I might actually have the coolest array of friends, like, ever. No, seriously... okay, let's get the famous ones out of the way--you know about Ambre Lake, but there's also Brooke Smith from the Bachelor, and Birmingham musician Michael Warren.
I have a friend who makes his own cheese and beer. I am friends with two different people on two different newscasts. I got a friend who has a ticket to the governor's mansion when he wants it. I have friends on the mission field, I have friends who have been up and down Route 66, I've got friends I met at 12 years old and I've watched them grow up and get married...
I've got really cool friends. But today, I discovered something that blew me away. Something I never expected. Today... the tipping point... I discovered I have a friend who was actually a woman wrestler.
I looked forever for this... I'm hoping this is you, Lori Fullington
My friends rocks.
Showing posts with label Lori Land. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lori Land. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Monday, January 23, 2006
Top 100 Coolest Things About 2005
Okay, so I've thought about it for a few days, and come up with a list of 100 things that made 2005 the best year I've had since 2004. Now, in this list, I've excluded a few things--that being God & spiritual things (because God is always cool).... Stephanie and our marriage (because by default, that would supposed to be #1, right?)... and the Deuce guys, because its hard to rank one over the other, even though we really know who's the coolest out of Mikey, Ty, Tommy, Shawn, Tom, Drew and Wookiee. Now... what defines "cool"? Just something, someone, some place that makes you say "wow... thats really awesome." Maybe its somewhere you want to go again, someone you want to hang out with again, something you want to do again--that makes something cool.
#100. Ashley Judd. Yeah, she didnt really do anything this year, but she is always my Hollywood Goddess. I love Ashley Judd.
#99. "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas. Okay, so how can a song be so addicting, yet be the most annoying thing you've ever heard in your life? Fergie is a tramp, the dudes in the group are total goobers, yet its a song that you can't get out of your head--for good or for worse. You're thinking about it now, aren't you? Whatcha gonna do with all that junk...?
#98. "Pimp My Ride". What a silly show. Who needs a 35 inch television in your van? Who needs four PS2's in your trunk, with four subwoofers and an automatic juice bar? No one needs that crap. Its fun to watch it come together, then watch the kids go grapenuts over their new ride... the its fun to wonder how long it takes for their car to get jacked, and how much insurance goes up for them.
#97. Fish Out of Water from "Chicken Little". It was a funny movie overall, though not one of Disney's best (that would go to "The Incredibles"). However, Fish was one of the best characters I've seen in a long time. Very funny little guy.
#96. "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey. This song came out over 10 years ago, but still, Christmas after Christmas it is one of the most fun, upbeat holiday songs ever. Can't help but bop along and be happy when she sings.
#95. "Mythbusters" on The Discovery Channel. Adam and Jamie are your hosts, and they use science to prove or disprove urban legends, different myths and general things you've heard all your life... for instance, that "Five Second Rule" when it comes to dropping food... I watched them disprove it last week. Geek stuff. Its awesome.
#94. Michael Chiklis as The Thing in "Fantastic Four". The movie was just eh. Sue Storm was miscast, Dr Doom was miscast and Reed Richards was sort of right... but no one I can think of could have played The Thing like Michael Chiklis (he's the dude in FX's The Shield). He didn't go for CGI, he wore a costume and everything--he was perfect. And very cool.
#93. Barnes & Noble. This year, it replaced Books a Million as my new favorite bookstore. I mean, my Books a Million membership expired, and I didnt care... but I renewed by Barnes and Noble card for two more years. At a higher price. Go B&N!!
#92. Watching a Movie Being Filmed. In NYC this summer, we stumbled upon B-actor Matthew Modine filming a scene on a street corner. While some of us sat and had dessert, we were able to see the set up of a fake phone booth, and finally the appearance of Matthew doing his thing. The movie is called "Kettle of Fish" and its a small independant film that is supposed to be released this year.
#91. "Be Cool". One of the funniest, sharpest movies I've ever seen is "Get Shorty", starring John Travolta, Danny Devito, Rene Russo and Gene Hackman. Well, years later, they make a sequel (in which only John Travolta and Danny Devito comes back). This time, its got Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn and an absolutely hilarious Andre 3000 (from Outkast). And an even more hilarious The Rock. Its not as funny as Get Shorty, but its more silly... and its cool.
#90. Year End Lists. Are you addicted like me? I mean, give me any countdown for a year, and I'm there... "2005 Best Movies" or "2005 Best Books" or "2005 Worst Radish Recipes of Hackensack NJ"... I'll watch. I'll listen.
#89. "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly. How stupid is this song? No riff, just him going on and on about some guy being trapped in the closet of the girl he's cheating on his wife with... and chapter by chapter, I'm hooked. Its cool.
#88. Those "Rollergirl" Commercials on A&E. Its this new show on A&E channel (I'm watching it now, as a matter of fact) featuring the Roller Derby, which I used to watch when I was a kid... except these commercials feature the cool, cool song "Ready to Rise" by Vaughan Penn. I only know these words: "Ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise.... get ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise" but I love it.
#87. College Football. 'Nuff said.
#86. The Fine Girls. Lori & Lindsay Fine... my how they've grown. Both college women now, both truly amazing women of God. Very, very cool.
#85. Lori Land. Another chick I got to know a little this year. She was supposed to come with us to NYC, but God didn't have it in the cards. Still, I enjoy her much.
#84. Fox News. They report. You decide.
#83. "Sorry Mom... and Dad". Its the funniest commercial this year. This guy comes into the bathroom and opens up the shower curtain... only to be shocked that its occupied... he says "Sorry Mom..." then as he walks away, he has a horrified look on his face and adds, "...and Dad." Yuck. Hilarious.
#82. Gwen Stefani. Yes, say it with me... she's bananas, bee ay in ay in ay ess... like "My Humps", a totally ridiculous, yet addicting, song. Even had a song called "cool" this year.
#81. Making fun of John Kerry. That says it all. I'll put him at number 81 before I put him at number 81. You decide, he'll agree.
#80. Garrett Cheney. Gave up tons of time to stage manage the dinner theater in July, and a good part of this year's high school drama team. Has a cool sister too, so that helps.
#79. The Drudge Report. Want to know whats going on? Don't read the New York Times, and be careful of CNN... go check out the Drudge Report. Top stuff, new stories, usually facts of the matters before the libs get a chance to spin it.
#78. Making Fun of Kanye West. "George Bush is against Black People". Sure Kanye. He created the weather machines to target the black poor people in New Orleans. Of course, it was a big mistake that now its being reported that more white people than black people died in New Orleans. Yeah, "Golddigger" was catchy. Kanye, just sing and shut up.
#77. "Red Eye". What looked to be a hokey movie about a bad guy on a plan turned out to be one of the coolest movies this year. Rachel McAdams plays a young woman who is flying home to see Dad... when she meets Jackson, a nice enough guy who turns out to be someone very very bad. Great suspense, both McAdams and Cillian Murphy (he was also Scarecrow in this year's Batman Begins) are fantastic, and a pretty good plot move the movie along... a much better plane flick than Panic Room 2.
#76. The Appt of John Roberts. This guy is good on so many levels... he's young, he's strong, he's a believer in God, and he's moderately conservative. And most of all, he's like a Boy Scout--as in, Democrats can't find much wrong with him, though they've tried. John Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice.
