Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Our first house (for real this time!)



Originally uploaded by emilio117

It's a done deal! Julie and I closed on our first house this morning. It's a one and a half story Cape Cod-style bungalow in downtown Holland. We have three bedrooms and one and half baths. I'll be moving in first, and Julie will move in after we get married in April.

We are so excited -- Merry Christmas to us! Seriously, though, we are so thankful for the opportunity to own a home!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

ikea on black friday


ikea on black friday
Originally uploaded by emilio117
Last Friday we ventured out to IKEA in Canton, Michigan. They were giving away a truckload of free couches (we didn't win!). But we did have a $2 breakfast and got some stuff for our new house. IKEA is excellent.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

petoskey

Friday, October 12, 2007

our first home


our first home
Originally uploaded by emilio117
No need for a mortgage here!

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Historical Starbucks



Found in historical Rochester, NY, this Starbucks was used by Susan B. Anthony for her meetings regarding womens' suffrage. I heard she was a huge fan of a caramel macchiato.

Friday, September 28, 2007

scenes from the civic, volume 2

A few thoughts from my first week on the road in New York:

  • In a previous post, I alluded to the apparel worn at a college fair by the rep from a certain school in New York. I am happy to report that said rep came to the first of this week's fairs in business attire. Way to go!

  • Two older alumni from a certain school on the East Belt Line stopped by my table on Tuesday night. They were very kind and encouraging of our being out in New York, and one of them proceeded to ask me how it is that I emphasize the Christian character of Hope to prospective students. I think I heard the other say under their breath, "like you have one."

  • Kettering University (coincidentally, my future brother-in-law's alma mater) was also out at the fairs this week. Kudos to them for having a snappy new logo and an excellent admissions microsite.

  • It's a very small world. I was standing next to Messiah at one fair, and the guy from there went to school with a student who transferred from Messiah to Hope. The guy from Hope actually did a college fair for us the same day! Did you get all of that?

  • Wednesday brought a flat tire! Thankfully, I have AAA and they came out reasonably fast. I am so glad for that!

  • You think my iPhone obsession is abnormal? Nearly every rep I saw had some kind of Blackberry, Palm, or other phone with keyboard. They're so hot right now.

  • Showing up to the fair does matter! Said of Hobart/William Smith on Wednesday night, "Oh... Hobart didn't show up."
Random thoughts from a random week! Back with more next week!

scenes from the civic, volume 1

it's amazing what you see on the road.

turkeys in the parking lot.

only in hart, michigan.

that ruthie sure gets around.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

live at verizon wireless music center, night 2

As promised, here is my review of night 2!

One Sweet World: Saw this one coming from a mile away. The band loves to open with this song. Standard, always fun.

Crash Into Me: Nice surprise in the second spot in the set! This is a crowd favorite and always a sing-along. 2/2 on songs I enjoy.

Pantala Naga Pampa > Rapunzel: I wanted this to open so bad (see 9.15.06), but this placement was an awesome surprise. Just ask Julie, I was going crazy.

Where Are You Going: Julie wanted to hear this one real bad. Real happy that the band played it this night.

Corn Bread: Was really hoping that I would get to see this one again live. It is clear that the band loves this song -- it rocks live and full band.

Jimi Thing: I've heard Jimi a ton live, but it's a song that really gets the crowd going, so it's hard to complain. Butch's scat solo is lost a bit on me at this point, but I am glad that he gets a chance to shine -- he is very talented.

Eh Hee: So surprised to hear this full band -- up to this point, it had only ever been played Dave and Tim. Funny that Adam and I were singing this on the golf course that same afternoon.

Bartender: Bathroom time! After Dave's singing/wailing, Julie and I headed for the restrooms. The jam is fun -- but I have seen it a ton.

Crush: Another crowd favorite! I've heard it quite a few times, but it is a lot of fun.

The Idea of You: I prefer the 2006 versions to what they've done with the chorus drum beat at this point, however it is one of the better new songs to come out in the last couple of years. Always enjoyable!

