What did I just pay for? Uh-oh, you're a John.

It's been a while since I updated this piece, so this might be a long one. I guess I'll just go day by day from the time of my last post because I know you all love to read about the minutiae that is my life.

On Wednesday night I had dinner with Brian. He leads the music for the Bible study I facilitate, which makes him a co-leader of the group. We try to get together every once every few weeks to talk about the group. It was really good. Sometimes it's therapy to share your complaints with someone who can understand the circumstances. The two of us have been running this group for almost three years. A lot of people have come through it in that time and hopefully we've been able to have a positive impact on a few of their spiritual lives.

Thursday I had lunch with Brian and David at Baxter's. David is the pastor at Northstar that over sees the mission groups of the church. The three of us get together every few months so he can check in on the group. Good discussion, but nothing really life changing to report. Thursday night we had study. There was a new girl there which is totally awesome, but I always freak out. I just get the feeling that the study won't live up to whatever expectations the new person had when they came. She seemed to enjoy it though, even with the group running a little "rough" because people didn't seem to have too much to say.

Friday was poker night up at Darren's house in Monroe. Let me tell you, Monroe might as well be in California with as far away as it is. Good times though, I love playing poker. I wish I could find a more regular game to play in. Nothing with too high stakes, but something with a little money on the line.

Saturday Brian and I played tennis in the morning. That was good because I need to get out more and exercise. It was freakin hot outside and we only played for about an hour. Saturday night Kim and I just got pizza and watched the Reds get HAMMERED by the Indians. Pretty pitiful game, but we had a good time just hanging out the two of us and being low key.

Yesterday I did transitions at church. Basically that's the announcements before the message. It always freaks me out a little bit to be in front of 400 people at a time, but it feels good to help out and lighten the load for those on staff. Played basketball in the afternoon for the first time in a while and actually have to pain in my hip today. Maybe staying off it for a while helped out.

No soup for you!

So Jason and I finished painting the front porch of their house on Tuesday without any trouble. Which is surprising because we were totally unsupervised. And for helping him he fed me steak. I'll always work for steak and/or beer.

Last night Kim and I just chilled out with them on their back porch, grilled chicken, and listened to the Reds game. Paul and Sonya came down from their new place in BFE a little later and Jason, Paul, and I broke in our new Irish pipes. Pretty awesome. I love the pipe and I think I have got myself a new habit/hobby.

Today I worked out for the first time in a week. I've got to get back in to the habit of doing that. I always feel so much better when I do it on a regular basis. Dinner with Brian tonight at the Silverton Cafe. That place is such a dive. I love it. The food and atmosphere are awesome.

On a side note, Kim had to go to the doctor again today. She went last week because she was running a fever and had a rash over most of her body. Today she went back because she has been having pretty intense pain in both of her hands for the last few days. They took blood so they can test and try to figure out what's wrong. Please pray that everything comes back negative,she has a clean bill of health and she starts to feel completely healthy again.

I'm not force-feeding myself a steak at four-thirty to save a couple of bucks, I'll tell you that!

Went up to Kim's parents house yesterday for Father's Day. It was us, her sister, her brother and his girlfriend, and her parents. Pretty good time. I took Montgomery Inn ribs up there and everybody went insane complimenting me on bringing them. This brought about two realizations. First, I haven't the slightest idea what makes people think these things are God's gift to Earth. Don't get me wrong, I like them and all, but they aren't THAT good. I guess I've been working here too long. Second, I began to see how uncomfortable I am at taking compliments. I'm not sure why, but it makes me really uncomfortable. I'd rather just have someone else get the credit or hear a simple thank you. Still "unpacking" this one. I don't really see it as a huge problem in my life, but I'm more interested in how it came about. Life is always teaching me new things...

Gonna help Jason paint his front porch tonight. Haven't seen him in a while, with them being out of town for 2 weeks and all, so it'll be good to catch up. Plus he has got the pipe he bought me in Ireland, so we're gonna have to fire those bad boys up tonight.

Maybe the dingo ate your baby.

International cuisine night was a big success on Thursday night. Tons of great food and cool people to talk to. And it was nice to not have to lead a study for the first time in a while. Last night we ate dinner at Max & Erma's. Just the two of us. Good times. Then we watched Without a Paddle. Funny movie. Tonight, we're heading over to Scott's for a cookout. Tomorrow up to her parents place for Father's Day. Pretty full weekend, but all in all should be pretty cool.

Man, it's the nineties... It's Hammer time!

