Love and Marriage

As some of you know I played a different part this last weekend. I officiated a marriage. Thats right I played the pastor. It was very nerve wracking! Yes I have no legal binding power, but they were legally married the Tuesday before at the courthouse in front of a judge. They asked me to do this several months ago because neither one is over all religious and they just wanted a simple ceremony and a party. I was happy to oblige. It was very fun and a beautiful wedding. It was at the Queen Anne Victorian Mansion in Portland. It was an evening wedding and the whole place is lit up with gobs of tiny white Christmas lights. The Tualatin High School Jazz ensemble played swing music for everyone to dance to during the reception. The get away car was very cool too, it was a 1958 mint green Cadillac, oh! Beautiful! Anyway over all it was very fun and I saw many people I have not seen in years. That was interesting, but that is a whole nother story. Well I am tired. I will talk to you all later, peace out!

Home

Oh I am home! First of all, what a nice break it was to be away from the rain and the grey and just everything. Now I have to say how much I love Portland! When I got off the plane today I was greeted by a multitude of things. The first being a much crisper temperature (When I left California it was almost 80, when I got off the plane in Oregon it was cloudy and 50 with a good chance of some light rain) I'll be real honest in saying this was not my favorite greeting, but I was immediately welcomed again when I walked through the gate into the airport and the aroma of Coffee People filled the air. Coffee People has one of their stations literally at my gate, which warmed my heart. Then further down I hear live music playing, but not just by any musician. In true Oregon style a fairly clean looking hippy of a man (I know.. clean hippy... doesn't make sense, but it was the airport) with long hair and a beard was playing "Here Comes the Sun." The best part is he was hired by PDX to be there, he was legit with a microphone and and sound system and everything. It put a big smile on my face. You know people are just nicer in Oregon too. In California the people are polite, but not always nice. At least that is what I have observed. Anyway, now I am at home and I need to do laundry because the new term starts tomorrow at good ol' PSU and I have no clean clothes. Well until next time, good night and good luck. (PS. the picture is of PDX in case you didn't figure that out)

The Prodigal returns

Sorry I have not updated in a while, I am a dunch as Josh said, there is no escaping it, it is just who I am. So here is what is new:

Ah spring break! This is where I am staying with my family for this week (Palm Desert California). It is beautiful (see picture above). The air is thick with the fragrance of flowers and the warmth of the sun is a sensation altogether new and exciting. Now the only problem is surviving my family... or rather staying myself from killing them. kidding... kidding.... sort of... I am beginning to remember why family vacations are not always a good idea... But really, I am loving the break from everything, it is so quiet down here and peaceful. I am reading an incredible book too, I know many of you have read it, because many of you told me to read it, well now I am. I am reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Incredible! What a great book, if you have not read it you need to do so, it is one of the best "Christian" books I have ever read.

Oh here is another update for you all... drum roll please... my car is back!!!! Finally! I am so thankful to have it back; it spent six weeks in the shop. Now we are good to go.

Lets see what else, the term finished well. I am done with Economics forever! Can I get an Amen!?! (sorry to all you econ majors, you are a stronger person than I)

Well I am going to go now, much love and all that junk to all of you. Sorry again for taking so long and I will try and be better about posting. Until next time, peace out

-Danny

AHHH!!!

SO I have had an obscene amount of homework these past few weeks and I am sorry for neglecting you all. Anyway here are some up dates about my life. I promised that I would update you on my car situation and... it is still dead, I do not have it back yet. So sadly that is all I can report on that. I wish I knew more, but I don't. School is going well, I am just very busy with it. I'm still running a lot... I am really exhausted and am going to go to bed now, sorry for the short update, but hey I just figured I give y'all a little sompin to hold you over until I can dazzle you once again with my witty wittisisms ( I don't know if that is a word, but just go with it.)

I did it!

Well I did it! I ran 10 miles today. And again no one was chasing me and I was not chasing anyone. Although it did help that I was following an Albertsons Bakery delivery truck with a big picture of a cake on the side of it (fat kid joke for Caleb) for a bit. I am just really proud of myself and so thankful to God for what he has helped me accomplish so far with my running. 16.2 miles to go!!!
Oh P.S it is not me in the picture. It came down to this picture or this other one of a ripped shirtless black guy running. I figure this one would be a more convincing fake...

What happened to the Rooster in the, "Run!!!" post

HAHA! I saw this and I laughed. It is the sequel to my Run!!! post. In case you were curious to what happened to that chicken.

Actually no, it is not the same bird here is the little blip that went with the picture, I though it was interesting so here you go:

A man prepares to cut off a roosters heard in his yard in the village of Goloca, Bulgaria, on Feb 2nd. People mainly in the eastern part of Bulgaria sacrifice a rooster on Rooster's day for the health and safety of young boys. The tradition springs from the biblical tale of King Herod, who ordered the slaughter of male Hebrew babies in an effort to kill Jesus. A mother killed a rooster and marked her door and neighbors' with its blood, fooling the soldiers into thinking the killing there was done, thereby saving her child.

Oh The Automobile

Alright, so for years myself, my dad, and my grandpa have gone to the Annual Portland Auto Show. This year we finally convinced my brother to come with us and it was such a good time. It was last weekend (I know I'm a little behind on my posting, but give me a break) Here are some pictures from the show:

We'll begin with My Dad's favorite... the Chevy convertible truck.

