10 places to visit before I die.

I am getting ready to take a little road trip up to Maryland to visit some family up there which got me thinking, what are the top ten places I'd like to visit in my lifetime. These are in no particular order has it is hard for me to choose between some of them. This list also includes special events I would love to be able to attend someday.

1) Teotihuacan, Mexico. Capital and cultural center for the Aztec nation. Climb the Temple of the Sun, visit the sites, speak some Spanish.
2) Machu Picchu, Peru. Climb the Andes, visit this ancient vacationing sit of the Incas/
3) San Diego Comic Con. A.K.A. Nerd Mecca, nerdvana..... The celebrities, the costumes, the advanced screenings, the sneak peaks, the comic books.
4) New Zealand. Filming location for LOTR, Hercules and Xena. Home of Peter Jackson.
5) Japan. Visit Tokyo, see Mt. Fuji, tour feudal Japanese sights, buy a sword. Hello Kitty for Tracy and some cheap anime for me.
6) Egypt. Sail the Nile, see pyramids and the valley of the kings, raise a mummy from the dead start an apocalypse.
7) African Safari, Lions and Tigers and Elephants oh my!
8) The Holy Land. Walk where Christ walked, visit the garden and the hill Golgotha. Pray
9) Athens, Greece. See the Parthenon and the Acropolis and maybe reenact scenes from 300. "This is Sparta!" errr Athens
10)Olympics. Where ever they may be. Summer would be preferred but winter would be nice too. (figure skating for Tracy, Speed Skating for me). Track and Field, Gymnastics, B-ball, skiing, ......

How about you gentle viewers? What are some of the places you would like to visit in your lifetime?

Quick Grade Report

I am very happy to report a great semester. I got 4 A's and 1 B, that's a 3.795 GPA for the semester. That gives me about a 3.5 GPA for my major and............ a 2.375 overall. I have two semesters that I am paying the price for; spring 04 and spring 05, plus my less than stellar first year.

Hopes, Dreams, Tests, and Mediocrity

As many know I want to go into to counseling and the easiest way to do that is to get into grad school and earn a Master's in that field. So today I took a step toward realizing that goal, I took the GRE. However the question is did I REALLY take a step toward it? Thanks to modern technology I was able to take a computer based test which means that the verbal and quantitative portions were instantly scored and given (the analytical writing section still has to be reviewed and graded). I did just about as well as I did on my SATs which I am afraid isn't going to be good enough. I scored 570 verbal, and 600 quantitative. Not horrible, but not what I was hoping for.
I was counting on my GRE to held make up for; let us say, a less than perfect GPA. A GPA I am working hard to improve, but could prove too little to late. Now I haven't given up hope, I will still apply because you never know what might happen.
I feel like I am smarter than what my test scores say but maybe I just have to resign myself to mediocrity. Maybe I just got unlucky with the questions, maybe I just wasn't prepared. There are many possible reasons for scoring how I did, but for now I will just have to see what happens.

A really rough month

The last month has been a hard one for the Fisher family and for me especially. We've had to suffer through a lot of loss. The old saying that deaths come in threes held true. First I lost my unborn child. After five months of pregnancy we suffered another miscarriage. It was hard having to watch my wife go through the pains of delivery and feeling completely unable to do anything to help. Once the child was "birthed" it was easy for the doctor and nurses to see that the child had gastronesis which caused the miscarriage.
Then I lost my grandfather, my mom's step dad, in Florida. That was hard but he'd been sick for a while. Then just last week I lost my other grandfather, my dad's dad, in Oregon. That one came more unexpectedly. The majority of my Family were able to fly out for the funeral but I was unable to do so because of Finals. This also meant I missed seeing the aunts and uncles I haven't seen in 23 years ('85). To top it all off I had to deal with these during the Holidays while trying to finish the semester including papers, projects and finals.
All I can say is that I am grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel., it really helps deal with everything. Just the testimony I have of eternal marriage and the literal resurrection of the body gives me comfort and hope. I know my child will live one day and that my grandfathers will live again and that I can be with them for ever in eternity.

My Christmas List

For any who care, and for any who might actually be shopping for me (and who happen to read this blog), and for the universe in general, (read The Gift) this is my Christmas wish list for this year. This year it's actually pretty simple and cheap.

First I would like a mouse for my lap top, preferably optical and wireless.

Second a Radford University sweatshirt, hoodie (preferable) or fleece.