#75. Tim Harrington. Big Papa in NYC. He is the father of Annalynn, and the hubby of Geryl, and the family attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and I have the honor of getting to know them in New York. He's an awesome guy, totally in love with Jesus (and the kids there totally loved their Coach Tim).
#74. Sean Hannity. The Hannitization of American continues... I was Hannitized this year, listening to him more and more during the day (usually after Rush) and getting stuff that the media won't tell you.
#73. Stephanie Walker. She's the meterologist for NBC 13, and yes, she's just as sweet as she seems, and yes, she's even cuter in person.
#72. W. I love our President. Does he make mistakes? Yes. Is he fallible? Yes. Has he stood by his convictions, not caring what the polls say, leading this country in a time of war? Yes. Yes. Yes.
#71. "Pledged" by Alexandra Robbins. Do you want to know what sorority life is really like? Alex Robbins went undercover at a sorority in a national big school, covering a year in the life of a few girls, documenting their parties, their lives and the life that is a Sorority Girl--including the snobbery, the hazing, the peer pressure and everything that goes with it. There is language to watch out for, but this is a fascinating book to read.
#70. Wendy Garner. She and NBC 13 partner Ken Lass, both loved in the community, weren't treated very well. So they walked. And now they are hosting the morning show on WDJC together... I love Wendy Garner. Big crush. I admit it. She thinks its cute.
#69. Ann Coulter. What a great spokesperson for the right wing. She says what she thinks, for better or for worse, and there it is. She thinks all democrats/liberals are pretty much morons, and actually said that we should kill all the opposing armies overseas and convert their leaders to Christianity. Ann Coulter rocks.
#68. "Batman Begins". The first movie, back in the late 80s, with Michael Keaton was good. But the problem was, it was all about The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. This one, however, is all about Batman, played brilliantly by Christian Bale. Cillian Murphy is genius as The Scarecrow as well, much better than all of the other villians in the 2nd through 4th movies (put together).
#67. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. What a great show. Every week, something new, something fascinating, something thrilling. I think Warrick Brown (played by Gary Dourdan) is brilliant, though Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, who is also in Erin Brockvich, which Tyler & I both found out this week) is great too. And of course, Gil Grissom is da man.
#66. "King Kong". Just saw this movie a few days ago... absolutely brilliant and genius. Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director) has made another masterpiece, with great graphics and effects, a great story and a monkey you actually believe. And some of the dinosaur scenes are just amazing, especially the brontosaurus pile-up in the valley.
#65. Rick & Bubba. Every morning, if I'm up and moving, I listen and laugh. They kept me laughing all year, and Steph and I buy their new cd everytime they have a new one out. We subscribe to the "Extreme Club", which means we can listen to all shows in the last month, plus hear bits and see video that you can't hear in the morning. Good, funny stuff.
#64. Kara Graves. My little girl has all growed up and in college now. Sigh. Much like the Fine Girls. And very cool.
#63. The Rock. No, not the movie, the action star. I admit it, I have a man-crush on The Rock, in a non-Brokeback sort of way. He was hilarious in "Be Cool" (see #91) and was at his absolute cheesy best in "Doom", absolute crap except for The Rock. I even got his autobiography from eBay this year, which I'm pumped about reading.
#62. Mark & Cindy Warner. She's the logical, level headed one you havea crush on in a Kellie Martin from Life Goes On sort of way... he's the goofy, childish one you enjoy watching blow up movies with. I liken them to Steph & I. Love these guys.
#61. The Freedom of Iraq. Okay, so not only did they ratify a Constitution, they also had parliamentary elections and are now on the verge of taking over their own country and running it... all in three years. No thanks to Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton and the like. No matter what the media tells you, freeing a nation is a good thing.
#60. "Cold Case". What a great show on Sunday nights. The premise is, that a group led by Lilly Rush takes on cases that have been sitting on shelves for years, sometimes decades. Mixed in with cool flashbacks and music from the era, its a great show that keeps you guessing... plus, its got an awesome theme song opening.
#59. "Scrubs". One of the funniest shows ever in the history of tv. Dr. Cox is probably my favorite character, but the whole cast--JD, Turk, Elliot, Carla--makes it worthwhile. The guy who plays the lead, JD, is Zach Braff, who starred in 2004's "Garden State" and also was the voice of the lead character in "Chicken Little".
#58. Michael Luna. I work with him at Starbucks. Theology student, married to a hot chick, strong Christian... all that makes him a very cool guy.
#57. Darth Tater. A Dark Side of the Force spin on the old Mr Potato Head. Mine looks cool.
#56. The Kelley Twins. Like The Fine Girls and Kara, I've watched these two grow up from their very young days to their current status as seniors in high school. Awkward kids to beautiful young women of God. Sigh. I'm getting old.
#55. Sarah Jacks. She comes into Starbucks alot, she's a junior at ASFA, and hopefully will be coming to Valleydale soon to try out the high school ministry. One of the sweetest spirits I've ever been around, plus a big sister that is absolutely wonderful--I hope you get to meet Sarah one day.
#54. Blogging. Livejournal and especially blogspot has been a year highlight in 2005. Through blogspot, I was able to everyone informed with what was going on on the trip in NYC, which I found out later, had a ton more people reading than I ever thought. Plus, here I get to talk to you fine people. And for Lindsay and Lori, it would be you Fine people.
#53. Troy swag. Stephanie bought me a Troy University long sleeve, and Mom in Law got me a Troy fleece pullover. My first real Troy Swag since I bought stuff in college.... I love swag.
#52. "How To Talk to a Liberal (if you must)" by Ann Coulter. She was back at #69, while her book is here. I got the trade paperback for Christmas, and in reading some of it, she doesnt lose anytime telling us how wrong the libs are on practically everything (of course, you knew that)
#51. Making Fun of Tom Cruise. He hopped on a couch, then jumped down shouting about how much he loved Katie Holmes, getting her pregnant and pulling her to the dark side (Scientology) after she grew up a baptist and swore she'd be a virgin until she got married. Then he got on the Today Show, made fun of psychiatry and people who do it, and told Matt Lauer he was "glib". Then he made War of the Worlds, which sucked. What a goob.
#50. The Incredibles on DVD. What a cool flick... everytime I watch it, I like it more and more... but the best thing about the dvd is the "cartoon" of Mr Incredible and Frozone from the 60s, with the actual Mr Incredible and Frozone giving commentary. Hilarious.
#49. Best Buy. Oh man, did I drop some money in this store this past year. I always searched for the Best Buy ads as soon as the Sunday paper became available to me, to see what was "2 for $20" or the list of special dvds that were $7.99 or something. Of course, I was proud of my restraint, but still...
#48. Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watch this show. Get over it.
#47. My Birthday Party. I turned 30 this year... so what did I want? Thats right, a superhero party. Stephanie got me a Fantastic Four cake, and all of my friends came over and we all played a big superhero card game (which I thought up, thank you very much) and then we had a rousing round of Dave Trivia. Still thinking about next year's extravaganza.
#46. "Night Court" on DVD. This is one of my favorite all time shows. It's a silly little sitcom from the 80s that had Harry Anderson (whom I've met... cool guy) as a judge of an overnight misdemeanor court, and of course, hilarity ensues. Steph bought me Season 1 on dvd. I'm pumped.
