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OFFICIAL BLOG :: Jon Baas
"Quote of the Day" "One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter." -- James Earl Jones -Jon I I 0 comments
"T-Shirt Thursday: Digital Landscapes" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More Fine Art, Gifts & Prints: .... Sunset Art .... Jon Baas Art And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a wonderful Friday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Miss South Carolina Answers a Question" I feel bad for Lauren Caitlin Upton. At the 2007 Miss Teen USA competition (televised this past Friday), the beautiful 18-year-old answered a question -- and bumbled it rather notably. I'm sure she wanted to provide an intelligent answer, but it just didn't come out that way. And as a result, her response went viral, and has been viewed on Youtube over 8 million times. ... [video] Poor girl. Although, on the bright side, she did come in third! :) Since the event, one of the millions of people to analyze Lauren's answer was Jimmy Kimmel, host of the late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live. On a recent show, he gives it his best shot, and tries to clarify what the young woman was really trying to say. ... [humor video] -Jon I I 0 comments
"The Simpsons Star Wars" If you're familiar with the long-running television show, "The Simpsons", you'll love this! Animator Rich Canto has recreated the intro to show, but with a Star Wars twist. It looks real, but it's actually a fan-made spoof. ... [video] So, sit back, and enjoy, this one's a dandy! UPDATE: - (12:16 AM - Thursday, Aug. 30) And for those who aren't familiar with "The Simpsons", here's an example of what a normal episode intro looks like. The "couch gag" is different in each episode. ... [video] -Jon I I 0 comments "August Flooding" Ah, the fresh smell of a steady rainfall. Yep, it's raining here -- again. In fact, it's been raining so much in the past two weeks, that many parts of South/west Wisconsin (the other side of the state from where I live) have been completely flooded out. Rivers have overflowed their banks, farm crops have been ruined, and small towns sit underwater. A few Wisconsin counties have even been declared Federal Disaster Areas. Thankfully, though, today's rain appears to be the last for a while. Floodwaters are receding back within their banks, and cleanup is already underway. It just goes to show how powerful -- and damaging -- great amounts of rainfall can be -- especially here in the Upper Midwest. Unfortunately, all this water also serves to remind us of an even greater, and far deadlier, flooding tragedy that occured two years ago today: Hurricane Katrina. Yes, natural disasters happen. It's a sad fact of life. But, sometimes all we can do is survive, clean up, and move on from there. God will take care of the rest. "Full Coverage: Wisconsin's Wet August" "New Orleans marks Katrina anniversary" -Jon I I 0 comments "One Really Tough Commute" If you think your daily commute is bad, check this out: The tiny Colombian village of Los Pinas has only two connections to civilization -- a treacherous two hour hike, or a harrowing one-minute ride across a half mile canyon... hanging from a rusty old cable! ... [video] I admire their ingenuity, but I don't think that would be my first choice of transportation. Thankfully I live (and work) in the big city, and not at the top of a Colombian mountain! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Crosswalk Prank" High school students in Austin, Minnesota pulled an ingenious prank last November... Two of their school buildings reside on either side of a busy street. Both buildings are connected via an underground tunnel, thus minimizing crosswalk traffic. What happens, though, when you create a continuous cycle of ninty-four students walking across the street, and then under the tunnel to do it again... and again... and again? ... [video] Keep your eye out for the chicken and the cow, and enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments "Total Eclipse of the This morning was a fascinating time to be gazing up at the sky. Not only was it an absolutely gorgeous night (cool breeze, stars, etc), it also resulted in the second lunar eclipse of the year. A lunar eclipse, for those not up on astronomy, occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow across the moon's surface. In a total eclipse, this results in the moon "disappearing" from the sky for a short while. Usually, lunar eclipses are rare because the moon is either above or below the plane of the Earth's orbit -- but this year we're in luck: this is our second total lunar event (the first being back in March). Here in Milwaukee, the eclipse began at 3:51 am (CST). An hour later the moon was completely obscured, and will remain so until 6:22 am. By 7:24 am, the earth's shadow will have passed, and the moon will be full again. Nine minutes later, the sun will rise, and the day will begin. There won't be another total lunar