Worth Pondering: Question Of A Lifetime...

One of the gifts I opened on Christmas morning contained a small blue box with this question printed on top: "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" when I opened the box this same question was imprinted on the silver paperweight that was inside the box.

The weight of this question is much heavier than the paperweight, I can assure you of that. I have pondered this question for several days. I think maybe a few years ago I might have known my answer to this question, but at present I can honestly say I have no idea how to answer.

I think I might have a few ideas as to how I might answer, but honestly I don't know.

What about you? Do you know the answer to this question for yourself?

A Very Happy Puppy...

Thanks to my sister Ashley and her husband Zack even Portia had a gift to unwrap this morning!! Happy Christmas Everyone!!

A Very Special Meeting...

So I have to brag...I can't help it...and I don't think you can really blame me...but last weekend I was able to go "home" to Oregon for a quick visit. The main purpose of my trip was to attend a family wedding in Portland. But as an added bonus I was blessed with the opportunity to meet my "niece" little Miss Georgia Benson. Georgia's mom and I have been friends since Middle School, and some of you may recall I served as a bridesman in her wedding. Well, little (and I do mean little) Georgia was born in October so this was the first meeting (the first of many I hope)...I absolutely adore this little girl. Here's our first visit together:

And before I left town I went over one more time to visit with her and we shared a special moment together when she figured out how to hold onto her pacifier and keep it in her mouth all at the same time:

I can't wait to watch this little girl grow up and see all that she has to offer this world!! I eagerly await our next opportunity to spend some time together!

It Truly Is The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

I bet you thought I was going to make some post about it being Christmas time, didn't you??

Well, to be honest I think the only thing that could make this time of year even better would be if the Commissioners of NCAA Division I-A Conferences, the Director of Athletics at Notre Dame, and the representatives of the bowl organizations would finally come together and agree to a 68 team Division I-A College Football BCS Playoff.

I mean really most teams have a full month or more off the field before they even get to play in a bowl game. Plus, you end up with multiple undefeated teams at the end of almost every season. And this year we have been left with two Cinderella stories who will be playing against each other (Boise St. vs. TCU in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl) so how do you have the Cinderella ending when they play each other? How hard would it be to bracket the 68 teams playing in the Bowl Series this year into four regions, rank and bracket those regions, then have your playoff. Use the existing sites for each round of the playoffs, have each game and site sponsored just as they are now, sell your commercial time and your TV contracts (much like you do already), then use your existing BCS Bowl sites for your Quarterfinal Round, i.e. : Midwest final at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ; West final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA; East final at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL; and the South final at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA. And then have your semi-final and final games played at which ever site is in the rotation for that year's championship as per the current "double-hosting" system. Let's face it the match-ups would draw in more viewership, especially when a bowl game is slated to go head-to-head against an NFL, NHL, or NBA game...under the current system the weaker bowls are losing viewership due to this, I mean who really thinks that tonight's R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl featuring Middle Tennessee vs. Southern Mississippi is going to win in the ratings against the Sunday Night Football match-up of the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Carolina Panthers? The true advantage for having a playoff is no longer watching artificial match-ups selected by committees and voters that in turn leads to true Cinderella stories where David actually has a chance to defeat Goliath cause he fought his way there and didn't have to rely on some computer system running some numbers to see if he could get his chance against the giant.

I know, I know...wishfully thinking. But a boy can dream right?? Regardless, I am going to enjoy these 34 games in 20 days, cause no matter what College Football Bowl Season is truly the most wonderful time of the year!!

the Sing-Off...

Gotta say I love this show on NBC, I only wish it was longer than the four nights it is slated for this winter. I can't wait to see how it all turns out next Monday night. I am a little torn as I don't know who to root for exactly. I have two favorites for sure, NOTA and Tufts University Beelzebubs.

Here's a couple samples of NOTA:

And here's a couple samples of the Beelzebubs:

Gotta Love HIMYM....

Okay for those of you who don't know HIMYM translates to the CBS hit show: How I Met Your Mother. I have been watching this show since the Pilot episode aired on September 19, 2005. And I have been a loyal fan ever since. Each episode just gets better and better. Now I don't know if the writers on the show or even the creators have ever been to Oregon but I personally love how they have over the years have made use of Oregon in their show.

My most favorite use of Oregon in the show came in Season 2, Episode 21: "Something Borrowed" when Marshall appeared wearing a vintage Oregon State Beavers T-shirt:

I have searched and searched and I have yet to find a place that sells this t-shirt...hopefully one day I will be able to have my own! If anyone finds a place that sells this shirt please let me know.

Last night I returned from a very quick trip to Oregon. I went to Portland for the weekend didn't have time to see everyone, but a cousin got married and it was the easiest way for me to see the most amount of people in the short time I had. It was great to see the Spears family as well as spend time with my dear friends the Delamarters and the Bensons. Making my trip extra special was getting to meet and spend time with my "niece", Georgia. She is the most precious and adorable baby I have ever met.

So after settling in last night I turned on last night's episode of HIMYM and not even moments into the episode this image appears on my screen:

For those of you who don't know that is Portland, Oregon's own Steel Bridge in the background and the title "Wakey Wakey Beaverton" is in reference to Beaverton, Oregon a Portland suburb. Seeing this image made me laugh all the more, despite the scenario already being played out on the screen. I love Oregon and I am really glad that my favorite show on TV is finding ways to show off my favorite state!

Looking To The Tunnel's End...

A lot has gone on in my world as of late and one of the most frustrating things for me has been trying to process everything...more importantly trying to process how I feel about everything. Then while driving today this song came on the radio, to me it is an old song originally sung by one of my favorite groups dc Talk...but today it was being performed by a band called Story Side B...regardless, the lyrics of this song put into words my feelings and frustrations into words that I could not come up with on my own:

I keep trying to find a life

On my own, apart from You

I am the king of excuses

I've got one for every selfish thing I do

What's going on inside of me?

I despise my own behaviour

This only serves to confirm my suspicions

That I'm still a man in need of a Saviour

I wanna be in the Light

As You are in the Light

I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens

Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation

Cause all I want is to be in the Light

All I want is to be in the Light

The disease of self runs through my blood

It's a cancer fatal to my soul

Every attempt on my behalf has failed

To bring this sickness under control
Tell me, what's going on inside of me?

I despise my own behaviour

This only serves to confirm my suspicions

That I'm still a man in need of a Saviour

Honesty becomes me

[There's nothing left to lose]

The secrets that did run me

[In Your presence are defused]

Pride has no position

[And riches have no worth]

The fame that once did cover me

[Has been sentenced to this Earth]

Has been sentenced to this Earth

Tell me, what's going on inside of me?

I despise my own behaviour

This only serves to confirm my suspicions

That I'm still a man in need of a Saviour
[There's no other place that I want to be]

[No other place that I can see]

[A place to be that's just right]

[Someday I'm gonna be in the Light] [

You are in the Light]

[That's where I need to be]

[That's right where I need to be]

Christmas Time Is Here...