Ahyesindeed

My latest adventure

2009-07-02T20:04:00.000-04:00

Bridge Swing from John Teilhet on Vimeo.

Papa wheelie.

2009-01-04T22:59:00.001-05:00

I have an idea for a new stroller here's a video of the concept prototype. I envision a stroller/scooter combo not unlike a dogsled without the dogs and very much like the grocery cart when one rides it trough the parking lot to the car. I'm going to be rich.

Bloggin

2008-11-19T23:21:00.004-05:00

So i am not much of a blogger but I have recently been connected to a world of blogging that I never knew about.

I have found so many blogs with so many resources for a mom like me. I have been enjoying my online freedom these days.

This one blog in I have really enjoyed.

This post is on reusing bags at the grocery store and she is giving away these way cool bags.

So check it out.

www.simplemom.net

Eli

2008-11-06T19:51:00.008-05:00

So, I have a little boy. After having a little girl I thought there is no way a little boy could be as sweet as a little girl, well little did I know. I have been completely taken back.

Eli Walker Teilhet, he is my little cuddle bug, so snugly and lovable. I told my sister the other day that he has a million dollar smile.

My son will be 6 months soon and I am right now trying to embrace every minute that I have with him because I am beginning to see that it does fly by.

So, I am trying to enjoy the every 3 hour feedings, the spitting up, the coos, the smiling at you for no reason at all, the giggles, the sound of him breathing when rocking him to sleep, watching him just adore and admire his big sister. All these things I don't want to miss or take for granted . So, I am just sitting back and smelling the baby for now.

Me?

2008-10-09T13:53:00.003-04:00

Who am I?
This is one thing i have been pondering for the last few weeks. First of all I am not so eloquent as my husband john so don't expect this blog to be.
I know that i am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and even granddaughter, but where is me in all of this?
I think this is a common question of people with young kids. One day you are carefree, doing what you want at that moment and time, not even once considering others, and then the next, everything changes. Your once relaxed personality would jump at a whim of going off to the beach, for a bike ride, or even out to dinner has now changed. You are asked to do something fun and the stress of feedings, nap time, skin allergies, diapers, doctor's appointments floods your brain to where the most treasured fun activities are no longer worth it. Is this how it will always be?
Now know that I am not complaining, I would not change anything, I am just trying to reconnect with my self through this blog.
I remember being single and longing for a companion, and people that had one saying "Enjoy your being single, embrace it" I always thought "You embrace it" I don't want this. I feel like maybe i understand what they were saying now.
I also remember being married and wanting kids so bad, and people telling me Enjoy what you have. So I think i did enjoy what i had when i had it. It is odd to me thinking now back, oh how great it was, yet appreciating the fulfilling life i live now.
I can't say I would go back and relive anything i just feel like this whirlwind of life has overtaken and now i am left wondering what happened to me?
I think getting married changes you , you become someones wife and maybe loose a part of yourself but also uncover a new part of your self you have never known. I guess the same can be said for having kids, except i feel like i don't even know who i am except a caretaker of others.
I am okay with this, i mean how your life is no longer yours but at the hands of little ones that depend on you. I just wonder how can i give to them and still feel like i know who i am.
This is where i am at. just saying.
Beth

I Bet You Can't Do 100 Pushups....

2008-08-26T10:06:00.003-04:00

Whoa! I haven't been here in awhile. It's time to pick up the thread and start sewing again.

So much time has passed I'm sure I have things to write about.
I'll start here. Three weeks ago I was introduced to this http://www.hundredpushups.com This is a six week program that will help you prove me wrong.(refer to title)

Currently, I just finished week three and fell just short of meeting the required max on the last set of the last day. So, I'm going to repeat week three just to solidify my preparation for meeting the 100 consecutive mark.

If you're interested here's my progression so far...
1st max out test: 34
2nd max out test: 40
3rd max out test: To be performed at the end of week 4

This site is good for anybody at any level, so unless you're just not into being built like a Greek God, check it out.

Crossfire 5

2008-06-27T23:01:00.001-04:00

I finally got a week off from school and spent most of it on Tybee Island. I got the kite up in the air a couple days in a row. It was a good time

Call Me Out.

2008-04-04T10:10:00.005-04:00

It's captivating what becomes of people. People you've known for most of your life. People you grew up with. People who mentored you. I was a kid once and I firmly believed that the friends I had then would remain with me throughout life. I was wrong, but not completely. I do have many friends that I've known for many years and would hope to keep them for many more. I also have many friends who have become acquaintances at best and some that now have nothing to say to me, nor I to them.
Change happens; I understand that. Gradual change is much easier to comprehend, maybe because you can see it coming and prepare yourself. People change along the same lines, some slow, some fast, some so fast it's hard to watch. Change is also hard to watch when it seems to be for the worst. It's umbearable, almost, when a bad change happens so fast it floors you. Even worse is the thought that the person you knew so well did not actually ever change, but just gave up the act, the facade, the person you knew so well.
At the same time, change causes reflection, at least with me it does. I remember the person I knew back when most times were good times, and bad times were few. I remember the foundations of the friendship, why we were ever friends at all. The adventure. The lack of expectations. The ease with which we could fall back in line after a long time apart. The give. The take. The generosity of time and assets.
I also turn to introspection, introreflection. I realize that if those so close to me can fall prey to whatever it is that demanded such a turn for the worst, then I too have that same potential. To fall. To hurt. To break my word, and forget promises. It's this perspective, me watching friends fall and realizing that I just as unexpectantly could fall, that seems to be almost a blessing. A simple awareness of my own vulnerability that I hope will act as prevention.
I am not scared of change, in fact, I suppose I change daily in a slow movement headed towards a better, wiser version of myself. At least I hope so, because it's the opposite that I am scared of; a sudden unexplained betrayal of who I am.
In this reflection I learned that most of all I hope to be exactly who I present myself to be. Never more and nothing less. I want my yes to be yes and my no to be no. I want to do right; I don't want to do wrong. I want to be defined by truth, loyalty, and consistency. I want it to be said of me this; "If John said it, then it is true." I want to be the same person to all people - always me. I want to be known as a true friend, a great father, and a faithful husband to one woman. I hope that the clarity and consistency of me will be so evident to those around me that they will recognize otherwise and call me out.

Traction Kite

2008-03-16T22:41:00.001-04:00

I'm sore, I'm sunburnt, but I've not had this much fun on a beach with no surf in a long time.

it takes balance to look this good

2008-02-13T14:56:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't seen it.

Because it's never too early....

2008-02-11T17:59:00.001-05:00

Here is Savannah.

2008-02-03T17:03:00.001-05:00

We have this new place you all should see, so check out the video.

They tell me their's was the Greatest Generation. I Believe it.

2007-10-05T09:27:00.000-04:00

I stood behind her as she cried, and I cannot describe the feeling I was left with. She had shed no tear until her brother's wife, now a widow, stooped to share a hug with her, then both were overcome with their loss. My Great Aunt Sweetie lost the one man she loved the most, and my Grandmother Keeko lost another of her little brothers. As I watched I realized that these two women, more than anyone else in the room, were probably the most important people in My Great Uncle Sunny's life. Sweetie, of course, had known him best of all, and keeko, had witnessed his life from start to finish; no one else could claim these honors.

I have nothing bad to say about any these people; in my eyes they could be no better. My greatest admiration lies with my Keeko, her brother's, and their wives. Sunny passed away just this last Tuesday, October 2. He was 87. A decorated war veteran, a WW II POW, a family man, a business owner, a Tennesseean through and through - his life was full of living. He has met presidents, he's known starvation, he has known success, he knew how to sacrifice, he showed love, he demonstrated commitment, he has lived through abuse and was willing to share about all of it. Above all he claimed Christ and was not ashamed.

As long as I can remember I have always looked forward to being an old man, sharing my front porch with my old lady wife and sharing the stories of my life. In my mind, every event good or bad, makes a good story with the ulitmate purpose of being told to others down the line. I credit my Great Uncle Sunny and Great Uncle Howard for this - they have been old men my whole life, and I've known no sweeter men. Every time I see Howard, the first thing out of his mouth is; "I'm proud of you Lil' John" and the last is "I love you." Uncle Sunny always called me "John Pierre". I've never been ashamed of my middle name, but I was never prouder of it than when I heard it from Sunny.

Today, I get to witness my first 21 Gun Military Salute, and I am so proud to know the man that earned this honor.

More Emma Lou

2007-08-02T18:04:00.000-04:00

So Emma is getting more of a personality, She is almost 8 months and is already a ham.
Emma also has her first pet. This deer lives in the field next to our house, the other night we saw two baby deer too.
We like to call her our Dracula Baby.

Home Again

2007-06-04T14:42:00.000-04:00

Here are some pics of our cruise to the carribean. Emma did great. She is getting so big, she is rolling all over the place, had two front bottom teeth and has started on solids. Time is flying by.

Oblivious.

2007-03-27T21:43:00.000-04:00

The other day I was at work, being the best CNA I could be. Truth be told, I'm probably not the best CNA around, I've got a lot to learn, but I think most of the Nurses enjoy me being around. One of my main responsibilities is to record the vital signs of all the patients. This is not all that hard, basically I walk from room to room and read the monitors for blood pressure, oxygen, respiration, heart rate and temp. I do this three times a day, and then make sure the numbers get recorded in the book.

Every patient's vitals are recorded at 8, 12, and 4. Every patient except those that are on comfort care, which unfortunately means that they are closing in on the last minutes of their life. At this point we are only concerned that the patient is comfortable and are allowed privacy with their family and friends, so we don't disturb them unless it's necessary.

So, as I said, the other day I was at work being the best CNA I could be. I arrived at a little before 7 am, got some small jobs out of the way and took a round of vitals. Everyone seemed ok, under their circumstances. One little lady, however, was alive, but hardly living. She was fully dependent. At some point during the morning the family decided to take her off all the machines. I assumed we were moving into comfort care. Around 12 I was getting ready to take another round of vitals, but before I got started I asked the nurse about vitals on the little lady to make sure I didn't need to take hers. Apparently, this was a dumb question, because I received a very sarcastic answer. "Yeah, John, why don't you go count respirations for a full minute so it's accurate." I picked up the tone, and realized that vitals weren't necessary, but here's the funny thing. It wasn't a comfort care situation at all, and had I taken a respiration count, I would have been standing there staring at my watch for a long while. Apparently, at some point after we took her off the machines she had passed away. I don't how, but I failed to pick up on this. Actually, I really didn't pick up on it, until about 45 minutes later, when the nurse asked me to get the bag so we could take care of her. I said, "Sure." Then I realized I didn't really know what she meant by "the bag". So, I asked "What bag are you talking about?" "The body bag." "Oh."

Finally, I linked the sarcastic comment to the situation, and asked the nurse if the little lady had already passed when I asked if I should take her vitals. "Yeah, John. Where have you been?"

At any rate, it served for a couple laughs in the midst of a less then funny situation.

So many hills.

2007-03-23T18:39:00.000-04:00

We may have found the perfect hill, and now that Spring is here - the days should be a plenty.

Traveling Baby

2007-03-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

Well Emma is 12 weeks old and has already been on quite a few road trips. She has had the pleasure of going to Columbia, SC, Nashville, TN, Canton, OH, and Asheville, NC and Savannah, GA. She actually does pretty good on the road and in her car seat. John is on spring break this week so we as a family traveled to Savannah to check out a Physican Assistant school for John. It was a quick trip, we really like the university it is small, but 5 min. from the river front in Savannah. This school actually starts in Jan 08, which other PA schools we are looking at start in May or Sept of 08.
On the way to Savannah we stoped in Asheville, and I spent the day at the Spa at the Grove Park Inn, It was amazing. John had gotten me a gift cert. to the spa, after Emma was born. It was amazing and relaxing, they had the mineral pool that had underwater music playing. I was totally pampered. It has been fun having John home this week!

Send me a S.A.S.E.

2007-02-21T17:02:00.000-05:00

Fame has never been on my life accomplishment list, just not interested. However, being who I am, I cannot avoid it. I have, after all, many natural qualities that demand recognition. Here's a short list:

High Cheek Bones
Amazing Blue Eyes
Comical Big Ears
Sharp Wit
Natural Athleticism
Perfect Posture
A Style all my own
A well adjusted accurate self assesment

The list goes on, but it's exhausting, and this isn't the point of my post anyway. I found today that the legend of Johnny T (stated in 3rd person because fame demands it) is spreading around the campus of which I attend. It's not uncommon for me to achieve a perfect score on any given test, given the fact that I'm familiar with the subject. I've had two already this semester, I'm not bragging, just stating a fact. I like grades, and the structure of a test. Comprehension is a gift of mine, so I tend to do well on exams.

A couple weeks ago my Prob & Stats Professor hosted our first exam; definitely not the hardest I've ever taken. I wasn't stumped and walked away confident of a perfect score. No big deal, I got a 100, but I figured it would be a common occurance because the test really wasn't that hard. The test was returned a couple days later, and the Prof. subtly announced there was but one perfect 100. It was mine.

Today I stayed late a few minutes to ask the Professor a question or two. He asked my name, and I told him. He then paused and said,"Oh,..... you're becoming quite famous in this department." "For what?", I asked. " You were the only one to score 100 in all of the Prob & Stats classes." I thought to myself,..That feels pretty good. It's turns out most people have trouble passing this class, much less achieving a perfect score. Well, that's news to me, because the subject matter isn't that hard, and a professor isn't completely necessary, because the book has everything one needs to understand.

Well, I'm feeeling pretty good now, how bout you?

Oh, if you'd like an autographed picture of me holding the perfect 100 exam please send me a S.A.S.E. and I'll get it to you.

-well alright-

Growing Up

2007-02-19T22:14:00.000-05:00

Well little miss Emma Lou is now 10 weeks old and 11lbs. She is such a good baby, she is sleeping through the night and everything. She is a very laid back, she genuinely calm and happy, she likes other people and always seems content with others. She seems so content that it made me and John wonder "Does she even know we are?" Well finally i got the answer to that question. Yes she does know us. I was at a bible study with Emma and friend was holding her, well Emma was fussy and just would not settle down no matter what my friend did. So i took her and as soon as she was put in my arms she calmed down. I looked in amazment, "She knows who I am!" I exclaimed. I was so excited. This was the first sign that she knows who her mommy is and she wanted her mommy. So now we are just waiting to see if she knows who John is.
It is amazing the joy that this little person brings. i can't imagine how i will react the first time she says mommy.

On Being Mom

2007-01-18T22:06:00.000-05:00

So John and his friend have been talking about life goals. They have a book of life goals written out. It made me think of what are my life goals, and I guess that the only real life goal I have always had is to be a mom.
Emma Lou is now almost 6 weeks old. I am absoultly loving being a mom. I find myself just gazing and looking at my
baby telling her how beautiful she is. I think she is going to be a girly girl, she makes the cutest girly high pitched noises. Some people say that she has facial expressions like her mom. Does she have any idea how much she is loved and adored?
John is loving being a dad, he is great at it too. I think he does a better job at giving her a bottle than me. I think she is going to be a daddy's little girl.

