Merry Christmas!

May the Lord Bless You and

Keep You This Holiday Season!

Dancing with the Stars Tour

What can I say, the tour was just as fabulous as I imagined it would be. The only regret is that we didn't get a table by the stage. The lucky people who got table seating was able to be right up there by the action and even interacted with the Stars!
Ok, let's get the negative comments out of the way! Ms. Karina was sportin' the short bob that she had on the show for a few dances. I couldn't tell if it was a wig or if she cut it but it looked awful!! I think the other thing that was a damper on the evening was the number of people coming in late (VERY LATE) and somewhat building a wall making it difficult for us to see the stage. The worst part about it is that up to a full hour into it, hords of people were STILL COMING IN!!! I almost asked the usher to have them wait til in between numbers, as not to disturb us. I don't know if it was annoying to anyone else, but to me, Troy and his mom & step-dad, it was!!
Now for the positive:
The dancers were wonderful, the costumes were quite 'interesting' with many of the costumes being those worn on the show.
Drew Lachey and Joey Lawrence sort of co-hosted most of the night, and the other celebrities would chime in to introduce the next dancers up. Joey McIntire (Joey-Mac) was a goof ball and joked around with Joey L. a lot. Joey-Mac also sang a few songs from him new album (CD). In my opinion, he's still a good singer, but was better in his glory days of NKOTB. He has grown up a lot and has an older sound...but he's still a cutie!
The most precious part if the night was when husband and wife, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna danced the waltz together. While Lisa did a quick change from her previous number, Harry preceded to tell us about the day they were married and how much he so loves his wife. As I said, it was the most precious part of the night.
As we were walking out to the car, we were all discussing where'd they be next and if we could catch another show. I never knew I could have so much fun watching people dance. Of course, it did help that they included some fav celebs but the choreography was amazing and definately had the 'wow' factor!

If you can catch it coming to your neck of the woods, I would give it a perfect 10!!! GO SEE IT!!

Ramblings & such

It's been awhile since my last blog. What on earth have been up to??
Well, since it is holiday season, I've been doing the norm - Christmas shopping, going to holiday parties, and making plans for a vacation. I've been going nuts trying to find that right gift for family. I've just about gotten everyone taken care of.

I went to my department's Christmas party tonight and Oh My Goodness, the White Elephant gift exchange was SOOOOOO funny!!! I was the lucky recipient of the most hidious-looking glittery fish ornaments (which will definately be making a return next year!) and a small monkey puzzle. Needless to say, my gifts were safe. There was some pretty awful things given this year. Along with mine, there was a pair of gold sequence boxer shorts which first appeared last year. Awkwardly enought, our Vice President of the deparment was the lucky winner! Another quite 'interesting' gift was two bobble-head dolls (a boy and girl) with very strange features.

On the vacation side, Troy and I will be heading south to the Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm for some much needed R & R the week between Christmas and New Years. We're really looking forward to our break. It's been a busy year of work, school, church activities and concerts so we need some 'together time'.

So, tomorrow is THE DAY!!! The Dancing With the Stars tour comes to Fresno. I'm looking forward to it and know it will be so much fun!! Stay tuned for an update.

May God bring all of you grace and peace for a Blessed Christmas!!

I've been tagged

From the prompting of my dear friend Malia, I have to come up with 6 wierd things about myself. Hmmmm... I'm sure any one of my friends might be able to come up with WAY more then 6.

1. I like watching movies over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over... (you get the picture.)
2. I like watching commercials. Yes, believe it or not, I find some commericals fascinating. Blame it on my Visual Litearcy class, which has been analyzing colors, designs and reasons behind the ad campaigns.
3. I'm a people watcher. I'm an observer and like just watching how people act, react and respond. Especially kids. They are so amusing.
4. I'm a computer-aholic. Do they have an C.A. support group I can join?? I'm on a computer all day at work, come home and get on my laptop and do homework, check emails, write blogs, check out my MySpace, surf the local news, play games, etc. I can't seem to get enough.
5. I take my pillow with me on ALL overnight vacations. I guess you can kind of call it a secuirty blanket sort of thing. I sleep better with it. It's traveled with me all over, weekend trips to Santa Cruz, Concert festivals in Montery and Qunicy (in the middle of nowhere northeast of Sacramento, northwest of Reno) and have flown with me all the way to NY, MD, VA and FL.
I think I've only left it behind twice that I know of and I was so miserable without it.
6. I've always dreamed of being on broadway in New York, or singing a concert at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House... but yet I'm scared to death to sing solo in public.

Ok, here's a bonus that I just thought of....
7. I work on a college campus I've never attended, yet am taking college classes online through another university.

If you feel so inclined, consider yourself tagged! Let's keep this baby rolling.

Let the crazyness begin...

Update: I just checked Ebay, and not only is there one for $30k, there's a few up for bid for $1 million!!! 1 MILLION!!! OMG!! It's actually quit shocking that anyone would even consider paying that much just to get a game that will be out dated in a year. How greedy people have become. One of them listed for $1 mil says it will benefit the Boys & Girls Club. Sure it will! ;-)

----------------------------------------------------

The day after Thanksgiving... also known as 'Black Friday'.
I didn't dare go out into the crazyness today. In fact, I am going to try to affoid the malls at all costs from now til after New Years.

I was thinking though, could it have even compared to just about a week earlier when the whole world went crazy for the new PS3? From reports in Fresno, hundreds of people camped out in front of stores for a chance to spend $700+ for a PlayStation 3 (not including all the games). The one problem... most stores only got a few dozen and when they ran out even before stores opened, riots began which led to many arrests. Latest gossip is that there's a PS3 on Ebay for $30k!!! Someone has to be totally out of there mind to buy a PS3 for that much!!!

So, what's on your shopping list for this Christmas?? Before you dare the malls, make a list, plan your trip and pray for a safe trip!
Good luck!!

On your mark.... get set.... SHOP!!

Just remember one thing though. Christmas isn't about the shopping (despite what retailers may want you to believe), the gifts or even about Santa Claus. It's about celebrating the birth of our precious Savior, Jesus! Keep in mind the Reason for the Season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope all of my friends out here in blog world have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Enjoy this special time with family and friends and most importantly give thanks to God for all that He has given us.

Many Blessings to you All!

And the winner is.....

CELEBRATE & PARTY!!!
Emmitt won the 'Dancing With The Stars' Finals!!

Hooray! I'm so happy!
It was a tough competition coming down between Emmitt and Mario but I think the better man prevailed!

Mario and Karina will sulk for awhile but OH WELL!!! :-)

Can't wait to see the gang dancing on tour in December!
It was an exciting season! Can't wait til next year!

The Finals... The Hero... or the Heartthrob??

It comes down to 2 - Emmitt Smith and Mario Lopez.
Each couple did 3 dances and it was tough competition.

Both did the samba for their first dance.
Emmitt and Cheryl had it goin' on tonight! Emmitt's fancy footwork had to be because of his fancy shoes!! They got a perfect 30 from the judges! Yah!!

Wow! I do have to say that Mario and Karina were amazing too! Eventhough I'm not too keen on Ms. Karina, she does know how to dance!! They walked away with a 29 score.

For Dance 2, Emmitt & Cheryl did the Mambo. They've done this variation before but heightened it to a more defined level. They missed the perfect 30 by only 1 point last time. This week, they got their perfect 30!!!!

For dance 2, Mario and Karina did the Paso Doble'. Although it was a nice dance, I don't think they did so well this time. Despite my thoughts, the judges gave them 30.

The Freestyle - No Holds Bard!!

Emmitt & Cheryl danced to 'Can't Touch This' by MC Hammer. Again, Emmitt has some shiny looking shoes on. His dance moves were by far, outshined!! They both did some fancy footwork and it looked just like watching Hammer's music video. All I can say is WOW!!!!
I demand a recount though - they only got a 29 on this one!!

Mario & Karina danced to "It Takes Two". Get Down & Get Funky with Your Bad Self!! What was up with those robot moves though!! I did see Karina mes sup! HA!! The judges seemed to like it and gave them a perfect 3o.

It's not up to the voters!!
VOTE FOR EMMITT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Semi Final Results

So last night was a critical night in the finals... and I missed it. :-(
Troy surprised me with a date-night last night to Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre to see 'Grease'. One of my favorite movies, and the group performed it well - allbeit a little different. Overall, a good time was had by all and we laughed a lot!

During intermission, I phoned my mother-in-law (another DWTS junkie) to get the results and I was saddened to her my beloved Joey was voted off. SAD DAYS!!! Maybe I'm glad I didn't watch, I would've been crying so bad. From the sound of it though, he took it all in stride and left proudly knowing that he'd come so far. I'm not too sad anymore though, because I'll see him in December on the tour. :-) Yah!!!

I tried to log on to abc to vote for Joey but I was running into so many problems accessing my account. It was so frustrating... my password would not work.

