Sorry, I’m A Terrible Blogger

Sorry that it’s been a while since I’ve blogged.

I’ve realized rather quickly that it’s going to be hard to do updates every day. Heck, every other day is going to be hard, too. I’m just going to do this as often as I can.

I don’t have a lot to say today, unfortunately. You would think that a week’s worth of events would provide some type of subject matter! So, here’s a video I found on YouTube. It’s pretty neat. Apparently, the names from Adam to Jesus all translate into a coherent text.

It is not my video, but I feel like it should be shared. Hope you find it as neat as I did.

-Jesse B

I Jogged This Morning. It Was Ugly.

Today is the first day that I began my new jogging regimen—well, it’s hard to call it a “regimen” when today is day one. So, today could actually be called “Day One of the Beginning of My New Jogging Regimen.”

I’ve always wanted to be a runner. I always liked the idea of running. However, growing up as a *hrm* stocky lad, running, naturally, sucked. I hated running as a kid. I wanted running to be easy instead of hard. I guess I liked the idea of running, but I never liked the idea of having to work at running.

I still think that way. I’ve lost 25 pounds since October (not tooting my own horn or anything), simply by eating healthier and less. Plus by taking Phentermine, a pill straight from God. Usually, there’s a pill taped somewhere around Exodus 16, right around the “manna and quail” part. Because God provides food, along with a pill to keep you from eating it.

All joking aside, I watch what I eat, and taking Phentermine helps me not be so hungry. And I noticed today that when I jogged, compared to my pre-diet weight, I ran a heck of a lot easier. I actually had more energy to run. Albeit, I’m still about fifty pounds from my ideal weight, so I was exhausted when a normal healthy person wouldn’t even be sweating when I was. Yet, still, the extra baggage I had made my run a lot harder than it could have been.

I’m not saying running is easy. You see those marathon people look like they’re in pain whenever they reach the finish line. Sweat drenches their bodies. They smell. They are a mess. The run must have knocked them down in an alleyway and stole their purses. But as they cross the finish line, they have a look of accomplishment and victory.

The more you run, the more baggage you lose, and the more you push to keep getting more fit. In the end, you get healthier. But you always strive for more.

Paul says in Philippians 3:14 (NLT), “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” He uses the imagery of a running in his Christian walk, trying to attain the ultimate goal.

However, the run is ugly. You trip. You get knocked down. You get winded. Sometimes you have to stop and drink some living water. You gotta make sure your feet are “shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace” so you don’t get leg cramps and injuries. Yet as you run, you get healthier. You are then asked to run more. Run farther. Run faster. Keep up the pace. Don’t lose sight of the goal. Sometimes, you exasperate to God between each panting breath, “Why are you pushing me farther?”

Because He’s making you healthier.

That’s why you’re started running to begin with, isn’t it? To be healthier?

I’ve got my alarm set for tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I won’t sleep through it, because I’ve got to go jogging.

-Jesse B

Third Time’s the Charm

Okay. So it’s been almost a year since I blogged.

The first time that I took up blogging (well, not really blogging, but more of an online diary), it was on Myspace. You could still find my hieroglyphs in that ancient ruin of a social networking site.

My next hitch at doing this was whenever my Technology in the Classroom class at school required an online blog. Thus some of the entries from last year about this time.

Then I promptly forgot about it. Now, here I am, once again trying to blog.

What made me come back here? Well, it is a combination of me having what I call “social networking fever” and me wanting to be nostalgic in the future. Recently, I read that Google would be updating their privacy policy and, as such, all accounts would be combined into one account. That meant that my Gmail account would end up also being my Google+ account, which I did not have. So I went ahead and created a Google+ account, and then, upon doing that, realized that YouTube was owned by Google, so now I have a YouTube account.

Which brings me back to “social networking fever”. I now have a Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube account. Why not a blogging account?

OH WAIT! I HAVE ONE!

And here I am.

Also, it’s nice to look back and see what was going on in your life when you are old and gray, or at least a few months older. I look back on my previous two attempts at blogging, erm, online diary entries, and it’s nice to see them. Maybe the third time’s the charm here. Maybe I’ll stick with it so I can look back on my life and remember it.

Or maybe I just want to be a hipster and have all of this social network stuff. Either way. Maybe I’ll stay this time.

-Jesse B

Coincidences and Coincide-nces

Funny story.

I was driving home from work last night. As I was driving, I came to a stretch of highway pretty close to my house. I think to myself, “You know, I wonder if I’ll see a deer. I’ve never hit a deer before. Let alone had a car accident.”

Not even TWO SECONDS later, a deer streaks across the highway and I hit it.

It runs off into the distance and I keep driving. I stammer for a moment, looking around in bewilderment. I think all at once:

Shock: I hit a deer.

Sigh of relief I didn’t get hurt and my luck from the situation: I hit a deer!

