Denver

Big stuff is happening.

I'm going to Denver, CO. this weekend with the fam to check out the Art Insitute of Colorado, Culinary Department. It seems from the information that they've given me it may be a good fit for me. Intense, but not so intense that I'll overload. So we'll see what happens. I'm pretty stoked about the whole deal.
I'll keep you informed upon my arrival back in Monrovia.

Peace.

tips

Just a few tips:
1. when you where mascara you must be prepared not to cry.
2. napping doesn't always make you less tired.
3. kisses on the forehead make a lot of things easier to bear.
4. laugh when your roommate plays a song that you love on the piano just to watch you dance to it.

The un-joy of Insurance

Yes, that's right, the un-joy.
I am pretty sure that insurance is that necessary evil that no one understands or really likes paying for but has to anyway. Because people don't understand what they're paying for (the explanation would have to be another post all in itself)they get very upset about things.
I had a man call earlier to ask what his rental car coverage was. I told him and said that he was covered for up to 20 bucks a day for up to 30 days. He said thank you and was about to hang up and I heard him take a breath like he was going to ask a question... I let him say what I already knew he was going to ask: "if I rent a car that is over $20 per day what happens?" I told him that he was responsible for paying the remainder. Then he realized the un-joy of insurance. You only get what you pay for. He said to me that one can't rent anything for less than 20 dollars. I agreed and he hung up.
It's a risk. By that I mean, these coverages that you purchase or don't purchase... you have to spend more money up front for a coverage that you may never us but boy you are glad you've got it when you have a problem This is the crappy thing about insurance. Hence the un-joy of working in such a field. No one is ever happy.

new dreams

Ok well not totally new but kinda.
I was talking with Susan the other day over great coffee. I discovered that deep down I'd like to teach a high school class about entering life with valuable skills. Let me better explain... I graduated from high school and went to college and had to learn a lot of valuable skills such as balancing my check book, having and dealing with a credit card, how to sew a button back on a shirt, mending a hole in a shirt, cooking for myself, etc etc.
Now I was lucky because I have parents that taught me some of these things growing up. But some people aren't that lucky.
During college we occasionally had a speaker come and talk to us about debt and credit cards which I always thought was very valuable. I just recently learned about what insurance is really about (I mean I guess it helps that I sell insurance). But for years I just paid the bill and had no idea what I was paying for.
I think we could start earlier to teach young people how to manage adulthood. Because lets face it, It's hard. There is a lot of stuff to take care of and know how to do.
Maybe you could help me think of some other things that I should incorporate into a curriculum. Got any ideas?

Great and I really mean Great Jazz

Last night Jen and I saw Keith Jarrett and his trio play some incredible music last night. There is something huge about watching 3 people who have been playing together for 30 years make music together. They exemplified how the body of Christ can be like. Each one taking their unique style and gift and bringing it together to make something that moves and changes everything around it. It was incredible.
Jazz is like nothing else I've ever encountered. These guys were making music up in front of me. I was hearing a once in a lifetime concert. It will never be the same again. Man, it was great. Mr. Jarrett can really play. The music really just takes him over and he can't help but have every fiber within him make this music happen. He stands up and moves to the music while playing, he sings/groans while playing because he just can't help it. It's really awesome.
As I was watching this concert Romans 8:26 took on new meaning for me. (The "Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express) I really think that the Spirit can just as easily be groaning through music. I don't know if these men in their 60s and 70s know Jesus, but the Spirit was moving in that room last night. It was like no music I have ever experienced. It was worth every penny.

The half sickness

I threatened to call in sick to work today. (glad I didn't in one sense- I was bombarded for once) But I would've felt guilty. Why on earth would I feel guilty for not going to work? Well, I've come down the half sickness. Maybe you've heard of it or even worse experienced it. I've got a list of symptoms: stuffy nose, watery eyes, phlegm in my lungs/throat, an only occasional nasty cough and my head is a little cloudy at times. But I don't feel bad.
Why can't I just be sick or not sick? I hate the half-sick.

Good Friends

I was down today. That happens from time to time.
But how easily I was brought out of a hard place simply by spending some quality time with a dear friend over good coffee at a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Pasadena. I'm not sure how crucial the coffee is or even the coffee shop, but it did taste great.
good friend, good conversation, good coffee, excellent weather. What more can one ask for?