday night in church, my high school buddies and I went to Wendy's on HWY 80. I had just placed my order when I got a call: "You're mom's car just caught on fire." Not believing it, I ignored it until I got a call from my mom. "My car's on fire." I raced back to the church and sure enough, her car was on fire. After we got her settled and found a way home for her (I offered to take her home, she said no), I drove back to Wendy's. As I was waiting for the traffic to pass so I could turn out of the turning lane into the parking lot, a small truck plowed into the back of my car. The only thing he asked was, "Your dad's not a lawyer, is he?" Really good, mate. Never mind the fact that he killed my Rodeo, but he had his baby in the back of the tiny extended cab NOT BUCKLED UP. Oh, and he was uninsured. He got off with nothing and didn't even pay for my repairs. There's my accident story. AND I had to eat my cold Wendy's. We were down 2 out of the 3 cars at the Chapman house. (The funny thing was the dude who hit my car went to my uncle's church. Didn't phase him one bit. Stupid uninsured drivers.)

Lasts
Play you went to see?: saw A Christmas Carol
Person you yelled at?: The umpire at a Mets game (well, I wasn't there, but he was. I was watching it on tv).
Person you texted?: Megan.
Song you had in your head?: "The Impression that I Get" by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Time you had surgery?: I'd say about three years ago. Hyperhydrosis

A fitness update

I've been trying to gain a little muscle weight. I know, when most people are trying to lose weight, I'm trying to gain it. I tried to go for the lower weight goal, but the lowest I every reached was around 172. For a guy my height (or rather "short" at 5'8"), the charts say I'm supposed to be around 160. Yeah, I was "around" 160 at the end of my high school career.

But since the beginning of the year, I've cut down a bit on my distance running and cycling and have been focusing more on lifting.

Now, I've never been a lifter. I've never been that kind of guy. Usually I'd rather run five miles and feel that burn rather than try to bench 200+ and feel like I'm about to die. But I've arrived at the part of weight lifting where I really (really) enjoy it.

Wednesday night we worked arms. I think I over did it because a few hours later my neck started hurting. Also, yesterday, I could not move. I felt like a truck had hit me, backed up, hit me again, and then the driver sort of laughed.

But I'm getting there. I'm around 183 right now, and I'd love to add maybe 10 or 15 more pounds (muscle, mind you. I'm sure I could easily gain weight with the help of Betty Crocker).

Now, the fun thing about all of this is the food. In endurance sports, I needed plenty of carbs and calories to get through the run or cycle route. With weight lifting, I'm still supposed to eat a bunch, but mainly low sodium and semi-low carb meals. Basically, I can still eat anything I want, as long as I continue to work out. My number is 3,800 calories a day!!! Trust me, I never eat enough a day.

And that's what I really wanted to mention. I've started eating every three hours. It's funny because I get to eat like a hobbit. I have first breakfast, second breakfast, first lunch, snack, dinner, and snack. But sometimes I have to make myself eat something because usaully I just forget.

Trying to eat like an 8 year old while turning into a 25 year old is harder than it looks or sounds. I could eat anything and everything, never getting full when I was 8. But now, I feel like I'm about to pop every once in a while.

The world isn't the same; you'll never change it.

The past few weeks have brought huge promise and change to my household. Last Wednesday, I turned in my two weeks notice at The Clarion Ledger because I had finally gotten a job as an English teacher. Actually, I had been offered two jobs and had to choose between the two. One was a teaching job (the one I chose) and the other was a position in Mississippi College's Career Services department. Both had promises and "fun" attached with them, but I chose the one that I knew God was leading me towards and the one I've been working for over a year to procure.

Any way, next Thursday is my last day at the CL, and it's bitter-sweet (like every last day at a job). I'm really going to miss the people I work with. I just feel the newspaper business is not a safe place in which to raise a family.

Also, my brilliant wife is shifting work as well. Meg is going to be one of the graduate assistants in the history department at Mississippi College as well as teaching a freshman level history class, Western Civilization. She's on her way to finishing her MA as well as becoming "Professor Chapman." Good job, chicklet.

We had a small break from central Mississippi and went to Perdido Key. We shopped and laid out in the sun, played some volleyball and boogie boarded. But now it's back to reality (sort of).

Phillip is coming home this Sunday to spend a week home before gearing up to head to the University of Memphis. He's excited, and I'm excited for him. I keep saying, "Wow, Phillip. D-1 ball!"