Now, it's down to Emmitt and Mario and I can't wait to see what they come up with next week.
The saga continues.......

Semi-Finals Round

"It Comes Down to Two Bald Heads and a Pair of Dimples"
The competition is definately heating up and each couple looked great tonight! The dances were fabulous and each one of the guys brought on their hot & sexy side.

Mario & Carina: received perfect 10's across the board for their first dance. They did a waltz, which was a stumbling block for Mario earlier in the competition. It was a gutsy move but apparently, it paid off. Their 2nd dance, the ChaCha, was fun and energetic. Mario channeled the Michael Jackson within him and did a great job. The judges really nit-picked the dance though.... despite the nit-picking, they still came away with a 29.

Joey & Edyta: I wish I could've been at Disneyland when Joey and Edyta visited. I actually liked the dance they did there better then their first dance tonight. Joey looked adorable in the sailer outfit and it was so neat that he dedicated it to his grandfather. Another near perfect score.
Dance 2: the Rumba - WOW!! Hot & sexy Joey!! All 10's for them! YES!!

Emmitt & Cheryl: Their waltz was amazing! Elegant and smooth. Almost a perfect score! Dance Their ChaCha was HOT, HOT, HOT!! Get down and get funky with your bad self! Emmitt was having a ball and it showed! They got perfect 10's!!!

Considering its the women that are the professionals in this competition, it makes the men look good! It's a close race and I hate to see any of them leave tomorrow. It's up to the voters now.
Results tomorrow!

Got tics?

I do!!!
I am not the proud owner of 4 tickets to the Dancing with the Stars Tour coming to Fresno's Save Mart Center on December 20, 2006!! I'm so excited!!!
That made my weekend!!

Dancing... on Tour

OMG!!! I'm absolutely so excited right now!!!!
I just found out that Dancing with the Stars is going on tour and one stop on their tour is FRESNO!!! Woooo HOOOOOO!!!! I'm so excited!! They will be dancing their way into the Save Mart Center on December 20.
Among those on the tour is:
Harry Hamlin
Lisa Rinna (you know, Lisa and Harry are married)
Drew Lachey (winner of Season 2) with partner Cheryl Burke
Joey McIntire (from New Kids on the Blcok! What a cutie!!)
Willa Ford
and............. (wait for it.....)


JOEY LAWRENCE with partner Edyta!!!!!!!

I guess that means that win or lose in Season 3, Joey is still a crowd pleaser!! :-)
I k now he surely pleases me!! :-)
I'm dancin' my little happy dance.....

Dancing With the Stars - Semi Finals Here They Come!

I had mixed emotions about each couple's dances this week. It seemed like each dancer had one great dance, and one not-so-great dance on Tuesday's show. I guess you chop it up to the Halloween theme on Tuesday night. I'm really proud of Monique for holding her own with the tough competition with these boys. She finally got her 10's. I thought it was so cute how in tonight's re-performance for the judges, Monique's partner, Louie, wouldn't let her off the ground. It was cute, and funny. I have to confess that Mario and Karina are starting to bug me. Karina's drama queen attitude during their rehearsals are over the top. Although I still think Mario is most adorable, he knows it, and he seems to be using those dimples of his to keep the female viewers screaming for more - and they are. Joey looked hot last night, but with those fangs were a bit much. I was impressed with Emmitt and his smoothness. He showed style and class in his dances and in spite of his size, he danced well. He's gotten a lot of comments about him not being able to move like Joey and Mario because he's such a big man. I still held his own. Let the Semi-finals begin! The finalists are: Emmitt & Cheryl, Joey and Edyta (YES!!!), Mario and Karina. Which means that Monique and Louie was voted off. She has grown so much in the last few weeks, and I actually hate to see her go. Louie's encouraging words almost made me cry! The insecure girl spreads her wings and flies away a confident, beautiful woman! Way to go Monique! One question though... who let her momma on the stage!! LOL

Kids these days

My observations from last night Halloween escapede was quite interesting.
Troy and I hung out at his mom's house giving out candy to what we thought would be neighborhood kids.... but to our surprise, there were kids coming from all over that somehow got into the gated community to trick-or-treat for candy.

Although we had kids of all ages, it was actually the older teenagers that were fun to talk to and actually said "Thank you," "Have a nice night," and other pleansantries. The younger kids grabbed their candy, hardly saying a word to us, and ran off. There was even a few boys that dug their hand into the candy and ran out with a big hand-full of candy, to fill their bag. I think I even saw a few kids sneak through twice to get treats.

In our neck of the woods, treak-or-treaters got a late start (6:30 pm) and continued on until close to 9 pm. We were outside for most of that time but it turned cold outside so we all went in. Plus, 8 pm came and it was time to watch "Dancing with the Stars."
(My review will follow after tonights results show.)

Hope everyone had a safe Halloween and don't get too sick on all the candy. :-)

Dancing with the Stars

I don't know if anyone has been following this show, but I've been hooked on it for the past few weeks. It's a tough decision to root for Mario or for Joey. They're both so adorable! Although Karina (Mario's partner) isn't the best 'people person', I like their chemistry. I think the best couple would have to be Emmitt & Cheryl (I like her name!!) and Joey and Edyta.
When Joey and Jerry made the bottom two last week, I held my breath...hoping "please don't vote Joey out, please don't vote Joey out..." I nearly had a heart attack when they announced they were both staying, thanks to the sad departure of Sara Evans.
This week, they both rocked but someone had to go.
Tonight, Jerry and his partner was sent home. Although he wasn't much of a dancer, I do have to say that I have been impressed with seeing the personable side of Jerry Springer, instead of the slimy talk-show host he once was. There's much more to Mr. Springer then anyone knew.

So next week, it's down to Mario, Joey, Emmitt and Monique.
I'll be watching closely!

Not So Happy ''Dogs

What's going on with my Fresno State Bulldogs??

They can't seem to win a game since their first game against Nevada.
We have not only lost, but lost by a lot!! What starts out as a great beginning with some exciting first runs, ends up in very disappointing losses.
I guess you can say we're in a 'rebuilding year'. After most of the high performing players all graduated last year including our star QB, Paul Pinegar, this year's team is left with a few remaining superstars and up & coming stars to be who haven't reached their full potential yet.
At the beginning of the season, the team looked promising with two great quarterbacks vying for the job as first position.
We have a week off, before we face undefeated Boise St. on Nov 1.
I pray that something will happen in this next week that will pump up our guys and encourage a win against some of the toughest teams we still have yet face this season.

Harvest Moon

Last night was the beginning of the 'Harvest Moon'. The time when the moon seems bigger and brighter. Long ago, farmers relied on the moonlight to harvest autumn crops. For this part of California, which is mostly ag land, this was especially true. A bright full moon—a "Harvest Moon"—allowed work to continue into the night and the days seemed to get longer.

Last night I wasn't able to see it clearly as it was a bit cloudy. Tonight it was clear and I couldn't help but notice the bigger and brigher moon lighting up the night sky. I wanted to get a picture of it with my camera phone but all I got was nearby lights. I found this 2003 picture from nightsky.com and though it was pretty close to what I saw tonight.

It was beautiful!!
Thank the Lord that He gives us light to see in the darkness!

Goodbye summer... Hello Fall

Say goodbye to Summer...
Goodbye shorts
Goodbye bathing suits
Goodbye my pittiful attempt at tanning
(I'm a white girl - I can accept that now! I CAN NOT TAN!!!!)
Goodbye hot sweaty, 100+ degree days
Goodbye fans (Troy is saddened while I rejoice!) :-)

Say Hello to Fall!
Hello comfy blankets
Hello warm sweaters
Hello electric blanket (agin, Troy is saddened while I rejoice!)
Hello winter rains

As I was driving home from work today on this overcast Monday, I noticed the sun's rays beating through the clouds. I was reminded of the awesome-ness of God. Eventhough the clouds darken the skies, the light still finds a way to shine through. I was reminded that we are the light in this dark world.

Is your light shining? Or is it dim?

"Let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify the Father, which is in Heaven." Matthew 5:16 NIV

Searching for something.... but what?

Have you ever found yourself doing a lot of soul-searching... but don't know exactly what your searching for?

I have found myself burdened with a heaviness that I don't know exactly why or how.
A spiritual war is going on inside, not only me, but many others that I know.

God is calling me to pray, and pray hard... but for what... He has not revealed. I MUST obey!

I have found sollace in scripture and in praising Him through music, which has been my main source of worship.

With all the goings on in the world, I feel compelled to really drop myself down to my knees and submit myself to prayer, letting humbleness fall upon me and speak to me through the silence.

My needs, my desires, and my will aside, I am but a servant doing His will on this earth, until He calls me home.

