So...I have to apologize to my loyal and numerous readers for not blogging in a long time. Here we go, let's get this started again.
So here's a quick list of what's been going on.
- We're getting settled well here in Canajoharie, NY. Small town life is much different than Jersey but we're digging it.
- Being close to the ADKs is awesome. We've been hiking 10+ times since moving here, not to mention the trails and gorges around our house that we've been discovering and exploring.
- I've been keeping busy substitute teaching which means a little bit of teaching and a lot of reading. I've been devouring books which has been great. Last book finished was "Half Broke Horses" by Jeanette Walls. Really interesting read. A slightly fictional but mostly accurate story of her grandmother who was a rancher, pilot, teacher, and rabble-rouser.
- We went to Michigan a few weeks ago to visit Miriam's family which was a lot of fun.
- We've started composting, sweet and begun making plans for our vegetable garden. We will likely grow some interesting things since we seem to be able to get our staples from a guy around the corner who sells veggies on two card tables out in front of his house. Zucchinis for 10 cents a piece is hard to beat!
- We inherited a mini-van from my parents which has been helpful in moving big stuff around, like the elliptical we also inherited from them. Living close to them again has been great. We invited ourselves over for dinner the other night and plan on doing it a lot in the future.
Ok, plenty more has happened but I need to be off to sub for the afternoon!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
everybody say: Mr. Rain Man can we have a rainy day?
We're currently out in Michigan visiting with Miriam's family and getting ready for Miriam's ordination service this coming Sunday. It's been a great week filled with plenty of good food and good beer. I have really grown to appreciate Grand Rapids and would not be opposed to ending up here some day.
That said we move to Canajoharie, NY in t-minus one week. I haven't even begun to let myself think about how close we will be to the Adirondacks and how amazing that will be. We're less than one hour from the park and a little over an hour from camp. It will be nice to (hopefully) be able to get my canoe out more as well.
As of right now I am still jobless but hopeful.
Miriam and I are also super jazzed about being chaplains at camp August 2-8. Miriam got to be a chaplain last year while I took summer Greek but this year I get to join her. A number of our good friends will be up volunteering as well which just makes it all the more exciting. It will be very cool to see the construction progress as well.
That said we move to Canajoharie, NY in t-minus one week. I haven't even begun to let myself think about how close we will be to the Adirondacks and how amazing that will be. We're less than one hour from the park and a little over an hour from camp. It will be nice to (hopefully) be able to get my canoe out more as well.
As of right now I am still jobless but hopeful.
Miriam and I are also super jazzed about being chaplains at camp August 2-8. Miriam got to be a chaplain last year while I took summer Greek but this year I get to join her. A number of our good friends will be up volunteering as well which just makes it all the more exciting. It will be very cool to see the construction progress as well.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey...
Now I know I rag on New Jersey all the time, let's be honest who doesn't love poking fun of the Dirty Jerz? But as I reflect on our last few nights in NJ I've been thinking about the things I will miss about Jersey and here they are in no particular order (except for the first one which is the single greatest thing I will miss about NJ)
1. Listening to Bruce Springsteen while driving on Jersey highways. You understand his music on a whole different level when you do this.
- Bent Spoon ice cream
- the Pine Barrens
- downtown Princeton
- the Presbyterian Church of Westfield
- the Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail
- Bearfort Ridge
- Sourland Mountain Preserve
- getting away with driving like a jerk
- the Trenton Farmer's Market
- the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
- getting to live next to Ben and Emily
- Seminary friends
I am sure I left something off but there it is. So for all you people who like NJ there you go I gave you some things I will miss, are you happy now?
1. Listening to Bruce Springsteen while driving on Jersey highways. You understand his music on a whole different level when you do this.
- Bent Spoon ice cream
- the Pine Barrens
- downtown Princeton
- the Presbyterian Church of Westfield
- the Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail
- Bearfort Ridge
- Sourland Mountain Preserve
- getting away with driving like a jerk
- the Trenton Farmer's Market
- the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen
- getting to live next to Ben and Emily
- Seminary friends
I am sure I left something off but there it is. So for all you people who like NJ there you go I gave you some things I will miss, are you happy now?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
mellow yellow
So the greatest sporting event of the year, the Tour de France, started on Saturday. I find myself in a very weird place this year as I follow the race. When Lance Armstrong was winning like crazy I was rooting for him big time. I would go out and buy up all magazines with his face on the cover, I read his books cover to cover, I even have a Lance Armstrong training book for cycling. Needless to say, I was drinking the Armstrong kool-aid.