The Friday after my last day (Aug. 31) Meg and I are finally celebrating our anniversary. Nothing like a celebration five weeks after the real date, huh? We're going to New Orleans and staying in what we like to call "our" hotel (The Ambassador Hotel). We're also eating dinner on the Natchez Steamboat on Friday night and taking the Voodoo tour on Saturday night. Going to be fun (and frightening).

But it's back to work for me. August is surely going to bring some big change. I'm starting a new job, Meg's starting a new job, my cousin's wife is having her THIRD baby, my brother's starting at Memphis, and the world is never going to be the same.

"The world isn't the same, you'll never change it." (love that line).

These things are always a great way to waste some time.

Can you fill this out without lying?
- Gonna try

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
- sip of coffee, Folgers.

Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew?
- nope.

Where was your default picture taken?
- not sure on Blogger, but Facebook, it's at the Ridgeland balloon glow

Last person you rode in a car with, under the age of 20?
- Oh, gosh. Um, Matthew?

Can you play guitar hero?
- yes

Name someone that made you laugh today?
- Megan and MB

How late did you stay up last night and why?
- Close to 11:30. We stayed up talking to some people.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
- FLORIDA! (that would be a yes)

Ever been kissed under fireworks?
- Probably

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
- Meg dwells on the other side of the bed. Guess that's the closest.

Do you believe ex's can be friends?
- sometimes.

Calling or texting?
- really depends, but mostly text.

When was the last time you cried really hard?
- Can't really remember.

Where is your biological father right now?
- it's raining, so he's either napping or fishing.

Where are you at right now?
- At work.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
- Slept in my bed.

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
- bought a subscription to MLB.TV the other day.

Who took your profile picture?
- Actually, I did.

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
- Probably Megan or MB, or both.

Was yesterday better than today?
- Whew, yesterday was a grand day. Today, we'll have to see.

Can you live a day without TV?
- Yes.

Are you mad about anything?
- Nope, just get annoyed sometimes (but I get over it).

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
- Yes.

Are you a bad influence?
- I try not to be. If I'm comparing myself to Hitler, then, "No"

Night out or night in?
- depends. All I want is a good conversation.

What items could you not go without during the day?
- Blackberry and my watch.

Would you share a drink with a stranger?
- yeah, talk about a great conversation starter!

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
- Oh. Um. Can't really remember. Maybe . . . . ?

What does the last text message in your inbox say?
- "MarshallRamsey: An hour into my search and only one cartoon idea found. Need to pick up the pace." (twitter update)

How do you feel about your life right now?
- I'm enjoying the ride.

How many times have you been pulled over by the police?
- Three times, and only got a ticket once.

Do you hate anyone?
- nope.

Can you easily tell if someones fake?
- Yeah, have you seen Melissa and Joan Rivers?

Say you were given a drug test right now, Would you pass?
- yes, unless you count "bananas" as a drug.

Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
- daily (ha, right).

What song is stuck in your head?
- "Keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding love"

Someone knocks on your window at 2am, who do you want it to be?
- Publisher's Clearing House.

Wanna have kids before you’re 30?
- yes.

Name something you have to do tomorrow?
- Lift weights, pack for the beach.

Can you whistle?
- yes, loudly.

Do you sleep on your side, stomach, or back?
- side.

Do you think too much or too little?
- sometimes, too much.

Do you smile a lot?
- I smile often.

Who was your last missed call on your cell phone?
- Terrel.

When is the next time you will see the person you like?:
- When she gets home from work.

Are you happy with your life?:
- yes. it's a fun one.

Can you handle the truth?
- I can, but Tom Cruise can't.

What was the last book you read?:
- In the process of HP and the Goblet of Fire. Last book I finished was So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. It was a great one.

Do you hate the last guy you had a conversation with?
- no. He's a nice guy.

Is there something you always wear?
- a belt. if the pants have belt loops, wear a belt.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
- posting to the web (www.rankinledger.com)

Honestly, who was the last person to tell you that they love you?
- Meg when I was leaving for work.

Did you have an exciting last weekend?
- Yes. Went to Memphis with my brother. Ate BBQ in Memphis and catfish in Mississippi.

Have you ever crawled through a window?
- yes, but we're not going there.

Have you ever dyed your hair?
- highlighted it in high school (yep)

Are you wearing a necklace?
- yes.

