Welcome to fall?

It is August 31st (I know that because yesterday was the August 30th!).

THERE ARE LEAVES ON THE GROUND!!!!

And, though you can't tell from this photo, the leaves are all turning.

Crazy weather!

Vacation planning

Ergh. I'm having troubles planning my vacation.

I can't fit everything in!

I spent 2 1/2 hours plotting my course it's still not right. Hmm.

I am going to have to work on it again tomorrow. My computer has been acting temperamental tonight and I am tired of fighting with it.

Time suck *smile*

I was trying to find the perfect way to describe how I have spent my time the last couple days. Time suck popped into my head and I thought "Chris, is that actually a proper term or did you just make it up."

(And no, I do not talk to myself so formally, usually in more of a southern accent. J/K!)

Anyway, I looked it up and found this definition for time suck:

Something that's engrossing and addictive, but that keeps you from doing things that are actually important, like earning a living, or eating meals, or caring for your children.

Fortunately, I have no children to neglect because Facebook games have been absorbing my life in recent days. I have some sympathy for hardcore gamers. But honestly I am starting to get sick of myself!

Anyway, my goal this week is to wean myself down to fifteen minutes a day at the most of Facebook games.

::head shaking::

I am so pathetic.

A testing

Well, I think I passed this one.

The roommate and I have been walking regularly every other evening for the past week and a half. We haven't skipped a time yet.

The roommate is out of town for a couple days and tonight I walked alone. (I have to say I was quite tempted not to walk!)

I did it though. And I'm proud of myself for it. I did a good job today! :-)

Thanks

5 things I am thankful for today:

1. My health, I haven't been sick since this past spring
   
   
2. My job, I am thankful that I have one and that it provides me with challenges while allowing me to provide for myself
   
   
3. My finances, see above!
   
   
4. Vacation -- upcoming!
   
   
5. Simple, happy times with friends
   

The depth

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
Romans 11:33

It never ceases to amaze me the wisdom and knowledge of God. The plans He had to bring me to this place in my life. Work, job, friends, family . . . AMAZING!

Storms

After work today, I went out to my grandparents house to do a couple things and they had their scanner on -- a receiver that picks up all radio traffic including emergency services, weather services, etc.

A tornado had touched down in a small town about 45 minutes away. (Near where I drove through last night.)

When driving back into town , I had to drive a little slower in some places because some the of the streets had an inch or two of water on them.

Then it started pouring.

And when I say pouring I mean water was dumping from the sky for about 15 minutes. I got soaked even with the umbrella.

The tornado warning sirens went off but there was no tornado in town, in fact it was only a little breezy not too bad.

But there are a couple more storms coming through tonight and tomorrow. We never know what may happen.

Sleepy

Mmm . . . I got home from Des Moines at about 8 pm tonight. It has been a very long day.

I didn't let that discourage the roommate's and my plan for walking though (we are trying to walk every other evening).

When we got back home we watched a little Veronica Mars (via Netflix) while I tried to catch up on all my e-mails and other things.

Now I am going to bed. So sleepy . . .

Sports fan?!?

I'm not athletic. At all.

I dislike running. I don't care for sweat all that much. I find watching most sports boring. A game of golf is naptime for me.

I do enjoy the occasional game of volleyball -- despite my painfully poor skill at it.

One sport I do enjoy watching is football.

The thing about me and football is I have no particular team or player I consistently root for. I think this tends to drive the brother and sister a little crazy, when they care. :-)

I root for the underdog sometimes; sometimes I root for someone I think needs a little rooting for that week.

I know I'm bizarre.

Fortunately, I found an outlet for my bizarre behavior -- fantasy football.

If you don't know anything about fantasy games. The are basically a way for participants to create their fantasy team. The team makes points based on the performance of the players each week in their respective games. So I can cheer for a two players who are playing against each other and NOT be considered bizarre. Validation!

The past couple years I have played in a fantasy football league. The first year I was in one with the brother & the sister and a bunch of people we didn't know. I can't even remember where I placed. But I know I accomplished my goal -- not to finish last.

Last year I was in a league with the brother and a bunch of people he knows. All guys. Sadly, I did very poorly (although I didn't finish last) -- I blame it all on Tom Brady, poor guy.

This year my goal is to finish in the middle of the field or better.

Much to my surprise, today this blog was the Blogger of Note. I learned more from this blog in 5 minutes than I have from the brother in three years! I think it is a male/female perspective thing.

Wish me luck!

No excuses

Last Friday, I had a very good excuse for not posting.

My internet went out.

Yesterday, I had no excuse. I played a game and read instead.

I'm probably going to be doing the same thing tonight but I thought I would post. Otherwise I will get into the habit of NOT posting and I just don't want to do that yet.

Tomorrow is my day off -- technically speaking -- I have some things I need to do for work and some things I want to get done around here.

HA. We will see how that goes.

Battlestar buff

I recently began to Neflix Battlestar Galactica.

(Is it proper English to use nouns as verbs?: Neflix, Google, Friend . . .)

I have determined that I watched about two shows from every season while it was on -- I have no idea how I followed along. I really like this show.

I think this may make me just a little more nerdy.

(The sister is going to have a heydey with this knowledge ::shaking head despairingly::)

Relax?

The next couple months are a little overwhelming.

I have a teen party (the first of its kind) to run this Saturday for the library. I am kind of nervous about it. It has been a while since I have been a teen but I think the activities I have planned will be fun.

I hope anyway.

And then next week I begin a taking a class for work. I have to drive to Des Moines for the first class period. Then I have a weekly class through ICN (Iowa Communication Network -- a fiber optic classroom).

Awana begins in September and I have plans to take a vacation then as well.

As soon as I get back from vacation I will be teaching two classes for the adult education department of the community college here in town.

But then I will be able to breath again.

In November . . . I will breath again.

Holding pattern

Sadly, I have nothing new to post about.

Nothing out of the ordinary. That in itself can be a blessing.

Tomorrow, I'm sure I will be rolling in blog fodder. I have a huge list of things to get done and the roommate and I are having guests over for movies and games (and food, of course).

In a supervisory position

She's just making sure I'm still around . . .

This is where she sat while I was reading in the backyard the other day.

Oh my, August!

This summer has gone way too fast! I have so many things I wanted to do but haven't gotten to yet and so many things coming up!

This week will be my last "slow" week for a while . . .