In the current season of my life, Cream Soda is the absolute greatest drink in the world. This is the king of all sodas. It's vanilla-y, it's caramel-y, and it's just plain tasty. I've tried dozens of varieties and I love them all...which is clearly defined on my belt size.

What's your favorite thing right now?

I'm not sure what is wrong with me right now, but ever since I've returned from Honduras I haven't felt quite right. We experience poverty on several levels and as I got home the Spiritual Poverty of the USA was staring me right in the face. Don't worry...I'm not going anywhere. I love this place. There are just so many distractions and complications that block us from God.

Everything is warring against us here. It's tough. Therefore, I'm hijacking this whiney-butt blog entry and starting a new topic right in the middle.

Board Game Club

About 5 years ago we started a secret organization called Board Game Club. It started out public, but as interest grew we had to move underground quickly. Not everyone could handle the hushhushness of our organization.

We would simply tell people that they needed to come to BGC on Tuesday night at 7pm. They would always ask, "What's BGC?" To which we would respond, "The first rule of BGC is that you do not talk about BGC."

If people were bold enough, they would arrive at our house, unaware of what was to come...unsure how they should be dressed...without a clue of the amazing crap that was about to hit them square in the face. This:


Now don't judge a book by it's cover. This is a rare photograph of the original core team. We built up to around 12 people quickly and if you showed up enough times you would get an official BGC shirt. See model below:


Be careful...Board Game Club might start up again. Keep an eye out.

Do you ever feel like you aren't the best at being who you are? And this time I'm not talking about being phony. I'm talking about feeling like an imposter in my own skin.

People would call me an extrovert...and I would too, however, when given the opportunity I withdraw and I'm fine to be by myself. This would only be for short stints of course. I always begin to miss my family and I crave community after while. But I don't need it constantly. I can run away from everyone and stay gone for a while...usually what brings me back quickly is the ideas that people are wondering where I am. This feels prideful and yet it usually turns out to be true when I'm thinking it.

I kind of feel like a lone ranger even when I'm in a crowd of people. Like I fit in...but I don't. A sabbath from the good comes to mind. A break from the healthy, not for unhealthy things, but other healthy things seems needed. Solitude and a chance to clear my head are a must for me and I realize it too little and often too late. Hmm.

Everyone's got guilty pleasures. My definition of a guilty pleasure would be those things that you might not feel comfortable admitting with certain crowds. It's that stuff that you pretty much just keep to yourself to enjoy.

Some of my guilty pleasures include:


Pizza Lunchables - I love Pizza Lunchables. If I had to estimate it, I've probably consumed somewhere around 400-500 of these delicacies in my lifetime. I can remember back when they first came out...I was hooked from the start. I ate two of them last week. GUILTY.


I adore folk music. Loudon Wainwright III, Lucinda Williams, David Wilcox...the list could go on and on. I connect with this music in a way like no other genre. I've got rock, hip-hop, classical...you name it. No ones around? I'm playing some folk music. GUILTY.


I like taking baths. Now mind you I've got to shower briefly before a good bath, but still. A bath is so relaxing. I've fallen asleep in the tub more times than I can remember. I look at bathrooms like this one above and I break at least 3 of the 10 commandments. GUILTY.

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

I got bored last night so rather that waste time on the internet I decided to shoot some photos around the house. I was experimenting with different types of lighting and flash.

Check em' out:

Breakfast in general really. It's my favorite meal of the day and yet it's usually the one I'll skip out on if I'm too busy. I'm extremely busy today...I sense that I might go insane from how busy I am with work stuff today...therefore I am writing a blog entry to balance myself out a little bit.

I also forced myself to cook some breakfast for Ava and I so we could spend at least some quality time together. During that time I realized that I truly do love Goetta. Goetta is the king of breakfast meats in my humble opinion. I like it better than Bacon or Sausage. Bacon is a close second though. Give me a couple poached eggs and some buttered toast with my Goetta and I'm in Heaven. There's an entire festival dedicated to my beloved...seriously.

So what is your favorite meal of the day? What's your ultimate dish?

This Valentine's day I'm going all out. Allison is in for a real treat. I'm getting her...

...nothing.

We've decided not to celebrate one of the dumbest holidays ever Valentine's day. Every day is Valentine's day to romantic scoundrels like us...bahaha! We plan on hanging out together and I'll cook us up some NY Strips with Mashed Potatoes and some leafy Greens. Who knows, we might even play Scrabble or watch a movie!! Throw in a trip to Home Depot and it might put us over the edge. The important part is that we'll be doing it. You know...it. That's what married couples are supposed to do. If you're married, and you aren't doing it...you had better be close to dead or maybe ridden with Leprosy. Otherwise...you should be doing it.

Single people out there...it's something you should aspire to. Don't do it unless you're married kids. Trust me...it's not nearly as awesome.

On another note - I am currently PTLing *oh, that's praising the Lord* about the fact that a coffeehouse / restaurant has opened up right by the hobby store where I work a few days a week. There has been absolutely NOTHING to eat around here! If I happen to forget to bring something for lunch...I'm normally doomed. No more! Tag's Coffeehouse has opened up and I couldn't be more excited. I got a great chicken salad sandwich there today...it was scrumdiddlyumptious. I got a latte too...don't tell!