Are you an emotional person?
- yes.

What's something that can always make you feel better?
- My wife, my dog, my family, stand up comedy, Seinfeld

Will this weekend be a good one?
- yes. beach.

What do you want right now?
- I'd love to get paid to be me.

Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing?
- no.

Look behind you, what do you see?
- an elevator

Have you ever worked in a food place?
- yes, McAlister's Deli

What would you name your future daughter?
- I'm not allowed to say the names.

What would you name your future son?
- Can't say those either.

Any summer plans for 2009?
- Beach, did the wedding thing, avoided layoffs.

Whats on your schedule for tomorrow?
- Work, workout, pack, sleep, eat in between them all

Does anyone know your facebook password?
- Yes

What song is playing on your iTunes?
- Will You Return by the Avett Brothers

Celebrating the 4th

This past weekend, we celebrated the 4th of July by eating a ton of food, or rather, I did. I ate so much food on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Believe it or not, I was full! I couldn't eat another bite last night as Megan did the usual - pass her food on to me.

Friday we had the day off of work, so I lounged around and ate some food at my father-in-law's taxidermy shop (3 hamburgers, 2 links of sausage, tons of french fries). That evening, Meg and I took Maggie Belle to Ridgeland to see the balloons and hear Diamond Rio (nothing says America like mid-90's country). As they say at The Cupboard, "A good time was had by all."

Saturday, we went to Yazoo with Meg's family to get on Dan's (brother-in-law) family's boat at Wolf Lake. There, I also ate two hamburgers, potato salad, rice crispy treats, and more. I learned how to wakeboard, and learned that Haley Barbour has a lake house out there (bet we paid for it too).

Sunday, I ate a smoked pork loin and chicken as well as some Mexican food with my parents after a nice patriotic service at Parkway Baptist (we got to hear from a Marine who survived the attack on Iwo Jima - he was 83 years old).

With all the food and fun we had, I didn't look over the best part of the weekend. We got to spend some good quality time with both sides of the family. It was great. Also, it was great to join the entire country in thinking about our troops overseas. Several were home and decked out in their dress uniforms.

Here are a bunch of pictures from our weekend:

Ridgeland Balloon Glow

Maggie Belle does not like her harness. But she did want to drive.

Meg and myself at the balloon glow.

The balloons.

The fat dog and the barefooted boy.

The fat dog and the cute wife.


Wolf Lake

Megan and myself taking in the view.

Riding in the boat. Looking at our governor's house I paid for.

Haley's house.

Dan showing me how to wakeboard. "Sit like a frog."

Sitting like a frog.

Getting up. Took a few tries.

I'm a pro! No, it killed my legs. But it was so much fun.

Dan telling me to move side to side.

Me, busting.

Meg at her attempt. "sit like a frog."

Meg getting up.

Meg falling down.

Opting for a safer ride.

My wife and her husband.

Dennis (Dan's dad) tried to kill us.

And who would've thought Megan would be the survivor. So wrong.

Freedom found in a painter's wife and a good buddy.

The name of the blog, "From this Vantage Point."

The idea: "To try to find a new way of seeing things."

The application: "Allows me to realize that my way of seeing things is not the only way, and recognizing the other views does not necessarily mean I agree or believe in those ways, but it allows me to broaden my mind, become more accepting of others, and questioning what I know as truth."

I just read a column from a well known lady around my home town who calls herself a "self proclaimed hippie." She talked about how when she was young, she wanted to be a rich, famous actor. She wanted the buzz. But through out her life, the experiences she's had has made her realize she's the person that is made up of the events of her life.

I can tell you, she possesses nothing near pretentiousness. No, far FAR from it. If you look at her from a "normal" point of view (and what the heck is normal?) you might consider her a bit strange. But she's got freedom. She's still got dreams that will most likely never come to be, but she lives with freedom.

I've got a good friend from high school who lives with freedom as well. Remember in high school if you were type-1 you couldn't be type-2? If you were a "dumb football player" you were not allowed to be a chemistry whiz. My friend from high school was your typical "indie" kid, dressing like a soft spoken rock star, but he was part of the show choir (something the indie-kids just didn't do), he moved onto Mississippi College and became student body president, and is going to move on in the direction he feels best for his life.

He even had the strength and maturity to realize that his relationship with God is strong and that "church camp" just wasn't for him. You could've been John the Baptist and if you didn't show up to "church camp" you were going to hell! Not my friend. No, he's transparent. True.