Next We have the Ugliest Car of the Year Award: And the Winner is (drumroll.........) The Chevy HHR!!! (which my brother has so eloquently nic-named the Hairy Herbst Racer) This is a picture of me and My grandpa (above is my dad and grandpa)
Here is My Grandpa who has graciously posed for a picture in a close second for the ugliest car of the year award the Scion XB. (Plus I just think it is a good picture of him)
Here I am in a Caddy. I just like the picture because I am the only thing in focus. hmmm now you have to ask yourself: Was it an accident? Or does everything but Danny tend to go out of focus when he enters a room? hmmmm accident .. I think not ;)
And in other auto news it was a very sad day on Monday. A day that will live in infamy as, "Black Monday" It was the day my car died. Yes, Monday the engine lost it's will to go on, and so young too. It was only 34 years old. I was driving down my street and I noticed that my car was not handling well. I looked down at the gauges and noticed that I had no oil pressure. So to make a long story short... I drove my car home, it was towed to my mechanic (by the way that is one of the worst feelings in the world to watch your car being towed away. Others told me this and I didn't believe it until I experienced it first hand) and it was the main bearings. There is a glimpse of happiness yet in this story, however tiny it is, my mechanic is rebuilding the engine for cost for me. So the car will live on, it is just sort of in a medically induced coma right now. However, I have come to the realization that it is probably time to sell my car. It has been so much fun and a dream that I have had since I was was little to own such a car (yes I was small once). I am entering a point in my life where I can't afford to be tied down to a car that is just a bottomless vacuum for my money. I know it is only a car and someday I might be able to get another one, but it feels like I am losing more than that. So you heard it here first, it is not for sure, but it is looking like it. My reservation for keeping it, is the longer I keep it the more it is going to be worth and what ever I replace it with the longer I keep that the less it is going to be worth. I have had the car three years and it is worth over double what I paid for it. Now I got it for a really good deal and I have done a lot too it, but still. That is awesome for a car. If you think about it please pray for wisdom on my part and that God gives me a peace about whatever decision I make. Thoughts and comments appreciated. (in case you didn't know, this is my car below. It is the only picture I have of it on my computer so sorry it is so small, I used it as an avatar on a website)

RUN!!!

So I am very proud of myself... I ran eight miles the other day (Monday) and It felt really good. Before you ask the answer is No... I was not being chased.... or chasing anyone. I am going to try to run a marathon in June. My run on Monday felt really good. I actually could have kept on going. That was very encouraging, it was the first time that I felt that maybe I can actually do this. I have been running on a treadmill since September so I didn't know how far I could actually run. I know that I still have 18.2 miles to go, but still I feel I have made a lot of progress. They say that once you can run more than 10 miles the rest is pretty easy... This is probably some horrible lie created by a person who now sits back and has a hearty belly laugh as these stupid runners try to finish 26.2 miles. So I will let you all know, If I don't end up like the chicken in the picture... on your dinner table... unless you are a veggie then you are safe... for now... Actually I had a good laugh when I saw this picture, the chicken is trying to escape from a poultry farm in Turkey (no pun intended.. I think...?) When I run I think I am going to picture a man with scary green gloves and a large implement of death who is chasing me (probably Caleb). I'll probably go faster.. you never know.

Life

So I came across this picture today on the internet. It is from "This Week in Pictures" From MSN. Anyway for all of you photograph junkies the site has some really cool shots up there every week from all over the world, you really should check them out. Anyway back to this one...

To me this feels like life. (If you read this before I have edited it...) Take from it what you will.

Do you Blog too much?

Ok... so this is for all you hard core bloggers out there... you know who you are. So in Macro Economics I had to subscribe to, "Business Week" as a required text. So when I was reading it ... in class... I came across this and thought of you all. So in honor of this I think we should start a list of, "Signs that you blog too much."

#1. Your Mother has to read your blog to talk to you.

Another Term

Well this is my first official Post... I just started school on Monday in the Beautiful City of Portland, Oregon. I am at Portland State (Go Vikings!... yes Jon is my Mascot, however I do not think he is as excited about it as I am...) Anyway I am taking 19 credit hours between PSU and Portland Community College, so I am keeping myself busy. I just finished a play a month ago entitled, "Faith, Hope and the Giant" I am also working in the Jr High at my church. I am a 6th grade guys small group leader and I love it! Actually on Sunday night I got to speak in front of the whole group (about 250 Jr. Highers... I think?) they asked me to speak on loneliness. Why they thought of me when needing someone to talk on loneliness.... your guess is as good as mine... Actually they wanted me to talk about being at Capernwray and being away from your family and friends at home. The main verse I used was Psalm 68:6a "God sets the lonely in families" Sue shared that with us last year and it is very true. Capernwray is one big multi- cultural, loving, awkward, awesome, and dysfunctional family. Which I am eternally grateful for. So that is where I am at right now. I am looking forward to this term because it means I am that much closer to graduating! Plus it is winter and I can go up to the mountain and ski!!! (as seen in the background on the picture above)

for all those who have asked...

... here you go... and I promise nothing. I feel that I have fallen a little. That is I have fallen a little into the darkness that is blogging, so consider this a trial run.