Tristan S. Pinkham

My Favorite ChristianPF Article & New Giveaway

2011-02-21T10:07:00.008-06:00

I Remember

I'm not sure if any of you ever read the following article, but I believe it's my all-time favorite ChristianPF post. It's not your typical financial how-to. It doesn't teach you about the tax benefits of Roth IRA's, and it doesn't tell you how to save money around the house. Rather, it's a quick, poignant rundown of Bob's financial journey titled "I Remember," and I hope it blesses you like it blessed me. Click here to check it out.

ChristianPF Amazon Kindle Giveaway

Although I really hope you read the article above, I did want to let you know about Bob's latest giveaway -- an Amazon Kindle (3G/Wifi)! Click here to visit the giveaway page. Please note that there are multiple ways to enter, and you can have more than one entry. Read the rules! I'm not sure about you, but I've wanted one of these things for a while now. In case you do enter, good luck!

ChristianPF iPod Touch Giveaway!

2010-09-17T10:52:00.004-05:00

Well, Bob and Linda over at ChristianPF are at it again! This time they're giving away a brand new iPod Touch (4th Generation)! This latest model includes some goodies like Facetime, HD Video Recording, Game Center, etc. Check out the full list of features here on Apple's official site. If you want to have a chance at winning one of these, just stop by ChristianPF, and go over all the entry rules and details.

Good luck!

ChristianPF iPad Giveaway!

2010-06-04T11:15:00.008-05:00

Hey, friends! Long time, no post. That's always the case with me, isn't it? Anyway, my bro-in-law/buddy is giving away a brand new Apple iPad in honor of ChristianPF.com's 3rd birthday! Click on that link for more details on how to enter (hint: you can get up to 22 entries). Check it out!

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel by The Franz Family

2009-12-22T12:45:00.008-06:00

Christmas is coming! Only three days left. Now, I'm usually not one for Christmas songs, but my buddy Nathan (who just so happens to update his blog more infrequently than I do mine) sent me this rendition of "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel" by the Franz Family -- and I love it! If you appreciate quality musicianship and a little blue grass, then you'll like it. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Z-4H39BCM

Judge Andrew Napolitano's Speech at the Columbus Ohio Tea Party, Aug 1st, 2009

2009-08-06T08:43:00.006-05:00

I like Judge Andrew Napolitano. He understands the Constitution. He understands freedom. His speech at the Columbus Ohio Tea Party on August 1st, 2009, is worthy of mention, so I've posted it below. Aside from a few slighly schmaltzy, patriotic clichés (in my humble opinion), I thought he hit the nail on the head. I hope you find it inspiring.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Ron Paul Tells It Like It Is...Again!

2009-07-23T10:33:00.005-05:00

Hi, Friends! Please watch these videos. Congressman Paul sticks it to the Fed and his colleagues again. America needs to wake up and finally start listening to this man. He's been spot-on for years and received only laughs...it's a shame because this stuff isn't funny at all.

Sorry about the audio quality on the next video...

Federal Reserve: Incompetency

2009-06-19T11:34:00.004-05:00

Hi, Friends. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Then why is it I'm left speechless after watching this video? You decide...

Nintendo Wii and Apple iPod Giveaway!

2009-05-31T18:57:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! Bob, over at Christian Personal Finance, is giving away a Wii and an 8GB iPod Nano for ChristianPF's 2-year birthday! For the details, click here to read the rules. God bless, and good luck!

I Fell In Love With A 1969 Gibson ES-150DC

2009-04-24T08:58:00.013-05:00

Over Easter weekend, three other guys and I had the chance to play "Help!" from The Beatles at church (that sounds strange, but Pastor Jeff worked it into the sermon quite nicely). Anyway, during rehearsals the week before, I was playing my Eric Johnson Fender Stratocaster, but the tone just wasn't cutting it for that song. I needed something with more bite...something truer to George Harrison's tone on The Beatles' recording. So, Cory (my brother-in-law and church music director extraordinaire) decided to rent a guitar for me.

