Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
My thoughts on gas (oline)
So, last summer I was sitting at work, and my co-worker got a phone call, which he seemed to be very excited about.
“What could it be?” I wondered.
Maybe his daughter had won an award at school. Or maybe his wife had gotten a big, fat raise. Maybe he had just gotten the call that his billionaire uncle, whom he had never even known about, had just left him his entire fortune. Surely, based on his reaction to whatever he was being told, it would have to be something of monumental proportions.
“Gas is two-thirty-two north of town!”
“What…?” That was all I could think to say.
That was what he was so excited about? Earlier in the day, I had filled up for $2.35, so I was thinking, “Wow. You can save three cents a gallon. That’s like… 50 cents off a tank.”
But apparently, I was the only one thinking that way, because within minutes, the whole office was abuzz.
“I hope it stays down ‘til after work.”
“No way! They’ll probably raise it at five minutes to five! Those con artists!!”
“Scoundrels!!!” I said…. Nobody picked up on my sarcasm.
“I’m gonna take an early lunch” said one woman as she ran to her car to take advantage of the greatest deal in the history of Gasoline… apparently. A year later, there are still skid marks in the parking lot.
After work, there was a rush to the door. It was like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona! I thought surely I had seen my last day on earth. It had the potential to be like one of those mass catastrophes, like a stadium grandstand collapsing at an international soccer match where the fans get out of control… or a Michael Jackson concert gone bad… wait… no… never mind.
Later that night, after I had dressed my wounds and said the rosary, I was watching the news and saw a gas station with a line of cars a quarter mile long. This gas station was like… the Dutch Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey, and cheap gas!
Then it hit me…. These people that I work with live on the south side. That means that they’re driving about 5 miles out of their way to get to this gas station on the north side… in order to save, at most… 75 cents.
Being the antagonist that I am, I did some research and found that the average car uses approximately 15 cents worth of gas per mile. Multiply that by the 5 extra miles that they were driving, and they were paying 75 cents to save… 75 cents.
Sometimes there are just no words.
“What could it be?” I wondered.
Maybe his daughter had won an award at school. Or maybe his wife had gotten a big, fat raise. Maybe he had just gotten the call that his billionaire uncle, whom he had never even known about, had just left him his entire fortune. Surely, based on his reaction to whatever he was being told, it would have to be something of monumental proportions.
“Gas is two-thirty-two north of town!”
“What…?” That was all I could think to say.
That was what he was so excited about? Earlier in the day, I had filled up for $2.35, so I was thinking, “Wow. You can save three cents a gallon. That’s like… 50 cents off a tank.”
But apparently, I was the only one thinking that way, because within minutes, the whole office was abuzz.
“I hope it stays down ‘til after work.”
“No way! They’ll probably raise it at five minutes to five! Those con artists!!”
“Scoundrels!!!” I said…. Nobody picked up on my sarcasm.
“I’m gonna take an early lunch” said one woman as she ran to her car to take advantage of the greatest deal in the history of Gasoline… apparently. A year later, there are still skid marks in the parking lot.
After work, there was a rush to the door. It was like the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona! I thought surely I had seen my last day on earth. It had the potential to be like one of those mass catastrophes, like a stadium grandstand collapsing at an international soccer match where the fans get out of control… or a Michael Jackson concert gone bad… wait… no… never mind.
Later that night, after I had dressed my wounds and said the rosary, I was watching the news and saw a gas station with a line of cars a quarter mile long. This gas station was like… the Dutch Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey, and cheap gas!
Then it hit me…. These people that I work with live on the south side. That means that they’re driving about 5 miles out of their way to get to this gas station on the north side… in order to save, at most… 75 cents.
Being the antagonist that I am, I did some research and found that the average car uses approximately 15 cents worth of gas per mile. Multiply that by the 5 extra miles that they were driving, and they were paying 75 cents to save… 75 cents.
Sometimes there are just no words.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Me and God
Okay, one more post for the day:
I've been in a really high time in life for the past few months, but spiritually, I've felt like I've been in a valley. I've got this great girlfriend, and I'm so happy with her, and I think I've relied less on God because my life is so good.
So, that being said, I think that what Jared (SP?) has been talking about in church the past couple of months is right on for me. Though I haven't opened my heart to it yet, I think it's time that I do.
There is a fundamental problem in my life, and it manifests itself through arrogence (SP?) and a self assurence that separates me from God. I need to listen to God more, and be in communion with Him at all times. I need to stay aware of the fact that He is always within me. I want to praise Him always. I want to honor Him. Not because I feel like I need to earn His love, but because I love Him, and I'm so grateful to Him for saving me, and I'm ashamed to say that I haven't acted out my love for Him.