I posted a Facebook status one time that I wanted to live in the freedom that the middle-aged white women who dance like morons on the Ellen Show have. I want to dance at unknown bands' concerts. I want to relish in the morning sun of a Sunday morning. I want to find the beauty in the coolness of cold, cold fruit. I want to live in freedom.

Does that mean I'll be a rogue or an odd duck? That's the beauty of it! It doesn't matter.

The Kids Are Alright

My cousin's kids are so funny. Just getting to hear the topics of conversation they bring up only leaves me to wonder what's going on in their heads. So, I thought I'd post a few funny videos of kids.

Anxiety, dreams and video games.

Most of the time, the anxiety that wells up inside of us captures our soul, holding us captive. Determined to shake it, the harder we try, the tighter it grips. Have you had one of those dreams?

Some show up in their underwear to work or school while others find themselves presenting something with no preparation or with out a clue. For me, it's sight.

I'm either driving or someone's life is in danger or I'm walking through someone's front yard trying to avoid the stickers. If I try to look where I'm going, my world goes black. If I relax, I can barely make out what it is I'm trying to focus on. I know the only way to see in those dreams, but I stubbornly try with all my might.

My dad told me, in all his random wisdom, that I'm actually awake. I'm in some sort of trance where my body won't do what my brain tells it to do.

I'm not a worrier. I just don't worry. Close to financial ruin? I don't worry. Possibly coming down with the only case of madeupcrazyvirus? Not worrying. The airplane is going to be delayed upon arrival, but the departure is six minutes away from takeoff and I've got to get to terminal C from terminal A? I don't worry, I attack it.

But I do get anxious. I'd trade my everyday anxiety for worry. It reminds me of Tetris. Remember that game? You have to line the blocks up and fill a line for it to disappear. If you're directly in line, you can press the downward key and force the block down faster. But if you get too antsy and careless, you might be one or two spots from where you want to be. Then you have to try to fix the mistake.

That's how I feel with life. I need to learn a few things from Tetris. I need to learn a few things from my anxiety dreams. If I relax and get my heart rate down, things might fall into place where they should be.

The Bible talks about not being anxious. Doctors say decreasing anxiety helps your heart. Stress is a bad side effect. Thanks, Tetris. You make the world seem to make sense.

Now, what were they trying to say with Super Mario Brothers? Hmm, turtles and mushrooms? Flying bombs and fireballs? And does the MIA princess reveal our lack of emotional commitment?

The sound of silence (I WISH!)

I'm either getting older (yes, yes, I know we all age, but I think my inner old man is waking up from his post-Ensure nap) or I'm simply becoming more neurotic, but the truth is, I'm hearing more sounds.

Yeah, could be a good thing, but I'm not spinning it that way. No, not at all. I'm hearing it all! I haven't slept well in the past few days, not because I'm tossing or turning or anything like that. Instead, I'm hearing EVERYTHING in my house, and it wakes me up. Everything from the refrigerator compressor turning on (on the other side of the house), I hear the dog yipping in her sleep, I hear car doors shut, or (the worst) I can hear a clock tick.

I know, it's probably anxiety. But it's seeping into my daily life. It no longer makes me cringe, but now makes me laugh. I hear so many things at work, as I'm sure so many others do as well. Working in a low-wall cubicle, nothing breaks any sound. I can hear the echo from the front desk (where many toddlers love to hear their voice echo . . . loudly), I can hear editors talk in their offices. I can hear "middle aged women" conversations as well as "middle aged men" conversations, "sports" conversations and "hey, what are you doing tonight" conversations.

My favorite thing is one person in particular hums or whistles. The funny part is, he only hums or whistles when he's moving. If he sits, silence. If he stands at the elevator, silence. If he's making his way down the hall, some song comes out. It's like his personal theme music.

I'd be no good in a large city. We stayed in New Orleans a couple of months ago, and the cars and horns about drove me crazy. A habit I picked up from my father is a "noise maker." I have a fan under my bed that I turn on to block out all the little ticks and pops and clicks from everything else. I know, I have issues. But please, don't tell me about them b/c I'll never be able to sleep if you do. I can't sleep as it is, so I guess it wouldn't really matter. Oy vey!

AP Photos

One of the perks of working at a newspaper is having access to view AP photos from around the world. Thousands of photos come through the wire, and every-so-often I peruse through a handful or two.