I asked him to find Gibson ES-335, a Gretsch 6128T, or Gretsch a 6119HT -- figured those would produce the tone I was looking for. Turns out the rental place didn't have any Gretsch guitars, but they did have three Gibson ES-335's. However, Chuck Berry (of all people, hahah!) beat me to them. I guess he had a gig that weekend. :) Cory ended up settling for a Gibson ES-150DC (which is pictured above).

The body of the ES-150DC looks very similar to the body of the ES-335, but the 150 is a full-hollow body with a depth of 3", whereas the 335 is a semi-hollow body with a depth of 1¾". At first glance, I thought it was a 335, until I picked it up. Though, that really didn't matter because I fell in love with it when I plucked the first note. It sounded beautiful! The neck pickup generated a rich, fat, warm tone; and the bridge pickup gave me the perfect treble/mid tones that were sure to cut through on "Help!".

I actually got to play it for Friday night's praise and worship, which was a blast. Later, I was able to take it home for the rest of the weekend...got it cleaned up, took some pics (which are featured on my slide show on the right), and fell in love with it even more. The guys and I ended up having a great time playing "Help!" for the congregation in each of the four Easter Sunday services. Nevertheless, the time came for me to part with that wonderful instrument, and, naturally, I was a little bummed about that.

I haven't stopped thinking about that guitar, and for the last two weeks, I've been checking around eBay and some other sites for another ES-150DC. No luck -- until three or four days ago! There's a place in St. Louis called Killer Vintage, and they specialize in vintage gear (go figure!). As I was browsing their inventory, I stumbled upon a nearly identical Gibson ES-150DC to the one I had played a few weeks earlier (click here to see it). This one is a 1968...even better!

So, this past Wednesday, I spent my lunch break at Killer Vintage, talking to the staff and playing that guitar. The guys at the shop were really cool. They treat everybody with respect (unlike many other guitar depots), and the '68 Gibson ES-150DC was fantastic. Man, would I love to have this guitar! Right now, the $2,299 price tag is a little out of reach. But, that doesn't mean I should flush this desire of mine down the toilet. Mark my words, I will add this to my collection someday!

GOD bless!

Latest Stimulus Bill Impossible to Read Before Vote

2009-02-14T09:02:00.006-06:00

Hello, friends, and happy Valentine's Day. I don't mean to sound like a Ron Paul sycophant, but he's really the only one I can see that speaks the truth and works for the people. So, you can expect me to post a lot more from him.

Apparently, the latest stimulus bill was over 1,000 pages long, and it was not available for everyone to read in time for the vote. Yep...that's the kind of "change" we need. Pfft!

Here's what Congressman Paul had to say yesterday:

New Hampshire Standing Strong!

2009-02-13T09:27:00.009-06:00

Way to go New Hampshire! Taking back it's state's rights from the federal government. They've brought forth a resolution, "affirming States’ rights based on Jeffersonian principles." Of course, this resolution is very constitutional and it serves as nice warning to our ever-growing federal government.

Hearing news like this gives me great hope for the future of the United States of America. There are a handful of other states that have drafted/declared somewhat similar resolutions, but this one takes the cake; and it draws a clear boundary line for our federal government.

Please take a few minutes to read over this historic resolution. Here's the link again: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HCR0006.html

God bless America!

***UPDATE: Unfortunately, this resolution was shot down. However, it's just the beginning! Slowly but surely, this movement is catching on. I'm sure we'll see more resolutions/legislation like this.

Ron Paul Stands Up for America!

2009-02-05T15:25:00.009-06:00

I love this guy! Dr. Paul has actually proposed the abolition of the Federal Reserve before the House. Here's a link to his speech: Statement on Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act. However, I've posted the entire thing below. Enjoy!

Statement of Congressman Ron Paul

United States House of Representatives

Statement on Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act

February 3, 2009

Madame Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation to restore financial stability to America's economy by abolishing the Federal Reserve. Since the creation of the Federal Reserve, middle and working-class Americans have been victimized by a boom-and-bust monetary policy. In addition, most Americans have suffered a steadily eroding purchasing power because of the Federal Reserve's inflationary policies. This represents a real, if hidden, tax imposed on the American people.

