"Get the *** out of the way!"

It's a rare thing indeed to be sworn at. I have to admit it takes me by surprise every time. So today, when I was dropping a book off at a teen's house (which he accidently left in my vehicle) and his grandpa yelled those words at me, I didn't know what to do. Well, actually, I did know to do something. I moved my vehicle (I was unknowingly blocking a bus from turning around in the street and that's why grandpa got angry).

And then I let grandpa go by too (without looking him in the eye because i was a little unnerved).

And then I told the teen that it was okay. And he said, "He gets angry real easy. He always says stuff like that."

I can't imagine growing up in a house where you get verbally abused for accidently doing something that was not ideal. It was a window into this young kid's life.

And now I'm left feeling really bad for this kid. And grateful for my parents' kindness. And with hope for how God might show his kindness to a 14 year-old boy through me.

update on hp scam

For all 6 of you faithful blog readers, here's an update on my ink cartridge situation. i had a nice little chat with 'Bailey' - an HP online technical support person. I think they give all the tech people that name (i've had multiple conversations with 'Bailey'). And there's no way around this dilema - I had to buy new ink cartridges. $122. ouch.

And then, the quality of my printing was poor, so after much problem-solving and cleaning of my own, Bailey told me that my printerheads were expired too. Nice. I could still print, but the quality would remain low until i purchased new printerheads. $100. double ouch.

It had been 4 years since I had received the printer, so I can understand how things like printer heads just get worn out. It's just bad timing. And next time, I'll make sure to use up the ink before it expires. Buyer beware, huh?

ink cartrige scam

So, I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else: your printer stops working suddenly because the ink cartridges have expired. Wait, though...they still have plenty of ink in them! But because there's an expired date on the cartridge that the computer found out about (proof that Dwight Schrute was right and computers are smarter than people), it can no longer print. Ridiculous. I think that HP is running an subtle scam to force scrupulous people who don't use a lot of ink to spend more money on ink supplies.

Seasonal Confusion Disorder

The grass is green, the trees are blooming yellow and white and red...but I can't see them because everything is covered in snow. And I'm concerned that the earth might be suffering from a serious disease: Seasonal Confusional Disorder (SCD for abbrev. lovers out there). How can Spring do this to me, to us? Does it know that it probably killed the cherries that I absolutely look forward to every June? Oh, Spring...you'll have to work hard to redeem yourself from this one...

3 cheers for Spring!

It's warm and sunny in West Virginia - so here's some cheers on Spring's behalf:
-to an incredible 80 degree day today
-to feeling motivated to clean my house (like washing my coal-dusty living room curtains)
-to Ultimate Frisbee with some friends on top of a mountain
-to listening to songs on my mp3 player in A-Z order (i never know what's next)...right now I'm on the 'c's
-to 7-up and freshly squeezed lime
-to Resurrection Sunday next weekend!

ah nuts

so i was on the appalachian trail this past weekend, and did a fair bit of walking....over the hills and through the woods, but not to grandma's house. :)

i stayed at a shelter in the middle of nowhere and a nice wind/rain storm came up during the night. but i awoke to a peaceful morning. nice. when i put on my shoes to start hiking again, i found a little surprise: 4-5 nuts stored away in my left shoe. apparently, some little squirrel or furry rodent decided to dry their stash of food in my smelly shoes. not where i would store food....but i'm glad my shoes can be some creature's food pantry...as long as they don't become their bathroom as well.

looking back

i don't know why i haven't blogged in a month...sorry 'bout that...

this week, i'm attending a conference on entrepreneurship. i'm getting some new curriculum, meeting some fellow entrepreneurship-oreinted people, and enjoying the break from the ordinary work week. it's been good.

at several moments this week, i've had this thought - i love what i do in west virginia. you know when you've been doing something long enough that the questions and fears and worries and struggles and frustrations you had when you started just aren't there any more? and you're not as concerned about getting it perfect, cuz you know that 90% is just showing up (thanks to randy wallace for that jewel of a quote). and you're confident in the One who has been with you all along. that's kinda where i am.

it's nice to have roots somewhere. 5 years isn't that long to live somewhere, but it sure does make me realize that you live 5 years of life one day at a time.