I attempted to blog earlier this week but at some point between the clicking of "Post and Publish" and the time I got off-line the blog was lost. So, yet again, I begin with an apology. The aforementioned blog contained the ponderings of my mind on the topic of those massive stuffed animals at parks such as Six Flags. What is it with those? The only possible motivation I can come up with for winning such a thing is simply the desire to win. I can understand that, sort of. But if you step back and think through it, if you insist on spending your money on such a thing, the smart thing to do would be to at least wait until the end of the day so that you don't have to lug it around in 100+ heat. Please realize, though, the vicious cycle that creature will take. It will be placed in someone's bedroom for about a year, collecting dust, then it will be sold at a garage sale to someone else who gets sucked into the trap, then it will repeat the previous 2 steps a few more times. Then, eventually, someone will donate it to a youth room where thousands of white foam balls will erupt requiring someone (by the name of Lizzie) to haul it out to the dumpster and vacuum. Fight the desire. Don't give in.

At some point I will blog frequently enough to be able to avoid the apology at each beginning. Until that time... sorry. I just got back from Chicago. Beautiful city, great food, even better company. Then there's the traveling home...
Ever since I went to England/Paris and traveled I've tried to convince my family that something always goes wrong. They didn't believe me. Bags were forgotten, flights delayed, trains cancelled. Nothing too major but a hassle none the less. Then there was Italy. Daniel (my bro) came to travel Italy for a week. Everything went perfectly fine...for a day. My ATM card got eaten and we had to spend the night on the streets of Naples but that was nothing. The trip home is when the chaos ensued. The cab took us to the wrong airport, the flight was delayed, the trains weren't running from the airport in London. This random guy gave us a ride into the city where we got just enough information about trains the next morning (it was the middle of the night did I mention that?) to cause us to think there wouldn't be one to Manchester in time. This meant that we could miss our flight home. It was too late to get a hotel/hostel so yet another night was spent on the streets but this time in a paniced, freezing state. Morning roled around and, with hearts of thanksgiving, we got a train to Man. I picked up my bags from a friend and went to check in but the name on my ticket was mispelled causing much confusion. Another hour or so spent dealing with that. Then finally onto our gate just in time to get on the plane. Praise the Lord we made it that far. Then in Atlanta we had to go through customs. Apparently the US doesn't want Hoof and Mouth. Go figure. Seeing as how I checked that I had been on a pasture and in close contact with animals (Capernwray is a farm for those of you who don't know) I was sent to the "red area". Luckily all they needed to do was spray my shoes. Last leg of the trip went well and we got to Dallas in good time. Needless to say, my brother now believes me and refuses to travel with me ever again.
The reason for my explanation of all this now is that, like I said, I just got back from Chicago. You'd think that everything would be fine. It's just a weekend trip, and it's all in the same country. Wrong. I lost $50 and the airline lost my bag. My mom thought this was frustrating. This is nothing.

6 days with no blog...well not written for you all to read. I think that I'm obssesed with the whole idea of blogging. Everytime I have a question or I'm deeply pondering something I consider how I would write/blog about it. All of that being said, I can't for the life of me come up with any way to catch you up on the past weekend. I went to the beautiful state of OK to celebrate the 4th. There was much water skiing and croquet playing...well...watching. And right now there's people at my house so I need to go. More thoughts to come...

I am a big fan of musicals in the summer in Dallas. I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening than dressing up and heading downtown for a show. And you can‘t ask for a better show than ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Of all the Disney characters Belle is, without question, the most intelligent, and mysterious. I have decided I want to be her. Not on Broadway, (She sings. I don’t.) but I want her story to be mine. With the exception of the locking in the dungeon and the whole wolves thing… So I guess I just want a library and a tiara…and the prince. Another aspect of the brilliance that is this film/show lies in the music. Due to my five years in band I have a tendency to dissect music. Lyrically: well…it’s a Disney film. But there is definite depth i.e. “Life is so unnerving for a servant who’s not serving. He’s not whole without a soul to wait upon.” --Lumiere. Musically: genius. I could sit and listen to the instrumental pieces all day long. French Horns rarely get good parts. Usually they form the underlying theme (or upbeats) and the trumpets or the flutes get all of the star roles. But in ‘Beauty…’ the horns have the most phenomenal rips and, for a few fabulous moments, they get to play the melody, completely exposed. It’s triumphant in a completely warm and delicate way. What an amazing gift the ability and desire to create is.

OK yet another night with very little time and near nothing to say. I just got back from the Rough Rider’s minor league baseball game and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. You really can’t lose with snow cones to which you add your own flavors, hot dogs, peanuts, and the hokey-pokey. By the way, regardless of what pictures you may see I was not at all interested in any of the players, for any reason, though jumping into the bullpen was tempting. And, on a totally different note, Switchfoot is the most underrated band in all of Christian music. They write incredibly. I want to be Amy in “Amy’s Song”.
“Yeah, she’s a freedom fighter. She’s a stand up kind of girl. She’s out to start a fire in a barcode plastic world. She came when we were freezing and left us burning up.”
Brilliant.