Good ole Betsy.

2007-01-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Christmas time has always been a good time for me. Being the youngest I often wound up with more than my fair share, which I never minded. However, the older I get the more I realize how much I'm left out of because I'm the youngest. For some reason my family "protects" me by censoring the family secrets. This Christmas I finally heard the whole story of what happened to my dog Betsy. The story I knew, the story I was originally told, went like this. I was away at school, either Montana or North Carolina, when it happened. Of course, I didn't find out until I returned home to find my house dogless. Mom told me that Betsy had been hit by a car and died a little later due to the injuries. Apparently Mom got her in the car and took her to a vet, but she was too far gone. It was sad for sure, but Betsy was something like 13, mostly deaf, and partially blind, which may have led to the whole incident. It wasn't terribly upsetting, but the ol girl has been missed.

Here's the thing, the story above is true, there's just one detail that I had never heard before this last Christmas day. I guess I never thought to ask, or I just assumed that it was a random passer by that ran her over. The sad truth is that it was my sister in law who accidently hit her. I've got no hard feelings, I'm mean Betsy was deaf, it's just a little funny they never told me the truth. Even funnier, I was something like 21 or 22 years old when happened. Actually, since we're telling the truth and all, my family was probably trying to protect my sister in law, not me.

Hey, here's a bonus tidbit for you. I found this book called Terrific Tennessee at work, and being Tennesseean through and through I thought I'd share some of it with you. Did you know....

The world's largest watermelon, 262 pounds, was grown in Arrington in 1990 by Bill Carson.

If that doesn't make you proud to be a Tennessean, then you need some serious help.

-well alright-

True.

2006-12-30T08:32:00.000-05:00

It's true Randy and I made it up to the mountain, fo the first time this season.

Emma Lou

2006-12-14T13:40:00.000-05:00

Uh, yeah....it was incredible. Everything about it. Beth did incredible. I did incredible. Emma Lou IS incredible!

Beth's water broke right as we got in bed Saturday night, at about 11:30. It was a surprise for sure, but little did I know that Beth was doing everything she could to move the process along. I guess she was ready for the action to get started. We moved on down the road to the hospital about an hour later. Both of us were pretty relaxed, but the anitcpation was definitely building. This being the first time for us, we didn't really know how long the process would take (not that we weren't prepared, because we felt we were). Of course, when we got there we found we were in very early stage labor, so we had a ways to go.

Over the weeks prior to the labor, Beth and I had taken some classes to prepare and educate ourselves for the big day. Our chosen method was the"Bradley: Husband Coached Childbirth" course. This method approaches labor and delivery much like training for a marathon, and since Beth and I are the natural athletes that we are, we felt it would be the best choice. Bradley teaches that with the proper day in and day out exercise and training that childbirth can be accomplished without medication or extensive trauma. I myself was all for the unmedicated route as I feel strongly that the best medicine is often to just walk it off. Beth was game to, because she felt that she was fully capable of handling the labor on her own ability. Overall, we both felt that a drug free baby was our top priority.

In class we learned about each stage of labor, and what natural methods we could use to help the process along. In the early stages, it often helps to be a little active. Once the nurses attained all the preliminary stats they needed, Beth and I unhooked the fetal monitors and took a stroll around the hallway. We were allowed to do this for 30 minutes in between each fetal monitoring session. This went on for about six hours, without much change or progression. Normally, in the case of a waterbreak prior to contractions, the doctors like to go ahead and give Pretocin (synthetic contraction inducer) when the mother comes in. However, we expressed our feelings toward natural progression, and we compromised with a six hour waiting period. We had hoped that Beth's contractions would naturally start to increase. They didn't, so when 6:00a.m. came along the nurse administered a small amount of pretocin. This might as well have been a nitrous boost, because from then on it was crazy fast. I almost got whiplash.

In the span of just under three hours Beth went from 1 - 2 centimeters to full dilation and then all the sudden we had our baby girl. In fact, from 3 centimeters to full and pushing it was so fast that the doctors didn't have time to get ready. Emma Lou was on her way out and the doctor didn't even have her gloves on. It's a good thing the delivery bed was soft because no one caught her, she just jumped out.

It was amazing, I watched the whole thing, so I tell you the truth...it was amazing. Even more so, Beth did without any pain medication. I always knew she was tough, but I never knew she could grunt and scream with such passion and volume. Beth was in full labor for only 11 minutes. We're talking a small handful of pushes and it was all over. Here's the beauty of all our training, and preparation, Beth was completely fine, minus a few stitches, she was 100% alert and oriented. It wasn't an hour before she walked under her own power to the nursery room window to check out the outcome of her efforts - a beautiful, healthy seven pounder. Everyone who saw Beth afterwards couldn't believe how good she looked, most even said I looked more like I had just had a baby than she did. I don't do too well with out much sleep.

Weight: 7 lbs 2 oz.
Length: 20 1/4"

-well alright-

And then one day she was here with us.

2006-12-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

Beth and I talked it over and we decided to add another member to Team Teilhet. Now, we're 3 vs. the world.

A few life goals

2006-12-07T21:17:00.000-05:00

To meet a resident of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
To run a sub 3 hour Marathon
To spend quality time on every continent
To juggle 4 balls
To take better picutres
To be a better swimmer
To have a wonderful Holiday
To inspire my Daughter to be to spend her money on quality things like Land Rovers, and Traveling to worthwhile places and not on Proms.

Tuesday two

2006-11-28T18:21:00.000-05:00

1. We got a new camera, and it's awesome. The Canon S3 IS. Now that I've got a really cool camera, all I gotta do is learn how to take really cool pictures. Apparently, it doesn't do this automatically.

2. I've completed my 5 week CNA course. These past couple of weeks I've done more than a few things I've never thought I'd do. For instance:
I've given grown adults, men and women, showers and bed baths.
I've spoon fed people.
I've wiped butts.....old butts.
and on and on.

Some of it was a little awkward, I won't lie, but at the end if each day I realized more and more that these residents are real people with real needs, and I'm glad I could help them out. In between wiping and showering, I got to know several of the residents. Former fire chiefs, and highschool football coaches, and a lot of people who have been life long residents of E-Town. It really was a pleasent surprise to get to know them.
If you're interested in some of the awkward moments, here's one: Most of the time I was paired with the men, but a couple of days ago I had to give a women a shower. The first time I introduced myself her first words were, "You're Cute." I thought to myself, "Yeah, I know, but I think you're a little old". I found out later that she was a lot old, 94. She wasn't all together there mentally, but very pleasent and always smiling or giggling. I heard "You're cute as pie", or "You're pretty" about 50 times that day. When it came time to get her a shower, I found out that she had no use of her legs, so I would have to lift her out of bed and into the shower chair. This entails a bear hug of sorts, with only my pair of scrubs and her hospital gown in between. At this point I was alright, you know, I was thinking "this is my job, she needs help." It was when we were cheek to cheek and she started kissing my face that it got really awkward. There was nothing I could do but bear though, I couldn't just drop her, so I swung around and sat her down as quickly and safely as possible.

-well alright-

Feeling a little wierd.

2006-11-10T15:32:00.000-05:00

I'm here. Still.

I've been a little busy, it's true. Even so, I think I've failed to post for other reasons. Sometimes, recently, I've caught myself contemplateing deeply, not sure what brought it on. I think I just realized it's been a really long time since I've laughed really really hard. Rob and I used to laugh really hard, that's what we did alot. I'm going to be father soon. I'll have the chance to shape someone. I hope I don't screw it up. I've got a friend who sailed all summer long, and now he's learning to dogsled. I admire him for his priorities, they fit him. On Monday I start clinical as a CNA. I'll be working in a longterm care facility. So far the class as been a breeze, book work usually is for me. I'm afraid that the next two weeks will shape me more than I may be ready for.

Just so you know.

2006-10-25T07:31:00.000-04:00

WOOOOOHOOOOOO! It snowed yesterday, only a flake or two but it snowed. Hopefully It'll snow alot and I'll get a chance to go to the mountain, since I missed winter all together last year.

Seems like it's snowing at work somedays too, because of all the flakes that show up. It might have been me, but the other day some really annoying customers came in, one lady even put up a raucous over some special order shoes and then when we found them and gave them to her she promptly went to the register on the other side of the building and tried to exchange them for something else. She was trying to scam us and the company she works for at the same time. Her company pays for boots and other work related items, however she wanted something else and tried to weasel it out of her company's purse. I like work, don't get me wrong, it's usually fun, and there's a lot of good people, I think I might have been a little sensitive to annoying people that's all.

On monday, I started a CNA class which is the first step in our plan for the next few years. Come January, I'll be headed back to school to get some pre req's out of the way before I apply for PA school, and I think I'll apply to Vet school too, just to see what happens.

-well alright-

I just don't get it.

2006-10-19T22:51:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid I think I had a huge misconception of adults. I guess I figured there was a certain age that triggered an elevation in morality, and a sharp decrease in immaturity. I figured that at some point everyone's common sense leveled out, you know kind of like how the importance of age difference seems to disappear after highschool. Turns out that three years really isn't all that big of a deal, just look at beth and me.
The other day several hundred dollars worth of merchandise was stolen from my workplace. Fortunately, the security cameras did their job and the whole act was caught on tape. Who would have figured that some white haired old man would be a clepto? I haven't seen the tape myself, but apparently he used his shifty little hands to pocket several small items from all over the store. The whole deal just kinda makes me sick, he was even sly enough to break down and stash some very expensive flyrods, all the while keeping a conversation with one of the employees.
I'm big on integrity, this guy obviously isn't. It's hard for me to walk by a misplaced or fallen item in a grocery store without putting it back in it's place. Where I got this sense of responsibility I don't know, but I wish I could understand where this guy is coming from.

p.s. Check out my buddy's blog, Randy Would Go

Here's two for Tuesday.

2006-10-10T20:57:00.000-04:00

1. I'm thinking about buying a new camera, something with a little more zoom. Maybe a digital slr. I like the Nikon D50, a friend recomended it. I went and looked at some today at Bestbuy, the D50 came with an 18/55 lens which isn't quite enough zoom, so I'd probably have to find another package. Then I looked at a canon powershot, i can't remember which model, but it had a really good zoom and still had the movie function which the slr doesn't? Any opinions?

2. My little sister in law is on the radio every morning as a dj for a christian radio morning show, you should listen. It's early though - 6:30 to 9:30 in the a.m. I taught her everything she knows.

WHOA! LONG TIME NO READ!

2006-10-09T17:22:00.000-04:00

I thought about posting today, but I think I'll wait till tomorrow. I just wanted to see my stat counter work alittle this afternoon.

Elvis' New White Shoes

2006-09-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

Once again Beth has proved herself to be an awesome wife. This weekend I paid $100 to ride my mountain bike through the night, all the while Beth stood on the sidelines cheering me and the other teammates on. The race was the 24 Hours of Pisgah. 12 a.m. Saturday through 12 a.m. Sunday. 24 hours of dirt and gears.

What's the point? Ride as many laps as you can before noon. I don't claim to be much of a mountain biker, which is why I couldn't have done it without my teammates. I was on a coed team with Beth's brother and 3 others from the North East Tennessee Mountain Bike Association. Each of us would take a lap then pass the timing chip on to the next rider. I was third in the line up, and strange as it may seem, I think I was a little nervous which came through as a poor attitude. At one point before the race started I told Beth, "I really don't want to be here." To which she replied, "well, what else would you be doing this weekend? Sitting at home?" I had no reply. Anyway I really didn't get into the race until the second lap.

My first lap out, I couldn't shake my bad attitude, and it didn't really help that I was reduced to either walking or picking my bike back up after a wreck for alot of the 5 mile course. I made it back in 52 minutes later, which surprised me; I thought the race would be wrapping up by the time I made it back. To my own credit though, a lot of the other riders were having trouble with the wet, soft and rooty trail too. Did I mention there was a 3/4 mile long hill that was super steep? There were people who made it up this beast, but I thought I'd save that for next years race. I made better time just pushing up it. Oh, and they called "Puke Hill"; at the top was an outhouse named "Puke Bucket".

By the time it was time for my second lap, I was getting into it. I felt a lot better and it showed because it only took me 47 + minutes from start to finish. From then on, every lap I finished the more I enjoyed the whole deal, it was a really good time. Riding at night was a blast too, because all you do is chase the beam of light from the headlamp through the woods. I realized I probably wasn't riding hard enough when my lap times pretty much stayed the same regardless of night or light, so when daylight came on Sunday I rode pretty hard and came in under 45 minutes.

I'm pretty satisfied with my times, but just to give you an idea the competative times were somewhere between 30 and 35 minutes a lap. Also, there were some insane guys who not only did the race solo, but they did it on a completly rigid single speed bike. Crazy hard.

Oh, and our team name was .......Elvis' New White Shoes.

check out more pictures here

-well alright-

Why the Coke Pepsi War doesn't really matter.

2006-09-15T10:08:00.000-04:00

As for Soda's, there's really not much worth drinking other than a good rootbeer. I'm no expert, but I have turned back a few different brew's over the years. One of the first things I look for when in a new town or region is the local rootbeer. Every single one seems to have it's own distinct taste. Now, I like the big name everyday rootbeers as well, but I do have favorites, and there are some that just aren't that good.

Here's a short list:
9. Virgil's
8. Barq's
7. Frostie
6. Mug
5. Jones
4. Thomas Kemper
3. Stewart's
2. A & W
1. Henry Weinhardt

There are many more, but these are the one's I actually remember having at least once, most of these I've had several times. Henry Weinhardt's is definitely the best I've had. It's a shame that it's not sold in the south. I like Henry so much that I bought one for everyone on my hall when I graduated from college. I first came across it back in Montana, and every time I have one now I remember those days. Now that I think about it, Henry's been around a lot since Montana. Beth and I would often enjoy one as we walked through the streets of Chicago, and we definitely enjoyed several sitting on the beach on Maui. He was at my Graduation, and since I don't smoke, I think I'll pass some out when my little girl comes along.
Of course, I couldn't mention Henry without thinking about Dirty Jon Wood, Chuck and my little buddy Mark, among others from my days back in Montana. So, here's to you fella's, next time you have one buy a bottle for me, cause I can't get it down here.

Incidentally, if you ever want to get me a present, check out Pop the Soda Shop.. This is the company I used to ship a case down to North Carolina when I graduated.

Two by Tuesday

2006-09-05T18:15:00.000-04:00

1. "Invincible" is worth seeing, a little "RUDY"ish, but totally inspiring. It almost made want to devote time to following a team and becoming a fan for once in my life. It was fitting, too, that I saw it on Motivational Monday.

