Words

Shopping Online

2011-03-09T22:09:00.000-05:00

I've had a turtle for quite few years now, 5, I believe.

Here's why I'd suggest a turtle as your next pet.

He's pretty low maintenance. If you buy the right filter and lighting, then there isn't too much you have to do to keep the habitat up right. I'd say I may clean the aquarium once every couple of months. Not too shabby in my opinion. Especially when you consider that stank that is Bucky's litter box in one weeks' time.
He's a great talking piece. People love to ask questions about him. What do you feed him? How often does he eat? Why does he swim constantly? Is he going to get bigger? Can I touch him? Will he bite me? Is it a boy or a girl? How do you know? etc. (Answers: pellets, every other day, yes, hopefully not, sure, hopefully so, boy, you should ask your mother that question)
He doesn't eat much...just a sufficient amount of pellets that he is fed every other day. And the best part is that the pellets aren't that expensive. Which brings me to my main point...

Over the years, I've always fed Zo this ReptoMin pellets because:
1) He appears to enjoy eating them
2) They are easy to handle and cheap enough to keep 'em coming

However, I did just learn a lesson in quantity.

This is the usual can that I buy from Wal-Mart for something in the range of $3.00 to $4.00 (1.94 oz)

Then I found some on Amazon...thanks to my buddy Matt and my new Amazon Prime membership, with free shipping, I just bought this next one off of Amazon for $8.99. (10.59 oz)

Now that's what you call quantity.

Guess where I'm buying next time? (In 2016, when these finally run out, that is)

World Travels

2011-01-16T00:05:00.001-05:00

My sister Anna left for a 5 month mission adventure today. I say adventure, because I don't think the word "trip" really qualifies in what she's doing. As part of the World Race organization, her team is travelling in Cambodia, Thailand, India, and then back to Atlanta all while focusing on the growing issue of Human Trafficking.

What's that, you ask? Hopefully you are kidding. Surely you know what Sex Trafficking is and surely you've heard that it has been a mounting concern over the past few years and surely you haven't overlooked the statistics about this grotesque injustice not just overseas, but in our own country/State/CITY. Surely.

Here are some sobering statistics.

That's unreal.

If you are interested in keeping up with what she's doing, check out her blog(s) with her updates -->

http://apennyforannasthoughts.blogspot.com/ or

http://annabearden.theworldrace.org/

In the meantime, maybe the question is what am I doing about it?

What are you doing about it?

There's a film recently made on the subject, an allegorical look, and it's definitely worth a look too.

It's called "The Candy Shop" and you can watch it over at http://www.thedoorpost.com/

William and Melanie Wedding Highlight

2010-03-16T14:22:00.006-04:00

William and Melanie were married on the shores of Lake Oconee at Reynolds Plantation. The two of them met at Prince Avenue Hispanic Mission in Athens and their relationship blossomed from there. It is a beautiful exposition of merging cultures. In fact, that whole wedding weekend was a mixture of these cultures: from the delicious mexican food (my favorite) at the rehearsal dinner to the catered cucumber fish thingy at the reception, everything about this special day was two becoming one. Check it out.

Thanks for letting us be a part of your day. It was incredible. And I'll never be able to look at Oreos and not think of you two.

Impersonations

2009-09-15T12:32:00.003-04:00

Here's a great impersonation...

It's Chuck Dowdle...

impersonating Will Ferrell..

impersonating Harry Carey...

talking about picking up trash when you tailgate.

My Funny Story of the Day

2009-08-31T12:09:00.002-04:00

Here's a guest post for you...Trisha's wanted to write a blog for quite some time. I've tried to get her to start her own thing, but to no avail, so I'm giving her a chance on here...so here it goes.

I have this comment that I make to Brody from time to time asking him if he wants to hear “My Funny Story of the Day”. I often mention that I should blog about some the stories, so tonight I decided to do so.

So, here is My Funny Story of the Day:

I work with this awesome lady named Gwen. Super cool lady, outgoing, personable, LOVES the Lord,..and works in prison ministry…yes, I said prison ministry. Today over our awesome convo, she shared a few amazing stories from her time in the prison ministry. Stories that gave me chill bumps, that made me tear up a bit, and one story in particular that made me laugh…out loud.

One evening she was at a prison in Lousianna just hanging out and speaking with the women there. A shorter, much older, stern looking woman came up to her with a pondering look on her face. Gwen said, “hello” and from there the woman responded with, “I hear you know a lot about the Bible. Well, I got a question for you.” Gwen replied with, “let’s hear what you’ve got.” The lady proceeds to ask this question: “So when I get outta this place…and I get out there and get me a man…what kinda sin am I gonna be committin? Is it adultery? Or fornication? What’s the difference between the two?”

Gwen, pausing, slightly giggling to her herself due to not expecting that blunt or specific of a question, responded with, “It depends. Are you married?”

The woman leaned back, gained her thoughts and said, “Well, I’m a home-made widow, so I guess not.”

Yes, folks…HOME-MADE WIDOW. I laughed. Yes, this woman was in prison for first degree murder of her husband and she called herself a ‘home-made widow’. Too funny.

But it doesn’t stop there.

After Gwen realized the implication behind her statement (and holding back her humor she found in the statement), she then asked, “ma'am, how much longer do you have of your sentence here in prison?”

The woman responded by saying that she received a one hundred year sentence and had a good bit of time left. Gwen’s final response and wisdom to share with the woman was she didn’t think she needed to worry about the difference J

That, my friends (or Brody’s friends) is my ‘funny story of the day’

Thanks and come again.

Youth Minister

2009-08-13T16:27:00.004-04:00

I've been a youth minister for 6 1/2 years now. It's crazy to think it's been that long.

When people ask me what I do, and how I spend most of my time, I've come to realize that its kind of like the Utility Man in baseball...you play all the positions on the field.

I came across this video the other day that pretty much sums it all up. So here it is:

The life of a Youth Minister

That's my job.

Housage

2009-07-31T12:13:00.003-04:00

We bought a house.

(note the new address)

Our grand entrance (don't worry, we've trimmed the hedges)

Our garage

Our vaulted living room

Our screened in porch

Our kitchen

The Master Bedroom...

where the magic happens...and by magic, I mean sleeping

The Master Bath

There are two other bedrooms and a bath that I didn't quite capture with film. If you are really curious, you'll just have to come by and see it.

Our first project is removing the horrendous wallpaper. That part is done. It was a bit of a pain, but we are on our way. We'll be painting soon so I'll give you before and after pictures in another update.

Also...there is a huge yard that you may or may not be able to make out in the pictures. If you have any yard tools you want to rid yourself of, let me know.

So...all this to say that if you are ever in the Athens Area and you need a place to crash, give me a call. We'd love to share with you.

Update: House Hunting

2009-05-19T14:32:00.003-04:00

We spent an hour and a half with a mortgage broker yesterday.
We spent another hour or so at Home Depot looking at tile, appliances, carpet, paint, lawn mowers, sheds...you name it.
(I'm pretty sure Trisha grabbed 60 different paint color sample cards)
We spent the rest of the evening waiting to hear back about our bid.

10:30 this morning we found out we didn't get the house...

A little deflating...especially after contemplating porcelain vs. ceramic tile on a house we didn't even own yet...

But, alas, there'll be other ones.
In the words of Brian, in Saving Private Brian

There's a lot of fish in the sea.
It's always darkest before the dawn.
If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be.

So, it's back to the drawing board...or searching board...or at least looking board.
Off to find another house.

House Hunting

2009-05-14T16:33:00.010-04:00

Trisha and I found a house that we are considering making an offer on....

Did I really just say that? It's crazy to think about having a mortgage, where up until now the most expensive thing we've purchased together has been a mattress. Scary.

Nonetheless, the immense amount of stimulus money being handed out, packaged with the great interest rates, wrapped in the deals that foreclosures bring, and sprinkled with our desire to have a place of our own that we can minister in and with has led us up to this point.

So...here's what I want to do...I'm gonna give you some pictures of the "potential" house to look at, and you give your thoughts....

Ready, Set, Go...

Here's the house...it's quaint...it's on main street

There is this wicked awesome pecan tree on the left side...
have I ever told you how much I love pecans?

This is the driveway side of the house. It has a back deck that opens out to this side.
There is also a little pond on the far left of the picture that was built in.
It's home to a lot of mosquitoes right now.

From the far back corner of the property...more than likely where I would have some sort of shed/barn/man cave. It's got quite a yard too.

The deck itself would serve as quite the entertainment area with plenty of room for a grill, table, umbrella and jacuzzi??? (I'm kidding about the jacuzzi...or am I?)

This bay window is the outside of the kitchen breakfast table area...it's a nice touch.

Back around to the front of the house, we have the front porch.
It's not huge, but we may be able to squeeze a rocking chair on there.

As we head into the house, this is a view looking back towards the front door.
This is standing in the kitchen with the hallway is there on the left, a nice mail sorter there in the middle and an entrance to the dining room on the right.

This is the kitchen breakfast area with the laundry room veering off to the left. You can see the back door as well, leading out onto the deck. (I'm not a fan of this wallpaper)

Here is the kitchen...we will need a refrigerator. This also triples the amount of cabinet space that we currently have.

This is the dining room area. We aren't very big on dining rooms, but it has a nice touch and we do like the hardwood floors. Perhaps we could open it up and make a gigantor living room someday.

And here is the living room. Yes , it is very bright, and yes those windows are huge, and yes it is painted baby diarrhea green...sorry for the imagery...but it is really a gross color....
We're already taking into account the cost of buying paint.

And now for the upstairs...

Bright colored room number one...

Bright colored room two...

The 2nd bathroom (also upstairs).
ps. I failed to take a picture of the downstairs half bath

The master bedroom...not huge, but a good size
In the words of some of my youth, "That carpet is narsty."
We'll have to buy some new carpet so we can walk without shower shoes

The master closet...which is fairly deep...and it has a window....
not really sure why, but there's one in there.

And lastly, the master bathroom...it's got a toilet tucked away to the left, a shower/bath to the right and this double vanity....and again, I believe with all my heart that all wallpaper containing floral patterns as such should be banned from the United States.

Well there you have it.
This is the house we are looking at and might just possibly put a bid on.

So what do you think? It's a little bit of a fixer upper...
Do you think it's manageable?
Can you see this as the future Bearden residence?

Buttons

2009-05-06T14:58:00.004-04:00

I was cleaning through some old stuff in my office recently when I came across something...a button.

During college, I got my hands on a Badge-a-Mint machine. It makes buttons. Maybe you've never experienced one of these machines, but for me, it gave me the same sensation that my deep fryer does...whatever it is, deep fry it...whatever it is, button it.

So I made buttons, four of them to be precise. One for each roommate. Andrew, Cal, Matt, & Myself. My thought process was this: 1) We entertained a lot. 2)There were very few nights that we didn't have something going on and our apartment was always buzzing with people. 3) What better way to inform people of who we were and let people feel more welcomed...because after all, what says "Make yourself at home" better than well developed button?

The premise was that we could wear these buttons as name badges whenever we threw parties.
A ridiculous idea? Perhaps. Still worth trying? Absolutely.

Here's the result:

(ps. 2 Doors Down was the name of our apartment)

Good times.

Priorities

2009-05-05T11:05:00.003-04:00

Trisha and I just bought a new bed...a King Size Simmons Beautyrest Super Plush Delightful Slice of Heaven I believe is the technical name for it. We did a lot of shopping around and are very happy with what we got. It was delivered yesterday, so last night was the first night we got to experience it.