In fact, an interaction with my son yesterday, now helps me to put it into perspective. He had misbehaved and I asked him after much conversation if he loved me and his sisters. Of course his reply was yes, and I said, "Then you should SHOW us that love." That's a clear analogy for me. I need to SHOW God my love. Not just say that I love him.
So now the question is... what does this all look like? I'm not sure, but I have faith that He will show me in His time.
I've been in a really high time in life for the past few months, but spiritually, I've felt like I've been in a valley. I've got this great girlfriend, and I'm so happy with her, and I think I've relied less on God because my life is so good.
So, that being said, I think that what Jared (SP?) has been talking about in church the past couple of months is right on for me. Though I haven't opened my heart to it yet, I think it's time that I do.
There is a fundamental problem in my life, and it manifests itself through arrogence (SP?) and a self assurence that separates me from God. I need to listen to God more, and be in communion with Him at all times. I need to stay aware of the fact that He is always within me. I want to praise Him always. I want to honor Him. Not because I feel like I need to earn His love, but because I love Him, and I'm so grateful to Him for saving me, and I'm ashamed to say that I haven't acted out my love for Him.
In fact, an interaction with my son yesterday, now helps me to put it into perspective. He had misbehaved and I asked him after much conversation if he loved me and his sisters. Of course his reply was yes, and I said, "Then you should SHOW us that love." That's a clear analogy for me. I need to SHOW God my love. Not just say that I love him.
So now the question is... what does this all look like? I'm not sure, but I have faith that He will show me in His time.
Ethan
So, I don't know if I've ever talked about this here or not, but I have to tell you the funniest thing about my son, Ethan. You see, his favorite joke to play on me, is to put his butt on me... and fart. Gross, but funny. Funnier still is what he does after.... He runs away, laughing the whole way, and says... "I farted on you Dad!" Like I didn' t know. "Thanks son!" Just what I always wanted.
So yesterday, when I dropped the kids off at their mom's house, Elyse was sitting on her mom's lap, and let one fly.... "Scuse me mama... I farted on you."
Now... I have to take total ownership of this, because Ethan started doing it to me after I did it to him. My bad. We had to lay down some fairly rigid rules for the "fart game", as it were. So Ethan knows that I'm the only person he should fart on, and that's cool, because, if you can't fart on your dad, who CAN you fart on?
So yesterday, when I dropped the kids off at their mom's house, Elyse was sitting on her mom's lap, and let one fly.... "Scuse me mama... I farted on you."
Now... I have to take total ownership of this, because Ethan started doing it to me after I did it to him. My bad. We had to lay down some fairly rigid rules for the "fart game", as it were. So Ethan knows that I'm the only person he should fart on, and that's cool, because, if you can't fart on your dad, who CAN you fart on?
Get off my back Kim :)
Okay, so it's been a while, but I'm back now. I've been going over some ideas, and I think I might have a few interesting topics.
1) I've got to get back on the wagon. I've gained about 15 pounds over the past year or so, and that is NOT COOL! I lost 40 pounds the year before that, and I'm not going back. A couple of weeks ago, Amanda HW was listening to me drone on about my doctor's philosophies on health and fitness, and she said I should write it all down for her. So I decided I'll put some of the finer points here on my blog. Stay tuned. I'll try to put a point per week at least. And you can all hold me accountable when you see me. I'll warn you now though, that when I'm at my running weight, I look pretty much skeletal, but don't worry. I am in fact, in good health. :)
2) I can talk about the kiddos. They're alwasy good for a laugh.
So there you have it. A commitment. A new hope. Not as big of a new hope as, say, Luke Skywalker or anything, but it will give you something to look for anyway.
Later,
Matt
1) I've got to get back on the wagon. I've gained about 15 pounds over the past year or so, and that is NOT COOL! I lost 40 pounds the year before that, and I'm not going back. A couple of weeks ago, Amanda HW was listening to me drone on about my doctor's philosophies on health and fitness, and she said I should write it all down for her. So I decided I'll put some of the finer points here on my blog. Stay tuned. I'll try to put a point per week at least. And you can all hold me accountable when you see me. I'll warn you now though, that when I'm at my running weight, I look pretty much skeletal, but don't worry. I am in fact, in good health. :)
2) I can talk about the kiddos. They're alwasy good for a laugh.
So there you have it. A commitment. A new hope. Not as big of a new hope as, say, Luke Skywalker or anything, but it will give you something to look for anyway.
Later,
Matt