"unless you are an expert..."

Studying for a test, I came across the line in a book while discussing how to treat snakebites...

"Unless you are an expert in capturing snakes, do not try to catch it."

That got me thinking. How do you know if you're an expert in catching snakes? One might even work for animal control, and still not be an expert. When is one qualified as an expert in something? Is it once they've had extensive training in something, such as gotten their masters in a particular subject?

Could not someone assume if they used to catch snakes as a child, that they are now an expert? They may feel that this book is giving them full permission to attempt to capture a very large poisonous animal.

Just some thoughts that came to mind... and I thought I'd jot them down... mostly to postpone studying.

let's start at the very beginning...

...it's a very good place to start.


I am someone who has a pretty open relationship with God, as in, I talk to Him quite frequently throughout each day, but I think my problem is I forget that I can talk to God about me... I'm a pro at bringing other people to God in prayer, at asking for others' needs, asking for healing for other people, talking to God about other peoples' relationships... but when it comes to me, I just don't.

I'm not sure what the deal is, but I forget that I can ask God for things in my own life as well...

"Help me to not feel self conscious"
"Let me know how to handle this situation"
"Should I like him? Shouldn't I like him?"
"Help me not to dwell on things I shouldn't"
"Grant me confidence"
"Give me strength"
"Please heal me"
"Come to my rescue"
"Let me forget the past"
"Carry my burdens"
"Take these thoughts away from me"
"Show me your will"
"Teach me your ways"
"Show me how to be loved"

They are all prayers that I need... yet I feel so selfish when I pray for them. It's so much easier to pray for other people, but I've come to realize that I also need to lift myself up in prayer... for it is a relationship between ME and GOD... In a relationship you talk to the other person about yourself, not just about all of your friends.

So I'm going to try to get back to the basics...
A conversation between me and God, about me and God.
Sounds like a plan to me.

the genius of free chipotle

Today the Chipotle in St. Cloud gave out free burritos...
"Why?" You might ask, well let me tell you.

Today another taco/burrito place opened in St Cloud, though I do not recall the name of it. Some said that it was nasty of Chipotle to do this... giving free burritos so that no one would go to this new place and stole all their business... but I think it was genius. From a business stand point, it was pure genius.

I have never seen a line move so fast. The free burrito thing started at 2pm, and I, fortunately, was only about the 50th person in line -- I was outside, but not too far out, and once they started the line, I had my burrito in about three minutes... four tops. It was incredible. They had 5 or 6 people at the line throwing things on the burrito... it was intense. They must have had every employee working.

On top of the free burrito, they also had a free soda... at first, I questioned this, because even if a free soda was not in the equation, just as many people would have gone. I don't think anyone decided to only go once the free soda came into play. But then I realized it was probably due merely to efficiency. If people were trying to buy a soda to go along with their free burrito, this would have slowed down the line incredibly... so good thinking on their part.

Also, the only advertisement for this was through facebook. Facebook amazes me... I realize that it has more impact at the St. Cloud chipotle verses lets say the Coon Rapids one, because St Cloud is a college town and there are thousands of people on facebook in such a small radius. But the amount of people that were there right at 2pm, alone... holy crap. I got there at about 1:40, and by 2 o clock the line was about 200 meters long. Lots of people... thus, lots of free burritos. It'd be curious to know how much money they lost today... and if it was worth it. Will people now go their more because they got a free burrito? I know I won't. I'll go there the same amount I would have before, except it was nice to eat for free today... and I probably wouldn't have even known that the new place was opening if this whole shinanigan wouldn't have happened. All of this intrigues me.

storypeople

These are my favorite storypeople quotes. They are as follows:

