Mike's Life

Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T20:47:00.002-07:00

Hello all,

I just wanted to write and let everyone know that things here are going well.

The real reason I got on to write was to tell everyone about the REALLY GREAT gift I got for Valentine;s Day from my WONDERFUL wife. She got us tickets to see Terry Fator at the Mesa Arts Center in 2 weeks. For those of you who have no idea who he is, he is a ventriloquist that won "Americas Got Talent" last year. He is amazing, and I have been wanting to see him ever since I saw him the first time on the show. I was very happy when he won, and then I started looking at his performances across the country on his webpage. This how slipped by me the last time I looked, and I am So EXCITED that Beverly saw it and got us tickets.

I will let you all know how it went afterwards. Check out his webpage: http://www.terryfator.com/

God has blessed me so much with a wonderful wife that listens to me and tries her best to make me happy.

The New Toy

2008-01-29T10:40:00.001-07:00

Hello all, I got a new camera for my telescope just before Christmas. I have gone out a couple times and taken some images with it, and finally have compiled them and done a little processing on them. Now you get to see the results.

Here you have the Pinwheel Galaxy, M101. This galaxy is similar in shape to our Milky Way Galaxy. This is 60 frames at 15s each.

Here you have the Owl Nebula, M97. It gets its name because it kind of looks like the face of an owl. This is 52 frames t 10s each.

Here is M79 which is a globular cluster. A tightly bound grouping of stars. This is 30 frames at 1a each.

Here is the Leo Trio of Galaxies, also called M66. These galaxies aren't that close to together in actual distance, they just appear in the same small field of view. This is 20 frames at 3s each.

Here is the Whirlpool Galaxy, also called M51. This is 2 galaxies that are combining due to gravitational attraction. This is 60 frames at 10s each.

This is an open cluster of stars called M37. This is 30 frames at 1s each.

This one is a little harder to see, but it is called the Little Dumbbell Nebula. It is right in the center. This is 10 frames at 10s each.

Here is the Flame Nebula. It is in Orion and near the Horsehead Nebula (which you will see later). This is a complied image of 60 exposures at 3 seconds each.

Here is the Horsehead Nebula, and you can just see the Flame Nebula off the the side. This exposure is 10 frames at 30s each.

Isn't God amazing!

Sorry it's been so long

2008-01-01T19:36:00.001-07:00

Okay, so my brother gave me a hard time about not updating this in a VERY long time. So, you will get the quick info session about what has been going on since the last posting.

In May, Beverly and I went to Germany for our big vacation of the year. It was a lot of fun. We spent the first week in the Munich area and Berlin. Then the second week we spent in the Bonn/Koln area where my brother is at. IT was a blast hanging out with him, and visiting more of Germany. We went to the fairy tale castle in Germany.

Later in the summer we went the Albuquerque to deliver the church hand bells to a place that does work on them. On the way there we went to the Very Large Array. And on the way back we went the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park. All of that was a lot of fun. Even though it was a quick weekend trip.

After that not much happened that I can recall until November when Beverly and I went to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. Beverly wanted to see the leaves changing colors, and so that seemed to be a good place to see it. Neither of us had ever been to the North Rim and I thought it was much nicer than the South Rim, but it is much farther to get to. In the Zion area there were leaves changing colors which was nice.

The other big thing in November for me was that I got my Christmas (and the next Valentine's Day, Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, etc., etc., etc.) present down in Tucson when we went down for a day to get dinner and dessert for Beverly's birthday. I got a CCD camera and new edition Hyperstar from my telescope. I have used it a couple times so far and am trying to learn how to use it. I had a trial version of a program that I need to use to take my first images, but it expired, and I cannot afford to get the full version yet. And regretfully, I cannot access the pictures without the program due to the type of ile they create. So, once I get that program (eventually) I will post images from that.

Then the holidays came, and David was home from Germany. It was cool seeing him. He purchased my old laptop and I got a new MacBook Pro (GO MAC!!!!!!!! and those comercials rock! Check them out at apple.com/getamac/ads).

Finally, I just remember that a few weeks ago I got a 1965 quarter as change when I bought something at a post office. It sounded funny as te lady was getting the change out. I was very excited when I saw it, but to make sure I called my good friend in Tucson, Ben, and asked him for confirmation, he is a numismatists. He confirmed that it was a solid silver quarter (1965 was the last year of solid silver quarters), and informed me that just in silver it was worth $2.25.

So there you go David, and anyone else that was wondering what has been going on. God Bless!

New Switchfoot Video

2007-05-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I like Switchfoot, and I haven't posted in a while, but I went to their webpage, and they have a new video. It is really funny.

Here it is:

Southern Arizona Fun

2007-03-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post Beverly and I recently went to Wilcox. The first full day was planned as an off road day. So, we used an off road book we got from Beverly's brother and found a few roads that weren't considered very difficult, and headed off. We were on this dirt road, and there was a sign that said, "Road closed" But the road really didn't look that closed. We decided to continue on and see what was ahead that would close the road. Well, we started climbing the mountain and all of a sudden we were in snow. Yes, snow in southern Arizona in February. We thought about turning around, but decided we had a 4x4 vehicle and could keep going. So, we did. The snow at times was 7+ inches deep and in one spot it was more than 9.2 inches because that is the cars clearance and we were scraping the snow. Once we were at the top of the mountain we chose to turn around and hit another trail on the way back.

That trail was more rugged. The brush was scraping the side of the car on both sides the entire time. Well, what could make the day more adventurous you may ask? Well, aparently we hit a nail along this road. I found out when Beverly wanted to take a picture so we stopped. I got out and heard a hissing noise. Sure enough there was a nail in the tire. The area we were in at that point was pretty awful for tire changing, and since the sensor in the car to tell me a tire is low wasn't on we kept driving. Eventually, we found a flat spot and I changed the tire. 12 minutes from stopping to going again. Not too bad for a first time on this car.

After the off roading we passed by Chiricahua National Monument, and decided to go there till it got too dark. That was cool. There were more hoodoos. We saw them in Bryce Canyon in December and there are pictures of those in an earlier blog.

We did some hiking and that was nice.

Beverly took this picture of a tree at Chiricahua National Monument that I didn't know about until I started looking through the pictures. I really liked it and wanted to share it with everyone.

The next day we went to Katchner Caverns. That was really cool to see was. I really like caves/caverns. I find them quote interesting to look at, and it is just another great wonder that God created just right to show us His majesty and forethought. I mean, He knew that people wouldn't discover it fully until the 1970's and then not really be seen by lots of people until the 1990s, so He did everything JUST right to develop its beauty from creation until then.

Our last day we headed back through Tucson so that we could eat at a Mexican place we really like (Rosa's on Fort Lowell and Campbell), and so Beverly could go to Beyond Bread again (we also went on our way down to Wilcox too). While in Tucson we drove around the loop at Saguaro National Park (the one on the east side of Tucson), and have decided that we may venture back there and do some hiking later this year before our national parks pass expires at the end of the year.

Sorry Everyone

2007-03-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! (Hi Mr. Mike)

Sorry that this has taken so long since my last post, and now I will be trying to post a few things all at once. Since my last post a few things have happened. School has started for me again, and that is going well. My classes seem to be enjoying themselves for the most part. Beverly is enjoying not having class for the first time in a LONG time.

Over Presidents Day weekend we went down to Wilcox, Arizona for the weekend. We went off road driving the first day, got a flat tire that I had to replace on a dirt road. Then we went to Karchner Caverns the next day, and then through Tucson on our way home. Overall it was a good weekend, and I will post some pictures with explanations in the next few days I hope.