eclipse until February 28, 2008. And after that, the sun, earth, and moon won't be perfectly aligned again until December 21, 2010. -Jon I I 0 comments "How To Hide An Airplane Factory" Now this is fascinating!: ... During World War II, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needed to hide the massive Lockheed Burbank Aircraft Plant to protect it from a Japanese air attack. To do this, they covered the entire facility with camouflage netting, bushes, and fake buildings, so that from the air, it would look like a rural subdivision. Here are some photos. -Jon I I 0 comments "Sleeping Cats" As you all know by now, I love cats. And very few things in life are cuter than a snoozing kitty. So, for today's "Cute of the Day", I present you with just that -- photos of sleeping cats. Enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Milwaukee Goes Hollywood -- Again." NBC is currently shooting a television pilot here in Milwaukee for a new drama called "The Watch". It's a show about a neighborhood watch group (in the fictional suburb of Ridgeview) that takes matters into its own hands. Actor Lou Diamond Philips plays Milwaukee’s Police Chief. The producers chose Milwaukee because of new film incentives in the area. The director, Charles McDougall, won an Emmy for directing the pilot episode of "Desperate Housewives". There's no decision yet on whether NBC will pick up the show, but, if it is picked up, you can bet a certain Milwaukee actor named Jon Baas will be taking an interest! "Milwaukee Goes Hollywood" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Happy 5th Blogging Birthday, Jon Baas!" As of today, this blog -- Jon Baas: Daily Musings -- is officially five years old. I started blogging here on JonBaas.com back in 2002, and haven't looked back since. This is my 1,605th blog post. Happy Birthday blog! -Jon I I 0 comments "Klingons Crossing the Delaware" First there was "Washington Crossing the Delaware", the classic 1851 oil-on-canvas painting by German-American Artist Emanuel Leutze. It depicts General George Washington crossing the Delaware River at the Battle of Trenton on Christmas 1776. And then, of course, there's the Klingon revisionist history version. I'm not entirely sure which one I like better! :) -Jon I I 0 comments
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Exactly 20 years ago today, Paramount Studios sent out print, TV, and radio spots promoting the next installment of the Star Trek franchise: Star Trek The Next Generation. This second Trek series would premiere in September 1987. Here is a look at the promo video included on the 1987 VHS release of Star Trek IV (the 1986 hit movie that helped bring Trek back to television). And here are some rare promo and behind the scenes photos from the beginnings of this ground-breaking series, courtesy of TrekCore. Enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments "Quote of the Day" "To get to a woman's heart, a man must first use his own." -- Mike Dobbertin -Jon I I 0 comments
"Tara Donovan’s Sculptures" Now here's something unique! It's Tara Donovan’s artwork: large sculptures made from everyday objects like plastic drinking straws, hot-glued styrofoam cups, paper plates, and pencils. Great stuff! And 100% original. THIS is art. -Jon I I 0 comments "Jenny Hart’s Embroidery Art" Jenny Hart is an artist based in Austin, Texas. Her embroidery work is fantastic! Especially since her creations are done by hand. Take a peek and see for yourself. Enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: Fruit T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Fruit T-shirts .... Occupation T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a great Thursday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "Blogger: Eight Years and Counting" Today is the eighth birthday of my blogging host, Blogger.com. Happy Birthday Blogger! Ironically, this weekend also marks the fifth birthday of *my* blog as well. Pretty cool huh! Yep. Half a decade old already. Where has the time gone?! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Texas Trouncing" Tonight the Texas Rangers became the first MLB team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting a new American League record as they trounced the Baltimore Orioles by 27 runs. "Texas 30, Baltimore 3" -Jon I I 0 comments "Wisconsin State Fair By The Numbers" As many of you know, I currently live in the same neighborhood as Wisconsin State Fair Park (West Allis, WI). And, while I didn't actually attend the State Fair this year (August 2-12), I did still get to experience the crowds, traffic, sounds, etc. And, as is the case every year, it was yet another hectic week and a half. That said, as I was surfing the local news this evening, I came across a collection of final statistics recapping the now-concluded 2007 Wisconsin State Fair. Keep in mind, this is a state fair, not a county fair. All of Wisconsin was represented. Here are some of the highlights:
The 2008 Wisconsin State Fair will take place from July 31 through August 10 -- also in my local neighborhood. The good news is, though, that for the next 340+ days, everything will once again be quiet and quaint around here. And that's something I would gladly sacrifice eleven days for. "More Than 800,000 Attend Wis. State Fair" -Jon I I 0 comments "Wednesday in Review" Rain, rain, and more rain. A thunderstorm or two. Stayed indoors. Rediscovering my creativity again after recent emotional losses. Watched "Mr. Baseball". Thinking about Jenny. Perservering. -Jon I I 0 comments
"Quote of the Day" "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever." -- Psalm 118 UPDATE: - (6:56 PM) Since posting this quote earlier in the afternoon, the Lord has chosen to answer one of my most persistant prayers -- and with a "yes" response! As a result, this Bible passage has even greater meaning to today. I'll keep the prayer and related issue private (for personal reasons), but I did want to share my excitement over God's faithfulness in our lives. Over the past two weeks I've had a matter weighing heavily upon my heart, and last night, I finally gave it to God and said, "Lord, I'm laying this at your feet, the worry and fear is destroying me. By the end of Tuesday, grant me an answer." And He did. Clear as day. And you know what? Just by giving this to God, I've found renewed hope, greater patience, and the desire to persevere even further. The matter is still unresolved, but standing up under it is less of a struggle. To God be all glory... for He has done marvelous things! -Jon I I 0 comments "Break's Over, Back to Work" Sorry folks, I've been a little distracted this past weekend, and I missed a few days of blogging as a result. I'm back, though. Let's resume the fun, shall we? Welcome to a new week! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Piggy Match" Three guinea pigs, one cucumber. Who will win? Enjoy! ... [cute video] -Jon I I 0 comments "25th Anniversary Of The Compact Disc" On August 17, 1982, Royal Philips Electronics manufactured the world's first compact disc at a Philips factory in Langenhagen, Germany. Twenty-five years later, today, the CD is still one of the world's standards in media publishing -- eclipsing cassette tapes, zip drives, and floppy disks. "Compact Disc celebrates 25th anniversary" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Prayer of the Day" Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them in the end. I I 0 comments
"MS Paint: New and Improved" The world's most revolutionary digital art tool has been unveiled. It's the newest version of Microsoft Paint, and it's a must-have! Take a peek and enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Quote of the Day" "In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail." -- Vince Lombardi -Jon I I 0 comments "Women in Film" Something beautiful: The morphing faces of iconic Women in Film. A video from Philip Scott Johnson (eggman913), who also brought you the equally beautiful Women in Art. -Jon I I 0 comments "World Record Underpants-Jumping" Here's something rather peculiar: It would appear that people in Spain and France enjoy setting the world record for underpants-jumping. In this case, bikini-jumping. ... [video] I'm not really sure what to say after watching this... Bewildered? Confused? Entertained? Certainly unusual. I guess some people just have very strange hobbies. Feel free to give the competition a watch, and let me know what *you* think. Have fun! -Jon I I 0 comments
"Jenny Update" Jenny and I are taking a break. Length unknown. Permanence unknown. She still has a great many struggles to work through, and she prefers to resolve them on her own. She has her reasons (even if they don't make sense to me), so I'll just have to be patient and accept them. I don't understand them, but I must accept them. I just hope she'll forgive me someday, and let me back in. Until then, I'm going to miss her -- deeply. I have faith; and I have trust. And I will not stop loving her. She's an amazing woman (even if she doesn't see all of what I see right now), and she remains -- without a doubt -- the other half of my heart. I pray this is not the end. And I pray God has greater things in store... for both of us. I need strength. I've got some tough days ahead of me. -Jon I I 0 comments
"Magic Act: Sawed in Half" Absolutely amazing! What happened after a magician accidentally "chainsawed" his trusty assistant in half? Check out this clever magic trick to find out. ... [video] -Jon I I 0 comments