On Saturday we were hanging out with some friends and one of them mentioned that a nice bed was the first big purchase they made as a couple....which made me think...

Our first big purchase as a couple was....

a TV...

That's when you know you've got your priorities in order.

The Collection of the King of Pop

2009-04-20T14:03:00.005-04:00

This Saturday April 25, 2009, Julien's Auctions is auctioning off a ~~plethora~~ absurd amount of Michael Jackson's things from his Neverland Ranch.

An array of treasures from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch ranging from Michael Jackson's iconic white-jeweled glove to the grandiose entry gates to Neverland Ranch are being presented in a tour de force public exhibition boasting 1390 Lots conducted by Julien's Auctions. Beginning with a highlights tour to major cities worldwide, Julien's Auctions will host an 8 day museum quality exhibition at 9900 Wilshire adjacent to The Beverly Hilton open to the public on Tuesday April 14th through Tuesday April 21st 10am to 6pm PST daily. The auction begins on Wednesday, April 22nd and runs through Saturday April 25th at 9:00 am and 2pm PST daily.

One might wonder, what all is being auction off? Well, worry no more. They have made a 5 catalog complete display of EVERYTHING that is being auctioned.

It's definitely worth a gander...

And if you are feeling exceptionally overindulgent, then you can buy the actual catalog for an asinine price of $200 for the entire collection.
(warning: they may already be sold out)

Speaking of collections, if anyone wants to go in on a Galaga/Ms. Pacman machine then let me know

American Idol

2009-04-15T17:32:00.002-04:00

Before this year, I had never watched American Idol. Sure, I'd catch glimpses here and there, but never go out of my way to take it all in.

Now since the inception and miracle that is DVR at my house, Trisha and I watch it most nights. We didn't get to see it last night (Uncle Sam was calling and we were running out of time) so today I decided to browse around and find out a general idea of what went on.

The first article that jumped out to me was one on MTV (which may negate any relevance of my interest) but as I was reading, there was one line that made me laugh out loud.

While Randy jibber-jabbers, Kara rambles about “package artists” and Paula reads from fortune cookies, Simon’s opinion, to many, is the only opinion worth listening to.* (MTV Newsroom)

Paula reads from fortune cookies...indeed she does...

You make music long time

Honeywagon

2009-03-31T12:18:00.005-04:00

Two Sundays ago, a girl at church gave me a crayon drawing of a rainbow.

That same night, in our David's Team activity, I asked all the kids to draw their favorite Bible story on the concrete in chalk. 4 different kids drew a picture of Noah's Ark and the Flood.

At the time, I didn't realize that this was preparing me for my own flood of sorts.

Usher in the weekend full of heavy showers.
As it turns out, a lot of rainwater plus a septic tank placed too high equals impending doom.
As it's been so eloquently put, our toilet got tired of taking our crap and started giving it back.
Six Hours of mopping, vacuuming, and drying makes for a pretty lousy Saturday afternoon.

I just prayed that the rain would stop.

It did.

So bright and early on Sunday morning, I had another visit from my good buddy Darryl Allen of Darryl and Martha Allen Septic Tank Cleaning.
(I say "another" because he had been out once before...two years ago)

Do you know what a honey wagon is? If not, you should.
There you go, now you know. That's what Darryl does for a living.
(It ain't pretty, but somebody's got to do it)

Throughout it all I'm frustrated, but I keep going back to last sunday.
Noah's Ark and the Flood and the Rainbow Promise....
And now...my own flood.

My conclusion:
No matter what floods and storms come your way,
God remains faithful to His promises in scripture.

He will never flood the earth again (Genesis 9:16)
He will supply every need we have (Philippians 4:19)
His Grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)
All things work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)
If you believe in Jesus and ask forgiveness from your sins, you will be saved (Mark 16:16 & Acts 2:38)
He will give you eternal life if you are one of His sheep (John 10:27-28)

After a flood, that's a truth worth hearing.

PS. If you click on Darryl's website, they have a CD that they've made of them singing a song about the honey wagon and something about a goat. I consider them must haves of 2003.

Fantasy Baseball

2009-03-19T13:57:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year.
Where players and stats and projections and sleepers and disappointments happen.
It's Fantasy Baseball Season.

One of the things I pride myself in is the creativity of my team name.
As it stands now, I'm in two different leagues.

College friends
High School friends

I don't have a name yet for my college friends league...that will be determined after our draft this weekend. However, in my high school friends league I've already picked out my team name: "Stop...Hameltime"
I did not come up with this name, I heard it somewhere else, so I decided that I needed to put forth the effort to at least be creative and design my own logo.
So, here it is.

Here's the original Hammer:

Here's the original Hamels:

I'm pretty sure my favorite part is how perfect the gold chain fits around Cole's neck.

Living the Dream

2009-03-16T23:55:00.004-04:00

I'm in the middle of Swainsboro, GA right now...

Why? Because I'm hanging out with my wife while she is on the road.
In the midst of the all-encompassing extravaganza that is Swainsboro...I found myself...
flipping through the channels.

TBS - Family Guy - "seen that one"
TNT - The Closer - "I really can't stand her southern voice"
FX - XXX: State of the Union - "Vin Diesel is a terrible actor"
ESPN - Women's Basketball - "ugh"
TBN - Christian Television - "I preached on Sunday, so I think I've had my fill"

Wait...was that Darryl Strawberry?
That is. That's ole DS...and he's talking about Jesus on TBN.

That made my night

That...and the fact that Trisha and I split a Supreme Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut and ate the entire thing by ourselves....

Just living the dream.

Youth Auction Update

2009-03-11T11:55:00.002-04:00

The 6th Annual Spaghetti Supper and Youth Auction was a HUGE success.

From 4:30 until 9:30 pm we had:
140 people eating spaghetti and bidding on items.
22 students working their tails off to serve everyone.
15 adults directing and orchestrating kitchen, cleanup, and auction details.

The Result: We raised over $4K for Summer Missions.
(a 55% increase from last year)

How's that for a bad economy?!

Youth Auction

2009-03-07T11:21:00.002-05:00

For the past two summers, I have led a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico with my church. We spend time interacting with children in the Casa MAMi orphanage and building houses in "The Canal" which is essentially the sewage slums of Reynosa.
[Here's a video of what the canal is all about]

The Canal : Reynosa, Mexico from Bedouins International on Vimeo.

Each year we have to raise money to go on the trip with Harvest Evangelism, a ministry based out of Opelika, AL. Tonight (Saturday) is our 6th Annual Youth Auction and Spaghetti Supper, in which yours truly will serve as the auctioneer. This event has turned into one of our biggest fundraising events every year and the kids and church really looks forward to it. We've been working on it for some time now and I pray that it continues to be successful tonight. One of our biggest changes is that we want the whole night to really reflect why we are having the fundraiser in the first place. We'll have a slideshow from last years mission trip, missions updates to inform the people more about what we're doing and the need that's there, and signs everywhere to show them that what they give is going towards Kingdom growth.

It's so crazy how missions can totally alter the mind of a teenager (and adult, for that matter) and help them to see the world a little more clearly. I took 21 the first year and 24 last year on our trip and I've seen these kids' heart grow tremendously for the people of Mexico. They love it. My biggest prayer is that every person that experiences missions truly has their eyes opened to a world that truly needs a Savior.

It Snowed...a lot

2009-03-02T16:26:00.006-05:00

We were at church...having a covered dish lunch when the flakes started falling. A sweeping gasp of excitement radiated across the room as the rain turned to snow the size of golf balls.

I didn't make it outside to frolic in the snow at church (I had my good shoes on), but once we got home we suited up and crossed the street to engage in some extreme snowball fights.
It really took me back to the good ole days back in 2004.

That actually might have been the last time I got to where my weather boots.

We did build a snowman, though...which come to find out is a lot harder than I remembered. I mean, I've seen a ton of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons where he pumps those things out in minutes.

It took us a good couple of hours...and then it was more of a snow pillar than it was a snowman in the end.

Nonetheless, we spent a majority of the rest of the evening hanging out, making Snow Ice Cream, and playing cards (Rummy and Rook).

Lambert

2009-02-27T12:06:00.002-05:00

Trisha and I have been watching American Idol this season...I've found that it's a lot easier to watch when you have DVR. Seriously, think about it. The 2 hour show can be gotten through in about 45 minutes. The commercials are gone. The singers that make you cringe can be skipped in a heartbeat. The judges that really offer no value to the show *cough*Kara*cough* can be completely avoided. It really is an all around more enjoyable experience when the power is in your fingertips to speed up/slow down TV time.

As a side note...last night as they announced Adam Lambert as one of the Top 12, his last name began to ring in my ears. I've heard that name before. Where? Lambert...lambert...lambert....ah yes....from Disney.

One of the classics...Lambert the Sheepish Lion

Watch Here

Armbands

2009-02-19T23:35:00.004-05:00

It's DNow Weekend. It's become a custom to buy armbands for the students as a little memento of the weekend. (as made famous by the Livestrong bracelets) It usually has a slogan or main theme to serve as a reminder of what was learned/taught/discussed throughout it all. (This year's theme is KNOWN: Knowing God, Making God Known) The bands also serve the double purpose of helping divide the students up into varying teams for our recreation time, as it is easy to forget which team you are on when there are 300 kids running around.

For the past three years, I've ordered from the company Reminderband. They've done incredibly well in their service and I've yet to be disappointed. In fact, earlier this week I was tracking the FedEx number. Monday morning at 11am it shipped out of Hong Kong. Tuesday morning at 10am it arrived in Anchorage, AL. Wednesday morning by 10:30am there was a FedEx guy knocking on my door, asking me to sign for a package...that's what I'm talking about.

I digress...

Last year, one of the students from the other churches came up to inform me that their bracelet did not say "Mythbusters" like it was supposed to.

"Brody, I don't believe I got the right armband."
"Oh yea," I respond?
"Yeah...mine says, 'In Memory of Victor Garcia'"
"You're right...that's not the right armband."

The best part about that story is that the student that came up to tell me that was from a hispanic church...in the words of their youth minister, "our church would get that one."

This year as I was dividing out all of the bands, I came across another anomaly.

"Ali & Ryan's Wedding 2009"

Somewhere in the world, hopefully, there is a bridesmaid or groomsman that is figuring out what it means to be "Known" by God.

Comedy Night Done Right

2009-02-18T00:30:00.004-05:00

Thursday night is the "strongest night of television"...at least on NBC.

Since the 80s, shows like The Cosby Show and Cheers have graced families with air time together in front of the tube on Thursday evenings. Before my high school days, Seinfeld was the show to watch, because after all, it was a show about nothing. Then Friends entered the scene and captured the hearts of teens and adults alike. 52.5 million television sets tuned in to the finale in May of 2004 (I still remember watching it with some college friends). It really was Must See TV.

Now, we've stepped into a new era with Comedy Night Done Right...which brings me to the best show on television right now...The Office...followed closely by 30 Rock. Both of these shows deliver week after week with content, creativity, and all around ridiculously funny stuff. Sometimes I feel awkward, sometimes I can't stop laughing, sometimes I feel inspired to go and write my own episode. Nonetheless, these shows are, for me, what TV worth watching is all about.