Currently Beverly is in Japan on a business trip. She is doing some tours of Japan on the weekends she will be there. So far she has done a tour of Tokyo that she said she enjoyed. She will be there just over two weeks (right now just under two weeks left). Everyone keeps asking me if I miss her like there is no tomorrow, and the answer is yes and no. I miss her a lot, but we have been apart before and made it through it and this is like those time to me, except this time I am not going away for work she is. we are talking every morning (well morning for me, evening for her) via Skype, and that helps us stay in touch.

About a week and a bit ago Beverly and I bought a Wii at the advice of our good friends Aaron and Kylie Griffy. They said it was a lot of fun, and well worth the money, and so far I must agree. The sports game that comes with the system is a lot of fun, and Beverly and I have bowled a game already and that was a blast. I am not so good at tennis or boxing, but I am sure will get better as time goes on.

Bryce Canyon National Park

2007-01-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

The last real day of the vacation was spent at Bryce Canyon National Park. What Beverly and I both remarked on was that you are surrounded by mountains, and trees, and then all of a sudden you are at this canyon with these hoodoos (those rock formations that are sticking up are called hoodoos). So, to the right is a picture of the amphitheater. There are hundreds of these hoodoos all over the place in this big bowl. It was a cool sight.

Something to note, it was COLD! I mean really, really cold. The temperature thing in the 4Runner said the temp was 20 degrees when we got there. I will admit that it did get up to 27 degrees, but the wind was strong and with the wind it was at least 10 or below.
In the picture to the right you see us all bundled up in hats, gloves, coats, etc. and I was STILL COLD. If you look closely you can see icicles in my mustache.

As the day went on the weather was WINDY AND COLD, but at least it was clear and sunny. So it was very scenic, and I would definitely like to go back some day. The trails were all too icy to hike very easily, and so we didn't get to see anything other then what you could see from the canyon top and lookout points.

The day was all but over, and we were walking around one last area, and Beverly saw this tree with snow on it and thought it looked like a Christmas tree, and in a picture a Christmas card. So, if we do Christmas cards next year (well later this year) it may be the picture below.
The trip was a blast, and I would highly recommend it to others. God Bless!

Zion National Park

2007-01-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

The next day we headed to Zion National Park. It was a nice hour and a half drive. Once there we decided to purchase a national parks pass for the year since we were going to 2 back to back and basically just need to go to one more "kinda big" national park to pay for itself and then some. So, sometime in the next year we will be going to at least one national park.

Once inside it was very snowy, and the road was pretty icy. So, it was slow driving into the park. But once in to the base of the canyon we got out and walked some. To the left is a picture some that first walk. It was a nice clear day which was a blessing from God, because the day before it was snowy, cloudy and just plan nasty.

Then we went on another hike that took up up the side of some of the canyon, and it was a nice hike. There was a waterfall that we had to cross that I don't know how you would cross it if it wasn't low water season. Maybe they close the trail in high water times. But from that waterfall we took the picture you see above. As you can see the snow level was high up on the mountains, but that was basically where we started from at the beginning of the day.

We hiked some more, and it was a splended day over all. We were staying in a hotel right outside the park so we didn't have to leave until sunset. To the right is a picture of us at sunset on our way climbing out of the canyon.

When we were almost out of the park the sun was just about totally down when we looked behind us and saw the sunsetting, and decided to stop and take a few more pictures. Since we had the tripod (so I could take large format pictures) it was easy to get the long exposure pictures of the sunset.

We made it to the hotel, which was nice, and then got a good night sleep so we could get to Bryce Canyon as early as possible the next day.

Page, Arizona - and the surrounding area

2007-01-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay. I wanted Beverly's opinion on the pictures to put up here.

So, we went up to the Page, AZ area right after Christmas. Beverly wanted to get to somewhere cold for a few days. She had never been there and I hadn't been there in a long time. Also, I know there would be opportunities to go off road a little bit with the 4Runner. We got up there and it was cold. We checked into our hotel and got some dinner, and that was it for that day.

The next day we headed out to an outlook of Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon Damn, and Lake Powell. It was quite nice and we took a few pictures. WE walked along a path, and found this nice place to take a picture of the two of us.

Then we headed north, over the bridge and towards a dirt road I wanted to take for the day. There was another nice pull out, and Beverly took the above picture of Lake Powell. Also at this location while I was standing around and Beverly was taking lots of pictures she took a picture of our 4Runner. She said it just looked too much like a Toyota commercial. So, here is that picture as well. What do you think?

We then got to the dirt road I wanted to drive along, and it was a nice drive. We got out and hiked once, but mostly just admired the scenery. It was a very nice day which was good, because there was a good chance for rain and possibly snow that day. The picture I liked for this section is this one to the left. I really liked the clouds, and the way the light was hitting the mountain.

That was the whole day. We got back, and decided to change our plans for the trip. We decided to drive to Zion National Park the next day, and sleep somewhere near there, and then go to Bryce Canyon National Park the following day, and then head home the day after that.

A Full Update till Now

2007-01-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I know it has been a while since I have written so I will update you all on all that has been going on.

Beverly GRADUATED from ASU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She now has her Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering. We are actually having a graduation party for her on January 20th at our house from 3-5.

The Christmas season went well. We got to see family from all sides. God is so wonderful to provide us with the ability to see everyone. Celebrating Jesus' birth is so awesome.

Right after Christmas Beverly and I went on vacation for a few days. We went to Page, AZ, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park. Then next few posts will focus on that trip.

New Car and then off the road

2006-11-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

So, Beverly and I took the big plunge and bought a new car. There it is a 2006 Toyota 4Runner SR5 - 4WD. We have been talking about it for a while, and then the VW (in the background) had an oil seal go, and that seemed to be God telling us that it was time to buy a new car. I wanted a 4WD vehicle, and also something that will work once we have kids (not any time soon so stop that talking). So, I did some research and I liked the 4Runner. So, we bought it a few weeks ago on a Friday, and immediately took it to Flagstaff and Sedona for the weekend. We were already planning to go up to Flag for the weekend, but in the new car made it that much better. The car ran great, and I am getting just over 20MPG around town.

Here is a picture of us in Sedona on that fun filled weekend. We went to relax, and Beverly wanted to get somewhere extra cold, and it was. We did some dirt road driving while there, and some hiking, and it was all a lot of fun.

New Phone, New Phun

2006-11-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well, my wife has been asking me to take notes so I don't forget things for quite a long while now. I try it for a while, and then I always forget to carry the note pad, or forget to look at it, or something. Beverly mentioned one day the concept of a Palm Piolet. I said I didn't want carry something else in my pockets. She then suggested a Palm Treo. It has a phone and palm piolet abilities all in the same thing. So, I went to look at one. It was pretty cool. I thought at first it wasn't for me, but then I started looking and reading more about it, and I liked it more and more.

The clincher was the ability to do ringtones from MP3 files. Now I can have real songs as ringtones, and reminders and alarms. So, I got one. I got the Palm Treo 700w. It is a great phone. I like the speaker phone ability, and I have started taking notes in it, and checking them daily. It is really working well. I have already remembered to do things that I wouldn't have remembered otherwise.

The new problem now is that I have to decide what ringtones I want associated with which person. I have a lot of music, and trying to decide who gets which song is hard. Oh well! I can't complain. I have to thank my wife once more for a greaat idea.

Light from Distant Stars

2006-10-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

My father and I were talking a few weeks ago about the creation of the universe. I was talking about a book I had recently read that tried to explain that the universe may have been created in 6 days like the Bible says, but also went into how scientific data that seems to contradict that is not wrong due to the expansion of the universe (long story). If you are interested in reading more I can tell you the name of the book, just ask, it was a good book.

