I got a call yesterday afternoon from our children's minister and another very close friend of ours, they were an hour away and her car had broken down. No problem, we're on the way! I grabbed up my tools and we were off, but not on our truck. We took the other girl's mom's 2007 Tahoe because it has the 3rd row seat and we could all ride home in case I couldn't get the car fixed. This truck is loaded with everything you can possibly get, which is a ton of stuff. I've never driven a vehicle so smooth, not even a car that was this smooth and comfortable. The thing was just amazing. I was messing with the computer and it's got an instant mpg feature that I really got a kick out of watching. This truck has the Active Fuel Management Technology engine that will shut off half its cylinders while cruising. When in V8 mode at 55 mph it was getting a very respectable 22-23 mpg, but when it would go to V4 we were getting 32-33 mpg. It didn't usually stay in V4 mode long at that speed so it's not like we were getting a constant 30mpg, but it definitely makes a difference. The transition was so seamless you never knew anything happened. One of my favorite options was the power mirrors, you push a button and they fold in, making it much easier to go through drive-thrus and stuff. They really hit a home run with these new trucks.

Not taking the Jeep on my trip, I'll be in Audra's Explorer instead. Audra's mom will carry she and JonMichael to PC first thing Friday morning for JM's surgery, I'll meet them there bright and early and then carry them back home when it's done. I decided he might be more comfy in the Explorer since it's much quieter than the XJ, and to tell the truth I'm a little bit glad that I'll have a quiet ride too. Right now I'm getting my MP3 player loaded with music and sermons and can't wait to hit the road in the morning. See you guys later.

Got a call Sunday saying my Dad's best friend had died that morning, it was his 51st birthday. I've spent lots of time around this man during the course of my life and he was such a cool guy. He built 2 planes, so of course it was no small coincidence that our families were so close. I'll be heading to Mobile Thursday morning, then back to Crestview that night, and to Panama City very early Friday morning for JonMichael's surgery(adnoids and tubes). Audra keeps telling me to take the Explorer since I'll be more comfortable, and I would be, but I'm still scurrying to get the Jeep ready and I plan to take it instead. There's really nothing mechanically to get ready, but I worked on the headliner today during lunch to get it put up. That will help with noise, as will the carpet I'm putting in it. I don't like carpet but I got some that was actually pretty clean from the junkyard to lay down during winter to keep the noise down a little more. I shampooed it during lunch as well. It will still be much louder than her Explorer, but I don't mind at all. Even though this doesn't qualify as a true road trip, it'll still be nice to get out and drive.

Cold weather never bothered me when I lived in GA, I guess because I knew it carried the potential for snow. Not only that, but I expected it to be cold. I've been down here too long I suppose because it's 42 outside this morning and I feel like I could freeze to death! I've grown accustomed to running my AC all the way to December and I like it. It's Florida for pete's sake, it's not allowed to get cold here!

Go ahead and tell me how 42 isn't cold, I know, I know.

I'm in a couple of classes this semester with very liberal professors. It's been good for me(I think I just posted something about this didn't I?). I've decided to start posting up some stuff to get us thinking and talking, really hashing some stuff out. Maybe people will add some input, maybe they'll pretend their internet has been screwed up for the past few days and just lurk till I post something new. Here are the rules. #1 - Everyone plays nice, no throwing sand in the face. Remember we're all friends here. #2 - Only post what you know by reading the Bible. So here we go.

I was in class tonight and the prof starts talking about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene. Is he right or wrong?

That's what our good friend calls it....she's single, but you probably assumed that already. So is Valentine's Day a big deal for you guys? I know some people, married or just dating, who make it huge. We don't. How about you?

I had time to kill after class yesterday in Panama City while I waited on a special forum that I would be attending that evening. So I headed over to the junkyard again to see what I could see. There was a Cherokee in line to be crushed so I asked if I could go thru the gate and take a look at it. They were getting ready to close for the day so the guy looked around and said that it was going to be crushed first thing in the morning so whatever I could pull off in the next 20 minutes I could have. I scurried over there and couldn't believe what was still on the thing. I ran back out to my Jeep to get some tools and scored a center console, overhead console with compass and outside air temp, 2 visors, and 2 vent windows! Free!

The overhead console came just in time because this Saturday I bought fabric to recover my headliner and it would be a pain to install the console after the headliner was finished. The floor console needs to be cleaned up but is in surprisingly good condition. I'm probably most excited about the vent windows. My bug had these and I wouldn't have survived without them. The Jeep has ac, but I still like the vents. To get them out the window has to be rolled down. This particular XJ had power windows so I couldn't get them down and had to break them. Ever had to break a car window? Better have a big hammer, cause it's hard to do with just a wrench! I broke the first one on the second hit, but the second window took several hard whacks before I found the right spot. When they broke it sounded like an explosion! Made me realize just how hard someone's head has to hit a windshield to crack it. Ouch.

I wanted my new sidebar pic to be some kind of baby footprints that you see associated with different pro-life campaigns. I did a Google search for "Choose Life" and happened across some funny pics from THIS WEBSITE. I searched around the site for a little bit, and it's a little weird, but you'll enjoy the pictures I linked to.

Here's Ryan with his Pappy.












And here he is with his Grand-Pappy.












He started it.

