The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making a Fool of Yourself...

Step 1) Open your mouth...
Step 2) Insert your foot...
Step 3) Repeat as often as possible...

Yeah, I've got that down... People are going to begin to doubt the presence of my internal monologue, and start thinking I never think before I speak. That's, surprisingly, not always the case. I do quite often think before I say something, but I still end up saying the wrong thing. Like last night...

I was working the merch table at a local concert with a former co-worker and current friend. It was towards the end, and there were not many people left in the lobby, when I saw an unfamiliar book sitting on the table. The book was facing away from me, so I was seeing the cover upside down, but I did recognize a square-ish jaw line, semi-androgynous features, and curly, voluminous, slightly reddish hair in an outdated style. After thinking it through, my conclusion was not the logical choice of picking up the book, and looking at it from a non-distorted viewpoint, but to loudly, and excitedly exclaim, "Ooooh! Is that Carrot Top?!" I honestly thought it was Carrot Top on the cover!

Of course, it wasn't Carrot Top on the cover, as Kimberly quickly pointing out by shushing me... It was a woman who had attended the show and given a copy of her book, "The Unsinkable Stone" to Chad. She wrote the book as an account of her life and faith... her struggles and triumphs... and she certainly had a few that were highly admirable.

Born with a rare and severe form of cerebral palsy, this woman had spent her entire life in a wheelchair, overcoming significant physical obsticals to create ceramic art, and even write a book... and here I was, foot in mouth, unintentionally insulting her! Thank goodness she was no longer there, because I was mortified, but Kimberly and Jon sure got a good laugh!

Kimberly and Jon are welcome to laugh, because I know that they know I was not trying to be mean-spirited, and would never intentionally insult someone so brazenly, but had simply fallen victim to my own monumental naïveté yet again. They find incidences like this funny because they are not at all uncommon. At least not for me... Spend long enough with me, and I will eventually make a complete idiot of myself without even trying.

With all of the stupid things I have said and done over the years, it's a wonder I am even able to be embarassed anymore...

Congratulations to the Scheidts!

On March 1st, I had the honor of helping two very good friends celebrate their marriage to each other! Kate and Jay met at our former place of employment, and lasted through a very trying separation while Jay was in basic training for the army. At Jay's graduation, almost a year ago, they became engaged! This Saturday they tied the knot and it was one of the most beautiful weddings and receptions I have ever been to. These two are so in love! I pray God's greatest blessings on you both as you begin a very long and happy life together! Thanks for letting me share your day!

The Favre-d Ones...

Several hours of television were eaten up today by "breaking news" here in Wisconsin... not about a terrorist threat, no phenomenal natural disaster, or any such horrific occurance... nope... in the eyes of some Wisconsinites, it could be considered even worse... Brett Favre, of the famed #4 jersey, 38 year old record-holding quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for the past 16 seasons, former Super Bowl MVP has decided to retire... finally!

To say I am a Wisconsin native and not a Packer fan is almost considered treason by the die hard "cheeseheads" that abound here, and it is not even like I am an anti-Packer fan, or a fan of any other team... I'm just not into football... I'm indifferent.

So why am I relieved that Favre has finally decided to call it quits? Because I am so incredibly sick of hearing about nothing but the questions over whether he will or will not be returning for another season all off-season, every off-season. This is football! Not nearly as important as, say, a presidential election, but now that I've mentioned it... I'm sick of all the political debates as well.

See, I am a huge Brewer fan, and last time I checked, baseball was America's national pastime! Still, many Wisconsinites lost faith in our hometown team during their twelve season losing streak and have only now begun to rejoin the bandwagon now that they are doing well and "earning" the loyalty. Wishy-washy fairweathers really irk me, but that's not the point.

I am just in awe that such an exorbitant amount of unscheduled television time was dedicated to something as minor as an athlete retiring! Yes, I know it was the Brett Favre, and even I will acknowledge that he was a greatly talented quarterback, but he was just a quarterback... just another human being who happened to do something for a living that put him in the public eye, and nothing that warrants an hour and a half of consecutive "breaking news" interruptions on every network station!

It's called idolization, and it goes against God's First Commandment!