#45. My RCA Lyra. I entered the world of the technologically advanced by getting an mp3 player. It worked, for a while. Of course, it only held 800 songs, and I was hoping it would hold around 5,000, but 4 gigs will only get you so far. I'm now holding out for an iPod.
#44. "The Wedding Crashers". On second thought, don't see this movie. Its bad. Funny. But bad. I warned you.
#43. Brooke Smith. Yes, that Brooke, the one from the Bachelor Season Two. We became friends at NBC 13, and she's just as wonderful as she seems. We have lunch occasionally (which reminds me, I need to call her) and as a Christian, she's an awesome person to know. Cool, in fact.
#42. The A&E Channel. Its the channel that gave me Cold Case Files, City Confidential, American Justice, Rollergirls, Airline and a whole slew of programs that have taught me how not to commit a murder.
#41. Homestar Runner. Do you know about Strong Bad, The Cheat or Homestar? Click on it, I dare you
#40. Attacktix. Its this silly little game with Star Wars figures, but its so addicting. Girls, you wouldn't understand... it appeals to the inner competitive nature of guys, our natural nature to want to blow stuff up and cause destruction.
#39. Kendall. I think her last name was Phillips... anyway, you'll find me talking about her in my NYC blog. She was a Mississippi gal up there on missions, and she was one of our leaders in our basketball camps and such. Such a cool, cool gal.
#38. DC's Identity Crisis. Let me try to explain... DC is one of the biggest comic companies in the world, doing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of others. Well, in 2005, they had a series called Identity Crisis, in which one of their superhero's wives was raped and killed. And suddenly, in their investigation of 'whodunit', a host of secrets about Hawkman, Green Lantern, the Green Arrow and many other heroes came spilling out, making for a fantastic story that I'll never forget.
#37. Paula Mackey. She was like the big sis to me on our NYC trip... funny, goofy, always there when I needed a shoulder... to wipe sweat on, that is. We worked hard together, got to see Matthew Modine, hung out at Coney Island and more. Paula rocks.
#36. Survivor. Two editions so far this year, one in 2005 Spring, the other in 2005 Fall... and the show just keeps getting better and better every time around. In the Spring, we watched Fireman Tom outlast Katie, who somehow made it there despite not doing anything, and lanky Ian, who felt it was more important to be friends than to win a millions bucks (Ian, I'd take the million... I've got friends). In the Fall, it was fun to watch former NFL Quarterback Gary Hogeboom lank his way to the final five before taking the fall. Eventually, Danni Boatwright won, despite not being bigger around than my bottle of water sitting next to me. Of course, how could you not root for The Manimal?
#35. Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. This is the first of several Harry Potter references on our top 100... I reread this book this summer,and forgot how good it was. Order of the Phoenix is still my favorite, the new book is great as well, but I wanted to make sure I was familiar with this one before the movie came out... and it was awesome. Very long, so kick back if you read it, but so much better than the movie, if only because it has so much more in it.
#34. Matt & Stephanie Rector. Our little girl Stephanie Nipp is all growed up this year, getting hitched to Matt Rector of Chattanooga Tennessee. Matt, who looks like actor Vincent D'Onofrio, is an odd bird to speak of, with a Simpsons obsession and a goofy laugh, while we love our Steph and all her quirks. It was tough to let her grow, but our baby had to find her way, eh? They make a great couple.
#33. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Funny how Hollywood can't bring itself to say "hey, this book is about Christian themes", even though the movie itself makes religious references. It was a great flick all over, with fantastic effects, great casting and a White Queen to die for. Tilda Swinson was great as the enemy, with her dreads all hanging down, while the battle scene at the end does rival Lord of the Rings.
#32. My Name is Earl. The funniest new show of the year, with Earl Hickey trying to make up for all the wrong he's done in the past. Gotta love Earl's porn 'stache too, plus his ex-wife Joy and her trailer trash life, The Crab Man who is Joy's new love, Randy who is Earl's overweight brother and more. Oh, and the mexican maid that Earl would date, but Randy called dibs. Such a funny show.
#31. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. So, for the first time in 11 years, I became credit card free in 2005. It was such a great feeling, and I do give mucho credit to Dave Ramsey. A Christian, he uses practical and biblical methods for simply getting out of debt and living a debt free life. Steph & I have adopted his methods and are now inching closer to being debt free--then we'll get a house. =)
#30. The Astonishing X-Men. Fantastic comic book. Great series. When Colossus comes back, Wolverine's face--and Kitty's reaction--is simply priceless.
#29. "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. Read the upcoming review on my site.
#28. Cold Case Files. DNA, blood, missing people and files going cold... hosted by Bill Kurtis, one of the coolest crime reality shows around. Oh, and dig on Bill's jacket.
#27. Dirty Jobs. Ever want to see a turkey droppings analyst? Or a cheese maker? A San Fran Chinatown garbage runner? Mike Rowe does the jobs you take for granted... and makes me laugh in the process. On Discovery channel.
#26. Kingdom Comics. The shop over on 31 by Pier One, down from Diplomat Deli. Stan Daniel runs the place, and never will you find a more friendly, more fun comic store. See Stan for all your comic needs, he'll take care of you, I promise.
#25. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson. Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces, I hear this song, I sing along, I know Kelly's the one, makes me smile deep inside, you might just hear my voice cry... Behind These Hazel Eyes
#24. Ginny Weasley. When she makes out with Harry Potter, I officially have a brand new favorite character in the series.
#23. City Confidential on A&E Channel. Its like your grandad telling you stories, only instead of tales of corn fields and how it used to be, Paul Winfield or Keith David tells of a small town, USA, its history, its population and... murder. Of course, I just found out he was gay... that kind of ruins it for me.
#22. "As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith. Turning 30 this year, I adopted this song as my anthem. I ain't as good as I once was... thats just the cold hard truth. But I still throw a few back, talk a little smack, when I'm feelin' bulletproof. So don't double dog dare me now... or I'll have to call your bluff. My body says "you can't do this boy" but my pride says "oh yes you can".
#21. Natalie Valentine. My NYC Homegirl, my date to Nathan's Famous and my roller coaster queen on the Boardwalk. Love this girl. You would too.
#20. The Soup. Hosted by Joel McHale, its a weekly comedic review of talk shows, reality show clips and much much more. "This week, Marilyn Manson released his new cologne," says Joel McHale with his goofy grin. "Ah... so thats what irrelevency smells like." On E! during the week.
#19. The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. The movie was at #33... this one is the book. CS Lewis knew how to spin a story, and remarkably, it leaves stuff open for intrepretation. however, whats not open for intrepretation is the question that the media is asking... "is this story really about God?" Duh.
#18. The ESPN Zone Cafe. Right off of Times Square, one of the best places to enjoy a meal (they have $35 dollar appetizers...) but the best? They have screens in the bathroom stalls. You can watch tv and... have a few moments of privacy. They are over the urinals. Josh Blackburn said "Heck, I dont even have to [go to the bathroom] but I'm going anyway, just to watch TV".
#17. Rush Limbaugh. America's anchorman, the all knowing all seeing Maha Rushi. You know what you hear in the media? Find out the truth from Rush. He'll take care of you.
#16. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The circle is complete... and a saga that no one under 21 or so will truly understand--as in, we know what its like to have the anticipation of the new movie... the new movie being Empire Strikes Back, then Return of the Jedi, then wait 15 years for the Phantom.