Third R.A. Salvatore's The Pirate King) which is book two of the Transitions series. (If you order from his website I think you may be able to get a signed copy)

Fourth, movies/DVDs, any of the following: The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones (4th one), The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy 2, Prince Caspian, Hancock, Star Wars The Clone Wars, Seasons of Angel (any but 5), Seasons of Stargate Atlantis (3 and above), any season of The Simpsons (except 8)

Fifth, Wii Games: Mario Kart, Mario Party 8, Tomb Raider Underworld, New Rayman Game.

Sixth, comic book subscriptions: Uncanny X-men, Invincible Iron Man, X-Force.....

Also straight A's and a Raise would be nice.

Surviving Thanksgiving with the In-Laws

Because I love my wife, I purchased plane tickets that would allow us to spend Thanksgiving with her parents in New Hampshire. Like most, the thought of a week with the In-Laws, including meeting the extended family I haven't previously met, leaves me feeling a bit apprehensive. But we live in the same city has my family and we get to see them all the time so it is only fair that we take the opportunity when one arises to see hers. It's only for four days so and if I take it one day at a time.....
First things to survive were airports and flying with a wife who doesn't like to fly. Aside from some nervous hand and leg squeezing during take off, turbulence, and landing, that went as good as can be expected. Her dad meet us at the airport and drove us down to where her mother was working. She nannies three young children which Tracy use to help her with in the summer before we got married. I visited them on my trip up there last summer but they didn't remember me. Then it was chines food and movies with the family. We also taught them Farkle which I won. The first day went well, I felt more relaxed and at ease then I have in the past and they seemed more ready to accept meas a member of the family.
Day two meant Tracy going shopping and getting her hair done with her mom and sister and me and the father in-law hiking in the New Hampshire mountains. We attempted to hike up Mt. Cardigan which had had about six inches on snow. The going was very slow up the mountain in the snow and due to time restraints and limited daylight we only got about 3/5 or so of the way up. (We both felt old and out of shape).
The time spent alone with my new father in-law was actually pretty enjoyable and I felt like he might like me.
Day three was Thanksgiving where I had to travel the house of my new Aunt Kathie and Uncle Gil and meet the rest of Tracy's dad's side. I managed to meet everybody and talked a little but kept to the background as much as possible. Thankfully I managed to make it through the evening without insulting anyone or making myself look like an idiot (as far as I can tell anyway).
Day four was the day I finally met Tracy's BFFs from high school. Despite feeling a bit like the 7th wheel it was a little amusing, if not alarming, to watch Tracy revert to a more 13 year old state which I nicknamed Captain Giggles.
Then early the next morning it was just having to survive a grouchy wife who hates flying and then home sweet home. All in all the experience wasn't that bad and I actually have to admit I enjoyed myself much more than I thought I would. In the very least I am no more worse for wear.

Hospitals suck

I had to take Tracy to the hospital today for her to "deliver" the miscarried baby. We got to the hospital early 7:45am and after 10 hours I have come to the conclusion that hospitals suck, as we don't seem to be leaving anytime soon.

Rock-A-Bye-Baby

Last night I went to help my wife babysit the three children of some friends of ours. My main job was just to entertain them especially the oldest of three who happens to also be the only boy. I played video games, and horsed around with them and played a little Disney Scene-It until bedtime. Tracy took the two year old upstairs to put to bed. Naturally there was some resistance has the child screamed for its mommy. Knowing that the bedtime for the older two had come (and not being privy to the family's bedtime procedure) I went upstairs to see if I could relieve Tracy of the crying two year old so she could the others ready for bed.
She accepted my offer and I took the crying child into my arms. I held her close and sat down on the rocker. I rocked her back and forth and started singing softly to her. It wasn't very long until the crying stopped. I continued to rock her back and forth for a while longer until she was asleep. While this was happening I just kept imagining doing this with my own child. The joy of the thought brought a tear to my eyes and a warm glow to my heart.
I so look forward to being a dad. Not just for the fun, playful moments but for the quite tender moments also. There is no denying that I will love my child. No, the real question is when I am able to pick my child up and hold it close in my arms, will I ever be able to let it go?

What one person can do.

Often people do not act on what they feel is right. They might say I'm only one person what difference can I possibly make. Here's a little story I came across from Yahoo News. The article is about how the Proposition 8 passed in California.

"Still, even though gays were fighting to preserve a basic right, it was the anti-equality side in California that seemed to have the most fervor. A symbolic low point for the gay side came on Oct. 13, when the Sacramento Bee ran a remarkable story about Rick and Pam Patterson, a Mormon couple of modest means - he drives a 10-year-old Honda Civic, she raises their five boys - who had withdrawn $50,000 from their savings account and given it to the pro-8 campaign. "It was a decision we made very prayerfully," Pam Patterson, 48, told the Bee's Jennifer Garza. "Was it an easy decision? No. But it was a clear decision, one that had so much potential to benefit our children and their children."