Fact: Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

As a side note. Last thursday, my wife and I watched The Office and 30 Rock with some friends. One of the big parts of 30 Rock was the shameless plug/advertisement for the McFlurry. They claimed it is the best dessert in the world.

Fast Forward to Friday night when Trisha and I are hanging out with a different couple at none other than McDonald's...and we are eating McFlurries. It didn't even register with me until I was half way through my succulent M&Ms McFlurry that we had indeed been duped.

Product placement does indeed work...

Dishes

2009-02-16T08:32:00.005-05:00

I've always lived with people. A majority of the time with my family, but for the last 8 years with roommates (now, my wife).

One thing I learned quickly is that when you live with other people, doing the dishes is a big deal. I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand the number of times I even thought about the dishes as a kid, not because I never did them, but because they just really weren't that pertinent.

However, when you live with other people, doing the dishes becomes a hill to die on. "Whose turn it is to do the dishes" schedules will be posted. "Well, those aren't my dishes" subtle accusations will be made. Civil Wars will erupt. Piles and mounds of crusted cheese and ramen noodles will grace the edge of every plate, bowl, glass, woman and child. And there will be a stand off. Believe me, there will be showdowns as roommates go mano a mano to see who crack first and break out the dish detergent. A simple trip into the kitchen will turn into a mind game as you go to deposit your dirty dish. Because what you are looking at is no longer a kitchen sink, but now a game of tetris as you calculate your move to sliding your dish into the pile at just the right angle so as not to disturb the ancient ruins.

All of this will climax until the mother of all situations happens...

...One of the roommates gets a girlfriend and she ends up doing the dishes because they are making her gag.

Is it pretty? No. But it's part of life. A part of life you can learn many lessons from. A part of life I'm still learning lessons from...

1. Rinse your dishes off before putting them in the dishwasher
2. Always put your dishes in the dishwasher after using them
3. Don't let your dishes tear your house apart...because then the dishes win

Like I said, I'm still learning...

Just last evening, I quickly placed my plate in the sink and walked back into the living room to finishing washing a TV episode. My wife walks into the room and coughs a little, then states, "You know...the dishwasher is empty..." That's all she said. No directions, nothing else. Just like that, a jab to the side. And so it begins again.

I've got a feeling though, that I might not win this showdown.

Proclamation #2

2009-02-13T11:58:00.006-05:00

Let it be known...

that my favorite restaurant in Athens is Peaches Fine Foods.

That is a feeling of fulfillment that I wish upon every human...
friend or foe.

Proclamation #1

2009-01-28T15:42:00.004-05:00

Let it be known...

that I do not care for the sensation of cold feet in a hot shower.

That is a feeling that I do not wish upon any human...friend or foe.

Cowboy Monkey

2009-01-26T22:46:00.010-05:00

The 12 of us went to the Toughest Cowboy Rodeo over the weekend. We all piled in the cars with our getup and garb and made our way to the Gwinnett Arena. I wore my cowboy hat and my big Georgia G belt buckle...at first I was worried that I would be outed as an impostor (because, you see, I am no cowboy), but no one seemed to notice...either that or there were several more impostors in the mix and they were in the same position.
Only after watching the events of the rodeo did we figure out that we were indeed part of some sort of whack Rodeo Bachelor Reality TV Show. The cowboys were competing for some ranch land out in Montana, and each week they would add the 3 scores of their rides up (bareback horse, saddled horse, and bull), with the two lowest scorers having to go mano a mano in an elimination round. I tittered a lot. Especially when the rose ceremony started (ok, there wasn't really a rose ceremony, but it felt like it...spotlights, a straight line where the cowboys had to step forward, and one saying his goodbyes and walking into the sunset as he went to "hang his jersey.")

By far, the best part of the evening was in between the rodeo parts:

1. Kids tried to ride sheep. Strapped in a helmet, each took turns trying to grab onto the wool and ride as far as they could. Only one of the kids started crying, and the sheep seemed happy to get the snots off their back. It was indeed the perfect blend of animal cruelty and child abuse.
something like this
2. A Monkey rode a dog...and they called him the Monkey Cowboy. He would hold onto the sheep dog as the dog corralled all the sheep into a certain part of the arena. To say the least, it was the most entertaining thing I've seen this year. The monkey's name is Whiplash (aka the world's smallest cowboy). I thought it was great. In fact, Linsey, who went with us, said that when she was a kid, that same monkey used to ride at rodeos that she would be in...which means that this monkey has been in the business for some 20+ years.Which begs the question...exactly how long do monkey's live?

And you know what...I can honestly say that up until this point in my life, I've never come to a situation where I've needed to ask myself that question. How long does a monkey live?
Maybe if I was harvesting monkeys for fritters or trying to clone them or something would I need that kind of information...but now I'm curious.

Turns out 'ole Whiplash is a White-headed Capuchin which apparently can live to be over 50 years old...and that's no monkey business.

Biscuit

2009-01-22T10:28:00.002-05:00

Last night at church, I asked the students to pair up into groups of 3 to come up with either a skit, poem, or rap that exhibits the idea of perseverance. I didn't give any other guidelines, so where they went with this was completely up to them. The 6 groups came back with 3 skits, 2 poems, and 1 rap.

The rap made me cry a little bit from laughing so hard...I only wish I had captured it on video.
However, one of the poems was just as ridiculously awesome, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Ode to a Biscuit
by Emily F., Heather T., and Maisie S.

oh, my dear biscuit
covered in butter and honey
my love for you will endure
i will eat you my dear biscuit

my children will never go hungry
for your yeast will fill them

i love you my dear biscuit
without you life has no meaning
and if for one day i should not have you
i will carry on because i know
one day we will meet again

oh, my dear biscuit
strawberry jam is your color
when i skip down the road of hunger
you meet me there with a loving smile

biscuit...biscuit

biscuit, biscuit, biscuit
oh, how i love you
my dear biscuit

There was also an interpretive dance that went along with this poem.

Candy Bars

2009-01-21T10:36:00.004-05:00

I don't buy chocolate a lot...almost never...

The only time is when I'm wanting to give some out to my students.

The other day, one of Trisha's friends who is finishing up a stint in Japan as a Journey(wo)man sent her some chocolate from there. It was a Japanese Kit Kat

I'm not sure what else the package says, but I believe it roughly translates to,
"You will surely win a ridiculously delicious sensation in your mouth."
The chocolate was pink.
The middle nougat was strawberry flavored.
...and it was heavenly.

I do hope they start selling them here in the states.

What's the best foreign candy you've ever eaten?

A Benediction

2009-01-20T14:58:00.003-05:00

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us pray for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.
That all those that do justice and love mercy would say Amen. Say Amen. Say Amen."

Dr. Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, during the benediction at President Barack Obama's Inauguration Ceremony

Movie Trivia

2009-01-19T11:55:00.006-05:00

You know how when you play Monopoly, there is that Community Chest card that says:

You have won second prize in a beauty contest
Collect $10

Everyone laughs and jokes about how it was a one-person contest...
you may blush a little, but nonetheless, you still get your $10.

Last week, I won second place in a contest.

Vision Video had a movie trivia contest where you had to answer 50 ridiculously absurd questions about movies from this past year. A few examples:

In “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, what vampire musical is performed near the end of the movie?
What is the hairstyle that Zohan gives himself on the airplane in Adam Sandler’s “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan”?
In “Leatherheads”, what college did John Krasinski’s character attend?

I spent a good chunk of time on it, but apparently got all 50 of the questions right. Thus entering me into a drawing in which I claimed second prize.

1st Prize - 42" LCD TV
2nd Prize - Surround Sound System
Everyone else (25 other people) - One Free Rental a Week for a Year

I didn't win a TV. But I did get a surround sound system.

So I took my $10 and went home.

Trivia answers (in case you were wondering): 1. A Taste for Love 2. Frankie Avalon 3. Princeton

Chuck E Cheese

2009-01-16T12:06:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago, we decided to take our children's program (called David's Team) out to eat to celebrate a successful Christmas Program and just thank them for all of their hard work.

They were still out of school, so we knew we could do it during the lunch hour. As we talked about where we should take them, the idea of Chuck E Cheese came up. Perfect. After all, it is "Where a kid can be a kid." I did receive a few comments from the parents about special prizes floating around in the ball pit and how such and such magazine labeled it as one of the 10 most unsanitary places you can go in the world. Oh well.

We set the date and took them to the best place in the world to get mediocre pizza and play very expensive games and receive very cheap prizes. It was a blast.

Right before we left, I had one token left, so I decided that Trisha and I should go get our picture drawn on the Chuck E Cheese machine. We did. Here's the result.A kid right in front of us took 3 pictures in a row because he couldn't figure out where he was supposed to look for the camera and how long he was supposed to look there. I tried to coach Trisha before we sat down, but at the last second she looked away. I still love this picture though.

Near and Far

2009-01-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

I was editing some wedding video footage the other day when I came across this little ditty that reminded me of something from my childhood. I tweaked it a bit to make it work. Maybe you didn't grow up on Sesame Street like I did, but this really took me back. Hope you enjoy. Near and Far.

Here's the original.

Thanks to my boy Matt for entertaining me on this one.

King of California

2009-01-13T10:56:00.004-05:00

I watched this movie the other night (well...Trisha did too...kinda...she fell asleep and I had to recap it for her). If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

A fresh-out-of-the-mental institution father and his emancipated teenage daughter venture together on a quest for an ancient Spanish treasure buried beneath their local Costco in this take on the modern family and the American dream.
- imdb.com

The main character, Charlie, uses a metal detector fervently in search of treasure. He's quirky and he gets on pretty strong kicks throughout the movie. I think I liked it so much because I bought my dad a metal detector for Christmas. . So, besides all of the mental problems, I could totally see my dad doing some of the stuff that Michael Douglas' character does in this flick. So, without ruining anything for you about the movie...check it out if you get a chance.

The Belt of Truth

2009-01-06T22:43:00.005-05:00

On Sunday, our kids devotion was about putting on the Armor of God, from Ephesians 6.

I decided to play a giant board game with them.

Every kid took a plastic cup and designed their own game piece that represented them. Then, one by one, each kid would roll a die and move around the board by picking up while picking up the different pieces of the Armor of God. If you landed on a piece of armor, you got that piece. If anyone landed on it after you, they took the piece away from you. The object was to have the most pieces of armor at the end of the game.

Despite the flawed premiss of the game...

You should have your armor on before you leave start
You shouldn't steal from people
You especially shouldn't steal other people's armor

... it went well and the kids loved it

There was one particular incident that made me laugh hard.
One of the kids rolled the die and moved to the spot on the game board where the "Belt of Truth" was. As he bends over to put his game piece on the right spot, one of the kids behind him yells, "You need the Belt of Truth...I can see your crack."

That, my friends, is what the belt of truth is all about.

Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist...

No Merchandise Beyond This Point

2009-01-05T14:20:00.003-05:00

Trisha and I went to Borders today to look for a book. While there, a certain urge hit me that I needed use the restroom.

I made my way to the back of the store and walked through the alarm system as I read the sign, "No unpurchased books may be taken beyond this point."

My first thought was, "I actually considered bringing a book to read. Oh well."
My second thought was, "That would be pretty gross to by a used book from Borders."
My third thought was, "I guess I could go buy a book."
My fourth thought was, "I believe the worst possible world to live in would be the one where you can't read on the can."
My fifth thought was, "I think I'll watch The Cosby Show when I get home."

Leftovers

2009-01-02T13:22:00.002-05:00

I love leftovers.

