My wife and I at Athan's


Our dear friends from LA, enjoying the delicious gelato and very, very rich pani...(?)

Deadly creature

I know! This creature appears to be so cute and innocent. But BEWARE, travelers!!! Looks can be deceiving.

When approaching this creature in its natural habitat, know that it has the proclivity to set traps for unknowing travelers who desire to rest their weary bottoms on something soft and cushiony.






















As you can see in this recently taken photograph, the creature has
surreptitiously placed one of her deadly needles in place to strike
her ignorant prey. The dim-witted beast will momentarily relax and
rest his rump DIRECTLY on the she-devil's spear, impaling him, and
rendering him helpless and howling in pure agony.

Beware, weary travelers...beware....

Couldn't resist...

I was just taking a break at work when I came across this...

Tom to Eat Katie's Placenta...
Whoa, there, Tommy-Boy....
Can't he just keep his mouth shut?

You are getting sleepy...sleepy...sleepy... (think deep creepy voice)

Worked late yesterday in the OR. Then had to go to the lab to do some work only to find that a few of the things that I needed were missing AFTER I started what I needed to do. Sufficed to say, I was not happy. Really, I wasn't!!! You can ask R. I was complaining and cussing at myself. I was tired and hungry....and here I was wasting my time because there were no test tubes!!! The closest analogy would be...cooking. It's as if I had started with all the raw ingredients, starting making a meal, and then half-way into it realizing that I was missing 2 key ingredients. AND THEN...(this is where the analogy falls apart) undoing it all and ending up with the raw ingredients...and having to throw away some of the most expensive ingredients because it's been used. It's as if I had done nothing for 3 hours except waste time and resources. I guess my own stupidity. But it never occurred to me that we might be out of test tubes!!!

As I complained to myself, I began to think about Passion week and just what Jesus was going through. I thought to myself that this must be about the time when Jesus must have been praying in Gethsemane. (Later, I realized that I must be a day off...but anyway...) I started to pray and ask for forgiveness. Only a few minutes later, I'd get mad and irritated about how something else I needed was missing. And then I'd think and pray more. I'm such a wretch...ruled by my body and my desires.

But hey, this morning I started to read...and I realized that I was in pretty good company. Ha! Nonetheless, I started thinking all the more how I need to be like Paul in overcoming my own body and its desires. He says that he was like an athlete, training for a race. He would train his body so that he could master it...literally, beat it into submission.

R and I attended a retreat last month where the speaker likened us all to people who take their huge dogs out for walks. Sometimes, when they have unruly dogs, the dogs pretty much drag their owners everywhere they want to go. I mean, really, it's like the dog is walking the owner, eh? And we're the same way with our bodies. We are supposedly masters over our own bodies, and yet it drags us everywhere it wants to go. Hungry? I eat. Sleepy? I sleep. Wanna watch some TV? I do it.

But, I mean, really, who is taking whom for a walk? (I'm talking about the dog again). God, help us.

I bet the disciples were thinking the same thing when they looked back on this scene....

Gethsemane

36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Could this be us in a year?

Could it be? Could winter really be done? One of our friends, JK, came up to visit from DC and told us that it was freezing. But hey, it hit 70 degrees the other day!!! Have U gotten soft already? It hasn't even been a year since you've left!

I don't know what she's talking about. She mentioned something about cherry blossoms. I can't believe she's from Boston.

I was walking out of the house the other day and low and behold, our neighbors are moving out.

And I just thought to myself...wow...this will be us in just another year. Hard to believe, eh?

In other news, I just signed my first contract for a REAL job (Background music: Money, money, money....Apprentice theme song). Y'know, one that pays more than minimum wage. I signed it and handed it in. It was wierd. I just said to our chairman's secretary, "Is that it?" She says to me, "Yup, it's official!" And then she just laughed and laughed...and laughed (at me), shook my hand, and welcomed me to the family.

So, I guess it's official, we're staying another year in "our fair city." Any of you NPR lovers know where that line is from? Here's a hint: Anyone who can give me the answer to this "puzzler" will get a fine product from our "Shameless Commerce" division. Click here for the answer.

I gotta go to sleep. I've got more to write, but... yeah gotta sleep.

Repent for the Kingdom of God is near...Part Deux

More signs....

3. It hit 70 degrees last week. I could actually go biking...FOR FUN. : )









Never mind, I take that back....This just in...more snow.















2. R has stopped knitting....


scarves!!!















1. I'm actually blogging.

Gots to go.

Your Ogre Achiever...CL

Catching up...

with IMPORTANT news....

Okay, so it's been a while since I've blogged....yeah...

Since the last time I've blogged a lot of things have happened...but don't worry. I'll only mention the important things that have happened.




December '05. Eagles fail to make the playoffs for the first time in, like a million years. Who was their QB this year? Jim McMahon? Ty Detmer? Where's Bobby Hoying?
And who was that guy throwing to?








January '06. Okay, so the year ended horribly. But hooray for JoePa! The guy is like 100 years old for gosh darn sake. He can still do it! He just needs a few years to build up to a winning season that's all.He finally has a good year. #3 in the country. Okay, come on everyone! WE ARE....PENN STATE!!! (Gotta represent!)








March '06 Terrell Owens has becomes a despised Cowgirl!!! Just the thought of the whole thing makes me feel sick!!!

To go from this....










to this....












....in just 2 yrs. Aaagh! At least the Iggles gave it a shot with him because even though he's a jerk, the guy can flat-out play. I'm glad they at least gave it a shot with him.

BUT, What IS particularly disappointing is how Donovan has behaved through this whole thing. I mean, he just really hasn't acted like much of a leader through it all. In fact, he's sort of acted like a spoiled athlete. Maybe they ran out of Chunky Soup. Anyway, I could go on...but I won't...Instead, I'll just talk more about....Donovan!

March '06. Villanova ALMOST gets into the Final Four while playing lousy basketball in the tourney. Okay, yeah. Just like, the Iggles ALMOST got into the playoffs. They got destroyed by the eventual Champs, Florida. Ah, well. I'm still proud of them. They had a good year.

April '06. More on Donovan McNabb...He has been convicted for illegally parking in a handicapped spot! That's right! Our beloved franchise QB, who is supposed to be...well...perfect. He has sinned!!! Sinner!!! Okay, does it really matter whether or not he was even in the car?

Oh, and the Sixers are doing the Deep-Six thing as we speak. And well, there's always the Phil.....I mean the Flyers!

Okay, after all that...all I've gotta say is...

GO RED SOX!