Tealeaf

Florida

2010-01-05T01:57:08Z

We just got back from Florida, where we visited my brother and sister in law. It was a nice trip with hiking and a bed and breakfast, as well as my parents' anniversary and dad's birthday. Abby and I drove with my parents there and back, which went smoother than she was fearing. During the trip, mom reminded me I need to put up a detailed wedding post sometime, so I'll get that up soon.

Florida drive

2009-12-28T14:13:15Z

I had a two day drive with four people in a Camry to get to Florida. It went pretty well. I know Abby was nervous about two long days with my parents, but I think she ended up having less to worry about than she though. We all got tired of traffic, which added 2+ hours to the drive between Atlanta and the Florida/Georgia state line. So much so that we ended up getting off the interstate after the fourth slow down.

After that, we proceeded with all due speed through swamps and small towns. We mailed some cards from one of them, which will be interesting for the people who get them if they check the sent from location on the stamp.

Florida is nice, we went running with James, Jeanie, and their dog last night after getting here.

cbohall @ 2009-10-15T07:40:00

2009-10-15T12:41:23Z

Much of the work I do is dependent on the weather. That happens when rain is part of the water cycle and you make your living working with water. Different projects require different conditions to work in. So how is it that I am working on the project where I need good weather as it starts to rain, and I'm working on the project where I need rain in good weather?

rpg

2009-09-10T22:35:29Z

Recently, some friends and I have picked up the dusty dice and started role playing again. I'm running a straight forward adventure, except the players aren't especially good in combat. We'll see if there is enough action without combat or not.

vet visit

2009-09-09T22:17:20Z

Lola, our new dog, had her first visit to the clinic today. She was given the all clear, and seems to be in good shape.

Lola

2009-09-03T12:12:13Z

About a month ago, we adopted Lola, a 5 year old 22 pound beagle. She has great manners, which made it difficult to discern that she needs a bit more training. The past two weeks have shown promise, though. At this point, I'm trying to get her to sit on command, and walk on a loose lead. We've had some success with both, but the loose lead has the most success.

cbohall @ 2009-08-29T09:38:00

2009-08-29T14:37:56Z

After getting married at the end of May, and honeymooning in July, we got a dog in August. She's a 20 pound, 5 year old beagle. So far, she's adjusted well, and is learning a few new tricks and manners. Mostly good manners, too. She's also adjusted to Earl the cat better than Earl has.

Biosampling

2009-08-05T03:27:14Z

I'm spending a couple of days in Chicagoland working up a complete bio survey of a creek. It's pretty interesting, since I'm using the same skills I got in 2005 working on the Mississippi river. That, and a few more with fish shocking that I've done more recently. Fairly interesting, and I am curious to see some different methods tomorrow.

This weekend

2009-08-01T16:00:18Z

We're scrapping, painting, and getting the house ready for a dog!

Sometimes the mood hits you

2009-07-24T02:55:31Z

I've been feverishly organizing papers because I want to get as much done as I can while the mood is upon me.

cbohall @ 2009-07-20T07:47:00

2009-07-20T12:47:28Z

We're back, and going to work today. I'll post more about the honeymoon tonight.

cbohall @ 2009-07-12T17:22:00

2009-07-12T22:22:39Z

Honeymoon, here we come!

cbohall @ 2009-06-24T22:22:00

2009-06-25T03:31:35Z

May 30th, 2009. I got married to Abby, thus creating my family. I do believe this event was a miracle of God. Given, the sample size is small compared to what it will be, but the past few weeks have been amazing. Highs and lows, but I'm really excited to have a partner in my life.

softball

2009-06-09T02:23:44Z

It's been about a month and a half since the parks and recreation department's Church softball league started up. We've played 3 games now (1 bye week, 1 rain out also). The first 2 games we got smacked. This week, we won 13-10.

I want to keep some stats, and it'll work to do so here, since not that many people pay attention anyway.

Season total
5 at bats, 1 single, 1 double. 2 RBI, 1 run scored.
I play right field and DH.

Phoenix

2009-05-20T04:26:35Z

I was in Phoenix for training last week. It did not crack the top five places I would live. Maybe it cracked the bottom five.