#41 (with Joe Lawlor): When they brought out monitors and pedals in Boyd's area, I thought for sure we were going to get "Everyday", but instead it was an awesome surprise with "#41." Joe Lawlor (a crew member) is INCREDIBLE and tore this song apart. It was tremendous.

What Would You Say: I got nervous that this would be the last song.

The Song That Jane Likes: When Dave said, "I got a little sister named Jane, and this is the song that Jane likes", I went crazy. Julie couldn't believe it. This was such a surprise -- and one of the songs that she knows well. Awesome treat.

Everyday: Standard. Julie loves this one too, so I was glad they played it. I knew what was coming next after the last riff hit...

Ants Marching: I will never, ever get tired of hearing Ants Marching. It is an excellent set closer and always my favorite song to hear. Great!

*************
So Damn Lucky: Cool to hear this -- first time Dave has ever played it in a full band show. He hit every note, right to the last chord. Awesome.

American Baby Intro: Kind of felt like this was coming. Fun -- but I do not want Dave to wreck his voice playing this song. He might.

Two Step: Thankfully, we dodged "All Along The Watchtower" for a second night. I much prefer the band to close with a song that is their own.


All in all, this was an awesome weekend, and it easily rivaled the shows from last year. Seeing the band at the former Deer Creek always makes for a great weekend.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

live at verizon wireless music center, night 1














I was able to enjoy my fourteenth and fifteenth Dave Matthews Band concert this past weekend at Verizon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville, IN. The following is my song-by-song review of the first night (the second night's review will be on the way shortly as well).Dave Matthews Band Verizon Wireless Music Center Friday, August 17, 2007

Seek Up
: A total surprise as an opener! I expected the band to play the standard One Sweet World or Don't Drink The Water, but we got this one as an excellent change. Very chill way for the show to begin.

#27: I knew this would be coming at some point in the evening as it is one of the new songs the band has been playing consistently at each venue. I really like the darker sound of the song and the direction the band has been taking the new material.

Hunger For the Great Light: This song is a live powerhouse. Always gets the crowd going a ton. I don't get tired of hearing it at all.

When The World Ends: I can take or leave this one! Totally thrown by Dave busting it out on the 12-string (I thought for sure we were getting Grey Street or Sweet Up and Down).

You Might Die Trying: Of the Stand Up material, this is one of the songs that translates pretty well in a live setting. Again, I can take or leave the song, but I do enjoy hearing it.

Grey Street: As much as I love this song, I have heard it at 10/14 shows to which I have gone. Standard version, but again, the crowd loves it!

Corn Bread: Of the newest songs, this one has the most power live. The boys should be proud of a song that takes them in a new direction but is still, in a way, true to the roots that made them famous.

Sweet Up and Down: I was looking for the 12-string all night to see if we would get this one! This has always been one of my favorites from the Lillywhite Sessions, and I am glad to see that it has come back with the band.

Sister: I didn't even notice that Butch, Carter, and Rashawn were singing backup vocals during this whole tune. Interesting.

Still Water > Don't Drink the Water: I do enjoy this whole sequence. Still Water is nice and slow, and DDTW tears it up every time.
The Maker: I had heard this for this first time at Toyota Park this year, and it was nice to hear it again -- the band does a great job with Daniel Lanois' tune.

Lousiana Bayou: Julie was wanting to hear this one all night, and I am so glad they played it for that reason! Just plain fun.

Anyone Seen the Bridge > Too Much: Okay, now this was just fun. If you haven't seen the new sort of "stop-time" intro to ASTB, it is just a lot of fun. Too Much is a song that has continued to grow on me from day one.

Shotgun: Of the new songs, this one is most reminiscent of sounds from UTTAD/Crash/BTCS. I enjoy the riff a ton and would care to hear this song at every concert.

Warehouse: A fun surprise! No "Louie, Louie", but the salsa jam/last chorus is so much fun.

Stay (Wasting Time): Saw this one coming from a mile away! No matter what anyone says, this song is a great closer!

