and it's a big, a big hard sun

Snow in Central Jersey seems to be something a bit rare in the winter months but snow in October?!?! That's just unheard of! I had to get out the camera to take a picture to prove that is was so. Today was quite a change from yesterday's sunny 60ish temperatures. High near 40 today and blustery. Did go running around 5:30 and the weather really brought me back to running in Geneva during cross country season as fall progressed, it sure got cold up there.
Election day is a week away. At this point I'm ready for it to be over with. Why not just hold the election tomorrow? Is anyone actually still undecided?
Big night tomorrow at the soup kitchen most likely. Our highest numbers ever were 408 at the end of last month and this past week we had 400 which is amazing because it wasn't the last week of the month. This being the last week of the month should make things interesting. It is amazing how the need in this country keeps on growing.

here's comes the rain, do, do, do, do

- Some pics from the trip to the farmer's market today: Enjoy!
- Miriam's friend Alaina is town visiting which is fun except it's rainy here today which it always seems to be when we hang out with Alaina, bummer.
- I have been working with the Comic Life program on my Mac to make posting pictures cooler. Blogger's formatting is pretty bland with just the box formats of one picture stacked on top of another. But with Comic Life I can tile the photos and put them all as one which in my humble opinion is more appealing to the eye. I am intent on putting up more pics so the few people who actually read this blog can see what Miriam and I have been up to. Also, if the pics are too small to see you can click on it and it should zoom in: sweet!
- I had my mid-certification interview yesterday for ordination. It went really well and they are pleased with how I am doing and what I am doing. It's good to be affirmed in that for sure.

two wheels to freedom

Rode today for the first time in almost two months. I was inspired to ride by some work I was doing on the bike yesterday and the cooling fall weather. Kind of hard to not ride a cyclocross bike during cyclocross season, kind of sac-relig. Here are some pics:

oooo, how do you not smell that peppa?

This is HILARIOUS:
http://www.ucbcomedy.com/videos/play/2692

Seriously, watch it, it has potential to change your life

he's got two left feet and he bites my moves

- Had a nice little weekend this weekend. Jane got into town Thursday afternoon and we filled her visit with Karaoke, Hiking, Ultimate Frisbee, cooking, and other fun things. Saturday we met my parents at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison, NJ to see Romeo and Juliet. One of my dad's former students had the part of Romeo. I really enjoyed the whole show, the way it was done was superb. Romeo did a marvelous job and my Dad was quite excited to be able to see his former student perform. We went into the green room afterwards to meet up with Jordan (Romeo) and he greeted us with an excited "Mr. Barnes!" I am sure he was pretty stoked that a former English teacher of his drove 2.5 hours to see him perform.
- I have off from school this week which is pretty exciting though I have plenty of work to be doing. I have my mid-certification interview this Friday for ordination so I am busy preparing for that. I don't have much of an idea of what will happen during it but I am confident I can go in and let them know I am learning and still feeling quite called to ministry (now it's just making them believe me!)
- Middle school retreat coming up this weekend at good ol' Camp Bernie. I have been really looking forward to the retreats this year so I am stoked about this one.

2 blog posts in 2 days, consider yourself lucky...or cursed
- We went to see Toni Morrison read from her new book "A Mercy" last night. It was really cool to be able to hear such an amazing writer read from her own work. Her voice was really soothing and part of my was glad I was not on a couch because I would have fallen asleep hardcore!
- I found out today that I am going to India in January with Western Seminary. As an RCA student at another seminary I can apply to take advantage of Western's Intercultural Immersion programs. I did find this out until this year and it would not have worked until this year given that finals had been after Christmas until this year. I had originally put Oman as my number one choice but got a call from the dean of Western this morning saying things had changed and India was an option so I changed my number one choice and lo and behold I will be heading to India. I do not have a lot of info on it quite yet but I am really excited to be going. I tend to feel a little bit behind on the whole world travel front given that Miriam has been all over including spending 6 years of her childhood living in Liberia (I've only been to England and Bermuda. Canada doesn't count)