From the Great Depression, to the stagflation of the seventies, to the current economic crisis caused by the housing bubble, every economic downturn suffered by this country over the past century can be traced to Federal Reserve policy. The Fed has followed a consistent policy of flooding the economy with easy money, leading to a misallocation of resources and an artificial "boom" followed by a recession or depression when the Fed-created bubble bursts.

With a stable currency, American exporters will no longer be held hostage to an erratic monetary policy. Stabilizing the currency will also give Americans new incentives to save as they will no longer have to fear inflation eroding their savings. Those members concerned about increasing America's exports or the low rate of savings should be enthusiastic supporters of this legislation.

Though the Federal Reserve policy harms the average American, it benefits those in a position to take advantage of the cycles in monetary policy. The main beneficiaries are those who receive access to artificially inflated money and/or credit before the inflationary effects of the policy impact the entire economy. Federal Reserve policies also benefit big spending politicians who use the inflated currency created by the Fed to hide the true costs of the welfare-warfare state. It is time for Congress to put the interests of the American people ahead of special interests and their own appetite for big government.

Abolishing the Federal Reserve will allow Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over monetary policy. The United States Constitution grants to Congress the authority to coin money and regulate the value of the currency. The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to delegate control over monetary policy to a central bank. Furthermore, the Constitution certainly does not empower the federal government to erode the American standard of living via an inflationary monetary policy.

In fact, Congress' constitutional mandate regarding monetary policy should only permit currency backed by stable commodities such as silver and gold to be used as legal tender. Therefore, abolishing the Federal Reserve and returning to a constitutional system will enable America to return to the type of monetary system envisioned by our nation's founders: one where the value of money is consistent because it is tied to a commodity such as gold. Such a monetary system is the basis of a true freemarket economy.

In conclusion, Mr.[sic] Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand up for working Americans by putting an end to the manipulation of the money supply which erodes Americans' standard of living, enlarges big government, and enriches well-connected elites, by cosponsoring my legislation to abolish the Federal Reserve.

Christmas Giveaway!

2008-12-21T16:33:00.009-06:00

Hey, folks! Long time, no post...I know. Bob, over at www.christianpf.com, is giving away some great stuff for Christmas! Check it out here!

Some lucky readers will be getting blessed with:

An 8GB iPod Nano
A 1GB iPod Shuffle
A 6-month subscription to NeoBudget
3 Pampered Chef silicon scrapers (for the chef in you!)
2 copies of H&R Block's Taxcut Premium 2008
C.S. Lewis’ "The Great Divorce" audiobook
"The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets" by Peter Schiff
"Overworked, Overwhelmed & Underpaid" by Louis Barajas!

Whew...that's quite the list. :D

Anyway, to be entered, you gotta do what I just did. First, plug Bob's giveaway on your site. Second, go back to Bob's Christmas Giveaway post and leave a comment with the URL of where you mentioned it on your site! Good luck!

Could You Give for 10 days? Plus more!

2008-09-19T08:23:00.014-05:00

Now here's something! My brother-in-law, Bob, over at Christian Personal Finance has been inspired to challenge his readers to take one moment each day, out of a 10 day stretch, to bless somebody.

Here's what he has to say about it:

The 10 Day Give Challenge

I got a challenge for you. Could you give something, each day, to a different person, for 10 days? Do you think you are up for it? I hope you are.

What the 10 Day Give is all about

The thing is, I think most people really want to make other people’s lives better, but with everything going on all around us all hours of the day, we just don’t get a chance. This is an opportunity to choose, on purpose, to give of ourselves. There really are hundreds of opportunities that we overlook each day. My goal is to just grab hold of one of them each day.

For some people that means giving money, for others time is far more precious than money, and for others it may mean their gifting or expertise in an area. But, no matter who you are, we all have something to give.

It could be taking someone out to lunch, it could be babysitting for an overworked mom, it can as simple as giving your precious time by taking your mom to the park to talk. There are no rules, no judges, and no right or wrong ways of completing the challenge.

But, I encourage you to sign up for the challenge and decide to give whatever you can - it’s only for 10 days. And who knows, maybe it will become a habit. You can do it whenever, but we are going to be doing it as a group from October 10th - 19th, so we would love it if you would join us!