It makes me realize that the title of my blog is more of a "glass half empty" mindset than what I had intended. From this Vantage Point, which is really from one angle, one point of view. There are many points of view. I have American-from-the-south point of view, molded from a quarter of a century of upbringing as well as trial and error actions of my own. I've met people visiting my region from other regions, and I've visited other regions of the globe as well.

But the hurt I see in Pakistan, and the Israeli conflicts, and people hurt by earthquakes and floods, mixed with a little bit of the European Champion's League photos as well as rugby and cricket is all more than what I can view merely from my one vantage point.

Makes me realize that there is more out there, but there is one thing I have to remember. I need to remember that viewing the photos from around the world on the AP wire, these photos are the news. There's also the everyday snap shots that don't make it on here from family and friends. There's hurt, we all share hurt in one form or another, but there's also happiness and joy. It doesn't matter what language we speak or village we live in, happiness is happiness, no matter the vantage point.

(A Kashmiri protester throws a stone at a paramilitary vehicle after it was set afire during a demonstration against the Indian general elections, in Srinagar, India, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. The election campaign in India is a multi phase national poll which embraces the elaborate caste system, ethnic groups and historical ties.(AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan).

The Easter Bunny stopped by.

We had a Sunday school class, but through circumstances, it had to be dissolved. It's not uncommon for a young 20something class to be dissolved, so it's okay and my heart isn't too too broken. It just sucks that we have one less venue to see friends.

But today is Easter, and I'm pretty excited about it. It's a holiday, so the whole nation, whether Christian or not, gets some sort of unity. We tend to feel more connected during national holidays, whether that be Labor Day or Halloween.

This morning, we 're meeting up with my side of the family to go to church, then eating some lunch and eventually meeting up with Meg's side to do some much needed rod-throwing. I'd say it was fishing, but God knows I'm a miserable fisherman. I only get the suicidal fish. Most of them know it's my lure, so they avoid it and laugh at me.

Anywho, it's time for me to get a shower and get ready. But the Easter Bunny did come and see us. He got MB a "smart treat" toy where she has to figure out how to get the treat out of the thing. Supposedly it's to make her smarter, but that's not going to happen. The "Easter Bunny" got me Apocalypse Now: The Classified Edition and a great great book, The Annotated Alice. It's Lewis Carol's classic but with professional notes in the margins. It's a beautiful book too. The EB brought Meg a cool personalized library notary stamp that lets her put in her books "From the Library of Megan M. Chapman." It's nice. I also got her a book and Seven Pounds.

But, like I said, shower time. I hope you have a great day, and I hope Tiger pulls it out in this last round of the Masters. If he doesn't, I hope a newbie wins. (Oh, thanks to Joey for the hat. He went to Augusta earlier this week and got me a 2009 Master's hat. It's nice. Thanks).

Column from The Clinton News

~ ~ ~ My column from The Clinton News this week ~ ~ ~

Life's a matter of perspective

By Robert Chapman
Clinton News

I try to piece things in my life together so they'll make sense. My wife is working on her master's degree in history, and I get the honor of proofreading her writings.

When you're doing a research paper or gathering sources for an article, you're always looking for the "I did" statement. How do you know Jim Bob was at the gas station with a gun? Well, when he said, "I was at the gas station, and had the gun in my jacket," that sort of gives it away.

I studied English in school, and trying to find something for a subjective argument is completely different than nailing down that fact.

When you're trying to find some sort of thought-provoking line to capture the milieu of a work, you tend to steer away from those "I did" statements.

Take for instance in Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls. The topic brought up is bigotry: "To be bigoted you have to be absolutely sure that you are right and nothing makes that surety and righteousness like continence. Continence is the foe of heresy."

This statement opens your mind to question of whether bigotry is actually wrong. According to this statement it's not. But if your belief is a fraction off, and you have even one teeny-tiny bit of wrong in your certainty, then you're hateful.

Hatefulness is wrong, like racism: bigotry at its finest.

My freshman year of college was entertaining, to say the least. Each night, all my friends were on the same dorm floor, entertainment was across the hall, gatherings were within walking distance and idle time seemed to be nonexistent. Fun was mine to be had.

Then came the summer.

I was so bored with all my free time. I had only my thoughts with which to fill my time. Sure, books and movies that had been awarded with praises were in the corner of my room, but for the first few weeks I chose to sit. I was so used to the constant "city never sleeps" mentality.