• I don't have many vices beyond caring what other people think, she said, but that's a big one.
• I don't think of it as working for world peace, he said. I think of it as just trying to get along in a really big strange family.
• Can I count on you to be there, no matter what? she said & I said no & she said what kind of friend are you? & I said the kind who won't lie to you any time you want.
• I like people until they give me reason not to, she said.Some days they just drop like flies, though, she added.
• Everything changed the day she figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in her life.
• How'd it go at soccer? I said & he said we worked on fundamentals & I said like why you were even chasing around after a ball in the first place? & from the way he looked at me I figured out that was probably too fundamental.
• The first time I played golf, I had the most fun throwing bread to the goldfish in the pro shop. It made as much sense as anything else.
• I was never good at hide & seek because I'd always make enough noise so my friends would be sure to find me. I don't have anyone to play those games with any more, but now & then I make enough noise just in case someone is still looking & hasn't found me yet.
• I didn't listen to her because she was my mother & wouldn't know anything until I was much older.
• You're the strangest person I ever met, she said & I said you too & we decided we'd know each other a long time.
• I asked her what she planned to do with her life & she said she was way beyond that point already. I'm just happy I remember to be there when it happens, she said.
• I've had some of my best conversations with strangers, she said, because they have no idea who they're dealing with.
• It's hardest to love the ordinary things, she said, but you get lots of opportunities to practice.
• I finally got to exactly where I wanted to be, she said, so why won't all these growth experiences go away & leave me alone?
• I only do this until I get dizzy & then I lay down on my back & watch the clouds, she said. It sounds simple but you won't believe how many people forget the second part.

11.20.2007

"Talent is cheap, dedication is costly." - Brian Budish


I will never forget him... but most of all, I will never forget how he showed me what it means to be truly humble... he was the most humble person I have ever known.

favorite call

i have officially decided that my favorite call in basketball is and one.
this call either makes one very happy or very upset.

on one hand, you could have gone up for the shot and under much adversity (or just taken a foul), you made the shot anyways... and the best part is, you get a chance to make another point.

on the other hand, you were trying to prevent a shot, and did not succeed, and not only did the other person make the basket, they get a chance at another point. this is very upsetting, as you should have just fouled better and they only possibly would have gotten 2 instead of 3.

exhaustion vs. sleeping

NINE times out of TEN (i have not taken an actual count, i'm just guesstimating) I would rather stay awake until I'm completely exhausted and be able to fall asleep within a minute of my head hitting the pillow than have to lay there for who knows how long before I can actually fall asleep.
I hate that time between lying down and falling asleep.
It's when my thoughts go wild... my mind thinks about anything and everything (most of which I'd be better off not having thought about). Usually during the day I can do a pretty good job of preventing this from happening (it's one advantage of being so insanely busy), but once lying still, there is nothing from stopping my mind. Then it doesn't matter how tired I am, there isn't a chance of me falling asleep for hours due to the fact my mind has grabbed ahold of me and won't let me go.
It's torchure.
So I choose to stay awake, with my music as my company, until my eyes can no longer stay open. Which, consequently, means in the morning I'll have nothing left in me, but at least I didn't have to lay in agony the night before, and that's what counts. But as long as this is a ritual, it's not hard to reach the point of not being able to keep my eyes open, as I'm there most of the day anyways. But the problem is, night gives me energy... it always has.
I think many people deal with this problem of thoughts preventing them from sleeping... just maybe not a widely talked about subject. I don't know what others choose to do to cope with this, but I've found my solution. And although it may not make sense to anyone else, it makes sense to me... for I have tried the lying in bed with endless thoughts and I cannot take it anymore. I lived years of my life like that, and it got to be too much... too much for even me.



Just some thoughts from tonight... as I sit here not tired enough to fall asleep right away, so I had to occupy myself with something.
peace out home skillet

my Unconventional thoughts on VB of the college Nature

I was with VB this season for AT.

Coming into the season I was disappointed, thinking I would not enjoy it. After all, they are a bunch of girls playing a sport I've never really understood, and on top of that, they might just be the worst team at SCSU. Who wants to follow a losing team? Not me, that is for sure. I have always come from teams who make it to state every year and who crush our competition, not get crushed. That's just not how I role.

But now, as the season comes to a close, I look back and realize that it was a pretty amazing season. I guess you don't have to win to have fun... but then again, it does make it easier that I'm technically not the one losing. So, yup. The girls on the team are amazing, and it's no doubt that they made the season wonderful. They are hilarious. They always give us plenty of laughter at practices to keep them enjoyable... and plenty to talk about as well.

Things I learned:
1. if the serve went over the net, say, "good serve"
2. even the best digger in the conference still screws up a lot
3. if the coach sucks, over half the team will quit
4. tearing an acl sucks no matter what sport or how good the team is
5. what a libero is
6. that in college vb they still follow the normal 6 person rotation, it just looks totally different
7. in college there is still that one mom that drives to every game
8. the AT always covers for the athletes to the coach
9. in canada, they call antacids "gravel"
10. they say a lot of funny things in canada... for one, "i went skipping today for a half hour" while we were all picturing her skipping down the street instead of running, and questioning WHY?, she really meant she jumped rope for a half hour.