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personal post - weekend update

Saturday night I headed up to Sioux City, kinda on a whim. Hung out at the house there that night and then headed to Sunnybrook on Sunday morning with Klein. Had the most amazing Buffalo Wild Wings of my LIFE (6 months without it) and then headed back to Stromsburg.

(I know the pic is super confusing...it's my jalopy at an I-80 rest area)


The trip to Sioux City was a lot of fun. I had a chance to just sit back, merge onto I-80 and watch my little car's engine wind up to 3500 rpm@80mph, enjoy a Monster and a Camel menthol Wide or two and just generally relaxed as I buzzed my way across Nebraska headed for I-29. I used my new bluetooth handsfree headset pretty heavily - it makes life so much easier. Left the blackberry plugged into the car charger and was able to shift, signal for turns and fun stuff like that.

SoI have this thing about stopping at rest areas. I am a fairly good-sized guy and when I'm driving a 1985 Accord econobox, well - it's just a great excuse for stopping at one of these wonderful places. I flat out enjoy rest areas. Picnic tables, great for chilling and contemplating while enjoying a pipe or cigar. A nice long sidewalk to get blood moving after contorting yourself into a tiny car for a couple hours. Coke machines. Air conditioning. Toilets. All that stuff necessary for life, crammed into one beautifully landscaped area conveniently right off the highway.

Seriously, seeing one of those blue signs is like showing a smoker a pristine pack of non-FSC premium smokes. Gotta have it.

Anyway, Sioux City was a blast and I got to indulge my wanderlust - even if just for less than 24 hours.

Yesterday Lacey and I went into the doc to induce labor. No go. Found out we'll just have to wait, but at 39 weeks - well we won't have to wait long.

Right before we went in to the doc's office we stopped at Mormon Island State Recreational Area to have some chill time to reflect and pray together. It was awesome - I love that place. Even if they charge $4 to drive in (hint, park at the gas station and walk in; they won't charge you!)

Currently I'm at work. I will be at work until 8pm tonight, but at least I get to live vicariously through a certain travel addict's status updates as he heads towards Washington.

SIMPLIFY IT!

Living life without any worries. That statement positively reeks of Joel Osteen-esque self help/motivational crap. Anyone who's anybody knows that there's always bills to pay, schedules to keep, life decisions to be made - all of which conspire to rob you of the essential peace afforded to you by Christ's sacrifice.

It doesn't have to be one demand after another - take control of your life away from others, gather it together and hand it to God. It's not rocket science, it's not snake oil, it's not designed to sell books or land me a spot on the lecture circuit.

This is stupid simple.

Worried about your life? Simplify it!

Today I speak of money.

Myth: Cars are pricey. I drive a $500 car that is older than I am - but I purchased smart and ended up getting a vehicle that's been more reliable than some two to three year old vehicles I've owned.

Myth: Date night has to break your budget. Can't afford to take your significant other to a five star restaurant and a cineplex every Friday night? Go hit up some McDonalds, sit in the park under a tree and enjoy each other.

Myth: You have to stay with the job you have because you are lucky to have it. Hate your job? Find another one. Life is too short to be wasting your time doing something you hate. I read somewhere that men in primitive tribes work less than 20 hours a week to provide a whole life for their families - leaving them with plenty of time to grow closer to their families and develop themselves.

Myth: You have to have a bank account and credit cards. Hate overdraft fees, check card limitations, check writing and all the accouterments that go with having a bank account? Simple. Cash your paycheck, divide the cash into envelopes for bills, spending money etc and enjoy your new Bank-free life. Cut up your credit cards. They are dumb. And that's all I'll say.

Take a trip to a less-developed country and have a few conversations - you'll find that they're probably happier than you - and it's a far deeper, more authentic happiness than that which comes after purchasing a new iPhone.

Last night

Last night Lacey and I drove down to York to deposit my paycheck and pick up a few things at Wal-Mart. As I got out of the car I noticed a beautiful Class A RV (the kind that looks like a bus with a diesel in the back) parked down towards the end of the lot.