For those of us who have lived in the United States between 1920 and now, we've known some pretty bad times, but we've also known extremely prosperous times and have gotten too attached to that good way of life.

But economics enters, and we're suddenly violated.

Newscast after newscast shows one company imploding while another one is on the verge of a meltdown, and much like my entertaining freshman year, we seemed to have a need to get our fill of bad news. I know I have.

I show up to work every day, and I fall into this hole. What company has capsized today? What shocking story is going to pop up on the Web sites? What bombshell will be dropped in my own work place? And it hits me every time: I'm subconsciously hoping for a walloping bit of drama to rock my relatively normal day.

Sure, we say we're tired of only hearing bad news, but if there were no news, what would we do? It happens all the time.

Think about when Britney Spears went crazy and shaved her head. That was news? No, but that's what the newspapers were talking about. Why? Because, relatively speaking, nothing else was happening.

Is anything absolute? I can't answer that question without instantly being proven wrong.

You have to alter your outlook on life to find the good in everything. I want to be one of those people. It's difficult, but I'm trying.

"There's probably no God"

I read that an atheist group in London has raised funds to advertise on the sides of the double-decker buses. They're even in Seattle. They're slogan: There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.

This sort of irks me, not just as a believer and follower of Christ (which is obvious), but for a rather logical reason. I can defend any opinion I have or view I have by saying, "That goes against my religion." But anyone can say that, and with so many different view points circling, I know I feel that way, but I need to have a tangible reason to agree or disagree (Megan hates this simply for the reason that "because" is not an answer that's allowed in our house).

The slogan seems to go against what Atheists believe. Atheists don't believe there's a God, a heaven or a hell. Which is fine. They don't owe any of us anything, so they don't answer to anyone here on Earth. I believe there is one God, a heaven and a hell, but that's fine for me, because (like I said) I have to answer for my own actions, not anyone else's (and no one has to answer for me).

From this idea (them believing nothing exists after we die), why would they waste money on a campaign like this? They're becoming what they supposedly hate: evangelical atheists.

I don't believe "winning souls" happens when strangers knock on people's doors and expect a ten minute window to change someone's life. In fact, Jehovah's witnesses, Mormons and even Baptist door knockers get the same answer from me: "I'm not interested." I'm an equal opportunity heart breaker.

God works how God wants to work. Atheists shouldn't have to worry about how God works because, remember, they don't believe he exists. So why must they try to recruit? Here's what I think. I think they're in the same attention grabbing club the "look at me" Christians belong to. This group is commonly referred to as Pharasis.

Here's a few warning signs to watch for to let some stupidity roll off your back:
- 1. The Gothic Satanist: If you research most real Satanic worshipers, they don't hold vigils or ceremonies. They don't worship Satan like we worship God. They're not trying to get you to be on their side, either. They don't care about anyone else, so they don't bother with anyone else. If you see a Marilyn Manson look-a-like, it's for attention. They might be physically dangerous, but they're probably seeking attention.
- 2. The Rock Star Worshiper: Worship isn't a program (I could go for days on this). It isn't a show. It isn't a production. It's honor. You show me your best "air guitar P&W" and I'll show you my best impression of Cleveland from Family Guy (I've got it pretty much down). Give me something real.
- 3. FAKE: Your favorite book is not the Bible. Church is not one of your interests. Your "curse-replacement words" convey the same subject as the real word. Give me a break. There's no such thing a "Christian" media. Music, fiction, art, movies - these have no soul, therefore cannot enter the afterlife. Plus, most of it sucks. And no one is really a true fan of whatever ball team is trendy at the time. If they are, ask to see their 1983 ticket stub (just thought I'd throw that in there....Go Mets).
- 4. RANDOM: Random acts of kindness are not random. People treat others kindly because they feel compelled to, not because they have to. Compassion is an expression and character trait, not a duty. If you see someone being kind, that's they're "testimony" not the 30 minute speech they'll give you on their front porch. Jesus hung out with drunks and prostitutes. His 12 were fishermen (think about it, you really believe their language was flowery and clean?).

So, Mr. and Mrs. Atheist, give it up. Spend some money on beer or a stripper or something that will actually help the economy. You'd have a bigger impact that way.

Expanding my mind.

