obama... you need to talk to this dude

microwaves...

also check it out in HD here just click the "watch in HD" link under the video

merry christmas from my office...

beer run!

Since you can basically only buy beer by the case in Philadelphia (there are exceptions, but cases are the way to go) some friends and I go together every couple months and get a bunch of cases then split them up. Today we got 7 cases. It was kind of amazing.




We divided them up in the parking lot, and probably looked a little too excited about our purchase.

statistically speaking...

Cormac McCarthy said in an interview with Oprah that statistically speaking at any given time there is in fact a luckiest person in the world. He's right I suppose... I mean people win stuff... some people win a lot of it... and if you could tally all wins (or whatever else one would qualify as a sign of good luck) and make a list, there would in fact be a person sitting atop that list as the luckiest person on the planet. I think I know this person. She lives in Philadelphia and is my girlfriend.

Here's the breakdown.

Oct. 5th: First time I met Haley she buys a lottery ticket at a corner store in Fishtown. She says its her first one... wins $8.

Nov. 14th: At a fund raiser for Peru, there's a drawing for acupuncture treatments. A ton of people enter. Haley wins.

Conversation about an hour ago: "At our Holiday party I entered a raffle for a free weekend in Woodstock New York. I left the party early. I wonder who won." About 10 minutes ago I get a phone call. "Guess what? ... I won the weekend in New York."

That's three increasingly valuable prizes in as many months. I might need to plan a trip to Atlantic City for new years. Unbelievable.

my co-workers are a constant source of encouragement...

I love hymns

because they are full of stuff like this.

For every poor mourner, who thirsts for the Lord,
A fountain is opened, in Jesus the Word;
Their poor parched conscience, to cool and to wash,
From guilt and pollution, from dead works and dross.

A robe is provided, their shame now to hide,
In which none are clothed, but Jesus is bride;
Though it be costly, yet is the robe free,
And all Zion’s mourners, shall decked with it be.

-from The Gospel Brings Tidings by William Gadsby
-brought to my attention by Red Mountain Music -listen -buy cd


One of my favorite things about going to Alabama last week was going back to Red Mountain. The music is no small part of why I loved that place so much. Thanks so much to all the folks who lovingly work on it.

it's different here...

I'm glad to have gotten to spend Thanksgiving in Alabama. It's been wonderful to see so many of the people that I've missed so much since I left. I also couldn't be more excited to almost be on my way back to Philadelphia to see the new people Ive been missing.