"Happy Birthday, Lego!" Hey, here's some cool news! Today was the Lego company’s 75th birthday! Master carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen started the company on August 10, 1932 in his studio in the town of Billund, Denmark. In honor of today's celebration, here’s a look at how Lego bricks are made. "Lego celebrates 75th anniversary" -Jon I I 0 comments "General Tso and His Tasty Chicken" After painting another apartment today -- like I do most Fridays -- my landlord treated me to lunch/dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. My entre of choice was the standard General Tso's Chicken (fried boneless dark-meat chicken, served with vegetables and whole dried red peppers in a sweet-spicy sauce.) It was quite tasty! I even have left-overs in the fridge right now! Having said that, however, an interesting thought-provoking question comes to mind... Who was General Tso? And what does he have to do with chicken? This website will explain: If you read the biography (written by a military historian who believes in very long sentences) you’ll notice that while Tso was a successful 19th C. Chinese general, chicken is not mentioned even once. It’s pretty clear that General Tso didn’t have the time to invent or even taste the dish named after him. So where did it come from? Feel free to read The Definitive General Tso's Chicken Page for more! Enjoy! -Jon I I 0 comments "Movie Friday, Postponed" Sorry all, this week's intended short film was pulled from the internet by the producers, citing "copyright violations", and I don't have another set to feature in it's place. So, that said, I guess we'll have to skip this week, and I'll reevaluate my Movie Friday blog feature for next week. Sorry for the inconvenience. They did this to last week's featured Pixar film as well... and, probably a few of my previous Movie Friday short films also. It would appear that producers are getting trigger-happy with those "cease and desist" letters. Oh, well. Next week. Stay tuned. Have a great Friday all! -Jon I I 0 comments "Wisdom of the Day" "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." I I 0 comments
"A Little Less Jon" Big News! ... Yours truely got his hair cut today. Yeah, I know, it's not earth-shattering, but, hey, it is a "new" look. And it had to be done. Gone now are those soft blond locks people seem to like. No more of that wavy "male model hair". All gone. (Sorry girls!). But fear not, a few short months from now, it'll all be back. Rest assured. It'll be back. For now, though, I think I'm going to enjoy not having long hair in my eyes. Or wind gusts blowing it all over the place. And I'm going to relish the cool breezes tickling the back of my neck. Ahhhhh! Yep. It feels nice to breath up top again. Less hair; happier Jon! And, yes, if you really want to run your hands through my hair, let me know. I'll start a waiting list for three months from now. ... [rolls eyes]. ... Tsk, tsk, tsk. Some people! Have a wonderful evening everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: About Me T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... About Me T-shirts .... Humor T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a great Thursday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Wisdom of the Day" "Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold...." I I 0 comments "My Least Favorite King" Well, the inevitable happened. Barry Bonds -- my least favorite baseball player -- finally hit his 756th homerun. He did so yesterday in San Francisco. This now puts him in first place as the new career homerun king. As expected, he wasn't very humble about it. "Bonds hits No. 756 to break Aaron's home run record" UPDATE: - (3:02 PM) How ironic. It wasn't even a San Francisco Giants fan who caught Barry Bond's 756th homerun ball. Nope. It was Matt Murphy, a 22-year-old Mets fan from Queens, NY. And get this... Matt and a friend were en route to Australia, and in San Francisco for a one-day layover. They purchased their tickets just before the game. "Unlikely fan caught Bonds' home run ball" -Jon I I 0 comments
"Question of the Day" Why is it that in the movies, a man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious of beatings, but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds? -Jon I I 0 comments "Learn To Speak Lolcat" "Lolcats" are funny pictures of fluffy animals, such as pets, accompanied by some strange quasi-English text. I Can Has Cheezburger? is a site dedicated to lolcats. But lolcat is also a language. Your vet probably hasn't heard of it, because it's not real -- animals can't talk. But if they could, wouldn't it be great to know how to communicate with them? Or maybe you just want to speak lolcat because it's funny. Or perhaps you love the cute little illustrations. Whatever the case, here, give it a try with the Lolcat Translator. -Jon I I 0 comments