My father brought up an interesting thought. First, God may have created the universe exactly the way it is now (size, shape, etc.). But then how did the light from those stars get here since it would take 13+ billion years to get here to us. That must prove that the universe is at least 13+ billion years old, right? Well, my father said, why couldn't God have just placed the light from those distant stars already in space between us here on earth and the objects that the light appears to be coming from?

Well, why not. God is great, all powerful, infinite, sovereign, and so much more. Not believing that it is possible puts limits on God that aren't correct, right? I like this thought. I am not sure if it's right. I do believe that God created the universe and everything in it in 6 days, so the light must have gotten here somehow. Whether science is right, and the book I mentioned before has it right, or my father's thoughts are right, it doesn't matter, but just don't limit God!

Back from Germany

2006-10-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

As some of you knew, I was in Germany for 10 days. I went over for PhotoKina - the largest photography trade show in the world. I occurs every other year in Cologne, Germany. I went with my father and brother. We went a few days early so that we could settle in, and do a little looking around. I will hit the high points.
Saturday we didn't do much. Sunday my dad and I went to the chocolate museum in Cologne, and that was really neat. You get to see the chocolate go through the entire process of creation to packaging. Also, you get to see how multi-colored (on the same item) chocolate is made. That was really neat. It is done by painting one color in, say white, when it is slightly hard, then they pour in the other kind then put it on a machine that rotates and the chocolate adheres to the outside. The show started Tuesday and ended Sunday. The show was a lot of fun, and it appears that we picked up at least one dealer and maybe 2 others. The show was busy, which was good. Not much else to say about the show really. Ate food, talked to people, laughed, wandered, the norm from 9:15-6:20 everyday.
One thing that happened was that the booth we were in had a kitchen and servers. Well, one of the frig's had the door setup so that the girls couldn't get into it very easily due to the way it opened, and a shelving unit. So, I was able to get a set of tools from my brother, and switch which side the door was on. That worked well. The girls were very happy about it, and it made things a lot easier on them (at least for 4 of the 6 days).
I also got a few pictures of mine printed on 2 of hp's big printers. They both came out pretty well, and I am looking forward to framing and hanging them. Although I cannot afford those printers, and I will be looking into an Epson instead. I am going with the Epson, because I met a guy on the plane back that does a lot of fine art printing, and he didn't even have to think, he said Epson before I finshed asking. He tests them all and was able to explain it was the best (at the moment) for what I wanted to do. Now I just have to save the moeny to get it.
I got to eat at the Hungarian resturant I really like there with dad, brother, Mike Walker and friends, a couple others, and a fashion photographer named Urs. Apparently fairly well known, and a great, funny guy.
Overall one of the best part was getting to eat at my favorite ice cream place. When we showed up there the first Saturday night they remembered us. It was cool. We ate there every night except one, and the night after we missed they asked us where we were, because they were waiting for us the night before. We missed it because we were at the Hungarian place until late, and didn't get back to Bonn until midnight, an hour after the ice cream place was closed.

Overall, it was fun, but it was great to get home to my loving wife and my own bed.

An Article I Just Read

2006-09-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

So, I just had a little time before my class starts, and I like to read through the articles on msn.com, and there was one about God and money. So, I decided to read it. Apparently this week's Time magazine has an article about God and money.

It talks a lot about Joel Osteen, you may have heard of him. I have never really ahd anything against him, but also have never really read or heard anything from him before. It seems as if he is an advocate for the "prosperity gospel." Yep, that is right God wants us to be rich mentality. I now have a lesser opinion of him. The Bible never says God wants us to be rich. But, according the the article, 61% of Christians beleive that God wants them to be rich. Where does this come from?

Well, it may come from the fact that Mr. Osteen never finished college or went to seminary. So, he may not have as good of an understanding of scripture as others who have gone to college and seminary. I am not saying that those that don't go to seminary cannot become good pastors through the hand of God, but I beleive that since we have good institutions in this country to provide deep theological learning and understanding, why not use them.

One of those Life Things

2006-09-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Just over a month ago I found out that my mother was going to have her kidney taken out. It was certainly a shock, because I didn't know anything was wrong. What happened is that the doctors did an MRI/CAT scan on her, because she was having some pain, and they saw a lump in her kidney. Well, the options were to cut her open and:
1. take a biopsy and see what it is and if it were to be bad then go back in a take it out.
2. take out the half of the kidney that the lump was in.
3. take the whole kidney out.
Well, after talking to a few doctors my parents learned that the best and easiest was to just take the whole thing out. So they did. That put my mother out of commission for a month - yes school started in there.

I got to sub for her math classes. I did that for 2 weeks, and I can say that teaching math is hard. I like the flow and time allotted in my physics class.

Well, they found out that the lump was cancer, but it was fully contained in the kidney and therefore everything is OK. It was a little scary for a little bit of time. All the doctors said it wasn't a big deal, and it was routine, but still a little scary.

Thanks for all the prayers.

Links to what we did

2006-09-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

I also wanted to provide links to the things we did and places we stayed (where available) in both Australia and New Zealand. OK, I am just providing the ones I thought were worth mentioning that I still had at easy access.

Australia - Brisbane Area
http://www.carinyabandb.com.au/ - B&B in Brisbane
http://www.kooroomba.com.au - lavender Farm
http://www.crocodilehunter.com/ - The Australia Zoo

New Zealand - North Island
http://www.ezirentcarhire.co.nz - Car Rental agency
http://www.hobbitontours.com/ - Hobbiton
http://www.waimangu.com/ - Geothermal Park
https://www.iserve.co.nz/users/spider01/theloftnz.com/htdocs/index.htm - B&B at Lake Taupo - VERY NICE room and people
http://www.sharella.co.nz/ - cheap, not bad, in day may be nice because it is across from Botanical Garden

South Island
http://www.thecamelot.co.nz/ - Right downtown, no parking included (have to pay to park)
http://www.jadecourt.co.nz/ - Surprisingly nice. LITTLE TOWN. Good stop over between Christchurch and the glaciers
http://www.franzjosefglacier.co.nz/ - Glacier Tours - BLAST!!!!!
http://www.okurubeach.co.nz/ - Little B&B, kind-of hard to find, but nice people
http://www.willowbrook.net.nz/ - VERY NICE B&B. Outside of Queenstown about 20 minutes.
http://www.thestation.co.nz/default.asp - Milford Sound Day Tour - May decide to drive instead, but it is 4 hours each way from Queenstown so it was nice to relax in bus instead, but other people with you that are not necessarily as great.
http://www.nzhomestay.co.nz/pages/Canterbury/HO_79.html - Nice B&B between Queenstown and Christchurch. It is called Tekapo House so if html doesn't work then just do a search for it.

Overall we liked the B&B's more than the hotels, but you of course pay a little more for that (most of the time). The gondola rides in Queenstown and Christchurch were well worth it.

Overall Australia & New Zealand

2006-09-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

I have uploaded a lot of pictures with brief descriptions today. They are in reverse order if you start at the top (Sorry, I didn't think of that first). This trip was great. It started off in Australia, getting to see one of my best friends getting married to a wonderful woman. The wedding was nice, and Beverly and I were very happy that we could make it. The weather was great (well a little rain wasn't always occuring at the right time for our liking). The area was gorgeous, and Beverly and I would love to return sooner rather than later.

One thing we did learn is that 12 days in all of New Zealand is not nearly enough time to really enjoy it. If and when we go back I think we will either have to spend a lot more time there to see both islands, or take two trips one to each island exclusively. I would advise everyone to go there at least once in their lives. Both islands have a lot to offer.

I can say that we will return someday. God definitely went all out in beauty when he created New Zealand. Thank you God!

