Picture Time

I couldn't let the weekend pass without posting pictures to the blog. I thought I'd share some of the photos from our recent trip to Lake Junaluska.

Here's a picture of the lake right before the sun went down. Mike, Kathryn, Andrew, and I decided to take a walk around the lake before time to call it a night.







We couldn't not stop and take pictures at the cross. We rarely post pictures of ourselves on here, so here ya go.










Saturday night was dinner at "Granny's".








Along the lake is a rose garden that goes on forever. We must have taken 50 pictures of the different kinds. This was one of my favorites.






The weekend ended with Andrew's 30th Birthday party. Here's Andrew's nephew, Jackson, enjoying his cupcake. I wonder if they ever got the blue dye off of his mouth?






Have a great week everybody!

Your TV Journalist Name: The Formulae

All due respect to Jon Stewart, Ben Karlin, David Javerbaum, Rich Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Eric Drysdale, J. R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, Tom Johnson, Rob Kutner, Chris Regan, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, Samantha Bee, Stephen Colbert, Rob Corddry, Brendan Hay, Ed Helms, Thomas Jefferson, and The Daily Show... but I thought I'd borrow and share the following fun stuff from the book America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide To Democracy Inaction. For those political/journalistic types among you, this'll be especially interesting... because it's a guide to choosing your TV journalist name.

Now that you've mastered expressions and outfits, it's time to turn your focus to the most important credential you'll need in TV journalism: A name. The one you currently have simply won't do. Trust us, the phrase "For all of us here at Channel 7, I'm Fred Zizniak," will ne'er be uttered on a television newscast.

Use one of the formulas below to create for yourself a new TV-approved name.

• Anchorman
  Recommended formula: One-syllable type of construction material + breed of horse
  Examples: Brick Shetland, Chip Clydesdale, Stone Winchester, Wood Lippizaner


• Sportscaster/Weatherman
  Recommended formula: One-syllable kitchen-related verb + nonsensical multi-syllable compound
  Examples: Flip Greencat, Dash Sledboat, Slice Carhat, Squirt Mudbottom


• Women
  Recommended formula: Regular first name with pretentious misspelling + alliterative surname that sounds like a first name
  Examples: Daran Davids, Mikhaela Michaels, Larra Leslees, Jennn Jonnnson

Minorities

• Hispanic
  Recommended formula: Name of saint + Spanish curse word
  Examples: Ignacio Cabrón, Maria Pendejon, Francisco Tu Madre Es Una Puta Fea


• Asian
  Recommended formula: Name of child from The Waltons + sound you make when struck in solar plexus
  Examples: Mary Ellen Huk, Ben Puh, John Boy Oh

So what's your TV journalist name?

I think mine'll be Slate Gelderlander.

Do we really know each other?

As part of my 2006 resolution to read more this year, I recently finished "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham. I was capitvated by the questions the author made me ask myself and how vividly you got to know his characters.....flaws and all. In several parts of the novel, the author speaks directly to you. The first chapter is him explaining to you how this novel came about. You see, the author is a transplant. A frenchman, who ends in the lowcountry of South Carolina because of World War II. As a "foreigner" he has a unique perspective on people and their relationships.

Ok....so now for the point. The following passage was in the first chapter......


"It is very difficult to know people and I don't think one can ever really know any but one's own countrymen. For men and women are not only themselves; they are also the region in which they were born, the city apartment or the farm in which they learnt how to walk, the games they played as children, the old wives' tales they overheard, the food they ate, the schools they attended, the sports they followed, the poets they read, and the God they believed in. It is all these things that have made them what they are, and these are the things that you can't come to know by hearsay, you can only know them if you have lived them. You can only know them if you are them".

When I read this passage for the first time, I had to go back and re-read it several other times. It really got me to think. If you agree with what the author is proposing, then it really explains a lot about how we relate to other people. Is this why, when you're away from "home" you gravitate towards people with similar backgrounds and experiences. Is this a good thing, or are we keeping ourselves from experiencing new things? In my opinion, it also explains that when you just begin to think that you know someone, you learn something new about then and you wonder if you really know them at all. Is it possible for us to really "know" each other, or are we just letting people "know" the person we want them to see. Unless you've known someone since they were, as this author says, learning to walk.....do you ever really understand where they're coming from. And even then, you still don't know every detail.

I just realized that this post sounds like a sociology paper....that really wasn't the point. My point was to share what you can learn by sitting still everyonce in a while and looking at the world from someone else's perspective. To really ask yourself questions you otherwise wouldn't even think of. I guess what I decided was that it is very important to know yourself first......strengths and weaknesses.....resolve yourself to the things you can't change, work on your weaknesses, and celebrate your strengths. If we can't do that for ourselves, how can we ever expect to get to know anyone else?

Because I needed to read it.

Do all the good you can
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can.

