Plant and Grow Corn

In case you didn't put the date and the picture together, i planted my corn a little late. For some reason, i didn't believe it would work and that my soil was junk but then Charlton told me i had good soil and the neighbour started growing corn. I was so behind.

I knew that it most likely wasn't going to grow to giant size but just to see it start was good enough for me. And its great!

I remember being a kid at my grandparents house and playing in the corn next to the house. I even got into a fight with a squirrel one time who was trying to steal with an ear. And then going to Maine and playing hide and go seek in a giant corn field. I am a city guy through and through but something about gardens and corn fields make me wanna be a farmer.

small aside: my family in Trinidad are farmers and have a slight fascination with documenting ever little movement of every piece of cabbage. I have sat through a good amount of video showing me each plant. If I start doing that, STOP ME! We love you Grampa Tony!

Go to a Hot Yoga Class

I think this may have cured me of my interest in yoga. Not only was I hot, i was sweaty, in pain and trying not to throw up on the nice hardwood floor and the human pretzel beside me. While the teacher was getting us to focus on our breathing, i was trying not to pass out and DIE.

OKAY...die might be a little much but hot yoga was WAY HARDER than i thought it would be. And they try and fool you with the nice serene decor and relaxing music of oceans only to go into what i can imagine HELL TO BE LIKE. I actually thought that at one point...hell could very well be an everlasting hot yoga class, where someone yells at you to contort your body into difficult positions. But that was just a thought in my OVER HEATED STUPOR!

The class begun and i started having problems with the first exercise...breathing! Apparently i can't breathe in for ten seconds. By two seconds my lungs were full and i felt like i'm was going to explode. We tried it twenty times. By the end one i was able to make it to 6 seconds...but i cheated.

By the time i was standing on one leg, arm raised in the front and my hand holding my foot in the back in the air...i thought, "goodness, i'm going to die!" Two more poses after that and i was lying on the floor for ten minutes just keeping myself from throwing up. YAY YOGA!

I have 9 more visit before the end of the month but i don't think i can do it again. I don't want to give up but it really ruined my day (spent the whole day with a splitting headache, not to mention my shoulder) so, we'll see. They say you feel better after the 5th time. Grief...maybe i'll feel better about it tomorrow.

Song List for the years of your life!

Age 1 -Celebration - Kool and the Gang

Age 2 Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot -Sparrow -Always a party started, yay soca music!

Age 3 Sweet Dreams-Eurythmics - the other two songs i just pulled out from the years, i ACTUALLY remember hearing this song and being afraid. Funny, i grew up to like this song but back then i was totally creeped out by it!

Age 4 Thriller-Michael Jackson-Jerk Parents! They used to play this song on full blast to see me run around the house crying. Freakin' Vincent Price and his creepy voice. His laugh at the end STILL gives me the heebie Jeebies!

Age 5 wake me up before you go go - George Micheal -YAY NEON CLOTHES AND BLACKLIGHTS!

Age 6 Control -Janet Jackson - this changed my life. I remember seeing her preform this song on the American Music Awards show that year and i told myself i wanted to sing and dance for the rest of my life.

Age 7 Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson Holy Smokes, Kisha and I watched the Michael Jackson Moonwalker movie sooo many times its forever in my brain! This part/video was the coolest, the crazy lean, the white suits! Kisha and I wanted to be one of the crazy japanese fans sooo badly who screamed and then fainted. Micheal, you didn't give us enough time!!!

Age 8 She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals My mother was crazy and i have the image of her jumping around singing this song, her hair a mess and for some reason, in the morning.

Age 9 Escapade -Janet Jackson Oh Rhythm Nation...you changed my life! I cried when i couldn't go to the tour! Mrs Meldrums music class was too cool cause i got the whole class to sing it for a year!

Age 10 Think of me - Phantom of the Opera Seeing this play changed my life and I remember being overwhelmed by how awesome music and theater could be.

Age 11 Gypsy Women - Crystal Waters And so my love for techno/electronic music begins! The nights of MusicPlus!

Age 12 End of the Road - Boyz to Men Such Talent. Always wanted to be a part, never learnt how to harmonize! Darn that Jason Penelosa!