Almost at the End

2006-09-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

While at Lake Tapeko there is a church there that is known as the most photographed church in New Zealand. So, we took a picture of it. It is still in use, and it was quite a nice little church overlooking a beautiful lake and mountain setting.

Here we are at the lake as well. After this we headed off back to Christchurch to head back homeward.

The Tallest Mountain in New Zealand

2006-09-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Now, I wanted to see Mt. Cook. I was told that it was a great place to hike, and a great place to just see. So, we set off to see it. Well, as you can see in the distance towards Mt. Cook it was cloudy the day we went there. Not only was it cloudy once we got there, it was raining. We still hiked a little, and had a good time trying to change out of wet and muddy clothes in a car that was packed pretty full with suitcases without getting wetness and mud everywhere.

This picture is of a lake we drove along on our way to Mt. Cook. The colors were nice, and so were the clouds (at least from a distance).

The Sound (Fiord)

2006-09-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

The next day we went on a day tour to Milford Sound. It was a nice drive out on a big tour bus. We stopped a few times to hike around before we got to the Sound. One of the places we stopped was Mirror Lake. Click on this picture (It is big so it may take a while to load) and look at the sign for the lake.

Another place we stopped was a frost covered field. Beverly took this great close-up of some of that frost.

And here we are at the end of the day at Milford Sound. It was cold that day as well, and so we are all covered up.

A Drive to Queenstown

2006-09-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

On our drive to Queenstown (our southern most distance we drove) we stopped a few times along the way and hiked some. Here is a pool we stopped at on one of those hikes.

That night at the B&B we stayed at I took the camera outside and pointed it at the sky and took a timelaps photo. Here was the result.

Kind of in the middle you can see the southern cross.

The Cold Highlight for Me

2006-09-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

A couple days later we got to hike on a glacier. This was loads of fun. I mean look at it! It was amazing. It was cold at times, but this is considered a warm glacier. This is because its base exists around warm climate (70's and 80's even). It is moving so fast that it is able to reach this point without melting. They say it moves soemthing like 2m a year right now. That may not sound like much but most glaciers move something like 1m every 1000 years. So, a big difference. bevelry was a little worried at times, but she only slipped once, and didn't hurt herself. Here she is in a crevace we had to go through:
It was fun for many reasons, one being that the guide doesn't really know where he is going. Well, he knew about where he wanted to end up and get back to, but the path changes everyday. So, we got to one point and he said, "hmm, maybe we should ahve gone left back there." It was a full day of adventure!

Crossing Between Islands and a Night Site

2006-09-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

On this day we traveled on a ferry between the two islands. I slept most of the way (I don't like boats), and Beverly took a lot of pictures so that I could see what I missed. Here was one of her favorites, and she tells me that this was what you saw most of the trip. You can actually see coast line during the entire trip, just sometimes it is the north island, sometimes the south, and sometimes both. DID YOU KNOW - New Zealand has most coastline than all of the US.

Once we were on the other side we picked up a new car and headed towards Christchurch. That night we took a trip up the side of a mountain and saw this beautiful sunset.

A Geothermal Experience

2006-09-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Our next stop that same day was to a geothermal park called Waimangu Volcanic Valley. There is a lot of geothermal activity in New Zealand and I wanted to go to one of the many parks that are there to see some of it. This is a picture of what is called "Frying Pan Lake." It resembles the shape of a frying pan, and yes that is gas coming off of it. It is not regular steam though. Yes, it is apparently hot, but it is also sulfer gas. So it really smelled there too. You can even see sulfer gas coming out of the mountian on the right side of the picutre. This is the worlds largest hot water spring (in surface area)

This is us at Inferno Lake. A VERY blue water lake that rises and falls on the order of 16m in a matter of about 2 weeks. You can see the upper level in the picutre indicated by the white line. The blue is just SO deep that is was very cool. It has this color due to the make up of the chemicals in the water reflecting and refracting the light in such a way that the color blue it is is the color that makes it to your eye (or the camera in this case). This is the worlds largest Crypto Geyser.

The Road Trip Begins

2006-09-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

We rented a car and our plan was to get to the Wellington at the south of the North Island in 2 days, and that was going to be quite a feat. Our first stop along the way was to Hobbitton. Yep, we got to see where they filmed part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was really cool, and being able to wander around and see what they did to create J.R.R. Tolkien's world was fantastic.

There is only one hobbit hole that you can actually just get inside and that was Biblo's. Here is a picture of us jsut inisde the door.

Into New Zealand

2006-09-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

So, after a great time in Australia we ventured into New Zealand. We started off in Aukland. Here is a picture from one of many parks in the city. You can see the Aukland Tower in the distance.

We also got to go to a zoo here and saw a Kiwi. They are nocturnal birds so they are very elusive creatures.

Out in the Rain Forest

2006-09-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Our next day we went on a day tour and got to hike through part of a national park. It was quite nice. As you can see there are trees that are covered in vines that have surrounded the trees from top to bottom, and the actual tree is still alive and you can see it through the dense vines.

The Australia Zoo

2006-09-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

This is Beverly and "The Bus" (that's the Wombat) at The Australia Zoo (Yes, where Steve Irwin was from).
The zoo was amazing. I have never seen animals that seem to have enough space to move around freely, and they are expanding. As you can see they take a lot of the animals out for walks regularly so that they can get outside their areas. We saw dingos, wombats and birds all out seeing the area around the zoo.

Back from our trip

2006-05-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

So, if you didn't know already Beverly and I went to Australia for Aaron Griffy's wedding to a wonderful woman named Kylie. We are back now and here is a picture from the wedding. The wedding was very nice. As you can see, Aaron had a very nice suit and Kylie looked great in here wedding dress. Beverly also looked good too, but of course she couldn't out shine the bride.

Being the best man, I was asked to give a speech. Well, I got up there and blanked. I was at a loss of words (and you all know that is something that NEVER happens). I was so happy for Aaron and Kylie, and just didn't know what to say. So, I fumbled around with words, and hopefully conveyed that I was very happy for both of them, and was glad to be there.

After the wedding, Beverly and I spent a few more days in Brisbane, and then traveled to New Zealand. I will be writing more about that later as I have the time. I will also post more pictures as well.

Entropy - Where did it come from

2006-04-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

So, I am reading a book called "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. It is really good so far, and it explores what Heaven is, where it is, and what we have to look forward to. So, now you are asking yourself, "So, why is this post called Entropy?" First off, I should define entropy. Entropy comes from the second law of Thermodynamics and states - "the entropy of any totally isolated system not at thermal equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value." And entropy is defined as - In thermodynamics, thermodynamic entropy (or simply entropy) is a measure of the amount of energy in a physical system that cannot be used to do work. In statistical mechanics, entropy is defined as a measure of the probability that a system would be in such a state, which is usually referred to as "disorder" or "randomness" present in a system.

Basically, it is that all things must tend towards disorder, or simply all must devolve.

So the book points out that this must not be as it was when God created everything. He originally created everything to be perfect and stay perfect. So, things could not devolve - go to disorder. Therefore stars wouldn't someday explode (entropy is the reason why supernovas occur). So, entropy must have come into existence why the fall occurred. So, Adam and Eve caused entropy. We are told that all was cursed (And would die) when the fall occurred, and entropy is the eventual death of all things. Entropy is why we get old and die (if from natural causes). It is the reason animals grow old and die. Star, planets, galaxies, the universe, will eventually die because of entropy.

So, what does this mean. Well, because of Christ's sacrifice, believers, planets, stars, animals, the universe won't "die." All will be restored one day.

Isn't that a great thing to think about. I also find it amazing that something that we consider one of the fundamental laws of the universe - entropy - was all caused by the Fall. And that all will be reconciled when Christ returns.