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. -- James 4:10 NLT

Remember 9/11

Five years ago today, our world was changed forever! Five years ago our outlook on security and freedom also changed! What were you doing when you found out about the attack on New York City and Washington, DC?? I have always loved the Lee Greenwood song, "Proud to be an American" which makes me cry every time I hear it. It's meaning is more powerful now, then it has ever been!

Where were you on that day??
I remember getting up that day, to get ready for work. I turned on the television and all over the news was special reports of the tragic events. I was horrified to see the second tower go down, and hear about the crash at the Pentagon. I was in awe and deeply saddened. No other national event effected me as much as this one, as I'm sure it did for others. I mourned for those that were in those towers, those that were on those planes and the especially the families of those who died. They had no idea they'd never see or talk to their loved ones again.

Two genlemen among those lost were Fresno State alumni, so it especially hit the campus hard. One was an employee of the Pentagon, the other was one of the brave men who took on hijackers on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. To say the least, I went to work that day in a very somber mood, and no one was in the mood to work. We found a television in storage and turned on the news.... and watched the events happen all day! We watched, we cried, and we prayed as we saw the events unfold. Let us remember the thousands who died that fatal day in New York, Washington DC, and in Pennsylvania... and especially those firefighters, police, and other volunteers who risked their lives to save any survivors lost in the rubble.

I will never forget the strong sense of patriotism that it took for those on flight 93 to give up their lives to save our nation by diverting the plane to a less populated area. May we always remember those who died that day, and their families they left behind. May God constantly remind us of the cost of freedom! We may not agree with what our President has done, but it is because of the men and women in our military that give us the freedom to enjoy the life we have.

As we continue to protect our country so that another tragic day as 9/11 never happens again, please pray for our country, our troops stationed abroad, and most importantly, pray for our President! If you would like to pray specifically for those still deployed, please visit KLOVE Radio's Wall of Prayer to pray for those currently serving, or add those that you know to the list.

Ducks beat the Bulldogs 31-24

What was thought to be Duck season in Fresno, turned out to be a tough battle, The mighty Ducks of Oregon State proved their toughness on the field with outscoring the Bulldogs 31-24. It was a tough loss for us Bulldogs but our boys did play hard and most of the game was spent being tied.
The stadium was packed as we all cheered on the 'Dogs each of the four LONG quarters. The game was aired on ESPN2, (which apparently I made my television debut on for a brief second) so the whole nation (or those interested in seeing this tough battle) saw this hard faught battle.
In the end though, the only thing that counts in the rankings our the numbers in the W-L area.

The Bulldogs have a tough road ahead as they have mostly away games this year. Our young team fight hard and will definately make us die-hard Bulldog fans proud!

Go Dogs!!

So Long 'Crocodile Hunter'

The world (and especially the Aussie community) mourns the sudden passing of Steve Irwin, famously known as the Crocodile Hunter. He wrestled with crocs, and wrestled his way into our hearts with his enthusiasm and excitement for wildlife. I'm not sure I'd be too excited being so close to a crocodile, snake or any other dangerous animal. He gave people a great knowledge and appreciation for wildlife that is mostly misunderstood.
You would think since he worked so much with wild animals, he would have met his death by croc... but instead God chose to take this loving soul by stingray. We lose a beloved conservationist, teacher and entertainer. I pray for his dear widow and his children at this hard time.
Here's the story from Associated Press if you have not heard about the tragic accident yet.


CAIRNS, Australia (AP) - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44. Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean's Deadliest" when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous bard on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time. Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said. Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity. He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction. "The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!"' Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death." "It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people." Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots. His ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally. Irwin's public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations. Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him. Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart. "It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray and to be killed by one is very rare," Collin said. News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters of society. At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their horns as they passed. "Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," was written on a card with a bouquet of native flowers. "We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss," said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate. Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December. The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the "Crocodile Huntress," she costarred on her husband's television show and in his 2002 movie.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press

One interesting second day

Day two of new school year on campus had a very intersting start to the morning.
Apparently, after an attempted bank robbery around 8:30 am this morning, two men took off in a car, running from police. They led Clovis (CA) PD, Fresno PD and University police on a chase through a main street on campus, to an apartment complex near by. The suspects ran into one car, and shot at police, injuring one. They ditched the car and ran into a nearby apartment. They eluded the cops, now including the SWAT team, CHP, and helicopter teams, by running through many of the apartment complexes in the area.

Campus was still business as usual, although people could only get onto campus from the far side of campus, which made traffic incredibly busy. A few elementary schools and a high school in the area were on lock down as the cops searched for the two suspects.

By 2 pm, one suspect was caught, the other was still on the run.
By 5 pm, things had quieted down, but the streets surrounding the area was still closed off to traffic, This made trying to leave campus for the day VERY DIFFICULT! It took me 20 minutes just to get through the stop-and-go traffic to get to a street where cars are going more then 5 miles an hour.
Apparently earlier tonight, the 2nd suspect was caught.

I'm sure the day's excitement will be the topic of water cooler talk all over campus!
On to another day!

Run Forrest! Run!!

Run Fah, Fah away!! At least, that's what I'm so tempted to do today.

It's the first day back for students at Fresno State University.
The first day (first week actually) is a madhouse and packed full of lost students who haven't a clue where to go. Besides being 10 minutes late to work this morning because of the increased traffic around campus (and I left the house earlier too expecting a delay), the first week of classes is hopping with activity. The start of a new school year does mean one very important thing, which I'm excited about... FOOTBALL!!
And better still.... FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL!!
Their first game is this weekend! GO DOGS!!!

Some things to look forward to (well, not really): The line for food is longer, as is the line in the bookstore (where we can grab our snacks). I try to think back at when I started college, and the chaos I experienced and feel somewhat sorry for students during this first week. That feeling only lasts... about a second. :-) ha, ha.

I miss summer time on campus:
THE QUIET: with no students on campus, it's nice & quiet. Peaceful & relaxing.
Now, there's hussle & bussle of the lunch rush, and there's loud music coming from 'the pit' (the lunch area where people hang out).

THE SUMMER SCHEDULE (7 am - 3:30 pm)
It was nice while it lasted but all good things must come to an end, eventually. Although it was difficult to wake up early (all who know me KNOW that I am NOT a morning person), it was so nice getting off at 3:30! It almost made getting up early worth it! (ALMOST)
Now we're back to 8-5 and the afternoon drags on for what seems like forever!

EASY IN/OUT AT THE BOOKSTORE: grabbing snacks from the bookstore was easy and fast during the summer. what took just a few minutes to grab your favorite candy and soda, now takes at least 10 minutes due to the increase of students.

I'm not one for big crowds... maybe that's why I'm taking classes online. :-)
Oh ya, I am now a 'sophomore'!! Yah!! Five more months and I'll have my AA degree done! Wooo hooo!! Online education is so much better! :-)

Pray for my sanity during this chaotic and trying week! I hope I make it! :-)
Go Dogs!

It Is Finished... the 'walk' that is....

The walk was trecherious but Christian stayed the course and made it to the border. Despite a few delays, he made it in too weeks, and has gained so much more faith after what he encountered. I am proud to call him a friend and brother in Christ! Here is his adventures in his own words... (it's a bit long but well worth the read!)

So it all started with the question asked in a myspace survey would you walk 100 miles to spend 20 minutes with the one you love?.my answer was of course!.but when would that ever really happen? So for the next month the question swam around my head and through my heart. Well, when the idea was finished it turned out to a 350 mile trek through the bottom half of California into Mexico. Pretty far away from the initial question...huh? ;)

So it starts out that Monday morning after prayer at the church office. Was I ready and prepared for this huge adventure? Heck no!!!! I practiced walking maybe once a week with the longest walk being about 25 miles. But I figured that I wouldnt be doing this on my own strength alone anyway. I could time my walking from practicing on the treadmills at the gym. Noting that when I took a longer stride it felt like this and when I took a shorter stride it felt like that. But in doing that I was able to figure out who many miles and hour I was walking. My slow walk is 3 to 3.5 miles an hour and my fast walk is 5 miles an hour. So if you were ever asking how I came with the actual miles it was by this mile per hour calculations plus the distances stated on maps taking in other conditions and factors. My goal was to make it in 10 days. That would have been 35 miles a day which would be 3.5 miles an hour for 10 hours.