Thanksgiving leftovers.
Christmas leftovers.
Wednesday night meal leftovers.
Last night's dinner leftovers.
At other people's house leftovers.

There is just something about pulling some food out of the fridge and throwing it in the microwave for an almost instant delight. Over my years as a youth minister, I can count on one hand the amount of times that we've had leftovers at church and no one asked me to take them home to eat later. I'm not really sure where my fascination comes from, but I have a feeling that it has to do with the idea that when I eat leftovers, it's not costing me anything and thus I am saving money...which I support.

So to start the new year off, here's my list of the best and worst leftovers to eat in my book:

Top Leftovers:
Pizza (cold or hot)
Half a burger from a takeout box (this helps me justify spending a lot of money on a meal, if I split it between dinner one night and lunch the next day)
Bar-B-Que Sandwiches (good ole' sammiches)

Worst Leftovers:
Chicken Noodle Soup (never been a huge soup fan)
Chili (don't look at it in the tupperware too long or you might puke)
Salad (the leaves get all soggy and slimy)

What's yours?

SoulJahs

2008-12-31T11:57:00.006-05:00

A few buddies of mine are in a Christian rap group called, "SoulJahs of the Cross."
Chuck and Walt are some old college buddies and they've been using their music to tell people about Jesus for a few years now. I've heard them a few times and I think they're pretty good (not that my rap expertise is all encompassing). I do know that all my students love them and are looking forward to hearing them again here in Athens in February.

They are playing a concert tonight up in Gainesville, so if you are in the area, (and you are between the age of 6-14), then you should check them out.

PS. Happy New Year

Christmas Traditions

2008-12-26T11:53:00.009-05:00

Christmas Day has come and gone. For Trisha and I, it was our first as a couple and we’ve been trying to figure out what kind of Christmas traditions we want to start as a family. But the more we think about it, you can’t really make Christmas traditions...they just start.

A forced tradition isn’t really a tradition at all. Think about it.

Did someone just decide one day to cut down a tree outside and make it free standing inside the house so that they could hang things that glitter on it year after year?

Did someone just decide that they were going to stuff little candies and trinkets in an old sock every year and hang them over the fireplace?

Did someone just decide that families would stand at the front of the church and light five candles on a wreath to represent the coming of Christ every year?

No. Somewhere along the way, these actions became traditions. These little decisions to do something different caught on. They became a part of Christmas. They weren’t forced. They weren’t declared mandatory. It was something that shaped year after year.

(It’s like my old english teacher used to tell me. You can’t have a “First Annual Fundraiser.” That makes it redundant. If it’s the first one, then it isn’t annual yet.)

There is this passage in Mark 7 where Jesus is talking with the pharisees about tradition. They are griping because the disciples hadn’t washed their hands ceremonially before eating at the marketplace (sounds like my mom). It was a tradition that the pharisees had taken part in for who knows how long and they were grilling Jesus about it. Here’s his response,

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?" He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:" 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ...Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (Mark 7:5-9,13)

What kind of traditions do you have? What kind of traditions are starting to take shape?
Most importantly, are these traditions nullifying the Word of God?
Have you let go of the commands of God to hold onto the traditions of men?

My prayer for you is that in all of your traditions (Christmas or New Years or Easter on Monday or the third Saturday of every month...whenever) that you aren’t nullifying the Word of God.
My prayer is that the traditions you and your family take part in seek to praise the name of Jesus and that your traditions are full of honor and glory to God and God alone.

Disclaimer: I usually wash my hands before I eat...
not because of tradition, but because I’m a pretty gross boy.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T11:15:00.002-05:00

We hope you remember to focus on Christ throughout the season.

Christmas Dips

2008-12-19T06:33:00.007-05:00

I think my favorite part of Christmas is all of the parties that you get to attend and eat finger foods...aka dinner for that night. There is something so enticing about satisfying your hunger without spoon or fork...only toothpicks.

There are Sausage balls and Pigs in a Blanket and Crackers out the wahzoo.
And, oh the dips. I do love the dips.

Spinach dip. Cheese dip. Crab dip. Shrimp dip. Guacamole dip. Sour Cream dip. Lobster dip. Chili dip. Salsa dip. 7 Layer dip...shall I go on?

My party strategy looks like this:
Stay away from the nuts...who knows how many fingers have touched those nuts.
Stay away from the sweets for the most part...allows more room for the dips.
Always keep your toothpicks...you never know when you might need to ward off the occasional finger food snatcher or the inevitable spinach debris.
Find a chair close to the snack table...it allows for easier access to seconds and thirds.
Look for larger plates...they'll always try to shaft you with the coaster sized ones. Go in the kitchen cabinets if you have to.

Good luck this Christmas season...happy dipping.

Here's My Top 10 Christmas Party Finger Foods.

Sausage Balls (more sausage than ball, though)
Pigs in a blanket (usually 5 or 6 at a time)
7 Layer Dip (I can't tell you all 7 layers, but I can tell you that it creates a party in my mouth)
Tortilla Pin Wheels (you know...they are like miniature pitas with cream cheese)
Meatballs (what a gross name for a food...but so literal...and so yummy)
Cream Cheese Dip with Salsa (the pink color adds a nice eclectic feel to the food table)
Shrimp Cocktail (I literally have vivid visions of my dad wrapping shrimp up in a napkin and stuff them in his pocket as we left parties as a kid...I do the same thing...thanks dad)
Potato Skins with Cheese and Bacon (especially with sea salt crusted on the skin...gotta follow it up with sour cream though or otherwise you'll get dried up quickly)
Celery with Ranch Dressing (this is my healthy snack)
Cheese ball with Club Crackers (It looks more like a ball of play-dough that has been rolled in a dust pile...but you can never have too many club crackers)

Did I miss any?

Wedding Videography

2008-12-17T12:31:00.004-05:00

So...

I've been doing wedding videography for some time now (4-5 years) and Trisha and I have decided to try and put a little more promotional effort into it to try and get our name out there.

That being said, I've redesigned my website to try and appeal to those looking for Wedding Videographers.

www.brodybearden.com

Check it out. Give me some feedback. Tell me what you think. Tell your friends who are getting married. Tell your enemies who are getting married.

I'd love to be of service.

Cereal

2008-12-16T10:44:00.006-05:00

I was eating some *Lucky Charms today when I thought about how I really wanted some Cap'n Crunch Berries instead. And then I thought about how great it would be if Cap'n Crunch Berries had marshmallows in it like Lucky Charms. So I decided to experiment.

I ate all of my Luckies, but none of the Charms (that is, I ate the crunchy stuff and left the mallows). Then I went and poured some **Cap'n Crunch Berries in on top of the mallows.

What ensued was the equivalent of a glow-stick dance rave in my mouth. It was exquisite.

*ok, they weren't Lucky Charms, they were Marshmallow Mateys, the off brand that you can buy in a 10 gallon sack for the same price and eat for decades...

**ok, it wasn't Cap'n Crunch, it was Berry Colossal Crunch...see note above for description.

&

If we made our own, then we could call it "Colossal Marshmallow Crunch."
I'd buy that.

Anna's Coming Home

2008-12-13T13:59:00.008-05:00

(rss readers click to watch video)

My sister, Anna, has been in Madagascar since August.
She comes home this Wednesday.
We are throwing her a
"Welcome Home/Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas/Happy Kwanzaa" party.

It's this Thursday, so if you are interested in welcoming her back...then give me a shout.

Sleeping Arms

2008-12-09T14:34:00.004-05:00

In my tossing and turning the other night, I went to sleep on my arm.
My arm returned the favor and "went to sleep" on me.

It's not very funny, nor does it feel good. The best I can describe it is that it's just weird.
I could feel the dead weight hanging off the side of the bed in the early hours of the morning.

My first response was to check and make sure it was still attached...my right hand assured me that it was.
My second response was to move it back on the bed and "wake it up."

Half asleep, I take my right hand and go to grab my left arm from it's dangling position.
I toss it back on the bed.

Suddenly, my arm comes flying towards my head and whacks me in the face...only, I don't realize it's my arm. I think that I've just been accosted.

Remember, I'm still asleep...and so is my arm. Which means, at 4 in the morning my senses aren't at their peak and without feeling in my arm, I feel as though someone has just violated me with a very fleshy foam baseball bat.

I sit up a little bit and look around the room, trying to figure out what...or who just hit me in the head.

It was then that I realized that it is way too early.
It was then that I realized that an arm asleep is really a ridiculous feeling.
It was then that I realized that I am an idiot.

A Physical

2008-12-05T00:09:00.002-05:00

I'm no magazine model, but I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. There are a few extra pounds packed on here and there, but overall, I keep my body pretty healthy. I exercise, try to eat right, and get plenty of sleep. But I turned 26 this year and decided that it was time that I go get a physical.

Let me share my experience.

I arrive 15 minutes early to fill out paper work. Done.
I turn it in and the receptionist informs me that there is a co-pay. Ok, I expected that.
"Can I use a card?" I ask.
"No," she responds, "but we do take cash and checks."
Hmm. That caught me off guard. No cards. Just checks and cash.
"If you want to run to the ATM, then you'll have plenty of time to get back for your appointment," she says.
"I think I'm just gonna go search for coins in my car."
7 minutes later I walk back in the door with my dollars, quarters, dimes and buffalo nickels ready to pay my dues.

Eventually, the nurse calls me back and does some preliminary checks since it's been a long time since I've been to the doctor. She takes my weight, checks my ears, listens to my blood pressure...all good fun.

Her first question is, "So what's wrong with you today?"
"Nothing," I respond.
"What?"
"I'm good. I feel good. I haven't been sick. I just wanted to get a checkup/physical/tell me I'm not gonna die since I have some time." I didn't really feel like I needed to justify my visit, but apparently the look of confusion on her face lead me to do so anyways.
"So you aren't sick?" She scratched her head. "Usually we have to drag people in here kicking and screaming when they aren't sick."

Neat.

The plethora of information that follows is a quick summary of any high school health class mixed in with a little Wikipedia and WebMD. Don't drink, Don't smoke, Do wear your seat belt, Do eat an apple a day.

To get good results about my physical condition, they have to do some blood tests. Since I didn't know this, she informs me that the doctor will probably get me to come back in after I have fasted for the previous 10-12 hours.

"Crap," I thought "I have to come back."

She leaves. I wait.

As I'm sitting there, I begin to think about it. Wait a second. I didn't eat breakfast this morning. The last thing I ate or drank was last night, so theoretically, I have been fasting...just without knowing it.

The doctor comes in. I inform him of my revelation. He tells me that a good weight for me to maintain is when I stand in the mirror with my profile that my stomach is completely flat.

I laugh and laugh and laugh...silly doctor.

He does the rest of the physical stuff with breathing and tapping my stomach (which sounded like an oil drum) and making me follow his finger with my eyes. There was no "turn your head and cough"...which I appreciated. He tells me it was good to see me and the results will be back tomorrow.

Nurse reenters with all of her blood drawing gear and the festivities commence.
I lay my arm across the table and she pricks my elbow pit (does that have a real name?)
I watch in amazement. The sight of blood doesn't bother me, so as it draws up into the vial, I take interest.
She fills the first one up and I start to think..."Hey, this isn't too bad."
I can feel it being pulled out and it gives me a weird tingling sensation. It's crazy how your body works.
Half way through the second vial I'm starting to feel it. I haven't eaten in half a day. I've got nothing in me and this woman is sucking my life juice out. I begin to feel like a mortal kombat character is performing some sort of fatality on me as my determination and amazement slowly turns into woozy and lightheadedness.

