ready, set,......................go

so here is everything I'm bringing, and then everything packed, and then what I'm wearing on the plane. I know there must be fellow travelers who'd get a kick out of what I'm trying to take for 10 days in one carry-on. basically a pair of khakis, black jeans, blue jeans, grey jeans worn on the plane. my Nike shoes, medium shoes, medium slip on, and sanuk slipons on the plane. 2 polo shirts, good supply of tighty t-shirts, optional worn over long sleeve thermal if cool out. my button up green jacket, and element jacket for the plane. 3 pairs of socks and boxers I can wash during trip (stuffed in shoes), one long sleeve shirt, and one light sweater. you might notice the box of chocolate and pot holder I'm bringing as gifts. also the sunglasses for trip and the plane, and then cameras and ipod. the carry-on is the Porter bag I bought myself last summer, and the smaller bag is to keep electronics and magazines while I'm sitting on the plane. one of my favorite things, a pullstring backpack I got at the Tate art museum in 2001.

also a small bag of bathroom articles. hopefully I won't think of anything else to bring in the next two days. Monday is coming SOON, can't wait.

gay closet blog? gay Christian network? hot radio station staff?

I checked out this gay Christian network website tonight while surfing the web. the link was on this HOT-hot-hottie-from-Boston 's website here, so I noticed it and checked it out. Well fellow gay Christian readers, you might think, dan, haven't you already searched and surfed all around the internet for such websites? and I have to say, no I haven't because I've always considered "gay churches" sort of impossilbe and misguided etc... i know that's harsh but I'm from OKC, give me time. So anyway, I have to say i was really pleased to check out the above mentioned site and find they have a very welcoming attitude to both the "God says it's ok" AND the "God says it's not ok" sides of the whole issue. on the site, you can click on the great debate which discusses side A and B, and also has a link about Tony Campolo, who I've always loved and heard speak many times at my college, and his wife who are both on different sides of the debate, yet the GET ALONG and go to bed every night understanding each other's point of view fully.
that is pretty cool. anyway, it's cool to see the site is not condemning just saying there are two sides, but we are here for everyone. If at all interested, check out the site. if not, scroll to different post or the random pics. ha

get outside and take it off

why does it have to be Oklahoma!!! ughhh

if only the people in this video were all from her district, well then things would bound to be changed. but who knows..............

I'd be interested to know if this was some political deal, or some church deal. I think its wrong when people try to back up biggotry and hatred behind a religious "sin" card. It's no surprise that a religious speaking engagement would mention a stance against homosexual behaviour, but it's quite another to come up with crazy ideas that one group of people is a threat or to blame as a force wanting to change the US. And indeed it's not any one group or sin that is driving man away from God. That is no secret agenda of any one group, a Christian would say it's the quite obvious agenda of satan in the world of men. sin nature has been alive in man since the fall of Adam. We've been seperated from God by Sin ever since. (which is why Christians believe in Jesus as the reconnect) Whether you believe that to be sexual sin, (adultery for some, homosexuality for others) or lying, or cheating, or ignoring the starving and poor, gluttony, pride, gambling, drugs, alcohol, etc etc etc , it's nothing new under the sun. None are excluded from God's love and mercy.

I'm embarrassed for Oklahoma that once again biggotry and hatred shows its ugly face in the state congress of my home state.... dang it all!

This woman has hopefully just lost any re-election in OK, I believe that much, and her stance has only strengthened the opposing voices. I'm glad I'm not in OKC to see the liberal rag "OK Gazzete"'s awful dissection of this one.... good job whoever had the tape recorder. excellent display of ignorance!

SXSW

well this is where I won't be this weekend. Austin Texas south by southwest weekend. man it's always such a blast to get down to Austin during SXSW. the city is packed and bands are playing everywhere. I mean even outside patio of some icecream shop you'll see bands set up playing away. It is always awesome. Missing this year will make it more of a blast to check out next year when I'm back in the states. ha
I am a few days from my vacation here. next monday I fly out to dubai.
I have already packed, ha. Today i am going to the embassy to get my passport looked at, my 6 month visa says single entry so I want to make sure I can get back in the country when i return.
last night at the mess hall while i was in line, this guy came up from behind and shook my hand and said hello, he was getting seconds on his plate. anyway that was random but of course I looked him over and will be keep my radar on. no big deal.
work is going well. I'm getting a nice afghan carpet next week designed by one of the students. I'll post a pic when I get it. the same student also gave me a small painting he made last week with "to my kind brother" signed on the back. ahhhh

counting down ..........

well I'm still extremely excited for the vacation.
we found out another teacher is arriving but not sure when.
I have a new class again and will be working hard until vacation to catch them up. There was a great seaman kid here teaching them English for a while, doing a great job and all, but this class is really behind.
There are a lot of interesting new guys on base. the one belgian guy I mentioned was right in front of my treadmill the other day, doing all sorts of ab stuff. It will take a while getting into routine on base before getting know people. like the last 3 months.
I forget if I mentioned my roomie and the other teacher getting back at 2:30am in the morning the other day. Well I here from this guy on my hall that the base police were looking for him at lunch yesterday, something about being drunk at the base gate the other night... WOW something tells me they somehow got off base or something? who knows. but I'm waiting to see if anything comes of it all or not. I didn't mention it to either of them.
Oh yeah I heard that from a new friend I have on base, this major from Connecticut. very cool dude I end up sitting with at dinner a lot.

project runway...........