My favorite quarterback

Matt Stafford, Detroit Lions QB, was mic'd up for a game his rookie year.  This clip is worth watching in its entirety.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-sound-efx/09000d5d8147c551/Sound-FX-Matthew-Stafford-mic-d-up

Arbitrary things that I love

1. My mom's ice cream sandwich desert
2. The cardboard jacket that goes around a hot coffee cup
3. A Christmas in Connecticut
4. Twitter hashtags
5. Strawberry Banana yogurt
6. Strawberry Banana yogurt with granola
7. Reheating leftover coffee
8. Rolling over the top sheet on my pad of paper instead of ripping it off
9. My Pilot fine-tipped pen (V7)
10. Baked potatoes in the microwave.
11. Dropping my keys in the white glass dish on top of my bookcase
12. My bookcases
13. The books on my bookcases
14. My linen closet
15. The walk-in closet in my bedroom that is big enough to be its own bedroom
16. The EADG, and high E strings on the guitar.  I don't love the B string.
17. Talking to waiters, baristas, and cashiers
18. Making things out of construction paper
19. Making things out of construction paper and an Elmer's Glue purple glue stick
20. FB'ing old friends and telling them that I miss them
21. Contact solution
22. Ice Skating
23. Water
24. Analog clocks
25. Biographies, but only in moderation.  They usually move me too much.
26. Holding back tears.
27. Confidence in a girl
28. My cut-capo
29. Crossing items off my to-do list.
30. Not knowing if I should add a "." at the end of an item in a list.  See above items. "."
31. The reindeer face-thing on Google Plus' video chat.  
32. Taking screen shots of my friend's baby while he has the reindeer face-thing on him.
33. Spicer coffee mugs that I had before I even started working at Spicer
34. Apple products.  I like Macintosh.
35. Gala apples.  I don't love Macintosh apples because they are too soft.
36. Incarnation music like "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
37. Crucifixion songs like "Old Rugged Cross"
38. Resurrection music like "Up from the grave he arose."
39. Chris Julian and Renato Betim and Michael Julian and Melody Julian
40. The Southern Baptist Church
41. Charlie Parker
42. Miles Davis
43. Over The Rhine
44. Over The Rhine concerts
45. Over The Rhine concerts with a cute friend
46. Empty coffee cups
47. Being generous
48. Windshield wipers
49. Minivans
50. I love that McDonalds has served over 99 Billion.  That's like... all of Abrahams's children? And I am one of them!
51. Using french fries to eat a Wendy's Frosty
52. Netflix Instant Streaming
53. Battlestar Galactica
54. Foreign martial arts films.  They always make me feel like I could be a ninja.
55. Auto-correct on my cellphone.  I'm getting way too used to it.  Plus, it's always an adventure to see what words it thinks that I'm trying to write.
56. Faux wood or stone laminate
57. Ending lists at an arbitrary number

What arbitrary things do you love?  

Twenty-Five

Yesterday, I turned 25.  According to one coworker, he thought I was 16 and asked if I was going to pick up my license later that day; My pastor wished me a happy 19th birthday.  I get it; I look young.  But really guys?

I turned 16 during my sophomore year of high school and I didn't get my driver's license that day.  At 19, I was in my freshman year at Calvin College about to begin my first set of College finals.  It's hard to remember back that far and come up with specific details of what happened on my birthday those years.  I can guess that my parents gave me a gift or two and we went out to eat for dinner (family tradition on birthdays).  I do remember what I asked for as a Christmas gift both those years:  a .22 rifle.  It's been on my list ever since I got my BB gun.

Life is different at 25 than at 16 and 19.  Not only do I have my drivers license, but I have a full-time job and business cards as well.  I didn't just finish one semester's worth of finals, I finished 12 semesters and along the way, picked up a Master's Degree.  There is less saxophone and more guitar.  I'm single (this is the same as when I was 16 and 19.  It was good that I was single back then; now?  Who knows?).  I don't remember what I did for my 16th and 19th birthdays, but I spent a good portion of my 25th birthday painting walls at church.

Life is different and better now than at 16 or 19.  I think I know and love Jesus more now than then.  I have more friends now.

Just one last thought: 25 more years puts me at 50.  I bet I'll look like I'm 45 - minimal gray hairs, still slim and strong, and a full head of hair.  I'll look good, even it means looking like I'm 16 or 19 on my 25th birthday.