"Do I get a cookie for this?" I ask.
"No, but you can have a lollipop" she quips back.
"I think I'm going to deserve two lollipops when I'm done."

Vial three. "Holy crap. Are you going to take ALL of my blood? Can I keep some as a souvenir? I felt fine when I came in, but I'm going to feel like a zombie when I walk out."
These are all of the things I said...

...in my head.

"You are starting to look a little pale," she questions, "Are you going to pass out?"
"We'll see"

and done. She gets the blood. I get a wet paper towel to put on my forehead as I stick it between my legs to regain composure. The sweat that breaks out pushes me to sprawl across the doctor's table as I think about loss of blood and why that could really be a problem when people get in accidents.

I get my lollipopS (one green, one yellow).
Each of the senior office ladies decides to chime in on just how pale I look.
"Thanks." Your tan isn't what it used to be either.

I made it out alive and I was pretty proud of myself.

After sharing this story with my dad, it turns out that I'm a pretty big wimp.
Apparently, the amount of blood that they took out of my arm wasn't nearly enough to fill even a shot glass...much less provide a sizable enough donation to a blood bank.

So maybe I'm not so tough.
Maybe I'm not the best blood taker in the world.
Maybe I'm not as fit as I thought I was.

But I will tell you one thing...

I got TWO lollipops.

No Shave: Update

2008-12-04T01:10:00.001-05:00

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

If a man grows a beard for a month, and then he shaves it, but no one even notices, was it really a beard?

No Shave

2008-12-03T09:56:00.009-05:00

I've completed another year. I wasn't sure how it would go over, being married and all, but it is done. We are three days into December and I've successfully made it through another No Shave November.

In years past, my November has been full of second glances, snickers, and "They let you work with children looking like that?" questions. In fact, last year I had 3 different church members approach me with their wallets open asking me in all seriousness if I needed money to buy a razor.
Here's a picture from 2007.

This year, I thought I'd give it another go. The only stipulation for this go round was that I deemed it necessary to make it a No Shave Goatee November, rather than a full blown beard (if you could call it that). My main reasoning for this is that it would cut my white trashiness down by 50%....not completely...but 50%.

Here's a picture from 2008.

Stunning...I know.
Fact: Brody cannot grow a beard...yet.

However, a good friend of mine can. I saw him from a distance recently and I instantly began to covet his beard growing abilities. In fact, I made him let me take a picture of him before he shaved it, so that I have a goal to work towards. In the meantime, I photoshopped Jon's beard onto my face, just to see what it would be like.

Someday...

Happy Turkey Day

2008-11-27T09:09:00.000-05:00

Eat some Turkey. Take a nap. Eat a Turkey Sandwich. Take another nap.

Invisible People

2008-11-26T09:39:00.001-05:00

Stories.

We've all have one...it's our story...
and sometimes we just need to tell it.
I came across this website/vlog the other day and I was captivated.

http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/

Take some time and just watch a few of these clips.
They will move you.
It's an incredible idea. Unedited, Unscripted stories of homeless people straight from the streets of LA. He calls it "Invisible People" because most people look right past them without giving it a second thought.

*disclaimer* At the top of the site it tells you that there may be some offensive stuff on here...maybe so offensive that you do something about it. *disclaimer* wow.

UGA Basketball

2008-11-25T11:49:00.007-05:00

One of my jobs is working with video stuff for UGA sporting events. That includes a smorgasbord of duties on any given day, including running replays, directing, running a camera, etc. With this job comes some pretty sweet perks...including provided meals and being paid to watch basketball...I'm for it.

Nonetheless, Basketball season is among us and that means a lot more opportunities to watch said basketball games.

Now, as to how UGA is going to be this year, I think the jury is still out. I do not claim to be all-knowing in the arena of sports, but I have yet to be impressed by the team. We'll find out soon enough. Our close games with out of conference teams as of late has been pretty lack-luster.

If I want read some good UGA sports opinions, I usually check out what Paul Westerdawg and Quinton McDawg are saying over at http://georgiasports.blogspot.com/

And here's the schedule for all forthcoming basketball games. I'll be there tonight.

***Update - After working the game last night, I came home pleasantly surprised and impressed by the Dawgs (therefore I recant my earlier statement). There is a glimmer of hope. I like the way we look when Trey Thompkins is in the game. He is good...and a freshman. We didn't play the best of teams, but we still executed pretty well.

Operation Christmas Child

2008-11-24T11:47:00.002-05:00

On Friday night, we had a lock-in at our church for our 2nd through 7th graders. This year, our goal was to make Operation Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan's Purse. The kids had a blast, stayed up all night, and ended up making 15 boxes to donate.

Here's a little video compilation I made of the evening.

Operation Christmas Child Lock-In from Brody Bearden on Vimeo.

Time

2008-11-20T23:39:00.003-05:00

This is my alarm clock.

I know what you're thinking..."neat."
Don't worry, there's more to it.

I've had this alarm clock since middle school. Nothing sentimental, it just keeps on working and I keep on using it. (Plus, it has really big numbers, so it's easier to read when I wake up all booger-eyed)

Recently, I've noticed something about said clock...it's fast.
Not fast as in, "I woke up late and spent the morning springing around the house like a ninja trying to get ready on time until I get in the car and see that my bedroom clock was fast and I'm going to make it on time."

Not fast as in, "If I set this 10 minutes ahead then I will trick my brain into thinking it's later than it really is and get things done."

But fast as in, "Hey...this thing is about one-tenth of a second fast."

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Really? That's it? That's what all the fuss is about, you ask?

Well here's the deal...I did the math.

My clock is .1 second off.
That means that for every minute, it is .1 seconds off.
That means that for every hour, it is 6 seconds off.
That means that for every day, it is 144 seconds off.
That means that for every week, it is 1008 seconds off.

1008 seconds. That's 16.8 minutes.

How did I figure this out? I set it the correct time 2 and 1/2 weeks ago.

My clock tells me it's 12:30...but it's really 11:47

What would you do if you lost 16.8 minutes of your life every week?

(probably buy a new clock)

Blue Prints

2008-11-20T01:02:00.004-05:00

I love messing with photos and tweaking images and such. Last night I was on the prowl and came across a tutorial about how to turn an image into a blue print, so I had to try it out. I thought I'd share the results.

Here's the original:

Here's the Blue Print:

Pecan Pie

2008-11-19T10:46:00.002-05:00

Trisha and I went grocery shopping yesterday.
I've come to a conclusion. We are different shoppers.
When I go to the store...I buy a lot...and by a lot, I mean if I don't come out of there with a 3 digit bill, then I will fill like a failure. But it lasts me for a month...sometimes 2.
When Trisha goes to the store...She buys a little...and by a little, I mean if she can't carry her groceries in her hands in one trip, then she's splurged. That lasts her a week...maybe 2.

Our worlds collided yesterday when we walked through the bakery.

I spotted my favorite...a fresh baked store brand pecan pie. I began to evaluate the pros and cons (aka. "counting the cost" in Christian world).
A few aisles* over, the end display had an Edwards' Pecan Pie mocking me on eye level.
So I stopped and stared...Trisha just laughed as she pulled me away to continue shopping.
On our way to checkout, there was a center display with those little bite sized pecan pie ~~nuggets~~ tarts. I took that as a sign from God that we were meant to be together and I tried to nonchalantly put them in our basket...but to no avail. Trisha informed me that Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I should wait until then when I can eat all I want.

So, all that to say this:

Pecan Pie, I'm putting you on notice. Your uppance will come...Soon.

* I seriously spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out if aisle is spelled right, how to pluralize it, and ultimate making phonetic noises trying to say it...what an awkward word.

Auburn Trip

2008-11-17T15:03:00.011-05:00

Trisha and I went to Auburn for the weekend. We got down there on Friday and just spent some time driving around on the campus and walking in the downtown area.

We went to Toomer's Corner and walked across the street to check out Toomer's Drugs. Trisha got a milkshake (apparently the thing to get there is the lemonade, though).

For the rest of the weekend we hung out with my cousin Sarah, her husband Neal, and their baby...Paige.

Here's me being a good second cousin, feeding her.

We also got to experience her first partaking of mashed potatoes.
I wish I could eat like that.

Georgia vs. Auburn was....a win. I'll take it.

(A win helps to lessen the amount of harassing that I get from my Auburn cousins)
I did get to check out the video equipment setup down there. AUHD (Auburn University High Definition) is their crew and it is a pretty sweet show.

You can see it here in the picture of the stadium.
(And this is all the way across the field and it still looks good)After the game, Trisha and I got a "We won" picture.The guy that took it was an Auburn fan. I don't think he appreciated it very much.

Adam and Eve

2008-11-13T22:09:00.006-05:00

Every Sunday I get the chance to sit down in front of the church and have all the little kids come up for a "Moments with Brody." They gather around and I share some spiritual truth based off of an object that I have with me.

While growing up, I had a "Moments with Uncle Bill" every Sunday at my home church where I would do the same. It's where I learned what I know about Children's Sermons.

Today I got an email saying that "Uncle Bill" was in the hospital and not doing well at all. So I went and sat and talked with the family for awhile. One of the topics that came up was Children's Sermons that Uncle Bill did.

Molly (Bill's Wife) shared one in particular and it made me laugh...so I thought I'd share an excerpt.

Uncle Bill: Adam and Eve were the first man and woman on Earth. They were in the Garden of Eden and they took care of it. God made Adam out of dirt. God made Eve out of Adam's rib. Why do you think that God didn't make Eve out of dirt, too?

Kid: Because God didn't want to waste anymore dirt.

That's classic.

Let's Talk

2008-11-12T22:31:00.004-05:00

I've got a serious question to pose...and I need your input...

How do we feel about hard shelled tacos?

I mean, seriously, what's their deal?

They are hard to fix because they won't stand up straight.
They don't cooperate when you are trying to divulge in their succulent insides, spewing meat and lettuce and salsa everywhere.
They can only withstand one bite before the entire shell crumbles like a saltine cracker.
Their best us is to be crunched up and make a Taco Salad.
They are no match for the far superior snugness and flexibility of the soft shelled brethren.

To me, the closest comparison that I can relate this to is the flat head screwdriver.They are hard to use because they won't stay in the slot.
They don't cooperate when you are trying to use them in hard to reach places.
They can only withstand one twist, if that, before they go slipping off the screw to poke you in the eye.
Their best use is to open up paint cans and pry gum off of your shoe.
They are no match for the crisp snugness of their counterpart...the phillips.

Don't get me wrong. I love Mexican food and hand tools as much as the next guy, but something has to be done. I make a motion that we ban hard shelled tacos and flat head screwdrivers.

All in favor?

Viva

2008-11-12T00:42:00.003-05:00

For our wedding gift to each other, Trisha and I bought tickets to see Coldplay in Atlanta.

Tonight was the night.

It was a pretty incredible concert. The band Sleeper Car opened for them from 7:30 - 8:05.
Then at 8:45, Chris, Jonny, Will, and Guy took the stage...and the audience by storm.

There were lights, lasers, big inflatable balls full of video, rock ballads, pianos, butterflies, guitars, scarves, love ballads, giant video screens and everything in between.
They are entertainers...and they lived up to that. They used the entire stage...they even came out and did a few songs on an extended stage right in front of our seats (Section 4, Row 3). Before the night was through, they even did a song back in the back of the arena. I loved it.