How you can help or get involved

You can sign up for the 10DG here.

You can tell others about it via your blog, Facebook, Twitter, email, or anything else.

You can put a button on your blog/website to help spread the word (you can get it here)

And a quick video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCnsS0Ophw

You can sign up and find out a bit more at the 10 Day Give page.

A true challenge! Nevertheless, I think it's a great idea that will be quite liberating for the giver.

Oh yeah, here's the "plus more" from my post title. It is Friday, and Bob has a new giveaway. This week's prize is a 2-year subscription to SmartMoney Magazine! Cha-ching! Check it out here!

One More Reason to Buy Organic...

2008-08-21T10:55:00.007-05:00

Hello, Friends! It's been a long time! In case you're wondering, yes, Jamey and I are very happily married.

Anyway, I've been debating what to post for quite some time now. However, I just read a breaking news article about another ominous move by our wonderful FDA. Check it out below:

"WASHINGTON — The government will allow food producers to start zapping fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and other dangerous germs, a key safety move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.

Irradiated meat has been around for years, particularly ground beef. But food companies long worried that zapping leafy greens with X-rays or other means of radiation would leave them limp.

The Food and Drug Administration has determined that modern irradiation techniques kill food-poisoning germs without compromising the safety or nutrient value of raw spinach and lettuce. Its new rule takes effect Friday."

External Source: Fox News/AP article

7 Days and Counting!

2008-07-05T08:27:00.003-05:00

That's right! Only one week left until Jamey and I tie the knot. The days seem to go by faster and faster. I happen to think that's a good thing...especially considering how stressful the past week has been for both of us. I'll forgo the details. I would stay seated to type some more for you, but I've got lots of things to do today. Have a great week. If you don't hear from me in 7 days it's because I've left for the honeymoon! God bless!

19 Days and Counting!

2008-06-23T08:38:00.005-05:00

I know I was supposed to update at T-minus 20 days; but yesterday was Sunday, and I was out all day. Anyway, we're getting down to the wire, folks, and the excitement keeps building!

A while back I think I told you that Jamey and I were considering renting a luxury convertible instead of a limo for the wedding (something like a new Mercedes-Benz or BMW). Well, I had all but given up on that search because there's no one in the St. Louis area who rents out cars like that, so I was bummin'. However, a few days ago, one of my groomsmen told me about a business in town that rents out classic cars. That really caught my attention. I looked them up online -- Classic Cars Plus -- and mentioned it to Jamey. She liked the idea, so we're going to take a ride over there tonight to check them out and ask some questions. They have some pretty neat cars, and from looking at the pictures, I think we like the 1956 Porsche Speedster. It would fit nicely into our wedding.

I think that's all I have for you right now. I'll update you soon! God bless!

New Cell Phone!

2008-06-12T10:51:00.005-05:00

I recently renewed my two-year contract with Verizon, and, although I didn't have to, I purchased a new phone. They had a few makes/models to browse, but ultimately I had my heart set on the LG Voyager. This thing is pretty neat. It has a large touch screen with a great user interface on the exterior. The Voyager is fairly sleek -- LG definitely took some cues from the iPhone, but it's no iPhone-killer. Open it up, and you'll find the interior has a full QWERTY keyboard and another large screen (not a touch screen). I decided to try out the Verizon VCast package (1st month is free), so I can surf the web and watch TV with it too! The video quality is much better than anticipated; and traversing web pages is easy, but it would be even easier if the Voyager had the multi-touch feature that the iPhone so seamlessly incorporates. All in all, I like my new toy. Here are a couple pics:

30 Days and Counting!

2008-06-12T09:19:00.004-05:00

Okay, 30 days left, and I'm really getting excited! It's pretty weird to think that I'll have a wife. Haha! :) Even though it's the next step in life that I've wanted to take, it's kind of strange (albeit thrilling) when I think about it. In all seriousness, I can't wait to marry Jamey. She's the one for me, and I cannot imagine living the rest of my days without her by my side. Everyday, I thank God for placing her in my life!