#15. The DFC. Congrats to Matt Latta for winning a fine season of the Deuce Football Championships, the 6th installment. VII will be even better when I win the whole thing.
#14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater. It was called Baggage, The Boogeyman and Big Big Bibles. The final WalkAbout theater with me in the lead, for the Valleydale Middle School group. Great performances, including what will do down as one of the Top Ten WalkAbout skits ever, that being the hilarious Mutiny in the Vineyard, starring Tyler Bolton, Josh Blackburn, Joey Thomason and Austin Guthrie.
#13. Carnagie Deli Cheesecake. The world famous Carnagie Deli in NYC has some of the biggest and best cheese cake I've ever had a pleasure to eat. The sandwich was ginormous, first of all, and the cake was--no kidding--about six inches high. I couldn't finish it.
#12. Martyrs & Thieves. Jamie, Kourtney, Megan, Nathan, Garrett, Betsy, Anna, Amanda and Kayla. You guys are awesome, and I'm honored that you'd be a part of the drama team. Wait til we really get going.
#11. Kidstuf. Valleydale Church's (an sbc fellowship)own children's theater, where parents and kids learn together. No kid under 7 knows my real name... I'm Tyler to all of them. And you know what? I'm okay with that.
Disclaimer... there are lots of links here to different webpages. I haven't explored all of the pages on each link, so if you see something questionable, let me know, and I'll take care of it.
The Top 100 Coolest Things of 2005#100. Ashley Judd. Yeah, she didnt really do anything this year, but she is always my Hollywood Goddess. I love Ashley Judd.
#99. "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas. Okay, so how can a song be so addicting, yet be the most annoying thing you've ever heard in your life? Fergie is a tramp, the dudes in the group are total goobers, yet its a song that you can't get out of your head--for good or for worse. You're thinking about it now, aren't you? Whatcha gonna do with all that junk...?
#98. "Pimp My Ride". What a silly show. Who needs a 35 inch television in your van? Who needs four PS2's in your trunk, with four subwoofers and an automatic juice bar? No one needs that crap. Its fun to watch it come together, then watch the kids go grapenuts over their new ride... the its fun to wonder how long it takes for their car to get jacked, and how much insurance goes up for them.
#97. Fish Out of Water from "Chicken Little". It was a funny movie overall, though not one of Disney's best (that would go to "The Incredibles"). However, Fish was one of the best characters I've seen in a long time. Very funny little guy.
#96. "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey. This song came out over 10 years ago, but still, Christmas after Christmas it is one of the most fun, upbeat holiday songs ever. Can't help but bop along and be happy when she sings.
#95. "Mythbusters" on The Discovery Channel. Adam and Jamie are your hosts, and they use science to prove or disprove urban legends, different myths and general things you've heard all your life... for instance, that "Five Second Rule" when it comes to dropping food... I watched them disprove it last week. Geek stuff. Its awesome.
#94. Michael Chiklis as The Thing in "Fantastic Four". The movie was just eh. Sue Storm was miscast, Dr Doom was miscast and Reed Richards was sort of right... but no one I can think of could have played The Thing like Michael Chiklis (he's the dude in FX's The Shield). He didn't go for CGI, he wore a costume and everything--he was perfect. And very cool.
#93. Barnes & Noble. This year, it replaced Books a Million as my new favorite bookstore. I mean, my Books a Million membership expired, and I didnt care... but I renewed by Barnes and Noble card for two more years. At a higher price. Go B&N!!
#92. Watching a Movie Being Filmed. In NYC this summer, we stumbled upon B-actor Matthew Modine filming a scene on a street corner. While some of us sat and had dessert, we were able to see the set up of a fake phone booth, and finally the appearance of Matthew doing his thing. The movie is called "Kettle of Fish" and its a small independant film that is supposed to be released this year.
#91. "Be Cool". One of the funniest, sharpest movies I've ever seen is "Get Shorty", starring John Travolta, Danny Devito, Rene Russo and Gene Hackman. Well, years later, they make a sequel (in which only John Travolta and Danny Devito comes back). This time, its got Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn and an absolutely hilarious Andre 3000 (from Outkast). And an even more hilarious The Rock. Its not as funny as Get Shorty, but its more silly... and its cool.
#90. Year End Lists. Are you addicted like me? I mean, give me any countdown for a year, and I'm there... "2005 Best Movies" or "2005 Best Books" or "2005 Worst Radish Recipes of Hackensack NJ"... I'll watch. I'll listen.
#89. "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly. How stupid is this song? No riff, just him going on and on about some guy being trapped in the closet of the girl he's cheating on his wife with... and chapter by chapter, I'm hooked. Its cool.
#88. Those "Rollergirl" Commercials on A&E. Its this new show on A&E channel (I'm watching it now, as a matter of fact) featuring the Roller Derby, which I used to watch when I was a kid... except these commercials feature the cool, cool song "Ready to Rise" by Vaughan Penn. I only know these words: "Ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise.... get ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise" but I love it.
#87. College Football. 'Nuff said.
#86. The Fine Girls. Lori & Lindsay Fine... my how they've grown. Both college women now, both truly amazing women of God. Very, very cool.
#85. Lori Land. Another chick I got to know a little this year. She was supposed to come with us to NYC, but God didn't have it in the cards. Still, I enjoy her much.
#84. Fox News. They report. You decide.
#83. "Sorry Mom... and Dad". Its the funniest commercial this year. This guy comes into the bathroom and opens up the shower curtain... only to be shocked that its occupied... he says "Sorry Mom..." then as he walks away, he has a horrified look on his face and adds, "...and Dad." Yuck. Hilarious.
#82. Gwen Stefani. Yes, say it with me... she's bananas, bee ay in ay in ay ess... like "My Humps", a totally ridiculous, yet addicting, song. Even had a song called "cool" this year.
#81. Making fun of John Kerry. That says it all. I'll put him at number 81 before I put him at number 81. You decide, he'll agree.
#80. Garrett Cheney. Gave up tons of time to stage manage the dinner theater in July, and a good part of this year's high school drama team. Has a cool sister too, so that helps.
#79. The Drudge Report. Want to know whats going on? Don't read the New York Times, and be careful of CNN... go check out the Drudge Report. Top stuff, new stories, usually facts of the matters before the libs get a chance to spin it.
#78. Making Fun of Kanye West. "George Bush is against Black People". Sure Kanye. He created the weather machines to target the black poor people in New Orleans. Of course, it was a big mistake that now its being reported that more white people than black people died in New Orleans. Yeah, "Golddigger" was catchy. Kanye, just sing and shut up.
#77. "Red Eye". What looked to be a hokey movie about a bad guy on a plan turned out to be one of the coolest movies this year. Rachel McAdams plays a young woman who is flying home to see Dad... when she meets Jackson, a nice enough guy who turns out to be someone very very bad. Great suspense, both McAdams and Cillian Murphy (he was also Scarecrow in this year's Batman Begins) are fantastic, and a pretty good plot move the movie along... a much better plane flick than Panic Room 2.
#76. The Appt of John Roberts. This guy is good on so many levels... he's young, he's strong, he's a believer in God, and he's moderately conservative. And most of all, he's like a Boy Scout--as in, Democrats can't find much wrong with him, though they've tried. John Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice.