On one of the songs, blowers right above us shot paper butterflies all over the crowd.

They really did captivate the audience from start to finish. It was a constant barrage of music that you couldn't help but sing along with...Viva la Vida, Fix You, The Scientist, Clocks, Speed of Sound, Cemeteries of London, Lost...I could go on. Before I know it, I look down and it is 10 till 10 and I know our time is coming to a close.

When they were through, the proverbial cheer for the encore began. It started with clapping and slowly developed into a concise, "Yell-O, Yell-O, Yell-O"...

They came back out...and the encore...Yellow, was performed.

We had an incredible night. We got to hang out with Brad and Cat and rock out to Coldplay.

PS. We also got to eat Buffalo because we went to Ted's Montana Grill and I had Bison Meatloaf.

Autumn

2008-11-08T22:14:00.003-05:00

The colors are incredible.
The picture is actually a scan of a leaf here in Athens.
I do love this time of year...perfect weather.

Election Tuesday

2008-11-04T11:07:00.005-05:00

Today is election day... and I voted...here's my sticker to prove it.
Ok, so I actually voted last week as a safety precaution...but I do think there is something very American by waiting till the actual election day to place your ballot. Nonetheless...here's to a long night of political commentary, very large computer maps with colors, and a whole lot of people that have a lot to say about things they don't know anything about.

Cheers.

Halloween

2008-11-04T00:58:00.010-05:00

Halloween is a whole different world in downtown Athens. If you've never been, on Halloween night there are some of the most creative, thought-out, hilarious costumes that you will ever see. This is the kind of thing that people watching is made for.

Trisha and I went downtown to witness this last year and we've decided to make it a tradition. This year we took some friends with us and again spent the entire night watching and laughing.

This year, we dressed up though.
I was Todd Palin. Trisha was Sarah Palin.I even made some campaign stickers.This is one of my favorite shots from the night. Mrs. Bearden getting ready.And here we are as the couple.Any resemblance?We probably saw about 5 or 6 other Palins downtown along with a barage of other characters.

My favorite part of the night was that we came up with the idea to play Halloween Bingo.
You make your own Bingo card full of costumes that people might be wearing and as you see those particular ones, you mark it off.

My Bingo card included: Michael Phelps, Ninja, Stewie Griffin, Michael Scott, Witch, Pirate, Mark Richt, Batman, Phillies Phan, Sarah Palin, Maid, Jim Halpert, Spiderman, Johnny Knoxville, Hulk, Joker, 3 Hole Punch, The Male Anatomy, Anchorman, UGA VII, Meatwad, Gas Prices, Ape, and the 3 Stooges.

I did not win, but the costumes were great. Here were the best:

1. Reno 911 Cast - 2 Guys, one had the short, shorts on and the other had the high and tight haircut.
2. Sarah Palin - (my wife's was the best) but there was one Palin that was campaigning for Obama...I thought to be funny
3. Michael Phelps - I'm pretty sure the guy was about 5'3" and 200lbs...he was also wearing a speedo...priceless
4. Cowboy - this is the one where the guys top half is the cowboy and the bottom half is the front legs of the horse. Then fill in the rest with stuffed legs for the cowboy and back legs of the horse...makes me laugh everytime. It's like an Ansel Adams picture.
5. Dorothy and Tinman - There was one couple that was out and about that had to be in their 60's dressed as these two. I support their effort.
6. Clark Kent and Lois Lane - Lois Lane had her press pass and Clark Kent's shirt was half opened revealing the S underneath. I thought that was a good couples costume.
7. Dominoes - There wasn't much to it other than all black and a few white dots. The guy was the double 6. The girl was the double 4. I liked this one because I'm an avid fan of Chicken Foot...a dominoes phenomenon.
8. Joker - There were a few out and about, but the one I liked the most was the guy in the nurse's outfit. I thought that was clever...especially having liked Dark Knight so much, I really appreciated this one.

Any other ones stick out?

Deep Fry It

2008-10-31T13:55:00.009-04:00

Fact: When you get married you get a lot of wedding presents.
Fiction: The man will love and use every single one of those presents.
Fact: 1 in 25 of those presents will be cherished by the man.

That 1 in 25 for me was the Deep Fryer.
Trisha and I have been married for almost 4 months now and last night was the first night that we broke out the Rival Cool Zone 3L Deep Fryer.

And Frying, did we.

We didn't have enough Canola Oil, so I had to go to the store to buy some more (apparently the stuff is pretty expensive...somewhere between $7-12 gallon...put that into perspective when filling up on gas).Then the Fry Party began.
We fried Chicken.
We fried Okra.We fried Corn Nuggets.
We fried pickles.
And here's our finished product...a heap of artery cloggers...and man was it delicious.I had planned on frying some snickers too...just because, but after we ate all of the other food there was absolutely no room left in the inn to put the snickers. So we decided to wait and take that venture on another day.Not really sure what brought on our urge for the fried foods, but I do know that it did not help my weight goal by the end of October.

Big Brother

2008-10-15T23:59:00.003-04:00

I haven't seen Eagle Eye yet, but the concept behind big brother has been with me since I read 1984 in the 8th grade. Either way, this is what this picture reminded me of...except for Big Brother has a dirty mustache.

My Wii

2008-09-25T07:52:00.003-04:00

I'm a big supporter of the Wii. Not that I play it all the time, but I must admit that I do enjoy a little Mario Kart Wii every now and then...This morning, though, I saw a video linking to a new game coming out. It's called "Wario Land Shake It." I probably won't buy it, but it might will be the neatest youtube video you watch today. Seriously, it's pretty cool. Watch it.Click Here

An Apology

2008-09-17T22:03:00.008-04:00

Dear Atlanta Braves,

I am sorry. I've neglected you. It wasn't intentional, but it happened. Somehow I got swept up in the Bulldogs being # 1...and then # 2...and then # 3 that I just forgot that it was baseball season. It may have had something to do with you being half a season out of first place or the fact that this will be the 3rd year that you haven't gone to the playoffs, but nonetheless, that is no excuse. I am still a true fan. It's been a rough year and you've broke my heart once again...but that's ok. I'll be back again next year...and the next...and the next. I never meant to overlook you. Please forgive me.

Tomahawking Forever,
Brody

PS. To make sure that my apologies were felt, I attended the Braves game against the Rockies with my Dad last week.

It was Bobby Cox Bobble Head night which made it worth while.

The game ended with a walk-off balk (the first I've ever experienced) and the Braves won.

The Ted even showed me her appreciation by giving me a foul ball (my first ever).

I love the Braves (losing or winning...but preferably winning...NEXT year).

Overheard in Athens

2008-08-24T22:18:00.003-04:00

The other day I was at Athens Blueprint Company dropping off some business cards that I was getting printed. It was a little after three and apparently a pretty busy time for such a small shop. There were several college students browsing around (most appeared to be some sort of art majors by the looks of the supplies they were buying).

While I was standing in line, two girls were in front of me waiting to check out. One of them notices a Georgia Football calendar sitting on the counter (exactly like this one).

She goes to grab it and begins to dissect the upcoming schedule like a professional analyst. Her first statement goes like this...and I quote,

"Oh, so we play Georgia Southern first. It starts at eight-thirty...wait, is it a night game? No, or is it a morning game? Would we play that early?"

At this point I can no longer help myself, so I lean forward and say,

"Actually, that's the date, not the time."

She looks at her friend (without making eye contact with me) and then proceeds to slap herself in the forehead...obviously more than a little embarrassed.

It's times like that I appreciate Athens so much more.
Go Dawgs.
We'll see you Saturday morning bright and early at 8:30 am for kickoff.

Taking Care of Business

2008-08-21T00:11:00.003-04:00

So I've decided...we've decided (My wife and I, that is) to try and pursue the wedding videography thing a little harder than I have in the past. With that being the case, one of the first steps we wanted to take was to look into getting some business cards done.

It's here that we've come to a crossroads. I came up with a few different designs that I feel might fit my personality (after all, that's the majority of what my video work is...my personality on tape). The problem is that we aren't quite sure which route we want to take. So after all is said and done, I've sent one of the designs to the press.

Front

Back

What do you think?
1. Is it visually appealing?
2. Does it attract the right people?
3. Should I stick with Brodizzle Productions, or is it juvenile?

(I submit that it is not)

None the less, I would love your input.

Vacation Bible School

2008-06-19T03:25:00.004-04:00

Vacation Bible School is this week at my church.

This means several things:

1. As a church we have tried to create a pretty incredible environment for the kids to learn stuff about Jesus in. This includes any and every kind of hawaiian decoration you can think of relating to the theme, Outrigger Island. This year, the big object is the Volcano that we've been putting dry ice into so that it pours smoke throughout the scenery. (You can see it at the top right of this picture)

2. Some ridiculously catchy songs will enter into your head that you will remember years down the road...don't believe me...try this on for size:
"Arctic Edge...Where adventure meets courage...courage...courage..."
"Game Day...Central...where Heroes are made..."
If those don't ring a bell, then you should probably helping out with your church's VBS more.

3. There are a lot of kids all jacked up on kool-aid and candy bars running circles around the church for 3 hours every night.

4. I will concoct some pretty nifty outfits to wear all week. My "Masters Collection" has been my favorite thus far.
(It was also called my "Celebrate the Boston Celtics NBA Championship suit" & my "Leprechaun Suit.")

You might not be able to make it out in this smaller picture, but those are indeed green and white striped pants that I am wearing and they match the coat perfectly. In fact, my camera could barely contain the epic proportions of awesomeness that these pants exude because the stripes were more like swirls on the screen. You have to click on the larger picture to see the completeness of these threads.
PS. I love the thrift store

I think the statistic is something like 25% of all confessions of faith are made during Vacation Bible School. That makes me excited. The combination of kids seeing truth for the first time and me getting to wear some ridiculously awesome outfits is uber sweet.

I heart VBS

He Loves Us

2008-06-07T01:45:00.003-04:00

I may be a little behind on this song, but I just heard it for the first time this past week at Impact. It really is an incredible song. Here's the line that blew me away...

If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking.

Holy cow. I mean, seriously. Think about the magnitude of that statement...
then think about the reality in it...

Overwhelmed in grace...drowning, even.

Here's the whole song if you want to check it out:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And the heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

~John Mark McMillan
"He Loves Us"

I'm back from an incredible week of learning and this is all I can think about...and I love it.

Battle for Vision

2008-05-27T00:54:00.009-04:00

Have you ever fought a battle with something that seems to win over and over again, yet you continue to wage war with it? A lot of times it is something mundane or basic, yet it still tries to get your goat every time. I have. My battle is any body of water used for swimming vs. my contacts. It is a war every time.

I started wearing contacts my freshman year of college so I've had 7 years to refine my tactics. It usually goes something like this.

"Hey, let's go swimming."
"I'm down. Let me go get my swimsuit on."
5 minutes later.
"Canon Baaalllllllllll..."
SPLASH!!!
"Wait...Hold it...I can't find my contact. Where did it go? Can you see it in my eye? I think I may have lost it. I thought I closed my eyes, but I guess not. Maybe it's just shifted. I can only see with one eye now."

If you've ever worn contacts, then you know this feeling. Suddenly, within a blink of an eye (literally) you are blinded. Everything that you saw so clearly before has now become a blur and your entire world comes to a stop until you are able to find, replace, or restore your vision.