The juxtaposition of that and what Lacey and I were doing made me stop in my tracks.

We were going to Wal-Mart.

We have gone to Wal-Mart many, many times.

We will go to Wal-Mart many, many more times.

I've wanted to own an RV and live in it at least part time for so long - I very much desire the freedom to travel anywhere and be home at the same time. To wake up and have a different view from your window EVERY DAY . . . this I crave.

As we walked into the store I mentioned this to Lacey. She wasn't sure if I meant I didn't want the typical dog, white picket fence and 2.3 kids by lusting after the RV - but I told her I still do want the whole 30 year mortgage and an SUV lifestyle...just with a giant RV parked in the driveway.

Anyone who has been around me for more than five minutes will know that I do not do well with routine. Doing the same thing every day feels like a waste of life - I need variety and spontaneity. With the life that Lacey and I have chosen for ourselves, an RV is pretty much the only way I can do that (unless we move to San Diego and buy a live-aboard sailboat...hmm...)

So yeah, just some random obsession for you guys on this beautiful Wednesday morning.

My car has tiny tires that love to hydroplane - this road has deep ruts that, well, collect water.

Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

One of my favorite authors, Donald Miller, just posted a chapter of his new book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and I have to say I'm stoked. I really enjoyed "Blue Like Jazz" which seems to be the general favorite - but "Through Painted Deserts" is the one book I've read that really resonates with my soul.

In the book, Don and Paul drive a beat-up Volkswagen van from Texas to Oregon. The journey is the story, not the destination. Don hits a sweet chord when he writes about looking for the "why" in life instead of the "how". I'd say that's pretty much the recurring theme in the book - stepping back from a scripted life. And I'm all about that.

Anyway, the new book will be released on September 29, 2009.

Monday.

Mondays are usually slow here at the U.S. Cellular store in Central City, Nebraska. This is the view from my window - the town is quiet this morning.

We waited at a gas station for an hour last night - at least we had a picturesque view.















...and this is what we were waiting for. Huey is a Brussels Griffon (like in the Jack Nicholson movie) and he's adorable.

This morning I had a heck of a time finding my wallet. Drove to the park where Lacey, her brother Austin and I went last night for a walk, found it sitting on a merry go round, although missing around $70 in cash. It's all good, chances are in Stromsburg nobody picked it up for drug money. Alcohol, maybe. But more likely went for someone's gas and groceries which is okay I suppose.

Anyway, last night we were there to take a walk and hit the swings to try and induce labor. Lacey is 37 weeks and four days and VERY pregnant so anytime we hear of something that could induce labor, we'll most likely try it. Had a good time, it's been awhile since we've gone out after I get home from work at night.

This picture is the park where the cottonwood seeds have made what looks like a curb along the roadside. Very cool.

I will probably forget about today in ten years.

These days are marathons, exercises in stamina and the ability to fill 10+ hours a day with meaningful activities. With that, my day is going something along these lines.

7:00a: Woke up. Reset alarm to ten minutes later.
7:10a: Woke up. Reset alarm to fifteen minutes later.
7:25a: Woke up. Realized I reset alarm. Running late.
7:30a: Had a quick breakfast. Cinnamon LIFE.
7:45a: Morning cigarette outside.

8:00a: Left for work.

8:45a: Drove down to park by the Platte River and get in some God time. I'd be useless if I didn't get this time to recharge, refocus and reconnect.


8:50a: Got to work. Realized I left the OPEN neon sign on in my window overnight. I hope nobody was disappointed when they realized that the U.S. Cellular store wasn't really open at 2 am.
9:00a-10:00a (now) straightened up my store, received a few shipments, wrote this.

I suppose I should have prefaced this by stating that I'm working 10 hour days six days a week these days and am doing today and yesterday on a combined 7.5 hours of sleep.

It would very easily be soul-crushing, but at this point I can't afford to allow my soul to be crushed. So I soldier on and take refuge in the fact that this job isn't forever, there are brighter days ahead and I have a bag of bread and peanut butter for lunch under my desk.