Hello, folks.

I've been home sick for the past several days... I haven't been sick for this long since I was in college. Left early from work last Saturday... called off Monday and today. It's been nice having some relaxing time off, but not fun at all hacking and coughing, etc. Mandy's out with her mom running some errands, so I'm just sitting here at home passing the time and hoping that I will be feeling better by Friday.

So... what's new?

I am now a signed, sealed, delivered, confirmed, received-into-full-communion member of the Roman Catholic Church. (since April 7, 2007). I'm sure there are some who know me (especially if you knew me during late high school through college) that are wondering how the heck that happened. You never know where paths will lead you, and for a number of reasons, I'm thrilled that mine has led here.

Wedding plans continue... we had a meeting with Peg, the marriage prep director at church the other day, so we're another step closer there. All of the program "design" and layout stuff that I used to do way back in high school is coming back into play as we put the wedding booklet together (Please turn in your service bulletins to page 23...) heehee. Just kidding. It will be a Catholic wedding, but it's not going to be *ridiculously* long. It's just that there is a bit more to it than "Do you? I do." Have no fear, we're printing all sorts of cues in the bulletins, so our non-Catholic friends will know what to say, where to stand, where to kneel, etc. It's going to be a beautiful wedding. (There's a thumbnail photograph of the church on their website: www.visitation.org. This is the church Mandy & I attend, as well as where I went through RCIA, and where we will be getting married.)

In not so happy news, I was the victim of armed robbery about a week ago, just outside my apartment. Yeah... walking in from my car, a car drives past me, stops, a guy gets out and tells me to give him all my money and brandishes a gun. Not fun.
They got away with my bank card (which was promptly canceled), and a back-pack full of Episcopalian church music... and a phone headset from ADT. I wasn't hurt at all, I just was angry for a couple of days following, but glad and thankful that I'm alive and no worse the wear for it. Things happen. Crime is a reality in our world. Sure, I keep a more watchful eye on what's going on around me now, but I'm not going to live in fear. It could have happened anywhere, and could still happen again no matter how careful I am.

Back to happier news, Mandy got a new part-time job the other day at the Nelson Art Gallery (just 5 min from home). There is also a job opportunity for me on the horizon, which I'm waiting to hear more info about... one that could possibly allow me to quit my current not-fun day-job. (Keep your fingers crossed and pray for me about that one).

All in all, life is good.
I am still alive, all of you folks that I haven't talked to in ages. Give me a ring or an email.

June 27, 2006, Kansas City, MO.

I asked Mandy Evan Jorgensen to marry me.

She said yes.

:-)

Yeah, I know.

So, I've decided I should put some of these "fill in your own info" things on this blog (copied, of course, from those of others).... cause, well, if I don't, I'd probably never put anything else on here. :-)

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (pet and current street name) None Armour (No doubt pronounced "no-NAY")

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME:(grandmother/grandfather on your father's side and your favorite candy) William Merle "Jolly" Rancher

3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first two or three letters of your last name) J.Far

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Green Bear
(What in the world does this have to do detectives? They're all named after colors??)
(Oh, and I'm pretty sure I've just been put "On Notice" by Stephen Colbert.)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Seth Kansas-City (one word, pr. kan-ZI-cih-tee?)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name) Farersnon
7. JEDI NAME: (middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards) Htes Sreynoc
8. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, the automoblie you drive)The Green Phoenix. Ok, now *that's* pretty damn cool. (OK, so it's actually a Sunbird, and "Phoenix" is its "given" name. I would like to note, for the record, that the name was chosen long before I had ever seen the new X-Men movie.) (and I never really followed the comic, either)

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Life? Life goes on, much it has this past age.

Wait... wait a sec.

No, it really doesn't.

This is new.

This is different.

This is better.

Gandalf got it wrong this time. ;-)

Details to follow.

03.01.2006.0849 CST

Good morning, all.

I'm enjoying the second of my two days off... in a row.

It wasn't too long after my first conscious thought of enjoying this fact that I realized its slight ridiculousness, given that up until the last few weeks, I have had boatloads of time off. BUT... ever since hours at WoF picked up, time has been at a premium, due to to moving trucks in the (fairly early) morning, work crew or office during the day, and numerous choral commitments in the evening. (Yes, count them: 5 days per week of singing! Northland Community Choir on Monday, Octarium on Tuesday, St. Andrew's Chancel Choir on Wednesday, Jacomo Chorale on Thursday, and then St. Andrew's Sunday morning services) So, given all that, I don't feel too bad about enjoying my two days off. Things will be easing off slightly now that the truck picketer is gone, and that time is now free. (Kinda glad not to have to it anymore, but kinda sad to see the *really* easy money go away, too.)

But enough about work... I know, I talk about work a lot. I think one of the reasons for that might be that, even though it's not always easy, and it certainly isn't the highest paying stuff in the world, I feel truly blessed to be able to do things I *enjoy* for a living. Yes, at the beginning of work crew @ WoF, we spent (and will continue to spend) quite a bit of time shoveling leaves and muck into plastic bags and then hauling them to a dumpster. Quite unglamorous work. Quite physically demanding work. Not even all that fun at times... BUT it truly is part of the grander scheme that is running a park, and *that* is so much fun. Jason makes fun of me a little and calls me a "lifer"... but hey, that's ok. If that's true, then *someday* it's gotta turn into a "real job". I was so close this past winter, but I'm not getting discouraged... it will happen eventually.

Yea.. I said "enough about work" and then proceeded to type a whole big second paragraph about it.

Mandy and I have been together for 2 months, as of Feb. 27, officially surpassing our stint of "kinda dating" way back at WCHS, and still going strong. I have been happier these past 2 months than I have been in a long, long time. We've grown closer, we talk and laugh with each other so easily, and we cherish the time spent together. We both laugh a little at the fact that love can be so incredibly sappy... but we embrace the sappiness. :-) We also embrace each other's slightly dorkish tendencies. (OK, *realy* dorkish tendencies, in my case) heehee.

I love her. A lot.

Time to get somethings done now... Bank, Rent, Apartment cleaning (It's Bob Day!), perhaps I will *finally* get a MO license today.

Later, all.
Peace, peace.

-S