2. My friend "The Spaniard" has an awesome post, so check it out here.

Snubbed

2006-09-03T22:45:00.000-04:00

I've got no good hook to this post, so I'll just let you know that I was snubbed today - totally ignored and avoided. Actually, this is the second time this couple has failed to acknowledge me. I am usually worry free about things or life in general, but for some reason this really bothered me. I can't figure out when I became so worthless to them as to not even deserve a nod in my general direction. I mean I know these people, or I KNEW them back in highschool. I could tell you their parents names, what year they graduated and how many siblings they have. Sure, we were never all that close, but we were friends to a certain degree.

At least this time it wasn't quite so obvious as the first time, but it was still obvious enough. I saw them first, but knowing from the previous encounter that they would be uncomfortable with my presence, I took a longer route to my destination. However, my destination was still in the same Lowe's paint section that they were perusing, so I held onto a small hope that when they did notice me it would be a little more courteous. No such luck.

My hope is that they have a bonified reason to avoid me, at least then I would understand, but I just don't get it. I can't think of anything that would cause them to be so apparently rude. The way I figure it is if you recognize someone that should automatically demand a courteous smile if not a "hey, how are you?" I mean, I'm not looking for a conversation. GOSH!

-well alright-

If I'd only heard this when I was younger

2006-08-23T22:11:00.000-04:00

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~ Albert Pine

What if I had heard this when I was younger, would I have listened? Probably not, as I was too busy thinking about myself.

Shame, Shame, Shame

2006-08-17T23:08:00.000-04:00

So about the crying mother in law incidents - I promise they were unintentional. Let me explain. It's no secret that I've made Bethany cry once or twice, but to my own credit she cries at the drop of the hat. Little did I know that she inherited this trait from her mother. One would think I would have found this out by now, since we're moving in to our third year of marriage.

After our short stint in Boston, we drove westward to our final destination before home - Canton, Ohio. Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Kimm and Connie - my inlaws - quality couple really. We and the rest of the Carr clan all met up at Kimm and Connie's for a weekend with the fam. It's never a bad time up there, food is a plenty and little Bug (the youngest of the family) had the whole weekend planned out.

We hit up the ice cream shop, the pontoon boat on the lake, Trader Joe's, and a real nice visit to an island on lake Erie (Connie wouldn't let us swim in Lake Erie, apparently it's incredible polluted). We even did a family bike ride along the tow path, well I ran because it's the very same path that my next marathon will be run on. Oh yeah, and because Connie is well connected in NorthEast Canton, Ohio we got to squeeze in a freebie ultrasound as well.

I can't recall which incident came first, but one was a little more unexpected than the other, I'll let you decide if the tears were deserved or not. The first came when I mentioned to Beth that there was a job opening in Colorado. It was one of those "you gotta know somebody to get it" jobs, and I actually knew somebody this time, so I was kind of excited. It didn't work out though, because the job had been filled before I even had a chance to send my resume. At any rate, it was only the passing mention of this opportunity that set Connie off. At first I thought she was acting or playing around - "oh, you're going to take my grandbaby away". All of the sudden I look over to see real bonified tears streaming down. A little awkward to say the least. I mean what do I do in a situation like this - "oh...uh...sorry...I'll try to find another opportunity in an outdoor mecca ....here in Ohio". I would try if there were any outdoor meccas in Ohio.

The other incident was a touch more understandable from Connie's point of view. While on the Island, we rented golfcarts; everybody on the island drove around on golfcarts. Kimm got a four passenger, then Greg (oldest) and I got two passenger carts to drive our wives around. We didn't count on them having speed govoners. We were disappointed to find that the max speed was only a hair past walking speed.

We made a day of it anyway, and pushed the little carts to their limits. We were tailgaiting and zigzagging, and having cart to cart pushing contests - all of which worked on Connie's last nerves. It wasn't till half the morning went by until it dawned on me that the carts might go faster in reverse.

The reverse driving didn't last very long because, once again, my actions caused Connie to shed a few. It happened as I was fast approaching the four passenger cart, where Kimm and Connie just happened to be sitting on the rear seat facing us. I was driving ( in reverse) and Beth was in the passenger seat. I cut the wheel sharply with the intention of pulling a 180. It worked perfectly. We spun around to find ourselves lined up right behind Kimm and Connie. It might have been alright had I not cut so hard as to push the cart to very limits of it's balance and put it up on three wheels. As we settled down, both Beth and I were pretty excited; high fives were flying....and then we looked ahead and saw dear ol Connie - head in hands and weeping.

I realized that I had found the limit and crossed it. The rest of the day went on without anymore evil knievel cart stunts.

All in all, I think I'm forgiven, and I'm definitely a little ashamed....but it's still a good story right?

my first mom moment

2006-08-15T21:44:00.000-04:00

so being pregnant is kind of fun, you get lots of attention from all kinds of people,
they will tell you to take care of yourself, don't overdo it, don't lift anything, but i have noticed
that older people always tell me the same thing "don't fall" i think it is really cute. well i was out
at doe river the other day taking a friend around on a tour of the cabins when i did the unthinkable.
Yes i fell, the funny thing was it wasn't a hard fall or anything, but it did freak me out a bit, because i
keep hearing "don't fall" it was the first time that i felt like a mom, i am responsible for somebody else's well
being. i am sure it is the first of many mom moments to come.
Oh just an update on little baby Teilhet,
we are having a little girl and she is kicking regulary, i am feeling better, not as tired or nauseated. but the hart burn has
begun.
john says i should use spell check, but i disagree, i feel like that is being fraud like, it's just not like me to spell correctly, anyways spelling is not all that inportant as long at the beginning and end letters are correct, that is what people recognize anyway.
beth

At last.

2006-08-08T21:43:00.000-04:00

Take my word, our absense in posting isn't due to a lack of material. We've been busy. Road trips, ultrasounds, old friends, Team ION, Doe River R & D, marathon training, moose hunting, crying mother in laws, new jobs, and on and on. As for the photo fiasco, we've decided to live and learn and learn to live without. Ah well, we'll take some more, and dig out whatever photo cd's we've collected and build a new library. On that note, if you have any photos that Beth or myself might be interested in having (i.e. photos of us) send them along.

Our road trip was well worth the time and distance it cost us. New York and our New York host were nothing less than memorable. The city itself was so hot, at least once Beth had to seek shade whilst I did my best to cool her off with a frosty bottle of water on the nape of her neck, and Peter, well, he's always memorable no matter the situation. Only he could make a shady first floor apartment feel like home. Among other entertaining big city events, we found ourselves just beneath and to the right of the Brooklyn bridge, watching an outdoor presentation of an A. Hitchcock film with a few hundred other city dwellers. It felt very small town, but at the same time, no small town could pull together the ambiance that Brooklyn at night offers.

Maine offered us countless B & B's and a whole state to explore, although we stayed in only two, both of which were in the region they call "Downeast". Actually, the first was just outside Acadia National Park. We were promised Moose, but only found moose tracks and a couple porcupines. The second was in Boothbay Harbor, and was the nicest Bed & Breakfast I've ever stayed in; you should know, though, that I've only stayed in two. Then there were the lobsters, I know I've had my fill for at least a year.

Our Boston experience lasted less then 24 hours, but that's all we needed to understand that the city would be an awesome place to live, at least in the summer time. You got your historical significance, your lively park and rec department, your healthy running community, and a nicely unique New Elngland culture. All in all I didn't mind being there, in fact, I liked it alot, despite the absence of any wilderness. We even made the time to stop by the Bull and Fince, the original inspiration for Cheers.

I'll have to end it here for now, but the story goes on, and I might just tell you about whether you're interested or not.

-well alright-

We're in New York

2006-07-20T18:17:00.000-04:00

So, the other day I erased every picture we've ever taken since we've been married, even before we got married. I'm an idiot. Today we're in NYNY at the Apple Store, which is incredible by the way. Hopefully, I'll be able to retrieve our photos, otherwise I won't have any proof of my adventures.

We're not here for the sole purpose of our computer though, this is our first stop on our anniversary celebration trip. We're staying Peter Sperop through Saturday, and then we move on to Maine, then Boston, then Canton, OH.

In an effort not further complicate the photo situation, I'm trying not to use our laptop anymore, which is why sme of your sitemeters now have a NYNY location show up.

We'll talk later-

-well alright-

Just keeping up with Tim

2006-07-05T15:27:00.000-04:00

I mean really, what's a 4th of July without a trip to the ER, and I didn't even need fireworks to get there. Really though, I couldn't let Tim get all the attention.

I hold alot of pride in the fact that I lived a life without stiches or broken bones, and I've done it without living in a bubble. I've been bruised and cut and a little dazed, but never seriously broken; it's a good record......and it's still going. Last night, I thought the record had come to an end, but you'll never believe what they can do with a little super glue these days.

The wife and I had a bunch of friends over for the 4th. Sweet Beth turned out an incredible setup with pork, chicken, brats, kielbasa, and some incredible homemade ice cream. On top of that, most people brought over a little something to share. Watermelon, salad, and corn. It was awesome, although, I never did get around to eating.

I'm not much for sitting around and chatting, so I made sure there was plenty to do. We were driving golfballs into the neighbors field, longboarding down the driveway, playing some bolo. Oh, and the trampoline! How could I forget about the trampoline?

Four of us were playing a game on the trampoline; it was a little like musical chairs. The four of us were each trying to get one of three tennis balls. As you may imagine, it usually gets kinda rough when there's a ball up for grabs with two or more grown men going after it. Somewhere in the scramble for a ball, Labig and myself collided head to head. I wound up with the ball and nice size cut above my right eye. Labig was unscathed except for a headache, .....but he lost.

Here's the beauty of being married to an RN. When most wives would freak out, my wife remained oh so calm and collected all the while with a slight smirk on her face. I myself was only slightly upset at the realization that my first stiches ever would come from a trampoline accident. At any rate, both of us thought it was funny that we were leaving our guests to carry on the party.

At the ER, after the hour in the waiting room, we made it to the triage. Is it weird that after only a couple questions, the guy somehow knew my temperment for risk taking? Out of nowhere he asked if I wanted to join a group to go skydiving. Here's my theory, there is a school of thought about thrillseekers which is based on their resting heart rate. The lower it is the higher level of risk the person must seek to achieve any level of excitement. Well, my usually lies between 40 and 50 beats per minute, that's pretty low. The triage guy of course noticed this as he was taking my bloodpressure and such.

At any rate, the ER was backed up and apparently there was only one doctor on duty. The doctor assessed my situation and said he'd be back to glue it up in awhile. Beth piped up and offered to do it if he was too busy. When he came back he actually did let her do it, which she loved. Even better, next time this happens we'll know what to do and won't even have to bother with the ER.

-well alright-

The road and trail ahead

2006-07-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

The road and trail ahead has many miles, more than I've ever run before, but I'm here and I'm able so I will go with long strides and a gaze set on the horizon. This is my training schedule.

Week.....Mon.....Tue......Wed......Thu..........Fri.....Sat.......Sun
1........3 mi.....7 mi.....3 mi...35 Tempo......Rest.....7 mi.....14 mi
2........3 mi.....7 mi.....3 mi...5 x 800.........Rest.....7 mi.....10 mi
3........3 mi.....8 mi.....4 mi...5 x hill.........Rest.....8 mi.....16 mi
4........3 mi.....8 mi.....4 mi...40 tempo.......Rest.....8 mi.....17 mi
5........3 mi.....9 mi.....4 mi...6 x 800.........Rest.....9 mi.....12 mi
6........3 mi.....9 mi.....4 mi...6 x hill.........Rest.....9 mi.....19 mi
7........4 mi...10 mi.....5 mi...45 tempo.......Rest.....10 mi...20 mi
8........4 mi.....6 mi.....5 mi...7 x 800.........Rest.....6 mi.....12 mi
9........4 mi...10 mi.....5 mi...7 x hill.........Rest.....10 mi....20 mi
10.......5 mi.....6 mi.....5 mi...45 Tempo......Rest.....6 mi......12
11.......5 mi...10 mi.....5 mi...8 x 800.........Rest.....10 mi....20 mi
12.......5 mi.....8 mi.....5 mi...6 x hill.........Rest.....4 mi......12
13.......4 mi.....6 mi.....4 mi...30 Tempo......Rest.....4 mi......8 mi
14.......3 mi.....4 mi.....3 mi...4 x 400.........Rest.....2 mi......Race Day

This program is designed by Hal Higdon, I've used his schedules before, none of which were this hard. Today I did my 7 miles on a route that I've only ever driven. It was full of hills and wound through the back roads of Watauga. Tomorrow's a 3 mile day, I'm not sure where I'll be running, but I will be running if you'd like to join me.

-well alright-

And so it begins.

2006-06-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

This maybe a little complicated, see if you can follow.
I've decided to give myself a deadline - October 8th, 2006.
My goals are many, but the reason for this date lies in my quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
To do this I have to complete an official marathon in less than 3 hours 10 minutes and 59 seconds.
I've chosen the Towpath Marathon in Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park which is Oct. 8, 2006.

This in itself is a mighty aspiration knowing that my best time so far is 3:25:52 - that's a big time difference to overcome.
But like I said before, my goals are many, and qualifying is but one.
For the good of my growing family I need to man up and choose a career.
I have a little over 14 weeks to find a job that will relieve Sweet Beth of our financial obligations.
Of course, the earlier the better for this one, every day that passes only adds to our stress level.

Recently I was told that my fundraising organization, Team ION, was "going nowhere".
It may have been true at the time, but I won't let the potential fall away.
In addition to raising money for running and completing this marathon, I will rebuild Team ION.
My goal is to raise $20,000 - I only need 80 athletes to raise $250 a piece - you can be one of them.
The money will serve the needs of underprivleged youth.

As I sit here, I have a handfull of responsibilities that I am committed to.
Integrity, I believe, is of utmost importance.
It is my intention to fulfill each obligation
Because integrity is based on the consistency of words and actions.
Again, the faster these are satisfied the better.

As I post this, I hope that my typing is not in vein.
Though my audience is small, I am asking you to join me.
Foremost, I need your acountibilty in all aspects of this deadline.
Training takes commitment, so keep me honest and ask me how my run went.
Even better, come run with me.

If you're willing to run with me, perhaps you're willing to enter a race.
Don't be intimidated by the marathon either, a 5k is a race as well.
Team ION is looking for athletes of all skill and endurance levels.
So, pick a race, any race then ask friends and family to support you.
It only takes $250 to earn an exclusive Team ION Jersey.

Yesterday, I began my training.
Today, I continued.
I ran by myself, except for a neighbor's dog.
Tomorrow, I hope that you're thoughts and prayers will be with me.
Or, maybe you'll start your own training and I'll lend my thoughts and prayers to you.

-well alright-

Summer's Here!

2006-06-25T23:49:00.000-04:00

June 21st is a glorious day and nothing less. It is so for many reason. It marks the summer solstice and the first day of summer. It's also the perfect day for a birthday. Apart from Father's Day, there are no other holidays to distract from the birthday celebration. It's also in perfect relation to Christmas with six months on either side. I mean, far be it from me to distract from the true reason of Christmas by celebrating my own Birthday, so I decided, well my parents decided for me, to join to "race" as far away from Christmas as I could. I'm 25, and so far it's not that bad.