So I was off. My friend Christy wanted to walk me out to Hanford the first day as a commitment to Jesus herself. Well first day was a late start and a lot of getting used to the pack that weighed about 35 pounds (before the walk I never used a backpack). Well the first day was no more than 30 miles and I was dying! It was hot and in the country there is no real good place to rest and get water. Christy had developed blisters already and it wasnt looking very promising that I would even be able to finish. But at a certain point between fowler and Riverdale we called Christys mom to come and pick us up. I stayed the night at my good friend Lindseys parents house. I was so sore and achy. But I pressed on.
I woke up and got a little earlier start for the second day. I was sore and my hips really were bothering me. But I knew that if it would even be possible I would have to push through the pain. So I start to walk down the country roads of Riverdale and through Lemoore and find that it is not a very good idea to think that I could walk to Bakersfield due to the fact that there is nothing in the middle of Lemoore and Bakersfield. Well I walked for about 8 hours at a really slow 3 miles an hour (some times even slower than that!) It was approximately 20 miles I walked until I couldnt walk anymore. That was only 50 miles in only the first 2 days! I would never be able to make it at that rate of pain and slow walking. So I catch a ride with Christy to the coast. I think that it would be a good place to start in Pismo, but then realize that it is actually farter than I thought. So after working out the necessary miles needed to make the 350 miles I come up with Goleta.

So I slept in Christys truck and start to hit the road at about 9 am. My legs felt a little better but still hurt but at least it wasnt hot there. So I walk. I walk with only stopping to get Gatorade a few times and to maybe sit down for a few minutes to take the pressure off of my feet (which are hurting so badly). But I walk until 11 pm and I am so exhausted. There was a time when I knelt down on the bike path that I was walking on and asked God to give me a hand and send an angle or something to get me to a place that I could sleep safely. (I didnt plan on any place to sleep from then on out) I hear the still small voice tell me that it is only a little way more. So I keep on, trusting that He will provide. I finally come out of the bike path and see that I am walking through a camp ground in Ventura and there are plenty of picnic tables for me to sleep on. So I set up my sleeping bag and sleep on top of the table. The bag is warm and is feeling so good, my feet are throbbing and my legs are swollen. I went to sleep, but was constantly worried that someone would come and tell me to leave. But they didnt.

I wake up at 5 am and start to walk again. From my map it looks like I will be able to walk from Ventura to Santa Monica. But after walking for 13 hours I realize that the map is going off of the 101 freeway and I am walking on the 1 that goes along the curvy coast. So the 45 miles that it said was actually 70. I didnt even make it to Malibu! So I stop to eat dinner at a campground that is on the beach and I talk to a really nice life guard about how far it is to Malibu and Santa Monica, she tells me that it is 40 minutes in a car to Santa Monica and that there isnt much between there and Malibu. But she tells me that I can sleep on the beach behind the lifeguard house. So I do that an I sleep a lot better than on the table the night before.

I wake up the next morning at 5 am again and I use the shower that they have for the lifeguards and it feels good. The water is warm and I am clean. What a feeling. My legs and feet still hurt but after taking showers they always seem to get a little better. So I am off. My goal is to get to the other 45 miles to Santa Monica. So I leave at 5:45 and I am off, things are going pretty good and I am able to get into Malibu fairly easy and I am able to go to the starbucks to eat and charge my phone and ipod. (I was given a $100 gift card from my friend Karen (thanks again Karen it was a life saver)) so I keep on and I find out that Malibu itself is 27 miles of a coastal view! Not a sign that I want to read as im walking through. But I make it and I am about 3 miles away from Santa Monica and I am dying! My legs dont want to walk anymore and my head is questioning the whole thing too. I am broken and I want to go home. I take the bus into Santa Monica to avoid the windy and dangerous roads. I get off the bus and I walk a little way to eat a whopper at burger king. I call Christy to see if she will come and pick me up. I was beat down and really wanting to just quit. I was 175 miles into the 350 mile walk and I knew that I couldnt really go on too much longer the way that I was. So Christy said she was on her way. Now I only had to stay busy for 4 hours till she got there. I walked over to a street show on the promenade and then a guy walks up to me and asks me if I want to change the world. I dont feel like talking at this point and I am like what is he selling. But I see on his card that he handed me that he was there to ask me about God. So I got excited and opened up to him a little. It turns out the he walked to this place from Santa Barbra just like I did and even stayed at the same spot behind the lifeguard station. So I went up to their office and started to watch their Bible lectures. It was like a scene from the Matrix. I was really amazed at how God reached out and grabbed me in a time of weakness. Then the guy came and asked me if I needed a place to stay that night and I was really excited to see God working. So I told Christy to turn around and that I was going to keep going. So I continue to watch these lectures and they are eye opening. There were a few times that the guy would say a few things that were not correct but I gave him grace and figured that he just really wasnt good at talking about the Bible. So I watch these videos for a while and I get really excited about continuing the walk. I go to the apartment where they house their missionaries and I shower and sleep.


We wake up at about 7 and pray and then they took us all to a park and we looked at the Hollywood sign (not anything I would like to spend any time going out of my way to see?) and then they took us back to the office. He says that he has more video to watch before I leave and so I agree and continue to watch these videos. I ate with them and watched videos all day. I figured that it was too late to walk that day but would be able to get a good start the next day. There where a few things that I was wondering why they were hiding certain things about who came up with this information and what this nonprofit organization was. But I didnt pay much attention to why they were hiding it, just knowing that I would find out soon enough. So I find myself in the same predicament again where I didnt have enough time to continue on that day but I would definitely have enough time the next. By this time I was really finding myself confused with the whole program. I knew that they were going to sell me something or do a totally bait and switch but I wasnt sure what was really going on. I did know that they would say one thing and do another, but nothing that was too crazy. Again I gave them grace. But that night when I got back to their apartment I saw a glimpse of the side I thought they were hiding from me. They wanted to watch a movie (it was 5 girls and the guy and I). I dont watch movies too much anymore and I fall asleep during them anyway, so I was just looking for a polite way to excuse myself to go to sleep. I was texting a friend and I could feel that it wasnt ok with the lady who was apparently in charge. She tried to close my phone as I was texting. It was rude to me but I know that I was being rude to her in her eyes as well, so again I gave her grace because she wasnt American and we were playing by different standards. But that was enough for me to dismiss myself and go to bed. I went to the room and texted Christy that they were acting really weird and I was expecting for them to the switch the next day. The guy came in to see what if I was ok, I told him that I was tired and was going to sleep. I was planning on leaving in the morning and not coming back the guy came in and in his awkward way of talking and laughing out of nervousness and nerdy ness he tries to present me with a final condition of the video lecture series that after he got to the point that I was that he cut all of his hair off as an offering and said that they (who the heck is THEY?) thought that I needed to cut my sideburns. I was like oh boy.here is the switch, and I say to him.let me pray about it. And that is the way we left it. I go to sleep praying that all of the mayhem that I have stuck in my head be cleared out. Something had compromised my judgment and was affecting my ability to hear God speak to me.

So in the morning I was ready to bounce and I did not want to even find out what the switch is going to be but I dont leave for some reason. I go up and I sit with the guy and I say to him here is the deal. Obviously you are going to want me to commit to something and I am not and will not commit to anything until I go and talk it over with the people that I trust. And I am going to be leaving now nerdy guy says well you didnt get to see the final video and asks me if I want to watch it. I am thinking I am curious what the heck they are even getting all weird about and they claim to be doing everything for the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I watch it. And the part that bothered me the most was that I couldnt find a problem with what they were saying. I spent all of that time watching video of what I thought was an interpretation of the Bible but was actually just a series of videos that set the stage for a man to come in the name of Jesus Christ but didnt truly show that same power or heart. But I was brain washed and I was not sure of what I was even thinking. So I am watching more videos and I am trying to find all things wrong with all of the things that I have been shown. I have hundreds of things that were red flagged but I still wasnt able to break out. It was a text message from my friend Karen that allowed for me to regain my true focus and direction. She asked me what she needed to pray for me. I told her that I needed revelation and affirmation. A few hours later I get a call from a good friend whom I trust. He said that God gave him a word for me and that I was in a dangerous spot and the hidden things were the spirit of the antichrist. That was all I needed to hear and I was ready to jump out. I went back with them that night and then the true colors showed. Nerdy dude said that now he could take the books out and he didnt have to hide everything anymore. Jesus is all about bringing all things into the light! Not hiding them. I was going to not run from this but walk right through it.