Age 13 You Go to My Head -Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson From the film Corrina Corrina. Jazz music become real to me and i still say this is my favorite songs.

Age 14 Faithful Friend - Twila Paris and Steven Curtis Chapman The year Ren moved away. We prayed in Atlanta when they were flying to seattle and i bawled my eyes out. they played this song.

Age 15 Sunday Morning - No Doubt I remember someone handing me this CD in math class and i thought it was so cool! My first real rock stage. Hung out alot with Brendan Schultz and he like this and the red hot chili peppers. weird!

Age 16 Hold Me Jesus - Rebecca St. James I started doing this movement stuff to this song. "i'd rather fight you for something i don't really want, then take what you give that i need". This song was too deep for high school!

Age 17 I'll Be - Edwin Mccain - Driving in Seattle with Ang and Ren singing this song...perfect. Sort of what i think heaven will be like.

Age 18 Frail - Jars of Clay - I think this began my playing music when going to bed. Poor Darnell had to listen to this song for years! But really, its great and it can still put me to sleep.

Age 19 Green Eyes - Erykah Badu I sometimes still cry when i hear this song. Its hard to explain to people but the feeling of rejection and wanting someone so badly and throwing myself at them to realize they can't really fix me, heal me, or love me the way i need to be loved. Green Eyes brings me right back to that, Everytime!

Age 20 I can Only Imagine - Mercy Me There is another song by them that fits but this is for the time i went to florida to see Ren and I re-fell in love!

Age 21 Trading My Sorrows - Darrel Evens I would wake up in the morning in Belize and worship on top of this play structure and have the most awesome God Times. I also didn't realize that i was also waking everyone up with my loud singing!

Age 22 Jenny on the Block - J.Lo SHANNA!!! I remember thinking of shanna and I being right there with J.Lo on the block and J.Lo is in her bikini and fur coat and i realize (and say) Oh Dang Shanna, we're prostitutes! Good times!

Age 23 Show me your Face - Fred Hammond After having a personal stance AGAINST gospel music, fred Hammond turned me around. He has so much passion for God in his songs, even if they are long and sometimes over the top.

Age 24 At Last -Etta James I'M FINALLY MARRIED TO RENATA!

Age 25 Oh Holy Night - Mariah Carey For two reasons, going to New York with Ren and singing this and singing this with MO MO at tyndale! We would sing this on the top of our lungs!

Age 26 Best fo Last - Adele I LOVE ADELE! I sang (sing) this song to AJ and would rock him to sleep i would say almost every night for his first year of life!

Age 27 Desert Song- Hillsong United The move to seattle was ROUGH but i will bring praise! No weapon formed against me shall prevail! Amen!

Age 28 Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas hehehe, i'm embarrassed but AJ and I would rock out to this in the car. Also got free front row tickets for my Y kids...very silly, very fun.

Age 29 Horchata - Vampire Weekend I think this is a good reflection of where i am right now. Very young adult, and still global sounding but pop. This makes me feel good. Guy, much harder to do than you think! But check some of them out!

Get a Physical

I'M HEALTHY!

This was sorta fun. I actually had to take my son in to the doctor at 8:40 because of his fever and then ran to my doctor appointment at 10:00. It was cute seeing my son be in awe that his dad had to do the same things he just did. He had to leave the room for the "turn and cough" bit but got to see up close the needle being inserted in my vein and the blood being drawn. The nurse was very patient having to work with a three year old standing underneath her and looking between her arms at her work.

All in all, i'm healthy and beside my bunion and my weird face bump (either scar tissue or a cyst) i'm good. won't have to do that again for another 30 years!

Make a Lip Sync Video

oh dear...this is so embarrassing!

The story goes:
My teen center had a broken Wii guitar that was just taking up space. One of the teens, you'll see him in the video, really wanted it. I told him no. He asked again. I said no again. He then came up with a plan to get me to give him the guitar. He suggested we film a video of us lip singing to a song, i would get to be lead singer and then at the end of the song, we would get to destroy the guitar. Darn it! Such a great idea, i had to agree.