***********
Gravedigger: This one I can take or leave, but I didn't mind hearing it.

Dreamgirl: Another fun surprise -- really like the direct intro to this one.

Tripping Billies: As soon as Dreamgirl came up, I leaned over to Julie and said, "the last song will be Ants Marching or Tripping Billies." I was right! (I was kind of glad we had dodged All Along the Watchtower -- it's nice and loud, but I'll take Billies over AATW any day.)

All in all, an excellent first night to this two night stand. I was so glad that Julie could come with me for her first DMB show! She really enjoyed it, and that made me enjoy all the more!

Back with Night 2's review soon!

Blogged with Flock

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

the whole story!

So by now, many of you have heard the great news...

I am engaged to a wonderful woman (girl, lady, female twentysomething), Julie Wiant. She is a Hope College graduate just like myself, but interestingly enough, we never met during our time at Hope. We even graduated the same year (2005)!

We met at Ridge Point Community Church in February of this year. I asked her out on a date, she hesitantly said yes, we had fun, I asked her out again, and things kind of went on from there! Earlier this summer the two of us traveled with a team to Romania where we were working to empower a beautiful church. Later on this summer we traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin with a group of middle school students where we worked for social service organizations like food pantries and nursing homes. Both of us felt God using our involvement in these trips to not only deepen our relationship with Him, but also in our relationship with each other. In fact, the last couple of days in Romania were, for me, the time when I was most affirmed that I would ask Julie to marry me (thank goodness she said yes... I thought she might!).

So now, for the story of last week, and the trip to Ohio, New York, and Rochester Hills...

Last Tuesday evening Julie and I left for Columbus, Ohio, home to Julie's sister, brother-in-law, nephew, all grandparents, and miscellaneous aunts and uncles. We had a nice brunch on Wednesday morning, and I got to meet nearly all of the family there. From there we drove on to Churchville, New York where my family lives. Julie met my parents and all of my brothers (I have 3) and my older sister and brother-in-law. She also got to see the sights in Rochester, including
Wegmans and the abandoned Port of Rochester -- what a treat!

Last Saturday we left Rochester and headed on to Rochester Hills, Michigan, where Julie grew up. Confused by all the Rochesters yet? The drive takes you through Ontario, Canada to Port Huron, Michigan where you cross into the United States. This border crossing can typically take anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour. This trip: 4 hours. We traveled 6 kilometers in the time it took us to get where we stopped.

Don't get me wrong, our travel schedule was flexible, and in any other situation, I would have been fine. But the whole week we were gone I had a diamond engagement ring hiding in my Adidas duffel bag, just waiting to be received by a beautiful young woman. My plans were being supported by Julie's parents who knew what would take place once we got to Rochester Hills. I will now detail the different scenarios I had thought of, based on when we got to Julie's parents' house:

Scenario #1 -- "A bike ride to Rochester Park"

Ideally, the proposal might have taken place in Rochester Park, a place very special to Julie. The trouble would have been in suggesting that we go over there; Julie surely would have known something was up. Her mom had the idea of her suggesting that we take their bikes over there. That would have been great, but with the Port Huron wait, this was no longer an option.

Scenario #2 -- "Sunday morning"

We had plans to attend Julie's parents' church on Sunday morning, and one backup thought I had was to surprise her that morning when she woke up and propose then. Or I might have put the ring box on her pancake plate. This was my fallback option; not ideal, but it would have been special, for sure.

Scenario #3 -- "The front walk"

This ended up being the WINNER! Had Julie not wanted to go to the park on bikes, or if I couldn't have gotten her to go there somehow, I was just going to pop the question right there on the front walk.