Realization that I hit a deer: I hit a deer…

The gravity that I might have damaged my vehicle: …I hit a deer.

I pull into the church parking lot (I was going to church anyway), and I step to the front of my vehicle to assess the damage. The only thing was that there was hair in my grill. Nothing dented. Nothing was wrong, and you probably wouldn’t have even known it would have happened if you didn’t know the story.

I think everyone—at least myself—like hearing coincidence stories. Heck, if you’re in the mood for some, here’s a website that has an article featuring six examples:

http://www.cracked.com/article_18421_6-insane-coincidences-you-wont-believe-actually-happened.html

Whether you are religious or just live every day life on Earth, I think you gotta admit… there’s something about coincidences that really makes a person think.

-Jesse

I Took a Bite of Pickle

Literally, just now, I took a bite of a pickle, and it wasn’t half bad.

This is a big step for me, because I don’t like pickles. At all. Now I’m not for sure. Given, I’m not going to make it a regular thing to eat pickles, or go out of my way to try them. Heck, I still will ask them to not be on my cheeseburgers. But maybe, just maybe, I’ll try a bite or two the next time I’m served one at McAlister’s.

Then I’ll wash it down with some sweet tea.

There are lots of things out there that I previously didn’t like. It may come as a shock to you, but I used to not like cheeseburgers. Now I look back and realize that I was a fool for thinking otherwise. I was also four.

Heck, it’s not just food that I’ve tried and unexpectedly liked. I never thought I’d like football, but when I watched it, I realized I liked it. Facebook? I love Facebook. I got one back in the days of Myspace and didn’t like it at all. Now I live on Facebook. Roller coasters? I love them (though, to be honest, I’m not sure of a time whenever I didn’t like roller coasters… I digress). I didn’t think I’d like going to a Pentecostal church. Now look at me. I’m a Holy Roller now. (and only WE can call each other that. Lol)

Of course, there are things that I’ve tried out there that I didn’t like. I went to a dirt track race one time. I had fun… but will I go back? No. I don’t like nuts, like peanuts and almonds, and I’ve tried them numerous times–no like.  I don’t like diet soda. I don’t like wife-beater shirts. I don’t like fine china.

Not that I’ve eaten the latter two.

I think it’s important to try some things out there, because you never know if you’ll like them or not. This pickle surprised me, because I kept eating it. I’m not saying that everyone should go skydiving, but maybe everyone should put an extra pinch of pepper on their food for the sheer excitement of it all.

That being said, there are some things that I really don’t want to try. I don’t want to go hunting. I don’t want to live out-of-state. I don’t want to shave my hair. I don’t want to eat an eggplant or drink lemonade, because I imagine one tastes like rubber and the other tastes obnoxiously sour (though I’ve heard otherwise).

All in all, I guess, don’t be afraid to try stuff… but don’t pressure yourself to do everything, I guess. Make your life fun, but don’t make your life uncomfortable. And if you try new things, you don’t have to like it or do it all the time.

My pickle is half-eaten. Even though I enjoyed the experience… I think I’m done with it.

-Jesse

Down on Love

^“4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails…”

–I Corinthians 13:4-9a

 

I don’t like love.

Let me rephrase that. That came out a little harsh.

I don’t like the commerciality of love.

Valentine’s Day is coming up here in several days, and as a cashier at Walmart, I have seen my share of commercial love. Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate? Check. Stuffed animals? Check. Ridiculously overpriced greeting cards? Check.

I had a gentleman come through my line with his wife, and he handed me a card with the front upside down. He said, “Don’t let her see it.” I quickly rang it up and bagged it, and he took the card and hid it from view. While she watched the whole thing happen. Then I proceeded with the order, and when it was all said and done, she bought everything. Including her Valentine’s Day card.

I’m not the lovey-dovey type. I’m not overly affectionate–at least, I think I’m not. So maybe that’s why I hate Valentine’s Day. I have to be lovey-dovey, when I’m not.

The only thing I like about the looming holiday is the dinner theater we hold at church. This is my second year doing it. And it seems like every character I’ve portrayed hates love. Kind of like me. So it works out, I guess.

But I’m not going to change the world by saying, “Valentine’s Day is stupid.” All I’ll do is just grumble as I get in line and buy the chocolates and flowers and cards and stuffed animals.

Just like every other man in the world.

-Jesse

A First Time for Everything, Take 2

So! Blogging.

I remember back in the day that I used to blog on Myspace… remember when Myspace was cool? To be honest, I kind of missed blogging. It was a very good way to “destressify.” So, it feels good to stretch the ol’ blog muscles again.

I must admit, however, my return to the blogosphere was not something I did voluntarily. This website was created for a class at school. But I digress.

I don’t have anything new to add tonight. I guess this was just a reintroduction for me. And you. If you read my old stuff. If not, then welcome! If you are returning, welcome back!

See you in the future, perhaps?

I will end with this picture:

 

-Jesse