The next morning I was praying and dude would interrupt me. They were all in the living room getting ready for their mandatory prayer meeting. They now had out two pictures. One of the so called second coming of the messiah and one of his son. I look at them and he says this is how we really pray. I say you pray to them? and he says yes so I reply well you wont mind if I just pray my own way. He comes back with that is fine if you want to do it in the room. I was all packed up and ready to cut loose. He comes in and says that we can talk. Im like actually im going to do the talking now. I say here is the deal; you say that I need to be prayerful, yet you havent given me 5 minutes alone since I have been here. You say that it was by Gods Holy Spirit that I came to you, yet since I have been here you have been scared that I would leave and never come back. Now what I have to say is that if it is the same spirit that brought me here once it would be the same to bring me back. Now I know that you are doing what you think is right but I dont like nor did I ever like the programs approach to getting people in here. You say that this isnt about religion yet you are offering me one that claims to hold the key to true salvation. Now I am going to leave and go home and talk all of this over with my friends I trust, and im leaving right now.
He says that it is satan that will tell you to never come back. And that the not having five minutes alone is a ploy of the organization. But I should just come and go to the beach with them and have some time of worship with them. And I say im not mad at you, but I am leaving right now and if it was the Holy Spirit that led me here than it wont be any different when I leave.
His reply was but once you hear this god stops talking to you
I say I will take my chances and I walk out. Saying good bye to all of the girls that are chilling in the dark.
So I jump on the bus and go north to the end of the line, UCLA. I get off and I start to walk south. I am so confused as to how I managed to get put in that situation and allow myself to be knowingly manipulated. So I call my mentor Jon Shabaglian and I tell him that I am coming home! He asks me if I had the release from God and I say NO, but this is what happened! I tell him all of that and then he questions me on coming home still. I didnt understand, I wanted to go back home where I could trust the people to help me get back to where I was. But after I got off the phone with him I thought about why I was walking and how I was only half way there. If it was satan in the middle God would be waiting for me at the end. So I walked again. I started walking from Wilshire and Western. I walk all the way to the pch and into long beach. That is 50 miles +. But my head was straightening out. But when I got to Long Beach I was exhausted and I couldnt walk anymore. So I took the money I got out for the train to come home and got a room at an ugly motel. My inner thighs were almost raw and I was achy. I took a shower and tried to go to bed but I was scared of what I had just been witness to the days before. But after getting calls and texts from the loving family that I have back at home I rested easy and woke up fresh. I started out at 8:45 am. I was walking again and I had 125 miles to go. I had found new strength to overcome and I was walking at an unnaturally fast pace. I walked through Long Beach and through Seal Beach and Huntington and Laguna Beach right to Dana point. It was 9:40 pm and I had been walking all day with 2 short stops. I was tired, but I kept going. I saw that I could catch the last bus to San Clamente which would put me at a better place to stop. So after I got off the bus I ate at Carls Jr and then I walked where the spirit lead me. It was dark, almost to where you cant even see your hand in front of your face! I found myself in a place that I had no idea where I was and no way of getting out. But I Held onto Gods hand and trusted that he would guide me to where I needed to go. I had walked 60 miles up to the bus and I found myself not tired in the sense of exhaustion but in the needing to sleep way. I walked about another 10 miles and found myself walking through another campground and after a while I stopped and slept on top of another picnic table. How did I have the legs to walk nearly 70 miles and 15 hours of actual walking? It was only by Gods grace and strength. I was tired and ready to finish what I had set out to do.

I slept for 4 hours and I woke up and was excited to get it finished that day! I continued walking and I found that the place I slept was the only place that I could have slept. There was not another place to sleep till Oceanside, which is not possible to walk to due to the marine base there. So I found myself at a rest area 5 miles north of Oceanside. I needed to get a ride across the base. But that would mean that I would for the first time have to ask someone that I didnt know for something. I sat there for 20 minutes looking for the person that I could ask. When a 50 year old man all tatted up with a shirt that says GOT TATTOOS? on it pulled up. I thought to myself..either that is the nicest guy or a really mean one. Well I rolled the dice and won. Because he was really nice and helped me out. He asked me where I needed to be dropped off and I told him that since he was late to his deal that he could just take me to where ever he was going and I would bus it up town to the right amount of miles. (since the mission was to walk the 350 miles It would take to get from Fresno to Mexico, not necessarily walking every step there). I figured that I had to go about 55 miles and that would take about 13 hours of walking since I was not walking as fast but I would drop off the pack at my friends house that lives about 30 miles away. So I walked from the tattoo shop in national city that is not very far from Mexico, uptown to my friends and then back down. That would put me at the right mileage and time. So I walked to down town. I ate at starbucks and charged my phone for a bit. It was still early since I started at 5am. I bought an all day bus pass because I was going to take the train to down town and my friend would pick me up there. So I feel that my shorts under my pants are starting to chafe and I find it a good idea to bus it to Larrys drop the bag, fix the problem and walk 35 pounds lighter to the finish line. So I go that I bus it about 4 miles and drop the bag but I dont fix the problem and decide that it is only now about 30 miles to go and I can walk fast enough to just hurry and get it over with. Well I walk, and I walk and I walk and I walk, it seems like forever. I had planned on being done at 6pm but found that it was getting close to 6 already and I was still far away. Christy was already on her way down and my phones were dying and I needed to save the batteries. So I turned them off. And I kept walking. Never before did it hurt like this before. It took everything in me to not pull the bus pass out of my back pocket and just buss it closer to the border. But the verse he who stands firm to the END will be saved was my motivation. My whole life I quit everything when it got hard. My whole life I never put myself in situations that required much endurance. I was not born a quitter but found it an easier road to take, so I took it every time. But not anymore, God is REAL and since I know that I will never give up on Him as He will never give up on me! So I kept on. I walked past 6 oclock and I was in sight of the Tijuana hills and I was getting closer. My legs and feet were hurting again and my back was hurting now. I was so close, but I was in so much pain. I was tired of Gatorade, I was tired of my new balance 992s that are the most comfortable shoe ever made (when you dont walk 350 miles in themthank you Kimberly for buying my shoes for me they saved me!!!! Big time!) I just wanted to be home! But I had 5 more miles to go and it seemed to be a million! But I pushed on. I wasnt going to come this far to fall short of victory. So I pressed on and I made it to the train that was going to take me back uptown. But I thought to myself.I said I was going to make it to Mexico and I am still in the US. But to walk into Mexico and to get back out will be at least a mile and will take some time. But I found myself walking up and around into Mexico and around to get back into the states. I was tired! I was so dark from being in the sun for so long and I found it hard to even stand in the long line to get back in. But in those times I knew that I was in safe hands and I leaned in on Him and I was ok. I came back across the border and I found that I had taken so long to get there (going a whopping 2 miles and hour in the end) that Christy was right there waiting for me just out side of the border. Thank God for that! Cause I was freaking tired and I DID complete the mission and I did stand firm to the end. Praise God!!!!!!!!

Update on the Walk

After a week on his faith journey to the border, Christian has reached the half way point. He's doing fine although very sore. When I hear more, I'll post another update.

Please continue to pray that Christian remains safe, and healthy as we continues his journey.

Having the faith and obedience to walk

If God asked you to walk from home to the California/Mexico border, with just faith in His provision and the obedience to just 'Go', would you? It's hard to conceive that anyone would want to actually walk all that way. I barely want to walk a few feet to the mailbox, or change the channel on the TV manually. That's why God made remote controls. :-)

Not knowing where the journey will lead you, or where you will stay from night to night, and just believing that with every step, God will guide your way and keep you safe. That would be a touch choice!

Christian, a 28 year old new believe is on such a journey. He left this morning, not knowing what to expect. With no one to talk to but God, he sets out on this walk to find just what God has in store for his life. When he returns, he also is set to go off to Ireland to attend a seminary there. That is another step of faith for him.

This child of God is an on-fire believer who isn't afraid to stand out in the crowd and listens to God's calling. If we only had the faith that he has, this world could do and be so much more. I've only began to know Christian, but already admire his testimony and his obedience in what God wants him to do. Since he has become a believer, he has 'Lived Out Loud' to coin the phrase from Steven Curtis Chapman. He's become very active in church activities and been a great leader to young adults in our college age/singles group. God is doing wonderful things with this man!

He does one thing that most of us don't do. He listens! I know for myself, I sometimes get so bombarded with the every day busyness that I forget to be still and listen to Him. Instead, I sometimes am giving God the 'laundry list' of wants and needs.

Fellow believers, please join with me in praying for Christian in his journey to the border... the people he will meet and the lives he will change. He is already changing mine by his actions.

I'll keep you updated as I am updated with his journey.

Adventures at Spirit West Coast - Day 2 & 3

Friday and Saturday was all a blure. Troy and I are trying to recover today in Santa Cruz before going home.
Friday, we had most of the day free, and worked the late shift at the K-LOVE/Air 1 booth. I worked on homework for school most of the day, and took periodic breaks to walk around. Eventhough some of our favorite acts are at these festivals, we find ourselves not actually watching the shows. We're either eating, working or hanging out at the booth, or walking around the other merchadise booths. Friday, the only one I really wanted to see was Todd Agnew. He has such a great message and shares how important it is to not just have a religion - but have a deep, passionate relationship with Christ. Todd's music is so incredibly moving and really inspires me (and most) to be better stewards of our time in being truly Christ-like. We're suppose to stand out from the crowd and be a a light in this dark world.

Saturday was a different day. In spite of having not gotten home until after midnight, we had the morning shift on Saturday. This is due mostly because of the fact that we were originally suppose to have the afternoon shift, which conflicted with the time that BarlowGirl was playing. The ONLY group that we had asked that we not have to work during. I also brought my bass guitar to get signed by BarlowGirl, which after some doing (and a lot of patience) finally did.