                    - John Wesley

Running around like a chicken with its head cut.....

would not even start to explain the past couple of weeks. Let me apologize up front for both of us for neglecting our blog. We really have not given it the attention it deserves. It didn't ask to be created....but even though we don't pay enough attention to it, it's still here when we return.

I'm not even going to try to come up with excuses for why we haven't posted except to say life gets busy. I'm sure you all understand. Correction, life is busy, but not work - at least for me. I am on week 4 of my excruciating training process. I am so ready to get on my own it's not even funny. I would say that the "training program" is geared towards employees with no credit experience, if there was a training program to speak of. I'm basically just sitting with someone when they have work..... and when they don't I just sit at my desk and stare at the wall..... or in this case, decide to take this time to post.

Let's see.... let's see. What's been going on in our world? Mike is getting settled in at Lowe's. He really seems to be enjoying it. It's nice to hear him at the end of the day just rattle on about the goings on on the 5th floor, east wing, 1600 row, 3rd cube..... i think that's right? All I know is I'm the 2nd cube from the door. Ha.

Last weekend we joined Mike's family in Lake Junaluska for the Western North Carolina Methodist Conference. We got in around 8 on Friday night and ate at Snappy's for the 2nd year in a row. It's our own little tradition now. You'd never believe.... but there's really good Italian food in Maggie Valley. So it was us and about 100 bikers eating dinner. A Methodist Convention and bikers in the same town.... interesting combination. We met everyone at the house afterwards, got settled, and spent the rest of the evening just chatting with the fam. Saturday was a lazy morning for Mike, Nancy, and me while the others were gone to meetings. Then in the afternoon we went "plundering" in downtown Waynesville. We looked at some great artwork, shopped at the Christmas store (of course), met some of Waynesville's 4-legged residents, and had the best Italian Gelato this side of the Atlantic. It was Mojito flavored...... YUM!!!!! Saturday night we went to Granny's (the restaurant) for dinner where we met up with Kathryn and Andrew who had flown in from Wisconsin. Saturday night involved a walk around the lake and string art...... trust me, you had to be there. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Sunday we all got up and went to church at Conference and headed down the mountain. That night, Andrew was subjected to a surprise birthday party. The big 30.... I'm not commenting, because I'm next (shuddering). Again, Happy Early Birthday Andrew!!!

Poor Flip was nice enough to volunteer to "baby-sit" the "children" for me while we were gone. Moa isn't allowed in the house that we stayed in. Wouldn't you know that's when he decides to get an upset stomach. He seemed to be recovering by Sunday, but it reared its ugly head again last night. There's nothing like standing outside at 3 in the morning in your pj's watching your dog have the runs. Priceless, ha. He's eating/drinking so hopefully he's just got an upset tummy. Thanks again Flip!!! I really owe you.

I guess it's about time for me to quit rattling on and attempt to look busy doing actual work. Does moving papers on your desk count?

Before I publish this post, please keep two of our family members in your prayers. My Uncle Verlie who I've mentioned before does in fact have bladder cancer. He's successfully had surgery and is currently undergoing radiation/chemo. Also, a couple of weeks ago we found out that Mike's Uncle Harold was diagnosed with Grade 3 breast cancer. Obviously we were all shocked by the news. He had surgery on Monday and is at home. He'll start his treatments next week. After spending the weekend with them and visiting him in the hospital, I'm convinced that a good attitude is half the battle in these situations. I hope that if I'm ever faced with that kind of challenge (God forbid) that I'd have one ounce of the courage that he has. Harold and Ann have both always made me feel like part of the family. I hope they know how grateful I am to all of the DeBerry/Davis clan for that. Here's to a quick/successful recovery for both of our uncles.

Have a great Thursday, y'all. I'll be in Hickory this weekend for Dad Day....so, Happy Father's Day to all of you!!! Remember to hug your loved ones and tell them how much they mean to you every chance you get.

Good Luck!!!!

Let's all wish Mike GOOD LUCK on his first day at Lowe's tomorrow. We all know you'll do great!!!!!! I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you.










I thought I'd post some pictures we took (I can't remember who took the bumble bee picture) at my Mom's house Easter weekend. I'm pretty proud of the butterfly picture. As my family would attest, I'm not the best picture taker. I used to get way more ceiling in my pictures than people. It's kind of rainy and chilly here this evening (a nice break from the hot weather we've been having), so I thought I'd post some spring pictures. I'll have to post some pictures soon of the flowers on our patio.

So remember how it feels to be outside on a gorgeous day with those you love. Don't forget to tell them how much you appreciate them every chance you get. I hope you all know how much I appreciate you.

If I was a Learjet...

Alright... so... just in time for me to start my daily commute to Mooresville (Monday is my first day at Lowe's), engadget has come through for me in a big way. Apparently, the Gryphon parachute system you see pictured here allows its user to fly up to 25 miles before deploying the chute. Should be just enough to get me to exit 33, provided there's no headwind. I just hope they keep that rooftop door to the stairwell unlocked during bidness hours.