The Needs We Have

2006-03-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I just wanted to write about something someone in my Bible Study mentioned the other night. We have been going over Philippians, and got to a question about Philippains 4:19 - "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (Php 4:19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

We were discussing what this verse says to each of us, and one member mentioned something very interesting. Salvation is the only need we have as Christians and God has taken care of this need already. All other things are not needs, they are only wants. I ahd never thought of life that way. I know Salvation is the only thing we really need, but I ahve always thought of food, shelter, clothing as needs, but truely they aren't. If I don't have food then I would stare and die, but in having salvation I would be in Heaven, and that would be great. My only need would be fulfilled.

So think about that in your life. Do you have the only thing you need in life? Do you have the salvation that comes in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Just an Update

2006-03-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

So, anyone reading these are porbably wondering why I haven't written in a while. Well, the easy answer is that there is nothing to write about. Beverly and I are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand for Aaron's wedding and some vacation, but that is about it. We are probably going to buy a new digital camera before we go. We are going to get a Canon 20D. They were just discontinued and replaced by the 30D, so the prices are falling, and will hopefully fall more before I need to purchase it in a few weeks. We will also get the 17mm-85mm IS lens for it. That is apparently the best, all-around, lens for the camera. So, after I get it and use it I will let everyone know what I think of it.

Now that you read that you may be thinking, am I going digital? No, I am not going all digital. Digital has its place. I still like using film. I like the 4x5 I use. It is a great camera, but for vacations like this a smaller camera is advantageous, and I want a camera that will work well, and create good images. So, I could go medium format film, but after discussions with Beverly we decided to go with a DSLR. I am not owrried about film availability either. Film will be around for a very long time (At least for what I want film for - 4x5 and up).

New News, and a Relaxing Weekend

2006-02-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, this last weekend Beverly and I went to Pinetop, to relax. It was quite nice. Beverly was hoping for snow, and we did see some falling as wel drove in, but it didn't stick, and it didn't snow after that. Oh well. It was a pretty uneventful weekend, and that was nice. We watched some TV, went for a few walks in strong winds, and played Settlers of Catan a few times. For those of you who don't know the game, it is a blast even with two people.

The big news came on Monday when we got back into town. We met my long time friend Aaron and his girlfriend Kylee (whom he met in Australia) for dinner. Once there we found out that Aaron had proposed, and they are getting married this May. And the fun news is that they are getting married in Australia. So, yes, now Beverly and I have to make the all important decision of whether to go to Australia for the wedding. We were planning to go to Germany in Decmeber as a graduation present for Beverly, but this may take its place this year (I know, I know, we have to decide between going to Germany or Australia, life is SO hard). I am really excited for them, and she seems like a very nice woman.

Evil in Heaven?

2006-02-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

I pray you are all doing well right now.

In the Sunday School class I go to at my church we are studying, Theodicy. Which is defined as -

defense of God’s goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil.

Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.

During this discussion, the concept of free-will has come up. I believe that we as humans have free-will and that it is necessary for the glorification of God. What is glory given to God if there is no opportunity to choose to do evil.

Anyways, last week we had the question raised: Is there evil in Heaven? Of course as a Christian the answer is an easy no. Well... maybe not so easy. It is clear from scripture that there will be no evil in Heaven, but as humans we will still have that free-will that God gave us, and therefore we will have the ability to choose evil, but we will be inclined not to because we are in Heaven.

So, can we do evil in Heaven, YES, it seems that way. But evilness is contrary to God and His goodness, and it would be wrong to have evil in Heaven right? Think about the glory we give God every time we choose to follow Him instead of not following Him. Think how much more glory we will give God when we will never choose to not follow Him, as we will in Heaven.

Preparation

2006-01-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

I have been spending a lot of time the last few days working on lessons for my Bible study. We are going to be covering Philippians, and I am using my new program by Logos to aid me in preparing. It is very intense what I am learning. There are all kinds of things that I never realized about the situation behind the people, area, etc. regarding Philippians. IT has been rewarding so far, but at the same time it is taking a lot longer to prepare than I thought it would. I have spent quite a few hours (9-10 at least so far), just getting the background and part one (Phil. 1:1-26) prepared. I hope and pray that the other people in my group get as much out of it as I am.

A Devotion to Service or God or Both

2006-01-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

I was just doing my daily devotional that is apart of the new Bible software we recently purchased, it has done a great job at keeping me focused on praying, and today’s topic was serving God. The writer made an interesting statement that I think a lot of evangelical Christians are falling into: “Are we being more devoted to serves than to Jesus Christ?” Boy, that is a loaded question, but one that I think is happening more and more these days. I know that scripture tells us that we are to serve Him, and do things for Him in His name. Faith and service go very hand and hand (you can’t have one without the other, just read James), but you can get to the point where you lose sight of the meaning for the service. We need to keep God as our main focus and devotion in life. Never forget that. What do you think?

Melonpool

2006-01-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one for the day before I go to bed. I am planning to write a longer one in a day or two. If you enjoy reading comics then there is a really great online one called Melonpool. I have a link on the side for the site. The official discription is - Comedy/sci-fi strip. Think "Star Trek" meets "Gilligan's Island" with a giant hamster thrown in for good measure. It is really great. The artist is currently taking a little time off, and I think he deserves some emails from people telling him that people do read it and care. I have and I think if you could get into it most people would enjoy it too.

Check it out and tell me what you think.

G.R.A.C.E. and Church on Christmas

2005-12-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

I pray everyone is doing well out there. This Christmas (yesterday actually) I was at church (yes our church met on Christmas, more on that later). My pastor has been doing a series on the characters of the Christmas story, and it has been a very good series, and Sunday was centered on Jesus. The part I want to mention is something some of you may have heard before, I know I have, but I wanted to write it down this time. It is the acronym G.R.A.C.E. God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. It was a great Christmas reminder that God gave up everything to come to Earth, be human, experience temptation, and then suffer and die on the cross for my sin. And He did all that so that I could one day live and experience God’s wonderful riches in heaven.

Now about church on Christmas. I heard a lot on the news last week about churches that were not going to meet on Sunday BECAUSE it was Christmas. Something seemed REALLY wrong about that. Christmas doesn’t fall on a Sunday very often, so why wouldn’t you want to go to church on Sunday (assuming that is your normal church day) and on Christmas? I saw some interviews with pastors saying that they just didn’t expect people to come, because they would spend time with their family instead, or that they thought it was important for their congregation to spend time at home with their family. I must disagree! It sounds like these pastors are telling people that their personal family is more important than God’s family. God is more important than anything here on earth, even our families. Now, some of you may say, but you don’t usually go to church on Christmas, or even Christmas Eve, and that is true, but to CANCEL church when it normally occurs seems really stupid to me. Oh well, it is past us now, and there is nothing one can do about it now.

Film is NOT dead!

2005-12-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I work for K. B. Canham Cameras Inc. We manufacture Large Format cameras (also called view cameras or field cameras). Some people think that since these cameras use film that the business is suffering, since film is dying. Well, let me tell you that film is not dead. Our business is doing just fine. Ultra large format (ULF) cameras (sizes larger than 8x10) are up in sales. I just finished 2 14x17 cameras, and there are a few each of: 8x20, 11x14, 7x17, and 12x20.

Some people say that you can't get film for these cameras anymore, but that is also NOT TRUE! Ilford just announced that they will be cutting and supplying film for ULF cameras, and other odd size films (5x12 for example). Kodak and Fuji have also stated that they will continue to make film.

It is certainly true that film is not being made in the large quantity that it once was, but it is still being made, and will continue to be made. Large format photography is still largely used in architectural photography, due to limitation in fixed body cameras (like most digital cameras, 35mm cameras, and medium format cameras).