Beth and I decided to hit the road and head to Atlanta for my Birthday. We stayed with Aaron and Amy (in their new house) for a couple of days, and mostly just relaxed. Except for a trip to IKEA which preceded a interesting jaunt through the Bodies Exhibition. If you haven't heard of The Bodies Exhibition check it out here. I don't know about you, but there's no better way to celebrate a birthday than by holding a real human brain in your bare hands.

The Exhibition was pretty amazing, somehow they preserved and then displayed cadavers which were donated to science. Each one was dissected to show a different system of the body. It's incredible how intricate our design is, we are a creation, we were created, there is a creator- no doubt. One section displayed the progression of a fetus from something like "4 weeks" to just before full term. The older babies had died due to complications; one had developed with organs on the outside, another with a fully developed body and a undeveloped head. None of the adult bodies had skin, so they were almost unrecognizable as human, but I couldn't help but wonder what their stories were. How they died? How they Lived? I was supposed to take pictures, but sorry no photos allowed. Oh, one room displayed healthy lungs versus smokers lungs. The contrast was obvious. The smokers lungs were almost fully blackened by tar. The lungs act as a filter for the air we breath by absorbing any impurities, smoke is incredibly impure. At the exit of the room was a large clear case partly filled with cartons of cigarettes, apparently some people need visual proof of the hazards of smoking before they can give their smokes up-all of the cartons in the case were given up by exhibition visitors.

It's been awhile since I've had such a low key birthday, but it was perfect. If you haven't celebrated, take a few minutes and enjoy yourself in the name of my birthday. Go ahead you deserve it.

-well alright-

For Fear of Killing Lisa..

2006-06-13T23:27:00.000-04:00

It's not that Beth and I haven't been busy, we have, it's the fact that our lives just don't seem as exotic these days. I could tell you how I spent two days digging out a stump last week, but that would just prove my point would it not. Coincidently, I think that digging out a stump by hand is a valuable experience. Patience, persistance, and a good excuse to swing an ax. I love chopping wood with an ax.

Last weekend was cool though, I made a new PR (personal record) for a 5k when I ran the Covered Bridge race. Even better, Beth ran her slowest 5k, but the baby ran it's first race ever. We also heard the baby's heartbeat again on Friday. It was about 150b/m. FYI my resting heartrate is around 45-50, I told you that for no other reason than I think it's cool. Sometimes I go to Walmart only so I can sit in the automatic bloodpressure machine and see how low my heart rate is. One time it registered as 00.

Sunday was a first for me, I took part in a funride called Pedalfest. My brother in law and I rode our road bikes with about 100 others from Dowtown Elizabethton all the way to the Watauga Dam, very steep, and then down through the valley. It ended up being about a 30 mile loop, I was exhausted and my thighs were throbbing, but it was worth it and I'll probably do it again.

Apart from that, I'm trying to get together some shirts to sell this weekend. I'd give you details but this www is a shady place. I'll just say I think I'm on to a real good thing.

-well alright-

Menly Men

2006-05-29T22:18:00.000-04:00

This last weekend we gathered together to discuss and discover what it means to be Men, men of integrity and honor, of responsibility and respect. Men of God. We were there to encourage each other to walk tall and never settle to be anything less than what God meant us to be. We aim not to be passive, lazy, or weak. We need to be, for the sake of our girlfriends, fiances, wives, and children, strong in accountability and rooted in the Word. 11 of us, all in different stages and living in different places gathered to understand the challenge that lies before us.

Those who gathered:
Randy: Husband to be, Youth Mentor Johnson City
Joe: Single, carpenter Elizabethton
Cory: Husband to be, manager of a new business Johnson City
David: Dating, Tennis Pro Mississippi
BT: Married, Seminary Student Alabama
Chuck: Dating, Youth Minister Kentucky
Brad: Husband to be, New graduate planning for seminary Johnson City
Tyler: Single, Grad student in education South Carolina
Joel: Single, recent graduate looking for job South Carolina
Sam: Single, Seminary student, abstinence instructor Johnson City
Myself: Married & expecting a child, outdoorsman and all around good guy Elizabethton

Though we were a diverse group, it didn't take long to find common ground. Everything about the weekend seemed to be geared toward men, starting with the cabin by the lake. Actually, it was more like a lodge with an amazing view of Watauga Lake. This place was seriously one of the nicest houses I've ever been in. Picture massive logs, and incredible mountain decor like a real grizzly skin rug in front of the huge stone fire place. Add this to the unbelievable mountain side setting and you've got a great foundation to host a men's retreat. Many thanks to Brad's parents for allowing us to stay for the weekend.

The first night was defined by pizza, and some friendly competition around the pool and pingpong tables. The real action (the hard to believe action) started the next morning. Like I said, the setting was perfect, but I didn't mention that we were just a short steep hike from the Appalachian Trail. This hike was the first event on the agenda when we awoke Saturday, little did we know that our hiking plans would be delayed. After everyone had their fill of Chuck's breakfast burrito, we headed outside. Only a couple minutes passed before our attention was turned to David and his exclamation of, "Hey, is this thing real." I quickly strolled over and realized that the object he was refering to was indeed very real, and even better, it was a rattlesnake. David remained unsure of the authenticity, and rightly so, because the snake was incredibly lethargic, we would find out why a little later.

Once everyone was aware of the situation it wasn't long before Cory had a shovel in hand, ready to behead to serpent. It was the first wild rattlesnake he and many of the other guys had seen. Normally, I don't support killing anything unless it's for food or safety. Well, this fell into safety because the snake was only 30 feet from the front door, which was a little too close to home for the homeowners. I did, however, demand; "If we kill it, then we're eating it." After all, this was the men's weekend, and what better action to prove our manhood than to eat what we kill. We are hunter's at heart, right?

The snake was no match for the sharp end of Cory's shovel, and after we confirmed that the head was fully and completely detached, Brad and I took to skinning the beast. It was at this point that David finally subcumbed to the fact the snake was real, until then he was sure he was simply the butt of a good joke. With knife in hand, I split the rattler from throat to tail and exposed all that was within. Oh, the treasures we found. After, we looked around a bit we discovered why the serpent was so lethargic; it was full, and recently so. With as much precision as I could muster I sliced open the stomach to reveal a freshly eaten rat, fur, tail and all. We then spilled the rest of the inards, and proceeded with the skinning. At this point, not everyone was all for eating the snake. That would change by the time we took the meat from the grill. It's amazing what a little butter, salt, and pepper will do. After pictures were taken and the blood and guts were cleaned up, we rinsed the snake meat and then proceeded with the day.

Most of us headed up the mountain, following a ridge that would take us to the top. It was steep, but after 45 minutes we found ourselves right in the middle of the Appalachian Trail where we met a couple who were at the beginning of a 125 mile backpack trip. They were section hikers, which means they hump a little bit of the 2,000 mile trail at a time. Every good AT hiker has a trail name, and so I asked, "Have you gotten your trail names yet?" "I'm Maniac", said the man. The woman called herself, "Hiking Buddy." Not the most original names, but they seemed happy with them.

We wished the hikers good weather and then headed north to the nearest shelter, which was conveniently built just in front of an incredible view of the lake below. We snapped a few pictures of our mountain top experience and then began our decent. Randy, Cory, and I made it interesting and charged down the slope as fast as we could. The rules were to get down without falling or having to put down our hands. It ended in a threeway tie at the bottom, none of us lost control.

We all made it down safely, minus BT who lost the use of his left chaco on the way up. It split in two, hanging together only by the webbing. He trucked on without complaint. Back at the house we all found the breeze on the front porch to be perfectly refreshing. After a restful break, we all returned to action. Some of us made use of the fishing poles, others took the jetski out, and four of us, including myself, sat down to Monopoly. It's a long game, so we played for only an hour or so before we found ourselves down on the water. 8 guys in a boat gets a little full, so we took turns on the end of the tow rope. Chuck wore it out on the slalom skies. Joe took his turn on the kneeboard. Cory pulled a flip on the wakeboard. I tried to do the same, but ended up breaking the water surface with my face.

Nearly exhausted we docked the boat, and returned to the lodge. Sam and Randy hit the grill hard, shortly after we sat before a feast of meat. Hamburgers, Bratwurst, and the ever so tasty rattlesnack on a stick. 11 guys around a table, no napkins, no conversation, and 22 firmly placed elbows. If your wondering about the snake, it was realy good, not alot of meat, and a little hard to separate the meat form the bones, but really good. After dinner, we sat down to discuss the topic of the weekend; "What it means to be Men." Yes, we actually did settle down and discuss, and it was encouraging to say the least. I walked away encouraged, appreciative, and feeling blessed to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.

The grandfather clock rang 11:00 o'clock just has Randy closed in prayer. It was then that we returned to the monopoly board. The game was long and arduous, but I'm proud to say that I came out on top. I achieved a Monopoly around 2:30 am, and then found the closest pillow. The morning promised pancakes, and an afternoon to catch up on a little sleep at home.

Front: Chuck
Second Row from left: Cory, Brad, John, Tyler, Randy, Joe
Back: David, BT, Sam
Not Pictured: Joel

-well alright-

Ever Eventful

2006-05-28T12:34:00.000-04:00

I just got back from an amazing weekend. I'd tell you all about it, but you wouldn't believe me, so I'll wait until I have the pictures.
In the meantime, here's a quick review of my week.
On Monday I sold my rover. Now I drive a '97 Mazda 626 LX
On Tuesday I rode my bike to the Gorge and arived just in time to attend the appreciation dinner. They built a new lodge and it's amazing.
On Wednesday Beth left for Texas. She'll be back in time for her Birthday.
On Thursday I dropped all of our eggs on the floor, all but one broke; I boiled it, but then forgot about it, so I threw it out too.
On Friday I went to the doctor and it turns out I'm fit as a fiddle.

-well alright-

The Drive In

2006-05-19T23:06:00.000-04:00

I'm a Tennesseean through and through, born and bred. I have a lot of pride in my homeland, in what I like to call God's country. What makes Tennessee "Tennessee"? It's the land, and the mountains, the slower pace and hospitality, but most of all, it's the people. Granted, there is a lot of variety in our people; we've got a little bit of everybody really, but we've also got some people you may only see right here in God's country-these are the people I like the most. I'm a people watcher, and I like watching Tennesseeans in their element. I've found that two of the best places to see the good folks of the Volunteer State are at the Flea Market and the Drive in Theatre. I've been to the flea market several times, (I mean where else are you going to find a set of bull horns for the truck at a decent price.) but it's been a long time since I've been to a Tennessee drive in. Beth and I went to one in Hawaii, but shoots bra, that's a whole different experience all together. Well, tonight, after cruising not only the Reel to Reel and the Carmike, but the Bonnie Kate too, we found ourselves waiting for State Line Drive In to open up their gates. The movie was RV, and it was good, but the entertainment was found in the preshow - the people.

You know your at a Tennessee drive in by the UT orange seen in almost every direction you look. You know your at an Elizabethton, Tennessee drive in by the Jason Witten jerseys on the kids. Witten is a home town hero who plays for the Cowboys. Tonight we had some impressive specimen of the Tennessee culture. Parked in front of us was an awesome guy. Stone washed jeans, orange and white UT wind jacket, matching baseball cap, and topped off by a mustache and a mullet. As impressive as he already is, it gets better. This was no first time drive in movie goer, he was a pro. While the cigarette hung from his mouth, he kept his hands busy washing his windshield inside and out. That's right, he broke out the windex and papertowels, and he spent no less the twenty minutes and half a roll of papertowels making sure his movie experience was not flawed by a blemished windshield. Awesome. Sad thing is, just before we pulled in, I was thinking it would be really nice if our windshield was clean. So, I asked him if I could borrow some glass cleaner. I'm just joking, I didn't even use the spray and wipers.

Anyway, it was a good night, and if you haven't been to a drive in movie in awhile, you should go. It'll probably be a very local experience no matter where you're at.

-well alright-

Linville Gorge

2006-05-07T10:29:00.000-04:00

It was raining friday; it's raining today, but yesterday was glorius. When we came home last night the car was quiet. It seems like no one ever has anything to say on the return trip home after a long day of adventure. Our day lasted just over 24 hours, so we were tired, but at the same time we were rejuvanated.

Grant, Joe and I headed out for a night out in the wilderness just after we got off work friday. It was a late start, but at least we were going. We didn't even let the rain postpone the trip, although if any one of the three of us had pulled out, all of us would have. None of us wanted to be that guy, so we went because of our pride. Linville Gorge was our destination, and we hit the trail head about 8pm. That left us about an hour of dusk to hike, find a spot, and setup camp. It rained the whole time, but only a light rain. We set up my tent, and then a lightweight tarp over it, this allowed for plenty of space to throw our bags.

Our camp was on the ridge, south of Table Rock. We were exposed except for some evergreens, and a huge rock formation. We didn't bother with a fire, and it wasn't long until all of us were in the tent. We fell alseep to the sound of rain hitting the tarp and Grant telling us a story about the time he farted, but no one in the group he was with was sure who did it-someone even blamed it on a nearby cow. Well, we knew that if the rain cleared the wind would pick up, so we were ready to do some quick fixes in the middle of the night. The first time a stake popped out Joe got up to fix it. The next time, I was awakened by the tarp flapping wildly, so I set up and yelled "We got a flapper boys". When I got out of the tent the wind was howling, but all I could see were stars, so I just took the whole thing down. I knew then that Saturday was going to be awesome.

When Saturday came we didn't even have to lift our heads to see the sunrise; it was right out our mesh front door. I woke up the fellas so they could see it, but all Joe said was "don't ever wake me up again". Grant looked out and was impressed, but he too turned over and went back to sleep. Well, I was awake, and so I rose with the sun. I was looking forward to getting on with the day, because we were meeting Ryan and Alejandro to hit up a multipitch climb further on down the trail.

When Ryan and Ale arrived we were just packing up, and after we organized our gear and grabbed a bite to eat four of the five of us head down to climb "the daddy", a five pitch climb that would take us way too much longer than it should have. Grant didn't climb because he all but broke his ankle when he rolled it running down the AT last weekend. One of the big reasons we were climbing was to show Alejandro what multipitch climbing is all about. Ale is from Costa Rica, and although he does do some climbing down there, there are no big walls. Needless to say he was amazed by Linville Gorge, and all the huge cliffs.

The climb took us about seven hours, and that was after the three hour hike it took to reach the face. It doesn't usually take that long to acend the climb, but we had a big group, it was Alejandro's first time placing protection, and we were just slow. We were having a blast sitting several hundred feet up on two and three foot wide ledges. Our only worry was Grant. We had told him it would only take us three hours, which was simply a gross underestimation. In reality it took us three hours to even get to the climb. We realized we were going to be late, but there was nothing we could do about it but hope Grant wouldn't get worried.