#75. Tim Harrington. Big Papa in NYC. He is the father of Annalynn, and the hubby of Geryl, and the family attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and I have the honor of getting to know them in New York. He's an awesome guy, totally in love with Jesus (and the kids there totally loved their Coach Tim).
#74. Sean Hannity. The Hannitization of American continues... I was Hannitized this year, listening to him more and more during the day (usually after Rush) and getting stuff that the media won't tell you.
#73. Stephanie Walker. She's the meterologist for NBC 13, and yes, she's just as sweet as she seems, and yes, she's even cuter in person.
#72. W. I love our President. Does he make mistakes? Yes. Is he fallible? Yes. Has he stood by his convictions, not caring what the polls say, leading this country in a time of war? Yes. Yes. Yes.
#71. "Pledged" by Alexandra Robbins. Do you want to know what sorority life is really like? Alex Robbins went undercover at a sorority in a national big school, covering a year in the life of a few girls, documenting their parties, their lives and the life that is a Sorority Girl--including the snobbery, the hazing, the peer pressure and everything that goes with it. There is language to watch out for, but this is a fascinating book to read.
#70. Wendy Garner. She and NBC 13 partner Ken Lass, both loved in the community, weren't treated very well. So they walked. And now they are hosting the morning show on WDJC together... I love Wendy Garner. Big crush. I admit it. She thinks its cute.
#69. Ann Coulter. What a great spokesperson for the right wing. She says what she thinks, for better or for worse, and there it is. She thinks all democrats/liberals are pretty much morons, and actually said that we should kill all the opposing armies overseas and convert their leaders to Christianity. Ann Coulter rocks.
#68. "Batman Begins". The first movie, back in the late 80s, with Michael Keaton was good. But the problem was, it was all about The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. This one, however, is all about Batman, played brilliantly by Christian Bale. Cillian Murphy is genius as The Scarecrow as well, much better than all of the other villians in the 2nd through 4th movies (put together).
#67. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. What a great show. Every week, something new, something fascinating, something thrilling. I think Warrick Brown (played by Gary Dourdan) is brilliant, though Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, who is also in Erin Brockvich, which Tyler & I both found out this week) is great too. And of course, Gil Grissom is da man.
#66. "King Kong". Just saw this movie a few days ago... absolutely brilliant and genius. Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director) has made another masterpiece, with great graphics and effects, a great story and a monkey you actually believe. And some of the dinosaur scenes are just amazing, especially the brontosaurus pile-up in the valley.
#65. Rick & Bubba. Every morning, if I'm up and moving, I listen and laugh. They kept me laughing all year, and Steph and I buy their new cd everytime they have a new one out. We subscribe to the "Extreme Club", which means we can listen to all shows in the last month, plus hear bits and see video that you can't hear in the morning. Good, funny stuff.
#64. Kara Graves. My little girl has all growed up and in college now. Sigh. Much like the Fine Girls. And very cool.
#63. The Rock. No, not the movie, the action star. I admit it, I have a man-crush on The Rock, in a non-Brokeback sort of way. He was hilarious in "Be Cool" (see #91) and was at his absolute cheesy best in "Doom", absolute crap except for The Rock. I even got his autobiography from eBay this year, which I'm pumped about reading.
#62. Mark & Cindy Warner. She's the logical, level headed one you havea crush on in a Kellie Martin from Life Goes On sort of way... he's the goofy, childish one you enjoy watching blow up movies with. I liken them to Steph & I. Love these guys.
#61. The Freedom of Iraq. Okay, so not only did they ratify a Constitution, they also had parliamentary elections and are now on the verge of taking over their own country and running it... all in three years. No thanks to Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton and the like. No matter what the media tells you, freeing a nation is a good thing.
#60. "Cold Case". What a great show on Sunday nights. The premise is, that a group led by Lilly Rush takes on cases that have been sitting on shelves for years, sometimes decades. Mixed in with cool flashbacks and music from the era, its a great show that keeps you guessing... plus, its got an awesome theme song opening.
#59. "Scrubs". One of the funniest shows ever in the history of tv. Dr. Cox is probably my favorite character, but the whole cast--JD, Turk, Elliot, Carla--makes it worthwhile. The guy who plays the lead, JD, is Zach Braff, who starred in 2004's "Garden State" and also was the voice of the lead character in "Chicken Little".
#58. Michael Luna. I work with him at Starbucks. Theology student, married to a hot chick, strong Christian... all that makes him a very cool guy.
#57. Darth Tater. A Dark Side of the Force spin on the old Mr Potato Head. Mine looks cool.
#56. The Kelley Twins. Like The Fine Girls and Kara, I've watched these two grow up from their very young days to their current status as seniors in high school. Awkward kids to beautiful young women of God. Sigh. I'm getting old.
#55. Sarah Jacks. She comes into Starbucks alot, she's a junior at ASFA, and hopefully will be coming to Valleydale soon to try out the high school ministry. One of the sweetest spirits I've ever been around, plus a big sister that is absolutely wonderful--I hope you get to meet Sarah one day.
#54. Blogging. Livejournal and especially blogspot has been a year highlight in 2005. Through blogspot, I was able to everyone informed with what was going on on the trip in NYC, which I found out later, had a ton more people reading than I ever thought. Plus, here I get to talk to you fine people. And for Lindsay and Lori, it would be you Fine people.
#53. Troy swag. Stephanie bought me a Troy University long sleeve, and Mom in Law got me a Troy fleece pullover. My first real Troy Swag since I bought stuff in college.... I love swag.
#52. "How To Talk to a Liberal (if you must)" by Ann Coulter. She was back at #69, while her book is here. I got the trade paperback for Christmas, and in reading some of it, she doesnt lose anytime telling us how wrong the libs are on practically everything (of course, you knew that)
#51. Making Fun of Tom Cruise. He hopped on a couch, then jumped down shouting about how much he loved Katie Holmes, getting her pregnant and pulling her to the dark side (Scientology) after she grew up a baptist and swore she'd be a virgin until she got married. Then he got on the Today Show, made fun of psychiatry and people who do it, and told Matt Lauer he was "glib". Then he made War of the Worlds, which sucked. What a goob.
#50. The Incredibles on DVD. What a cool flick... everytime I watch it, I like it more and more... but the best thing about the dvd is the "cartoon" of Mr Incredible and Frozone from the 60s, with the actual Mr Incredible and Frozone giving commentary. Hilarious.
#49. Best Buy. Oh man, did I drop some money in this store this past year. I always searched for the Best Buy ads as soon as the Sunday paper became available to me, to see what was "2 for $20" or the list of special dvds that were $7.99 or something. Of course, I was proud of my restraint, but still...
#48. Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watch this show. Get over it.
#47. My Birthday Party. I turned 30 this year... so what did I want? Thats right, a superhero party. Stephanie got me a Fantastic Four cake, and all of my friends came over and we all played a big superhero card game (which I thought up, thank you very much) and then we had a rousing round of Dave Trivia. Still thinking about next year's extravaganza.
#46. "Night Court" on DVD. This is one of my favorite all time shows. It's a silly little sitcom from the 80s that had Harry Anderson (whom I've met... cool guy) as a judge of an overnight misdemeanor court, and of course, hilarity ensues. Steph bought me Season 1 on dvd. I'm pumped.
