I'm not a boy scout.

I'm not a boy scout.

How do I make this long story short? I can't.

We went to Eufaula this weekend for my family reunion. We aren't from there, it's just where we lodge for four-five days of the year. And actually, we stay in Florence, Georgia which you hometowners will know is there on your Eufaula borders. So, same difference I guess.

We had planned to meet Rich and Jessica around 9 on Thursday night. I left the information at home. I knew the street but not the exact address. We got to town after nine. I thought I knew which house was Rich's but I didn't see any Florida tags. We checked back a few times over the weekend. It wasn't until Saturday that I got out at that house and asked. I was right but they had left that afternoon. We really were looking forward to hanging out with old friends.

With the knowledge that my parent's cabin was going to be packed out I planned to stay at my aunt's cabin. She had offered awhile back and they would actually have extra beds. I told my mom this plan and she quickly began to fume. She had just told me when Connie was leaving but then claimed that she didn't know if she was getting a cabin. It was not the plan to not hang out with them, but just to sleep comfortably. However, my mom decided that we were trying to be offensive and from that decided to be short with us. So, obviously from that we didn't make a lot of effort to hang out. Besides that, everytime we did go over my btother was in trouble. Mostly, just for twelve year old stuff, but oh was it a big deal. Whenever things seemed intense (which was everytime) we made a lame excuse and left.

Me and Donna really enjoyed our stay with Aunt Connie's family. We sat up late with her and her husband Gary,and at different intersections, their kids. We drank coke and they drank beer, but that's all I have to say about that.

I'm really only writing this to hit the high notes. All the in-between was much more amusing. I don't want to write about that this morning. I will say that despite the tension of my immediate family we had a really good time this year.

Family drama I'm used to. The real fun began on the way home. Since we wrecked I pay more attention to the road than I ever have as a passenger. I sometimes get nervous at potential collisions. I can't help but imagine the possibilities. More and more I'm learning to take all the necessary precautions like I'm anal about being sure we don't lock the keys in. But as hard as one tries to cover his bases sometimes he misses a spot. The spot we missed this story is the need for a spare tire.

Listen to me. I will never again ride or drive a vehicle which does not have a spare.

Yeah, we apparently ran over something and it tore a big gash in the tire. We thought it seemed we'd run upon a flat. Thankfully, we were almost home. We turned into Wal-Mart to check it out. Yes indeed. I had high hopes that I could fix this flat, either by sealant, patches or plugs or some combination of those. Before we'd buy everything we had we tried the Fix-A-Flat. We knew the gash was too big to patch when all the sealant oozed from it. We'd have to leave the truck overnight.

I wanted to call a cab but didn't know the number. There wasn't a phone book in the booth and the operator told me I needed to call information. But I didn't have fifty cents. We thought "maybe if we just take it slow, we can get it home." We drove a couple miles and I asked if we could pull into a particular parking lot to see if it looked any worse. Yes indeed. It had torn from that gash to all around the tire. We still weren't driving on the rim, but I knew we'd have to walk.

Donna said it wouldn't be far. I believed her because I could see the Baskin-Robbins billboard that marks our turn. I thought that meant we were home free. I thought wrong. It turns out that the part after the turn was the longest part. It had to have been five miles.

It's amazing how people can just drive right past a couple obviously in need of a lift. I think God let me see this so that I could better understand exactly how evil we all are. We decided that when reasonable we will give needy people a ride.

We got to our apartment, without dying. Now we just have to get a cab, go to the truck, undo the tire, go to the tire people, have them put a new tire on that rim, go back and put that on the truck.

Then, we can go on about our day. Like we had planned.

Statistics

I arrived back from my trip a few minutes ago with newfound car trouble in tow. I hit some water while taking a break from my journey in Graceville. My car stalled. I gave it a few minutes. Ever since, it has been sputtering and doesn't accelerate right. This problem, rather me trying to solve it, is the reason for me getting back so late. That's another thing to deal with now. However, I thought this was interesting. Since Thursday at 4 PM, I have driven approximately 1,500 miles. Today alone, I was in the car 16 hours. I am exhausted. I am, I, eh... Whatever.

Driving, Again

Today I'm making another venture to Florida. I'm leaving right now for Bartow, Florida. My Grandmother's funeral will be tomorrow at 10 AM. Pray for my whole family and my ability to stay awake. It's a 10 hour drive.

Bye for now.

And, Finally, After All This Time...

I finally got all my grades in. The first semester of graduate school is done (actually been out nearly a month) and I have a 3.5 GPA. Yay.