The climb was awesome, not real hard, but technical and long. When we reached the top we assumed Grant had simply headed back to the car, which is where we found him. When we saw him, he was several shades redder than when we left him. Turns out he took a nap on the top of the ridge, and didn't notice the sun because of the wind. He also had ran out of water about four hours ago, and ate all of his food before noon, but other than that and his building stress over where we were at, he was fine. We finished the day at The Italian Restaurant in Linville, and then headed home in silence. Tired but rejuvanated.

-well alright-

I'm a LumberJack and that's O.K.

2006-05-03T21:42:00.000-04:00

If you need a jack of all trades, don't call me. I'm more of a Jack of a couple trades. Today I was a jack of lumber...I mean lumberjack. I've cut a few trees over the years, some at Doe River, some in Costa Rica, and one nasty one behind The Well house. All in all, I enjoy it, and today was even better because Randy and I actually got paid, or we will when we finish.

We were asked to take down 3 large trees, 60 footers, and the remains of another tree that fell form high winds. Actually, 2 black locusts and an evergreen covered in English and Poison ivy. We had a fairly productive day with only a couple interuptions and a couple close calls. We were working in a confined space; we had to dodge the house, a shed, and a lovely rosh bush. All three were well within the reach of the trees. What did we do? Well, we strapped on the climbing spikes and hitched up the tree. After a few precise cuts I dropped the stump and cut it to the ground, and then I topped off the first big tree. I wish I could say I wanted the top half a the tree to land within a foot of the shed, but honestly, that was a little closer than I was comfortable watching. Hey, but a near miss is still a miss, right? That's what I always say, or at least I will from now on.

At the end of the day, we cut a 60 foot locust and a 12 foot stump of a locust all the way to the ground. After we cleaned up and dumped the brush (and got the Landrover stuck in Cow manuer-all four wheels a spinning), we finished the day with some sushi with the ladies. Not a bad day.

Oh, and even better than lumberjacking, Beth and I heard our kid's heartbeat today. Awesome! Who knew a six millemeter bean had a heartbeat. Not a bad day at all!

-well alright-

Skills

2006-04-26T20:53:00.000-04:00

Check out our handy work!

Randy and I made bikes.

Beth made Sushi.

I wish I had some pictures.

2006-04-23T19:40:00.000-04:00

If you think about it, I'm really not asking all that much. I really would be happy on 100 acres of land just inside the foothills of the Appalachians, preferably in East Tennessee or Western North Carolina. 100 acres covered mostly in a wide variety of century old trees, but with just enough open space to put up a real nice timber frame house and a quaint guest house to please the family. Ideally, it would have a good size cliff standing over a healthy river and a view looking onto other wide open spaces. Of course, what good is just a view of the river; it would also have to a decent trail down to the water's edge with enough gradient to get a good thrill on a mountain bike. If it had a spring so natural it would be the reason I lived to see 100 years...even better.
I would know the name of every tree and be able to identify every wild flower no matter the season. If a tree fell, say a white ash or walnut, I'd section it and lumber it because Beth would love a new dining room table . In one of the fields there would be single tree, a white oak, with branches reaching in every direction, the kind of tree Ansel Adams would take the time to photograph. This would be the perfect tree for the tree house. At the edge of the property there would be a huge birch tree with initials carved in it marking the beginning of a now well aged relationship. I would spend a little time every week gathering the mint and other edible plants that grow naturally and then Beth would use them to garnish a dish or make some tea. What didn't grow naturally would grow in the garden.
The land would have stories, some I would know, some I'll never know. It would provide some of my own stories that I would fondly recollect and tell to the grandkids. Each story would begin with "Have I ever told you about the time..." More than likely, I would have already told the story a hundred times, but the kids would listen anyway. Some of the stories would be told by the land itself, by the arrowhead left behind centuries ago, by the birds that fly through in the fall and spring, by the skunk who's been denning up in the old spring house, and by every other one of God's story tellers.

Believe it or not, there really is such a place just five minutes from my house. It belongs to my uncle and he will pass it down to his own two kids, and rightfully so. No, there is no timber frame house, or any other building except for the spring house which really is currently occupied by the skunk. There is no tree house, and no garden, but there are lots of tree and wildflowers. There really is a tree with the initials of a well aged couple who happen to belong to my other uncle and aunt. The cliff really does stand tall over the mighty Watauga, and there is a trail down to the water's edge. People talk about their secret or special spots, well, this might as well be mine, I really love being over there. I think one reason is its the best connection I have to my Grandfather, whom I've never met. It was his land before he sold it to my uncle. Sometimes I go over there with my uncle and he'll tell me all kinds of things while we walk around the property. He's told me about my grandfather, and how the old barn stood just there, and about the time a calf got it's head stuck in a tree and broke it's neck.

I was over there just last Saturday with a friend of mine. We rode our bikes all over. We saw turkeys, a deer, a skunk, and a box turtle. It was a great Saturday.

-well alright-

Two For Tuesday

2006-04-18T22:41:00.000-04:00

1. i've always thought it would be difficult for me to get pregnant because when i was 10 i had ovarian cancer and i was left with only one ovary
2. looks like i was wrong
3. the due date is Christmas 2006

I'm a working man.

2006-04-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

I've been helping out a plumber for the last week, and will be for the next month or so. I know what you're thinking...how's my plumber's crack coming along? Well, as far as I'm concerned that's something that has to be earned, and I've only been on the job three days. Don't worry though I'll post pictures as mine develops. So far it's been a good job; I like it. I work for a good ol boy from elizabethton; he talks real fast and works real hard. We only work on new constructions, so I don't have to mess with anybody's mess.
The best thing about this job is that I'm getting paid to learn a practical skill. When I went in on Tuesday I didn't know a lick about plumbing, and three days later I've gotten to help lay out and install a complete house with PVC and copper. Mostly, my boss measures, I cut, and then he'll fit it. More and more though, I've gotten to do a little more, like sweat joints and glue the pipes. I'm no pro, but I should have a pretty good handle on it after a month right?

Happy Easter if I don't see you

-well alright-

Easter

2006-04-12T14:24:00.001-04:00

Easter is comming up, it is one of my favorite holidays. That is one think that my parents did well, they always did something to try and make me and my siblings feel special. To this day I still get an easter basket, and Santa still brings me gifts. I know alot of people hate the commericalizm of the holiday's and the focus of Chirst is sometimes lost, but i think it is important to celebrate these holiday's with family, and with whatever traditions you wish. Shouldn't we be praising God and thankful for the Cross everyday. Shouldn't the importance of Jesus's birth be lived out in our every day life. So as easter approaches I will look at my life reflect, on what Jesus has done for me, and be thankful. I will praised God for sending his son and I will try to live out the love that Jesus has given to me.
I will also spend the weekend with my family, going to Church together,everyone getting dressed up, taking our traditional easter picture. We will sit down and have a home cooked meal and then have an easter egg hunt, (my dad puts money in the plastic eggs, so it can get a bit dangerous if you are not careful) . I am so thankful that I have such good memories of family time together, and am so thankful that my parents have done such a good example for me to follow in how to really show Christ's love no matter what.
I hope that when john and i have a family we will be able to do the little things to make our kids feel special and loved.
well that's all
Happy Easter!

BUFFALO WINGS ....mmmmmmm....

2006-04-10T18:10:00.000-04:00

Beth has a wide variety of emotion, John has one.
He likes the scenic route, she likes shortcuts.
She's not scared to throw things in the pot, he needs a recipe.
He likes to read, she likes to talk.
She likes sushi, he likes chopsticks.
He wants to understand the process, she only needs to see the results.
She's a doer, He's a thinking about doing.
He likes Pepsi, Her drink is Coca-Cola Classic.
She likes chocolate, He likes vanilla.
He loves animals, she loves people.
She remembers details, He remembers vaguely.
He can't stand clutter, she doesn't notice it.
She likes the party, he likes the presents.
He's a train, she's a rollercoaster.
and on and on and on.

All this to bring up the point that Beth and I compliment each other more than we mirror each other, and that's just fine with both of us. A lot of times we approach situations differently, but we often get the same outcome.
This weekend we went to see Aaron and Amy. We arrived at their temporary apartment, said the customary "so good to see you's", and after seeing their new house (which is really nice), we set off to find a place to dine. This can be a long ordeal, especially in a city with countless restaurants to choose from. However, I was deadset on having wings, which left us with only one decision to be made; which Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3s) should we go to? The closest one of course.
The awesome thing about BW3s is their tasty variety of sauces. No good wing joint is without mild, medium, or hot, and BW3s is a very good joint. Not only do they offer the usual spicy flavors; their spectrum includes terriyaki, mango habernero, garlic, and blazin.

When it comes to bad service, Beth and I aren't quite on the same page. She demands the service she deserves, and I tend to be a little more forgiving. If I'm served food with a shard of razor sharp glass in it, chances are I'll just eat around it. If Beth's salmon tastes fishy, you can bet it's going back to the kitchen. The funny thing about both of these scenarios is that they both really happened. That's the good thing about wings, how can anything go wrong at a wing place?

Turns out that this particular BW3s wasn't used to having a full house, and that's just what they had when a highschool choral group showed up just when we were walking through the doors. It was no matter though, surely they would serve us at the bar before a bunch of highschoolers. Nope, no such luck. We didn't just sit and sip on our drinks for an hour; we didn't even get to play the quiz game because our server never brought our gamepad, much less our measly order of 18 wings and a couple salads.

Fortunately, we were in good company, so it was shaping up to be another memorable and funny event we'll tell each other later on. On the other hand, all four of us were hungry, and one of us was pregnant, so she was doubly hungry. We found ourselves at a crossroads; do we wait it out, or do we pay what we owe and walk out? Surely, the wings were just on the other side of the kitchen door. Surely, we'd be the first to be served, even though every other group at the bar was waiting as well. Like I said, there were four of us, Amy, Aaron, Beth and myself, and we each had our own opinion of the situation.
Amy: Very Hungry, willing to wait a couple more minutes
Aaron: Hungry, ready to go, ready to stay, but fedup with the poor service
Beth: Hungry, ready to fix the situation and fixing to walk out
Myself: Hungry, focused on eating some wings willing to wait and write a letter later

Did you catch that? Do you see the difference between me and Beth? She's not afraid of confronting the problem, and getting what she deserves right then and there. Me, I'm patient and can stand some inconvenience and then I'll go to the top and wait for my retribution. I actually kind of enjoy a situation like this. I like to be able to gather my thoughts and write a pointed letter that will demand results. So, what did we do?

We left, but only after Beth rightly pointed out to our server that the whole deal was ridiculous. How hard is it to fix some wings, especially if wings are the specialty. I will be writing a letter shortly; I'll let you know how it turns out.

-well alright-

Down to the A T L

2006-04-07T11:06:00.000-04:00

While we were in Hawaii, Beth and I discovered that every weekend deserves an adventure or trip or something, and so this week end we're headed down to the A T L. We're going to check out Aaron and Amy's new setup in Georgia. This means that I'll have to put another hold on riding your MX bike Tim, and so much for wiffle ball home run derby with the fellas. It's cool though, we're looking forward to spending time with A & A and checking out just how big her belly has gotten.
Fear not, we will return in a couple.
-well alright-

We like it better, how about you? (New Picture)

2006-04-05T16:39:00.000-04:00

Two's Day

2006-04-04T22:51:00.000-04:00

1. Orange is a great color, especially when it's kind of muted or burnt.
2. However, we're not sure if our kitchen looks good painted orange or not. We think it looks like a basketball.

The Midnight Forklift Heist

2006-03-30T11:17:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you set out on a trip with a destination in mind, and you expect the destination to provide the adventure you're looking for. Sometimes you set out on a trip with a destination in mind, and the trip itself becomes the adventure. Of the many sports I've tried my hand at over the years, the one that remains constant, and the one that my passion for has never waned, is snowboarding. Snowboarding has been the destination for so many trips in my life; I couldn't tell you the number.
I start to tremble with excitement when I think of boarding outofbounds in Idaho, or through the old growth forests of Montana, and I still can't believe the view from the top of the continental divide of Banff Canada. I could go on, but I would be negligent to heart of this story, because snowboarding, though it was the destination, did not provide the adventure on this trip.

I have been blessed enough to experience the mountains of the west, but most of my time on the snow has been right here in the Appalachians. Sugar and Beech have been my playground ever since Tim left me at the top of the mountain and called it a lesson. At Montreat, the fellas and I tried to get away from campus as often as we could to head up to the ski slopes, and here begins the story of my time with an unsecured forklift.

There were four of us in the Astrovan that night heading back to school from another glorious night on the slopes. Due to the curvy roads the trip usually took about an hour and fortyfive minutes. We were driving on some dark mountain road, and it seemed like we were in the only automobile on that stretch of pavement. Finally, another pair of headlights broke out of the darkness and toward us. I was in the passenger seat, my friend Jeff was driving, and Tarbell and Drew were in the back. We couldn't really see much in any direction as there were no street lights and we were walled in by a thick forest on both sides of us. Suddenly, the oncoming headlights briefly outlined something in our lane. It was such a brief glimpse that I was the only one that saw it, and I wasn't even sure if I saw it. I remember saying something along the lines of "Jeff! Look out!", but if the others were to tell you this story they would say I only managed an odd squeak. Either way, my warning was too late and the Astrovan smashed through the object.

Jeff was, of course, startled, as we all were, and he was definitely worried if the object caused any damage to his van. When we came to a stop we all hopped out to discover a flat tire and a piece of a truck bed liner lodged in the wheel well. Apparently, some good ole boy didn't take the time to secure the liner to his truck, and when it flew out, it landed directly in our path. While I ran back to get the remains of the liner out of the road, the others took to putting on the spare. It turned out that the spare was flat too, so we had no option but to find somewhere to park for the night and call for help.

For a college dorm it was surprising how few guys would answer their phone, although it was closing in on midnight by this time. Finally, we got ahold of Silas, who not only answered his phone, but also agreed to drive an hour down the road to come get us. Now, all we had to do was wait. We couldn't have chosen a better place. We had pulled into a parking lot of an auto parts store in some small town, and we happened to have a frisbee. So, we tossed the disc for a while, and it wasn't long until Drew over through me. The frisbee landed underneath a forklift, and low and behold, this forklift had a key.

I'm not one to get overly excited, but this was an amazing opportunity and I couldn't help but do a little jig. I grabbed the key and ran over to Tarbell, and said "LOOK!" We both ran back and promptly tried to get it started.... nothing happened, it wouldn't start. Luckily, we had happened on what looked like a forklift salvage store, and there were other forklifts. We spread out and looked over the other machines. Only two others had keys, and one of those was boxed in by various engine parts and other heavy stuff. All four of us gathered around our last hope, each of us eyeing the others to figure out who would have the privledge of starting the beast. I was the oldest, and so I climbed on and turned the key. With all the excitement I ended up flooding it, and lost my chance at driving the forklift. A few minutes passes and Drew climbed on, took his bearings and then cranked it alive.