Anyway, there will be more updates to come. Until then, God bless!

40 Days and Counting!

2008-06-02T11:08:00.005-05:00

Well, only 40 days until the wedding! I don't have much to say, but since I last updated you at 50 days, I'll post the next wedding thread at T-minus 30 days!

2008-05-30T08:54:00.006-05:00

Do you like free stuff? Well, my pal (and brother-in-law in 43 days!), Bob Lotich has a giveaway every Friday on his site ChristianPF.com! This week's prize is a subcription to Smart Money magazine.

Here's what Bob has to say about it:

The Smart Money giveaway

Well, in honor of my recent interview with Smart Money Magazine I am giving away a subscription this week… I don’t know what issue the interview will be in - if it is good I will tell you when it comes out. ;) Heck, I will tell you even if it is bad - we can laugh together.

A little bit about Smart Money:

It is the Wall Street Journal’s magazine, and it is geared a bit more towards investors. Money magazine is my favorite all-around personal finance magazine and Kiplinger’s is a close second. Smart Money touches on general personal finance topics, but has a stronger focus on investing. Nonetheless, it is still a good magazine. So the giveaway will be for a year’s subscription to Smart Money.

What do I have to do to win the Smart Money subscription?

If you would like to be entered for a chance to win the magazine subscription just leave a comment below before 7:00 p.m. CST on June 1st, 2008.

(If you are having trouble finding the comments section, just click on the title of this post and scroll all the way to the bottom.)

A few more notes about the Smart Money giveaway…

From those comments entered I will randomly select a winner using random.org.

Go ahead and enter each week, but only enter once (per household) for each one. (Duplicate entries or IP addresses will be disqualified)

Make sure you enter your email address when adding your comment so I can contact you if you win. (I promise I will not spam your or give your email to anyone else)

The winner will be announced on June 2nd in the comments section of this post!!

To be sure you hear about the next giveaway why not get ChristianPF via email?

Anyway, go there, post a comment under that thread, and maybe you'll win! Return each Friday because Bob always has something new. In the past he's given away things like a wireless mouse, budgeting software, books, and even a 4GB iPod Nano during the Christmas season!

Be sure to check out his other posts too. You may learn something!

50 Days and Counting!

2008-05-23T10:42:00.007-05:00

Ok, I know it has been quite some time since I last wrote you. I got a little lazy.

Well, wedding plans are going well...only 50 days left! Jamey and I are getting pretty excited. We checked out a jazz band the other night, and we think we might use them at the reception. A live band would be great, but we're still weighing our options. Other than that, we have very little to do.

I also want to thank all of the wonderful people who have given to us already. You've been a major blessing -- probably more than you know. So, thank you!

Alright, I'll try to check in more often for you. Until then, God bless you!

Don't Buy VIORE

2008-02-16T10:37:00.003-06:00

This is a friendly public service message: An old college buddy of mine, Josh Rose, has had a terrible customer service experience with a company named VIORE. He purchased one of their 42" Plasma TVs a little over a year ago, and it stopped working right after his 1-year warranty expired. Josh has tried to contact them, but they've done nothing but give him the run-around. In fact, he's had so much trouble with VIORE that he's decided to create a nice little website in their honor titled I Hate VIORE. For the good of all consumers, I strongly urge you to read his story.

Cast Your Vote!

2008-02-05T12:37:00.000-06:00

Hello, friends. Super Tuesday is here, and it is your duty as a citizen of the United States to vote. I believe most/all polls are open until 7:00PM, so there's still time. No excuses! Don't let work get in the way either. Did you know that it's illegal for your employer to keep you from voting? Yes, they're required by law to allow employees ample time to vote. :) Anyway, if you're not registered it's too late for this go around. However, do what you can to get registered for the presidential elections in November. It's very simple. You can even do it at your local DMV. Here's some voter registration info for my fellow Missourians. If you live somewhere else, just search Google for voter registration. There are some very important issues surrounding the elections this year: The sinking economy and our devaluing dollar, spending, illegal immigration, and the war on terror/Iraq war...among a few others. Do your best to educate yourselves on the issues, and be careful while listening to the mainstream media. Whether it's CNN or MSNBC, which are more biased to the left; or Fox News, which is more biased to the right...they're all biased. Don't just let your vote default to the most popular candidate. Rather, make voting a true conscious decision. Vote for your candidate because you have taken the time to find out where he stands on the particular issues. The best way to do this is to look at that person's voting record while in office. Those records speak volumes, and they reveal the true nature/intent of the candidate. Remember, as you leave to go to the polls today, don't forget to bring your voter card and some identification like a driver's license (Bring two forms of ID just incase). Thank you for getting out there to vote!

