So Andrea and I loaded up into the car at 5:30 a.m. last Friday morning and headed up to Sioux Falls, SD to visit my favorite crew for a pre-SERVE meeting. We were supposed to be there at 11:30, but due to my overestimation on how long it would take to drive, we got there an hour early. (Oops! Lucky for me, Andrea didn't hold it against me that we could have had an extra hour of sleep!)
We met for a pizza lunch (with my all time favorite pizza from Papa Johns) at Troy's church, and it was great to see Troy, Dawn, Luke, Mark, Danny, Ashley, and Kristi again - plus a few new faces. After a very productive meeting where it seemed that SERVE was falling together quite well despite how every meeting consists of constant teasing and howling laughter, Dawn, Mark, Ashley and I headed off to the new Christian school to see where we'd be putting the whole event on. (Andrea headed shopping to spend some of her birthday money.)
The new Christian School seems to be a great facility to host a SERVE, and I even got to visit the science room thanks to Ashely, where I got to see a very defensive plant and watch her put her finger in a sheep's heart. Yeah, just your normal afternoon. Dawn then took us all out to Dairy Queen where Mark led us a in a very philosophical conversation and we laughed more in an hour than I think I'd laughed all month.
Troy and his wonderful wife Janna hosted Mark, Andrea, and I for supper at his new country home, and we had an awesome time feasting on steaks and playing with Alec, Reese, and Sage. Thanks to the Kooima's, Andrea is now extra gung ho about finding our own house. Thanks guys.
Then it was off to the Ramkota Inn where Danny works part time - he pulled a few strings and got us a suite that one of the Oakridge boys had stayed in (as well as South Dakota politico John Thune.) It was a fantastic suite, and many "thank you's" go out to Troy, Danny and the whole Sioux Falls crew for putting us up in such fancy digs for the night. We closed out our evening my favorite way possible - sitting around a living room, eating pizza and donuts, and laughing with Andrea, Danny, Mark and myself.
On Saturday, we hopped out of bed at the last possible second and headed over to the the North American Baptist Seminary for a CORE Youth Specialties event. It was great because we got to spend some more time with Troy, Dawn, and Luke, and I actually took notes during a lecture. I don't think I'd done that since . . . well, I don't know if I've ever done that.
I learned it had been Luke's birthday the day before, unbeknownst to me! I told him I'd make it up to him by treating the next time I saw him like it was his birthday. I'm going to have to get him a new, cool magic trick to make up for it.
After finally departing from our beloved Sioux Falls Crew, we headed home with the plan to stop half way at the home of two of our favorite people - Mike and Susie Rottink.
After a few twists and turns on old highway 3, we came across Goldfield, IA. So I had to stop and take Andrea to the Goldfield Cheese Mart. The Cheese Mart is a place where the Taylor family would always stopped on the annual trip to Okiboji for vacation. Andrea was shocked that I actually wanted to stop at a place with "Cheese" in the title, since I basically hate the stuff, but I assured her they had other things. We tasted some good eats, Andrea bought some cheese curds and crackers, and we got back on the road.
Iowa Falls was great. It was fantastic to see Mike and Susie again. We met their new cats, sampled some of Susie's homemade Crem Bru Lay (SP? Mike and Susie), and ate at the Chinese place. Many more laughs were had, and Mike showed me a great video starring Leonard Nimoy singing about hobbits. We need to get together more often.
We finally rolled back into Pella on Saturday night around 12:30 a.m. after two days and about 11 hours of driving. A good time was had by all.
Things of note from the weekend:
1. Mark and Danny learned my least favorite word in the English language thanks to Andrea, and I'm sure it's going to come back to haunt me.
2. Ashley has no fear of dismembered sheep parts.
3. Luke will wait great lengths of time to "Ping" someone.
4. Mark can do "several hours of work in just a few hours!"
5. Boys and girls are different.
Till next time,
Jason
Monday, April 25, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
Prom 2005
So, I made a rule a few years ago that I wasn't going to do any more stand up at Proms. The shows just don't tend to go that well. Yet, good friend and "rock my face off" bandleader, Troy Kooima, recommended me for a show for Unity Christian High School in Orange City, IA. They were having their pre-prom banquet at the New Life Reformed Church in Sioux Center, IA, and they wanted a comedian for about a half hour. Well, on Troy's urging, I agreed
I quickly decided that I needed a date for the prom, and didn't hesitate to call the one person I knew could liven up any event - my brother-in-law, Kyle. He was quite excited to be attending prom again after so many years, and ended up wearing a dapper jacket, dress shirt, and jeans. Well, I was blown away, and knew we'd be quite the head turning couple when we walked in.