Yet this year I find myself rooting against Lance. I do not support post-retirement comebacks with the exception of Jordan’s first comeback (I mean let’s be honest, he was too young to retire). Post-retirement comebacks inevitably cloud the memory of one’s great athletic achievements (see Jordan’s second comeback). Lance’s comeback just seems like a big ego-trip to me wrapped in the neat packaging of his Livestrong, cancer research fundraising. Now don’t get me wrong I am by no means angry that he is trying to raise money and awareness for cancer research, that is awesome. What I don’t like is his ego in this comeback. Lance always had an ego, it’s what made him an exceptional cyclist but this comeback seems to take it a bit too far.
I also don’t approve of the comeback given that I began rooting for one of Lance’s teammates while Lance was retired. Alberto Contador is the future and the present of cycling. He has already won all three Grand Tours and is barely out of the Young Rider’s classification. The man is a beast. He got shafted from defending his ‘07 Tour title for joining the Astana team which was banned from the ‘08 Tour because of the team’s previous doping history (which was turned around after the ‘07 season). It’s his turn to make a triumphant comeback this year, not Lance’s. Come on Lance you won 7 Tours already, really, do you need to prove anything more? Let the young guys have a chance.
It makes me sad to say it but it’s true, as the Tour progresses I will continue to hope that Contador beats Lance and not just beats Lance, trounces him.
Yet this year I find myself rooting against Lance. I do not support post-retirement comebacks with the exception of Jordan’s first comeback (I mean let’s be honest, he was too young to retire). Post-retirement comebacks inevitably cloud the memory of one’s great athletic achievements (see Jordan’s second comeback). Lance’s comeback just seems like a big ego-trip to me wrapped in the neat packaging of his Livestrong, cancer research fundraising. Now don’t get me wrong I am by no means angry that he is trying to raise money and awareness for cancer research, that is awesome. What I don’t like is his ego in this comeback. Lance always had an ego, it’s what made him an exceptional cyclist but this comeback seems to take it a bit too far.
I also don’t approve of the comeback given that I began rooting for one of Lance’s teammates while Lance was retired. Alberto Contador is the future and the present of cycling. He has already won all three Grand Tours and is barely out of the Young Rider’s classification. The man is a beast. He got shafted from defending his ‘07 Tour title for joining the Astana team which was banned from the ‘08 Tour because of the team’s previous doping history (which was turned around after the ‘07 season). It’s his turn to make a triumphant comeback this year, not Lance’s. Come on Lance you won 7 Tours already, really, do you need to prove anything more? Let the young guys have a chance.
It makes me sad to say it but it’s true, as the Tour progresses I will continue to hope that Contador beats Lance and not just beats Lance, trounces him.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
if only i hadn't...
This post is dedicated to something I've seen a lot of lately: Bad idea tattoos. Now defining bad idea tattoos can be a bit problematic since one person's trash is another person's treasure but I think this list of tattoos I've compiled should be no one's treasure. Ever.
1. Neck tattoos. These are always a bad idea. At some point you are sure to regret them and unfortunately turtlenecks will never be cool. Ever.
2. Tattoos that reference money. I've seen in the last month a tattoo on the back of someone's hand saying "Get Money" and another one on someone's forearm that said "Money" with a bunch of bills around it. These are an even worse idea if you are in fact not getting any money.
3. Getting a tattoo when you are 16. If you are a parent and your kid asks for your permission to get a forearm tattoo tell them no and ground them for even thinking that was a good idea.
4. Insert your own. You know you've seen a bad idea tattoos recently one that made you cringe and think "was that really the best idea?"
If I know you and you have a tattoo similar to something like one of these I of course think it's great and will tell you so. Sike!
But seriously I've always wanted a tattoo of some sort but have never been able to decide on one. The more and more tattoos I see the more I think I will not get one for fear of regretting it in 20 years.
1. Neck tattoos. These are always a bad idea. At some point you are sure to regret them and unfortunately turtlenecks will never be cool. Ever.
2. Tattoos that reference money. I've seen in the last month a tattoo on the back of someone's hand saying "Get Money" and another one on someone's forearm that said "Money" with a bunch of bills around it. These are an even worse idea if you are in fact not getting any money.
3. Getting a tattoo when you are 16. If you are a parent and your kid asks for your permission to get a forearm tattoo tell them no and ground them for even thinking that was a good idea.