You could argue that marriage equality has little to do with children, but Patterson seemed to speak to Californians' inchoate phobias about gays and kids. On the Friday before the Bee story appeared, a group of San Francisco first-graders was taken to city hall to see their lesbian teacher marry her partner. Apparently the field trip was a parent's idea - not the teacher's - but the optics of the event were terrible for the gay side. It seemed like so much indoctrination."

If you want to read the whole see Yahoo. I just felt this was a good example of how one (or in this case one family) had a significant influence for good. I am sure they didn't expect to have this big of an impact of get the attention they did. They just did what they felt was right, but their actions helped to inspired others to action.

Falling behind and catching up.

One of the biggest problems that has plagued me for years is my tendency to procrastinate and then causes me to maybe fall a little behind in my school work. One of these days I might learn my lesson but for some reason I never seem to do. For example I recently had this big research project paper due, that I just kept putting off and I end up falling behind on it, getting stressed out, and then turning it in a week late. I know with the class load I'm carrying and also having to work and do my church responsibilities it is going to be difficult to find the time needed for everything. Maybe with perfect time management, I could but until that time I am going have to sacrifice time on one project to work on another. Hopefully with a strong concentrated effort today I can get everything caught up and after tomorrow I'll only have one more research paper and what is basically a book report left to do (outside of smaller homework assignments). If I can get started on them soon I can hopefully not fall behind and turn them in late.

Worst sports year ever?

Cubs fans shut-up, at least you made the playoffs. Movie over Philidelphia and stop whinning, you has a team inthe world series has well has several finals appearances by several teams recently. You guys have it easy. Try being a Seattle fan right now. The Mariners where the worst team in the AL The Seahawks, who were jobed by the Refs in Superbowl XL, are 1-5. And the Supersonics....they packed up and left town all together.
This is shaping up to probably be the worst year in sports for me, a die hard Seattle fan (I was born in Tacoma WA). The Cubs like to cry about there "curse" had how they haven't won a world series in 100 years. Well the Mariners have never won one, also Chicago, didn't the White Sox win one just a couple of years ago. Plus you still have Da' Bears and Da' Bulls (remember them). And Philidelphia, I don't what your problem is but it just seems like to me you're not happy without something to complain about. That goes for the rest of you sports nation out there. I dare anyone to find a city/team/ or person who has had a harder time lately than us Seattle Fans.

Juggling

Lately I've been feeling like juggler trying to juggle too many flaming torches at once. I have school and all the work involved with that. I have work and church callings, primary and Cub Scouts. I have my duties has a husband and expectant father and the duty to myself, you know have a little fun. I would love to be able to drop one but I can't for fear of the damage that torch might cause. It's tiring but it is just something I must do for now. I know it won't last forever I just need to but endure a little longer, than maybe I can get some sleep.

4 for 4

I recently had four exams almost at once, one on Thursday followed by three on Tuesday. It's rather hard when you have to try to study for four different exams at once. Especially since these were the first exams and I wanted to do get to get off on a good foot. Well I am happy to report that I batted 1.0o0. I went four for four. Four exams, four A's. However, I can't get cocky and relax. I still need to work hard and keep producing A's so maybe I can get into grad school.

A Five Dollar Hose

I have recently been experiencing some problems with my car. The coolant's been leaking and my car overheating plus the belt slipping off. I figured it was the water pump and was ready to take it in and spend who knows how much to get it fixed. My dad convinced me to take a look at it with him and see if we could fix it ourselves, he even bought me a new water pump. I get the car over to his house and start taking the engine apart and realized that a small hose, connected to the water pump, I couldn't see before had a whole in it. We then realized that was the problem and exchanged the water pump for a hose that cost five dollars. That's right it took a five dollar hose to fix my car, and now several days latter I can confirm that.
I wonder how much I would have spent if my dad hadn't convinced me to try to fix it myself, and if I didn't have to courage to try. (I don't really know much about cars and engines). That gets me to thinking how often the solution is quite simple, cheap and easy but we either over complicate things or just don't trust ourselves enough to fix the problem. When that happens we turn it over to the "experts" and throw large sums of money at it which might not even fix the problem. I know now in the future I might be willing to try things first myself and maybe get help when needed instead of just giving it over to someone else and just look for an easier solution and not assume the worst.