"All For the Heart of a Beautiful Maiden" Today, I spent most of my day outside, parking cars on my front lawn for the Wisconsin State Fair. It was a gloomy day, no sun, just clouds -- and later on, rain -- but it still turned out alright in the end. I parked a few vehicles, earned a few bucks, and I am now this much closer to taking a trip down to Tennessee -- a trip to see my beautiful Jenny. Why? Because I miss her. I miss her very much. Yes, for those that are curious, she and I are -- in uncertain terms -- taking a break from "us". We're both very much in love, and we don't want to give up on each other, but for Jenny, she needs physical companionship more than anything right now. And that's been causing her great grief -- grief to the point that she's almost given up on me a few times. She needs something to hold on to, someone to touch, a heart to hear beating. And I so desperately want to ease her pain. But from up here in Milwaukee, my funds and resources are very limited. So, I've decided to step up my efforts in new ways. I'm going to be trying some new things. Creative new things. And parking cars this weekend (and next), is the first major step in making my deeply-desired visit possible. Oh, don't get me wrong, I parked cars last summer and the summer before that, but this year it's different -- this year I have a cause. In my life, I have never met anyone stronger, more loving, down-to-earth, persistantly determined, kind, thoughtful, or beautiful than Jenny. And I love her with all my heart. I can't give up on her. Far too many people have done that in her past. The cycle ends with me. Granted, I don't know what will happen in the future, I don't know what will happen to "us", but I do know this... I will continue to fight for Jenny, and I will be here to share my strength with her for as long as she may need. Someday, yes, I hope "forever" can come into play, but for now, I'll keep walking beside her, supporting her, and offering to carry her when the times get rough. I will not let her fall. I could care less what happens to me in the process. Just as long as she doesn't have to go through the same pain she's endured in the past. I'm doing what I do for her, for Jenny. I'm doing it all for the heart of a beautiful maiden... A beautiful maiden who needs someone to stand up for her. And as long as love endures, I will be there for her. I will not easily give up on her, or her heart. Before long -- God-willing -- I will be there for her in person as well. If you, my readers, have any suggestions for creative ways in which I might expedite my trip to Tennessee, please feel free to let me know. At this point, I'm willing to consider anything. Sure, my creative brain can go a long way, but sometimes it just can't cut it by itself. I usually hate to ask for it -- but sometimes I really do need help. And right now might be one of those times. -Jon I I 0 comments
"Charley" Charley is a cute and very well-loved cat. He likes to play, hang out, and do what cats do best. But he's not like other cats. He has cerebellar hypoplasia. ... [video] -Jon I I 0 comments "I'm sooooo sleepy. -- Part II" On Wednesday morning, I brought you the cute video of a sleepy kitty. Tonight I found his canine counterpart: sleepy puppy. A reeeaaaaally sleepy puppy. Enjoy! ... [videos] -Jon I I 0 comments "Movie Friday: "Lifted" Another Friday, another movie! This week my selection is titled, "Lifted". When an overconfident teen alien gets behind the controls of a spaceship, he must attempt to abduct a slumbering farmer under the watchful eye of a critical instructor. But abducting humans requires precision and a gentle touch, and within a few missteps it's painfully clear why more humans don't go missing every year. This Pixar animated short film was released with the film Ratatouille. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend everyone! UPDATE: - (10:56 PM - Friday, Aug. 10) Sorry, all, the producers of this film have been forcing all copies removed from the internet, citing copyright infringement from those who have posted it. Apparently Pixar does not want this released for public viewing just yet. I appologize -- on behalf of Pixar -- for the inconvenience. Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"156 Years of Fun Starts... NOW!" Well, folks, it's that time of year again. It's August, and time for cream puffs, livestock judging, musical acts, and the Midway. Yep, you got it. It's the 156th year of the Wisconsin State Fair, and today was the first day of it's two-week run. I doubt I'll be going this year -- despite the fact that State Fair Park is just across the street -- but I'll certainly smell the food, hear the music, and see the lights of the Midway from my own front yard. And add to that the rise in noisy pedestrians, honking traffic, and countless parked cars, and I've got all the makings of the Fair without the admission price. Besides, I've got other things to do -- like parking some of those honking cars in my front yard, and making a few extra bucks. Yep, an entrepreneur's gotta do what an entrepreneur's gotta do! This year's State Fair runs from today, August 2, through Sunday, August 12. Feel free to stay tuned, as I'll probably write about it a bit. Otherwise, nothing to see here... move along. :) Have a great weekend everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments "T-Shirt Thursday: Occupation T-shirts" In an effort to show off some of my popular (or new) t-shirts, artwork, and gift ideas exclusive to my online store, Jon Baas Designs, I've decided to feature a few of them here on my blog every Thursday. I call it, "T-Shirt Thursday". Feel free to comment, and enjoy! Today's Featured Designs: (click on each image to see available products)