May of 2003, I took my senior trip to Belize and Cozumel. The sights I saw were mesmerizing. Just witnessing how the market streets functioned through a form of organized chaos made me rethink the things I knew. Something I know of is one way, yet there it was a different way.

A trip to France with my soon to be wife made me realize that my American sense added with my cultural education of east Mexico was still too narrow. Early in the morning, merchants would sell their fresh fruits and vegetables. Meals weren't something to break up the work day, but rather an experience in themselves. Noon didn't mean mid-day break, it meant the tents were shutting down, and it's time to work hard so the pub or the cafe could be enjoyed in merely a few hours.

Invented in America, but perfected in Europe, the trains were amazing. Location after location seemed to pop up, begging you to get off the train car and explore. Can't speak the language? Doesn't matter. The communication of those who can't use words is beautiful.

But as different as we all are, some white, some black, some yellow, some oblivious, we're not too different. My nose is larger than some one else's nose, but we both smell beignets on Canal Street. Your ears may be larger than mine, but let me know how you like the tunes coming from Beale Street. Larger lips? I bet the cherries from France still taste great. What? Your pigment is darker than mine? I bet we can still enjoy the Virgin Islands and the sands of the Florida panhandle together. You might have different eyes, but what about that Eiffle Tower, Mt. Rushmore, the Pyramids, The Great Wall of China, Red Square, the African savannah?

And we all know songs. We all share songs. I found this video by accident, but it's inspiring. One day, we're going to need a helping hand, so please, darling, stand by me. I'll stand by you.

Meg's new phrase: "Dumb Axe"

Paul Bunyan has nothing on us! We braved the rugged wilderness to follow the road less traveled to camp out underneath the stars. The wife, the dog and myself journeyed 34 miles south to tame the wild wilderness of Rocky Springs camp grounds (ha!).

We took a bit to pack the car, loading up the mountain bike, tent, cooler, foodage, sleeping stuff, wood and an axe. We had MB's spot all ready in the car, but of course she didn't want to sit there. Instead, she relaxed like a spoiled child on the pile of blankets. But once we arrived, the park was surprisingly crowded. At least half a dozen campers were there, one van, a truck and us as the the only tent campers.

MB loved the obstacle course of trees and fallen trees. She had a blast. It was funny to see the fat bulldog act like she wanted to be a lab or golden retriever. I think she was practicing for when BJ wants her to play (like that will ever happen, but she can dream).

Meg and I popped up the tent, got the fire going, and cooked our meal (steak!). We also had some jalapeno and cheese dear meat that we devoured. But the night was fun. I got a good bit into Kerouac's On the Road: The Original Scroll. It's a great book. If you've read On the Road, it's the same story, only instead of reading about Dean, you're getting to hear Jack speak of and speak to Neal Cassady. Like I said, good book.

I told Meg my dream is to pack up the car, drive up to Chicago and trek down Route 66. I don't really thing I'm going to get to do that, but you never know. Maybe one summer.

Any way, we barely missed the rain. We woke up (well, we woke up a few times, but we finally got up) and started to pack everything up. We took some bananas for breakfast, so we were about to eat them when the sprinkles started. The car was loaded just as it picked up a bit. But, like I said, we barely missed it.

But today was the last day of furloughs, but after our announcement yesterday, it's day 5 of 10. Like I said yesterday, I'm thankful I have a job. Some of my friends have been laid off, so I'm glad I have weight to pull, and that I get to.

So, the schedule: I'm going to get more into On the Road: The Original Scroll, lift a bit and nap (I don't sleep well on the ground).

Going Camping

As a vision of hope dwindles, we've been told in quarter number two that furlough number two is in the passenger seat. So, April, May and June must have five days away with no pay. This feels like same old song, same old verse and the same old tired tune.

But maybe something good will come of this. A- at least I have a job, B- at least I have my house and C- at least I have my family.

In a few minutes, when I get off work, I'm heading home to gather my family (well, Meg and MB) and we're heading 34 miles down the Natchez Trace to Rocky Springs to go camping. We were going to go this weekend, but some things didn't pan out properly, so we're going tonight (I'm off tomorrow due to what I thought was my last furlough day. I thought wrong).

So, I'll keep you up to date and maybe even have pictures. This is going to be interesting. Hope we survive.

(If you noticed my "title" is the date, for some reason I can't get the date to show up where it's supposed to. Oh well. Fixed that problem . . . . sort of).