Needless to say, we had a great time. The Unity Christian students were fantastic, and I can't wait to speak for them again some time! Kyle and I were treated very well. My contact, Mr. Rudy Folkerts, was great. The table of adults we sat with were lots of fun. And the meal was excellant. (Kyle had the chicken cordon bleu, and i had the pork chop.)
I regailed the crowd with my stories about going to prom with Elmo, dimembered body parts, and vomiting. We had a blast!
On the ride home, the fun continued as we listened to some Coast to Coast, ate fast food, and got harrassed by a child who wanted to know Kyle's height. According to the big guy, he's "about two step ladder's high". This apparently wasn't the answer that the kid was looking for. Hmm.
Til next time,
Jason
I quickly decided that I needed a date for the prom, and didn't hesitate to call the one person I knew could liven up any event - my brother-in-law, Kyle. He was quite excited to be attending prom again after so many years, and ended up wearing a dapper jacket, dress shirt, and jeans. Well, I was blown away, and knew we'd be quite the head turning couple when we walked in.
Needless to say, we had a great time. The Unity Christian students were fantastic, and I can't wait to speak for them again some time! Kyle and I were treated very well. My contact, Mr. Rudy Folkerts, was great. The table of adults we sat with were lots of fun. And the meal was excellant. (Kyle had the chicken cordon bleu, and i had the pork chop.)
I regailed the crowd with my stories about going to prom with Elmo, dimembered body parts, and vomiting. We had a blast!
On the ride home, the fun continued as we listened to some Coast to Coast, ate fast food, and got harrassed by a child who wanted to know Kyle's height. According to the big guy, he's "about two step ladder's high". This apparently wasn't the answer that the kid was looking for. Hmm.
Til next time,
Jason
Friday, April 01, 2005
Poet and I Know It.
I got the chance to walk across the street today to the First Reformed Church and read some of my new poems to the Ladies Aid group over there. This was the second time I've been treated to an audience at First (the first time was the Keenagers), and once again, I had a great time.
When I got home, I told Andrea that my dream job would be reading my poems to groups like this - as they were very receptive and we had a lot of laughs. I'm getting a big kick out of writing poems, and an even bigger kick out of reading them aloud to folks. I've got to see how I can get shows like this more often!
Two that went over big:
The Youth Director’s Office
An elder met me that first week,
With arms held open wide,
He told me to expect a treat,
And beckoned me inside.
He took me through the church that day,
Past rooms of splendid grace,
Rooms for all the different grades,
Until we reached my space.
He pulled some keys out on a chain,
And tried one in the door,
He groaned as if in awful pain,
The lock stood ever more.
He tried the next key in the row,
But it stood just as tight.
He kicked the door; it wouldn’t go,
He gave up on the fight.
He pulled his knife out from his pants,
His sweat began to run,
Amidst a sea of coursing rants,
He popped a hinge undone.
Then he unscrewed the next in line,
Then the one right after,
It only took ten minutes time,
Ending with his laughter.
He set the door off to one side,
(To fix some time next week,)
He flipped a light switch on his right,
And beckoned me to peek.
The room was barely four by four,
And seemed a little cramped.
There was a dark stain on the floor,
The air seemed mighty damp.
Pictures were hung around the room,
Of pastors from old time,
A shelf held some curriculum
From nineteen fifty-nine.
There was a desk but it seemed short
A few essential ways,
He said the youth kids stole the drawers,
And probably the legs.
Yet still I thought I had it made,
A window o’er the desk!
It had a thick dark purple shade,
It’s cord hung down at rest.
The room was harsh, and that was true!
But this was worst of all,
I pulled the cord to see the view,
And there was a brick wall.
“We filled that in ‘round eighty three.”
He nodded with a grin,
“Or eighty four, now let me see,
When was that wing put in?”
“Well, it’s all yours,” he said and so,
He turned to walk away,
“That is except of course you know,
On alternate Tuesdays.”
“On alternate Tuesdays?” I asked,
Not sure I heard him right.
“Of course,” he said as he turned back,
“That’s Bible study night.”
“On those nights you should clear on out,
Some ladies use this room,
They’re apt to throw a fit and pout,
They’re mad we hired you.”
“And then there is the cleaning crew,
During the summer days,
They need this place for storage room,
And you’ll be in their way”.
He shook my hand and left me there.
He told me to have fun.
I turned to sit down on the chair,
And found there wasn’t one.
I’ve found a wooden crate since then,
To rest my derriere,
A coffee cup holds all my pens,
The walls are now quite bare.
And there’s the window don’t forget,
That had been filled with brick,
A poster of Hawaii fit,
A nifty little trick.
There’s talk I may not be here long,
I know, it’s quite a shock,
A shed out back on the west lawn,
Has got a broken lock.
The mower makes its home out there,
And since it’s now not safe,
I have been told to be aware,
That this is now its place.