So, there we are making this video and once we are all done...we re watch it and we notice...I LOOK LIKE A CREEPER! I wasn't fully sure what did it but its the hey, those kids look cool, but whats up with the 40 year old! (okay...i'll say 35) who is TOO INTO THIS! Seriously, in my head i'm going for it...i'm totally a 15 year old boy at the time. its not right!

Enjoy...i'm embarrassed. Never again!

Never Watch Harry Potter Again!

Thanks Pat, now you ruined it!
I was so excited to watch the first part of the Harry Potter final! I was totally going to watch it and be definante against the Christian norm and enjoy the movie. (for the record, i feel there are some really great things in Harry Potter!)

But now i've competely missed the first installement and can go at least the year till i see it. Thanks Pat!

Buy Coffee for the next person in line

I'm still plugging away at this ridiculously long list! This is insane!

So, i did the starbucks drive through after picking up Brooklyn from the babysitters and ordered myself a banana chocolate chip cake slice (SOOO GOOD) and then told the lady that i'll buy whatever the person behind me is having. I'll be honest i was afraid that they would order something super expensive or the cashier would tell them and i would then order something expensive...either way...i was afraid (a common emotion in my life). They ended up getting
7 dollars worth and it all worked out.

the big build up for this is...we aren't doing great financially. My wife and I are busting our butts and it seems that there just isn't enough money to take care of everything. I sorta feel like a failure saying this cause it sucks not having enough money. But...i need to not be so caught up in the worry part and trust that God knows what we need and He will provide...like he always has! So, in faith, i bought that other family starbucks believing God will take care of my family and as generosity has been shown to us, i can show generosity to others.

Take that money troubles!

Go to a Yoga Class

Well, its been a long time. Its going to be amazing if i finish this list in time. But i'm holding on to it being possible...just got to get creative!

i've been afriad of yoga class. Seriously. for the last couple of weeks i would go to the class at 9:01, and see all the people in their chairs or mats and i would totally freak out and run in the other direction. Literally. My staff was starting to think i was insane. What about a yoga class could be so scary.

Today i mentioned it to my friend and co-worker and she laughed at first and then hit it on the head. Its really intimate. Its strangers in a dark room moving very slowly and breathing. Sometimes there is farting, there is normally no talking, and its super introspective. I'm not really good at most of thoes things (farting included...i don't do it very often and get so embarrased when i do!)

So, this teen who has been in the teen center the last few weeks told me to get over it and he'll come with me! He sat on the other side of the room so he didn't even feel like he was there (which was sorta nice) then i did all the moves, got a cramp in my bum and foot and leg, then totally FELL ASLEEP ON THE MAT! IT WAS WONDERFUL! i was so relaxed out i could of slept forever. It took me a long time to really concentrate on my breathing but once i got into it, i was really relaxed. now it seems silly that i was so afraid. Now i just need to prepare myself for hot yoga...oh gosh...i'm gonna sweat so much i'm gonna be disgusting...wait....i'm freaking myself out already...

Make a Quillow

YAY...I MADE A QUILLOW!

I tired to make this once before, for my baby brother Darnell and it was a crying shame. It looked so sad. My wife had made me one for christmas before we were married and it blew my mind. 8 years later, I have finally made a real Quillow and its all MINE!!! (sorry Darnell).

I'm really excited to take it on my mid-winter break trip when i take the YMCA teens snowboarding for a long weekend. Last year i ended up sleeping on the floor in my jacket and i was miserable. This year, i'm going to have my awesome snowboarding quillow.

If you are interested in getting one, it will cost you $35. (and maybe you'll get it in a year...i still have so much stuff to do!)

Decorate your car for Christmas

This one didn't work out so well. : (

I really need to work on doing this quicker if i'm going to be done by 30, so i decided to have my teen center kids decorate my car for Christmas...BIG MISTAKE! well, i'm sure some of my teens would of done a really great job...just not the two 15 year old boys I let destroy my car!

I was working and gave them some instructions and then went back to see how they did. The not only wrote on the windows but on the car itself with the window paint! And the part about Christmas decorations got forgotten (how?!) except for the tag line on my bumper "santa is not real kidz!". I laughed, then drove to the nearest car wash...WHICH WAS BROKEN! I then had to go home with my car looking ridiculous. I then wasn't able to get to a car was until FRIDAY which by this time, had dried pretty hard on my car. Pink Elephant (the car wash place) tried their hardest and got out a lot but not all!!! my car still looks like a coloring page!