Other things that are changing are that companies are developing digital backs to attach to large format cameras. These backs have some limitation (like exposure time to name one), but some people like them. Also, many new to large format are taking pictures using film, but then scanning their negatives into the computer and printing them using large photo printers. So, both digital and film can be used together. In fact, I may be using this method to print my latest pictures from Yosemite/Sequoia, but I have yet to make a final decision.

I do believe that 35mm film will be going away someday (and maybe sooner rather than later), due to the digital area, but it will never replace large format photography. It is not a "better" thing that I am talking about. They are different. They look different. They are produced differently. I have a digital camera and like it for what I use it for, but it doesn't replace my 4x5, it is used for different applications.

So, when you hear someone say that film is dead you can know that they are not correct. Most likely, they are misinformed (since most people are).

Getting Kissed by a Drunk Guy

2005-12-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

So, last week Beverly and I went to a goodbye party for a friend at Intel. He is doing an ex-pat (ex-patriot) assignment in Malaysia, and will be gone for 3 years. So, we wanted to pay our resects. It was great seeing a lot of people that we don't get to see very often, and to catch up on the goings-on in each others lives. So, the guest of honor was pretty drunk by the time we got there, and when he came by to say hello to us, he decided that he needed to give me a big ol' kiss on the cheek. And there just happen to be someone with a camera there to get it in all its glory. So, there you have, and I can officially say that I have been kissed by a drunk guy.

The Christmas Dilemma

2005-12-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

So, Christmas is almost here (a week and a few days to be exact), and the holiday dilemma has hit me. I have been searching for that perfect gift for my wonderful wife, but I am having a tough time figuring out what to get her. I love her immensely, and I know she loves me the same (but more today since it is an even, inside thing), and no mater what I get her she will love it. But there is always that desire to get the "perfect gift."

The rest of the family is taken care of. That was pretty easy. Most of my side told me what they wanted, and Beverly knew what most of her side wanted. This has allowed me to focus on what to get my wife, which is nice, but it doesn't make it a whole lot easier.

What is going on in the back of my mind when I try to figure out what to get her is the gift that I though she would like, but it was a bomb (for the most part). A year ago and a bit, I got her a set of DVDs that were French movies. They had received decent reviews, and my wife liking French, I figured how could I go wrong. Well, the movies weren't that great, actually they were bad, well one was OK, but overall a bad present. I have tried not to repeat that event. She tells me that it was OK, and that it didn't matter, but I don't want it to happen again (at least for a while, one a year is not a good thing).

So, I am still thinking and time is running out. Friday I am going to spend some time looking around for something. I am praying that God will lead me to the "right present." I am sure it will all work out. If I don't write again before the holiday - Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

2005-11-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday was Thanksgiving and Beverly and I were able to spend time with both sides of our family. Lunch with her side and then dinner with my mother's family. It is great seeing family; it is just too bad that it is only a few times a year.

This year has been a good year, and here are some things I am thankful for:
1. My wife - She is so wonderful, and takes good care of me.
2. My family - I love having parents that love me, and extended family that also is looking out for me and that I can turn to with questions if I have them.
3. A job - I have two jobs that I love a lot. There are not too many people that can say that they even have one job hey like a lot, and I am blessed to have two.
4. Friends - I have grown closer to the people in my Bible study this year, and that is a great blessing. Also, being able to hang out and play games on the weekend with friends is always a good time.
5. President Bush - I know that God placed him in office so that the problems we are currently facing are working the best ways they can.
6. Freedom - A God given blessing that I know I take WAY too much advantage of.
7. God - He looks after me 24/7/365(6), and knowing that brings so much comfort to my life. I know that I am important to Him, and that He will take care of me. I can think of nothing better than to know that all my needs will be taken care of, because God has promised to take care of them for me. Not having to worry about the distant future, tomorrow, or even the rest of the day is so calming and joyful.

Well there you have it for this year. I am sure every year will be the same for the most part since it all is God given.

God Bless

Relient K, MXPX and Switchfoot Concerts

2005-11-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

So, this last week has been eventful from a concert standpoint.  Petra was on the 6th, last Thursday Beverly and I saw Switchfoot, and last night we saw MXPX and Relient K.

First the Switchfoot concert.  This was the first concert I have been to where I had to take my shoes off and be patted down.  Everyone had to have the done.  I guess it just shows what kind of world we live in.  Switchfoot didn’t come onstage till almost 10:15pm, and that was already a little late for a Thursday night.  They played all their big hits from their current album and their last album.  Overall it was a good show.  They are fine performs live, and I would advise seeing them if you get the chance.

Last night was MXPX and Relient K.  It was at the Mesa Amphitheater, which meant it was outside.  That was really nice, because it wasn’t too loud, and the concert had to be done early because of the noise.  MXPX has been around a while (12 years about), and they are great on stage performers.  They knew how to engage the crowd, keep everyone in a good mood, and rock out at the same time.  I got to hear some stuff from their latest album, Panic, and it sounded pretty good.  I think I will pick up the vinyl version of the album when it comes out later this year (or early next year).  They played quite a bit of their older stuff as well, and hearing Chick Magnet, I’m OK, You’re OK, and Punk Rock Show live was great.  Then Relient K came on.  They played a lot of stuff from their latest album and their previous album.  They are not as good stage performers as MXPX, but they are relatively young compared the MXPX, so they have time to grow.  What I did like was that most of the songs they sung were songs that had God mentioned in them.  Relient K has a lot of songs that don’t mention God and are “fun” songs and I like them, but it was great that their choice of music focused on God.  It was especially nice since there is a good chance that there were non-Christians there.

So, the last week and a half have been filled with 3 concerts and 4 Christian bands that I really enjoy.  God is good!

Petra Says Goodbye

2005-11-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday night my friend Josh and I went to a concert.  It was Petra, and it was their stop in the Phoenix area on their farewell tour.  Yes, as of the end of the year Petra will be no more.  After 33 years Petra is ending their long and great career.  The first Christian band I ever heard was Petra.  My friend Aaron had their “Beyond Belief” album that was back in 1991.  I was hooked on Christian music from then on.

Then in 1997 Josh and I went to a Petra concert.  It was my first concert without my parents.  That was also a lot of fun.  Because of that concert, Josh and I went to Spirit West Coast in 1998, where I was introduced to a lot more Christian bands.

The concert on Sunday was a lot of fun.  We were able to hear a large array of Petra’s music.  It brought back a lot of great memories from hanging out with friends, and times when I needed an uplifting song.  The band right before Petra was Farewell June.  They had an interesting sound.  The lead singer played guitar, harmonica, and fiddle.  I think they may be an up-and-coming band.  The concert had about 750 people at it, and most of them were older people and their children.  It is true that some of them are getting old.  When they came out on stage, I made the comment, “Man, they look old,” referring to  John Schlitt.  Josh replied, “It’s like watching our parents on stage.”  They all could still rock, and it was a great time.

Petra has always been a great band.  People nowadays think that Petra is just an old 80’s band.  Yes, they were at their best in mid 80’s to the early 90’s, but their music has had one big consistency since they started in the 70’s.  They have always kept God at the center of all their songs.  Some bands have songs that are “fun” and don’t mention God or relate to God at all, but Petra has never done this to my knowledge.  Rock and roll has remained a hit with them, and their latest album “Jekyll and Hyde” was a return to their height, it is a rock album.

2005-10-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

A week and a bit ago Beverly and I went up to Flagstaff for the weekend. Beverly likes the cool weather and the changing colors of the trees, and I wanted a certain picture. We went up a year ago, and I took a picture with my 4x5 camera. Well, when I got it developed it was not that great. So, I had decided that I wanted to take that picture again.

