Here is Mark’s latest newsletter about his mission work in Taiwan. I guess when I think about it, Mark might be the volunteeringest person I know. After all, every moment of his waking day he is doing mission work. I was particularly pleased to see that Mark has started an… Read More »The Taiwan Times – May Edition
Memorial Day wasn’t really meant to be a good-time-feel-good holiday. It was established to honor Union Soldiers that died in the Civil War and was first known as Decoration Day. Regardless of its original intentions, this solemn holiday has become a chance for most Americans to barbecue and enjoy a… Read More »Memorial Day and the Crystal Skull
Sunday was an interesting day for me. I started the day as a greeter for church. There were a couple unique events at church on Sunday. 4 of the churches in the area combined choirs and toured their churches. One of the other 4 churches is the Central Christian Church,… Read More »Sundaze
I went down to the Des Moines Art Center for the first time since maybe the 6th grade on Saturday. I met Stephanie and her friend Katie down there. I was impressed with the collection that Des Moines has and was doubly impressed that it was free. We had about… Read More »Des Moines Art
I had a chance to catch up with an old friend of mine today, Kim Lively. Kim used to by my lobby person when I was running Campus. She was competing today in the 50 meter run at the Special Olympics. I found out that the Lively family was named… Read More »Special Olympics
It has been an interesting week thus far. I thought that yesterday I was going to take a major step forward towards fixing my car situation. Jason and I had scoped out a 2004 Buick LeSabre on Car Trader. It was right within my desired price range and only had… Read More »Celebration Nonterminus
I’d like to pimp my friend Shawn’s band’s next concert and tell you what the cool kids will be doing this Sunday. You may remember Shawn as the drummer from the group UnHingd. He is currently rocking with his new band Act of Gravity. They are playing this Sunday at… Read More »Cool Kids Sunday
I got all of the old pictures off of my phone. There aren’t a terribly large amount of pictures on there because the old phone is about 4 years old and didn’t have much memory on it. It turns out almost every picture on that phone ranges from bad to… Read More »Bad Photos
Tonight at the Ames on the Half Shell meeting we got the new magnets for this coming season. Opening Night is less than 2 weeks away. I have a few of these magnets that need a good home. If you can put one of these up in a public place… Read More »Magnetic Moment
On May 18, 1980 three things happened. 1. Mt. St. Helens erupted. 2. Stephanie Kasper was born. 3. I turned 5. 5 years earlier I was born. A cousin of mine once gave my two sisters and I the very backhanded compliment that we turned out pretty well considering the… Read More »Mt. St. Helens Anniversary
The subject of this entry is not a reference to the Spartans. This is the 300th entry in An Artist’s Notebook. This post is mostly to announce to the world in general: “You’ve beaten me, again!!” It isn’t the first time that the world has beaten me. It certainly won’t… Read More »300
On May 10, 2008, I loaded up into the famous Rideshare Van with Baier and we headed to Fort Dodge to tour the Fort Dodge Museum and see the “Real” Cardiff Giant. I already knew that there would be a certain amount of controversy surrounding the trip and the Cardiff… Read More »Lessons Learned in a Giant’s Town
Last Friday Jesse and I embarked on a road trip that we lovingly named The Big Jesus Road Trip. Our final destination and epoch of the trip was a 33 foot tall stainless steel Jesus statue. A plan was hatched and a route was devised. The plan was set in… Read More »The Big Jesus
On Monday night I aided in the production of the newest batch of Little White Lye Soap. I thought I would share an inside look at the Little White Lye Soap factory floor. The Mixing Stick (Formerly Ergonomic) Becky Stirring A Self Proclaimed Master Stirrer Finishing Up Preparing to Pour… Read More »The Most Fun You Can Have with Caustics
Tonight was the night that the Jaycees planted and tended to our Flower Garden in Brookside Park. 3 of us showed up to do it. Here are some dark and grainy and poor pictures from the experience. I’ll most likely post pictures of the flowers as the year progresses or… Read More »Playing in the Mud
Some random images from the Mother’s Day Barbecue Brandon Alexis Brandon Carla Carla Carla Elainie Elainie Jason Johnathan Teresa and Russ Logan Logan “The Perfect Marshmallow” Roasting Marshmallows Russ Russ Grilling Russ and Brandon Russ Teresa Since I know it would be missed if I didn’t post it, the picture… Read More »Mother’s Day Barbecue
I hope everybody had a lovely Mother’s Day. The Mother’s Day Peony is blooming right on schedule. Here are a couple of pictures More flower pictures to come in the future.
This is a video that I came across on YouTube. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will actually have to go to the website to see it. It is dedicated to anybody that thinks that it is pathetic to cry at the movies. That is a really… Read More »Hilarity Ensues
A week back when I was publishing my endorsement of Little White Lye Soap the product pictures on the Little White Lye Soap were less than satisfactory. They have since been replaced and updated with way more acceptable pictures like this one: I urge you to follow the link below… Read More »LWL Products Page
So I went for dinner with Ungs last night. It was interesting because right before he stopped by to pick me up, he was just finishing up his job. I don’t know all of the details of his job, but part of it involves taking children home. On this night… Read More »Supper with the Ungs
I rarely discuss the weather, but that was some storm last night. I wish I had some pictures of that storm to post, but I don’t. I spent last night inside, like a coward. Rather than outdoors taking lightning pictures. Not because I am a coward, but because Crossroads just… Read More »Some Storm