The Flying Pig
I have before me quite the sow,
That I will tell you ‘bout right now.
That if my time in life allowed,
I’d surely break her will somehow.
It’s not that strange to see her kind,
All farms have them from time to time.
That certain pig with just the mind,
To think themselves a flying swine.
You see, no fence can keep her in,
No fence five foot or even ten.
It’s like she rides right on the wind,
This situation I can’t win.
There’s no one reason that she soars,
One day it might be neighbor boars,
One day it might be she wants more,
pig feed. (She knows just where it’s stored.)
And oh! It’s quite the sight to see!
As she steps back and takes the leap,
And just like that she seems so free,
Of our earth’s weak gravity.
And as she arcs right through the air,
It is as if she doesn’t care,
Of all the burdens that I bear,
Establishing those fences there.
So,
I ponder as I tend the crops,
I ponder in the machine shop,
At night I ponder and nod off,
“I’ll like her more when she’s pork chops.”
Til next time,
Jason
When I got home, I told Andrea that my dream job would be reading my poems to groups like this - as they were very receptive and we had a lot of laughs. I'm getting a big kick out of writing poems, and an even bigger kick out of reading them aloud to folks. I've got to see how I can get shows like this more often!
Two that went over big:
The Youth Director’s Office
An elder met me that first week,
With arms held open wide,
He told me to expect a treat,
And beckoned me inside.
He took me through the church that day,
Past rooms of splendid grace,
Rooms for all the different grades,
Until we reached my space.
He pulled some keys out on a chain,
And tried one in the door,
He groaned as if in awful pain,
The lock stood ever more.
He tried the next key in the row,
But it stood just as tight.
He kicked the door; it wouldn’t go,
He gave up on the fight.
He pulled his knife out from his pants,
His sweat began to run,
Amidst a sea of coursing rants,
He popped a hinge undone.
Then he unscrewed the next in line,
Then the one right after,
It only took ten minutes time,
Ending with his laughter.
He set the door off to one side,
(To fix some time next week,)
He flipped a light switch on his right,
And beckoned me to peek.
The room was barely four by four,
And seemed a little cramped.
There was a dark stain on the floor,
The air seemed mighty damp.
Pictures were hung around the room,
Of pastors from old time,
A shelf held some curriculum
From nineteen fifty-nine.
There was a desk but it seemed short
A few essential ways,
He said the youth kids stole the drawers,
And probably the legs.
Yet still I thought I had it made,
A window o’er the desk!
It had a thick dark purple shade,
It’s cord hung down at rest.
The room was harsh, and that was true!
But this was worst of all,
I pulled the cord to see the view,
And there was a brick wall.
“We filled that in ‘round eighty three.”
He nodded with a grin,
“Or eighty four, now let me see,
When was that wing put in?”
“Well, it’s all yours,” he said and so,
He turned to walk away,
“That is except of course you know,
On alternate Tuesdays.”
“On alternate Tuesdays?” I asked,
Not sure I heard him right.
“Of course,” he said as he turned back,
“That’s Bible study night.”
“On those nights you should clear on out,
Some ladies use this room,
They’re apt to throw a fit and pout,
They’re mad we hired you.”
“And then there is the cleaning crew,
During the summer days,
They need this place for storage room,
And you’ll be in their way”.
He shook my hand and left me there.
He told me to have fun.
I turned to sit down on the chair,
And found there wasn’t one.
I’ve found a wooden crate since then,
To rest my derriere,
A coffee cup holds all my pens,
The walls are now quite bare.
And there’s the window don’t forget,
That had been filled with brick,
A poster of Hawaii fit,
A nifty little trick.
There’s talk I may not be here long,
I know, it’s quite a shock,
A shed out back on the west lawn,
Has got a broken lock.
The mower makes its home out there,
And since it’s now not safe,
I have been told to be aware,
That this is now its place.
The Flying Pig
I have before me quite the sow,
That I will tell you ‘bout right now.
That if my time in life allowed,
I’d surely break her will somehow.
It’s not that strange to see her kind,
All farms have them from time to time.
That certain pig with just the mind,
To think themselves a flying swine.
You see, no fence can keep her in,
No fence five foot or even ten.
It’s like she rides right on the wind,
This situation I can’t win.
There’s no one reason that she soars,
One day it might be neighbor boars,
One day it might be she wants more,
pig feed. (She knows just where it’s stored.)
And oh! It’s quite the sight to see!
As she steps back and takes the leap,
And just like that she seems so free,
Of our earth’s weak gravity.
And as she arcs right through the air,
It is as if she doesn’t care,
Of all the burdens that I bear,
Establishing those fences there.
So,
I ponder as I tend the crops,
I ponder in the machine shop,
At night I ponder and nod off,
“I’ll like her more when she’s pork chops.”
Til next time,
Jason
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