Dream from July 3 or 4th

So yet another interesting dream.

I'm with a group of new life guards who just finished their training and what not. Then we're in this river I guess, and there are all these mothers who are drowning. We all jump in, swimming out to save them. It's almost like the fighting scene in LOTR when that dwarf guy with the axe and the pretty elf boy with the bow and arrow are competing to see who gets more kills. We're all trying to out-save those drowning, almost showing off.

We've saved most of the women, but then we realize there was a mother whose baby was also in the water. We all look for the baby, and I see it sinking slowly. But instead of being in the river, it's now a swimming pool where the baby is sinking. It's at the deep end and everyone's a little scared to go in. I swim to the deep end, and sink myself feet first pushing down with my arms. I catch up to the baby and bring it back up to the surface, saving the child.


****************************

I felt pretty good about being the "hero" to save the baby when no one did. I guess if I had to try to "analyze" or learn from this is that it's easy to look good when things are easy, but when things get tougher, not so much.

WR Route

God is a Heavy Duty 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound Mitre Saw

No, I am not saying that I worship or idolize a power tool. This is simply an analogy of who and how God is. Please read with a grain of salt.

1. God is 3 persons in 1, as is the sliding compound mitre saw.

2. God is powerful, as is the saw.

3. God helps us, as does the saw.

4. God can punish you when don't obey, as does the saw if you don't obey instructions, or safety precautions.

When you've used power tools for a while, you sometimes forget about how dangerous and powerful they are. It's important to maintain the tool, respect it's abilities and practice safe techniques. Much like in Christianity, you need to remember the Power and authority of God. When you become complacent, and disobey His commandments and teachings, He may teach you in ways you don't like.

Sometimes while working with power tools, you have what are called "near misses." No one really got hurt, but it could've been a very serious accident. These are wake up calls God uses to remind us to be more humble, thankful, and respectful.

btw, if anyone's interested in buying me one, you don't have to wait 'til Christmas. :)

I don't do this very often (bloggins that is) these days, but here goes

My World Race trip starts NEXT OCTOBER, i.e., 2009, not this year. So keep your shirts on guys. I'm still here. On the other hand, ladies, feel free to not keep on shirts. I'm awful, I know.

I notice that the last thing we do when we don't get what we wanted, is think about what we already have. If you're going for a big promotion, or a bonus at work, but fall just short of it, you rarely think about the job you have. If you fall a single short of hitting the cycle (in baseball), you overlook the fact that you hit a home run, a triple, and a double.

You forget to realize that some people don't even have jobs, and would love the opportunity to work. If I could even be on the bench of a Major League baseball team, I wouldn't even know how to describe it. I'd be beside myself, watching myself pee my pants in excitement.

Look ahead for growth, and seek improvement. Find ways to better your lives and yourselves. But when things don't come easy, and it takes you time for more great things, don't forget about how far you've already come. Don't forget what you have.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; Mourn with those who mourn. - Rom 12:15. Today, I mourn my heart out.

World Race

Well, it's official. I'm off to see the world. The only difference is that I'll be seeing parts of the world most would ignore.

http://willjung.theworldrace.org/

Ramp Ceremonies

In true Canadian fashion we all show up plenty early for the parade. We stand around, talking to friends, some we only see on these occasions. Even though KAF’s not very big, it’s easy to go months without seeing friends. We catch up on what we’ve been up to since the last time we’ve seen each other, making all sorts of small talk. It’s hard to figure out what to say, especially if one of the two of you knew the fallen soldier.

Somehow the parade starts to take shape. A Sargent Major grabs a soldier and the rest of us begins to fall in around him. We take a frontage of seventy or eighty and as many ranks or rows deep as necessary to accommodate everyone. Often we’re six ranks deep. The Battle Group forms up on the south side of the runway, looking north. The NSE, OMLT and other supporting elements form up on the north side of the runway facing the Battle Group.

Once formed up, the Battle Group is dressed so that everyone in the BG is in line with the man standing in the first position on the left as one would look at them. The BG will place soldiers from the dead soldier’s unit in the front rank. Then supporting elements are dressed so everyone is inline with the first man right as one would look at them. The BG’s RSM always practices a salute before marching the BG onto parade. Once the BG begins to march towards the Hercules and onto parade the supporting elements follow on. We’re dressed again once in position.

The contingents from other nations fall in behind the BG. The flag party falls in to the left of the BG as you look at them, between the BG and the Hercules. TFK HQ falls in behind the supporting elements, and the higher ranking officers from TFK HQ fall in to the right of the supporting elements, across from the flag party.