On this particular occasion, I was spending some time on the lake with some friends. We were out on the boat taking turns trying to knock each other off of the inner-tube in our very own King of the Hill game. We would bound back and forth between tubes trying to display our best impersonations of Indiana Jones, Lui Kang, and Spider Monkeys. It was a busy weekend as far as other boats being on the lake, so there were all kinds of waves knocking us around. At one of the sharp turns that our boat took, one of my friends and I both caught the wake of another boat that launched us 10 feet into the air. I immediately started laughing at the look on his face before I hit the peak of my ascent and then made my own face as we plummeted into the water, smacking against the surface and sinking several feet below. As we made our way to the surface, I noticed two things. First, the boat was leaving us in the water at a rapid pace. Second, I couldn't see out of my right eye. The first thing that went through my mind was that I didn't bring any extra contacts. The second thing that went through my mind was that I'm going to have some major headaches from blurred vision if I didn't find this contact. The third thing that went through my head was that the water got me again. Touche, water, touche.

After much blinking and rotating my eyes around to see if I could find it, I was finally able to locate it in the corner of my eye. Herein lies the predicament: I now have found my contact, however I am floating on top of a lake in my lifejacket with a wet contact sticking to my wet finger with no place to look into a mirror, no place to stand, and no way to tell if I've got it back in right.

For the next 5 minutes I unsuccessfully try to reinstall this eye device. In case you are wondering, because you've never worn contacts, it is extremely hard to get a contact off of a wet finger, especially while bobbing like a buoy. I am finally able to get the contact into my eye, but it is nowhere near being in place. I blink and I look one way and I look the other way and I blink some more. I close my eyes and circle them around my eyelids to try to get them in the right place. I even stick my finger back into my eye and try to force it to where it should go. Nothing works. I decide to get back in the boat and just Popeye it until we get back to the house and I can make it right.

As I swim to climb into the boat I blink one last time for good measure and suddenly everything is clear. I close my left eye to make sure that my mind isn't playing tricks on me and sure enough, my contact fell back into place. At just the last minute, when I didn't think I was going to be able to restore my vision, everything was clear again. I could see.

Thank you for playing, Water. That was quite the battle. You fought well. You knocked me down, but you didn't knock me out. Water = 0, Brody = 1.

So back to the tube pouncing I went.

I was proud. In fact, I still am. All of my fellow contact wearers in the boat also applauded my efforts noting that it was quite the feat to accomplish given the circumstances. That was my first time ever successfully putting in my contact while floating in the middle of a lake with wet fingers. I'm not sure if they have Guinness World Records for that, but I do believe that my performance would be noteworthy.
Vision...it's what makes the world go 'round. Sometimes you take advantage of it and fail to use it. Everything is blurry without it. If you don't have it, then you'll go nowhere. Vision is clear. Vision is bold. Vision brings insight to your life and the lives of those around you. Vision.

If you want to see how vision can really rock your world, read Acts 9.

You can do battle over and over again with your own vision, but until you allow God’s vision to align yours, blurriness is all you will see.

Less than 2 months

2008-05-20T22:20:00.009-04:00

So...because someone mentioned this to me and I mentally slapped myself on the hand for not already having done this, I thought I would mention that I am getting married in less than 2 months. I also wanted to put a couple of pictures up just to show off how lucky of a man I am.

It's really incredible to be a part of this whole marriage concept and being able to recognize God's hand on everything to do with our relationship. I'm learning a lot and I've got a lot more left to learn, but man am I enjoying the ride.

Going Postal

2008-05-12T17:12:00.004-04:00

The other day I was browsing in a local pawn shop when the bell indicating someone else had entered the store rang out. Usually, I wouldn't take too careful notice of who else was shopping with me, however this one caught my attention quickly.

It was a postal worker, decked out in full USPS attire (light blue shirt, dark blue shorts, black kicks). He walked straight to the back of the store, bypassing all electronics and collectibles, ending up in the gun section. I'm not opposed to guns, but somewhere along my childhood, the thought of mixing postal workers and weapons left a bad taste in my mouth.

You've heard of the concept, going postal, right? I shifted my whereabouts to something a little more protected (behind a shelf of DVDs) and I peered through the cracks to see what he was indeed doing. Turns out, he was carousing back and forth and looking at the different rifles on display. So I thought to myself..."this is so literal, it's ridiculous."

My father is a postal worker, so I know what they are capable of. So in my best interest, I decided that I didn't want to stick around to see if he bought a gun. I was better off far, far away. I put my selections back on the shelf and slipped out the front door.

I smile and wave at my postal worker more now...even when he puts my mail in the wrong box.

In related news, the cost of a stamp went up to $.42 today. I think I'm going to call my dad and chastise him for this absurd scalping of the American people.

They just don't make things like they used to

2008-05-08T23:34:00.003-04:00

My sophomore year in college, one of my roommates bought a roll of trash bags. When he got home, it turned out that the bags were too small for the trash can...

So what did we do? The only logical thing...we sawed the trash can down to size...now they'll fit.

So we used those bags...and used them...and used them. Turns out this roll of trash bags was like a cage of rabbits, because the more we used, the more there were. The bags kept coming and coming...it must have been some 500 bags or something.

When we all graduated college and went our separate ways, each of the roommates left certain things behind for whoever wanted them. Since one of the guys got married, another moved to NYC, and the other worked camp all summer...most of those "leave behinds" fell to me. That roll of trash bags was one of them. The gift that keeps on giving.

I've still been using those bags ever since. The roll of trash bags has been getting smaller and smaller and the feeling of sadness had been creeping up on me, like when you are coming towards the end of a good book or when you are on the john and it doesn't appear like there is going to be enough roll to take care of the wipeage. I could sense the end.

Tonight it happened. They are no more. They served me well. The longevity was outstanding (approx. 5 years) and the durability was uncontested. It was everything a roll of trash bags was meant to be. Those trash bags will forever be ingrained in my mind as the best there ever was.

So in honor of said bags, I present this memorial...in haiku form

Oh, endless trash bags
Containing all of my waste
You finished the drill

Peanut Butter & Bacon

2008-05-07T16:59:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I ate a Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger. That's right, I said a PB & B Burger. Maybe you've had one too. They sell them at Clocked, in Athens. A few friends had informed me that this was a good choice, so I thought I'd try it out.

Trisha and I met up with a few friends and took part in this local delicacy. I was a little nervous at first, not because I am a picky eater, but because the idea of burgers and peanut butter wasn't something that jumped out to me. But those doubts were soon diminished...

It was incredible. It was a sensation that's hard to put into words, but I can tell you this: Eat one. It's called YAC's Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger. It's like dinner and dessert all wrapped up into one...and that makes things easy...and I like easy.

Not to mention, Clocked has the best tater tots I've ever eaten in my life.

So I know this sounds like some sort of review, or atleast plug, for Clocked. But in reality, I just felt like you should know.

And now I want another one...with Tots.

Oreoed

2008-05-05T23:50:00.005-04:00

I got oreoed. What's that, you ask? It's where some culprits decide to buy some Oreo Cookies, split them in half, lick either side of the icing, then stick the cookie, cream side down, to the window of the car. So there you have it; I got Oreoed.

I came out late that Saturday night and saw that there was some serious nastiness all over my car. The next day, I found out who did it and that they used approximately 10 packages of Oreos. If you know me, then you can probably guess that I wasn’t really mad about having oreos all over my car. I was more upset that they would waste 10 packages of Oreos when I know that by myself I could have eaten at least 5 of those packages...shameful.

I drove to church that Sunday night with all 360 of those oreos still stuck to my windows. About 36 of them flew off and scattered all over the road between my house and the church. However, most of them were stuck pretty good, though. When I got to church, I told all of the 2nd through 5th graders that if they wanted cookies, they needed to go out and get them off my car. I was partly kidding. They, however, screamed and ran outside. I came out and saw about 7 kids hanging on my car and eating the oreos off of it...I probably should have stopped them...but I just didn't.

When I left church that night I went home and took a spatula to my windows to remove all of the cookies. They all came off and I threw them away. I rinsed the car off, patted myself on the back for taking it so well, then went to sleep. The next day on my way to school was one of the most blurry eyed drives I’ve ever taken. Each and everyone of those cookies left their icing residue firmly stuck to every inch of my windows. It was like my vision suddenly went from 20/20 to near blind. For one part of my morning commute, when the sun was shining straight through my front windshield, I literally had to stick my head out the window to see where I was going. After work that day, I finally took my car to the car wash and actually removed all ofthe junk that was blurring my vision.

You know, that whole ordeal is a lot like sin in our lives. We get this stuff, this sin, stuck in our lives. And we let it build up. And more often than not we don’t really take notice until it has gotten out of hand. Then we finally realize, “Hey, I should do something about this.” So we take our spatula of quick prayers and sunday sermons, we pat ourselves on the back and assume all is well. Yet we wake up day after day and there is this blurriness cast over our eyes and everything we do has this cream-filled taint to it, this coat of icing.

The truth of the matter is until you really clean it, and by really clean it, I mean really ask God for forgiveness and sincerely seek to make matters right and pure, then you will carry this coat of icing. But when you do ask God to clean you, there is this clarity and vision that helps you to really see life as it really is.

I pray that you get de-oreoed. My prayer is that whatever nastiness is giving you blurred vision, that you ask God to completely remove it and give you a new and clear vision for your life.

That's what I desire...
That and a glass of milk.

What's in a Name?

2008-05-02T00:40:00.002-04:00

I got an invitation the other day for a shower...

It was addressed to:
Brodie Beerdan

What if...?
Fonetix are fun

iPod Touche

2008-04-17T22:51:00.006-04:00

Well...I figured after I went off on how great Macs are that I should counter that with my latest experience in Macland.

I bought an iPod Touch a few weeks ago. It was a tough decision because they are pretty stinking expensive. I stood in front of the display counter at Target for well over 45 minutes debating both vocally and internally. I talked with my fiance. I called my roommate. I had a lengthy conversation with the electronics department guy. I asked a random lady who was looking for headphones and I would have asked her baby, but she seemed to be busy regurgitating.

I weighed the options (the cost, the size of space, the capabilities, the return policy)...and decided to pick between the Touch and the iPod Classic. I chose the 32gb iPod Touch.

Three weeks later I take it back. Why, you ask? It just didn't cut it for me. I guess I was looking for something more. Sure, there was some aesthetic appeal to it, but overall, it was a waste of money for me. (Touche Apple, you duped me into this one...luckily customer service wins over and I get a refund). So I went back to Target (because the electronics department guy assured me that I could).

I walked to the service department and met Pat. If you've been to Target, then you've seen him. He's always chipper and good at what he does. I've never been to Target when he wasn't there. I walked up and gave him my iPod.

"I'm sorry, we don't accept returns on Zunes"
"Well...it's an iPod," I replied.
"I'm kidding. You should have known when I called it a Zune."
"Yes, I suppose you are correct. You got me."

He then opens the box and when he does, I stand there distraught as the Touch plummets from the box onto the counter at rapid speed and descent. I think to myself, "You had better take it back now." He then proceeds to get on the radio to see what he needs to do with the iPod. As he turns to pirouette ( I suppose this is what he did, because I'm not sure why else he made that move, but it was definitely balletesque)...when he does turn, he slings to iPod out of its box again, this time falling all the way to the floor and sliding several feet from it's landing spot. I can only describe the awful sensation of hearing it slide across the floor as the same feeling I get when I think about someone tripping on asphalt and skinning his hands and knees from the fall. (I just got a shiver thinking about it).