Wedding update!

2008-01-25T09:33:00.000-06:00

Sorry about taking so long to get back to you with an update. I'm sure you're eager to know when the big day is, but I guess I've just been lazy about posting...well, we will be tying the knot on July 12th, 2008! Sometimes that date seems so far off to me, and part of me wishes the two of us could get married right now. However, time will fly, and it will be here before we know it. So far, Jamey has booked our church and a reception hall. Plus, she told me she found and purchased the dress! Don't worry! I haven't seen it; nor will I -- until the day of the wedding (Gotta keep tradition). We still have a lot to do, but, thankfully, we're making good progress. We'll both be taking the last week in February off from work to get some things done (IE: cake/food tasting, registering, etc.) It'll be good! OK, thanks for reading. I'll post another update when there's more news.

FDA To OK Food Derived From Cloned Animals...

2008-01-15T09:14:00.000-06:00

Something about that doesn't bode well with me. I firmly believe that eating all natural, preferably USDA certified organic, food is the healthiest way to go. I know a few of you see eye to eye with me here. People were not meant to ingest genetically altered, pesticide laden, artificially fertilized, steroid/antibiotic/hormone injected foods. I could go on and on, (and I really want to) but I'm posting this from work; and time is of the essence! :)

If you're interested read here: Washington Post Article.

New Chapter

2007-12-31T10:43:00.000-06:00

Well, I just wanted to give you a quick update. On Saturday December 29th, 2007, Jamey and I got engaged! We're both extremely happy and excited about starting this new chapter in our lives. I love her with all of my heart and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her. :) As of right now, we haven't set a date, but we'll figure that out fairly soon, I'm sure. Anyway, more details to come!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2007-12-25T07:59:00.000-06:00

Good morning, and merry Christmas! I hope you are able to spend some quality time with friends and family, exchanging gifts with each other. In the midst of the excitement that this day brings for so many of us, remember why we celebrate it in the first place. 2000 years ago God gave us the ultimate gift, Jesus. (Take about 5-10 minutes to read the first few chapters of Luke.) For those of you who don't believe, consider this. The Bible says that God has set eternity into the heart of every man and woman (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Whether we're believers, agnostics, atheists, or something else, we've all asked (or will someday) ourselves about the possibility of some sort of life after death. Jesus is the answer to those questions. We've all sinned and fallen short in God's eyes, but He sent His only Son, as a free gift, to redeem us (John 3:16)...to keep us from being separated from Him in eternity. But just like any other gift, it's really of no use to us until we accept it. All you have to do is call on Him. Romans 10:15 says: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." It's as simple as that. Merry Christmas!

Making Firefox Faster

2007-12-04T10:20:00.000-06:00

Sorry if this is old news, but if you use Firefox and you're surfing via broadband, then you're in luck! (I must disclose that I still haven't made the jump to Firefox. Yeah, yeah...spare me. I'm just being lazy) There's a nice trick to make your browser faster by changing the way it works. Firefox, by defualt, is optimized for dial-up connections (56k modems). It loads one thing at a time. However, this tweak will force it to load multiple things at the same time. Repeat after me: pipelining! Click here to check it out, and be sure to let me know what you think! (Oh, I'm sure I'll switch to Firefox soon) :)