#45. My RCA Lyra. I entered the world of the technologically advanced by getting an mp3 player. It worked, for a while. Of course, it only held 800 songs, and I was hoping it would hold around 5,000, but 4 gigs will only get you so far. I'm now holding out for an iPod.
#44. "The Wedding Crashers". On second thought, don't see this movie. Its bad. Funny. But bad. I warned you.
#43. Brooke Smith. Yes, that Brooke, the one from the Bachelor Season Two. We became friends at NBC 13, and she's just as wonderful as she seems. We have lunch occasionally (which reminds me, I need to call her) and as a Christian, she's an awesome person to know. Cool, in fact.
#42. The A&E Channel. Its the channel that gave me Cold Case Files, City Confidential, American Justice, Rollergirls, Airline and a whole slew of programs that have taught me how not to commit a murder.
#41. Homestar Runner. Do you know about Strong Bad, The Cheat or Homestar? Click on it, I dare you
#40. Attacktix. Its this silly little game with Star Wars figures, but its so addicting. Girls, you wouldn't understand... it appeals to the inner competitive nature of guys, our natural nature to want to blow stuff up and cause destruction.
#39. Kendall. I think her last name was Phillips... anyway, you'll find me talking about her in my NYC blog. She was a Mississippi gal up there on missions, and she was one of our leaders in our basketball camps and such. Such a cool, cool gal.
#38. DC's Identity Crisis. Let me try to explain... DC is one of the biggest comic companies in the world, doing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of others. Well, in 2005, they had a series called Identity Crisis, in which one of their superhero's wives was raped and killed. And suddenly, in their investigation of 'whodunit', a host of secrets about Hawkman, Green Lantern, the Green Arrow and many other heroes came spilling out, making for a fantastic story that I'll never forget.
#37. Paula Mackey. She was like the big sis to me on our NYC trip... funny, goofy, always there when I needed a shoulder... to wipe sweat on, that is. We worked hard together, got to see Matthew Modine, hung out at Coney Island and more. Paula rocks.
#36. Survivor. Two editions so far this year, one in 2005 Spring, the other in 2005 Fall... and the show just keeps getting better and better every time around. In the Spring, we watched Fireman Tom outlast Katie, who somehow made it there despite not doing anything, and lanky Ian, who felt it was more important to be friends than to win a millions bucks (Ian, I'd take the million... I've got friends). In the Fall, it was fun to watch former NFL Quarterback Gary Hogeboom lank his way to the final five before taking the fall. Eventually, Danni Boatwright won, despite not being bigger around than my bottle of water sitting next to me. Of course, how could you not root for The Manimal?
#35. Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. This is the first of several Harry Potter references on our top 100... I reread this book this summer,and forgot how good it was. Order of the Phoenix is still my favorite, the new book is great as well, but I wanted to make sure I was familiar with this one before the movie came out... and it was awesome. Very long, so kick back if you read it, but so much better than the movie, if only because it has so much more in it.
#34. Matt & Stephanie Rector. Our little girl Stephanie Nipp is all growed up this year, getting hitched to Matt Rector of Chattanooga Tennessee. Matt, who looks like actor Vincent D'Onofrio, is an odd bird to speak of, with a Simpsons obsession and a goofy laugh, while we love our Steph and all her quirks. It was tough to let her grow, but our baby had to find her way, eh? They make a great couple.
#33. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Funny how Hollywood can't bring itself to say "hey, this book is about Christian themes", even though the movie itself makes religious references. It was a great flick all over, with fantastic effects, great casting and a White Queen to die for. Tilda Swinson was great as the enemy, with her dreads all hanging down, while the battle scene at the end does rival Lord of the Rings.
#32. My Name is Earl. The funniest new show of the year, with Earl Hickey trying to make up for all the wrong he's done in the past. Gotta love Earl's porn 'stache too, plus his ex-wife Joy and her trailer trash life, The Crab Man who is Joy's new love, Randy who is Earl's overweight brother and more. Oh, and the mexican maid that Earl would date, but Randy called dibs. Such a funny show.
#31. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. So, for the first time in 11 years, I became credit card free in 2005. It was such a great feeling, and I do give mucho credit to Dave Ramsey. A Christian, he uses practical and biblical methods for simply getting out of debt and living a debt free life. Steph & I have adopted his methods and are now inching closer to being debt free--then we'll get a house. =)
#30. The Astonishing X-Men. Fantastic comic book. Great series. When Colossus comes back, Wolverine's face--and Kitty's reaction--is simply priceless.
#29. "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. Read the upcoming review on my site.
#28. Cold Case Files. DNA, blood, missing people and files going cold... hosted by Bill Kurtis, one of the coolest crime reality shows around. Oh, and dig on Bill's jacket.
#27. Dirty Jobs. Ever want to see a turkey droppings analyst? Or a cheese maker? A San Fran Chinatown garbage runner? Mike Rowe does the jobs you take for granted... and makes me laugh in the process. On Discovery channel.
#26. Kingdom Comics. The shop over on 31 by Pier One, down from Diplomat Deli. Stan Daniel runs the place, and never will you find a more friendly, more fun comic store. See Stan for all your comic needs, he'll take care of you, I promise.
#25. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson. Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces, I hear this song, I sing along, I know Kelly's the one, makes me smile deep inside, you might just hear my voice cry... Behind These Hazel Eyes
#24. Ginny Weasley. When she makes out with Harry Potter, I officially have a brand new favorite character in the series.
#23. City Confidential on A&E Channel. Its like your grandad telling you stories, only instead of tales of corn fields and how it used to be, Paul Winfield or Keith David tells of a small town, USA, its history, its population and... murder. Of course, I just found out he was gay... that kind of ruins it for me.
#22. "As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith. Turning 30 this year, I adopted this song as my anthem. I ain't as good as I once was... thats just the cold hard truth. But I still throw a few back, talk a little smack, when I'm feelin' bulletproof. So don't double dog dare me now... or I'll have to call your bluff. My body says "you can't do this boy" but my pride says "oh yes you can".
#21. Natalie Valentine. My NYC Homegirl, my date to Nathan's Famous and my roller coaster queen on the Boardwalk. Love this girl. You would too.
#20. The Soup. Hosted by Joel McHale, its a weekly comedic review of talk shows, reality show clips and much much more. "This week, Marilyn Manson released his new cologne," says Joel McHale with his goofy grin. "Ah... so thats what irrelevency smells like." On E! during the week.
#19. The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. The movie was at #33... this one is the book. CS Lewis knew how to spin a story, and remarkably, it leaves stuff open for intrepretation. however, whats not open for intrepretation is the question that the media is asking... "is this story really about God?" Duh.
#18. The ESPN Zone Cafe. Right off of Times Square, one of the best places to enjoy a meal (they have $35 dollar appetizers...) but the best? They have screens in the bathroom stalls. You can watch tv and... have a few moments of privacy. They are over the urinals. Josh Blackburn said "Heck, I dont even have to [go to the bathroom] but I'm going anyway, just to watch TV".
#17. Rush Limbaugh. America's anchorman, the all knowing all seeing Maha Rushi. You know what you hear in the media? Find out the truth from Rush. He'll take care of you.
#16. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The circle is complete... and a saga that no one under 21 or so will truly understand--as in, we know what its like to have the anticipation of the new movie... the new movie being Empire Strikes Back, then Return of the Jedi, then wait 15 years for the Phantom.