Legalized Crime

Today I talk about an ongoing crime that has continued on now for years and no one seems to want to do a thing about it. It's that most horrible crime that plague college students everywhere. The incredibly overpriced textbooks. Unless you're some snot nosed rich kid whose parents are giving them a free ride and paying for everything, you know what I am talking about.
Just the other day I went to my university's bookstore to purchase the texts books I'll need for my five classes this year. I had $400 in financial aid money to get them with, which turned out to be over $150 dollars to little. I was able to get all of them except one which cost $171 by its self, Ridiculous! I am a poor married college boy working at a fast-food restaurant trying to pay the bills. I don't have that kind of money just laying around. I'll have to wait several weeks until I get my refund money to be able to get it. Who knows how far I could far behind.
How long will this crime be allowed to continue? When will something be done? They are holding us over a cliff. We have to buy the books or we might not pass so therefore we'll charge you whatever we want for it. That's extortion. Something must be done. Maybe if we all banded together and refused to buy them.....

The Drive-Thru Commandments part 2 (6-10)

OK here are the other five commandments you've been waiting for.
6) Be ready to pay at the window If you are the only car in line or first there is some forgiveness but for the others... It's rather annoying when I have to wait for you to dig through your purse for you to find your wallet , or try to dig it out of your pocket. Why can't it be out and ready when you pull up to the window. Sometimes I also have to wait while they try to count out change. It's just easier for me to give you change than it is for you to search through your car, wallet, pocket counting out pennies and other coins trying to make the change. Just give me the money already. Also don't turn around after paying, doing who knows what,(probably burring your wallet in your purse again) after paying so I can give you your change. Always remember we do except plastic.
7) One order per car. Nothing may be more annoying than the times I get a car that wants two, three, or even four separate orders. Come inside if you absolutely feel the need to do so. It's rude to other guests, it backs things, up and makes things much more complicated. Plus I actually may not be able to take that many orders and hold them on my register. It gets even more annoying when each person pays with a 20 or higher which would have been enough to cover all the orders. Why can't you just pool your money or have one person pay and you pay them back. Also remember to pay for them in the order you ordered them.
8) No changing your order once confirmed.
When you've order and I have confirmed it back to you that's it, order done. It can be rather difficult to go back and change your order once I have totaled it up and again it slows things down. Sometimes I might have your order ready then you go and change it. This includes adding things to the order and taking things off (more on that later). This gets especially annoying if you want to get something else after you've paid. Just try to remember to order everything you need and want when initially ordering.
9) Have enough money to cover your order.
This might be the most forgivable of offenses, but can still be annoying. It would save a lot of trouble if you check before hand to make sure you have enough money and/or your wallet on you. Forgiveness can be granted if your credit is unexpectedly declined, it's happened to me. If you end up having to remove items after realizing you don't have enough results in breaking commandment 8, and having to delete a order entirely is even worse, especially if we have made all or part of your order already (that is money out of our pocket). Also if you realize you don't have enough money, don't just drive off without telling us, that's rude.
10) Try to be quick and courteous
Most or maybe even all places with drive-thrus have a standard speed or service time that they are striving to achieve, some are has low as a minute. It doesn't help them do there job and maintain there standards (which they can get into trouble if they don't) when you drag your feet and take forever. I have not meet standard service times before because took 2 minutes to pay or sat there for a minute eating, drinking or whatever after handing them there food. Also be nice and civil it really helps us to enjoy our jobs more, give better service and be nice in return. Being rude should never be acceptable.

I hope you've enjoyed these commandments and maybe they will help to be a better customer in the future and when in doubt refer to rule number one.

The 10 Commandments of the Drive-Thru (1-5)