You can only imagine the looks (and stares and disapproving finger wags) i got the whole week. The best was driving infront of my wife, who is cracking up because she is seeing all the people laughing and pointing. If i had any self esteem issues before they are now fully in the open. Everywhere i went people laughed and pointed or glared (with their kids in the passenger sit). I did feel bad about the santa comment but i mean, if your kid can read, they should know the truth : )

So, i'm still going to REALLY decorate my car for Christmas but wanted to let everyone on in the fun adventure i've had this week. Oh, and AJ loved my painted car. Good thing he can't read...but he also knows santa is just pretend!

make a cheesecake

I finally did it! I made my own cheesecake. And it wasn't even that hard! This whole time, i've loved cheesecake for so long and its not even that hard to make. This was a eggnog cheesecake care of Martha Stewart (whom really, i'm just going to stick to her) and it tasted delicious. Sorry that the picture is sorta junkie...if i'm going to get through this whole list, sometimes the pictures are going to suck. And martha would be totally disappointed that I'm displaying my work like this (its all about presentation) but sometimes you just gotta "get 'er done".

I'm set for making this again, for thanksgiving sooo, hopefully this wasn't a first timers luck fluke. I did redo the graham cracker crust. The first time i baked it too long and it had a little burnt taste and i knew if i used it, it would ruin it! Felt bad wasting graham cracker crust but it was worth it!

YAY CHEESECAKE!

Wear Suspenders For A Day

I did it! I finally wore the suspenders i bought about 2 years ago! Now, one wouldn't think that wearing suspenders is a big issue, especially in comparison to skinny dipping but you don't know the whole picture.

I had the unfortunate timing of being in elementary school when the show Family Matters was popular. Family Matters might not mean much to you but the name "Steve Erkle" may ring a bell. Being skinny and nerdy like, it was an easy comparison, taunt, constant reference. To strangers, i was Steve Erkle. To children on the bus, to adults in the grocery store, "did i do that?" was requested.

15 years later, I was still unsure of wearing suspenders, lest i bring back the horrible name calling from childhood...good thing i have "make fun of me" tattooed onto my forehead!

A couple of weeks before i decided to wear the suspenders a co-worker thought it would be funny to call me Steve erkle. This has now developed into full out playground flashback, with sometimes, NO LIE, 5 people laughing at me saying, "did i do that" in the YMCA lobby! And I hadn't even put on the suspenders yet! All this time i was afraid people would make fun of me...and they do it anyways!

All that to say, its sad how i let things like people laughing at me stop me from trying out new things, like wearing suspenders. I hope i get better at doing things i like because i like them and not what everyone else thinks or will say. Wasn't i supposed to work through those issues in high school? Amazing...at 29 i still am working that this!

track down the Mr. Men book that best describes you as a child

I thought I was going to be Mr. Forgetful or Mr. Dizzy but it came down to two stories: Mr. Happy and Mr. Messy.

I had some help on this one. Ren came with me to Borders, a US bookstore (that for the record, pales in comparison to Chapters!) to just browse the books. We then try to find a book on trucks for our son (who can’t pronounce truck at all. He’s getting better but still sounds like he’s dropping the F-BOMB) and we stumble across the Mr. Men books! And good thing I remembered that this is on my list. So, we take out a few of them, read through them quickly and narrow it down to Mr. Happy and Mr. Messy.

Mr. Happy won! I would say I’m more Mr. Happy than Mr. Messy. Or I want to be more Mr. Happy then Mr. Messy. Ren thinks I’m 50/50. not to spoil the stories (too bad) but Mr. Messy ends up becoming clean and has two guys (Neat & Tidy) come and clean his house, fix his yard and give him a bath. Then he looks in the mirror and is a completely different looking person, and so has to get a new name. Sorta sad. Yes, I’m messy and so many of Mr. Messy’s problems are things I deal with and inflict on others (sorry anyone who has ever lived with me) but to look completely different and get a new name. Is being messy that bad?