It was an okay weekend. It was rainy and cloudy, but it was nice to get away. I did get the picture I wanted, and God allowed the sky to open up a little so that I would have some clouds in the picture, but not an overcast sky. God truly is amazing.

On Saturday as Beverly and I were hiking up the side of a mountain my cell phone started ringing. It was my grandfather, just wanting to know how everything was going. It was just a little funny thing that happened. Another thing was that one time when we stopped to hike Beverly noticed a person using a large format camera. So, we wandered over to see what he was using and to say hello. He was not using a Canham camera, but he does own a Canham 7x17, and knows my father and quite a few other people I know from the large format community. We spent a few minutes talking, and then it was time to hike.

The picture above is one Beverly took with the digital camera on our first day of hiking I believe.

Serenity - A Firefly Movie - A Review (to a point)

2005-10-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

I got to see Serenity yesterday. My wife and I went with a couple friends, Nate and Kirticia, to the Cine Capri and saw it there. It was a great time with friends seeing a movie we all were very excited to see.

The movie was GREAT! The movie started with enough background to allow "outsiders" to understand the movie. But not too much to bore those that have watched and loved Firefly. Joss was able to utilize the added financing of a movie to add more special effects that are not feasible on television. The nice thing was that the special effects did not take over the movie. They were just another part of it. Another great thing was that, like Firefly, the special effects were created like they were filmed with a camera. This means that the camera would shake when needed, if it was raining or water was splashed then the "camera" would get water on it.

The writing was great as well. Joss did a wonderful job developing some of the characters. He was unable to fully develop all the characters, but the ones he did develop were done with typical Joss Weedon expertise. As with most Joss Weedon work, the characters are real people with real problems that we can relate to. Nathan Fillion (Mal) did a wonderful job portraying his hard captain character (with a bit of a soft side). Summer Glau plays River. She is the central character of the film, and she continues to play her role unbelievably. She is supposed to be a woman whom the government has manipulated. They fiddled with her brain and now she is a little "crazy." So she does a few things during the movie that show her craziness, but then she flows into the lethal woman that she is, and the action scenes are great. The choreography and filming of those scenes show the time and energy the actors and actresses put into their work.

There are some surprises, which I will not mention. I really hope it does well in the theater, and then in DVD sales so that Joss can do a second, third, etc. So, please go see it. I have talked to a few people that did not see Firefly, but went to Serenity this weekend and really enjoyed the movie. So, go see it. It is more than worth your time and money.

Serenity - A Firefly Movie

2005-09-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

So, I was trying to find a really good picture for this posting, but I was unable to find exactly what I wanted. So, this is the picture you get. A few years ago there was a TV show called Firefly. It was on Fox and was created by Joss Weedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fame. Regretfully the show was canceled after only 11 episodes. The show was very entertaining. It was a Sci-Fi western. But it was different then most Sci-Fi shows because there were no aliens. It takes place 500 years in the future, and humans have colonized the galaxy, and low-and-behold there were no aliens out there.

The show follows a ship called Serenity and her crew. They are a ragtag group of people all with their own idiosyncrasies. Why am I writing about this show you may be asking yourself. Well, the fans came through. DVD sales for the show went through the roof (over 200,000 so far). That may not seem like much but for a show that lasted only 11 episodes it is a lot. And now Universal Pictures has produced a movie that comes out this Friday, September 30th, called Serenity.

I want to encourage everyone to go and see it. Joss has guaranteed that anyone that sees it will understand what is going on. This is not just a movie made for the fans of the show. If you were a fan of the show it will provide answers to some questions raised during the show. If the movie does well then there may be more movies to come. For more information there is a webpage for the movie: http://www.serenitymovie.com

So, please go and see it. Tell me what you think. After I see it I will post my review.

Psalm 51 – A Prayer of Repentance

2005-09-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is a psalm that I have read when I feel that sin has overcome me, or has just been pulling at my heart and my conscience is bothering me (thank you Holy Spirit).

v. 1-4 – David starts with asking for forgiveness.  This is what we must do even to this day.  God always wants us to repent of our sins.  He (David) also knows that it is up to God to forgive him.  He asks for mercy, and knows it will come because God is love.  Also, David acknowledges his sins.  He has recently had sex with Bathsheba, who was another man’s wife at this time, let alone the fact that it wasn’t his wife at all.  This is weighing heavily on him, and he needs the glorious mercy of God to lift his sorrow.

v. 5-9 – David knows that he was conceived in sin, we are all born in sin, and that his sin must be cleansed from the inside, all the way to the deepest part of his core.  I have felt this way at times.  There are things that I have done that I know God has been very happy to wash out.  The relief that is felt at those times is unlike just about anything else.  To know that God, the creator of everything has devoted a piece of Himself to me to clean me out is amazing.

v. 10-13 – David does not want to be apart from God any longer, and also wants to help others come to know the great salvation that God has to provide.  We can be the same way.  After a terrible ordeal and we feel that wonderful presence of God, we can then share that wonderfulness with others.  These are the testimonies God wants us to spread about Him.

v. 14-19 – David knows that there is nothing he can do that would make God want to forgive him.  Works are not what God looks at when forgiveness is needed.  He looks to the heart, just as David acknowledges in verses 16 and 17.

Whenever you feel the weight of sin on your heart, shoulders, body, mind, spirit, etc. just spend some time talking with God.  Pray through Psalm 51.  Insert your personal issues into it.  David was going through infidelity, but you could just as easily apply this to any other sin you can think of.

Relient K is the band to listen to right now

2005-09-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Going on from my last post I want to mention another band that is really on my mind right now: Relient K.  There most recent album “mmhmm” was released by both Gotee Records and Capital Records.  Like Switchfoot they have made it into the mainstream music scene.  The reason I like them is that they are fun, musically talented, and talk about God in their music.  Ever since I heard them sing Hello McFly and My Girlfriend (the Marilyn Manson song) at Spirit West Coast back in 2000 and I bought their CD they have always been a band I enjoy listening to.  They are an alternative rock band.  Some stuff is hardish and other songs are quite slow.

When their second album came out, “The anatomy of the tongue and cheek,” the song “Less Is More,” touched me.  God does love me and I don’t have to be anything special for Him to love me.  This album was a big step both musically and in lyrics.  More of the songs talked about how our relationship with God is important.  But at the same time I loved the song “I’m Lion-O” which is a tribute the “Thundercats,” which I loved as a kid.  They still had the fun stuff that made them so much fun to listen to.

Then their third album came out, “Two lefts don’t make a right, but three do.”  Again, I felt this was a step forward in their growth as musicians and Christians.  The lyrics again touched me in “Forward Motion, “ Over Thinking,” “I Am Understood?” “Getting Into You,” and “From End to End.”  “I Am Understood?” was the song I loved the most from a touching standpoint.  The first couple of lines are so true: “Sometimes it’s embarrassing to talk to you.  To hold a conversation with the one who sees right through you.”  It just gets better through the song.  It is so true.  I have trouble praying at times, because I am sure that He doesn’t want to talk to me, because I have so much filth in my life.  I could focus so much more on Him, but I get caught up in the world, and then it is hard to talk to God.  Now, I know that He always wants to talk to me, and wants me to talk to Him.  And this songs helps with that.

The next album out was their Christmas album.  This album has my current favorite song.  It is called “I Celebrate the Day.”  It has two questions that make up part of the chorus that I really like, and wonder about: “…the first time you opened your eyes did you realize that you would be my savior?  And the first breath that left your lips did you know that it would change this world forever?”  What do you think?  Jesus knows us inside and out.  He knew that we were full of sin, and yet came to earth.  Not only did He live among us, He lived a perfect life, and then He was killed.  He died for me, you, and everyone else.  Now, did He know that when He was born.  Why would He open His eyes, or take that first breath, knowing that He would one day die?  He did it because He loved me, and you, and everyone else.  He wants you to know Him.  So, I try to listen to this song as often as possible, so I remember to celebrate the day He was born as often as I can.