Another night with no plans last night. It has been a laid back couple of days. Enjoyable. The Reds got hammered again last night. They have won 6 games on the road this year, OUT OF 30. Amazing. I'm not going to rant about them everyday, just til they win again. It could be tonight, it could be next month. Who knows?

We're having international cuisine night at Bible study tonight. It should be a good time of getting to sample some food that I don't normally get to eat. It's also Ben and Darla's last night as they are moving to Atlanta next week. Darla and I had a pretty serious disagreement 3 months ago about another group member and the way I handled a situation and she hasn't come back to the study since. I've apologized to her and I feel good about where it stands from my viewpoint. Not sure where she's at. I think she's going to come tonight for the first time in a while. Sad that they are leaving, but maybe best for the group as a whole.

I can do six weeks standing on my head. I'm a sexual camel.

Pretty slow Tuesday. Got my hair cut. I look pretty damn good is I do say so myself. Watched the Reds get plowed by the Sox again. What a mess this squadron is. Just got done working out, for the second time this week thank you very much, and now I'm gonna make dinner for us. Hamburger Helper, what I'm no Emeril. I just try to shoot for good enough to not make her cry when she eats it.

I'm like ice, buddy. When I don't like you, you've got problems.

Kim has been pretty sick the last couple of days and not sleeping very well. And of course that means that I'm not sleeping very well either. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about having to get up in the middle of the night for water and medicine. I'm just dead tired. We got in an argument over something trivial this morning and it was just due to our mutual lack of sleep. Here's to a good nights sleep tonight.

Also, my grandpa is in the hospital/nursing home/physical therapy for some back problems. He's 80 years old and basically his spine is deteriorating, which is incredibly painful. They're not sure if he'll ever be able to go home from the nursing home. That's been really tough on him and my grandma. They've been married forever and it's going to be a tough transition. Please remember the two of them in your prayers.

On a better note, the Red Sox beat the living crap out of the Reds last night. I'm a fan of both teams, but I'm all about the Reds management getting their heads handed to them for all the horrible decisions that have been made. Hopefully they can return to some sort of success in the next few years. Bring on the Bengals.

That stuff is unbelievable. I'd eat it out of a dumpster.

Pretty low key weekend. No Dubliner on Friday because Jason and Paul are both out of town on vacation. I could have gone, but I haven't yet reached the low of drinking by myself in a bar yet. Soon enough I guess. Baby steps. Pirates Cove was a good time that evening. Just hung out and listened to a really bad Beatles cover band. There are just some bands you don't try to cover. U2, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, ect. because you can never do them justice.

Saturday we grilled steaks and watched Anchorman. A pretty funny movie, but not some of Will Ferrells best work. Entertaining none the less. Brick is a great character in that movie. Truly a piece of Americana.

Sunday, Kim had a wedding shower to go to for her sister way up in Livonia, Michigan. This meant that I was home alone for the entire day. Scary. I almost didn't know what to do with myself. Played some PS2 and watched Gladiator. She got home and felt really sick, like I have a 101.8 degree temperature sick. She's a trooper though, she got up this morning and went to her first grad class of the semester. Nothing on tap tonight, prolly gonna workout and go home....

"But at ten they start the aquasonics. Thirty-five geriatrics throwing elbows. It was like I was swimming through a flabby armed spanking machine."

Forgot to post yesterday. Ended my weekday streak daggumit. Oh well, streaks are made to be broken. Had dinner with Brad and Jen on Wednesday night. It was really fun. Always good to hang out in a laid back environment. We found out that Jen might have chronic mono. That sucks, it's basically mono that never goes away and they can't really do anything for it. You just have to learn how to live with it. Pray for her.

Had a really good Bible study last night. It went really well. Good conversation and opinions were being bandied about. That always makes it really easy to lead it. Acts is such a cool book that is so easily relateable to our everyday lives.

Going to Pirates Cove tonight to hang out. Awesome place to chill out and have a brewski. Jason is going to be pissed that he missed this. Not sure what else is on tap for the weekend. Something always seems to shake out.

"The sea was angry that day, my friends. Like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli."

Pretty average Tuesday. Worked out sans Tony. It's the first time I had worked out in a few weeks, so it felt good to get back into the swing of things. I think I might have to do it again today.

Tonight, Kim's friends Brad and Jen are coming over for dinner. Should be fun. I'm trying to be more diligent about becoming better friends with her friends because she has really made an effort to get to know the people I like to hang out with. Plus I get to use the new grill for the first time tonight. So I'm pumped about that too.

"Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?"

Not really to much to report in this post. Went to Jason's place last night for his party to celebrate a retirement from one line of work and his graduation into another. Got to meet some new people which is always good. Also, just hung out with some of the people I already knew that were there. Just a plain old good time of hanging out.

I think I might workout today if Tony shows up to keep me accountable to going. I guess I'll go even if he doesn't. Lord knows I need it. Just going to hang out tonight and relax I think. No plans is good sometimes.

"You find yourself in the kitchen, you see an eclair in the receptacle, and you think to yourself, 'What the hell, I'll just eat some trash."

Pretty good weekend as weekends go. Got the tickets I wanted for the Coldplay concert in August and as a bonus got tickets to the U2 concert in Cleveland in December. SCORE....

Friday
Dubliner as usual. We bought Wilcoxon an expensive glass of scotch for his retirement from NCH. He proceeded to shoot it in true red-neckian form. It was beautiful. Oh, and I let him put a match out on my hand. Kim was pretty pissed about that.....AT ME. Go figure. Had dinner with Aaron and Eva at Trio in the evening.

Saturday
Went home to Troy to see my parents. Walked up to the Strawberry Festival in town and had some damn good steaks on the grill for dinner and watched a movie. It was good to see them because we don't make it up there very often. They are always pumped to see us. I can't figure it out. It must be Kim. :)

Sunday
Went to church with my parents and then to a Dayton Dragons game. They're the single A minor league for the Reds. Needless to say, they are more entertaining than the Reds and win more often. Got home in the afternoon and then went to see the Charlie Daniels band play a free concert in Blue Ash. Pretty good stuff.

Going to Jason and Kim's for his "retirement" party tonight. Should be fun....

"You get within fifteen feet of that woman, she'd have her finger on the mace button."

I like Friday. It's so relaxing mostly. The week is winding down and the Dubliner waits off in the afternoon distance. That's a great place to end the week. Just hanging out, sipping cold Guinness, and solving the worlds problems. All from a bar stool.

Study went really good last night. Much better than last week. It nights like last night that make me feel at ease about leading this group, like I'm actually equipped to do it. Acts is such a good book, so much to learn from. Roger and Meghan will be heading out for the next 8 weeks with their soccer camp ministry. How cool would it be to be able to share the gospel with kids all summer all over the country. They have a really big impact on those kids and that's really cool.

Dubliner after work and then hanging out with Kim's old roommate and her boyfriend. They're cool people and I've known him for a while so it'll be fun.

"I can't carry a pen, I'm afraid it'll puncture my scrotum."

In keeping with the theme titling of blog posts that some friends of mine are using, all my posts will now be titled with Seinfeld quotes. Paul already got Family Guy, so Seinfeld was an easy choice.

Nothing of note really. Kim and I went grocery shopping last night. That's about my least favorite activity ever. It's always crowded and always seems to be filled with strange looking people. At least it's done for about another month.

Told you I had nothing. You just read a paragraph about me hating Kroger and grocery shopping.

Bible study tonight over Acts 16 and 17. Hopefully people will be more talkative than last week. None the less, I'll be more prepared to do most of the talking if people are still in a listening mood. Maybe I'll just start reading the IVP commentary to them until they speak up. Probably not. Oh well, God will show like He always does and make something cool happen.

Can't think of any witty banter to title this with...

Pretty normal Tuesday all in all. Bored as all get out at work. May is always a slow month for me workwise, so that kind of sucks. Things will get crazy again as we head into June and then I'll be griping about that.

Had lunch with Paul and Jason, which broke up the monotony of the day. Our conversation is always interesting. Trust me, you would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at the BBQ Revue yesterday. I'd hang out with those two just about anywhere.

Tried to run again last night. Only made it two miles. It's hell getting old, having bad hips and ankles, and trying to run. Damn that high school track coach burning me out on long jump. Ah the glory days. Hopefully if I take it slow and build up some strength, I'll be able to at least run 5K's again without feeling like I ran 50 miles the day after.

Finally, I got to talk to my little brother on the phone yesterday. He's 22 and recently engaged to the girl he's been dating for 5 years. She's awesome and don't get me wrong, I'm happy they're going to get married. The catch is due to grad school situations, they have to live in different cities for the first year they're married and only see each other on the weekends. I can't imagine how hard that's going to be when you're trying to learn how to be married. I tried to convey that to him in a way that was supportive, but also grounded in reality. I think he was receptive and will start to prepare for next July and the year after more carefully. He's a cool cat, no doubt.