We had dinner plans on Saturday night, and once we finally got into Michigan, Julie called her parents and they said to take our time and that they would go keep our reservation. Julie, not wanting to be late, suggested that we should go right to the restaurant when we got into town. My mind was going over every possible scenario and my best option was to get us back to the house (her parents knew that, and that's why they went ahead to the restaurant) and propose there. The problem was, the ring was in my bag in the back of the car. I needed to make an excuse, so I told Julie I wanted to change my clothes to look nice for her parents. She said we could go if we got back in time. I made every green light along the way, and we got back to her house. Julie said to be quick, so I brought in my bag and changed into jeans. I put the ring in my pocket and followed her out. She was walking in front of me and I said, "hey!" Julie wheeled around and I was on one knee. "Shut up -- get in the car!" she said. I then pulled out the ring and she was like, "oh, you're serious!" After a couple seconds of hugs, she said did say yes!

So there's the story, thanks to all who have been a part of it so far! I know I can speak for the both of us and say that your support has meant the world to us -- be blessed!

--andrew

Sunday, May 27, 2007

wedding day

Yesterday I attended the wedding of two good friends from my days at Hope. It was very cool to see them become husband and wife after watching their relationship unfold during our college days

What made the wedding all the more enjoyable for me personally was that is became almost a reunion for all of us that had gone to Hope together. People we all knew just kept walking in -- how great it was to catch up with so many people!

The reception was at the Haworth Center at Hope, and it was really well done. I actually had not been to a wedding reception there before, but the food was good, and the company was even better. Their wedding cake was very unique -- an ice cream cake from Coldstone. After dinner, everyone got on the dance floor (thanks to the "snowball" dance), and had a really great time!

Congratulations, friends!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

verii cool

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 16

In Syracuse now! I drove over yesterday afternoon, had some high school visits today, and will participate in the NACAC fairs at the convention center tomorrow. Three weeks may be a long time to be on the road, but I am glad for what has been a very rewarding journey (of no less than 2700 miles!).

No witty banter today, just thankful!

Monday, April 02, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 15

notes from Rochester:

Things you never knew about the 3rd largest city in New York State (and things they forgot to mention):

1. Rochester's Midtown Plaza was the first enclosed urban shopping mall in America

And it now sits nearly vacant.

2. The courthouse in Canandaigua was where Susan B. Anthony was tried for the crime of voting

Nothing to say here, just solid history.

3. America's first gold tooth was developed and used by Rochester dentist Dr. J.B. Beers in 1843

Do you really want a dentist with the last name "Beers" working on you?

4. Commercial marshmallows were first mass produced in Rochester in 1895

Smores would never be the same.

5. Rochester's Eastman Theatre ranks as one of the finest concert halls in America

Word. I sang there at graduation.

I spent the morning at the second session of the Rochester NACAC and then drove over to Syracuse for my final visits and fairs of the trip. It's been a great travel season, but I am looking forward to coming home as well. Back tomorrow with more!

Sunday, April 01, 2007

ramblings from the road -- days 13 and 14

Saturday was a driving day! I left Hartford around 9:30 and had brunch with my sister, Kelley, and my brother-in-law, Dave. Hanging out with them is a lot of fun! Friday night they took me to a local bar and grill that was excellent, and then we hung out at the hotel for a while.

Anyway, I got on the road around 11:30, and really there are only two highways that I had to drive, so I set the cruise at 70 and made excellent time. I got to my hotel around 5, checked in, and then went over to my parents' for dinner. My brother is on spring break from Houghton, so it was good to see him as well!

I came back to the hotel and watched Saturday Night Live for the first time in a long while. Rainn Wilson was hosting (a repeat), and his opening monologue was an excellent spoof on The Office.

Today is the first session of the NACAC College Fair in Rochester. They always do a nice job hosting the program at the Convention Center. Should be a good afternoon!

This is the home stretch for my spring travel 2007! It has been great to be out here -- I am optimistic about the East as a market for us. *Hope* you are all having a good weekend -- be blessed!

Friday, March 30, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 12

This post also marks a milestone in the history of "scenes from an italian restaurant" -- post 100!

This morning we had the concluding session of the Hartford NACAC College Fair. In honor of the fair, I thought I would share some observations that I made throughout the course of the program:

1. Keuka College (NY) has the most enormous signage I have ever seen in my life. To add to it, their rep showed up in sweatpants, sneakers, and a long-sleeve t-shirt with the college's logo on it. Is this a marketing strategy?