I'm taking a philosophy class this semester at the community college. The professor is an athiestic feminist with communistic tendencies. She's quite interesting, but she's actually really nice and I enjoy the class. I needed this ethcis class to finish up my undergrad. The registrar at my Christian college was a bit leary of me taking it from a "secular" school because it wouldn't be coming from a Christian worldview, but he allowed it anyway. I must say I'm so glad I took it here and not at my Christian college, my faith has been strengthed much more because of it. When you're hanging out in a Christian bubble you can become dull from a lack of challenge. This place has kept me on my toes and sharpened me up, I love it.

So far no one knows much about me, they don't know I'm a believer and a minister. I didn't want to sound like an ignorant Christian and be labeled as a right winger or a neo-con. It's hard to get an athiest to see your point of view if you're just saying "Well the Bible says..." My plan was to lay low, and it worked real well until, well, until about 15 minutes into the very first day of class.

The prof was talking about women's rights and how they are oppressed. She asked who thought it was oppressive to take a women's right to have an abortion away from her, I was the only one who didn't raise my hand. She looked at me and said "You don't think a woman is oppressed if her right to have an abortion taken from her?!" I said, "Well let's rephrase the question. Who in here thinks it's oppressive to the unborn baby to have it's right to life taken away from it?" Most of the class went "Oh crap...." and raised their hands. She sort of studdered for a second, made some comment about a fetus being a "glob of goo" and moved on quickly.

Since then we've just been discussing different social issues such as race, class, and oppression of women. And Walmart, she really hates Walmart. I haven't stuck out like a sore thumb and I've actually found myself agreeing with the prof about several things and have had logical and intelligent things to add to the discussion. I think she's a bit intrigured by me, and a bit nervous as well. But all the nice talk is about to be over with, and soon we'll be getting into discussions of abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty just to name a few. It'll get interesting for sure.

Not always, but sometimes. This was taken yesterday at the community college where I'm taking a couple classes. The parking lot is wide open but this guy just loves parking right next to me. He gets there after I do and I leave before him so I haven't met him yet. Hard to tell from this pic but my XJ actually looks kind of stout, that is until this dude comes rolling up and makes me look like a midget. Those are 33's, which is what I'd like to get whenever these tires wear out, which will be a while still. I won't have that much lift though. I think it's almost a little too high for those tires, looks a little tipsy to me.

Our new children's minister got a proper initiation by the local birds. Believe it or not, this was all done in 1 single pass, and no, she wasn't parked under power lines. The suckers just went on a rampage! It was on a Wednesday evening after church and we were all out in the parking lot.

I went to a junkyard yesterday to see if they had any Cherokees and I was surprised to find several. I was mostly just doing a quick once-over to see what was there. Found several little things for the interior such as a center console and some overhead lights. I also found a couple of overhead consoles that would be nice. They've got some extra lighting and a thermometer and compass that would be cool to have. I'll probably snag the rear wiper assembly from one since mine doesn't have it. Found one with tan carpet that was actually in good shape so I might take it and just cut it so that I could easily take it out in 2 sections for when summer comes. There was 1 Grand Cherokee and I want to see if the seats are in good shape but there were a couple of guys working under the dash so I didn't want to bother them. I'd love to get a full set of leather from one someday.

What I was really looking for was a 4 cylinder 4x4. Those will usually have 4.10 gearing in their axles, and this place sells them hub to hub for $130. That's what I really want to find, that way I can go to larger tires and not be driving a dog. I got in such a hurry that I forgot to look under the hood of a couple of them to see if they were 4 cyl but I'll be back soon. I was very surprised to find 3 Commanches(the smaller Jeep truck) and I think I've read that they might have lower gearing as well. There's another yard in town too, I'll have to check it out soon as well.

Just got my latest Netflix order in today, and it's a good thing since I'm stuck inside right now because of the rain and I doubt the soccer game will be played tonight. At home right now is the next disc of 24:Season 3, and Flyboys.

We've really gotten sucked into 24. Season 3 hasn't been quite so gripping just yet. Jack has just begun to break that bad guy out of prison. I found myself looking around the room at times, then I realized I was just a little bit bored. I'm sure it'll get better. Season 2 was incredible though, way better than Season 1 IMO. So thanks Ryan for getting me hooked, I owe you a cream soda.

Yes, it's real. No, that's not what I'm talking about. We're under a tornado watch right now and there are rumors that one has already touched down. Looks like I won't be going to any game tonight, but I can still hone my skills and try to Bend It Like Beckham, and so can you. Don't sign in, just hit PLAY. This game is pretty hard to get the hang of. Here's my high score.

Can you tell I'm bored? A big kid who's stuck inside on a rainy day. I feel like one of those church members I always make fun of, the ones who won't come to church when it rains? Well I don't want to go out visiting in this storm, I'm tired of reading and writing letters and stuff. So here I sit.

boooo-hissssss to the NFL!

I just read this story about how the NFL shut down a church's plans for a Superbowl party. They were going to show it on a projector but the NFL said no go. Just read the story. We're having our own shindig, but after reading this story and with help from thesaurus.com, I've changed the name to The Costless Colossal-Coliseum Clambake! I bet the NFL would be ticked to know that a certain little college I once attended recorded the game and then showed it on a projector later that night after everyone got back from church.