Another Year

2007-11-12T12:31:00.000-06:00

Well, another year has passed, and I am now 26 (as of November 9th). That's kind of weird when I think about it. 4 years till 30! Not that 30 is old...because it's not. Anyway, I had a great weekend. My girlfriend, Jamey, and I took the day off Friday. We went to the St. Louis Zoo that afternoon, and then we stopped by my mom and dad's house for dinner. Mom made a special dinner (by my request)...her chicken-pot pie, sautéed green beans, mashed potatoes, and her yellow cake that I like so much. She did all that in addition to working a full day. I love my mom. :) Saturday, Jamey and I took a trip to the St. Louis Science Center to see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit. It was so good...very enlightening. It will be there till March of 2008 (I think), so go get tickets. Later that night, Jamey treated me to dinner at Travenas. If you're hungry, and in the area, I highly recommend it. We've now eaten there twice...and been thoroughly impressed each time. The atmosphere is nice-casual, but the food is outstanding. May I suggest the Aegean Salmon, New York Strip Steak, or the Fettucine con Pollo?

7th Annual Thanskgiving LAN (Nerd Fest)

2007-11-02T09:45:00.000-05:00

So, pwnage anyone? Need I say more? Yes. It is that time of the year again, and we're approaching the annual Thanksgiving LAN...in fact, this will be our 7th annual get-together. Hosted ever so graciously by Andrew and Katie Reiter, deep in the heart of Herculaneum, Missouri, it's sure to be another hit. This year we will be playing Team Fortress 2 and Quake Wars: Enemy Territory. I've been playing TF2 for a couple weeks now, and it is a total blast. I can't wait to melt some faces. QW:ET is a different story. I'm sure it's fun, but I haven't had much exposure to it simply because I can't seem to put TF2 down. I'm bound to get severely owned if I don't put some time into it. For those of you out of the loop, this party is always the weekend before Thanksgiving, where bunch of us old friends from college get together for a very unhealthy dose of computer gaming. As nerdy as it sounds (trust me, it's a nerd fest), the best part is not the gaming. It's the camaraderie. Ok, I'm done geeking-out for now.

In Need of Some Sound Financial Advice?

2007-10-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends! Whether your answer to the title question is "yes" or "no," I urge you to visit (and even peruse*!) Bob Lotich's website www.christianpf.com (Christian Personal Finance). I know that I've placed his link over to the right of the page, but he warrants a nice plug! :) Bob is a personal friend of mine who currently works for a large, nationally known financial firm. You'd definitely recognize the name of the place, but I'm not sure he'd appreciate me divulging that info. Back to the point. Needless to say, there are millions of people struggling with their finances. We all know somebody in that boat, and Bob truly has a heart to help those people. So, what better way to do that than to start with what he knows best? At this point he is not doing any personal consultation through his site, and I'm not even sure if that would be a direction in which he'd want to take it. That's for him to decide. Either way, take a look! Bob's approach is clean and simple, and I'm sure his sage advice could help shed some light on your financial life (whether you believe it's trouble free or not). *For an accurate definition of peruse please see my post below. :P

A Hearty List of Some Common Errors in English

2007-10-25T13:47:00.000-05:00

Some of you may be surprised while perusing the following list (CLICK HERE). I know I've learned a few things. Heck, until now, I wasn't aware that peruse actually means "examine thoroughly" and not "glance over hastily," as it is most commonly used. I feel that this has, somehow, revolutionized my life. Well, maybe not. Nevertheless, I highly recommend reading through it. Besides, in the off chance you do learn something, you'll immediately recognize it when someone uses that word/phrase incorrectly...and that, my friends, will drive you mad (hopefully). Like fingernails on a chalkboard. Priceless. Hey! I bet our dear friend, Nathan Sanders, could even learn a thing or two...and his command of the English language is already quite impressive. That's sayin' something!

Crazy Wiffle-Ball Pitcher

2007-10-24T13:09:00.000-05:00

Not that this really matters, but I thought many of you (I'm aiming for the masses here) would enjoy this video. I wish I could pitch like this. I know you do too. However, that doesn't make it any more useful than it already isn't. Enjoy. http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=368753

Not to be out done

2007-10-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

...by Thomack and McNeal, that is. I could not sit by and watch them get all the glory, appealing to masses, with their brand-spanking-new blogs. So here it is, in all of it's glory!* *Disclaimer: Total mass appeal sold separately