WALL*E

Since it is Lazy Sunday - just thought I'd let you know that I went and saw Wall*E yesterday with the fam. It is amazing that they are able to do what they do with computers. Brilliant! As for the kids - my 5 year old dug it. My 3 year old tried to escape 15 mins in to it and then promptly fell asleep. 4.5 out of 5 stars. Does anyone else think he looks like Johnny 5?

Tell Tale Signs That I Am Getting Old #2

My Calendar look like that of a 90 year old

That is - I have 3 doctor's appointments scheduled for this month. Three! I think that is how many times I went to the doctor the entire time that I was in High School and College COMBINED! Now don't you go and start your worrying (mom) nothing is seriously wrong with me - its just that, like my wife, the Docs doing test and giving referrals to make sure that everything is OK (or collect insurance payments - you decide). Which I am surely confident that it is - OK that is.

I was talking with my brother-in-law a few weeks ago and he was saying that once he hit 30 it was all down hill. Everything started falling apart - aches and pains (check), Needing Knee surgery (not yet), Vertigo (I don't know do I...Whoa I need to sit down). Who knew that 30 was the new 90!

Maybe I am just a hypochondriac....Amy calls me Walter when I act like a grumpy old man. Maybe I am a grumpy old hypochondriacical (sp?) old man - Named Walter! But wait! I am only 31! Ahhhhhhhhhh!

DANCE MACHINE

If you are reading this and it is between 8-9 pm est on Friday - turn your TV to ABC and support our very good friend Jason Kennedy in his new show!

Top 5 Friday

Here is your Topic for Top 5 Friday:

Top 5 celebrity encounters

[UPDATE - Here's Mine]
1. Meeting the Nature Boy Ric Flair during the UF Homecoming Parade in 1999 (I think) WOOOO!
2. Being on the New Mickey Mouse Club in 1990 - No JC, Justin, Christina or Britney but YES to the Party, Damon, Chase Tiffani and Deedee (who I just saw again in 'Wicked')
3. I've grown up with Drew from Sister Hazel
4. I walked past Wayne Brady at Islands of Adventure thinking he looks really familiar...then someone walked up and asked - Hey aren't you the guy from 'Who's line is it anyway?'
5. My wife and I were coming off the Winnie the Pooh ride at Disney when she ran in to/over Kelly Rippa and her family as they were being backed doored on the ride.

Go!

Don't know what I am talking about? Click Here

Parenting 101

Jim has a really great post up about raising kids. Primarily dealing with when is the right age to address certain issues with them. I highly recommend that you check it out.

Here are a few excerpts that I really like:

*In my opinion and my experience, Five through ten are the years to instill in the kids what to expect in their teenage years and what the correct responses are.

*Proverbs 22:6 reads...Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

The key in that passage is "a child" because the concept of child of that era was younger than the child we see today. Children were supposed to have the Scriptures committed to memory by age 7, by age thirteen they were considered a young adult. The truth is that that has not changed. A child is 10-and-under regardless of the year or era. It's something all parents need to understand, because it gets exponentially harder to get through to them.

This post was really encouraging to me as my oldest daughter is just entering this "window" (5-10). I know Jim's daughter and she is an absolute delight! I can only hope that I can "train my daughters in the way they should go" as well as he has done with his.

The Ugly Truth About Dr. Pepper

You know all those crazy email forwards you get - the ones that say:

Obama is anti-American because he doesn't put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance.

or

You'll get a free iPod if you complete this survey and send it to 10 other people!

I can't stand those things, and the first thing that I do is go to Snopes, confirm what I already know (it's a hoax) and then forward the link on to the person who sent it to me.

Now you might say, "Jeez Matt you sure are a jerk!" But let me explain - I really don't like it or think that it is fair when people send out things that aren't true (and can be proven as not true) as if they were the gospel (and in some cases are trying to persuade others by forwarding these on).

But these actions have now come back to me full circle.

Call me naive. Call me crazy. But it has been my long standing belief that Dr. Pepper contained Prune juice in some form or fashion. And I have shared this belief for years with others. Now granted I did give a disclaimer of something like "I've heard that..." But non the less, I have been spreading rumors! I am a liar. A falsifier of information. I have transitioned to the Dark Side and become that which I hate....