Lawn mowed 2009

2009-04-30T02:42:53Z

First lawn mowing today. Saw my first firefly. Also got to know my first mosquitoes of the year.

cbohall @ 2009-04-27T13:39:00

2009-04-27T18:41:14Z

Throughout the winter, I managed to stay pretty consistent in my running schedule, going out for 3-5 miles 3, 4, or 5 times a week. One of the really great motivations I found is right here at the LJ runners' community

cbohall @ 2009-04-07T17:39:00

2009-04-07T22:40:57Z

I enjoy the balance my life is moving towards. Now, if I can just keep it going in the right direction, that would be nice. Abby, church, running, work, and whatever else seems pretty good. I need to update on the coffee fasting and such, soon.

cbohall @ 2009-03-31T21:37:00

2009-04-01T02:47:58Z

I don't feel like I've been working at the level I should be recently. A combination of workload and several difficult situations have got me stumbling around a bit. All I can do is try to do better with each moment as it arrives, and remember to see the joy and blessings around me in each situation.

hobbies

2009-03-19T03:59:34Z

Fantasy baseball is back. Woo hoo

cbohall @ 2009-02-23T17:14:00

2009-02-23T23:21:35Z

Physical fitness isn't the only improvement recently. I have been taking more interest in getting my financial fitness under control. It may be the current state of the market, or it may be the thought of two people putting their finances together, or it may be that I am making a normal wage for the first time ever. Whatever the case, I am working on a financial plan and trying to be more aware of what comes in and what goes out.

It may be that God is nudging me to more prayer and discipline because my life is going to need more prayer and discipline. This has already had occasion to be true, and I think it may continue. In fact, I have spent some time learning the reality of Ephesians 6: 10-20. I am thankful and blessed to not be alone and unarmed in my life.

I am off of coffee again today. This morning, I prayed for the courage and wisdom to reach out to the people in my life. I am thankful for the time I got to spend with Abby this weekend, and happy with the time I had with the men in my small group last night.

Baseball season soon!

Busy weeks

2009-02-13T14:49:23Z

The past couple of weeks have been a roller coaster. Since some of these details only effect me, but aren't about me, I will just summarize. One death, one birth, some friends got sick.

Additionally, last Saturday I sat in with a dozen or so people and discussed the book Omnivore's Dilemma. It was good when it was on topic, but most of the comparisons in the book were of ecology and science to explain the author's topic. While the author knew his topic, he didn't know ecology or science very well, and I kept getting disconnected from his point anytime he made errors. Which was often.

With the previously mentioned business, I haven't done well running or fasting. However, because several topics were life and death, I did spend a bunch of time in prayer. To be honest with my goals of journaling and praying, I am still putting my comments here.

Tuesday, January 27th. 8:50am

To be honest, I really thought about waiting until tomorrow to take
the day off of coffee. Most of my procrastination takes this form,
though. I have learn enough about it to sometimes get by it and do
what I should do anyway. Instead of coffee this morning, I prayed
about health and basic conveniences. I prayed for some specific
friends who are battling health problems and some who are getting
ready for surgery. I thanked God for my health, my home, my job. As
I drove into work today, I heard about the winter storm hitting the
southern portion of the state, so I prayed for travel safety for
people effected by the weather.

Around 2pm, I was getting pretty droopy eyed. So I prayed some very
difficult prayers. A few things occurred to me that I need to pray
more about in my life, mostly personal items dealing with my marriage
to Abby. Excellent use of time and topic today.

Wednesday January 28th, 8:30am. I'm looking forward already to my after lunch
coffee. But, I'm enjoying this time this morning, as I take a moment
to pray instead of getting my first cup of the day. I've been
spending some time last night and this morning in introspection.
Especially on a day like today, with all the snow and weather
concerns, I take a moment to wonder at God's creation. In my job, I
get to observe and record, and investigate all around me. The balance
of the environment and ecology are here to instruct me more fully
about God's love and design for me.

In the past week, I got back to some regular solo runs. I can pray well during those times, but I forget to pray when I run with others.

Second week including some fasting

2009-01-25T21:15:02Z

January 21, 2009. I'm off coffee again today. This morning, I
started by praying for the day. This is my normal start to a prayer
and while it seems okay, I may need to be a bit more thoughtful on the
start of prayers. That one is too much on autopilot, maybe. Because
today is the first full day of office for President Obama, I used my
prayer time to pray for his administration, then his family. I'm sure
this first day won't have much routine, so I prayed for Michelle and
their two little girls.

This bit of journaling took me a good hour or two before I remembered
to do it. Usually, I'm much quicker with the turn around when I'm
being this direct.

