We Peaked at Duck Hunt

I know you remember it.  The Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt combo game for the old Nintendo system.  With the bright orange gun.

Was this not the best video game ever?  I've been thinking about this a decent amount lately, and it is crazy to me how much time kids spend playing video games nowadays.  Just go to the electronics department at Wal-Mart or Target or (dear heavens) Best Buy.  There are SOO many games for sale, they're ridculously expensive...and...well I could talk about what's featured in the games and whether it's appropriate for kids, but I don't think the blog will allow that much text, and I have neither the time nor the patience for that type of endeavor.

What happened to riding bikes?  What happened to pick up games?  Going fishing?  Are the only people who participate in these activities...grown ups?  Did this stuff die with our generation, in favor of first-person shooter games and Wii sports resort?

Last weekend I threw the football for 45 minutes or so with my neighbor's son, Ethan and his buddy from school.  This leads me to believe there's still some hope.  That's what kids should be doing! 

here's what typical day looked like for me as a kid:

Wake up, breakfast, go find my neighborhood friends.  Pick-up basketball for a couple of hours.  Playing in the woods.  Finding a creek to splash around in, and getting REALLY muddy.  Trying to catch crawfish and tadpoles.  Climbing trees.  Building forts. Someone's house for lunch.  Back outside.  Football game. If we're lucky, swimming at the neighbor's pool.  More bikes and hoops.  Dinner at home.  Flashlight tag.  Duck Hunt/Mario.  Back home for bed. Wake up, repeat. 

Look, I get it.  We live in a high-tech, fast-paced, virtual-reality world where you're more likely to Tweet about your day than have an actual conversation with another human being.  And I praise God for technology; without it you wouldn't be reading this.  But, I'm afraid it's getting out of hand.  I'm afraid, especially for kids, that video games are becoming the focus, and not a small part of a life that mostly includes pop flies, blue gill, skateboards and skinned knees.

I'm sure everyone generation says this, but man--those were they days, weren't they?  I remember playing video games as a youngster, but not nearly as vividly as I remember a thousand other things. Like riding in my dad's old VW Beetle to the neighborhood pool, and spending hours catching bugs with my first crush, Emily.  She was really something--she even liked bugs!

So if you have kids, or if you are a kid (especially of the grown-up variety), please go outside!  I know it's cold, but put on a jacket.  You could play a REAL first-person game of cops & robbers. 

Besides, as far as I'm concerned, they'll never make a game that will hold a candle to this one.

Catch Phrase!

Yes, I love that game.  No, that's not what this post is about.

This is about some phrases, words or sayings that I use.  A lot.  And maybe some I shouldn't.  C'mon, everybody's got a few, right?  What are yours?

Here's a sample list of phrases with examples of how they might be used:

-Clown show
  "The ACC's bowl record is a complete clown show."
-Painted with that brush:
  "Yes, I do data analysis, but I don't want to be painted with that brush"
-Homie (see also, "homey")
  "how you doin, homie?"
-Bottom-line me
  "Bottom-line me here Becky, what's going on?"
-Word
  (probably my most overused, this can be an acknowledgement of my understanding, a question seeking       confirmation--"FSU won today" "Word?"--or it can simply denote emphatic agreement with something.
-Creep
  it's a term of endearment, really.  As in, "Megan is such a creep."  That oozes love and respect as far as I'm concerned.
-Postin up
  "Nothing going on, I'm just postin up with my coffee doing some reading"

Also have a couple of one-liners I use at work ALL the time, and they never get old.  So if someone jumps in front of me at the coffee pot, or the elevator, or the door to the office and then apologizes, I'll say, "no worries--I'm not that anxious to get upstairs anyway" or "there's nothing but work waiting for me when I get back."  Instant friend-maker.  Communicating common ground.  Another round of smiles, puppies and rainbows for the house! 

And my favorite elevator line happens on Mondays.  Everyone's dragging.  So I say, "only four more days til the weekend!"  Gets at least a chuckle everytime.  Or a strange, angry look.  Without fail.