Mr. Happy…grief…who writes these books for kids. Quick breakdown…Mr. happy wakes up happy, lives in happy land, all things are good. Finds a random tree with a door, goes down the stairs and hears someone crying. Finds out its someone that looks exactly like him but is not happy but sad. Dudes’ name is Mr. Miserable. Mr. Happy then brings Mr. Miserable out of the bottom of a tree and makes him stay in his house. After a while, Mr. Miserable beings to smile, then laugh, then totally belly laugh and cry and roll on the floor. Mr. Happy loves it and joins in too! The End!

WHAT?!? THIS IS TOTALLY ME! Those who have spent a Christmas with me, or gone on a retreat with me, or summer camp, or have seen my iPod playlist* know that IN ME there is a Mr. Miserable. And how great is it to bring him up and have him just chill with the happy and wait till he turns happy.and not just a little happy but crying on the floor happy! The picture of Mr. Happy and Mr. Miserable laughing their guts out on the floor (and them being the same person) is me, a range of emotions and hopefully changing others (and myself) just by being myself over a period of time. I LOVE MR. HAPPY!

*I have several “sad song” playlist to just sit and listen and be very sad. I thought this was normal until some teens saw it and informed me it was not normal and I should maybe get some help.

Make a Robert Sabuda Pop Up card

Well, its not the best card around but hey, its pretty pop up like. What did i learn from this experiance...
1) i'm not as crafty as i think i am!
2) Gorilla Super gule DOES NOT work on construction paper
3) the fumes of Gorilla Super Glue sorta makes me sick

I have a friend's birthday coming up and i really wanted this card to get to her on time, but now seeing the picture, and how it looks like crap(Martha stewart would NEVER have glue spots!) i need to make a new one and just deal with the card getting there late! Its the thought that counts!
Thanks Deanna!

sleep outside

Two nights ago, my wife organized a backyard camping party for AJ, Buppa, and Me. Its was pretty stankin' awesome. We had a mini fire pit, roasted marshmallows, my three person tent, the futon mattress and several storybooks. AJ had a blast. Granted, the one thing he really remembers from the evening is that dang flashlight (you go through so much work and they remember and love the WEIRDEST THING), but he was on his best behavior that whole evening. Buppa eventually went home and AJ and I were left to sleep in the tent. You may not know this but i had to rock AJ to sleep for most of his life, so the idea of him just "falling asleep" in a tent didn't seem that possible to me. He told me stories, played with the tent zipper, played with the flashlight, played with my face and then, i fell alseep. I have no clue what happened after that but 3 hours later i woke up, freezing and Aj was sound asleep next to me. It had happened, AJ and I slept in a tent in our backyard. SUCCESS.

The after thought of our little adventure is a tough one for me. The truth is, i'm tired. The American dream isn't really dreamy at all. Its hard. You work darn hard to pay for that house, and cars and babies and stuff and then you come home to work on that house and car. The thing that usually gets left to last of the list is the relationships. And again, being honest (I think i shouldn't write this early...i'm feeling very honest!) i give the kids the last little bit of attention i have and then muster maybe 20 minutes of actual conversation for my wife. This isn't want i want to be.

When i first started this list i had a friend tell me with concern that i might be taking on too much. How am i supposed to do all these things and still take care of my family and work and blah blah blah? And then August came and i did nothing. I became embarrassed and defeated that i couldn't keep my word and felt like there was no way i could do all this stuff.

But i've got to try. This list will give me memories and time with my wife, kids and friends. When i'm so caught up in work, this will refocus me on doing fun things with people!
So here i go, round two and there is a lot left to do!

Go Skinny Dipping or Streaking in a public place

Well, either go big or go home, i pretend to always say! hehehe, which is pretty funny cause i was totally about to chicken out of this one this morning!

Soooo....

My wife and I packed up the kids and headed out to Fraternity Snoqualmie, the nudist colony, to participate in the world record skinny dip. How it works is that aanr is trying to beat its record for the most skinny dippers at a time. This is being done all over the world (i'm guess at noon) and they get the calculations from all the spots. Last year they had 13, 654 or something like that. This colony that we went to had something like 186 last year and due to my baby girl, we made it 187! whoo hoo!