Finally, “mmhmm” came out this year.  And again Relient K has grown.  There were more great songs that were fun, more that talked about life/personal issues, and more about God.  “More than Useless,” “Who I am Hates Who I’ve Been,” and “When I Go Down” are all great songs about how God loves us even though we were and are sinners.  Another thing that I loved about this album was that they released it in vinyl as well.  I purchased it, and it had an extra song, “Apatheic Way to Be.”  It is a fun song in the way that the guys like to write fun songs.

Relient K is certainly a band that is worth listening to if you aren’t into them already.

"Nothing is Sound"

2005-09-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

I bought the new Switchfoot CD, "Nothing is Sound." I like it. Musically I think it is very engaging.  I spent a little extra and purchased the dual disc version.  It has a DVD side that has the album in 5.1 digital sound which sounds GREAT on my sound system.  If you have a 5.1 system or better then it is well worth the money to get this version.

I don’t like it quite as much as “A Beautiful Letdown,” because they do not directly mention God was much on this album.  He is there, and you can hear Him in the album, but He is not overtly there as past albums like “Letdown.”

“Stars” is the song that is being played all over the radio at the moment, and it is a great song.  It really makes me look at myself, and deeper than just the surface.  It is a harder song which I like.

The CD is really good, and well worth the time and money to go and get.

My business

2005-09-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that I have my own small business. I import and sell shades for digital cameras, camcorders, and laptop LCD screens. I have been doing this since 2002; ever since I first saw them at PhotoKina 2002. They are made by Camera Bellows (the same company that makes the bellows for my father’s cameras). The first thing I usually hear is why are the laptop shades so expensive? What most people don’t know is that these are all hand made. There is no machine that can make a bellows; therefore you are paying for the time and the material to make them. Speaking of material, these are very well made. The material they are made of allows for these to last for who knows how long. The one I am using on my digital camera is 3 years old, and still works as well today as it did 3 years ago. In addition, my laptop shade works wonderfully as well. If you want to check out the webpage about product information then here is the website:

www.canhamcameras.com/Bellows.html

So, who uses them? The digital camera and camcorder shades are used by everyone: professionals to family vacationers. I have sold laptop shades to professional photographers, oil companies, and even Honda R&D.

Family Camp 2005

2005-09-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Beverly and I went to Trinity’s Family Camp this last weekend. I wasn’t sure how good it was going to be, but I had a fun time. On Saturday Beverly was in charge of the hobby hut (craft area). It was a big success. There were a lot of kids there, and they all seemed to enjoy themselves. During that time I had my solar telescope out, and I saw a lot of great solar flares. I was supposed to host a night time telescope experience, but it was cloudy. Instead I hooked my laptop up to a projector and used Starry Night Pro to show everyone there the night sky. It seemed to go just fine. The next night it was clear, and I got the telescope out, and about 25 people came to look through it. We looked at the Lagoon Nebula, a few globular and open clusters, the Andromeda Galaxy, Neptune, Uranus, and the Dumbbell Nebula, and that was a success as well (To see images of these objects go to the search page on the Astronomy Picture of the Day website). God’s creation is incredible, and seeing these objects in all their splendor is just another reminder that God loves me (and others) so much that He created all of the universe for me (and others) to look at.

The speaker for the weekend was Pastor Don Engram. The overall theme was The Great Race, and the second session was my favorite. He drew from the book of Joshua chapter 1, verses 6-9. He talked about Joshua taking over for Moses before going into the Promise Land. God promised to bless Joshua (and all who believe) in three ways. Verse 6 mentions blessings from doing nothing other than just believing. All we have to do is believe in God, and He will bless us. This is a great promise of comfort. In verses 7 and 8 God talks about blessings from obeying. There are a lot of Christians who believe in God, but don’t obey what He has asked us to do. How can we show our love to God is we don’t obey what He has asked us to do? We can’t. As Christians we are constantly being bombarded with disobedience. It is very easy to not do what God wants us to do. I struggle with it daily as everyone does. We just need to focus our hearts and minds on God, and He will help us. Ask yourself: Are the things I’m doing obeying the Lord? Finally, verse 9 talks of blessings from resting. This seems odd right? Why would God bless us by resting. Just keep in mind that He is with us always and we can trust that He will help us through all our troubles, and we can find rest in that comfort. The others sessions were just as good.

The Monsoon and a Mouse Trap

2005-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

As some of you know I teach physics part time at a community college. In the class I am teaching this semester the students have to build a mouse trap car. It is a competition between the students. This is the only thing in class where they can earn extra credit. Some of my students seem very excited about this, in fact, a few are going to try and get their cars to go over 100m. This is nearly impossible, but if they want to try, I am more than willing to see it happen. The farthest I have even seen one go in a past class is 39m. I am very glad that they are getting into it (I will have to wait and see if that enthusiasm stays there until the project).

At school today it rained and hailed quite a bit. The monsoon seems to be back. Now I really hope it goes away before the weekend. I am in charge of an astronomy night at Family Camp, and I really hope it isn’t cloudy. So any prayer for no clouds Saturday and Sunday night would be great.

My B-Day

2005-08-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my B-day, and I wanted to drop a hello to everyone out there who are reading this.  My wife was a sweet and made me cookie and cupcakes.  She also got me a new attachment for my telescope.  The funny thing with that is that the part is not in stock at the moment, because Starizona is making a new version of the part.  It won’t be ready for about three more weeks.  I was hoping to have it this weekend for family camp since I am in charge of a star viewing time Saturday night.  Dean (the owner of Starizona) is such a great guy that he is loaning me his personal product so I have one for the weekend.  My brother got me a poster that is a periodic table with Star Trek stuff on all the elements.  For example: Mn, which is manganese, is Mind Meld and shows a picture of Spock and Bones in a mind meld.  It is really cool.

I went out this morning and took some more pictures of the sun.  The flares were a lot larger, and there were more of them this morning.  It was really cool.  I am going to continue working on them, and try taking more.

My wife is giving me a hard time (all in fun mind you) about what I have started to watch on TV.  I really enjoy watching BBC America; well three shows, Cash in the Attic (think atiquies road show), Changing Rooms, and What Not to Wear.  For some reason the second two I find really interesting and fun.

A New Toy

2005-08-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I picked up a new toy, a Coronado PST (personal solar telescope). It is a small telescope designed specifically to view the solar flares.

So, today I got it out, set it up in my backyard, and started viewing. The sun looked awsome. So, cool that I wanted to try and take a few pictures of it with my digital camera. The picture you see is the best one I got today. All I did was hold the camera up to the eyepiece and push the button. This is a first trial, and I am going to try and take more pictures. As I get better pictures I will post them. As you can see there are some flares coming off the bottom, and there are some at about 4 o'clock.

If you go to my webpage I listed yesterday, and then click on the other link that goes to my personal school wepage you can see other pictures I have taken through my regular telescope.

Let me know what you think.

I Think I Want to Try This Out

2005-08-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

I got an email from Aaron Griffy and he mentioned that he was going to try out the Blog thing. I really liked what he had done, and I thought I might be able to do it too. So I am going to try and do a better job at keeping this up to date.
The picture is from my vacation to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Las Vegas that Beverly and I recently returned from. This picture is from Yosemite.
If you are interested in more pictures from that vacation, and others we have taken in the past here is a webpage with that info:
http://employeeweb.cgc.maricopa.edu/c/an/canham_m/link.html