Overheard...

Joseph: I think I know someone who lived to be 500 years old.  His name was Abraham.  Abraham from the Bible.  I think his full name was Abraham Lincoln.

Jacob: Abraham Lincoln?  Abraham Lincoln was a prisoner.

Joseph: Prisoner?  Hahaha... you mean president.

Jacob: Abraham Lincoln was a present?

Water Music

1. Put your iTunes on Shuffle.

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the note from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

No Woman, No Cry – Charlie Hunter Quartet

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

Higher Education and the Book of Love – Rich Mullins

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

All You Need is Love – The Beatles

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

Raggedy Ann – Mindy Smith

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

Silverado Days – Beulah

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

Live as You Dream – Beth Orton

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

Love Song for a Savior – Jars of Clay

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

Dance With Me, Now Darling – Hem

WHAT IS 2+2?

Blow Out – Radiohead

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

More Than This – Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Red-Eyed and Blue – Wilco

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

The Modern Age – The Strokes

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Skipalong – Lenka

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Crown of Creation – Ride

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

‘Round Midnight – Brad Mehldau, Lee Konitz and Charlie Haden

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Wichita – Gary Jules

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

But Not for Me – John Coltrane

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

Black Girl – Snakefarm

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Under Control – The Strokes

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

Oh Brother – The Boo Radleys

Poker

xtracycle

Long bike or short car?

Yeah, that's four kids behind me.

I recently purchased an xtracycle.  It's basically a kit that you can attach to almost any bicycle, and it takes the rear wheel back 15".  By elongating the wheelbase, it allows you to haul cargo and/or people.  As you can see from the pictures, it allows me to transport my kids.  What got me excited about the xtracycle was the fact that I could take my kids to and from school.  I was so annoyed to fire up the V-6 in my minivan to cart the kids around when I ended bringing only one of them at a time.  All of my school-aged children begin school at three different times everyday.  I'm happy now because I'm polluting the environment less, I'm saving money on gas, and I'm getting some exercise.

Recently I've been taking the Crash Course, and it got me wondering, "What if one day we ran out of gas?"  I mean, we are already paying more and more for this finite energy source, but what if one day, we just ran out of it completely?  I'm sure before that happens, alternative energy sources will slowly replace gasoline, but that will inevitably render all our current automobiles obsolete.  We'll just have hulking rusting pieces of metal everywhere.

If you think my doomsday predictions are ridiculous, the recent hurricane in Texas is just a glimpse of what could happen.  I joined an xtracycle message board, and one Texan xtracycle owner journaled this:

I cannot tell you enough how glad I was to have a bike capable of 
hauling cargo this past week. I live in Texas and hurricane Ike took 
out most services in my town this past week. The first couple of 
days after the storm came through most of the streets were littered 
with broken limbs and uprooted trees. Much of the area lost power so 
there were no stores open to buy food, and gas could not be pumped. 
What few gas stations had power, pumped their tanks dry pretty 
quick. Lines of cars were parking in front of gas stations with 
empty tanks in anticipation of a tanker bringing more fuel. I never 
needed fuel because I parked my vehicles with full tanks and road my 
bike all week. As stores started opening up I was able to easily 
haul whatever groceries we needed to feed a household of up to 6 
people. I hauled a full 5 gallon gas container to some friends house 
who needed the fuel to run a generator and also a cooler full of iced 
beverages. You may think it's cool that you are reducing your carbon 
footprint with your bike. When driving a car is not an option then 
you realize how truly important a tool these bikes can be.