I slowly see myself growing up. Sometimes it catches me off guard, and makes me look back at the days of less stress and less responsibility. It’s funny for me to consider paying off our current vehicle, and then saving thousands of dollars to get a new minivan when this one finally drives to it’s last soccer game. It wasn’t too long ago I’d save all summer to buy a $250 car, and expect it to last forever, because once I started paying insurance and gas, there was no more saving possible.

It was only a decade ago that rent was less than $400/month, and even that was seemingly insurmountable. I look back and think that we were way to irresponsible, and downright dumb to have children. And we were. But we did it, and our children are wonderful and healthy. Now, we have the $1000 mortgage payment, $200 electric bill, car payment, gas bill, garbage bill, satellite bill, phone bill, etc, etc. Life got complicated.

It’s not all money either. Job responsibility, church leadership, family needs, prescription medicines — all these things are more complicated as you get older. It’s also not all serious stuff. I’m not sure what age it is for most men, but for me, at 31 years old, my nose decided it was time to grow hair. And protruding hair at that! I mean, what’s up with the need to pluck NOSE HAIR!?!! I didn’t sign up for that at all.

So what’s my point? Honestly, I long for simpler times. I think memories have a way of highlighting only what you’re looking for, so I’m sure there are many things that were difficult about that post-college time. I also know that along with all this responsibility I also have some ability that I didn’t have before too. Sure, money is tight, but if I had to spend $100 on something, I wouldn’t have to save for half a summer to do it.

So to you 20 somethings that read my blog: don’t let this time slip away from you. While you may not have much money — make sure to take the time to enjoy the freedom you have. While I won’t lie, some things do in fact get easier, so many things get much more complicated. In the words of Robin Williams, in one of my favorite movies, Carpe Diem. Seize the Day.

[audio:igotold.mp3]
Download Audio File Here

OK, I’ve already changed my mind on the “every article in MP3 thing.” Mainly because I’ve avoided posting because I’m not in a place I can record myself, and also because some things are too lame to have an audio version.

“I think I should mow my lawn today” Has no place in a podcast, unless that podcast is a look that the secret world of lawn-based lifeforms. Perhaps the mowing is a periodical pruning of the oldest lawn members, and it overthrows the larger grass dictatorships. If that’s true, smaller, ground hugging greenies will most likely take over the lawn as they survive the mowings.

All hail the Creeping Myrtle!

It rained yesterday, and it seemed that everyone was gloomy right along with the weather. I LOVE the rain. I relish the closed in, cozy feeling when clouds are squeezing the town in a big hug.

Don’t you just love the rain?

[audio:gloomydaybliss.mp3]
Download Audio File Here

I had a big ol’ bunch of white space in my header graphic — and I thought it would be cool to have some comics in there. I created a comic with the “Comic Strip Generator“, and Photoshopped it into the graphic. It gave me great joy.

Then I thought it’d be pretty fun to have another comic. The problem was that I still liked my original comic, and wasn’t ready to retire it. So, I added a script to randomly put a header image up there. The more comics I create, the more comics will be in the pool for randomness. Isn’t that geeky cool?!?!

I really want to get a Wacom tablet, so I can actually draw my own pathetic comics — but they’re kinda pricey, so we’ll see what happens.

[audio:comicsintheheader.mp3]
Download Audio File Here

You can judge for yourself, but every time I see a picture in sepia, it makes me think of coffee. Maybe it’s just that I just haven’t had any coffee this morning, but still — seeing myself like this makes me want a cuppa joe.

I don’t normally like chain emails and such — but Lynda Walldez listed me as a blog she “tagged” to participate in “8 random things.”

I like the idea of 8 random facts, so I’ll bite. 🙂

8 Random Things You Probably Don’t Know About Me

1. My favorite color T-Shirt is orange.
2. I listen to The Carpenters when I’m depressed.
3. I hate having a cluttered computer desktop, but my actual desktop is always a mess.
4. I collect video games, yet seldom play them.
5. I like to eat tofu cold, right out of the package.
6. I despise Western movies.
7. I love mowing the lawn, but I’m so allergic to grass that I’m miserable every time I do it.
8. I love Star Trek, but I’m not all that crazy about Star Wars.

So there you have it. 8 things you probably didn’t want to know about me.

I’m supposed to “tag” 8 other bloggers, but honestly I don’t think I know 8 other bloggers to tag… So here’s your invite. Consider yourself tagged. If you want to participate, just leave a link to you “8 things” post in the comment section.

Thanks Lynda, that was fun!

I live in a small town. When I’m driving down the road, I wave to just about everyone I pass, because chances are I know them. I also tend to wave to everyone anyway, but here in town — I’m less likely to offend someone if I wave at everyone.

Today, however, I almost killed an elderly man on a bicycle. I was driving into the office to fix the school’s Internet connection. I passed a man, I’m guessing in his 80s, on a bicycle. Friendly guy that I am, I smiled and waved. This man grew up in a time that manners were actually taught. Decades of domestic training in standard etiquette prompted him to lift his hand and wave back. And at that moment, I thought I might kill an old guy.

He lifted his hand and waved, but lost balance and started to veer away from me and toward the ditch. He instinctively corrected, but too far, and lurched his vehicle directly in front of mine. We managed to avoid each other, but I think the generation gap was closed when we both had to go home and change our pants.

Note to self: Nod to old people on bicycles, don’t wave.