About the colony itself...yeah, it was a lot of weird when we got there but after being in a pool with close to 200 other naked people, you sorta get over it! The park was really nice with a deep pool with a slide and then a huge wading pool. There was a lounge house with a tv, a store, a large lot for camping out and a playground. What really made it special was the people. They were SO NICE! they spoke to us openly and shared their food and stories. For the most part, we had joined a big community and were very welcomed in. Which, when you are buck naked, is a good thing!

After we chilled in the pool for a bit (which was heated...another plus) we laid on the grass and tanned for a bit. I seriously could of done that ALL DAY. unfortunately we didn't know how the whole thing was going to go down and didn't pack for an extended stay. But for reals, if they do it again, i think my whole family is going to make a day of it!

Anyone want to join!?!

Cook a foreign dish you've never prepared before

Yay Martha stankin' Stewart! If you know me, you know i have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with trying to be the next martha stewart. I know, i know the world is not ready for a BLACK MALE martha stewart (and nor will my wife be really please if i receive that title) but i can't let it go! I pass by one of her LIVING MAGAZINES and i'm drawn to the perfection of it! Every craft is perfect, the cakes: perfect, the color schemes: perfect! wait a second...do i have an issue about wanting to be perfect...oh dear...this is more unhealthy than i thought!

Anyhoo...i made Lamb-and-cucumber kebabs with feta sauce...sort of. I really make Pork-and-cucumber kebabs with sour cream! Close enough. Lamb is pretty expensive and feta sauce...i wasn't able to get to the store in time.

Now, you might think, CUCUMBER KEBABS. Yup, ren (my wife) thought the same exact thing. Also, once all the meat was marinating in lemon juice, she informed me that she really doesn't like meat and lemon together. Great, i thought, this meal is going to suck! But SURPRISE, martha never leads me astray! The kebabs were delicious. Grilled cucumber is amazing and i made the best dang Greek tasting kebabs ever! I even have a picture to prove it!

The Back Of The Bus

I love my son! Its interesting seeing him and the different ways he is like me. Yesterday I took my son to get his hair cut. Because my wife needed the car for work, we would have to take the bus. This was a big deal for AJ. He rarely rides but the bus and really likes this idea of it (don't know if he actually likes the bus or just being able to sing the wheels on the bus song on the bus).

So we get on and because i'm paying and AJ is two and a half, he is already running to a seat and i'm upfront paying. My son goes to the very back of the bus and sits among 6 very grumpy looking black guys. I don't want to be stereotypical but i think you know who i'm talking about. They just don't look very friendly. Really, no one on the bus looks friendly. This does not deter my son. He very quickly proceeds to say Hi to everyone one of the guys on the bus, not stopping until they answer and smile back. So, there we were, now 7 black guys and my little light-skinned boy all smiling in the back of the bus. That's my son.

I felt that this story should go here cause its something i'm NOW finally more comfortable with. Going into whatever group of people and being myself. Smiling and being friendly and comfortable with me no matter what other people may look or act like. I pray that i will be able to encourage my son to keep doing the same thing. To not be afraid of anyone and to acknowledge them and wait to see them smile. Imagine, if he keeps that, what HE would be like when HE'S 30.

GRIEF!

I may have bitten off more than i can chew! Good thing i don't have 365! This list is long and i am struggling to do it but i'm not losing hope! I'm actually working on a few things (Russian words for conversation...but GRIEF...Russian is a hard language!) so i'm not completely slacking!

Today i'm supposed to buy a suit so...if that happens, it will be blogged!

Mow your name in grass

Darn you Deanna!

This was my first task with my new (used) lawn mower. If you can tell, my grass is at a pretty ridiculous height. We sometimes lose AJ in it, not to mention all the dog toys!

I mowed my name and then had to climb up on my roof so you can read my name. My housemates were a little nervous seeing me on the roof in my flip flops (i can do almost EVERYTHING in flip flops) and told me not to die.

Once down and feeling ready to tackle the grass, my lawn mower wouldn't start! It took 30 min of me pulling and prodding and poking. But it eventually worked, until it died 2/3's of the way.