As you can imagine, the next few minutes were amazing. Drew flew around the parking lot picking up random things, and doing doughnuts. If you're wondering, an Astrovan can be easily lifted off the ground by an appropriately sized forklift. We each took our turn terrorizing the adjoing parking lots and riding up and down on the hydraulic lifts of the machine. When we had our fill with the forklift we parked it in the same spot we found it, only facing the opposite direction. We thought this maneuver would be hilarious when the owner realized that wasn't how he left it.

Oddly enough, about five minutes after we had returned the machine a cop pulled into the auto store parking lot, and called us over. Did he come to investigate the noise, or worse, arrest a bunch of vandalizing college kids? We didn't know, so we tried to feel it out. It turned out he just wanted to know what we were doing there in the middle of the night. He didn't seem to have any idea of our prior antics on the forklife. So, we told him about the van, and he left.

Twenty minutes later, Silas showed up right before the tow truck arrived. It wasn't until we pulled away we noticed the tire store right on the other side of the auto store, but the tow truck had already hitched up the van and left. Ah well.

-well alright-

The Knoxville Half Marathon

2006-03-26T05:20:00.000-05:00

We knew the weather would be a little bit different from Hawaii, but wet sleet and snow wasn't what we were thinking. On top of that, I'm running a half marathon today in Knoxville. The last race I ran was in 80+ degree weather. We'll see how it goes.
-well alright-

Two's Day

2006-03-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

1. We have returned to the mainland, we'll be in JC Wednesday.
2. Don't worry about a welcome home party, we're not worth it.

Fly away home!

2006-03-20T03:35:00.000-05:00

We'll be on a plane to the mainland shortly. We've been trying to enjoy this last week as much as possible. Here's a clip of a hike we went on a couple days ago. I couldn't get it hosted, but you can download it.

Watch this!

Our Best Pictures You Haven't Seen

2006-03-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

Our final days are here, we only have four more until we board the plane for home. It's time for a little reflection. Here are a few of my favorite photos of Hawaii.
Good Morning Beth.

Our favorite spot on Maui, the Olivine Pools.

At the Ironman.

Sunrise at 10,000 ft.

Outrigger Canoe outside of Mama's fishhouse.

Freight Train going off.

I don't have a blind monkey, but here's a picture of a blind Owl.

After the finish Line.

Soooooommmeee Pig!

The Carrs and the Grants .....Oh Yeesss!

A hammock on the beach-not a bad setup.

Kayaking off of Molokai.

The Teilhet's.

Kauai waterfall.

Mollie, Beth and a Blowhole.

Team Teilhet's Two's Day

2006-03-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

Team Teilhet's Two
1. We are looking at getting a puppy for the Teilhet family, I really want a baby, but a puppy will do for now. Check out this pup.Wire Haired Dachshund. BT

2. We figure that a small dog will be easier to handle, since we don't know what we'll be doing next, or where we'll be going. As soon as we settle down and have a house with a yard I plan on getting a dog I can rough house with. JT

Closer than I thought

2006-03-10T05:06:00.000-05:00

Perhaps, the greatest innovation in the automobile industry to date is the low fuel warning light. The sudden illumination of that little light is such a perfect way to bring attention to the situation. Our car here on Maui is without any such light. Tonight, I ran out of gas. My first thought when my Chevy Celebrity lost all of it's momentum and I noticed that the gauge was far too far to the left; "It's due time for a little adventure." So, then and there, at 10:30 p.m. I set off to find a little fuel so I could continue my drive home.

When one runs out of gas there are choices to be made. Should I go back the way I came, or the way I was headed? Should I call for help, or rely on myself? Should I leave the hazard lights on, or not? Should I hitchhike, or walk?

The main point, of course, is to find the nearest gas station. The location of the nearest station will more than likely be the deciding factor to most of the choices to be made. My problem was, I couldn't, for the life of me, remember exactly where the nearest station was. I knew that I passed one, but I had no recollection of how far back it was. I also knew that I was just outside of Kihei Town, so if I headed back into town I would come across a station. Kihei has two main roads; an upper highway, and a lower coastal road. They run parallel about half a mile apart. My car was on the side of the upper highway.

Beth was working, so I didn't call her. Anyway, I'd gotten myself into this, and I would get myself out. Since, I couldn't remember how far back on the upper highway the gas station was, I opted to head the way I was going and cut back down to the lower coastal road. I also didn't leave the hazards on, just because there weren't that many cars passing anyway. As for hitchhiking or going on foot, I decided to run. I already had my running shoes on.

25 minutes later, and about 3 miles as well, I came to a gas station. I bought a gallon can and filled it up. Now to get back to the Celebrity. Outside the station there were no less than 3 police officers diligently protecting their late night snacks. Quite an opportunity for Maui's finest to help out an upstanding citizen. No such luck. When I asked if they could give me a ride back to my car they replied; "umm. You're spilling gas on yourself." It's true; I was. I had forgotten to close the air valve.
Then he clarified that they were not allowed to carry passengers for such a frivolous cause.

Luckily, I met a guy named Brock just outside the station as well. Coincidentally, he had a truck, and so I got in. Believe it or not, I had roughly made a half circle since I left the car. Brock helped me complete the circle, and in so doing, he revealed exactly how far behind me that gas station was I had previously passed. .3 miles. That's right POINT 3 MILES from the Celebrity. Do you know how far .3 miles is? Well, it's far enough to keep the gas station just barely out of site.

It doesn't matter really, I still got gas. I had a good run, and a better story to tell.

-well alright-

Two's Day

2006-03-07T20:09:00.000-05:00

1. The other day James Hatfield of Metallica ate at the restaurant I valet at. It was awesome. I couldn't believe it, he was right there in front of me. I would have asked for his autograph, but I couldn't speak. Then a couple days later Irving "Magic" Johnson dined at our fine establishment. I wasn't working, but I could feel the electricity of such an amazing athlete drifting through the air even a day later. It doesn't stop there, Theresa Hines Kerry was there also. I was in the midst of one of the wealthiest women in the world-INCREDIBLE.

2. I think it's rediculous when people go nuts over seeing or meeting celebritities. What a waste of time and energy!

The Elusive Isle

2006-03-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

Maui's good for nice beaches, lots of resorts, and plenty to do. If you want to see some big surf, Pearl harbor, and a lot of people check out Oahu. If you're looking for rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails you need to go to Kauai. Want to see Lava? The Big Island is the way to go. If you need to get a fix on your hotbread hankering, Molokai's your island. Other than a hundred or so minor islands, this leaves Lanai. What's Lanai good for? We weren't sure when we hopped on the ferry to head over there last Sunday; we were looking forward to finding out.

What we found was quiet relaxation in a still very Hawaiian setting. Lanai is home to only 2800 people, and most of them live in Lanai City right in the center of the island. With a soliatry paved road splitting the island in half, most everywhere we went was dirt and rocky, a good place for a Jeep.Other than some world class golf courses, and a couple really nice Four Seasons resorts, there isn't much here. It's one of the most quiet serene places I've ever been.

What's there to do on such a tranquil island? It takes a little bit of creativity to occupy time over here, especially if golf is far from appealing. Once we set up camp Beth and I started out down a sometimes dusty, sometimes muddy road to a beach on the windward side of the island. We were the only ones in sight on a beach miles long. It was overcast and windy, swimming was out of the question. So, obviously we had to take this opportunity to play some beach word scramble. It's an easy game. Beth picked a spot, and I did the same. We chose a five letter word and wrote it scrambled in the sand. The first to figure out the other person's word wins. I won with the word BACON.

The rest of the weekend we found all kinds of things to do to fill our time. We headed down to shipwreck beach to see why it had such a name. We took some time to throw ourselves over a sanddune and throw some disc. Mostly we just took in the solitude and enjoyed a couple days away from our tough life on Maui.

Camping was fun, and believe it or not, I've failed to take Beth out camping very often, so it was a long time coming. There's nothing like tuna mac & cheese on a camp stove. When night came early, we headed up to the Four Seasons and took advantage of the bar games. Darts and shuffleboard were the names of the games, and as hard as I tryed I couldn't win over Beth's lucky, I mean skillful, hand at darts. We also checked out a couple rooms at the five star resort; not a bad setup for sure. We were more than content with our fabric castle.

Two days passed, and after we took care of a lost gas cap (not the first one I've lost since we've lived here) we headed back to the ferry and headed home.

-well alright-

5 things about beth

2006-03-01T03:16:00.000-05:00

so john tagged me a while ago so here are five things
1. i sleep on my side with one of my legs propped up in the air by another leg(the funny thing is that i have done this for a while without realizing it and then i found out that my dad sleeps in the exact same position)
2. i once was driving and a double wide stainless steal kitchen sink flew out of the back of the truck in front of me and hit my car.
3. once in high school, i was hit in the head by a football, that was making a field goal, the football hit me at the same time crazy football fanatics tackeld me trying to catch the winning ball.
4. i have recurrent dreams of all of my teeth falling out.
5. i have a concern about this new "live green, go yellow" campaign. ya know this thing about new cars running on fuel that is all natural and stuff and it is made out of corn. now don't get me wrong i am all about trying to be greener and not depend on oil. but you see, corn is my favorite food. i mean really i could eat corn on the cob for breakfast, lunch and dinner, i mean i have had dreams about corn. so i only fear that the whole new way of making fuel from corn will drastically raise the price of this precious food and then i won't be able to afford to eat it when i want.

Duo Tuesday

2006-02-28T19:12:00.000-05:00

1. We've just returned from the island of Lanai, after a two day camping trip. We had a good time.
2. We don't want to go to work.

I need a title

2006-02-22T16:34:00.000-05:00

How I came to be who I am today, I am not entirely sure. I don't care to analyze it, at least not right now. I'm sitting in my kitchen/dining/living room right now wishing I had a book to read. I've finished all the ones I have on hand. Gifts given to me these days are usually books, in fact, I received several this last Christmas. Unfortunately, I didn't bring them all back to Hawaii. When I get back to Tennessee I'll get to read about an illusive species of woodpecker which was thought to be extinct, I'm looking forward to it.

What's strange is this; I haven't always enjoyed reading. I can remember reading three books for pleasure k-12, and then in college I would read my text books cover to cover because I liked it. Somewhere along the lines after highschool, I traded in video games and occasionally T.V. for a book. This may surprise you, as I probably don't strike you as a reader. It surprises me too. This isn't the only anomaly of my life though, believe it or not I've developed a respectable work ethic. Just ask Chris Reynolds. Before I left for Montreat I worked for Chris for about two weeks. I dug trenches, laid some piping, poured concrete, and did most of the other hands on jobs while Chris sat looking pretty in his backhoe. I'm pretty sure Chris may have been a little hesitant about hiring me, but in the end he was impressed. I remember him saying I was the best worker he'd had. Not to shabby for not having a real job until I was 20 or so.

Anyway, here's my point; I need some titles to read. I looked over everyone's profiles to check out the favorite books list (Penny's was most helpful). I know I'll probably read Life of Pi sometime, so thanks Lisa. If you've got a suggestion, bring it.

Feb Twenty-One Two

2006-02-21T14:05:00.000-05:00

1. Yesterday we moved into our 4th apartment/condo in six months. This one is by far the smallest. Actually, it's two bedrooms and a bathroom of a larger house that has been retro fitted with a kitchen/living/dining room in one of the bedrooms. We're talking about 300' square. As best as we can tell the former hallway to the rest of the house is simply plugged by a big piece of styrofoam.

2. We're leaving Maui somewhere around March 20th, but we don't know what we're doing next. This fact is responsible for more than a little stress. We ready to leave, but we are frustrated about our lack of future plans.

How could it get any better?

2006-02-17T13:25:00.000-05:00

Picking up where I dropped off last post, when we finally got in the water each of us took a turn on the shortboard and shorebreak combo, at which point each of us got slammed and tossed around. Aaron was the first to draw blood as the tip of the surf board gouged his ankle. The waves were not all that good, which was proven by the fact that we were the only ones in the water apart from some kiteboarders.

The rest of my time on Oahu was just some QT with some old friends. It was really good to see Ethan and Arwynn. Currently, they both work as backcountry guides for a wilderness therapy program back in Utah. I'm thinking about joining them since the Patagonia Atlanta job fell through. Oh, while I was over there guess who called me. The HR director for Patagonia. She told me that everyone that has had the chance to talk to me thinks I would be a great fit for the company, but I just don't have the management experience to fill the Asst. Mnger role. However, she did pass on my information to the Salt Lake store and told me it might be a good idea to take a lesser job to get my foot in the door. We'll see how it works out.

Well, on with the story. Once the Jensens dropped me off at the airport I gave Beth a call to pick me up. She stayed behind because she had to work. The timing was tight because as soon as I got back on Maui we would have to hi-tail to Kihei because I had to be a work by 5.

Remember this is Valentine's Day, so I was expecting an abbreviated celebration in the car on the way to work, which we did. My gift to Bethany was a real nice zip up sweatshirt; she had been wanting one for awhile now. Her gift to me was a little better, after all, this was her year to plan the V-Day. She presented me with a Jamba Juice smoothie, a bag full of Valentine fruit rollups, nerds, and a banana. The banana was for work because I would be riding my bike back home; Beth had to go to work at 7pm. She also gave me the Curious George Soundtrack, which is real mellow, and I like that alot. Like I said last post, the weekend was very satisfying, and now I get all these things from my loving wife, it was awesome.

It got better.

At work it was a regular night, only there were more couples than usual, and quite a few more cars to be parked. Tips were decent; I think I walked with almost $60 for only 4 hours-not bad. I was looking forward to getting home, and catching up on some sleep, but I still had a 12 mile bike ride between me and my bed. It's not all that bad though, I usually enjoy it.

So I get home, and walk inside. (This is when it gets better) Low and behold, I hadn't yet received all that was coming to me for Valentines. On the table was a card, and giftbag ful of candy: skittles, redhots, conversation hearts (these taste awesome, but they'd be better if you could actually have a conversation with them) and more fruit roll-ups. Man, how did I get so blessed?

It goes on. the card instructed me to check out the fridge, so I did. I found an already made meal and Henry Weinhart rootbeer-by far the best rootbeer in the world. And here's is the kicker, for dessert she made me chocolate covered strawberries. Unbelievable. I would have posted a picture of the strawberries, but I ate them all. Lastly, when I go to get in bed, after partaking of all the goods, of course, I found a single rose on the pillow of an already turned down bed. Although I slept alone that night, I knew I was loved.

Isn't this amazing, I mean isn't Beth amazing. Valentine's day was awesome to say the least, but the celebration continues. Today we're going out on a whale sighting trip, so hopefully we'll have some close up pictures to post.

I told you it would end much better than I thought.

