Random Stuf

It has been a pretty busy couple of weeks... and it's been a while since I've blogged... so I am going to catch everybody up with a Random Stuf post. Here it goes:

Random Stuf #1: We have gone two weeks now without a softball game! Auuugh! This weather is so crazy. Last week... we arrived at the field... warmed up... were just about to take the field for our 7:30 game... when this unbelievable thunderstorm came crashing through Dover. I'm talking... people screaming and running to their cars... lightning flashes and thunder... strong wind... and a downpour like you wouldn't believe! Then there were no games scheduled this week because of the 4th of July holiday. I am so ready to play ball! Until next week...

Random Stuf #2: Our good friends, Tony and Beka are in town for a visit. Beka will be singing with the team this weekend. Well... we have this standing husbands vs. wives competition thing going on with the Mullets. Every time we get together... we come up with a game that we can play.We can always expect fierce competition... and a whole lot of "smack talk". Well... Tony and I have already just destroyed the girls at miniature golf and bowling. This time... we decided to keep it indoors and play a card game called "hand & foot". If you have never played "hand & foot"... it is a game played with 5 decks of cards. It is a great game... and a lot of fun to play. Well... the ladies won... for the first time! So Tony and I are no longer undefeated. We have already agreed that the next time we're together... it's gonna be "corn hole". Ladies... all I can say is... you're goin' down.

Random Stuf #2: Last Saturday morning I served with the Angel Food Ministries team once again. I try to get in there every month to help out. Angel Food is an amazing service to the community. What most folks don't know is that these volunteers arrive at the church sometime before 4:30 AM to unload all of the food from the trucks. Not only the food for NewPointe'smonthly distribution... but also for 13+ other churches from our area. We are the largest distribution point in the state for Angel Food. Pretty cool... huh? So they unload the trucks using long conveyor belts to distribute the food to the different churches. After the other churches leave with their food... our team begins to set up for NewPointe's morning of distribution. Many of the Angel Food team members are there from 4:30 AM until the last boxes of food go out the door at 12:00 noon. WOW! Next time you see Wilma Mast... or any of the Angel Food team... be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their dedication this ministry.

Random Stuf #4: We went to see Disney/Pixar's WALL-E last Saturday night. I loved it! Of course Pixar could create an animated movie about Al Gore and I would probably like it (OK... so maybe not so much). I have to admit... I was blown away by the CG effects. It is amazing what they are doing with simulated camera effects now. There are times that you completely forget that you are watching an animated film. Anyways... the movie was very well done. I was a little skeptical about how they would make a robot... as lovable as their other characters have been. But they did it! The robots actually carried the movie. There was very little dialogue throughout the film. At times... it was like watching an animated version of "Castaway". The story line was great. They really made you think about what our future could look like... if we keep heading down the path that we are on right now. With kids addicted to video gaming, text messaging and the whole "virtual reality" experience... we could become a society of fat, lazy, ignorant human beings? I mean... when I was a kid... we played outside... with other kids... right? Oh well... back to the movie review: WALL-E gets two thumbs up. You'll just have to go check it out for yourself.

Random Stuf #5: I received my very first Blogging Award from my good friend Tina Lawver. You'll have to check out her post to see what that's all about. Thanks, Tina!








Random Stuf #6: Most of the time... our Weekend Design Team meets at NewPointe in our large conference room for our weekly creative meetings... but every once in a while we just need a change of scenery. Sometimes it is Wall House Coffee in Sugarcreek... but this week... it was the Berlin Inn. WOW! Was it ever nice! Now I have to admit.. I was expecting something a little more like "small town hotel conference room"... but man, was I ever surprised! It was one of the nicest board rooms that I have ever seen. We had a great meeting out there. Some pretty cool ideas come out of these meetings.

I strongly believe that your surroundings can either stimulate or stifle your creativity. Your workspace, studio, office or shop... should be arranged and decorated in a way that inspires you. Plain white walls are never a creative environment to work in. So if you aren't feeling very creative... try moving to a place with color and textures. Sometimes... you just need to go outdoors for inspiration. After all... you will find yourself surrounded by God's unbelievable creativity. You can't top that for stimulation and inspiration.

Random Stuf #7: When you think of the 4th of July... you think of hot dogs, barbecue, red white & blue decorations and fireworks... right? Well... last night we went out to the Conn's place for a cookout and a backyard fireworks show. We had heard a lot about this big annual event, but this was our first year to actually get to experience it. And we had a great time! The kids got to swim and we played tennis and basketball. There was even a competition to see who could hit a baseball (self-pitch) from the Conn's front yard... to the road (300 feet or so) on the fly (Mike Conn came the closest. Of course it had to be a home court advantage thing.) We ate... and ate... and ate. Then at dark... it was time for the fireworks show. Now... when you think of backyard fireworks... you think of sparklers, firecrackers and (if you are living dangerously) maybe a few bottle rockets ... right? Well this was no "mickey mouse" backyard fireworks show. This was the real deal. It was pretty amazing. Check out the photos. A huge thanks to the Conn's for an unforgettable 4th of July!




























Well... that's it for now... more Random Stuf to come!