Last Sunday (8/15/2010) was the last Sunday school class of the year. The 8th grade boys that I’ve taught all year are moving up to high school next Sunday. I had an unusually small class this year, but that turned out to be a blessing, because we were able to get pretty close and the boys really impressed me with their growth (both in spirit and in maturity). I’m very proud of these boys. One of them (Ben) posted the following note on Facebook.

Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not posting this to toot my own horn. In fact, the complete opposite is true. This was one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had. But I felt that I should share it anyway. This is not to bask in the spot light, but rather so that all my friends and family, who often get the short end of the stick because I give more time and energy to the church (more specifically, the youth at Glenview, a.k.a. my chi’ren) can get a glimpse of why I do what I do.

Today is August 15, 2010, a Sunday. Specifically, the last Sunday that I will be an 8th grader. My teacher is Trint Ladd, and this note is about him and what he has taught me, and what I hope to carry on for the rest of my life.

I first met Trint Ladd almost exactly one year ago at a promotion party. First thing he asked us was our names. We talked for a while, some about ourselves, some about him, about his shirt, about our schools, things like that. He intended on getting to know us. He told us his expectations of us. Bring our Bibles, read our Bibles, and learn something from what we’ve read. No other Sunday school teacher had ever set expectations before. So I tried to meet these expectations.

Another thing he did was he challenged me, to read more, to spend quiet times with God, to read not because he asked, but because I wanted to. He also had a points system that would be a motivation for us to read and remember what we did the week before. If we got 24 points at the end of the month, he would get donuts the first Sunday, if not, no donuts. After a few months, I didn’t eat the donuts, I didn’t want them. It wasn’t what I wanted anymore, I wanted to earn points because I wanted to learn, not because I get donuts at the beginning of the month, but because I wanted to learn. I remembered most of what he said, and I hope I come away with a lot. So many things changed because of Trint Ladd, I became spiritually mature, I read almost everyday, and I wanted to. Thank you very much Trint for being my 8th grade teacher.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it has gotten really hot in this room because my eyes are sweating like crazy.

When cheese gets it’s picture taken, what does it say?
– George Carlin

Hey, Hollywood. Trint, here. Long time no see. Seriously, and it’s your own darn fault. This has been the summer of 3D and I’m sick of it. You forced me to watch Toy Story 3 in those stupid, uncomfortable, plastic glasses and I survived it, only because it was an incredible movie (and it helped hide the fact that I was blubbering like a baby by the end of the show). But the 3D requirement is getting old fast and I have reached the point of staying home rather than put up with it.

Reason 3D sucks #1: It’s old news.

I’m willing to wager that every human being who’s seen more than two movies in their life can close their eyes and picture a scene of a theater full of people wearing those old, red/green, cardboard, 3D glasses… in the early 1950’s!! 3D hasn’t been “shocking” since The Attack of the Mutant Atomic Killer Ants. So why, in the name of all that is entertaining, is 3D such a big deal now? It’s the freaking twenty-first century, people!!

Reason 3D sucks #2: It doesn’t really enhance the movie.

Unless you enjoy spending two hours pretending that monsters are lunging out at you when they’re not (ala The Attack of the Mutant Atomic Killer Ants), 3D just doesn’t really do much to enhance the story telling that is motion pictures. The horribly lopsided battle between Pixar and every other animation studio in the world bears this out year after year: Technology alone does not sell tickets. It’s the story, stupid. (With the obvious exception of Avatar, which made more money than the GDP of half the globe with an extremely tired, old, tree-hugger tale and I can only chalk that up to media hype.)

Reason 3D sucks #3: It makes some people sick.

Literally. 3D works by fooling your brain into believing that your two eyes are seeing different pictures. But not everyone’s eyes see the same. Not everyone’s eyes are spaced the same. Not everyone’s brain uses both eyes equally. My wife, Tammy, was born with a lazy eye which was surgically corrected when she was an adult. As such, her brain uses her eyes much differently than most people, and 3D movies giver her vertigo and headaches. And that, quite simply, spells “movie ruined” for both of us.

Reason 3D sucks #4: Inflated ticket prices.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing Despicable Me. I really like Steve Carell. I really really like animated movies. But when I pulled up the Movie Tavern schedule and saw that A) it was only offered in 3D (so Tammy would get sick), and B) the tickets were $11 each (while 2D shows sell for $8), I decided to wait for Netflix and watch it in my home theater, essentially for free, with no screaming kids and as much popcorn as I want at a 95% discount off of theater snack prices. Does anyone really think this business model can possibly succeed? Cuz, frankly, the word is out: jacking prices and releasing in 3D only is going to fail.

And to that, Hollywood, I say, “Good riddance!”

Legos…

Light sabers…

Awesome. That is all.

…many many more to go (God willing)!

One year ago today, August 3rd, 2009, we sat down at a big fancy table with a huge stack of papers and signed our names (over 100 times each). We were handed a set of keys. We became home owners. (Which is really a misnomer because we are thousands and thousands of dollars away from really owning our house.)