-well alright-

The Jensen Boys

2006-02-15T14:50:00.000-05:00

Yeasterday afternoon I returned from a weekend trip to Oahu. I got back on Maui about 4:10, was picked up by my wife, who drove me straight to work, for this was Valentine's Day and there were many lovers who needed me to park their car. I thought this was the culmination of a very satisfying weekend, little did I know that it would end much better than this.

The purpose of the trip was to make some good times with the Jensen Boys, three of them happened to be in one place at one time- it's been awhile. Seth has been living on Oahu for a couple months now, but I haven't had a chance to see him. Aaron and Amy live on the Big Island; we've already had a lot of good times since we've been on the islands, but that's no reason to forego this opp. (By the way, Aaron and Amy are expecting a baby boy this summer-Jake is his name) Then there is Ethan, who is now married to a very sweet girl by the name of Arwynn. Ethan and Arwynn reside in SLC, Utah. The last time I saw him we went skydiving over the salt flats, and for bragging rights I should tell you that I jumped out of the plane first. (This will matter only to Ethan, as he jumped out last)

I flew over on Sunday and met up with Seth and Aaron, along with a car full of other guys. Ethan and Arwynn didn't land until Monday afternoon, but that didn't matter at the moment because we already had an agenda. From the airport we were in route to the NFL ProBowl to watch a bunch of allstars play a little game of football, AFC v. NFC. Who was playing? I don't know, but I did see Jason Witten of the Cowboys, and formerly of the Elizabethton Cyclones. Who won? NFC by a fieldgoal. Football wasn't really the point, just the event. The seven of us were more than content with our beverage, cheap seats, and comrodary.
I, myself, could not have cared less who was winning or losing, so I cheered for everything good and booed for everything bad.

A football stadium is filled, it seems, with almost the same crowd as a Nascar race, minus a mullet or two, plus a few guys painted from head to toe in their respective team colors. There were quite a few characters in the stands, or milling about elsewhere in the stadium. One of the guys with us was lucky enough to be in the men's bathroom at a very unique moment with one such character. The bathrooms were designed for maxium occupancy, so instead of individual urinals, there was only one, very long trough. It was shoulder to shoulder and constant flushing. Apparently, the ladies restroom was not as effecient, as their line was beginning to wrap around the stadium. One lady took a different route. According to our friends witness, she made her way in to the mens bathroom, dropped her drawers and backed up to the trough. It was hard to believe, but due to the amazing technology of cellphones, he and every other guy in the bathroom had a picture to share with us. Unbelievable.

On a less exciting note, I now have to shamefully admit that if I am ever asked if I saw the Backstreet Boys in concert, I have to say yes. I don't know who plans these halftime shows, but the Backstreet Boys?!? On the brighter side of the halftime show, we did get to watch a couple hundred little girls, and one lone boy, run around with flags in hand. The choreography was amazing. I'm joking, it's really no wonder why the concession lines are so long at halftime. It's not because there is no game on, that's for sure.

The rest of the game went on without too much worth writing about, but it was a great time, and my brother the football fan will probably be jealous-satisfaction.

Monday came, and Aaron Amy and I drove to the north shore to check out the waves while we waited for Ethan and Arwynn's arrival. There were no swells, so it was pretty laid back and relaxing. Finally we get to the airport and the last of the expected Jensen clan is waiting on the sidewalk. I don't know how long it's been since you've seen Ethan, or even if you know him at all, but somewhere in between high school and his college graduation he got huge. He's the biggest of the brothers at 6'3 or so and a couple hundred pounds. Notice the dreds as well, if you didn't know him, you'd probably be intimidated. He now has Arwynn by his side, which definitely softens his look. They are a cool, very laid back couple. It's funny to see the differences between him and Aaron who is a more clean cut career minded guy.
All Ethan wanted to do, this being his first time to Hawaii, was surf, which is a respectable goal. Unfortunately, He and Arwynn apparently brought their Salt Lake City weather with them. It was definitely the coldest I've been in Hawaii. For the sake of the moment, we went to the beach anyway so he and Arwynn could jump in the ocean. Funny thing about though, it was Arwynn who was the first in the water despite the rain and wind. Check out the picture of Ethan cowering behind the surfboard while his wife and brother were neck deep in the ocean. Of course, I too was on the beach, because I took the picture. He and I finally made it in, and it wasn't as bad as we thought.

This post is gettin long and so in good T.V. fashion I'll have to leave you here and fill you in on the rest another day.......

-well alright-

I tag you because she tagged me.

2006-02-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

Here ya are; 5 weird things about me.

1. Whenever I take a test or read a magazine I usually start from the end, I don't know why.
2. I shower three times a week tops. Normally, I don't stink so I don't see a reason for a shower.
3. I don't enjoy eating, I only do it because it's necessary.
4. Sometimes I watch Oprah, and I like it.
5. I can't touch my toes without bending my knees.

I tag my wife, Messera, and Penny.

II IV Dies Martis: Our Current Status Edition

2006-02-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

Well, Beth and I are in flux right now about what we're going to do next. We are hoping to base our next move on me getting a "real" job. We have/had a couple options, but still aren't sure what's down the road for us.

1. Assistant Manager at a Patagonia Retail Store in Atlanta: I was just informed that the position has been filled, however, everyone I've talked to seems to have a good impression of me and thinks I would be a good fit at Patagonia. Maybe another spot will work out.

2. Doe River is also looking into the future and is planning a new program in my field of O.E. I would be well qualified for this, but we're still thinking and praying about it.

3. Also, I have a good contact who owns a Outdoor Rep agency in Charlottesville, VA. He is planning on creating a customer service position. This would be a good opp to learn about the rep side of the industry.

Every option has pros and cons, so it's a lot to work out. That's where we're at right now.

-well alright-

Hawaiian Bread Line

2006-02-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

John and I went on a retreat with our church young adults group this weekend. We went over to the island of molokai, a small island off of Maui, where about 7,000 residents live. It's the island with the leper colony, which is pictured below.

Well anyway, it was beautiful. We had heard about this famous molokai bread, but to get the fresh "hot sweet bread" you have to go between 10pm and 2am. A bunch of us decided to go check it out. We get there by way of riding in the back of some old pick up truck (i didn't realize that people still used the back of trucks to transport people, but here in hawaii they do) and drive up to the main town road and walk down this alley way. Once there we see a bunch of people standing in the bread line. It's a totally creepy alley with graffitti and run down buildings.

To place your order you have to wait in this bread line and every few minutes a small hawaiian lady will open the door and ask what kind of bread you want, then she shuts the door. In a few minutes she'll come back and get your money and go back inside. Then after a few more minutes the lady comes back with part of your order. Finally, it takes another few minutes for her to complete the order.

By now, it is like 1am and we are patiently waiting in line. We had a pretty big order of bread to take back to the people who did not come. So, we wait and wait and we finally get to the door and place our order. They are running low on bread and we have to cut our order short.

We finally get our bread when the local hawaiian boyz show up in there hawaiian tattoos and big trucks, and let me tell you, these guys are big boys. When they go to get their bread there is none left, and they are not too happy. They start cussing us and reving up their big trucks; they spin their tires leaving us in the tire smoke and drive off.

Okay, by this point I am scared. I quickly started walking with the guys in our group that were not "houlie's" ( what the locals call white people). I figure if I am walking back to the truck with them then I will be less of a target for the hungry hawaiian boys. I just knew we were going to be bread jacked. Well, we make it back to the pickup truck and head back to the retreat. As we turn into the parking lot we pass the hawaiian boyz who are just outside the property. They are yelling and cussing at us in their pigion language. We finally make it to bed and fall asleep to the sounds of revving engines and squelching tires.

A Funny Thing Happened Today.

2006-01-31T19:24:00.000-05:00

This is Maalaea Bay on the island of Maui, a place we like to call home. We live in one of the condos on the near side of bay, believe it or not, it is nothing less than a picturesque place to live. We can walk outside and we're on the beach watching whales and playing in the surf.

It is also one of my favorite places to run. The sand is firm enough to get good traction, and soft enough not wear out the joints on a long run. I usually start out right from my condo and run east toward Kihei. The beach first passes a wildlife reserve and then along Highway 31 with just a narrow strip of trees and bushes separating the pavement from sand. After about 2 miles, the edge of Kihei town begins with a couple condos.

Beth and I had planned to get up early and start the day with a run along the bay, but we stayed up a little longer than we would have liked and so we slept a little longer too. Instead of a nice light breakfast to gear up for a good run, I opted for fried eggs and bacon while Beth continued to sleep. I was thinking that it would be a while, if ever, before we went out for the run.

Well, come 12:30 I was ready for a run, so I strapped on the shoes and went out for an out and back run totaling 4 miles or so. Now, it's not unusual to jostle the insides and push out a little flatulence in the middle of a run, I think of it as a booster.

Today, was a little different.

About a mile or so out I felt a little tush push, nothing unusual, just a little gas, but the thing about it was it only got stronger. I was alright though, as long as I kept moving I could maintain. At 2 miles out, and my turn around point, the situation was becoming a bit more serious. If you need me to be more descriptive, just think about prairie dogs. I looked around for a potential bathroom; all I could find was one tree with no privacy from the highway, the ocean, or a condo about 100 yards away. The tree was out of the question, and I didn't want to go to the ocean because I would have to run back with wet shorts, so I opted for the short walk to the condo. Turns out that 100 yards is a long way with clinched cheeks.

So, I make it to the condo with little time to spare; I check the office and it's locked. By this time, it's do or die time, I have to find a bathroom. I take a look around the corner and see nothing promising, no restroom signs, no nothing. And then I could wait no longer.

There I was, in the middle of condo complex, 2 miles from my house, wearing only shoes, shorts, and a watch, when the dam broke. I pooped my pants, and let me tell you this; boxers and soccer shorts have no retention quality. To my knowledge no one was around to see me waddle out of the complex, leaving a poop plop trail with every step. I escaped the building and hi-tailed it to the ocean. I did take the time to take off my shoes and socks, because jumping in the ocean with them on would just look silly. This was no small change excrement either, we're talking quantity.

You may wonder if it's embarrassing for a 24 year old married man to poop his pants. Well, I thought it would have been, but all I could think about was telling Beth, who gave me a high five when I did, and posting the story so you guys could get a laugh. At any rate, I sat in the ocean long enough to convince anyone nearby I was just hanging out in the small surf. I then turned to see if anyone picked up on the trail I left back on the walkways of the condo. I saw an old man armed with a hose retracing my steps. I don't know why, but I thought it was necessary to claim the dirty deed, and so I went and admitted to the man that I couldn't find the bathroom. His reply; "Oh, really. I thought it was a dog or a baby. Well, it's o.k. I got it all cleaned up." Awkward.

Then I strapped my shoes back on and finished my run, smiling and nodding at everyone I passed because they had no idea.

So, without further adieu here is my 2 for Tuesday:
1. Always use the bathroom before a long run.
2. One of my goals in life is to become an old man with a lot of really good stories.

-well alright-

R.L.O.

2006-01-29T20:03:00.001-05:00

He's on my mind a lot.
He's been on my mind today.

Johnny T's Twobit Tuesday

2006-01-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

1. The North Star is not the brightest star in the sky as is commonly thought. This title belongs to Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is found at the lower left corner of Orion in the constellation Canis Major-Orion's Dog.

and another tidbit...

2. Ever wonder why it is sometimes windy at the top of a mountain, or in between two very tall buildings, or why a river seems to speed up when constricted? This is known as the Venturi Effect. When a fluid or gas is pushed into a constriction it is forced to increase velocity in order for the flow rate to remain constant. In the case of the mountain top the air or wind is constricted between the landmass itself and a layer of the atmosphere.

Boys will be Boys

2006-01-23T00:39:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when my dad who was always out numbered by girls in the family gets the boys he's always wanted.

Teilhet vs. United-The Three Hour Fight

2006-01-19T16:40:00.000-05:00

We ended up extending our Christmas trip back home by about a week, but we had a heck of a time trying to rearrange our flight back. Trouble was we knew that Beth's Papa was going to pass, but due to United's small print we actually had to wait for him to pass before we could ask for bereavement rates on the return flight.

So the day came, and then the crazy neighbor came, and the next day Beth gave a call to United to arrange for our flight back. Now, two days prior, Beth managed to get ahold of "John" at United's bereavement department who gave his word that all we needed to do was to call back when Papa passed and inform the customer service agent of the ordeal, and then we would promptly be given the reduced rate of $100 dollars a piece to complete our trip. Turns out also, that this John guy is the only United employee who speaks english as a first language.

Low and behold, Beth had no such luck and was given the run around and even told that there is no bereavement department. Beth can be a patient person, but at this point she was maxed out due to the family situation and her having little tolerance for poor customer service. By the time she was transferred to yet another hard to understand foreigner she was done, and with tears of frustration she passes the tele to me.

Usually, Beth handles most of the telephone situations simply because I hate talking on the telephone. So, if you call me keep it short. However, I am blessed with an incredibly calm even temper and enough patience to outlast even the most stubborn customer service reps. I put on my game face, and am ready to avenge my wife's poor treatment. When I get the phone Beth had already been fighting the fight for about an hour.

I start off with a light jab by explaining the situation. "George" the customer service rep, not even close to his real name, strikes back with "what is your reservation number?"(think 7-11 on the accent) So, I clearly recite all necessary info, which by the way, he has heard at least three times from Beth already. "O.k. thankyou."

......on hold....music is a familiar song, but I can't put my finger on it because it's been remixed into elevator music.........

"Yes, hello sir" as he returns. "The total will be $1,100.00". I'm not faded, I saw this hook coming fom a mile away. I send him a left. "That's not going work George. I was promised a bereavement rate of $100 per person." And then a right, "Find me the bereavement rate, please."

......on hold...this time it's a duran duran remix..................

"Yes, hello sir". He's back. "The bereavement rate is $800.00." Low blow, but I dodge it. "George, I need to speak to your manager." Shot to the Kidney. It turns out that this guy is as persistent as I am. He refuses to transfer me and again puts me on hold to check for another rate.

.....on hold....

He returns with this explanation, "The bereavement rate is only applicable to round trip flights, and so I cannot give you the $100.00 rate." "George, I need to speak to your manager or whoever is above you, thank you." Right hook, and he gives in.

This time it's a lady, who confirms she is the reservation manager. I ask for her name and full title: "Ellen Smith" (funny, you don't sound like an Ellen Smith), Reservations Manager. The ordeal begins again, same story, same info, same result.

Einstein's definition of insanity seems to fit here:
"doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

I realize I need a new tactic; the gloves come off. " Listen Ellen, what your telling me is this: United is willing to leave me and my wife, customers in good standing, stranded from home because we had to cancel our return flight to attend a funeral." Right cross. Solid Contact. "I was told, by a United employee, that we would receive a bereavement rate of $100.00 per person." Left hook, she's dazed. "If you fail to follow through with this I will be contacting the Better Business Bureau directly." Upper Cut....1...2...3....4....

...on hold......Rocky's eye of the tiger...