Confession time: I kind of think I'm hilarious.  But there's some tension because I also realize that most people don't.  I really feel for those poor souls who lack a sense of humor. 

Ohhh maybe the next post will be about phrases people use a lot that I can't stand.  Good thinking.  Until then...

Field Turf Rubber

It's EVERYWHERE!  Mostly in my shoes, and in my laundry. 

If you don't know about field turf, it's an artificial sports field playing surface.  Not like astro-turf (how old ARE you, anyway?), it's a little bit softer and more comfortable, and you can wear cleats or tennis shoes on it.  And under the "grass," there are millions of these little pieces of shredded rubber.  Kind of like tires that have been ground up (maybe that's actually what it is?), and they've very small--like, I dunno, bigger than a pinpoint but smaller than a piece of rice.  So anyway, when you cut, or dive, or run on this stuff, the little pieces of rubber kick up and inevitably end up in your shoes and socks.  Small price to pay, but they get all over everything. 

This isn't typical for me; it's the offseason.  If anything, this time of year generally serves as training time for the Monument 10k, and otherwise a time of rest between my fall and spring River City football leagues.  But this year we decided to do a Movement Church winter flag football team (we're now 1-1 since my last post on the subject, don't want to talk about it) and tonight I got invited to go coach/train/play at a place called UTurn.  The best way to descibe this place without looking at their website is that it is a huge, faith-based sports training complex for kids up through high school age, and my buddy Robby (football) and my roommate's friend Santos (soccer) both coach and work there.  I got to see and talk to both of them tonight, which was great.

So, aside from the field turf rubber getting all over the place, here's what I learned tonight:

• this place is awesome. Not just because it is so big, or the fact that they have so many sports there (I saw football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis tonight and I'm sure there's much more) but                 also because of the ministry they are providing to kids in the city.  There were SO many kids in there tonight, and thinking of them being exposed to sports and the Gospel instead of drugs and gangs and whatever else kids are getting into these days is really refreshing and exciting.  The coaches that I came into contact with really know their stuff, and Robby was telling me he led a little devotional with the kids before I got there.  I got the impression that this is the norm, which is incredible. 

• I am not in high school anymore.  What I mean is, I'm not in that kind of shape. Toward the end of the night, the high school kids and the coaches played "hardy ball" which is kind of a mix between football and ultimate frisbee.  It was a lot of fun, and a lot of running, and I was beat by the end of it.  I mean, exhausted.  Having said that...

• I can still make plays, go up and catch the football.  Maybe I wasn't going against elite competition, but I have never claimed to be an elite athlete. But, those guys were very good and I was able to hold my own, which was nice to see and a lot of fun. 

So anyway, I guess dealing with little pieces of rubber is worth it.  Yeah, it totally is given what they have going on there.  Maybe I'll check into it a little more and see if they need any more staff or volunteers....

Movement, 1-0

Winter flag football kicked off this past season, and I could not have asked for a better game. 

Well, ok, yeah I could've.  It would have gone like this:  Everything happening how it did, minus the cold, wind, and ice-covered field (check out the pics on my Facebook page--it was crazy).

So the idea was borne a month or two ago to establish a flag football team through Movement Church.  A good idea considering we have lots of people in the church who love sports, and we want to be intentionally involved in and around Richmond, not just inside the walls of a building on Sundays.  This wasn't supposed to be a "holy huddle" or your typical "church league softball" type thing--the idea was to take a couple of guys (and girls) from church and have each one invite a few coworkers, neighbors, roommates, fellow students, etc to play as well.  And, praise God, we got a lot of interest!  So much, in fact, that we decided the best thing to do was not tell people our roster was full, but rather just establish a second team. So that's what we did.  The team I am on is Movement, and the other Movement team is Still Running.  And, ironically (or by design?), the first game of the season matched the two Movement teams against one another.