It has been a crazy crazy year, but also very productive. We’ve finished many of our home projects, although there are many more (in fact, I’m sure I will never really run out of them). We still feel totally over-blessed. Thank you, God, for letting us be stewards of this house and thank you for the many opportunities we’ve had already to share it with others!

I’ve had fun this morning trolling back through the blog to find the house-relevant posts. You might enjoy it too, so here are some post links:

Hurry Up and Wait

Life… Too… Fast!!

“Moved,” Yes. “Moved In,” No.

Wait… We OWN a HOUSE?!

Whew!

Just Like Old Times

Hoppy New Jears

Winter Wonder

WFHF: Catching Up

Adventures in Home Ownership

Another milestone, of sorts, snuck (Sneaked? Snookered?) past last week. And as such, we are forced to celebrate the two hundred first white board quip.

Hooray. (Party horn sound.)

And here it is: Another Dilbert, Pointy-Haired Boss quip.

Ooh. I think I felt a little personal growth there.
– The Pointy-Haired Boss

Oh. Well, that might have been a little inappropriate.

Oh well. Have a great week!

[Ed. Upon recount. This is actually WBQotW #200. So party on, Wayne!]

On July 27th, 1940, “A Wild Hare” hit theaters, marking the first appearance of Bugs Bunny. It also refined the character of Elmer Fudd from the earlier “Egghead” character.

Elmer’s nose is oddly reddish brown and Bugs’ head is quite different, but they’re characters are unmistakable. The cartoon is (supposedly) crammed full of 1940 pop culture references that made it a huge hit. It was nominated for an Oscar along side the first ever Tom and Jerry cartoon, but lost to a completely forgettable animated short, “The Milky Way”. (So much for the Oscars knowing anything about anything!)

I got this from a web comic about a recently deceased ghost. It was weird and had too much poopy language, but I at least I got a good white board quip out of the deal!!

Thanks for living. We value your feedback. We’d love to know why you canceled your subscription to being alive.
– Paul, who is a ghost

P.S. Once again, two WBQ’s in a row means I’m not blogging enough. Ugh! I do have some big news to share, though. So maybe soon.

This week’s white board quip asks a ponderous question.

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

We’ve been spending money like it’s on fire, I tell you what!

I finally got all the ducks in a row for our two major house projects and pulled the trigger on both.

We had new Hardie Board siding put up on our chimney, where the old siding was falling apart. ($3000 – *Cha-ching*) Hardie Board is made from concrete and saw dust. It should stay together longer than the house itself. Plus, we got the optional “infused color,” which means no painting. Ever. Yea!

Maybe after I win the lottery, I’ll get the rest of the house resided. (Estimates are in the $15-20k range. Yikes.)

Our second project was installing a french drain to empty the ponds that develop in our yard whenever it rains. I did a lot of research on this thinking I would do it myself. But one of our “chi’ren” (church kids), who’s grown up now, has a landscaping business and quoted me a pretty good price to get it all done. ($1500 – *Cha-ching*) In hindsight, I’m *so* glad I didn’t try to do it myself. It was simple, but it was a *lot* of hot, sweaty, physical labor. I would have killed myself.

The new drain runs along the side yard where, eventually, I plan to gravel it in and put up a storage shed. The sprinkles along that side of the house are connected to the wrong channel (shared with the front flower beds). That meant that if we wanted to water the flowers in front we’d have to also water the ponds in back. I knew the guys would probably find some sprinkler pipes and that would help me reroute the system. Sure enough, they hit the plumbing in several places (but only broke it bad in one place).

As they dug in other areas, I dug out around the pipes and planned my assault, trying to figure out exactly how it was installed. I patched in 20 feet of pipe to bypass all the side yard sprinklers, and, after 2 hours of drying time, turned on the system. Rather than the happy sound of hissing flowerbed sprinklers, I heard the roaring of water filling my ditches. I had patched in the wrong direction. Harumph!

After 30 minutes of bailing muddy water, digging in the mud (with shovel and hand) and I thought I had found the right pipe. I lined were to cut the existing pipe. It only took my cordless saw about 2 seconds to breach the line, which turned out to be the sprinkler supply line which is always under pressure. More roaring water filling my ditch as I ran for the main water supply valve at the curb. *sigh*

Another trip to the store for more fittings. Another half hour of bailing and digging. Finally I found the valve where the main connects to the channel and I could reroute it to only feed the flowerbeds. The final solution required only four feet of pipe and only one foot of digging. All the rest was spent on exploration and misunderstand of the installation. *grumble grumble*

After getting cleaned up (in a *very* cold shower) I realized it was hot *inside*. Hrmm. The bedroom was 80 degrees and the AC had been running the whole time. Sure enough, the down stairs AC unit was not working. yea… </sarcasm>

Thank God the upstairs unit was working (and working very hard). Tammy and I spent the night in our upstairs guest room for the first time. (I can now honestly attest to it’s comfort.)

And now, I’m sitting the coolest spot in the house, our office, typing this update, waiting for the AC guy to show up. Last night, when I called he said, “in the morning,” and as I check the clock it’s now just past noon on the hottest day of the year so far. (The forecast is for 101 with a 110 heat index.)

And I have no idea how much it’s going to cost to fix. (Cha-ching!)