Because today was the day that I took my own medicine and Snopesed Dr. Pepper. The results of this investigation are both good (I don't like Prune juice), bad (I've been LIVING A LIE!!!), and a little sad (this information has been up on Snopes for over a year and half). But hey at least now I (and you too!) know - Dr. Pepper does NOT contain any form of Prune Juice. It is NOT one of the 23 flavors.

On a side note. If you would like to know what the REAL 23 flavors are...Good luck finding them out - according to Snopes:

The Dr. Pepper recipe is allegedly divided in to two parts, each of which is locked up in a separate Dallas bank so that no single person can ever been in possession of the whole formula.

Sounds like we got ourselves the basis for National Treasure 3!

COOL New Friends

Met a lot of Cool folks over at the Cool Chat last night. Make sure you drop by and say hello! Tell them "Just Matt" sent you - and then next Monday - Join us all at the Cool Chat!

Master Mocha
Emily.The.Strange
Kat
Tam
CJ

I had a blast chatting with these good people and I ASSume they did too! It amazes me that by the Power of Grayskull....err the Internet we are able to connect with others so easily. I look forward to getting to know these people and more in the weeks and months to come. Thanks to the Cool 'Rents for hosting the mayhem!

Part of Positive Post Tuesday.

The Wonderful Wizard of OZ

So what do you do when your 3 year old wants a Wizard of OZ themed birthday party? You make really cool games! Like Pin the heart on the Tin Man, The Wizard of Oz's hot air balloon Pinata, and every one's favorite...Melt the Wicked Witch with water balloons! A fun time was had by all - even the "Witch" who felt like he had been pelted by paint balls.

Top 5 Friday!

Several months ago a few of us made up some fun and quite cool "Top 5 Concert" lists.

Mine
Amy
Cool 'Rents

I thought it would be fun and cool to do more "Top 5" lists - and to do them every Friday! I mean we already have most of the other days of the week covered:

Cool Chat Monday
Positive Post Tuesday
Watercooler Wednesday

Now we have TOP FIVE FRIDAY! I'll give you the topic - you make the list and link it back here! Make sure to add the link to this post on your post! Let's blow this thing up and get the weekend started right - 'cause its Friday and you aint got nothin' else to do.

Here is today's topic:

Top 5 sporting events attended

1. 1999 UF vs. UT when Alex Brown had like 1000 sacks
2. 1988 Gator football game - Getting to watch little known Emmit Smith work his magic (can't remember which one - I mean I was 11!)
3. 1995 SEC Championship Football Game - UF vs Ark
4. 1997 UF vs FSU - with Doug Johnson's huge pass to win the game
5. 1996 Gator Football Home Schedule - Can you really pick one?

Yeah, so it turns out I'm a little partial to the Gators....

Your turn. Ready? Go!

The Great Debate

This "discussion" began over at the Back Porch and I want some answers - so I ask:

1. Did the dinosaurs survive the flood? Why or why not?

2. Were the dinosaurs around during Jesus' time?

3. If you answered yes to #2 - did Jesus ride on dinosaurs?

In response to #3 - the picture above seems to think so.

The Stuff Christians Like Blog seems to be chiming in on the subject as well.

Celebration

Here is a good little show/video on "The Town that Disney Built." Short and sweet. I have visited Celebration many times (it is the only place my kids have seen "snow*") and love it. Like the video says, it is like old town America centered around Main Street.

Does a planned community like this creep you out?

http://current.com/items/88972930_living_in_a_bubble

Hat tip to Barb!

*snow=bubbles falling from the sky on Main street at Christmas time - family tradition to go play in it.

On Running

Brody has put up a nice post about running. You should check it out. If only for the insightful picture.

Is Life Insurance Payable due to Rapture?

Thanks to a post by Brad on a service that will send emails on your behalf in the event that you are "Raptured" - I ask the question listed above. What do you think? I mean does the "Act of God" clause come in to play here?

Disclaimer: This is not a rapture vs. no rapture post - just a fun question to discuss. I mean I don't want to

offend anybody ; )

Photo CC: Covenant Baptist

I'd Like to Add a Number 9...

9. WARNING: Keep children away from netting over "window" areas of bounce house. Failure to do so may result in extraction of teeth.

For the whole story on how this relates to my daughter - check out Amy's blog