All the sudden, she returns. "O.k. sir, I have a reservation for Friday." .....5....6...7... "What's the cost, Ellen?'....8...9
"$200.00, Sir. How will you be paying?".....10....T.K.O.

And that's how I defeated the United Customer Service Department. And I did it oh so calmly.

-well alright-

No need for a title

2006-01-17T14:20:00.000-05:00

Beth's
1. This year at age 27, I learned that Germany is not Germany to Germans it's called Deutchland (I promise it's true)
2. I'm part German. (Does that make me a Deutchlander or Deutchonian?)

John's
1. Teilhet is actually a very small town in the south of France, near the Pyrenees.
2. It feels good to have a town named in my honor.

Me? A mistake? IMPOSSIBLE!

2006-01-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

I'm a Valet. It's not a hard job, but I'm very good. I don't make mistakes; it's not my style.

Last night, for just a moment, I thought I slipped and screwed up.

The process is simple; A car pulls in, I open the door for the lady, then round the car and hand the driver a ticket stub with a specific number on it. The other half of the ticket stays with the keys and is filled out with pertinant information: stall number, color and model of car. I quickly and effeciently park the car square and centered, note the information and store the keys in the valet closet. Easy, but busy.

I work by myself for about an hour, sometimes more, and then a co-worker comes in. Usually, I have about 20 cars parked by the time my co-worker arrives. It gets hectic, but like I said, I don't make mistakes and I was on point tonight moving quickly form car to car without error.

As people leave, we are usually forewarned by the waiter by a couple minutes. This allows us to stage the car ready and running, all that is left is to confirm ticket stub to ticket stub. (very important since we get about a million rented Sebring convertibles)

Then a foreshaddowing of trouble to come...a waiter asks about a ponitac with no ticket. I check the closet; we have no ponitiacs or keys without tickets...someone is mistakin.

Five minutes later the trouble comes by way of a 30-something couple with their lippy grandmother. I ask for the ticket, they reply, "no one gave us ticket". "IMPOSSIBLE", I think to myself. The grandma chips in with "I thought it was odd that we didn't get a ticket or something". I ask what kind of car they are driving..a white Ponitac Torrent with 2 child seats in the back. I instantly remember parking the car, I know where it is. I check the closet tags for a Pontiac Torrent; we have none, and as far as SUV's go, we only had a couple T-blazers and a couple Uplanders. I could not find their keys, and they claim they received no ticket. IMPOSSIBLE.

Meanwhile, I am handling other customers and sending them on their way. By this time, the driver as invited himself to root through the key closet and began pressing unlock buttons by the handfull. The grandmother, still yapping, is of no help. My co-worker begins checking other cars for the possibility that I may have unknowingly dropped the keys in another car. "IMPOSSIBLE', I think to myself.

At this point, I am ready to accept full responsibility for losing the keys, and even submit to the possibility that I did not give them a ticket. I make a plan:
1. Calm the customer, lippy Grandmother especially.
2. Call Hertz to get another key.
3. Call a cab to return them to their hotel.
4. Return the Pontiac ASAP.
5. Pay for everything out of pocket.

Good plan. Now Implement. I inform the couple and granny and then call Hertz. A light of hope begins to shine as I recite the liscense and the agent asks if its a Chevy Uplander. "What? A CHEVY UPLANDER? No! It's a Pontiac. Thanks." CLICK.

Can you believe it? Hertz mislabled the key tag as a Chevy Uplander. Instantly, I knew exactly where the keys were.
Unfortunately for me, my co-worker happened on the keys by chance at the same time. While checking ever other car for the missing keys, he eventually found the mislabeled keys himself and was pulling the Torrent down as I began to explain what happened. He was the Hero; I was the Idiot who didn't know what was going on.

I told them, "Hertz mislabled your car as a Chevy Uplander, and by the way, the keys had a ticket, you must have misplaced your stub."

"Oh.. well... thank you", as he handed me a $2 tip.

Problem solved. People and yappy Grnadmother gone. I was of no major fault.

Lessons learned:
1. Don't trust key tag for vehicle info.
2. Second step should have been to find cars position and find tag marked with that stall number.

And might I say, I handled the whole ordeal oh so calmly.

-well alright-

Pic of the Week

2006-01-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

Following Lisa's trail once again, I decided to post my own pic of the week featuring a wild animal. This is me and Jack on the Big Island.

Beth's 2 Things Tuesday

2006-01-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

two things to remember when being a patient in the hospital.
1. there is no such thing as privacy
2. if you are nice to your nurse she will be nice to you.
beth

Too Awkward To Be True

2006-01-10T03:23:00.000-05:00

Every now and then you may be lucky (or unlucky depending on the situation) enough to experience a situation that would otherwise be seen only on T.V. Every so often your a witness to something so off the wall that it's hard to believe it's happening right in front of your eyes. Let me set the scene for a recent ordeal of which I was an innocent bystander (thankfully).

It's New Years Eve 2006, Beth and I are in Texas with all of her extended family. We're gathered to honor the passing of Johnny Pierce Tye, Beth's Papa, who took his last breath eariler in the day. It's a solemn place to be, but the family remained joyful knowing that the patriarch lead a full life.

All is well until the curious neighbor comes to see what the commotion next door is all about. I'm not sure if I can accurately describe "Sharon", but picture a drunk biker/nascar lady who only gets louder by the drink and is far too comfortable to be causing such an uncomfortable scene. (To her credit she was said to be a decent neighbor who often helped Johnny and Big Mama Tye with things around the house).

Now, the house is pretty much packed (nowhere to hide) and when Sharon came to address the family with condolence she demanded everyones attention with "I'm the neighbor, I'm the neighbor". No one knew what to do or say, we were a captive audience so we sat trying to figure out what was happening. She proceded to tell of her respect for Johnny "I loved your Grandpa" and then went on to say "don't none of yall ever do nothing wrong". Seriously, it may be one of the most uncomfortable places I've ever been-I was scared to look her in the eye fearing that she would force me to converse.

Enter "Konrad", the blind uncle. Konrad is a solid guy; likes the outdoors, loves to talk, and always ends a conversation by saying "nice hearing you again". An all around type of guy except he can't see anything. All this time he had been sitting quietly to the side, as we all were-hoping that if we didn't respond maybe she would say her piece and leave.

Finally, it looked as though she was headed out the door... and then he did it...he brought all of her attention on to himself simply by saying "bye now, nice to have met you". For some reason this sparked the Bikerlady's attention. She spun around looking to return his sendoff with a wave. Had no one told her Uncle Konrad was blind it might have been the end of it all, but Big Mama told her "he's blind Honey, he can't see you". She apparently didn't believe her as she went right over to investigate the matter. At this point it was all I could do to stay put, I didn't want to see where this was going; I knew it couldn't be good. I would have left except she was directly between me and the door. I couldn't risk it, so I stayed.

As Sharon marched over to shake hands with the blind man, hand outstretched, Konrad's wife did a play by play so that he knew what was coming. At his wife's instruction he reached his hand out to meet Sharon's forthcoming hand. All the sudden, Sharon grabbed his hand and jumped back a little and then proclaimed "watch it pal you can't touch my ti*#ies". Everyone froze, some trying to hold back laughter, some stunned at such language, and me frantically looking for a way out of the situation. Konrad was speechless. His wife quickly replied "dear, until you told him, he didn't know you had ti*#ies at all". Sharon was surprised, as if no one told her he was blind. All the sudden she turned into Sharon the eye doctor as she performed the most thorough of all sight tests-"the wave your hand in front of the face reaction test". There she was at the house of a grieving family waving her arms like mad in front of Konrad the blind uncle. The discomfort level was off the charts, I quickly rose and bolted out the door deciding to watch the remainder from the porch window. Satisfied by her findings she properly shook hands and began another round of condolence, "I'll always be here for Big Mama, don't you worry, I'll be right here"

After reverting back to tears and tales of how she thought of Johnny as a father, and some more directions of how we, the rest of the family should live, she was finally led out the front door. Relief is spelled: THE DRUNK NEIGHBOR LADY FINALLY LEFT. I don't know what Rolaids is talking about.

-well alright-

Audience Participation

2006-01-07T17:25:00.000-05:00

We had an extended visit on the mainland to say the least. We never expected that two weeks back home would ever be so involved. The stories we could tell are so broad that I don't know where to begin, so here's the deal: I'm listing some topics for you guys. I WILL NEED FULL PARTICIPATION FROM EVERYONE WHO ENJOYS THIS BLOG. Simply post a comment with your top 3 topics from the list. The top 2 most popular will be posted shortly.

-In No Particular Order-
A. My New Bike! (A synopsis of our Christmas swag)
B. Beth's PaPa! (1926- 12.31.2005)
C. Who's got the weirdest family (A debate featuring our families most colorful characters)
D. My triumph over the United Airlines Reservation Agent (An exhausting but satisfying ordeal)
E. What happens when a drunk neighbor meets the blind uncle (an uncomfortably hilarious true story)

Thanks in advance for your whole hearted participation.

shark attack

2005-12-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

Well the Teilhet's are in Tennessee, and it is a good thing we got out of maui when we did. the day we left as we were heading to the airport we heard about 2 eight foot tiger sharks swimming about in the waters that we play in. One of the sharks attacked an innocent swimmer, the swimmer survived minus a finger or hand, i am not sure which, we will just say hand. i am so glad that i have this thing called women's intuition. john and i were snorkling and swimming just that morning outside our condo, john had seen a hugh family of turtles the day before a short paddle from our condo. we were going to go check it out with our snorkle's but the waters seemed murky and i kept hearing the theme song from jaws. (we were told that this time of year if you put your head under the water and be really quiet you can hear the whales, well we did not hear any whales, just that dang theme song.) well any way i made john go back with me. and shew i am glad we did, we could have been eaten alive, and not been able to come home for christmas. well that is it for now.
beth

Beth's 2t tuesday..er...Wednesday

2005-12-21T14:28:00.000-05:00

1. I hate being told what to do.
2. I never ever zip bags, close drawers, or tighten screw top bottles (which makes my OCD husband go crazy)

2T Tuesday

2005-12-20T17:43:00.000-05:00

1. I will rarely turn down a milkshake.
2. Beth and I spotted our first whale the other day.

Why I Run

2005-12-19T12:40:00.000-05:00

I've completed three marathons now- Chicago, Nashville, & Honolulu, but it wasn't until finishing the last one that I would actually consider myself a "marathoner". The first one was a trial, just to see if I could do it. The second was to prove that the first wasn't a fluke. The third confirmed my status-I am a marathoner.

Of course, I'm pretty sure anybody could do at least one, granted the average person may not finish quite as fast as I did (yeah that's a challenge), but the first one is not about time-it's about getting from start to finish. In fact, if your reading this, I think you should pick a race and start training. Chalk it up as a life accomplishment, or a good reason to get in shape, or bragging rights. Seriously, it will be worth it, when's the last time you ran through a finish line with hundreds or even thousands of people watching and cheering for you? Or how long has it been since you've felt the feeling of accomplishing something you weren't totally sure you could finish? It's nice...really nice!

Maybe you need some inspiration. Well, I can tell you why I got into it. I've talked about my life goals list (running with the bulls and such); completing a marathon wasn't on the list outright. I considered it more like a wildcard entry, or a TBD. Mostly, Beth wanted to do one, so we signed up together and started training for the Chicago Marathon. Honestly, I was more than a little tentative, but Beth, she was dead set. Chicago is a running city, people are running all the time, there are designated running routes, and really good running stores-it was a great place to train.

On October 10, 2004 we and 40,000 other people lined up and waited for the gun to fire. The atmosphere was unique and filled with adrenaline. It's feels good to stand with thousands of other people who are all there sharing the same goal as you have. The race itself was awesome, Beth and I started out together and ran the first few miles together, and then we started running our own race. Every mile or two there was a band playing, and spectators where just about everywhere cheering you on. Word was that 1 million people came to watch the race. Beth and I had our very own personal fan-Beth's dad came to watch us all the way from Canton, Ohio. I think it's kind of poor taste to talk about your time if you aren't asked-but what do I care. I finished with a time of 3:52:56, and Beth came in strong, smiling, and crying with pride at 5:14. Not a bad morning. If your wondering about the winner's time, it was a rediculous 2:10 or so.

I may have got into running at the suggestion of my wife, but the more I ran the more inspiration I found to keep running. Team Hoyt is a big one. You really oughta check these guys out. If you need a real life analogy of what Christ does for us daily this is it. (www.teamhoyt.com) And the girl in the picture is Sarah Reinertsen, and this is her after she finished running a marahthon. Did I mention that she also bicycled over 100 miles, and swam 2 miles. All of this in one race. That's right she is an IRONMAN. (www.iamsarah.org)

There are other reasons I run, but the main reason I run is because I am able.

clever title

2005-12-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

okay, so this here, beth is writing her first blog, which i must say i don't like the word blog, and all this blog stuff is confusing to me, but i thought i would give it a try. just so you know you will not find big words, or complete sentences, or even words that are spelt right according to webster, that's just not me. john's favortie saying now a days is "accuracy is everything" which contridics me completely, i think accuracy is over rated. john said i had to come up with a clever title so that people would read it, hince my title's name. i am enjoying maui, it has been fun to get to know all the different cultures of my patients i take care of. my new favorite is little old japanese, i come home from work everyday and tell john all about 4ft tall patients, who never complain about anything, always have a smile to give you and a head to bow with appreciation.(sank you,sank you) I am learning all different kinds of words in all different languages and dialecs. i even learned chirstmas carols in a filipino accent. well that is all i have for now. hope the clever title enticed you to read. and i hope i did not offend anyone with my bad grammer.-beth

The recent life and times of Johnny T

2005-12-16T01:32:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure exactly how I wound up living in a beach front condo in Maui, but I'm grateful none the less. Actually, most of the credit lies with my sweet bride and the opportunities provided by her Traveling RN career. I guess the real question is how did I wind up with such an amazing woman by my side. Seems like I've received more than my fair share most of my life; I'll be the first to tell you that I'm spoiled.
At any rate, I thank God for all the He has blessed me with. Here's a short list of what the wife and I have been up to since we've been on Maui:

Friends and Family Hosted: 11
Islands visited other than Maui: 3
1985 VW Vanagon Engines Blown: 1
Sea urchin stings: 1
Marathons completed: 1
Pro surfers sited: 10
Cussings received while surfing: 2
Drives to Hana: 3
Condos lived in: 3
Rainy days: 5

All of this and we've gotten to hang out with our good friends Aaron and Amy, volunteer for the IRONMAN world championship, learn how to surf, and a whole lot of other stuff. It's been fun, but we're looking toward the future and trying to figure out where we're going to go in February. Best case scenario: I'll have a job with Patagonia somewhere on the mainland, but who really knows.

The Pictures:
Top: Real nice sunset in Wailea
Bottom: Me and Aaron Jensen running our little hearts out

-well alright-