The coin toss was interesting:  Captains met at midfield, and I was face to face with my neighbor/mentor/bff/pastor Robby, and for the next hour or so he would also be my nemesis. 
It was a great game from start to finish, two rookie teams sliding around on the frozen tundra while trying to figure out the league-specific rules and desperately grabbing at (and often missing) the flags of the opponents.  The first half could hardly be described as "pretty"--lots of turnovers, and the conditions limited much of the passing game, but it was not without highlights. For me though, the first half was a bit of a disappointment as I missed a couple of fairly routine catches, including one that would have given us a score right before the break. 

Each team enjoyed the benefits of having a mobile QB who could make plays with his legs, and after halftime each team seemed to find a bit of a rhythm and things started clicking.  It was a back-and-forth type game with several ties and lead changes, and as the clock expired, we were knotted in a 23-23 tie at the end of regulation.

We met again at midfield for the overtime coin toss.  My team won the toss and I elected to play defense first.  It is a college-type overtime, with each team having 4 downs from the 20 yard line.  It started off badly for us, as Robby took the snap, danced through a few defenders (including me) and walked into the end zone for the apparent lead.  However, the play was called back because of downfield blocking (not allowed), and the next play would be a pivotal one.  Carter and Tiffany applied the pressure, and Robby put up an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Movement's Mike Edwards in the end zone.  We took over at the 20 with a chance to win, and barring a crazy interception returned for a TD, the worst we could do was extend the game to another overtime. 

By this time in the game I had learned that the best position for me was tailback, where I could be a decoy to hold a flat defender, or I could take a swing pass or a toss and have a run/pass option, with Mike (QB) still involved in the backfield if another lateral was needed.  So on second down, he pitched right to me and then he snuck into the flats, and I had another receiver deep in the right corner.  Deep guy was covered; I couldn't find Mike.  The flat defender stayed home and appared ready to make the stop, but he was the only obstacle between me and paydirt.  I decided to go for it. 

As the two of us appeared headed for a collision near the 5 yard line, I knew I had to use a "move" if I was going to get by him. But what would it be?  Juke?  Spin? Stutter step?  The most unlikely is the one I chose--pump fake.  I was clearly beyond the line of scrimmage, and after I had mentally committed to it, I knew there was no way he would bite....but he did.  As his feet left the ground and his arms went straight up to deflect my would-be pass, I knew I could get to the corner.  But it wasn't without contest--another defender from the inside hemmed me between him and the sideline.  As I'm sprinting toward the end zone, I decided the only thing I could do to ensure I didn't step out was switch the ball to my inside hand, and reach for the pylon like the guys do on TV.  I heard the whistle, and I had no clue whether they would rule me out or call it a score.  The refs hands shot up vertically.  No flags.  Celebration time. We had won, 29-23, and were 1-0. 

As a competitor, I'm really glad we won.  And I would be lying if I said I wasn't thrilled that I was able to produce the game-winner.  But more than that, I am excited that everyone seemed to have a great time despite the weather.  And it wasn't a blowout--it went into overtime!  Both teams have some things to work on, but I am hoping that this will mark the beginning of a great season, and that we will be able to build some good relationships with folks who we otherwise wouldn't know.  This already started as after the game both teams met for a quick debrief, and Robby was kind enough to share some of his Clif bars and water with us. 

We'll see what type of competition the rest of the league has for us, but I am encouraged and honestly believe that this will be a great experience for everyone involved.  I am certainly hoping we meet Still Running again in the playoffs.

Unexpected Sadness

I knew this was coming.  I thought it would happen every day for the past 3 or 4 years, but it never did.  Until last night.  Because it was somewhat expected, it wasn't expected to phase me at all, but it did. 

My pet snake of 16 years, Martin, finally passed away.  You might not like snakes--you might hate them.  Maybe this stems from Genesis 3, or maybe it's because some are poisonious, or maybe it's just because they creep you out.  Doesn't matter.  Losing a pet stinks no matter how cute or cuddly they are, no matter how many people are a fan of their particular species. 