January 21, 2009 at 12:30pm
I really like to buy a cup of coffee from one of the local stands when
I walk back to the office on the days I walk out for lunch. I had to
remind myself a few times that I needed to pray instead of hoping for
coffee. So, I prayed for all the students that started a new school
semester yesterday.

Since I was on the topic of school, I went ahead and prayed for work.
I pray that my ethic reflects God and my presence in this office will
help and encourage my colleagues around me.

January 22, 2009
Woke up hard in the morning, feeling like I only had a few hours of
sleep. Right now, I think it may be because I slept for about 10
hours, but maybe I'm getting sick. Anyway, after cereal and shower, I
normally make a travel mug of coffee to get to the office and start
the work day with. In a typical day, I may wait for coffee from work
if I don't have the time to make it in the morning. Well, Thursday
morning was bad. I called in so I could try and get ahead of the
illness, or at least find out if it would be bad or not. After that,
while I lay in bed, I started thinking about boiling the water and
grinding some beans. Instead, I said a quick prayer and decided to
get started on another goal for this fasting business. That goal is
to spend more time studying the bible. I opened a book that's been
waiting for awhile and read a couple of chapters before falling back
to sleep.

In the afternoon, I went for soup at my friends' house. We started
with a cup of coffee, which was the breakfast of this period. I
thanked God for friends and for health, and prayed that I could be a
better example to other people.

A new edge

2009-01-22T17:04:50Z

I spent some time recently prodding my website back into shape.

On Christmas, Abby gave me a straight razor and shaving kit. Since then, I've been reading up on how to shave safely, how to keep the razor sharp, how to work up a lather, and other related items. I found this page about razors to be really helpful.

This morning, I started using the razor. I'm only using it a little at a time until I get used to it, so today I did both cheeks. I've got smooth skin, and no nicks. I'm excited to keep up with it.

Journaling, discipline, hopes

2009-01-18T21:55:48Z

I haven't used this space for discussions of my faith very often. I don't think I should be so quiet about it all the time. So, I'll use a post every now and then to talk about the biggest part of my life. I'm sure I will be long winded sometimes, so I'll put it behind a cut.

I am at fault for not giving credit to God for my life. To be clear, ever single thing I do, and every thing in my life is a gift from God.

Tuesday Morning, January 13
I enjoy journaling. Enough to use as a tool to help me stay
accountable for some other things I don't do so well. Namely, a
couple of spiritual disciplines I'd like to incorporate in my life.
They are: fasting, praying, and meditating. I think I can do all
three together, and if I journal about it, it might help me stay with
the program.

In future posts, I'll talk about why I am doing this. Just to get
started: I am not drinking coffee today. I normally drink about two
cups of coffee everyday, sometimes more if I am traveling. The idea
is to use the desire for coffee as a reminder that I need to pray with
regularity and think and listen to what God may be saying to me.

I'm past the first missing cup of coffee already today, and I asked
God to help strengthen this idea into full reality.

Tuesday Afternoon, January 13
I usually get coffee again at the end of lunch. Not today. Instead,
I prayed for family and friends. Appropriately, the church bells in
downtown champaign were ringing as I drove back from lunch.

Wednesday Morning, January 14
Wednesday morning. I used a little bit of time to pray thanks and the
Lord's prayer for yesterday and today. Now, I'm off to get coffee.

Friday Morning, January 16
Day two of giving up coffee - January 16, 2009. After Tuesday, I
really could see how this could work. I should mention that in
addition to praying while fasting from coffee, I have been trying to
pray regularly as part of exersize. I've been regular with that,
although the recent runs with the second wind club haven't involved
prayers. I have forgotten during those runs. It seems like the
success I've had have been with solo runs. All this is new in the
last few months. Prior to that, most of my prayers were popcorn in
topic, and popcorn in time and length.

The coffee fasting is going to be a day at a time, with regularity.
That way I still want it, which should help remind me to pray when I'm
not having it. Today, I prayed for God to use my hands. I prayed
that God would remind me that these are His hands, gifted to me to use
for now. The work of my hands should build up God's kingdom.

Saturday Morning, January 17
I spent a moment in prayer in the morning when I wanted coffee. I prayed
for friends and family and very generally about my life in C/U. Actually, I feel
like that isn't quite enough. However, I realize
that I won't always be successful with amazing prayers or
topics. Sometimes I won't remember what I should pray for
or about. Sometimes I'll spend too much time on selfish topics.
Hopefully, I'll be able to see this as I review these journals.