I've whittled over 1700 down to 608. How much does it cost per print?

We sure had a great time, though.

How long does it take

How long does it take to transfer 1700 pictures onto a computer? I'm finding out.

My poor, six-year-old laptop can't handle anything taking up that much memory. So I'm copying my CD to my parents' computer, editing it down some for scrapbooking, and then burning another CD (in theory -- my practical computer knowledge is limited. I'm sure there will be a snag somewhere).

Time to get a new computer. Maybe after next tour...

Wierd

It's so odd to be constantly surrounded by eleven other people, then suddenly have them gone. I keep seeing things that one person or another would laugh with me over, but they aren't there to tell.

Home Again

I'm back in Yakima. On the flight in I sat next to an Eisenhower 2002 grad. We were trying to figure out where we were once the clouds broke. Cle Elum. And then over Ellensburg, right turn, over the firing range, Selah, then home. We were low enough to see the Applets and Cotlets warehouse off the highway, and the mall. It made the flight short anyway.

My cats sort of remember me. Chloe is still hiding under the bed. Cai came over for a chin scratch. He's always been a turkey. He lost his baby cowlick. He used to not be able to reach the spot over his tailbone, and his fur stood up. He got so big!

This afternoon I have to help pull the house together. Grandma is coming in at 5, and the house has to be spotless. So, I'll be stuffing flowers into the entryway garland for a while...

Old Shadows

Old Shadows

Rachel: "I'll have you know, people have paid me to sing."
Jessica: "Where? The circus?"

Jessica: "Sewing a lizard on your bag is harder than you think."

Bert: "A mail order tattoo gun? Good luck reaching your own behind."

Jonathan: "I want him to lose the next election so I can hear him say 'I'll be back'."

Aaron: "If you do something, then do it again, that's Dunnigan."

Rachel: " There's another city sign. We're at Dunnigan again."

Aaron: "You know the store Bennigans? I've only been once, but if I go again I'll have been again to Bennigans."

Vicky: "When in Rome do as the Romans do. When in Mexico..."
Rachel: "Don't drink the water."

Jonathan: "It was like a black church with white people."

Jessica: "Does your camera take pictures?"
Dad on Phone: "Nope, it makes mochas."

Character Flaws

Character Flaws

We were having a discussion the other evening at Camp Harlow about character flaws. What are they, what can one do about them in oneself, and when and if you should bring them to a friend's attention.

Our definition for the sake of the conversation was "part of our nature that, while not a necessarily a sin, is detrimental to yourself or others." Talking incessantly, for example. Is that a sin? No. But Poverbs says "when words are many, sin is not absent." So that flaw could lead to sin. Likely, if your mouth never stops moving, you also aren't allowing enough delay to think over your subject, or choice of words. And if your constant talking involves interrupting people or monopolizing a room, then you're bordering on selfishness and inconsideracy.

What about virtues. Can a virtue in excess become a character flaw? The virtue of temperance -- only taking what you need and no more. What if you walk into a restaurant and send back a plate because there is "simply too much" on it. Or go to a friend's house and refuse what is offered because "all you want" is something simpler and less costly than what is offered. C.S. Lewis in Screwtape Letters calls this gluttony. It may not be in excess, but you are still demanding what you want, no matter how much trouble anyone else has to go to.

One character flaw of mine that was brought to my attention (indirectly) in a desire for attention. I often do it through self-depracation or false modesty, desiring others to tell me that it isn't true. In that instance, I threw a football well. (Once apon a time one of my kids at youth group decided no girl could live without know how, so he spent one whole lock in teaching me how to throw one.) I, of course, couldn't be happy in the fact that I had done it well, I had to make sure everyone else knew as well. I woudln't shut up about it. I was annoying myself, even. Finally someone said, "You already said that you could, yesterday." Which I had.

So how does one fix a character flaw? The drive for approval is the easy part to fix -- recognise that God's approval is all that matters. But the attention part? I'm not sure. Throw in a martyr complex and it's a bad combination. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Three to go and laundry done...

Three to go and laundry done...

Last night was our first show in our last run this tour. It was a strange venue. The room fit the stage just fine, but couldn't fit the tables. So the tables were set up in another room across the church. So after the prologue the whole audience trouped across to have dinner and dessert, and then back for the combined first and second acts.

It went well. Two of our cast members are sick. Aaron was trying not to cough backstage. Just then, a guy in the audience started hacking up a lung. I told him to try and time them to coordinate with that guy...

Today we're off to Central Point. We're in Eagle Point now. Our homestay had the most comfortable bed we've slept in in a while. Well, we were in sleeping bags in bunks at a camp for our days off. The camp had covered wagons with bunk beds. I wanted to sneak into one the last night but chickened out. I did sneak into a movie that I didn't have a ticket for. We were going to see Taxi (eh) but watched the previews at Sing Out Loud and then left. That's the first time I've ever done that...see what tour does?

A whole day to myself

Yesterday, I had finally had enough of people (actually I lasted much longer than I thought I would).

So I walked two miles to the mall, bought myself a new book by Francine Rivers, went out to Thai for lunch, looked at scrapbooking supplies and yarn at a craft store, read in the food court, went to the hairdressers, walked to KFC for dinner, and walked home.

My hair is back to its natural color now. It's darker than I remembered, but its been six years. Maybe it darkened. But the top two inches of my roots didn't get dye, and it matches. Strange....

Booking

Drea, I can't get my comments to pop back up, so here's the info:

For more details please contact the Wycliffe Northwest office.

4200 S.E. Jennings Ave
Portland, OR
97267-6485
(503) 652-1662
or(800) 269-2007
(503) 652-1541 FAX

For info about booking the dinner theaterin your church, e-mail: brenda_long@wycliffe.org

Coming Back Again

Well, tour is a week and a half from being over. 6 of us, including me, will be returning in the spring. It was a hard decision for a lot of people. Not for me. I pretty much knew I'd be back three weeks into tour.

Our next tour will be in California alone, maybe with some shows in Oregon on the way back, but I haven't seen an itenerary yet.

Prayer partners, please pray for our bookings. We have 25 booked, but need at least 35 to tour, and a full semester would be 45 shows. Also pray for those of us who will be returning. We'll need the time off to rest from this tour, and I'll be working in California over Christmas. I will get to be home for thanksgiving and the day after (our bigger holiday -- we put up the Christmas trees). Christmas I will be solo with my cats -- rather like Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping.

So that's the tour update. The next one starts January 10 and runs through the middle of May.