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Well, I’m on the plane in between Boston and DC. I can’t sleep, don’t want to read, so I might as well write a blog entry right?

The Training:

My training is over (obviously) and I’m overall pretty satisfied with the course. For those of you who haven’t been following along.. My work (NPH) decided to send me to training regarding the OS X (Mac) operating system. The official title of the course is something like “Mac 105 Supporting OS X 10.4 for the Windows administrator”. The course sits a little above “novice” understanding of what OS X is and how it works.

As I mentioned before I was pretty satisfied with the course. I really like the instructor. She was really knowledgable and not the typical “die-hard” Mac person you’d expect. Actually she dissed OS X on a couple different occasions.

A lot of people are curious on my opionions on Macs. As it stands now, here is my opinion. Before my training I was telling Amy that I was a little “afraid” of what training might do to me. I was scared that I’d come back mac-fanatic. But here’s how I feel about Macs (because we all judge a person by the type of computer they use).

I have always respected Macs. Actually OS X is about the product from the Apple Corp. that I haven’t dissed. Even in highschool I was responsible with maintaining several Macs in the computer lab. The reason I respect OS X so much is not because of the pretty interface (GUI). No, no, no, actually quite the opposite. It’s because of the platform it rest on. OS X is based on the Unix/BSD operating system. A very secure and very stable platform. Apple saw the how great the Unix operating system was and just put a fancy/pretty face in front of it. Rather than create their own platform (like Microsoft did) they made some tweaks and called it their own. Apple’s kind of lazy like that. But it also makes them smart. They see something that works and then incourporate it.

There you have it. The short version is this; I like Mac’s because of the platform they’re built on. (Same reason I like Linux too) While I still prefer the interface of Windows, I wish it had more of a Unix platform behind it.

Boston:

This wasn’t my first time in Boston. But it was the first time that I was “on my own” in the city. The previous time I was in Boston was on a missions trip under parental supervision. It’s probably been 10+ years since I was last there.

Overall I liked the city. I do not think I could live there though. The city sends out a “dirty” vibe to me. I think my expectations are warped because of my squeaky clean suburb background. Looking around I don’t think the city was physically dirty, more than any other city. It just gave off that vibe. I also found nearly everyone is depressed in Boston. I asked Bobby about this, he agrees that he would definetly describe the city as unhappy. It’s probably because nobody looks anyone in the eye or says hello to you on the street. I found it very difficult to “turn off” my behaviour of saying hello to everyone I pass. I tried it a couple times but nobody responded. Sad, really.

I saw a lot of sites. Some your typical tourist destinations (the peer) others were places I just wanted to see (Harvard, Berkley School of Music). I got lots of good pictures, I’ll post them later. Props to Bobby for taking me around the city. And for being my accomplice through many adventures (like sneaking into several card-access only buildings at Harvard, all so I could take some pictures).

There you have it. That was my week. Now for Amy and I it’s time for some vacation. We’re headed up Omaha, NE and St. Paul, MN, in hopes of hugging a penguin. Don’t you worry, I’ll be taking my computer (It’ll be good having my own computer back, I’ve been using this tiny 12” Powerbook for a week now). So I’ll try posting while I’m on the road, pending internet access.

Isn’t that the most beautifull thing you’ve seen all “winter”. Oh it’s awesome out! The snow is falling hard. And it’s not just the small barely-making-a-dent kind of snow flakes. It’s the big fat ones. So what did I do to celebrate the first real snow day, I went out during break at work and slid around on the sidewalk. It was all fun and games until my feet flew over my head and I slammed my head on the ice covered concrete. Oh man, I’m not lying, I’m still kinda dizzy from it and that was 2 hours ago.

Sure my head hurts and it took me an hour to get home, but it’s worth it. You sunshine lovers can have your 11 months out of the year mocking me, it’s my turn now. Here’s some pictures I took while I was driving, I know I know…both hands on the wheel at all times.

