Journal

I think...

I think we are starting to realize what the money that we spend on the wedding actually does to our financial picture.

Last night we wanted to go out to eat to a place that we haven't been to in a while (Chef's Kitchen) and we decided not to. It's not that we couldn't afford it, its that we shouldn't go.

It's kind of depressing to think about.

I don't regret having the wedding or how we spent our money. We had a great time, it was great to see all the people we did. It was great knowing most of the people there (other then a few of Shannon's Relatives), unlike most of the weddings I go to, where I know maybe a few people there.

On the bright side, It is near the end of the year, so sometime in the first or early in the Second quarter of next year, I should get a pay raise, which will help out a bit. Tax return should be nice a hefty. And I'm selling some PTO (as much as I can, actually) later this month, which will go straight to the card.

Bringing back memories

So we went to the Des Moines Community Orchestra's performance today. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood. They started off with Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. I remember that we had a tape of this and would listen to the songs of the animals and dance like the animals with my brothers and sisters (we were very young).

They also played Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. Images of the Disney cartoon danced through my head.

They did a wonderful job. There were a few other selections (PDQ Bach (Beethoven/Schickele), Aaron Copland, George Kleinsinger), and they were good too. But I hadn't heard them before, so it was a new experience.

It was the most full I've ever seen one of their performances. Lots of kids. Most left before the second half, which is two bad.

Jesus Camp

I am disturbed.

It bothers me to think that this kind of fundamentalism is being taught and actively recruiting the children of this country.

We went to Jesus Camp with Brandon and Val at the Fleur.

It was shocking how this woman set the kids on "fire".

I admit, I've grown up Mormon (which is not an easy path, when large sects of Christianity thinks you worship the devil). I've visited many Churches (some for classes, some because of invites from friends). I've had long religious discussions. I thought seriously about getting a minor or a triple major in religion (other then the Philosophy and Psychology). I've read several religious texts and texts about religion. But them, I find disturbing.

It seems to me that they are training the next wave of religious zealots. You know, the ones that yell at women in college and tell them they need to get married and start having babies. The self righteous jerks. It's one thing to set a good example for the people around you, it's another one entirely to force your beliefs on others.

It was sickening to see the leader of this camp, compare what she is doing, to what they do to Islamic kids who strap bombs to themselves. This is the kind of people you want to raise?

It was surprising how much this disturbed me.

Definitely worth seeing.

Random Sentences

Saw Borat last night, I laughed a lot...so much so that my lungs hurt. Though I could see how some people wouldn't like it. So...yeah. I went with Brandon and Val, Shannon didn't want to see it so she stayed home and slept.

Saw Love in the Afternoon at Chris and Holly's. I really enjoyed it, a bit of humor, a bit of revenge, a bit of romance...of course the ending is preposterous. A life long philanderer won't be giving up their ways anytime soon...least that's my opinion...

I've listened to a few conservative talk radio programs recently, just cause I didn't feel like listening to music. I was shocked at how they treated a difference of opinion. Even going so far as to defend a pastor who obviously has done something wrong (otherwise he wouldn't have resigned). All through the program they don't play partisan politics, but from what I hear, that's exactly what they are doing. It's sickening.

I had oatmeal the other morning. It warned people, on the package, to handle boiling hot water with care. Are we so daft that we need to be reminded that boiling hot water is...uh...hot?

We are still waiting for our wedding photos. I have to remember to email the guy as to check on the status.

Shannon has gotten all of her things changed. Student loans, Social Security Card, Driver's License, bank account. I've got her as my beneficiary on both my 401k and my life insurance. I still have to put the house in her name. I am also curious as to if we should put the titles for our cars in both of our names (well...at least her's...I don't so much have my title yet).

mellow Halloween party

So this last Saturday, we had a Halloween party, and well, not a ton of people showed up, but it was nice to see everyone.

Lotta People were in costume, a few not.

Josh had fake blood, that apparently irritated his skin (he left early to get it off of him).

I saw baby Savannah for the first time (in person). I also saw Ahnaka for the first time in a while (she's grown quite a bit).

Adam went as his dad...that would've been really funny if Norm had shown up (it was still pretty funny).

People were pretty mellow, a bunch of us sat around the dining room table and just chatted.

I drank a few kinds of scotch (Dusty had brought over two).

Shannon was a police woman (Texas ranger I think, actually), and I was her prisoner...it was fitting. I have pictures, and I might post them...

Oh and one more important thing. Dusty showed up first. Yes. Dusty.

Haunted Places...

So we (Shannon, Courtney, and James) met up at Beyond the Grain to have dinner. Since they have Courtney safe food, it was convenient. Pretty good food, they had a gluten free bread. Courtney said it was made out of grass something or another. It had kind of an odd taste to it (opposed to wheat bread), but it was dense and crumbly and made for a nice sandwich. Roast beef and cheddar.

We all had dessert. It was quite nice, Almond flour, I suspect. German Chocolate cake, Chocolate bundt, quite nice.

Afterwards, we headed over to the East side of Des Moines (Scary) to Sleepy Hollow Sports Park. They have a few haunted things there. For the most part, it was pretty lame (as was expected). It was interesting the effect of a few things. They had a turning pipe with lights on it, that made it look like the world was spinning or that one was drunk. Other then that, I had quite a few complaints about their Redrum Mine...there was a graveyard in the Redrum Mine, that didn't make any sense, if you are gonna call something a mine, keep with the mine theme.

Anyways, after about an hour at the restaurant, about 30 minutes in the two haunted houses, and a good 2-3 hours waiting in lines.

It was still fun to be out though...

bottles and cans

So I went to take bottles and cans back today...

A kids in there, fixing the machines, not getting them to work.

Three people in front of me in line, three behind me...

Cart full, I walked away.

I don't mind returning 'em I don't mind paying a deposit, I think recycling...at least glass and metal recycling, is a good thing...but when it comes right down to it, I guess I don't have the time for it...so many more things I could be doing...

cookies!

cookies went over great!

Both at my office and Shannon's the reviews were very good, and their were multiple requests for the recipe.

I dunno if I wanna share or not...but I probably will and if I do, I'll post it here. :)