I'll make a quick sales pitch and keep it short--snakes are great pets. They're clean, quiet, don't require a lot of maintenance at all.  Only eat once a week.  Once you buy the initial "stuff," they're really cheap to maintain. 

This isn't your typical "Marley and Me" type story, because, let's face it, it's a snake.  We didn't really cuddle.  She (yes, a girl named Martin) didn't wag her tail or give me kisses when I got home from work.  There's no real sense of "personality" or reciprocated affection from a reptile.  And, again, she was old.  This was supposed to happen, and I knew it would, and so, not a big deal.

But when I walked in my room and saw her last night, it suddenly was a big deal.  I've had this pet since I was 13 years old.  That's more than half of my life. 

I first got into snakes when I was a kid living in Florida.  My first snake, Buddy, was a ball python who was not raised in captivity (terrible idea), and I owned him for a year, and he would never eat.  Not once.  It's amazing how long they can last without eating.  I remember picking him up out of his cage one day and he didn't move, and I knew instantly that he had passed away.  I carried him into the kitchen, my vision blurred and my speech incomprehensible through my nine year old tears, and I'll always remember the looks of devastation on my parents' faces as they saw me.  This was my first time experiencing any real loss, and it was some of the worst pain I've ever felt.  Of course since then I've experienced the loss of friends and relatives which were much more devastating, but there's something incredibly difficult about experiencing death and loss for the first time--this intangible concept had suddnely become a reality in my life, and I hated it.

This time wasn't as dramatic.  I'm a grown-up now, I get it, pets die.  But once I came to the realization that it was happening, I got hit with a similar wave of sadness that I absolutely did not see coming.  It was hard not to think about that first day at the pet store when I bought her, and all those times watching her climb trees in the yard, or swim a million miles an hour in the bathtub.  How "cool" all my middle school friends thought it was that the kid down the street had a pet snake.  How she used to wrap her tail around my arm to soak in my body heat.  And, utlimately, the first and only time she bit someone after having about a 13 year non-biting streak.  This is when I realized she was getting old (snakes don't really visably age), and it was a tough pill to swallow even then. 

So now the initial shock and sadness has worn off a bit, and I have a different feeling.  I feel--honestly--kind of silly for even being upset at all about this, for the reasons mentioned above.  I won't have to stop by the pet store once a week to get "snake food" anymore.  People won't freak out when they find out there's a snake in the house.  On some levels, things get easier from here.  I still have the Labrador, who is much cuter and sweeter, and a far better cuddler and kisser.  And SHE sometimes listens and obeys commands.  But I saw a lot of milestones with Martin.  She was with me through adolescence, high school, college, several moves, my first job.  A couple (cough, cough) of different girlfriends.  My baptism.  I've owned a snake during essentially every achievement and disappointment I have had in life.  Kind of crazy to think about. 

And now she's gone.

I'll be over it fairly soon I'm sure, but the cage not being there will likely serve as a frequent reminder that a chapter--maybe several--of my life has come to a close, and it is time to transition to the next one. 

NO, I HAVEN'T!

Admission time: I have a few pet peeves.  I know what you're thinking:  I'm likable and friendly, and mostly get along with everyone without really seeming to get annoyed. Ever. (you ARE thinking that, right?)  It's true though, sometimes things irritate me. 

I don't like chain emails that give instructions to "forward to at least 8 people or you will have bad luck for 14098609865 years."  I hate when people say something is "crucial" when they mean it's neat or fun, or cool. Is it really vital, or are you just saying you enjoy it?  I don't like it when people say "literally" and then describe something figuratively (i.e. "he's such a good athlete, he can literally jump out of the gym"). No he can't. Literally, cannot.  I don't like when I return a missed call moments later, only to go straight to voicemail.  You just called me!  With a few exceptions, I don't like when someone calls me, when I was just fine with our text message conversation.  I do love a good phone call every now and then, but it is 2011, after all. 