I have worked for a number of years now in the food service industry, specifically, fast food. One thing that sets a fast food restaurant apart from the others is it's drive-thru window. Yes, that wonderful place where the lazy can order their less than then healthy food without ever having to step one foot outside their vehicle. The Bane of my existence.
In the course my time of servitude to the food service industry I have come to loath the drive-thru. The people are often annoying, less than intelligent and can be a little rude sometimes. Not everyone is like this, I get plenty of people I don't mind serving, but its the others that ruin it for everyone. You probably know who I am talking about, and something needs to be done about them.
That is why I have come up with the Ten Commandments of the Drive-thru has some attempt to correct the most annoying of the bad drive-thru behaviors.
1) I am always Right. Remember I am the one who works there. I am the one who has been trained and knows what to do. I know my menu, policies, procedures, and job so don't argue with me. Except my superiority in this matter and move on with your life.
2) Know what you want. When you pull up to the menu board to order know or at least have a very good idea what it is you want/need to order. Don't make me or the others in line wait five minutes for you to make up your mind.
3) No loud engines. I have enough problems hearing you with out that deafening noise your car emits. I don't need permanent hearing loss. This especially includes Diesels. There must be some law written somewhere that states that big diesel trucks can't park but must go through the Drive-thru of a restaurant. Is the big dumb redneck inside is just trying to show off his new toy or something? I say he is just trying to compensate for something.
4) Hang up your Cell Phone. I once had a car come pull up to my menu board while they were still talking on their phone. I greeted them in my usual polite and speedy manner. They asked me to hold on just a minute which I did. I then spent the next 4 minutes listening to their phone conversation which had nothing to do with food. I actually had to remind them that i was waiting on their order and asked if they could finish there phone call later, and yes they where still on the phone when they pulled up to the window. I often have to serve a guest while they are on the phone or have to wait for them to finish. Its rude to me and to other guest. I can go on for hours about cell phones, but won't here. Just please hang up your phone long enough for me to serve you.
5) Do not overpay. What I mean by this is don't give me a large bill for a small order. It just eats up my change and gives me more to do and a bigger chance of making a mistake. I once had a man come through my D.T. at B.K. at 6:30am and order nothing but a coffee (which is fine) and with his senior-citizen discount it cost him $0.65. He gave me a hundred dollar bill for. ( I only carry $60 in change in my drawer to begin with) I had to get the manager and have them go into the safe to get this man his change. We are not a bank, don't treat us like one. A good rule of thumb might be not more than $5 in change, maybe has much has $10. I might make for an exception if your order is really big like over $20 or $30. Remember we do except plastic.

The Five Rings of Joy

I love the Olympics. When I was younger and actually participating in sports I would dream of representing my country in the Olympics and winning the gold medal. There would be tears of jubilation and has I stand on the podium watching the Flag get raised with the national anthem playing. I return home a hero with a parade in my honor..... While that dream may have died the great Olympics still capture my imagination and my hopes.
Every two years a new Olympics begins (Summer then Winter) and I find myself glued to the television for hours on end mesmerized by the skill and prowess of the world's greatest athletes and all the pageantry and spectacle that goes along with the games. I cheer for my country and for my favorite athletes. I take pride when a fellow countryman takes home Gold (or any other medal) and maybe even live a little vicariously through them has a way to recapture a dream lost.
More that that I love the spirit of the Olympics. That sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship. It seems like the one time when the peoples of this world can set aside what ever difference they may have and join together in harmony. It's amazing what can happen when all of sudden every one's interests become one and the same. Why can't this spirit permeate into the world and last forever. Maybe one day that will be true. Until then all I can do is sit back and enjoy it while lasts and keep on cheering, GO U.S.A..!!!

The Marvelous Superpowered Somebody.

I like many am a big fan of Comic books and the whole superhero genre. I can't get enough of it. Sometimes I like to sit and think about what it would be like to be a superhero or at least have super powers. (Let's face it, I am more than likely to end up a super villian than a hero.) So here is the question I am posing; if you could have any ONE power what would it be? (Saying superman doesn't count because he has multiple powers.)
When ever I ask that the most common one I get is Flight. Most people would want to fly, while that does sound fun there are others that are a little more intriguing to me. Regeneration and be able to live forever or at least a long time would be pretty cool. I'd never have to worry about sickness and injury (no need for health insurance). Super strength or speed would be nice then I could easily become a pro athlete and make lots of money. X-ray vision and invisibility would just get me into trouble. I could have all kinds of fun with telepathy, but then again do you really want to know what people are thinking, scary. Telekinesis while useful would probably just make me fat and lazy.
No the one I would choose; at least right now, would be teleportation, the ability to go anywhere I wanted in the blink of an eye. think about how much I'd save on gas and travel time. I could go anywhere I wanted, when I wanted, Hawaii for the weekend anyone? That would probably be the one power that would make my life the easiest. expect for maybe being able to turn things into gold hmmm........


I'd love to hear from you on this and see what power you would choose.

First Entry, and welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog. I hope to be able to entertain, inform, enlighten, inspire or give you something to think about. Here I will give my points of view and opinions on many things from politics, religion, life, and everything in between. I'll also comment and review on things such has movies, games, TV, books, Comic Books and most forms of media, especially all things nerdy.
A word of Warning, I will not be held accountable if the contents of my blog offend, hurt your feelings, crushes your ego, of causes your head to explode. It's part of life you'll just have to deal with it.

Enjoy!