2. My booth was next to Meredith College (NC) for all 3 sessions. Meredith is an all-women's college in Raleigh, North Carolina. Nothing could be more amusing than watching the guys pony up to that table and start filling out an information card.

3. Our reps are celebrities! I met a guy that knew Adam from a CTCL swing, and another guy who knew Travis from fairs on Long Island. Way to go, guys!

4. Juniors in Connecticut are on top of things. People were lined up in the parking lot an hour prior to last night's program. (And I am certain it wasn't so that they could have first dibs on the Expo Center's french fries.)

5. It was never more evident that being a part of CTCL (Colleges That Change Lives) is so important for Hope. We definitely have name recognition in the east because of it.

6. Contrary to popular belief, "MI" is more easily identified as "Miami" rather than "Michigan." I hear that Holland, Miami is quite a place.

7. And finally, a priceless exchange from 2 booths down which involved the rep from John Cabot University, an American liberal arts college located in Rome, Italy:

Student (referring to the college's display): "Is that your campus?"
Rep: "No... that's the Coliseum."

It would be inappropriate for me to post this on the blog, but for an additional laugh, ask me about the Meredith rep's comments about Duke's recent troubles.

Tonight I am headed to downtown Hartford with my sister and brother-in-law to check out a nice restaurant/comedy club. Tomorrow I will be on the road back to Rochester for the weekend and the NACAC program there. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

ramblings from the road -- days 10 and 11

Based on the wise counsel of a good friend, I have decided to combine yesterday's and today's posts. Hopefully the blog might then stay up to date for the rest of my trip. For that reason, this may be a bit more extended than usual!

day 10









Day 10 was a driving day for Andy! I made my way from Rochester, NY to Manchester, CT (just outside of Hartford). Most of you know that I grew up in Rochester, and you might be surprised to know that I had never made the drive any farther east than Syracuse. It was a terrific day to be on the road! As you head east along interstate 90, the terrain becomes more and more picturesque because you are actually driving along the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. It is incredibly beautiful, and becomes even more so as you drive past Albany into Massachusetts. I would imagine that it is even more wonderful during the fall!

I got my hotel and did some work! Then, my sister and brother-in-law picked me up at the hotel and took me out for dinner. They actually live in Manchester, and I hadn't seen them since Christmas, so it was awesome to catch up. Friday they are going to take me to their favorite dinner spot in downtown Hartford -- I am really excited about that!

Then it was back to watch "Lost", as nearly all of Wednesdays typically conclude. Let me just say -- creepiest episode I have seen in a long time. Anyone watching for the first time last night should know that it was not at all reflective of what "Lost" is typically. What a great show!

day 11

I am partway through day 11 right now! This morning I had the early session for the Hartford NACAC college fair -- I think I talked to more students that I did at the Buffalo fairs, which I found very surprising!

This afternoon is a combination of work and working out, and then I head back to the city for the evening program. It might even be better than this morning's session, with all of the parents that will be out with the students. Definitely looking forward to that!

Weekend #2 of my trip is approaching quickly. It is hard to believe that one week from today I will be back on the road to Michigan. I am looking forward to it! In the meantime, I am excited about a great week of visits and fairs. Back tomorrow with more from the road!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 9

NOTE: Although this post was written on Wednesday, the contents refer solely to the events of Tuesday.

The halfway point! Today was day 9 of my grand tour of the East Coast. I had three high school visits, and they were all pretty darn fruitful. We continue to build a presence in western and central New York.

This afternoon I worked out and got on the phone for a while. Then I went to my parents' house for a great dinner: Mom made grilled chicken with carrots, and a buttery pan bread (e.g. Yorkshire pudding) that is so good. After that, I visited with my friend Christine and her husband and saw their new house for the first time. Everybody is growing up!