More T-shirts & Gifts: .... Occupation T-shirts .... Rabbit Sketch T-shirts And for those of you who like to shop, weekly sales and coupons are available on the front page of my store. Feel free to use them for special discounts! Have a great Thursday everyone! Your happily blogging friend, -Jon I I 0 comments
"Breaking News: Deadly Bridge Collapse" At 6:05pm this evening, a major interstate bridge (I-35) up in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed into the Mississippi River. Seven people have been confirmed dead so far, with over 60 injured. At least fifty vehicles, as well as tons of concrete and twisted metal crashed 64-feet into the river below. Given the time of day (rush hour), hundreds of people would have been involved. Rescue attempts are still on-going, and dive teams are searching the river. Casualty numbers are expected to rise. Stay tuned, I'll update you as soon as I know more. "Full Coverage: Minneapolis Bridge Disaster" "Officials, NTSB seeking answers and witnesses" ... [pictures and video] UPDATE: - (10:41 PM) I just received word from my family. They live up in Minneapolis, not too far from the now-collapsed freeway bridge. My mom and youngest sister, Lydia, were safely at home, and my youngest brother, Joel, was still at work. All three are fine. My father, however, *was* on I-35 heading towards the bridge at the time. He narrowly missed the disaster. As he said in his email, "About a quarter mile from the river, all traffic stopped and a huge cloud of dust filled the air. After about five minutes, someone came running from the direction of the bridge, calling out, "Turn around. Go back. The bridge has collapsed. You can't get through." I am VERY grateful to hear that all four of my family members up in Minneapolis are fine, however, it is also particularly frightening to know that had my dad left his meeting only a few minutes earlier, he would have been one of the cars in the river. Thanks be to God for His protection! I should note too, the school bus that had just crossed the bridge before it crumpled into pieces, was bringing children back to the same Minneapolis Park's daycare center I had worked at for three years during high school. All of the kids got off the crushed bus safely. My heart goes out to those who were involved in this tragedy, especially to those who were less fortunate. As rescue efforts continue, let's pray the death toll doesn't rise any higher. UPDATE: - (12:50 AM - Thursday) Emergency responders have switched from rescue to recovery mode, as it's become too dark, and there's far too much debris to continue work in the water. Recovery efforts will resume at first light. It is possible more survivors could be found, however, at this point the chances are slim. UPDATE: - (2:20 PM - Thursday) The death toll has been lowered from seven to four, as the medical examiner's office only has four sets of remains. Initial reports of seven people killed were based on best estimated authorities had available last night. This number could still change, though, as divers comb the twisted steel and chunks of concrete that crashed into the Mississippi River. 79 people have been injured. As many as 30 remain missing. "Death toll dips to 4 in bridge collapse" UPDATE: - (9:43 AM - Friday) Authorities have confirmed the number of people missing to be only eight. A fifth fatality has been identified, and additional bodies have been spotted in the fast-moving Mississippi River. "5th body found in Minn. bridge debris" -Jon I I 0 comments "What If... A Love Story" Back when I was in high school, there was a girl I liked... a quiet unassuming girl who seemed to keep to herself most of the time. She wasn't popular, she wasn't the gorgeous social butterfly that most of the guys took notice of, she was just quiet, unassuming Jessica. And I had a "crush" on her ever since my Sophomore year. See, I was young then, extremely shy, self-contious, not entirely self-confident, and very much in need of companionship -- companionship from a girl who truely understood me. Oh, I had a good small circle of guy friends -- usually the not-so-popular group -- but that was about it. I was just too shy to expand that circle, much less meet most of the girls around me. People knew *of* me; they knew who I was from my acting roles, my stage work, and my frequent art awards, but they didn't really stop to befriend me. I still felt somewhat alone. Since I usually spent a lot of my time by myself, I would often dream of my perfect girl companion. I imagined her to be musically-inclined, God-fearing, shy, imperfect, longing for companionship like myself, cute in a radiantly simple sort of way, conservative in fashion, intelligent, kind, owning a great smile, etc. She kept me company when my few guy friends weren't able to. I imagined her entire life's story, I drew her portrait... I even gave her a name: Jenny. But, of course, Jenny was just a dream. A