on the road again

- We had a great weekend in Upstate. Trip back on Friday night was a bit stressful given that everyone from NJ and downstate NY leave on the weekends to go elsewhere but we made it to Duanesburg unscathed. Saturday brought beautiful weather and a fantastic run along one of my favorite routes to run. We had lunch with my grandparents and enjoyed a housewarming party at Jenna and Jordan's new casa where we saw a lot of camp friends which was awesome. Sunday brought a drive out to Geneva and Canandaigua for a wedding of two college friends. The ceremony was great and the reception as well. We saw a lot of people I had not seen since graduation which was awesome. Nothing like saying, hey haven't seen you in two years tell me in three sentences what you've been up to and oh yea, I got married! It wasn't too overwhelming for Miriam and it was good to have her there with me. The drive back took 5.5 hours and we got back at 2am, that part wasn't as fun.
- A few observations I made while in Upstate:
1. The leaves were amazing and being able to see them on rolling hills is just what the doctor ordered.
2. Way less people drive SUVs in NY than do in NJ, nevermind that you would actually find an SUV useful in NY winters whereas in NJ they are completely useless.
3. I miss space, NJ just doesn't have a lot of open space.
4. I forgot how many political signs people put up around Rotterdam. What was interesting though was there were many more signs for local and state elections than the presidential one. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that Obama would take NY even if he didn't campaign there.
- Speaking of voting, I had to drive to Trenton on Friday to register to vote because they never submitted the form I filled out when I got my license to register. I blame it entirely on "the man" trying to suppress my vote.
- Jane is coming on Thursday to visit which should be a lot of fun.
- We are reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson in one of my classes and I am nearly done and want to read the whole thing again, it is an amazing book. We have next week off so I plan on doing just that.
- Election day is three weeks away, I feel like I get more nervous everyday. I am anticipating some sleepless night as it gets closer.
- Miriam and I put our Obama sticker on the car this past week and I have actually been able to look at the back of the car again and not focus entirely on the NJ plates that we have.

i've never felt so strange, standin in the jersey rain

- Art, Music, Justice tour was excellent. We really enjoyed the music and the overall message. Would have liked to see some more music but can't complain too much. One of the artists, Charlie Peacock could have to used to just not talk. His talking drove us nuts, he attempted to preach a short sermon and it was annoying, just not the place for it. But a good weekend overall, we enjoyed hanging out with some of Miriam's friends from her days working at Messiah (I suppose I can start calling them my friends now as well)
- First full Sunday at Westfield this week. We played a rousing game of number hockey in High School fellowship that further proved to me that number hockey is the best game we play there.
- I try not to get too political on this blog but lately Sarah Palin has just been pissing me off. I really get tired of the attacks trying to question Obama's patriotism. News flash: People don't run for president who aren't patriotic, that would just be idiotic. I am also sick of the Republicans trying to use Jeremiah Wright's sermons as fodder for attacks against Obama. Taking parts of his sermon's out of context does make him out to be un-American but if you listen to the sermons he's telling the truth. One of my preaching professors cites Wright's post-9/11 sermon (one of sermons used as sound bites) as a good example of prophetic lament. I respect the man because, if for nothing else, he's not like so many preachers these days whose allegiance is first to the United States and secondly to the Church. That's not biblical. Ok, enough ranting.
- As we head up to NY this weekend I am really looking forward to seeing the leaves changing colors, hopefully we haven't missed too much.

every step i go i grow another second young

- I've been a little Upstate New York-sick these last couple days. As the temperatures get colder and fall moves in I can't help but yearn for some rolling farm country or the Adirondacks. Miriam and I are heading upstate next weekend which will be excellent. We're off to a couple friends housewarming party in Glenville and a wedding of two college friends of mine in Geneva. It should be a great trip, we're stoked about it to say the least.
- I stumbled across a group called The Gaslight Anthem in the latest Rolling Stone and the description of them as a punkier Bruce Springsteen jumped out at me so I checked them out. They are awesome to say the least. The group is from New Brunswick, NJ (about 25 minutes from Princeton) and sing the usual Jersey-themed lyrics which seem to be about getting away from where you are. Needless to say these songs have resonated with me in my state of desiring to get the heck out of NJ. While I usually turn to bluegrass when missing Upstate NY this time I turn to a little Jersey-road music.
- Week 3 of classes is done and I've begun to set a good rhythm in place.
- Miriam and I are heading to Messiah College for the weekend to see some of her friends and to see the Art, Music, Justice tour which features Derek Webb, Sarah Groves, and Sandra McCraken. Should be a great trip.
- The beer Ben and I brewed is done and mighty tasty. We're pretty excited that our first attempt turned out so well. We're planning on brewing again in a couple weeks.
- Phish are getting back together and playing 3 three shows in Hampton, VA. I've seen them on their last two 'final' tours and loved it. I listened to them a little earlier this summer but before that hadn't listened in a year and a half probably. I haven't seriously listened to them since the last time I saw them. I'm hemming and hawing if I have the desire to see any of these shows.
- Nov. 4 is fast approaching. Register to vote if you haven't yet. I'm eagerly and nervously awaiting that day.