4. Insert your own. You know you've seen a bad idea tattoos recently one that made you cringe and think "was that really the best idea?"
If I know you and you have a tattoo similar to something like one of these I of course think it's great and will tell you so. Sike!
But seriously I've always wanted a tattoo of some sort but have never been able to decide on one. The more and more tattoos I see the more I think I will not get one for fear of regretting it in 20 years.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
the best view of new jersey is in the rear view mirror...
- the Barnes are heading to Upstate New York! Miriam received and accepted a call to be the next pastor of Canajoharie Reformed Church this past Sunday. It's been a long process but in the end we're both excited about heading up there and beginning this next part of our life.
- I've been quite mum on the blog as of late because of this process. It's been consuming a lot of our thinking and besides wanting to keep you all on the edge of your seats we needed to keep it all off of the internet. Expect posts to continue more now...or at the same rate, who knows
- we'll likely move towards the end of July. My first order of business once we move is to get the New Jersey plates off of the Subaru and get NY plates back on it. That will be one of the greatest days of my life.
- I am currently in Michigan taking an RCA History course. This is last intensive I have to take which is exciting. I've enjoyed good brews at New Holland while I am here, taking advantage of the location.
- That's all I'm up for writing right now, word.
- I've been quite mum on the blog as of late because of this process. It's been consuming a lot of our thinking and besides wanting to keep you all on the edge of your seats we needed to keep it all off of the internet. Expect posts to continue more now...or at the same rate, who knows
- we'll likely move towards the end of July. My first order of business once we move is to get the New Jersey plates off of the Subaru and get NY plates back on it. That will be one of the greatest days of my life.
- I am currently in Michigan taking an RCA History course. This is last intensive I have to take which is exciting. I've enjoyed good brews at New Holland while I am here, taking advantage of the location.
- That's all I'm up for writing right now, word.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
sleep in thin tents, caked with dirt...
- We've been busy. I've not posted. Oops.
- I graduated this past Saturday. It was a nice ceremony, a bit boring but not as boring as it was hyped up to be. It was quite warm, I sweat a lot which turned out to be the story of the weekend. My parents, great Aunt Bobbie, and Miriam's parents all came for the ceremony which was really great. We grilled Saturday afternoon before the ceremony and had an overall good time.
- We left right after my graduation to drive up to my parent's house because Jane was graduating Sunday morning at 10am. Her ceremony was nice as well though a number of people were incredibly rude. Once they started announcing names people decided to get up whenever they wanted and talk as though they were the only people in the room. It's one thing to shout for your graduate, as I did for Jane, it's another to act as though your graduate is the only one who matters. I sweat through my shirt there something fierce, it was a bit gross. It was good for Miriam to see Hamilton as well.
- I found myself a bit nostalgic for Jane as she was leaving Hamilton given that I've had some good times there when she's been there. One of my favorite times was skipping half a week of class last year to go to a show at Hamilton and hang out for five days.
- We're planning on heading down to the Pine Barrens today for a hike which should be fun.
- I've been a bit hush-hush on the blog as we try to figure out what comes next. I can't say anything right now about where we're going to be but big news should be coming out soon, so get ready, check the blog frequently.
- I graduated this past Saturday. It was a nice ceremony, a bit boring but not as boring as it was hyped up to be. It was quite warm, I sweat a lot which turned out to be the story of the weekend. My parents, great Aunt Bobbie, and Miriam's parents all came for the ceremony which was really great. We grilled Saturday afternoon before the ceremony and had an overall good time.
- We left right after my graduation to drive up to my parent's house because Jane was graduating Sunday morning at 10am. Her ceremony was nice as well though a number of people were incredibly rude. Once they started announcing names people decided to get up whenever they wanted and talk as though they were the only people in the room. It's one thing to shout for your graduate, as I did for Jane, it's another to act as though your graduate is the only one who matters. I sweat through my shirt there something fierce, it was a bit gross. It was good for Miriam to see Hamilton as well.
- I found myself a bit nostalgic for Jane as she was leaving Hamilton given that I've had some good times there when she's been there. One of my favorite times was skipping half a week of class last year to go to a show at Hamilton and hang out for five days.
- We're planning on heading down to the Pine Barrens today for a hike which should be fun.
- I've been a bit hush-hush on the blog as we try to figure out what comes next. I can't say anything right now about where we're going to be but big news should be coming out soon, so get ready, check the blog frequently.
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