powerful dream, but nothing more than that -- a figment of my extraordinarily creative mind. So when I met Jessica, I took an instant liking to her. She was very similar to my Jenny, only Jessica was real. As I progressed through high school, and inched closer to graduation, I kept my imaginary Jenny close by, but also took an interest in Jessica. I was always shy, generally quiet, much less self-confident than I am now. So, you can imagine how hard it was whenever I was around her. We got along with each other, we were friendly, but we never really became too close. Then, by some strange miracle, near the end of my Senior year, I found the nerve to ask Jessica to Prom. And, get this, she said yes! I was overjoyed! I'd never asked a girl out before, and here she was -- as shy and red-faced as I was -- smiling and saying she'd LOVE to go to the Prom with me! I was on cloud nine, literally. I probably stayed there for a few days too! Prom night came (after a few nervous weeks of planning), and we had a good time. We chatted, danced (awkwardly at times), and I'm sure I appeared as silly and sheepish as I felt. But we both had fun. And in the end, Jessica helped break my shell. I finally started to realize that I really wasn't as lacking in self-confidence as I had always thought. And I really wasn't as uninteresting to girls either. I was shy, but I knew I could overcome that. And my self-worth started to rise. But then the sad realization hit... I was enrolled in a college 300 miles east in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), and Jessica was going to a university in northern Minnesota. Our budding friendship was probably going to end, and due entirely to geography and distance. I was heartbroken. Once college started, I tried to keep in contact with Jessica, but it just didn't work out, and, as a result, we both went our separate ways. But, the story doesn't end there. No. Thanks to Jessica, I entered my freshman year of college with a newfound perspective on life. I had discovered the world beyond my former shy self, and I started to make new friends -- lots of them. I got involved in activities, I opened up, I found the stage and started making a name for myself. I met fellow art students, I won greater recognition, and I suddenly started to become far more social than I had ever imagined. I even ended up with most of my closest college friends being girls! How's that for a complete turnaround! Because of Jessica, I started to become the Jon you know today. In moments of contemplation, though, I often wonder... "What If?". What if Jessica and I hadn't parted ways? How would things have turned out? Would she and I have fallen in love? Would we be happily married? She put the first crack in my shell. She opened me up to discovering that I really could blossom into someone better. And she was -- or could arguably have been -- my first love. Lately, though, I've learned God had other plans for me. For the first time in my life, the puzzle pieces have really fallen together, and I've gotten a glimpse of what that plan might be. In November (2006), I met Jenny (the REAL one down in Tennessee), and, at the time, it seemed to be a completely random chance meeting. But, not so. God had a hand in it, and He was finally putting together those pieces of my life that had originated so many years ago. See, as much as I might try to downplay it, my Jenny now, is the very same Jenny I dreamed of when I was younger -- the very same Jenny I so desperately longed to meet. She fits the mold of that girl perfectly -- She's musically-inclined, God-fearing, shy, imperfect, longing for companionship like myself, cute in a radiantly simple sort of way, conservative in fashion, intelligent, kind, a great smile, etc. She even has the same name! What are the odds of that?! When I look back now, I can definitely see God's hand at work in my life. He molded me into that extremely shy boy who couldn't meet girls, so that I would be able to dream of the Jenny He was setting me up to meet twelve years later. He used Jessica in my life to put the first crack into my shell, and that in turn opened me up to the challenges of growing into the man Jenny needed me to be -- The man that could love her completely -- despite all *her* failings. Yeah, God works in unexpected ways. I could have remained close to Jessica, but then I would never have fallen in love with my dream-come-true Jenny. ... And I would never have found the determination and persistence to overcome my shy youth, and fight for a woman who needs -- more than anything -- someone to fight for her. -Jon I I 0 comments "I'm sooooo sleepy." Now this is cute: Sleepy kitty. ... [video] I felt just like this little guy when I woke up! Probably not as adorable... or cuddly. But I *might* have been purring (aka, contented thoughts of a certain Jenny). Cute little guy, though! Have a great Wednesday everyone! -Jon I I 0 comments + Full Blog Archive I Blog Home |
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