All that to say...when I get another iPod, it will not be a touch. And if you are thinking about getting one, then I would suggest that you definitely not get an opened box one at Target. It's been dribbled across the customer service floor.

Mac Stuff

2008-04-16T22:28:00.005-04:00

When I graduated college, my parents bought me a Mac Mini. I was hooked. I had dabbled in the world of Mac a time or two and fallen victim to the iPod craze 2 years before when I got my 3G 20gb black and white, but it was at this moment...when I had my very own Macintosh computer that I realized my love for the product.

I do a lot of video editing and it just makes things so simple, so the Mac and Me were just a natural fit...kind of like Alf and the Tanner family. (What a great show)

In recent months, I've really been exploring the Mac World for good programs. I consider myself to be pretty computer literate, however, I do not have the know how to write my own programs...so naturally I look for all the nice programs other people write in true Mac design and flavor.

This past fall, I came across MacHeist. It is this website where apparently a group of people got together and decided to run this advertisement deal where they group together a bunch of sweet programs for the Mac from a bunch of different companies and offer them for a ridiculously low price. This last go round I paid $49 for 13 programs that retailed at about $500. Pretty good if you ask me. With it, I was able to acquire:

Pixelmator - a photoshop-like program ( I like it better)
Cha Ching - pretty to look at and effecient banking program
1Password - to keep all the passwords safe...and remembered
Awaken - alarm clock that really uses the Mac's uniqueness
Snapz Pro X - records any movement on the screen...(think instructional videos)
...and a bunch of other programs that have been great and helpful.

The coolest part...and maybe the geekiest part...is that to get free programs and discounts on the already low price, you can complete missions where they send you sleuthing all over the internet solving this pretty intense puzzle...

All of that to say...you know...Mac's are great. I hope you have one. If you don't, I hope you want one. And if you are looking for some efficient programs for your Mac, then check this stuff out over at MacHeist. And if you decide you want to try out this ooey batch of goodness, then you should definitely use me as your referral. Shameless self promotion? (Maybe) Worth it? (Yes)

Onesie

2008-04-14T22:53:00.003-04:00

For the longest time I've wanted a nice bathrobe. One resembling a soft towel wrapped in downy freshness. However, several months ago my desires changed to something a little different, in my opinion, something even better. It is also something that you've probably had at one time in your life. It's called a onesie.

Most people consider these only for infants, but I submit that they are not. People across the world, young and old, should have the privilege of wearing something so blissful. Basically what we are talking about here is something that covers you from neck to foot with no room for error. There are front pockets, a zipper for easy entrance, and a trap door just in case you need to do the unthinkable without removing these threads of warmy goodness.

You may recall an episode of Family Guy where Peter goes to the store to buy a new suit and finds a Onesie hanging on the rack instead. He then proceeds to tell the salesman to write down any number on a sheet of paper and Peter will pay that price for that onesie.

I feel the same way.

Now, I submit to you my dream come true.

McGee and Me

2008-04-12T15:08:00.006-04:00

I was watching TV with my roommate today and when scrolling through the channels, it just so happened that McGee and Me was on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

"Sweet," I said to myself. I don't make it a habit of watching TBN, but that sparked my interest, so we parked it there for awhile. My roommate had never experienced the pure genius that is McGee and Me.
"What's it about," he asked?
"Um, well there this kid and he does stuff..." I thought some more, "and he talks to a cartoon character named Magee."
"Oh," he responded. "Sounds awesome."

I brushed off his sarcasm and we watched the last few minutes of an episode called, The Big Lie. In those few minutes, we successfully witnessed a slow motion running scene, a token Native American, and the essential "Feel Good Moment" of the episode. Seeing as how the whole McGee and Me series was the video of choice in my church growing up, it took me back to the good old days of butter cookies and juice boxes. We'd always pop one of those videos in and and watch it whenever the teacher really had nothing else to teach us. Not that our teachers were lazy, but sometimes convenience wins over.

For those that don't know, here's the tagline for McGee and Me:

Welcome to the world of Nicholas, a completely normal kid who finds himself in some not-so-normal situations. Fortunately, Nicholas and his cartoon buddy, McGee, always seem to learn a valuable lesson from their adventures.

Valuable lessons...I do love those. And as far as normal goes...not so sure about how a kid that talks to an imaginary cartoon character ranks on the normal scale...I'd say not very high.

Out of curiousity, I looked around to see what the actor that played Nick in the series was up to. Here's what the McGee and Me website had to say:

The concept of Now and Then pictures make laugh...and second guess, too. So I did a little search for Joe Dammann and his Friendster profile came up the first thing...looks like he doesn't do kids' christian programming anymore, but prefers teaching his niece dirty words.

Mountainsmith

2008-04-10T17:08:00.005-04:00

A few years ago I was awakened to the concept of an all-purpose bag. It was my former roommate, the one and only Altmix (now Mr. Altmix), that opened my eyes to this dreamworld. He used to carry this bag (or one like it...I think it was a Tour) with him everywhere and it was so appealing due to the nature of it's simplicity, yet efficiency. The idea that you could have a bag that held everything in an organized manner, looked nice, and was heavenly in the ways of comfort was foreign to me, but that was soon to change. I wanted a Mountainsmith bag, too.

So I surveyed the options and decided on the one that would suit me best, the Cairn II. It was unobtrusive, had plenty of storage space with two large compartments, it had a hydration pack, two inside smaller pouches for pens and coins and such, it had a place for an mp3 player, two pouches for Nalgene like bottles, a place to strap a jacket to the bag, and a hide-away rain jacket for the bag itself. In every situation, this was the bag for me.

I am a youth minister, which means that I usually have a lot of crap that I need to keep with me...books, computer, birth certificates, consent forms, extra water, beenie weenies, firecrackers, music, entertainment, bibles...the works. This bag was perfect in every way. And I used to for everything. If you saw me, more than likely I had this pack with me. It weathered through many a storms due to it's impeccable workmanship and multipurpose use...

The reason I bring this up is because it was stolen back at the beginning of February when my car was broken into. Thus, I have been two months without my bag of many treasures. However, I do have a praise. Today in the mail, I received a new Mountainsmith Cairn II bag from our good friends at MooseJaw. It was hard to track down and I had to get a new color because they don't sell the Cairn II anymore, but nonetheless, I look forward to many memories with my new bag.

May my old Cairn II rest in peace...or pieces...whichever the case may be.

Going to the Restroom

2008-04-03T00:24:00.002-04:00

I started substitute teaching again on Tuesday. It's a long term sub, so I'll be there for about 6 weeks while this lady deals with all of her baby shenanigans...apparently, once you have a baby, you are allowed to be lazy for 42 days...I should have a baby...

In the mean time, while I was getting to know the class on Tuesday, one of the students looks at me and says...

"Mr. Bearden, I can go to the baphroom?"
"The what?" I respond.
"The baphroom."
"Can you spell that for me?"
"B-A-F-F-R-O-O-M."
"Well," I nodded, "then absolutely yes, you may go to the bathroom."

Shipoopi

2008-03-28T23:52:00.005-04:00

Trisha, Lyndsey, and I went and saw a play tonight that one of my youth was in. The play was called, The Music Man. The general plot is about a traveling salesman that goes from town to town selling things that he really doesn't have.

In the second act, there is a song that caught me off guard. It's called, Shipoopi.

I giggled for the duration of it. Not necessarily because it is a funny song, but because the word itself...shipoopi...I mean seriously, see if you can make that word come up in conversation 3 times today. I dare you to try.

I'm not quite sure what it means, so I can't really use it in a sentence for you, but here is the 1st verse and chorus, so use the context clues to figure out what it means:

Well, a woman who'll kiss on the very first date
Is usually a hussy
And a woman who'll kiss on the second time out
Is anything but fussy
But a woman who'll wait till the third time around
Head in the clouds, feet on the ground
She's the girl he's glad he's found
She's his Shipoopi

Shipoopi! Shipoopi! Shipoopi!
The girl who's hard to get!
Shipoopi. Shipoopi. Shipoopi
But you can win her yet.

So after listening to the song, I began to think that I'd heard it somewhere before.
Turns out it was on an episode of Family Guy, called Patriots Games. Here's the clip.

I hope your day was brightened by this word.
I also hope you don't shipoopi your pants.

Focus

2008-03-28T00:24:00.004-04:00

I've never had a problem focusing. Doesn't really matter what it is, I'm pretty good about paying attention to the task at hand. In a classroom, I am alert and aware...in the car, I am alert and aware. However, I've found over the past few months that I'm beginning to develop what we've noted in my dad as "Adult Attention Deficit Disorder."

My dad loves starting little projects around the house...building a dog house, growing a garden, building a barn, or making wooden model airplanes. He always has a million projects going on...but he never finishes them. He starts them strong, then tails off at the end. Not necessarily the worst thing, but definitely the least efficient. I'm seeing the same trend in me...

I have a hundred different projects going on...and I keep adding new ones, rather than finishing the old ones.

I need one of these:

Fantasy Baseball

2008-03-26T22:20:00.003-04:00

More than ever, I was excited about our fantasy baseball draft this year. I'll try to explain it to you, but you'll never understand.

You see, there are 12 guys in our league...12 dedicated, passionate, trash-talking, stat-crunching, baseball-loving, spend all your time on fantasy guys in our league...and because of these men, it makes for the best 6 months of the year.

Without further adieu, here is my team:
C - Bengie Molina/J.R. Towles
1B - Todd Helton/James Loney
2B - Ian Kinsler/Orlando Hudson
3B - Ryan Braun
SS - Derek Jeter
OF - Carlos Lee/Jason Bay/Curtis Granderson
Bench - Aaron Rowand/Matt Diaz/Rick Ankiel
SP - Justin Verlander/Tim Linecum/Javier Vazquez/Jeff Francis
RP - Manny Corpas/Kevin Gregg/George Sherrill
Bench - Dontrelle Willis/Shaun Marcum/Jon Garland

Here's to many days of wasted hours spent on Fantasy Baseball...

If you have 6 months to spare...
then go here to Yahoo and get in a league...
it won't be as good as mine, but it's a start

Videography

2008-03-18T23:48:00.001-04:00

In college I was classmates with a guy who's dad cleaned 55 gallon barrels. When he told me this, I immediately pictured someone in overalls and a mullet leaning over the side of a barrel with a sponge in one hand, a hose in the other, and a bottle of Dawn dish detergent turned on its side spilling onto the ground. Upon further explanation, it turns out that this is a pretty big business. I mean, I assume I knew that people needed to get their barrel's cleaned...apparently this was the guy to do it...and he made a pretty good living at it.

Over the years I've found that there are a lot of niches in this world that people need filled. I haven't found all of them, but I've seen a lot. Cleaning barrels is one of them. There are jobs out there that no one thinks of...until they need it. It is because of this fact that I believe shows like Dirty Jobs are fascinating and captivate audiences.

Which brings me to my point. I enjoy videography and over the years I've grown in my knowledge and approach to it. I've been able to shoot weddings and film other videos for people in need that have turned out to be pretty quality productions. Now trying to find my own niche, I've started doing a lot of Wedding Videography for people. It's something that I like to do to help the bride and groom capture the day so they can live it over and over again. That being said...if you are getting hitched...give me a call...