#15. The DFC. Congrats to Matt Latta for winning a fine season of the Deuce Football Championships, the 6th installment. VII will be even better when I win the whole thing.
#14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater. It was called Baggage, The Boogeyman and Big Big Bibles. The final WalkAbout theater with me in the lead, for the Valleydale Middle School group. Great performances, including what will do down as one of the Top Ten WalkAbout skits ever, that being the hilarious Mutiny in the Vineyard, starring Tyler Bolton, Josh Blackburn, Joey Thomason and Austin Guthrie.
#13. Carnagie Deli Cheesecake. The world famous Carnagie Deli in NYC has some of the biggest and best cheese cake I've ever had a pleasure to eat. The sandwich was ginormous, first of all, and the cake was--no kidding--about six inches high. I couldn't finish it.
#12. Martyrs & Thieves. Jamie, Kourtney, Megan, Nathan, Garrett, Betsy, Anna, Amanda and Kayla. You guys are awesome, and I'm honored that you'd be a part of the drama team. Wait til we really get going.
#11. Kidstuf. Valleydale Church's (an sbc fellowship)own children's theater, where parents and kids learn together. No kid under 7 knows my real name... I'm Tyler to all of them. And you know what? I'm okay with that.
Monday, August 08, 2005
NYC Entry #10: Finality
Well this is it. The final morning. No subway rides, no trips to West Way Cafe for some french toast, no adventures at Crotona Park, nothing. God seemed to bless us a little extra after a long week, as when I woke up, I was only partially covered in sweat, not completely, due to the breeze slightly blowing through the open window.
The time was 5am, and we were to be outside with our luggage at 545, so we could catch the bus. I had cleaned up most of the room last night, but Larry picked up a few things I didnt get. We had about seven half filled water bottles just laying around the room, so I poured those out the window, and dumped them in our garbage bag. He got a quick shower, then I did right after. The last time to use the cubby hole shower stall... didnt feel bad about it. The water was actually kind of cold, and it felt really good.
I put on my ESPNZone shirt and threw on my backpack, put my drivers license in my pocket, grabbed my celly and was ready to go. Just a sidebar: When doing missions anywhere there will be heavy walking, like NYC, take luggage that has a handle on it. Not a 'pick up' handle, but one you can roll the suitcase with. Learned this lesson the hard way. Just a tip from your ol' Uncle Dave.
Larry was sitting outside when I came out with my luggage. I told him I was going to walk up and find a 24 hour drug store or something for something to nibble on, but when I did, there was nothing open. The City that Never Sleeps, my booty. When I came back, standing outside was Terry (he introduced himself), smoking a cigerette and drinking a beer. Mind you, this was in fact 530 in the morning. Mark was out there as well, and we talked to him for a little while... Terry, and his pal Keith that joined him soon after, were from Dublin, Ireland, and they played soccer. They had to end up in LA in two months, but until then, they were going to see the sights of the USA. Mark mentioned to me that he was thirsty, and I relayed my fruitless search for beverage, but Terry came through with a solution. "You guys wan a coupla birs? I can git them for ya if yuh'd like et" in thick Irish. We both decline, saying that we dont drink this early. Or ever.
Had a black dude come up and say "So, I see you guys are drinking early in the morning! I got one thing to say about that..." and then he began to rap some jibberish that ended with (paraphrasing) "I ain't got no money, I'm hungry, can you spare a buck?" Terry gave him a few bucks, and Tim, who had just come out trying to pawn off some extra food, gave Rapper J (as he called himself) a big bag of BBQ chips. (You cah't fult tha guy fer tryin, Terry would say when Rapper J walked away).
A cab then pulled up, and another guy got out... and I promise, be it my magic or immaculate beer conception, Terry immediately materlized a beer out of thin air and it was in the new guy's hands before he fully was out of the cab. It happened in about 1.25 seconds. This new guy was Trevor. They all stood talking to us for a minute, dropping the "f" bomb a few times--Terry said cursing was so normal in Dublin no one thought about it. Daniel and Chuck were out there by now, and everytime the "F" word came out, he'd turn to Daniel and Chuck and say "oh, I'm sorry", then continue on. "So, my and my boys ur travelin the stits, and for f*$&--oh, i'm sorry--goodness seck, we try to f$&%--oh, sorry mate--do what we kin to..." and it cracked me up.
Terry said he and his guys would love to visit Alabama, so I gave him the number to Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and told him to call and try to contact someone on the NY trip. Really, I just wanted to envision Lori or Donna Land taking that call--that thought alone amuses me to the point where it would be worth it, but if they actually do call, thats a 100 out of 100 on the unintentional comedy scale. Finally, the time came to walk away from The Palace. Sadly, no more un-airconditioned rooms, no more jacked up showers, no more money hungry internet computers that barely work... of course, the sweat was still there. We went a block out of the way to our stop, which was okay for everyone with handled roller bags, but me carrying my suitcase by its handle.... not good times. Bad times.
Our team was the only one on the bus for a while, though by the time it passed Shea Stadium, it was pretty full--our luggage probably took up 1/3 of the bus room alone. We unloaded off the bus, got in line at the Delta desk at La Guardia (where Mark swears he saw Jake Gyllenhaal a few people behind us in line. Natalie and Paula disagreed. I was torn.)
I had a breakfast combo at the airport Burger King that cost me $6, when in B'ham it cost me $3.02 (joke of the week... what does Jackie Chan order at BK? a Whah-Pah! Do hand chopping motion for full humorous effect). Then I bought a $4 Sports Illustrated and a $3.50 People Magazine. Thats really it. Then what happened?
We came home.
Nothing more to tell, really. The flight was uneventful, and I got to sit next to Natalie again. Neither of us really said a word to each other or anyone else on the way back, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence--it was more of a "hey, you're tired, i'm tired, we're friends enough now that we won't bother each other" which was good. The plane lifted off, then two hours later, landed in Birmingham, Alabama. After a week in the big city, our town seemed small and definately different.
Ken Mackey (Paula's hubby) was there to pick us up, along with another guy (Dave Harris?) that I dont really know... Philip's wife was there to get him, as was Colby's wife. Everyone else got off at the church, just in time for the 11am service. When we got to the church, everyone grabbed their luggage and went different ways--we'll say our "thanks" and "see yas" another time, I'm sure, because I didnt see anyone else after I went inside.
And up in the choir was my love, Stephanie, singing. I could tell when she spotted me, because a big smile came on her face, and it was sooooooo good to see her.
Well, thats all she wrote. Our New York City mission trip has been blogged, and is over with. I know I've written a lot (trust me, my extra money was pinched for it), and I appreciate you reading even some of it.
I'll have one final blog for NYC to write, which will be more of my thoughts and reflections on the trip, but this blog site will continue on, so don't forget about me. I plan to continue doing thoughts, prayers, movie reviews, encouragement and other fun things here... check back in a day or so for NYC Entry #11--The Conclusion.
The time was 5am, and we were to be outside with our luggage at 545, so we could catch the bus. I had cleaned up most of the room last night, but Larry picked up a few things I didnt get. We had about seven half filled water bottles just laying around the room, so I poured those out the window, and dumped them in our garbage bag. He got a quick shower, then I did right after. The last time to use the cubby hole shower stall... didnt feel bad about it. The water was actually kind of cold, and it felt really good.