Tomorrow I head to Connecticut for the national college fairs in the capital city of Hartford. Back tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 8

Shoot -- I am actually writing this on day 9! Yesterday was a full day with visits and phone calls. We are keeping Alltel in business over here.

My hotel has a really nice fitness center with four treadmills and multiple ellipticals and stationary bikes. It's just an inviting place to work out with new machines and several TVs throughout. I haven't really been staying in locations that are conducive to an outdoor run, so nice fitness centers definitely do the trick.

The most wonderful curly-haired lady took this picture of me from Fiddler on the Roof. Then she was kind enough to find out my email address and send it to me. What a gal!

I'm off for some more high school visits with prospective students -- then home for dinner! Back with more later on!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 7

It has been a great first week on the road this spring. I spent the weekend at my parents' house, and it is always nice to go home there and relax for a couple of days.

Had the chance to catch up yesterday with a couple of friends from high school, and today was just a relaxing day all around. Hit up the Tim Horton's for some breakfast goodness, and then burned it off with a cool 5K (pace: 8'16"/mile; duration: 25'46").

The Tigers had a good day today, both in golf and in baseball (although the latter was at the expense of my beloved Yankees, and will ultimately give me the chance to show off my cooking skills due to an ill-conceived wager).

I am now at my hotel for the week, and am looking forward to some great high school visits in the next two days. Then, on to Connecticut! Have a great week -- back tomorrow with more from the road.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 6

I heart Panera. Not only is it the largest provider of free wireless access to the Internet in the entire United States, but they also have these muffin tops they call "muffies." Add that to a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and I am quite certain I will never be more productive.

Last night I slept for 11 hours. I honestly can't remember the last time I did so, and I must have needed it. There are some mornings when it is just a blessing to wake up naturally to the light of day. This was one of those days.

I had the good fortune of getting out for a run (5K), and am pleased to see that my pace continues to improve. I average 8'30" per mile for the duration of my just over 3 miles run. I suppose a goal pace for me right now is 8 minutes per mile, and I think I will definitely get there. Disney World Half Marathon, here I come!

Had a great lunch with a good friend from high school, and then over to the local Panera to continue writing notes to the students I had seen this week. And here I sit, relaxed and enjoying the time I am spending the great state of New York.

Back tomorrow from a new hotel where I will be enjoying this. Be blessed!

Friday, March 23, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 5

Last night I had the great pleasure of attending the Chapel Choir concert at Trinity Reformed Church in Rochester, New York. It was excellent, and although it was the final stop of a long tour, I felt the choir did a tremendous job of keeping the energy high throughout the performance. I'm not going to lie -- I got a little choked up when all alumni and friends of Hope were asked to sing the alma mater. It definitely holds a special place in my heart!

I managed to get myself very lost in the city of Buffalo today. Well... I guess I shouldn't say very lost. I had directions to this high school that ended up being part of a college campus. Not very typical, this the lost-ness that happened. No worries, I made it there! And now I know where to go in the future.

I am actually back in Rochester tonight and staying with my parents for the weekend. So far it has been a relaxing time! We headed out for dinner tonight, and went to this Mexican restaurant that is new to the area (since I've been around, anyway). We sat down, ordered, and had our food within about 10 minutes' time. Incredible.

I'll be catching up with some good friends tomorrow, and then on Sunday I will eventually make my way to the hotel I will be staying in the next couple of days. Should be a good weekend!

In other news, the Dave Matthews Band is back on the road for the first time this year. You can check out the real-time setlist here.

Back tomorrow with more from the road!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 4

Today marked the first of five days of high school visits. Both stops that I made today were terrific! We are starting to make some great connections in Western New York, and I look forward to continuing to build relationships with some really fine schools.

(Okay, that might have been a bit too serious for the typical banter that this blog employs, but it's totally true.)

In just a few minutes I will be driving to Rochester for the Chapel Choir concert. It is the last stop on their spring break tour, so it should be a great performance -- definitely looking forward to it. Tomorrow I head home for the weekend after a couple more high school visits. Should be a relaxing weekend -- I'll be glad to catch up with my family!