CEAM5119 Directives in Christian Education: A
CEAM6213 Servant Leadership: B
CEAM6225 Strategic Church Development Through Christian Ed: B
CEEF6203 Instructional Theory and Practice: A
CERW6270 Total Wellness: B
COOP5100 Introduction to the Cooperative Program: Pass
ETHC5300 Introduction to Christian Ethics: A

My Grandmother Died

My Nanny Watkins died on late Monday night. I don't even know how old she was. Late 80's for sure. She died of complications from Pneumonia. The family and I are doing alright because she's been sick for a long time. She's had a case of dementia for about 7 years. I need to try to get off work Friday for the funeral, but I just had three days off work last week, so we'll see if that happens.

This is nothing related, but I had a lot of thoughts about my friend's wedding the other night. I really can't explain it--the feelings I had/have. I couldn't really expound of them then and now I don't much feel like it. My friend Teresa and I had a conversation about it on Saturday night. Thus is the result:

JeffyJeffW: hey
teresalynntucker: hey :-)
JeffyJeffW: how is it?
teresalynntucker: woke up less than ten minutes ago
teresalynntucker: not sure if I'm coherent yet, actually - but I'm trying :-)
teresalynntucker: so was your friends wedding today?
teresalynntucker: I can't remember
JeffyJeffW: yes it was
JeffyJeffW: it was nice
JeffyJeffW: totally catholic
teresalynntucker: good
JeffyJeffW: i experience transubstantation for the first time
JeffyJeffW: though, i didn't partake of the Eucharist
teresalynntucker: for doctrinal reasons?
teresalynntucker: or just because?
JeffyJeffW: a little of both
JeffyJeffW: i want to do it
JeffyJeffW: but, all my friends know i'm not catholic
JeffyJeffW: so i didnt want to confuse-- actually, i wanted the oppurtunity to explain why i was not
teresalynntucker: I'm sorry
teresalynntucker: I thought I had responded, but I didn't
teresalynntucker: That's awesome that you want to be able to talk with them about it
JeffyJeffW: yeah, cause i've never just been able to witness to them
JeffyJeffW: cause they thing they're fine
JeffyJeffW: which they might be
JeffyJeffW: think*
teresalynntucker: right
teresalynntucker: but also maybe not
JeffyJeffW: right
JeffyJeffW: so, but i chickened out of talking to everyone
JeffyJeffW: i wanna write on to whom about it
JeffyJeffW: but i dont know if i can
teresalynntucker: why?
JeffyJeffW: like... i get all weird when i'm around high school people
JeffyJeffW: because i'm different now
JeffyJeffW: and i dont know why i don't care about them
JeffyJeffW: or, rather, why i care about what they think
teresalynntucker: well, they had to have an important place in your life
teresalynntucker: so it makes complete sense that you care what they think
JeffyJeffW: yeah, but in reality, i know that was then
JeffyJeffW: like... so not important now
JeffyJeffW: and i strived to think like that in high school (this won't matter 10 years from now)
teresalynntucker: right
JeffyJeffW: but... i see them and its hard to just be satisfied with what i'm doing in my life
JeffyJeffW: its like i want approval
JeffyJeffW: all the while claiming that i dont care
teresalynntucker: It's like that for me and lots of old friends - not just from high school either
JeffyJeffW: there's got to be a reason why
JeffyJeffW: why i divided it from high school/college
JeffyJeffW: concenr
JeffyJeffW: concern
JeffyJeffW: i guess because college is where i actually decided to not care what folk thought
JeffyJeffW: can i post this conversation on to whom
JeffyJeffW: i just want to express these feelings, but i dont feel like writing
teresalynntucker: sure
JeffyJeffW: thanks

Bed Sores from The Computer Chair

Bed Sores from The Computer Chair

We've been here 12 days. It was the 8th day before we had phone service. This is largely Bellsouth's responsibility. Thanks to everyone who participated in the "Midnight Phone-a-thon". Your t-shirts are in the mail. We haven't done a lot in the way of job hunting but we're going to kick that off full steam on Monday. Between tonight and tomorrow we will have our apartment completely decked out. On Thursday we leave for Eufaula where my family is gathering for its annual reunion. We'll get back sometime Sunday night.

My brain is froze up. Ctrl-Alt-Del isn't working. I'm going to have to shut down.

What a waste of your time.

BACK

I woke up at 7 AM EST in Melbourne and now I'm fixing to lay down at 11 PM CST in New Orleans. It was a long 12 hour drive back, but I entertained myself, for the most part, with music. I drove just under 800 miles today. I am spent.

Congratulations,

To Nick and Courtney Long who were married a few hours ago. It was a nice ceremony. It was great to see some old friends.

Junebug

Today I'm hanging out with a couple of friends that live near here (Melbourne, Florida). Both live like an hour and thirty minutes from my parents' house now. Ironically, I know neither of them from this area; I know them from Graceville. It's nice to come home and know old friends, but especially, when they're not that old. Or something.