We have built a friendship with the sisters of BarlowGirl and their parents, who happen to be their managers. I as able to sneak backstage for a brief second before sound check to say a quick hi and watched the full concert. They were awesome, as usual, and Lauren Barlow (the drummer) spoke from her heart and presented an a moving talk that was evidently inspiring to many people.

After the concert, the girls signed autographs before being taken away for a Q & A session. We were amazing and excited to see the the long for autographs was halfway around the huge merchandise tent! It was a huge accomplishment since the band has only been around for 3 years and this year was just their 2nd year at the festival. Their booth was packed full of excited teens wanting their merchandise so I jumped in a helped. I took off for the Q & A but returned when I saw that they were still very busy. Little did I know that I would end up there for hours.... five hours to be exact. The girls were whisked away constantly throughout the day to do appearances and interviews so I didn't get to see them too much.

About 9ish, I realized that I still had one more assignment to submit for my Psych class. Yikes! I had to have it in by 10 pm my time or it would be late. Troy luckily was with me at the merch table so he watched it briefly while I ran back to the K-LOVE/Air 1 booth to get online to submit it. Luckily, it was mainly done and I sent it as-is. During that time, mom & dad Barlow returned to the booth so Troy called me to come back. They were packing up and getting ready to leave so I finished submitting my assignment and literally ran back to their booth.

I was able to get there in time before they left and Rebecca Barlow (my coffee buddy) was there as well, although a bit in-cognito. I don't think anyone realized that it was her standing there at the booth. No one person asked for an autograph. :-) We packed the rest of the bags and we drove with them back stage to say our goodbyes. Lauren and Allysa was packing their stuff in their dressing room so I was able to see all of them one last time before they left. We chatted briefly, hugged forever before they piled into a suburban to head to their hotel.
I miss them already!! :-( It may not be til next SWC before I see them again. They don't plan any tour stops in CA. They left around 10ish, Troy and watched the rest of the Newsboys concert and was so glad we didn't miss the 'Breakfast' song. That's always such a great, entertaining performance. (Imagine lots kids jumping up & down with cereal boxes of Captain Crunch flying in the air, and throwing it onstage!) Quite an amusing event.

So, the 10th annual Spirit West Coast festival has come and gone for another year. It was a great year, and a very busy one. It also usually means the end of the usually busy summer music concert schedule. I'm probably out of vacation time now at work, so I must focus yet again on piling that back up for next year.

Keep music in your life & keepin lovin' God with all your heart!

Adventures at Spirit West Coast - Day 1

The first day of the largest West coast music festival was a raving success and boy, am I tired. For the 6th year in a row, Troy and I set out to Monterey, CA for the 10th annual Spirit West Coast festival. In plain terms, it's kinda like a Christian music Woodstock - three days of camping, concerts and wonderful speakers - all with a Christian message!

We worked the K-LOVE/Air-1 booth again this year. We're getting to be regulars and pretty well known by the 'higher ups' and the air personalities. We enjoy the ministry and I especially love talking to people that come by the booth

Day No. 1 began with us opening the booth at 8:30 am. Troy set up the sound stuff and I got the merchandise ready to fly off the tables. (ok, not literally fly... but they were being sold off quick.) We had to work double shifts today because since it's Thursday, we were short on volunteer staff. That meant we were working and on our feet until 4 pm with a short break to eat something. It was chilly at first today, but it warmed up. I got a little dehydrated so I was drinking a lot of water to get back my energy level. (Coffee helped with that too!!) :-)

I got to see a brand new artist, and got to talk with him a little bit. His name is Aaron Shust and he's new in Christian music with the popular 'My Savior, My God' that can be heard all over the nation on K-LOVE radio. (Ok, I know that's a shameless plug but it's an awesome radio station and I think more people need to be exposed to great Christian music!) Tonight, Casting Crowns will be playing (in about a 1/2 hour) and I look forward to hearing them... if I can stay awake that long.

Because Troy does not 'camp', we're staying at his parent's beach house in Santa Cruz, which is about 45 minutes away. We should leave soon because tomorrow will be another long day. We don't have to be here quite as early but it makes for easier parking, and we have the late shift tomorrow night.

At the moment, I am sitting in a back 'break room' at the booth, in the middle of Laguna Seca raceway with the wonderful technology of a wireless network! I was able to work on my homework for school, check emails and post of blog to all my adoring fans (ok, not that many 'fans' actually read this). I love technology!! And I'm so glad that I'm married to such a tech geek that has to bring his laptop, and wireless card to a music festival. :-)

Peace out from a chilly Laguna Seca. I'll write more on my wonderful adventures at SWC tomorrow.

Don't know what you got til it's gone.... :-(

SO, I learned first hand that that statement is soooo true! Especially when it comes to technology. Most importantly, my cell phone. Being that a cell phone is my only lifeline to the world since we got rid of our home phone a few years ago, I feel so lost without it. Here's the story.....

I took the day off on Monday to go to San Francisco with my mother-in-law. (Yes, I voluntarily spent the day with my mother-in-law!) :-) The day was spent well until on our way home. We stopped in the town, Los Banos, which is half way between S.F. and Fresno. There's a strip of the highway that goes right through town. We stopped to take a quick potty break at a nearby gas station. I had just talked with Troy a few minutes before we stopped so I had my phone then. When we got to the other side of Los Banos I realized I didn't have my phone anymore. We tried calling it and couldn't hear it rining in the car. We knew something was wrong.

So we turned around and went back to the gas station to check for my phone. It hadn't been but 15 minutes, and the phone was gone. The attendants hadn't seen it and it was nowhere to be found. We got back in the car and started driving home. I was distraught with worry about where I could have dropped my phone. I called Troy and told him to have Cingular (our cell provider) and have them suspend service on the phone temporarily. Within minutes, it wasn't taking any phone calls. That's good service!

So, I didn't sleep very much and worrying about the phone and all my 'life-lines' that I have in there. Since I have no home phone, my cell is my only connection to a lot of people. I cried and prayed myself to little sleep and was very quiet Tuesday morning when I returned to work.

Troy was running errands Tuesday morning and stopped by the Cingular store to get me a new phone. I needed a replacement since (1) I had bible study that night and expected phone calls from the girls involved; and (2) we were going to be out of town at our yearly music festival in Monterey so I needed to have communication ability. While he was browsing around the store, he gets a call from the Cingular shop in Los Banos telling him that a nice gentlemen had brought in my lost phone. He then made arrangements for me to pick it up, and then proceeded to call me to let me know.

Oh, PRAISE GOD!! HE DOES ANSWER PRAYERS!! When I got that phone call from Troy that they had my phone, my mood went from bummed to extatic! I drove all the way back to Los Banos (an hour away) after work on Tuesday to go get it, and drove immediately back to Fresno for my bible study. It was a long trip but I had my phone back, not to mention my phone numbers!

I've tried to call the nice gentleman who turned in my phone but haven't gotten a hold of him.
This experience taught me that God still answers the prayers of His children, and there are still some good, right-doing citizens in California.

Birthdays

When we're kids, we look forward to those special days when we celebrate the day we were born and look forward feeling loved by our family and friends. As we get older, our birthdays are just another day, and sometimes goes un-noticed by some.

Another day, another birthday has come and gone for me. Being 34 now, I don't feel any wiser, and wonder about where my life will be going. Most of my family remembered and called or wrote with wonderful birthday wishes. Only the special few (thank you Malia!!) remembered, and some of my closest friends didn't. But I'm ok with that.

So, this year has come and gone, and another year to grow older and hopefully wiser. It's not about enjoying the one day we were born, it's about enjoying every day of the journey that God has called our life to be.

July 22nd.

On July 22, 11 years ago on Saturday, my life changed...
11 years ago on Saturay, I married my best friend!

We've been through our share of challenges, laughter & tears. He's been patient with me. He's been loving to me when I definately didn't deserve it! He makes me laugh when he tries to be so goofy! He just wants t make me happy - eventhough that's easy... he gets frustrated that I'm too easy to please. ;-)

He's got a genuine love for serving, and has such a caring heart. He's got an emotional side that he doesn't let most people see. He loves to cook and he LOVES chick-flics! (Yes!!!!!!)

That Troy-boy of mine, is ONE OF A KIND!!
Happy Anniversary to my dear, husband and best friend!
I Love You - Always & Forever!

I lost my ice ceem!! :-(

Just had to share.. had a child-like moment today.
As I was on a break at work today, me and my coworkers walked over to get some ice cream from our campus bookstore. They have an assortment of ice cream to cool off from the summer heat. I got a king-size drumstick. As I unwrapped it and started licking the top, enjoying the delicious vanilla ice cream with the hint of chocolate fudge! Yummy!!

