I love words and constantly learning new ones. I don’t do a great job at incorporating the new ones I learn into everyday language, but it’s still fun, nonetheless. That said, this caught my interest…it’s pretty sad, I think. Didn’t we just say 6 short years ago, that we had learned our lesson from Enron, Dynegy, WorldCom, etc.? I guess greed and corruption is something that never goes out of style.

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Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year 2008

With politics and the economy foremost on the minds of many, it is no wonder that bailout—a word ubiquitously featured in discussions of the presidency and fiscal policy—took home honors as Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2008.

Bailout, defined in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition as “a rescue from financial distress,” received the highest intensity of lookups on Merriam-Webster Online over the shortest period of time. As evident from the 2008 Word of the Year contenders list below, the presidential campaign and financial issues factored heavily in the concerns of our online visitors throughout the year.

Traffic to Merriam-Webster Online now exceeds 125 million individual page views per month. This corresponds to approximately ten lookup requests in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary or Thesaurus per second. During peak hours, this may increase to more than 100 requests per second.

Merriam-Webster’s #1 Word of the Year for 2008:

Click on each of the other words in the Top Ten List for their definitions in Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary (2-9):

1. vet
2. socialism
3. maverick
4. bipartisan
5. trepidation
6. precipice
7. rogue
8. misogyny
9. turmoil

In our current economy, as prices rise exponentially, on nearly everything, I’m often surprised at the rapid drop in customer service. Maybe it’s the inverse of higher prices=higher company demands=worse conditions for employees=lower morale=bad customer service. Just a thought.

Yesterday, I went to buy my wife some candles. She didn’t ask me too. No special occasion. Just wanted to be thoughtful. These weren’t just any candles; they were special candles that fill your home with aromas that take you far, far away! They make you think happy thoughts, and bring you constant joy and peace. Okay, not really…but she really likes them; I like to make her happy; I bought them.

The catch…they’re a bit more expensive than regular “store-brand” candles, and the price on them has nearly doubled in the last year or two (I do this 3-4x p/yr., so I pay attention). You would think, higher prices=better customer service. This formula was de-bunked as I stood in line yesterday.

From my long-time observation, 98% of this store’s customers are women. From my knowledge of the area we live in, probably 90% or greater of these women shoppers, do not work outside the home (I could be wrong, but guessing I’m not). So, assuming I’m closely accurate, 90% of this stores revenues come from the working spouse (“the man”). Armed with these statistics, and knowing that the store personnel should be aware I’m most likely not buying these candles for myself, the scenario should have played out differently.

I get to the counter with my candles (3 of them), pay and ask for a bag. The lady in front of me, who had just purchased candles as well, received a nice bag, with pretty, flowy paper, coming out, perfectly aligned…eye-candy, if you follow me here.

My bag…one piece of tissue paper, wrapped around (3) candles, tossed into bottom of said bag. Having just spent nearly twice the amount of money on (3) candles, as I did when I first started buying the lovely candles, for my lovely and adoring wife, I vow to never shop here again…until I get home, and she sees the gift; completely enamored by said FAVORITE candles and thoughtful husband, decide I will only by them to bring her joy.

Lesson learned: in hard times, take care of your customer (no matter their gender, and especially if you’re fairly sure they’re buying it as a gift); and do whatever it takes to bring joy to your wife’s face and heart…even if it is, three little candles.

We got this email today.

Really…it’s Fall?

Didn’t know that…because my calendar says, July 28 — the middle of freakin’ summer!!!

Glad J.Crew was kind enough to remind us that Fall is here, though…I had missed that announcement.

Kind of like the radio stations that start playing Christmas Songs in September and October…it’s just not right!

(truckers)+(insane beard posse)=morning Starbucks conversation!! (thanks Barista’s for starting my day off right!!)

…a mere 12,666 MPG (20,265KM)

I rented this movie, for several reasons:

1.) I really like quirky comedies, albeit my family has always criticized my “quirky” taste in music and movies (although, my mom L-O-V-E’s her some Jack Johnson now, and that is saying something!!)

2.) My wife has had a H-U-G-E crush on Ryan Gosling since “The Notebook”…although, she is crushed that he and his NB co-star, Rachael McAdams, are no longer together (I guess she figures if she {my wife} cannot be with him, then only Ms. McAdams should!! : ) )

3.) All-in-all, thru some of the more peculiar roles he’s chosen to play, Ryan Gosling is a really great actor (see noted movie…)

So…if you can work thru the first 20min of this film (very slow, although it sets up the entire movie), you will find it is very well written, quite introspective, and Mr. Gosling gives what I think would be, an Oscar-worthy performance (they like to give out those statues for quirky films…right?!)….quite the opposite of what I expected when I picked it up!

Not big on stadium-anthem praise & worship, but recently purchased this and really enjoying it…especially the songs that Brooke Fraser is lead vocal.

Anyone else enjoying this? 

I wrote about these guys several weeks ago, but was excited when we showed up to church this morning, to find out they were “filling in” for Robbie! I loved them “live” and leading worship time so much, that I decided to give them props one more time, on the official “Music Monday”!

Their 1st album (“The Oceans & The Stars”), just released a few weeks ago and produced by Robbie Seay, is available on iTunes. My pick ‘o the bunch — “Holy” (which they used in worship today….you can hear this and other songs on their MySpace page – myspace.com/gatlinelmsband)….some pretty intense lyrics for a 17-year old!

 If you dig Wilco, Robbie Seay Band, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, Leeland, Grant Lee, Ben Folds, etc….give these guys a listen! You won’t be disappointed.

{16 January 2008}

today is the 7th anniversary of the death of a good friend of ours. Tanner Hurst was 13 years old, and contracted a case of spinal meningitis at school one day. he was the first of a handful of students who lost their lives to this terrible virus, in our area over several months that year. he was/is the brother of one of my closest friends….someone i have shared 25 years of friendship with. it’s still difficult for me to think about seeing him in the hospital, the night before he was taken off life-support. he simply looked like he was in a deep sleep….he loved to sleep….i guess most 13 year-old’s do

January 16th is also the 7th birthday of one of my nephews. could there be two more contradicting emotions….the birth of new life….the death of an earthly body….two people i love/d very much created an emotional chasm that day, that will make every January 16 special. we received a new life here on earth….Jesus received another spirit/soul for an eternity of rejoicing in heaven….this kid loved a good gospel song!

i asked my wife tonight, having thought about all this throughout the day, if she thought there were anniversary celebrations in heaven….a logical question i think. we celebrate births, weddings, milestones, holidays on earth everyday….what better reason for Christ to celebrate than another soul that was committed to him on this earth, whom has “arrived home”….for eternity.

 i like to believe that tonight, Tanner, angels, and all those whom now worship in eternity in heaven, are worshipping at His feet tonight, in a good ‘ol gospel anniversary celebration!!

happy 7th birthday, Cole…..happy 7th anniversary, Tanner!!

                                                                                             
Revelation 5:9-13

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”