I put on my ESPNZone shirt and threw on my backpack, put my drivers license in my pocket, grabbed my celly and was ready to go. Just a sidebar: When doing missions anywhere there will be heavy walking, like NYC, take luggage that has a handle on it. Not a 'pick up' handle, but one you can roll the suitcase with. Learned this lesson the hard way. Just a tip from your ol' Uncle Dave.
Larry was sitting outside when I came out with my luggage. I told him I was going to walk up and find a 24 hour drug store or something for something to nibble on, but when I did, there was nothing open. The City that Never Sleeps, my booty. When I came back, standing outside was Terry (he introduced himself), smoking a cigerette and drinking a beer. Mind you, this was in fact 530 in the morning. Mark was out there as well, and we talked to him for a little while... Terry, and his pal Keith that joined him soon after, were from Dublin, Ireland, and they played soccer. They had to end up in LA in two months, but until then, they were going to see the sights of the USA. Mark mentioned to me that he was thirsty, and I relayed my fruitless search for beverage, but Terry came through with a solution. "You guys wan a coupla birs? I can git them for ya if yuh'd like et" in thick Irish. We both decline, saying that we dont drink this early. Or ever.
Had a black dude come up and say "So, I see you guys are drinking early in the morning! I got one thing to say about that..." and then he began to rap some jibberish that ended with (paraphrasing) "I ain't got no money, I'm hungry, can you spare a buck?" Terry gave him a few bucks, and Tim, who had just come out trying to pawn off some extra food, gave Rapper J (as he called himself) a big bag of BBQ chips. (You cah't fult tha guy fer tryin, Terry would say when Rapper J walked away).
A cab then pulled up, and another guy got out... and I promise, be it my magic or immaculate beer conception, Terry immediately materlized a beer out of thin air and it was in the new guy's hands before he fully was out of the cab. It happened in about 1.25 seconds. This new guy was Trevor. They all stood talking to us for a minute, dropping the "f" bomb a few times--Terry said cursing was so normal in Dublin no one thought about it. Daniel and Chuck were out there by now, and everytime the "F" word came out, he'd turn to Daniel and Chuck and say "oh, I'm sorry", then continue on. "So, my and my boys ur travelin the stits, and for f*$&--oh, i'm sorry--goodness seck, we try to f$&%--oh, sorry mate--do what we kin to..." and it cracked me up.
Terry said he and his guys would love to visit Alabama, so I gave him the number to Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and told him to call and try to contact someone on the NY trip. Really, I just wanted to envision Lori or Donna Land taking that call--that thought alone amuses me to the point where it would be worth it, but if they actually do call, thats a 100 out of 100 on the unintentional comedy scale. Finally, the time came to walk away from The Palace. Sadly, no more un-airconditioned rooms, no more jacked up showers, no more money hungry internet computers that barely work... of course, the sweat was still there. We went a block out of the way to our stop, which was okay for everyone with handled roller bags, but me carrying my suitcase by its handle.... not good times. Bad times.
Our team was the only one on the bus for a while, though by the time it passed Shea Stadium, it was pretty full--our luggage probably took up 1/3 of the bus room alone. We unloaded off the bus, got in line at the Delta desk at La Guardia (where Mark swears he saw Jake Gyllenhaal a few people behind us in line. Natalie and Paula disagreed. I was torn.)
I had a breakfast combo at the airport Burger King that cost me $6, when in B'ham it cost me $3.02 (joke of the week... what does Jackie Chan order at BK? a Whah-Pah! Do hand chopping motion for full humorous effect). Then I bought a $4 Sports Illustrated and a $3.50 People Magazine. Thats really it. Then what happened?
We came home.
Nothing more to tell, really. The flight was uneventful, and I got to sit next to Natalie again. Neither of us really said a word to each other or anyone else on the way back, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence--it was more of a "hey, you're tired, i'm tired, we're friends enough now that we won't bother each other" which was good. The plane lifted off, then two hours later, landed in Birmingham, Alabama. After a week in the big city, our town seemed small and definately different.
Ken Mackey (Paula's hubby) was there to pick us up, along with another guy (Dave Harris?) that I dont really know... Philip's wife was there to get him, as was Colby's wife. Everyone else got off at the church, just in time for the 11am service. When we got to the church, everyone grabbed their luggage and went different ways--we'll say our "thanks" and "see yas" another time, I'm sure, because I didnt see anyone else after I went inside.
And up in the choir was my love, Stephanie, singing. I could tell when she spotted me, because a big smile came on her face, and it was sooooooo good to see her.
Well, thats all she wrote. Our New York City mission trip has been blogged, and is over with. I know I've written a lot (trust me, my extra money was pinched for it), and I appreciate you reading even some of it.
I'll have one final blog for NYC to write, which will be more of my thoughts and reflections on the trip, but this blog site will continue on, so don't forget about me. I plan to continue doing thoughts, prayers, movie reviews, encouragement and other fun things here... check back in a day or so for NYC Entry #11--The Conclusion.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Less than 30 days....
Well... its coming.
On July 31st, we'll fly out to NYC for what will be my third mission trip to that city. The excitement is building inside of me, as more often than not, I think ahead to that trip. There are a total of 16 (maybe 17?) going on this trip, and I've not formally even met them all just yet.
I do know a few--Mark Warner, a buddy of mine from KidStuf (our children's ministry at Valleydale Church, an sbc fellowship); Natalie Valentine, also involved in Kidstuff; Lori Land, instrumentalist extraordinaire at the aformentioned Valleydale; Paula Mackey and her two kids, Brandon and Josh--Josh is involved in WalkAbout, the middle school drama team; Josh & Staci Caldwell, husband and wife duo at church, Josh being the recreation minister, Staci involved with the kids... as for the rest of the crew, I've only met them because of this trip. That includes team leader Philip Waters, a family called the Harringtons and someone named Colby. Larry Long has also joined last minute, as he's the father of former WalkAbout students Megan & Anna Long.
Either way, its the 4th of July today, and I've started this blog right here, right now. I'll be adding to it more and more leading up to the trip, and who knows, I might just keep it going afterwards...
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On July 31st, we'll fly out to NYC for what will be my third mission trip to that city. The excitement is building inside of me, as more often than not, I think ahead to that trip. There are a total of 16 (maybe 17?) going on this trip, and I've not formally even met them all just yet.
I do know a few--Mark Warner, a buddy of mine from KidStuf (our children's ministry at Valleydale Church, an sbc fellowship); Natalie Valentine, also involved in Kidstuff; Lori Land, instrumentalist extraordinaire at the aformentioned Valleydale; Paula Mackey and her two kids, Brandon and Josh--Josh is involved in WalkAbout, the middle school drama team; Josh & Staci Caldwell, husband and wife duo at church, Josh being the recreation minister, Staci involved with the kids... as for the rest of the crew, I've only met them because of this trip. That includes team leader Philip Waters, a family called the Harringtons and someone named Colby. Larry Long has also joined last minute, as he's the father of former WalkAbout students Megan & Anna Long.
Either way, its the 4th of July today, and I've started this blog right here, right now. I'll be adding to it more and more leading up to the trip, and who knows, I might just keep it going afterwards...
(1)
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