Random pet peeve

I always use my left ear when talking on the phone.  I hear SO much better with it, than my right.  Whenever I watch a tv show, or movie, or see some random person use their right ear when talking on the phone, it bothers me.  It’s probably really prejudice, but for some reason I imagine how uncomfortable I would feel if I were that person using my right ear to try and hear what the person on the other line is saying.  I just watched a movie where the girl (main character) was ALWAYS on the phone… and used her right ear when answering the phone… errr…  Maybe it’s not a pet peeve, but it bothers me none the less.

What ear do you use when on the phone?

Europe ‘09

I’m moving to Europe.  Well, not yet anyway.  But I am going to backpack part of Europe in the summer of ‘09.  Some friends and I decided its something we’d all like to do together.  Our “group” (Ashley, Sarah, Kim, Jameson, Myself and Tyler) are the ones going.  Jameson and Sarah will be married by then, and a couple of the other peeps (I don’t know if I like that word “peeps”) are in relationships right now so their significant others might come as well.  Any way it works out, it’s sure to be a big party.  We’re planning on being gone between 3-4 weeks… I wish we could go the whole summer but I don’t see that happening financially!  We recently took a vote on our top places to visit while we backpack. I circled those places on the map above.  I can’t wait to visit Ireland, Scotland, and the rest of the UK.  I’d like to visit Denmark too but I don’t think we’ll have the time.  Who knows, maybe if I like it I’ll just stay!  Actually, there’s a part of me that would love to just move there for a year and travel/experience different cultures.  But that’s for another blog post.

I am not alone, and neither are you!

This post was completely inspired by Brody.  If you have never read his blog, you need to now!  Earlier this week he wrote an interesting post which you can read about here.  Basically, he wrote about how his fingers and palms are the same size.  Well Brody, I’m here to tell you that you aren’t alone.  Only, this doesn’t mean you have cross-gender hands… this means you have bear paws hands like me.

Exhibit A)
 

length of middle finger from palm = 3.25″
length of palm = 4.5″

Exhibit B)

 
A little crunch of the fingers and BAM!  You have yourself a paw.

Now I know what you all must be thinking, “oh how cool Tim, you can like maul people and stuff now!”  Well though that may be true, it comes at a cost.  Playing bass and guitar is a bit tougher because your fingers can’t stretch as far… so I had to develop my own style.  And you can pretty much kiss winning thumb wars goodbye.  And palming a basketball is out of the question.  But all in all I’m ok with my hands, and Brody I hope you are too buddy!  Wear them proud. 

Don’t use freecreditreport.com!!!!!

The title of this post says it all.  Back in December (before all those annoying commercials came out) I signed up for freecreditreport.com.  When signing up, it said I had 30 days to check my scores and such… and nothing was mentioned about hidden fees.  Well I didn’t notice until earlier this week that I had monthly $14.99 charges on my checking account.  When I called to cancel my membership and receive my refund, they told me I agreed to the monthly fees, etc.  I asked for proof that I clicked the “agree” button or what not but of course they “don’t have that”…. probably because it doesn’t exist.  I was given an address to voice my concerns and request my refund.  I’d like to think that they’d rather refund my $60 rather than spend time and more money trying to fight me on this.  After doing some research, it turns out many others were “scammed” as well.  freecreditreport.com in fact is not a part of the government’s program for yearly free credit reports.  It’s a private company posing as a free site.  Maybe you already knew this, maybe you didn’t.  But for those who didn’t… now you know not to use freecreditreport.com

Meet Tim jr.

Before rumor-ville is unleashed, I’ll set the story straight.  No, I do not have a kid, or have a kid on the way (despite what the tabloids may be saying).  Anyway, I spent most of the weekend with the Hall family.  Gordon Hall is our lead pastor at River Valley Church.  He has a really rad wife, and 3 crazy (but very cool) boys.  One of which is a student in Jr. High making him somewhat, “mine” for the next 4-5 years.  I was invited to the youngest Hall boy’s baseball game (I’ve blogged about him before) Saturday morning.  Lucky kid plays for the Red Sox!  It was great to watch little leaguers do their best, and let that be that.  This is a rare time where having fun is all that matters.

Later day I got a text from Gordon which read, “Dude, pasta and meatballs tonight for dinner, you coming?”  Can’t really turn down a free meal and good company can I?  All three of the Hall boys had 2 friends spending the night.  Nothing like 9 boys at the house at once!  One of Caden’s friends couldn’t make it last minute so I was deemed as his 2nd friend.  I guess I do fit in pretty well with a couple of 8 year olds!

The night consisted of a tasty meal (with an awesome desert called “chewies” that Gordon’s wife made), playing catch with Gordon (baseball) before hitting too much oncoming traffic, building a fire that took WAY too long to catch, cooking smores, talking around the fire about our church, “the church”, my past relationships, their relationship while growing up, and then Gordon asked me what celebrity would most resemble my “type”.  So, Naomi Watts, if you’re reading this and you want to leave your Husband (just kidding, seriously) and move to the United States, and attend RVC Church, you’ll know where to find me!  So I left that night seeing how blessed I am to have friends like Gordon and Tammy.  It’s pretty cool being able to hang out with your pastor!