This one's always been the worst though.  There are a few books I haven't read, and movies I haven't seen.  Just a couple.  Regarding movies, there a few "epic" (that's another one) series that I have not seen a minute of.  The Godfather.  The Matrix.  Lord of the Rings.  Up until recently, The Chronicles of Narnia.  And, often, these come up in conversation with friends.  This is what it sounds like:

"Remember that part in Lord Of The Rings when Frodo says..."

"Yeah, actually I haven't seen those movies"

"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LORD OF THE RINGS!?!?!!?"

There it is. Did you see it?  The emphatic disbelief that there is someone alive who hasn't seen a certain movie is slightly understandable perhaps, but totally unnecessary.  I just said I haven't seen it. I'm generally honest.  No need to verify.  There was a time in my past where I would actually just smile and nod in agreement so as to avoid this awkwardly frustrating exchange.  I used to get very annoyed by this (still do) and storm off in a tiff,  but I've become a little more measured in my reaction.  My responses now are like this:

"actually, yeah, you're right, I have. I just have this habitual, bold-faced, pointless lying problem. Sorry you fell victim to it this time."

or "no, you know what?  In the time that elapsed since I told you I haven't and now, I actually did watch it. Thanks for verifying.  Great movie" 

Why do people do this? I haven't seen the movie.  Still haven't.  I doubt I can get people all over the world to refrain from this.  Maybe the answer is to just have a marathon redbox weekend so I don't have to deal with it anymore? 

Resolution Season

So, what do you think of New Year's resolutions?  I've heard a lot of talk about them the last week or so, everything from people who always make them and never meet them, never make them (so they always meet them), people who believe it's great to embrace a new start, and aim high, and people who believe it's silly to make a drastic declaration that you are almost certain not to achieve. 

Me?  I'm a fan.  Always have been. Why not?  Not crazy about your typical lose weight, quit smoking, save more, etc--though these are all admirable and, yeah, please do them if they're yours--but if there's something that will make your life and the lives of others better, why not have a goal and work to achieve it? 

My family's done something cool for the last few years.  Not really resolutions, more like "predictions" of things that will happen in each of our lives in the coming year.  Each New Year we write down a list of 3-5 of these each, put them in a box, and don't read them again until the following year.  It's interesting and often hilarious to look back and see what you guessed right, what you got completely wrong, and what mattered to you 365 days ago that, well, don't anymore. 

Some of my past predictions were things like "buy a house," "new car," "make X amount of money." 

Well, I rent, I'm not rich, and I just spent $1100 servicing my 97 pickup that I've driven since high school.  None of these things are really important to me anymore. Sure, probably one day I'll buy a house.  And, inevitably one day I will have to get a new vehicle. But the timeline really is no longer a concern.  I have a place to sleep, enough money to pay the bills, and a vehicle to get me where I need to go (and I love that truck). 

So, I made a list of predictions this year, and they were a little different.  I'll tell you what they are on Jan 1, 2012.

I also have a short list of personal, tangible resolutions, but they all really boil down to one: strenghening my relationship with God.  That's tough.  In the culture we live in, with the time constraints we have, does it ever seem really difficult to spend enough time in prayer or reading, loving and giving and serving others in the name of Christ?  And, even when we do spend a lot of time by our standards, is that sufficient for the Creator of the Universe?  I'll be the first to admit it's a tall order, and none of us ever "get there" this side of heaven, do we?  The point though, I think, is to hold two contrasting ideas in tension with one another--that (1) by nature we are a wreck of sinful nastiness, we continually fall short, we absolutely need and should always desire more of God and that (2) God loves us, He can and will forgive us of all our shortcomings, and we can have confidence that if we call on Him, He will answer. For me, when these two ideas are held in tension with one another and intersect at the Cross of Jesus, the good news of the Gospel hits me with a new freshness that takes my breath away.

So yes, my resolutions are difficult--really, impossible.  Here's the thing though.  If it is to happen, it will without question require God to work in, through, for, with, and in spite of me.

This sense of absolute dependency gives me a lot of peace, because I'll take His success rate over mine any day of the year.