The CO of the BG then walks on alone. We’re still standing at ease, feet shoulder width apart, and hands behind our backs. And it’s all very quite. Slowly the sound of the LAVIII gets louder. There’s one LAV for each casket. Before the LAVs park the parade is called to attention. We’re standing feet together, arms by our sides, tall, straight, proud and sombre.

The LAVs park, and the pallbearers remove the caskets from the back of the LAV. The parade is stood at ease again, and the Padre speaks. He talks about the life of the fallen soldier and what his fellow soldiers thought of him. Then he talks about the soldier’s family and what he left behind. The Padre then says the prayer.

Once again the parade will be called to attention, and salute to their fallen comrade. The pallbearers lift their caskets and begin the slow march down the corridor made by the two facing contingents, the BG and supporting elements. The pallbearers are followed by one soldier who’s carrying the beret of the fallen soldier, the soldier’s escort and finally the piper. The piper plays until the caskets are placed in the Herc.

After the caskets are in the Herc, the pallbearers leave the plane and form up behind the flag party. The parade is called back to attention again. The CO of the BG orders the flag party to be marched off, and the senior officers across from the flag party salute while the flag party departs. Then the CO of the BG calls for the BG RSM to march off the BG. Once the BG is on their way the supporting elements begin to depart, followed by the rest of the units. Back where we first formed up, the contingents are all halted then dismissed. And it’s all over. Later the plane will depart, with the escort for Canada.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/afghanistan/casualties/list.html

mid-summer update

I haven't done this in a while, and it seems weird that I am doing it. But here it is, a blog.

Just wanted to quickly update/mid-summer wrap up:
1. Penitence + Grace = Penitrace
2. Rib injury = 8 weeks +
3. Eye injury = NYGH + 1 week + no girls near
4. Head injury = twice in 1 week span
5. Finger injury = on going, and it might be more serious than a jammed finger
6. Working w/ Scientologists is interesting.
7. Saw JO for the first time in almost 2 years, and she looks fantastic!
8. m-f = soccer, small group, ultimate, softball, soccer
9. moving to North York this Friday = need help
10. summer conference was a day short.
11. bathroom, kitchen, two rooms in basement at new house = lots of work/$$$.
12. officially applied to World Race = very hopeful.
13. becoming a big brother in two weeks = dream come true!

Trapped!

As the weather gets warmer, I've been noticing more people speeding, and more "speed traps" set up. I put quotations around speed trap b/c after living in Toronto for so many years, you realize that they're always at the same place, so they're really not traps anymore. Fool me once, shame on you...fool me 8 times, shame on me.

Anywho, so last week I was going North on Bayview, and saw a trap set up for the Southbound traffic, just north of Lawrence by that French York school. I motioned with my left arm out the window to "slow down" to the cars going south. However, I'm pretty sure they weren't thinking 'speed trap ahead, I better slow down' but 'what's up with this guy?'

If you see this, and live in Toronto (or anywhere that has speed traps) for that matter, I want you to pass this on. If you see a speed trap, flash your high beams quickly 5 times. I know that ppl high beam to notify other cars to turn their head lights on when they forget. But I want ppl to flash faster than they would normally for others to turn their lights on. Of course, if it's in the middle of the day, it's obvious that it's not for you to turn your light on. I think you are able to high beam 5 times in 1 second.

If you lack manual dexterity or quickness to accomplish 5 beams/second, just do your best, do this instead. Weather permitting, stick out your left arm out the driver window (as long as you aren't one-armed), and open and close your hand repeatedly to notify others.

I hope this helps people avoid future speed traps. I've heard of this texting service that tells you where they are, that are in place in other cities, and now in Toronto, but I think you have to pay a monthly fee, like a cell phone. My method is free, and you won't hear about a trap in Etobicoke when you're in Scarlem.

Here are some traps that I know of in the Toronto:
-Bayview, north of Lawrence, going south (50km/hr)
-Eglinton, east of Leslie, going west (50km/hr)
-Bloor/Danforth (on that bridge), west of Broadview, going east (50km/hr)
-Millwood Rd (over the bridge), north of Pape/Donlands, going south (50km/hr)
-Steeles Ave E, by Metro Square, going west (50km/hr)
-DVP, south of York Mills, going south (90km/hr)
-Lawrence, just west of DVP going west (50km/hr)

If you know of any other ones, leave a message, and I'll update.

You may be a Taliban if:

Got this list from a friend, who's serving in Afghanistan. It's hilarious.

1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer.
2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes.
3. You have more wives than teeth.
4. You wipe your butt with your bare left hand, but consider bacon 'unclean.'
5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.
6. You can't think of anyone you have not declared Jihad against.
7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.
8. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.
9. You've often uttered the phrase, 'I love what you've done with your cave.'
10. You have nothing against women and think every man should own at least one.

Friends are...