We walked back to the office, and I hadn't but got a few licks in when BAAAMMMM!! My ice cream fell off my cone and fell on the ground. I could have cried!!! I lost my ice cream (or ice ceem as I used to say!) I had very little ice cream left in the cone but did polish that off in a matter of seconds!

I was still somewhat refreshed but was saddened by how much more I could've enjoyed. Oh well, it was fattening for me anyway, right? :-)

Just had to share!

The Devil Wears Prada - a life lesson

Went to go see the movie, 'The Devil Wears Prada' today. From the previews, it looked really funny, and I love Ann Hathaway since her debut in the Princess Diaries.

In watching the movie, I was intrigued by the story behind the obvious plot line.
Without ruining it for those who want to see it, and haven't yet, I won't give away the story but the 'devil' refers to Glenn Close' character who is an editor of a fashion magazine. She's a tough and very demanding employer so Ann Hathaway's character (who is fashionably challenged) works for her as an assistant, trying to do even one thing right. Not the ideal job she wanted, she finds herself trying to fit in more with her environment, thanks to the help of mentor-type photo editor (played by Stanley Tucci). Her change in wardrobe and attitude hurts her relationships with friends and her boyfriend (played by Adrienne-somthing. He's been in a few movies & has a cable tv show Entourage, I think it's called).

After a trip to Paris with her boss (the 'dragon-lady'), Ann's character realizes that she's not happy, and most importantly, there's an actual person that's also hurting behind the rough exterior of the 'dragon lady's' demanding, personality.

This movie is a great reminder that it's the beauty within that is important, not the outward beauty. You can dress up in designer clothes, shoes and have flawless hair & makeup... it won't make you happy. It's also a great reminder of the importance of friends and being kind and friendly to even the most snooty or miserable person can make a difference in their lives. In having this positon with this magazine, she befriends two unlikely people.

I didn't really look into the depth of movies before, until a few came out that has great storylines and has an important lesson behind it.

I loved this movie and will definately buy it when it comes out on video. I'm sure I'll watch it at least a few more times before it comes out on video. It was a great film, with lots of great laughs and cool fashions!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!
Have a great day!

Be sure to take a moment to thank, and pray for those that fought so hard to make sure we continue to enjoy our freedom!

Enjoy your BBQ's, fireworks, and fun!

Summer in Cali

Greetings from a very warm California.
The summer has been a busy one and I just barely have time to take breath (BIG BREATH).
Here's what's been up with us....
1. Women of Faith conference - I organized roughly about 80 ladies from our church to attend the WOF conference in Fresno. It was the first time in Fresno and we were all so excited. From those that I talked to, they loved the conference and I was truely blessed, once again. Can't wait for next year to roll around already. Unforunatley, a schedule conflict keeps them from returning to Fresno in 2007 but it's coming to nearby San Jose, which should be a lot of fun! Road trip!! Woo hooo!!

2. It's party time.... Well, my parents hit a milestone in their lives. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this last weekend. My sisters and I (mostly I) organized a grand shin-dig to celebrate. It was a lot of work but everything turned out well and mom and dad really enjoyed the entire evening... talking with old friends and family that we haven't seen in ages. My sister, Sandy, from NY came into town so that was an extra special gift for my parents. As a present, we had a picture drawn by a family friend, of them with a reflection of their wedding photo right behind them. It turned out fantastic! It was good times, although I'm so glad it's over. It was alot of work! But, I can't help but pray that I can see them last many years more! I am blessed to have such wonderful parents and great role-models for my marriage. I can only pray that I have 50 wonderful years with Troy, as my parent's have.

3. Camp WaMaVa remembered... speaking of 50th anniversaries, this year is the 50th anniversary year of WaMaVa in Virginia. It's been hot and humid here, with chances of thunderstorms, so I have been reminiscing about camp a lot lately. To celebrate the anniverary, they are throwing a huge reunion just after the camp season this year, which is the first weekend in August. I really wish I could go - I miss camp and all my friends sooo much! Unfortunately, it's the same weekend as our annual music festival in Monterey. I'll send my well-wishes to all the fellow campers.

4. School - it rolls on. I survived my Algebra class, but have Finance this session... and Accounting next. I am SO sick of math!! I'm halfway through my first year. Thanks to a group of classmates, we have all managed to stay afloat the last 6 months. I also have an art class this session. It's been fun, and quite interesting. I can't wait until January when the real fun begins, and I actually get to take classes related to graphic design. I get to create!!

Well, that's it from the living room of the Root home, in a somewhat sunny, and humid Fresno CA. Hope all is well with anyone who reads this. Would love to hear from you! Drop me a line to say howdy!

This, That & Everything

It seems like its been forever since I blogged... maybe because I have. :-)
Just thought I'd update my faithful readers (or reader) on the life that is Sheryl.
Well, first of all I can say that I survived the most stressful class session of my college life. I had to take College Algebra and somehow passed it with flying colors. Thanks to my awesome math tutors! I have a week off before I take on Art Appreciation and Finance.

Next on the 'what's Sheryl been up to', is that I cut my hair. Yah, this time it's really short! It's a brand new me, and a great summer doo.

Summer promises to be a busy one here. My parent's 50th wedding anniversary is in June and my sisters and I (mostly I) are organizing the party. We have family coming into town (including my oldest sister from NY) the few weeks prior to the party so we'll be busy with family as well. The week before the party is the Women of Faith conference in Fresno, in which I am leading a large group of women from church to. My list of women attending has been growing... and growing... and growing, so I've been trying to keep that all organized. Should be an awesome time of laughter and fellowship! I will also begin facilitating a 10-week followup study after the conference. July will be full of fun & fireworks as Troy and I celebrate our 11th year of marriage and my birthday.

August will hold our annual trek to Montery for the Spirit West Coast festival. This will be our 6th year going and helping out. We have become such entricate part of the KLOVE/Air 1 crew and we love being in ministry with them. One drawback to our commitment to the festival, is that I have to miss the 50th anniveray reunion at Camp WaMaVa which is the same weekend. Oh, how I miss all the good times and people I have come to love from camp. I still go through my yearly summer camp withdrawls and think about the 'good ole days' often. I wish I could be in 2 places at once but unfortunatley, that's not possible. I am very blessed to have kept in touch with most of those dear to me from my camp days. Whoever goes to the reunion, take lots of pictures and tell me lots of stories afterwards. :-)

Have a wonderful and safe summer ya'all! Hope to keep in better touch with the blog world.
Take care!

Life, school and stuff....

It's been awhile since I've posted. Not many people read this except for my dear friend, Malia. (Thank you, Malia!!)

I've had a lot going on and have barely had any moments to myself. Here's a quick update
School: After my marketing class, I made the Dean's List! I was so excited. I hope to continue on the Dean's List after my next classes - English and Computers Applications. While I though I'd do well in both, I have actually struggled with my English. My Computer Applications class is very easy, as it is an intro to Word, Excel and Powerpoint. I am already very proficient in these.

Work: Work is going ok. We have had some major projects lately which keeps us busy.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, and also the 5 year birthday of New Harvest Church. We're having a special service and ground breaking ceremony at our new facility which will begin construction soon. Yah! I'm so excited!! The following week, of course is Easter. Production times have always been hectic so this one has not been any different. It also comes at the same time as Troy's birthday. He turned 36 on Thursday with very little fanfare. We went out to a nice dinner together Thursday night. We had lunch today with my family. It was nice to spend the time together and laugh at old photos we were rummaging through.

I've also taken on the project of planning and organization my parent's 50th anniversary in June, which is why we were rummaging through old photos. It was so neat to see my mom and dad as they were growing up and their time together. My sister, my mom and I were laughing as we reminisced about the pictures we came across.

Destined to be friends

Have you ever met a person and automatically had a deep connection with them? I'm not talking about the chemistry between a male and female, I'm talking about the friendship connection between friends. God has blessed me with a few wonderful friendships in my life - both living close and living far away. I may not talk with the friends living far way as often, but when we do talk, we don't skip a beat.

I met two ladies this weekend that have already become cherished friends. I drove to San Jose on Saturday (a 2 1/2 hour drive) to attend (more like work) a concert. Troy had to stay in town for church on Sunday (one drawback with him being on tech staff) so I was on my own. I was introduced to two laides that were also volunteering at the concert.

When I met Ruth and Lisa, we connected immediately. Ruth, another red-head (I love my read-headed friends!! lol) is very energetic, full of life and has the passion for the ministry as I do.

Her friend Lisa, was just along from the ride, but she and I also clicked. We're both the reserved, quiet types. We LOVE coffee (that's an understatement) and are both singers.

I love my friends and I cherish my friends!

Marketing Grades

This class was by far my favorite so far... and my grades show it. I GOT AN 'A' BABY!! My overall percentage was 95% and I made the Dean's List! I am sooooo psyched!!