After I leave here I'll be heading to a meeting with Tim, my Pastah, to discuss a hundred of my dreams and goals for 2008. Oh yeah baby...

That's that!

Sometimes I feel like I have so much to say that I can't say anything at all. I'll wait until I have something worth mentioning...until then, here are some random findings from this past week:

Blogs:

www.proofpurchase.com

www.thehomelessguy.blogspot.com

www.cfhusband.blogspot.com

Photos:

Stunning photo of Siberian Tiger.

No, this isn't photoshopped...oops...©

Organizing books by color.

Videos:

Kitchen Beatbox.

Best. Karate Moves. Ever.

Andy McKee is the man.

...JENNY!!

Jenny's entry of the word foofaraw makes me laugh every time I say it. It's even more fun to say backwards...warafoof!! Yes, I'm easily amused. Keep an eye on your email for an amazon.com gift certificate. Nice work!

Honorable mention has to go to Melanie for her uninhibited determination to sway my decision. You'll be getting the runner-up prize for your word gongoozler...I'm not quite sure what that prize is yet...it'll be a surprise. Wipe off your nose you suck-up. Thanks for all your compliments!

Thanks to everyone for your participation! It was fun and well worth $50 for my amusement!

Hello all...I think there might only be about 7 or 8 of you who read on a regular basis, but we're about to find out. thisisreverb.com has been running for a few months now. I've quickly fallen in love with blogging as I think I'm hilarious and I love hearing myself talk as well as reading my own type. Yes...I have a problem. This being my 100th post...I decided to celebrate by giving something away.

Now maybe I didn't get enough attention growing up, or maybe I just want to see who all is out there reading. Well...it's time to make yourself known with this contest.

Being a wordsmith...I love coming across new words that have interesting meanings. I'm looking for a new word to add to my vocabulary...something snappy...something fantastical.

Here are the rules:

Post 1 entry per person. Post one word and the meaning of that word. If I deem your word to be the best new word then you win! It must be a real word...I hate when my spellcheck goes crazy on me. It must also be something I haven't heard before...you're going to have to look for the strange ones. Contest ends on Monday @ Noon 2pm!

Example entry:
Jim Shoe says: Clinopyroxene - a mineral of the pyroxene group crystallizing in the monoclinic system.

...is to waste your time.

Here are a few items I've run across over the last several days.
I thought that you needed to see them:

There's nothing you can do about it.

Proof that cats are demonic.

Inside out teddy bears.

Eww...cheeseburger in a can.

Do you believe in light pollution?

That's all for today kids.

I'm going to have to interrupt the irregularly scheduled blogcast to take a nap. I'm tired and I need 2-3 hours to study the insides of my eyelids.

I'm planning a post for tomorrow about things like murder and whatnot. You'll have to check back and see. In the mean time...I'll give you this opportunity to humor me.

Ask me a question and see what happens...you never know, I just might answer it authentically. Any question...come on...I know you've got something.

Any lurkers out there who read this blog and you've never shown yourselves...come on out of the woodwork! I want to get to know you!

Peach,
R

I began growing a beard about three months ago for a project in my mind. I wanted to see how my beard would grow over a 90 day period. I started taking photographs each morning about one week into the Beard Project. I devoted myself to take a photo on my laptop as soon as I woke up each morning. The results weren't pretty.

I had no idea how different I began to look after about 90 days. My face took on a totally different shape. This may seem obvious, but my wife and daughter were shocked when I shaved. Ava couldn't stop looking at me with this strange, bashful gaze. It was so adorable. She was flirting with me. It made me want to stay clean shaven. Too bad I look like I'm twelve.

Here's a before and after the shave:


I told you I looked like I was twelve.

Here's a video (remember, it was first thing in the morning!) of the growth:

...here she is. Ain't she purdy?

Who me?

We brought some of our old friends and new friends together tonight at El Mariachi in Harrison. It was lots o' fun. Ryan and Carrie will be heading back to Vancouver super early on Sunday morning so we probably won't see them until they get back. They will be living with us though...so we'll probably get sick of them pretty quick once they're here.

*Random Thought* - There's a lady whose main hobby seems to be walking up and down our street repeatedly. I once saw her venture out onto another street, but that was a once in a lifetime kind of thing. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, she walks up and down our street every day. Up and down, up and down, up and down. You'd think she'd get sick of the view. The funny part is that she wears a sweet 80's fanny pack on her hip every walking excursion. You can tell it's completely full to the maximum capacity. I look at that fanny pack and every time I can't help but think, What in the world does she have in there?

I mean, it's not like she's taking some long trip where anything could happen. She's walking up and down her small street. I seriously want to know what the heck she has in there. Any ideas?

...so far at least. You never know, I could have more favorite things happen today...there's still time left.

1. Pictures of Tree Frogs with little tiny snails on their heads.

2. Ava's pigtails.

3. Eating happy meals from McDonald's with Nicholas and Calvin.

4. Elaine and Erin's pregnant bellies.

5. A captive audience to teach about Neti Pots.

...not to be confused with the Yeti Monster.

The Neti Pot is somewhat of a last resort for me trying to eradicate my sickness. I woke up this morning and after praying persistently for God to remove my sickness I've decided to take some prayerful action. I'm pretty sure I have some kind of sinus infection and it's time for it to go.