Oh btw, I’m not sure if this will be my new blog home or not, I haven’t decided. So don’t bookmark it quite yet. Let me know what you think.

The plan is to get back on that Friday (12/8) and then Amy and I will be going up to Omaha, NE (nope, don’t know anyone there) for a couple days to celebrate our anniversary. We’ve even talked about driving up to MN to see the Krizzle. I want to cross the border while we’re up there too, we’ll see if that actually happens.

OH and btw, the rumors are true I was Nacho Libre for Halloween. Yes, there are pictures out there too. Somehow (dirty Nazarene hot line I guess) everyone at work found out too. Just a hair embarrassing when the head of the HR department starts asking about your costume that involved tights and ladies underwear.

Also, I joined Facebook. Never thought I’d do it, because it seemed just like some other trendy online community. But I was bored on Saturday so I joined. Joe was pretty happy about it.

And finally. If they would have had games like this in school I probably would be a much better typpper.

Well here I stand corrected, but not embarrassed. Ted Haggard admitted that he is guilty of sexual immorality. Again, I’m not embarrassed for, as some would say, being proved wrong. I love Haggards’ response. It proves that he is truly still a man of God. He points out one very important life lesson and that is, that we all have issues. Skeleton’s in our closet, as some like to put it. They are the things that we constantly have to keep in check. And the moment we take the spotlight off of them, because we think we have it under control, they start creeping up on us again. OH very important to realize. Learn this lesson from Haggard. ALWAYS keep a spotlight on those issues you think you have under control. I have lost no respect for Haggard. I’ve probably gained some because I see triumph in his situation. He even praises God for his accuser, how amazing!

There are two things that I must confess first about my feelings toward Ted Haggard. First, I have tremendous respect for Haggard. I have never heard him preach. Nor have I ever read any of his books. But I have read a book by one of his associate pastors named Rob Brendle, whom I’ve also heard preach multiple times. I have much, much, respect for Brendle and Brendle speaks very highly of Haggard, therefore I think very highly of Haggard. They say respect is earned, well Haggard earned my respect through Brendle.

Second, until I hear from the mouth of Haggard that he “commited sexual immoral conduct” with his accuser Mike Jones I will believe he is innocent. Why? Because I’m the eternal optimist and also I don’t think a man who’s heart is aligned with Gods, that God would let him continue to be successful (I mean come on 14,000 member church and 30 million member association).

Ok with those two points made, I’m realizing I don’t have much more content left. All I really had to say was in the previous paragraphs. But will say this, we all know that the “church” is a far from perfect organization. Even those mega-churches, such as Haggards’ New Life Church (btw NLC has impressed me so much that I fully believe that I will one day be a regular member there, more on that in the coming years) don’t have the “business” side of church figured out. Here’s what I don’t understand about the church board convincing Haggard to resign based on their private investigation.
“We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard,” a statement from the church said. “Our investigation and Pastor Haggard’s public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct.”
I can pretend to look through this situation with “non-believer eyes” and I kind of understand that they don’t want a man who isn’t perfect representing the church. But looking upon this situation with “believer eyes” here is what I see. I see a man who sins. Even before this scandle Pastor Ted sinned. He’d be the first to tell you so. And who better to raise the believers around him than someone who grows too. I don’t won’t some status-symbol, picture-perfect, leader talking down to me. I want someone to be by my side not in front or above. To me it sounds as though the church has given him the boot simply because they have found a flaw in their picture perfect man. They probably wouldn’t put it like that, but that’s how it sounds. It’s just like the many small churches around the USA that have kicked their pastors out because they found out about some small thing like addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc..) in their leader. Rather than confront him and help him, they kick him out. I’m curious where in the Bible (you know, that book sitting behind the manual) is the list of sins in order of severity. I do understand we don’t want a two-faced man/woman being our leader, I get that. But I’m guessing millions of us will go to church tomorrow and listen to a man who “sinned” on the way to church.

Oh the rant is over.
Joe, this is for you….woot.