blog journaling

I've tried to focus my blog on my thoughts on humanity, but sometimes you just have to write about what's going on in your life. Seems a little narcasistic, but why not.

Tuesday was one of the best nights I've had in recent memory. After work I got my first haircut since getting my head shaved back in September. I found a gay hairdresser at a unisex salon who does a great job. It's not the man spa I grew fond of back in Michigan, but the guy certainly knows hair. After the trim I went to the gym before heading out to watch the Canes game with my friend Sam Ed. Right as I was about to walk in the bar, my friend Ricky called and asked if I could pick him up at the homeless shelter. 15 minutes later I was watching the game Hi-5 with two of my closest friends.

The game was phenominal. I had to leave part way through the 2nd period to give a friend a ride home from work. At this time I also went to pick up my new scooter that I had checked out the night before and agreed to buy. I was able to complete these two tasks in time to return to the bar right as the 3rd period was beginning.

Now if game 4 was the best game I have ever scene in person, game 7 somehow managed to outdo it. The Canes trailed 3-2 for almost the entire period. Cam Ward stood on his head as the Canes left him out to dry time and time again. Somehow the Devils failed to score the put away goal. With about 2 minutes left in the game, I thought it was over and I asked the waitress for our check. With under 90 seconds to go, the Devils failed to clear the puck from their zone once again, and Gleason made the play of the season, diving across the blue line to keep the puck in the zone and then passing it along from his knees. The near clear put the Devils out of position as Pitkanen zinged a pass for a Jokinen one timer that tied the game with about 1:20 to go. The bar went nuts. The waitress came up with our checks, but I sent her away and called for another PBR. She quickly got me the beer, but before I could hardly take a sip, Eric Staal found the 7 hole on Brodeur for the game winner. It was amaizing! No team had ever been trailing a game 7 in the last 5 minutes and gone on to win. No team had ever scored a game 7 winning goal in the last minute of the game. Nothing like this had ever happenned before, and it just had happened against one of the greatest goaltenders of all time.

After things settled down, I showed off my new Tomos scooter to Sam and Ricky. After I got my car home, and Ricky home, Stephanie stopped by for a brief visit. I surprised her with my new wheels. The bike is boda boda quality and we took it out for a tandum spin around Oakwood. We had a blast and it totally reminded us of riding around in Uganda on very similar bikes. It was the perfect end to a perfect night.

Hockey, bars, beer, bikes, and girls. I just hope this means my life hasn't become completely superficial.

Benefits of Serving the Poor

For a while now I've been hanging down in Moore Square on a regular basis, making friends with homeless guys and maintaining these friendships. When people ask me why I do it, I tell them that it's really me who is being blessed and served through my actions. People assume this means that I learn invaluable lessons, I experience love through friendships, and that I receive the Holy Spirit through my service. -Maybe. But yesterday it meant that I got to go to a Carolina Hurricanes playoff hockey game.

I was teaching my last period of the day, and my phone started blowing up. Call, message. 10 minutes later, call, message. After school I had a club meeting, and finally around 3:30 I answered one of these phone calls. It was one of my homeless friends, Reggie. A few weeks ago he got a job and on this day his work had a group of tickets for people to claim. Not really asking he said, "Chris, man, I got 4 tickets to tonight's hockey game. I'm at the Y. Come get me so I can give you the tickets." I was a little reluctant at first, but eventually I agreed to come pick him up and get the tickets. Since I was in a hurry to get to they end of the year banquet for Community Hope, the reading/mentoring program I am involved with, Reggie just handed me the tickets and went on his way. I inspected the tickets for a few minutes, trying to get over the fact that a homeless guy just handed me 4 free tickets to a playoff hockey game, and then I called some friends.

I wound up taking Stephanie (my gf), De'Andre (the boy I mentor), and his younger brother Mike. The kids had a great time and I wish I had brought a camera to take their pictures. It was a very "this is what white people do" kind of evening as De'Andre and Mike were blown away by all that is Carolina hockey. The game itself was one of the best I had ever seen. The Canes went up 3-0 in a game they absolutely had to win. The Devils tied the game 3-3 midway through the 3rd. As the clock ran, I came to the forgone conclusion that if the game went into overtime, I would have to bite my lip and take these two young children home. I leaned over to Stephanie and said, "Somebody just has to score." I wasn't about to keep a first grader out past 11.

Well, right when it looked like regulation was over, a moment of divine nature occurred. With about 5 seconds on the clock, the Devils failed to clear the puck from their zone and it bounced out to the blue line. One of the Canes players got control of the puck as everyone in the stadium was yelling, "Shoot it!!!!!!" Instead, he passed the puck along the blue line as the stadium gasped in frustration that he had passed on what appeared to be their last chance for a shot in regulation. Just then, Seidenberg sent a one timer that redirected off of Jokinen and into the back of the net right as the clock read 0:00! The ref pointed to the net indicating goal, the horn sounded, right on cue mind you, and the stadium absolutely erupted. I turned to Stephanie and shouted, "I've never seen that before!" It was a buzzer beater for the win in a hockey game. No Rick Flair this time on the jumbo tron, just pure playoff electricity. They reviewed the goal as everyone continued to cheer, before one more incredible eruption when the ref finally turned around and pointed down to indicate that the goal stood. The game was over and it was immediately deemed an Instant Classic. It was crazy! They announced Jokinen as the night's number 1 star but mistakenly sent out Seidenberg from the dressing room back onto the ice for the misguided, yet emotional curtain call.

It was an incredible game and an incredible experience. But I like to just chalk it up as the fruits of serving the poor. Thanks Reggie!

Broken Dreams

I have my job, I have my health, I have the love of my friends and family, and I know how to keep bad news in perspective, but at the moment none of that matters. When you set your sights on something, it's very disappointing when you don't reach it.

For the past month, my heart has been cast on South Africa. I was accepted into the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program and placed with an exchange in Sasolburg, South Africa. But just moments ago, my principal came by my room, looked me in the eye and told me that the exchange was a no go. He actually found out early this morning but struggled with how to break the news to me all day and even considered waiting till Monday. It turns out that our school is preparing to lose 30-40 positions over the summer and that this was the first of many difficult conversations my principal is going to have to make. Between the time and cost of processing an exchange teacher, and losing the flexibility of my teaching certificate, the human resource director for the county vetoed my exchange.

At the moment, I'm trying to figure out why this hurts so much. I suppose there's that period of time when you receive bad news that your reaction is purely emotional. At some point, I'll decide to move on and get over myself, but at the moment I am devastated. I've been reading, praying and literally dreaming about South Africa. In a few days I'm sure I'll act like it doesn't bother me and that maybe there's a blessing in all of this. But at the moment is does bother me, and I want to acknowledge what my passion is before I decide to forget it.

Right now I'm going to head home and enjoy a beer as I break the news to my girlfriend. This is probably good news for her, but I know she'll empathize with me and I'll be reminded of all the things I have to be joyous about.

Guatemala Trip

I got to spend an amazing spring break in Guatemala visiting my friend Leah and delivering paintings for Painting Lemonade. I brought down almost 200 portraits, painted by American high school students, and delivered them to the children of La Limonada. It was an incredible experience and a wonderful week.

A huge thanks to all the students and teachers who participated in Painting Lemonade. I hope to make it a reoccurring project. The children were mesmerized by their portraits, as were their parents. When I first walked into a shanty home in La Limonada, the first thing I saw was a Painting Lemonade portrait up on the wall that had been delivered earlier this year. An awesome sight and an incredible gift.