How Do You Like Them Apples?

Those of you who know me, which is pretty much becoming anyone who follows this blog .. I bare my body (functions), mind (losing it) and soul (does the man really have one??) .. know I'm a "Mac Guy." Since the Macworld Conference & Expo is taking place (January 5-9 in San Francisco) as we (make that .. I) speak, today's blog is Apple related.

There was a time when I was made to feel like a second class citizen or uninformed about what a real computer was capable of doing (for crying out loud, Sandra Bullock practically saved the world in 1995 with an Apple Computer and a 3.5" floppy diskette .. didn't you see 'The Net?').

Well, it's a new day.

Even the most diehard PC geek (and I use the term affectionately .. geek, not PC) probably has an iPod (granted, they could own a Zune, but .. who would admit that?) which requires the user to have Apple's iTunes installed on their Windoz based computer.

I realize the PC dominates the market when it comes to sales and the number of PCs far exceeds the number of Macs. There are, also, more cockroaches than humans on the planet. Which do you think is the more intelligent life form?

At the present, I have at my house: a "fruit-flavored" iMac, an upgraded "Sawtooth" G4, a Mac mini, a MacBook Pro (core duo 2), a first AND second generation iPod Shuffle, an iPod Touch, and an iPhone 3G. I, also, own a lot (this is a relative term .. there's not tons of software by the mother company) of Apple software (iLife, iWork, Final Cut Express, etc.).

If you add to this list, the hand-me-down iPods, iMacs and eMacs my kids have, you can see that I am sold on the product. In fact, I could be a spokesman for the product to potential "switchers" (or 'dyed in the wool' Winblows users, as far as that goes).

You can tell, I'm a very vocal Mac fanatic.

I am, also, a "Christ follower" who has seen the Light (of the world) and experienced, first-hand, the love and forgiveness He has to offer.

Lord, help me to be as passionate for You as I am for Steve Jobs.

Full Speed Ahead

After three weeks (almost four, for some) off, all music groups are back in the "sing" of things at First Baptist Church.

The SonShiners (our choir for 'seasoned' singers) were scheduled to meet yesterday for their first rehearsal of 2009. However, the weather was very cold, it was raining, and freezing rain (plus a winter storm advisory) was in the forecast. I just knew our numbers would be slim.

We had thirty one in attendance with one new member.

I don't know why I ever doubted this bunch. They are the ones who had to walk ten miles (both ways) to school .. every day .. uphill .. in the snow (at least that's the way I remember hearing it from my dad).

Senior adults never cease to amaze me.

They are early (most of them .. there's always one who can't seem to get going .. more fiber, please) for everything and you can pretty much count on them for anything.

Wednesday, the Preschool/Children's Choirs and our Adult Choir will have the same opportunity to "wow" me.

Their schedules tend to be a little more hectic (I'm really not so sure this is true .. talk to mom and dad about all their 'free time' since retiring) and, though it pains me to say this, they just don't live and breathe to come to choir (stop that foolish talk).

I am remaining optimistic (it's something new I'm trying, here at the beginning of 2009) and trust everyone will be able to remember how to get back to their respective rehearsal rooms (Google it).

Since we have been out for such a long time (three weeks during the holiday season is like having three months off, any other time of the year .. I think it's the tryptophan from all the turkey consumed), at our first rehearsal, we will be reviewing the basics.

"Good evening choir. This is your robe. The zipper goes in the front."

Pour Me Another .. and Make It a Double

Since it's just the two of us (we can make it if we try .. just the two of us) again, I turn my attention back to my lovely wife (sorry, honey .. Christmas is over, the kids are gone, and the cats aren't crawling, climbing or clawing .. you're 'it').

Cheryl has been sick since before New Year's Eve. She started out with streptococcal pharyngitis (I sound like Marcus Welby, don't I?) or strep throat. Now, she has a sinus infection .. sinusitis (I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night).

The last several days have been miserable. Cheryl has had it rough, as well.

Draining and coughing seems to be what she does best (you're number one, you're number one) and this has produced several sleepless nights for the two of us (building castles in the sky .. just the two of us .. you and I).

Cheryl is going back to school this morning (Christmas break is over and she is experiencing the five stages of grief .. she's somewhere between 'denial' and 'anger') but, I'm not sure she'll make it through the whole day.

If you add "crying" to "draining" and "coughing," we could have a volatile situation on our hands: she could blow any time.

I just hope there's a Kleenex® handy.

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

Megan and Will "loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly .. Hills, that is .. swimming pools .. movie stars" (actually, they loaded up the car and moved back to Wilmington .. swimming pools .. movie stars: 'One Tree Hill' is filmed there).

They left Humboldt at 1:00 PM (I know .. I can't believe it, either) and arrived at 3:00 (make that 3:03 .. that's when I got the text message) AM.

I had been praying for their safety and the Lord heard my cries (yes, I did some of that) and answered my prayers (He's so awesome .. there really needs to be a song about that .. never mind .. it appears, there is).

So, here we sit .. in a house with neither kid nor cat.

To help make the transition a little smoother for Cheryl (she loves those cats ALMOST as much as the children), I will be suddenly leaving one room and running to another, staring out the window at squirrels, and jumping up on the back of the couch .. from time to time.

I need to go. Cheryl has the flashlight and I have to do some "light beam chasing."

If I'm good, she might rub my belly.

Time to Say Goodbye .. Take 2

The "kids" got everything packed up and were ready for departure yesterday. However, there was just one (it ended up being three) minor problem. The "check engine" light had been on for a few days and, even though it was probably nothing, dad (that's me .. Jack & Dewey call me 'Top Cat' .. or, sometimes .. 'Mr. Killjoy') wanted to find out why the engine was suddenly vying for everyone's attention (hey, that's my job!).

A hose, battery, and four spark plugs later, we found out that "this little light of mine" (make that .. theirs) can pack a powerful punch. To add insult to injury, they needed two tires (I'll be at King Tire when they open at 8 o'clock), as well.

Evidently, the little car (2003 Ford Focus) that could .. couldn't.

If you see Will and Meg at FBC Humboldt tomorrow morning, don't ask .. don't even make eye contact.

This comedy of errors is beginning to be no laughing matter.

Time to Say Goodbye

Today is the day. Megan and Will (.. and their cool cats, Jack and Dewey) are heading back to North Carolina. They will be loading up Meg's little Ford Focus (we will need a shoehorn and some Vaseline® to get everything in there) in just a few hours and starting out on the first day of a two day trip.

It has been great having the "kids" (they are still kids to me) here throughout the holidays. A turkey and some mistletoe many help to make the season bright, but nothing compares to having everyone back home.

Now, however, it's time for them to get back to their place and for us to start sweeping up mass quantities of cat hair (btw, there's probably enough to stuff a pillow .. or two).

In their defense, the cats have been ideal (almost purrfect) house guests. They are very quiet and love to sleep a lot (characteristics they get from their 'grandmother,' Cheryl .. or MeowMeow, as they call her). I am just not used to having little furry creatures running freely throughout the house (except when we lived in Bartlett by that open field .. Jack and Dewey could have been useful back then), suddenly jumping on chairs, tables, beds, and .. me.

I'm sure I will miss all the excitement, when they're gone. It has been sort of nice having a couple of loving animals around here, again (Shadow, you are still missed).

Yes, things will start getting back to normal around here very soon.

I hate normal. It's so .. not me.

Happy New Year!

It Seems Like Only Yesterday It Was 2008!