(yes, that’s Tammy shushing Austin while Gordon prays for the meal)

Now to clear up the title of this post.  A bunch of us went to Wahoo’s after church yesterday (including the Hall family).  I sat near Caden and at one point he took my glasses off my face to mimic me.  Then he called himself Tim jr.  It gave me a good laugh.  I don’t know what’s up with his pose, because I’m pretty sure I don’t do that… but maybe I should???
 

Please, make it stop!

Tyler and I went to Target on Saturday to pick up a few things after meeting for lunch.  When leaving, this girl was walking in front of me.  I don’t like the skirt she is wearing in this picture.  I didn’t like them when they became popular, and I still don’t like them 6 years later.  I don’t care if you weigh 200 lbs or 100 lbs, please don’t wear these.  And if you wear these WITH Uggs, I just might slap you.

(sorry for the quality of the shot, I was walking, looking into the sun, and it was shot with my iPhone)

Do you agree or disagree?  At least I know this site agrees with me.

International Holly

This weekend the Bakersfield girls (consisting of Jameson’s fiance Sarah, Ashley, and Kim) came to town.  This usually means some sort of big PARRRTAAAYYY!  Or something close to that anyway.  Last night we went to dinner at Livingstones, then went to Savemart to buy the makings for smores.  ”S’more of what?” You might ask (I sure did all last night).  Anyway, like any time I go to the grocery store I walked on over to the toys aisle.  It’s not too juvenile that I still look forward to that, right?

Meet International Holly.  She comes in two nationalities, French, and British.  Something about it just seems real funny to me:
 

I went to go show Tyler my new toys but he was too busy picking up some necessities:

When we got back to Jameson’s house, we made a fire and enjoyed our smores.

Ashley, Bekah (Tyler’s new girlfriend), Tyler, Sarah

Last night was fun.  The only bummer was blockbuster being out of Disney’s “Hercules”.  I have never seen that movie before.  Maybe next time.  As for tonight, its time for another round of roller derby!  I’ll do my best to take some pictures of the bout.

We’s got robbed

They took our carpet and furniture but left our new LCD TV.  Ok, I’m obviously joking.  My parent’s are replacing their carpet and getting hard wood floors put in this week.  I walked in the family room a couple nights ago to see my dad like this.  I thought it was funny… and blog-worthy.

Simple Goodness

I went to target the other night to get some allergy medicine and while walking the aisles as I normally do, this was staring back at me.  I LOVE Nilla Wafers.  You have no idea.  And I hardly ever eat them.  I couldn’t pass it up.  I taught on self control this past Sunday at the Youth service so maybe I should have refrained from eating buying these.  Although, a little indulgence isn’t bad once in a while… right?… RIGHT?!!  I hope my youth kids don’t read this.  

 

Why we do wrong when we know better

Every Tuesday night myself and some good friends of mine meet to discuss different things in life; ranging from sports, politics, religion, Christianity, etc.  We usually meet at a local pub but since we all have a love for cigars, we decided that tonight we’d meet at a cigar shop.  We never have an agenda planned as far as what we talk about.  Someone will start talking about a random subject and we’ll use that as a springboard to talk about many different things.  Tonight one of the guys mentioned Calvinism so we began to take it point by point and discuss different sides.  Just as many debate over this subject, there was no resolution drawn but at the same time it was still an enjoyable and challenging subject.  

This particular cigar shop is located next door to this old persons club place where people come after work to drink and socialize… its not really a bar, its not really a club.  It’s hard to explain but I think the key demographic has to be people over the age of 40.  Many yuppies go there.  Anyway, as this lady in her early 50’s is getting into her car to leave and she asks me for a light (for her cigarette).  Then she hears what we’re discussing and then asks where we go to church.  After probing her with our own questions we come to find out that she’s studied scripture and used to teach Sunday school years ago at People’s Church (here in Fresno) but hasn’t been to church since her divorce. She’s been divorced for 8 years after finding out her husband had cheated multiple times.  She mentioned that she’s backsliding now, trying to find love in all the wrong places.  She’s dating a guy who makes fun of Christianity.  We asked why she was with him and her answer was, “I don’t like being alone.”  It broke my heart to hear that.  How true is that though?  So many people feel like they’re alone, and not loved.  This woman knows the truth though.  She knows that since she has Jesus she’s not alone but for whatever reason she’s fighting it.  At first it was hard for me to fathom how she can know the truth but chooses to live her life differently.  Then it dawned on me.  I’m messed up too.  I’m a sinner.  Maybe I’m not sleeping with girls, maybe I don’t find my identity in others, but I’m sure as heck a sinner too.  And you know what?  I’m really good at sinning.  And I know better.  That sucks.  Anyway, I invited this woman to RVC and told her I’d sit with her since I know what the feeling of going to a new church alone.

Some of us guys might have disagreed with some of the points of Calvinism tonight but I think we could all agree that this woman was part of a divine appointment.  (Not  to make light of what I just posted but I think Erwin McManus would be real proud of me for posting that closing thought)