After a week off, I start 2 Classes on Sunday. Computer Applications and English Compisition. One class on computers and one class on writing. Ummmmmm, I think I'll do ok in these classes! ;-) Thanks to being married to a computer geek, I know a lot about Computers, and I've always done well in Writing. The computer book is HUGE, but it has a lot of illustrations in it, thank God!! :-)

I'll keep you posted!
Blessings, everyone!

2nd Class - Officiall DONE!!

I've survived my second month back in college. My second class officially ended yesterday a,d I think I did pretty well. Except for 1 crazy week when I submitted a not-so-great paper, I have gotten all A's in my Marketing class. I'll get my final grades in a few days, and hopefully make the Dean's list this month! :-) I really enjoyed this class and loved the professor.

Going through the last through classes, I've wondered.... is it the specific course, or a professor that helps a student be successful. Taking what would be 2 some-what easy classes for me, I found my first class (Intro to Business) difficult because of the professor. She INSISTED that we call her Dr. and her bio was more like a resume of all her creditials. She was unclear with her instructions, not very approachable when it came to questions, and nit-picked with every little detail. I barely made a 'B' average in that class. My second class (Marketing) was fun because of the subject material, and the professor was very friendly. We got to call her by her first name (she wasn't a Dr), grades us according to the effort we put into our assignments and encouraged us every step of the way.

Thinking of my early college years, I now understand how some 'kids' aren't quite ready for college yet... especially if they don't know what they want to be (which is the case with most incoming college freshman and graduating seniors).

Did you know what you wanted to do when 'you grew up'?? I had a few interests but didn't know what I wanted my career to be. My failure of a college career right out of high school has made me realize that eventhogh I was a good student, I needed a break from 'school' to figure it out. The last few semesters of college, I mainly spent with music classes (choir, piano, voice, etc). I didn't mean to take 1o+ years to get back, but I think me being older (and maybe a little wiser) now, I am realizing what area of study I want to pursue. I can now focus directly on achieving those goals.

So, back to my classes: I have a week break before I begin my next 2 classes!! Yes, 2 classes at the same time! It'll be interesting to see how I handle that, I was barely able to do one class at a time! I'll post my final grades for Marketing when I receive them in the next few days.

Hope all is well out there in blog-land!
Take care, ya'all!!

It's good to be free!

I am officially off of jury duty! Hallelujah!!
I started the morning out with questioning and by 10:3o, I was outta there! I don't know if it was the fact that I knew several people in law enforcement or my strong convictions. Either way, I'm free!

I made a quick stop at Starbucks and went into work for the afternoon.
I tell you, I appreciate my boring work far more now since I had to endure the even-more boring time of sitting in a courtroom listening to the same questions over and over again by an idiot defense attorney.

:-)

The Joy of Jury Duty!

The first day of jury duty is always the most boring, and the brain-deadening experience. I spent the first 2 hours waiting to see if I was getting called to a trial, or if I got to go home. The California court system has a 1 day/1 trial policy where if I'm not called to a trial on the first day, I'm excused for a year... I was so hoping!!!!!!

I'm sorry to say, I got called to a trial - allbeit one that is to last for 2 weeks. So I go up to the court room, where I listen to questions over & over (& over & over) again - for HOURS!! After lunch, they started again, with the same question with different prospective jurors. All afternoon long, I sit there and listen to these questions and the excuses of those who don't want to serve.

Listening to the 'hardship' of others in the group had, I feel so fortunate that God has blessed me with a good life. Some with multiple reasons as a relative's passing, many children to provide for, are self-employed and can't afford to miss work, and many, many other sob stories!!

So, FINALLY, around 4ish I finally get called up to go through the questioning process... and what does the judge do, she breaks for the afternoon. I sat up there for a whopping 2 minutes! So I have to go back tomorrow, sit and endure the pain of the boring, redundant questioning to see if I'm fit to be a juror.

Let's see how quickly they'll dismiss me tomorrow! :-)

It snows it CA!

Troy and I recently had an overnight stay up in the mountains. On the way up, it started snowing. We just got to the hotel in time before it started snowing so heavy that we needed chains on the car (which we didn't have)


It snowed the whole night and we woke up with a blanket of snow covering the outdoors - including our car. It was beautiful!

And the view outside our window was absolutely gorgeous!
It was a great reminder of the glory of our King!

Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my wonderful family and friends, near and far away.
I pray that you all have a wonderful day remembering the incredible joy of 'L-O-V-E'!
Don't forget the ultimate show of love - that of our Father, God, in Heaven!
Many blessings for a love-filled day!


Update on my Marketing class:

I must have found my niche' in marketing. Week 1 was a huge success. I got an 'A' on both my discussion board assignment and my individual assignment. I was sooo happy! One huge reason, is that the professor (who likes us to call her by her first name) is very cool! Not so picky about the little things, and laughs with us like friends.

My first assignment was to choose a business and discuss how they have changed their marketing stategies to include the internet. I found this very interesting and had a hard time figuring out which business to choose. For my db, I used the example of Fresno State. It was close to home, and I could easily find out about their marketing strategies... especially in relation to their websites. For my individual project, I focused on the Disney Corporation... and how they have changed their marketing since the early days of Walt Disney. I found my research very interesting! ;-)

Thanks to some friends in marketing, this class is starting out well! I hope it keeps up! I have even assisted other classmates with their projects. It's going to be a good month!

My Grades

I am happy to say that I passed my first course as an online student! Yah!! My overall grade for the course is a 'B'!! It is a relief, considering the class was a struggle and the professor was a monster! :-)

For my Unit 5 assignments, I received 'A's across the board! That one, I was really excited about!

As I said a final goodbye to by Intro to Business class, I now look forward to a challenging and very exciting Marketing class. My professor for this class is completly cool, and laughs with us like a regular person!

Week 4 & 5

It's been a couple weeks since I blogged about my class. I'm glad to say that for I did well on my group project for week 3!! Overall, we got a 'A'!! Yah!!! Thanks to hard work and good conversation between me and another group mate (who basically did the whole thing on our own), we created a great presentation!

Week 4, we had to talk about financing. I ddn't think that would be too hard, being I'm married to someone in the financial industry. We had to talk about the different options for loans. Much to my surprise, I got one 'A' and one 'C'. Oddly enough, they were reversed of what I thought I would get. For my discussion board, I got the 'C', and for my Individual essay, I got the 'A'. So right now, I'm barely holding on to a 'B' average. I tell you, it's so tough to please this professor.

This week is the last week for this class. I'm so glad, in a way... but interested to see how I finish the course. I hope to continue with my 'A' standing. Considering it's difficult to please this professor, I will have to work really hard to accomplish that. I have three assignments this week. Results of this week, to follow next week.

Week 3

Wheew! I thought this week would never end! Week 3 was a hard one because we had to do a group assignment this week. We had to put together a powerpoint presentation, as consultants to help this company motivate their employees to work harder... the scenario was that they are a bit on the lazy side, get paid well and have lots of perks like monthly birthday lunches out, free bagels & coffee on Fridays, and the managers weren't managing very well.

Anyway, our group got off on a slow start, and five become three - although two of us really did most of the work. With my creative talents, I was the one that put together the powerpoint. That was fun!

After a lot of late nights, and chat sessions with the other two group members, we are DONE! Of course, the hard part now, is waiting for our grade.... Stay tuned!

Week 2 Grades

I got a 'B'!! Yah! I'm soooo happy! I worked so hard at it... to pull the grade up.

On to Week 3: The group project. Should be interesting!!

Check back next week for the ongoing saga of Sheryl: back in school! :-)

Week 2 Finished

School: Week 1 was a bear. I didn't to as well as I hoped on my assignments. I received a 'C' for both my discussion board assignment and my essay on the business we were to create. There was a lot of things she commented on, that I did not agree with... but she's the professor. I knew she would be tough... I gave this week's assignment extra effort to try to reclaim myself as a good student. With the help of my wonderful husband, I put together a more precise essay about my goals for the fictitious business. I can only hope something about that impresses her. Onto week 3, and it's a group assignment. Should be fun.

On a personal note, I'm very excited about tomorrow (Sunday), which will be my first Sunday on the vocal team. I have wanted to be on the worship team for quite some time and my wish finally came true! It is a bit scary though, because it's been a very long time since I have been on stage with a microphone directly in front of me. I'm used to singing with many voices in our choir. Should be a great Sunday!

My first week - Done!

I guess I can offically call myself a college student again. I completed my first week of my online class. It wasn't as overwhelming as I had originally imagined it, yet it was a bit difficult to get back into a study-mode. I'm not a big reader, and I had to read 3 chapters! Yikes!

I'm also back at work after a week off. It was hard to get back in the swing of things in the office. Thankfully, it was busy, with year-end stuff donations and stuff coming in. Students don't come back for another two weeks so it's pretty dead on campus... which also means that there's not many things open on campus for lunch.

Hope the next week goes just well.