Not really any funny stories today, just a solid day on the road. More tomorrow!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 3

Today's edition is so high-tech! If you're reading this in Facebook, click on "view original post" to listen!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 2

I am basically spending the day at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in downtown Buffalo. We had a session there this morning that lasted from 9 until 1, and then I will be headed back there tonight for the evening session.

A couple observations from this morning's session:

1. 1st student to visit my table: 25 minutes after the program began

2. Saw some gals whose high school I will be visiting later this week, so I got to plug my visit

3. A woman came up to my table and said that her daughter (or grand-daughter?) lives in New Jersey and that she was picking up information for her. She must have taken 3 of everything on my table.

Before I left for the road, I made the connection that the band "Low Stars" wrote the tune "Calling All Friends", which is the title song of the ABC show "What About Brian." It's a terrific song, and I was fortunate to be able to pick up the CD at Starbucks, who has the group under their HEARMUSIC: The Sound of Starbucks record label. Always excited for new music.

That's all for now! Be blessed -- back tomorrow with more good stuff from the road.

Monday, March 19, 2007

ramblings from the road -- day 1

I've shared with many of you that I set out on the road today for the great states of New York and Connecticut. I'll be participating in many college fairs and visiting some high schools while I'm out here as well. In addition to snippets of my regular itinerary, I'll be posting thoughts and observations.

This morning I left Holland and drove to Buffalo, New York. The drive takes one through Canada, and I made fairly decent time at 7 hours. NOTE: This can be a long time in the car when you are alone. Thankfully, I had a new mix CD and my XM satellite radio to keep me company! New music is always tremendous.

Rolled in to the hotel around 4 and attempted to get caught up on the emails. This is maybe my favorite part of any travel day. I get to see what's happening both personally and in the office -- I enjoy staying connected! What was the life on the road like pre-email, I wonder?

There is one thing that I am always a bit concerned about when I do the cross Michigan-Canada-New York drive. The border crossings. Now, having attended Hope, I have done this drive back and forth literally 50 times, and I can safely say that you just never can know what to expect. Sometimes there is a line of cars an hour long. Sometimes the official gives you the third degree. Sometimes they look at you and send you on your way. Well, today I must have seemed suspicious, because the customs official and I had a nice a little conversation. It all stemmed from the fact that I had my golf clubs in the back seat.

To be honest, I had no idea what the weather was going to be like when I got to New York. I hadn't really checked it online or anything, but I was certain that should I have the opportunity to play golf, I wanted to be prepared. (It was 60 degrees in Holland last week, come on.) As I get closer to the Canada-US border at Buffalo, all I can see is 3 or 4 inches of snow on the ground. Needless to say, the customs official was a bit interested in the golf clubs in the back seat. "Not exactly golf weather," he says to me. "I guess it was just wishful thinking," I reply. He let me through without any trouble, but it was a bit nerve-wracking nonetheless.

Always an interesting trek to the great state of New York. Tomorrow I head out to the city for a national college fair. Thankfully, George Mason won't steal our thunder again like last year. More tomorrow.

Friday, March 02, 2007

new music... again

It's hard not to be inspired when you listen to good music. A friend shared this album with me, and although it is a departure from the style to which I most often listen, I dig it. I liken him to the quiet sound of Joshua Kadison (remember that guy?) mixed with just a little bit more soul.


'cause you gave everything that you could give

and this is the only life that I can live
and I am grateful
but I've grown weary of this fight
so no regrets, it's better left unreconciled

Monday, February 12, 2007

I love new music

Anyone that knows me knows that I love new music. Sometimes iTunes and its music store can cause a little bit of trouble, though. Thankfully I do have some semblance of self-control, but since iTunes had to go and re-release all of John Mayer's As/Is series, I think we now might have a problem.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Awesome site

Check out Finetune, a free music site with tons of great artists...

Monday, February 05, 2007

we were snowed in... it's cool

The western coast of Michigan got a tremendous amount of lake effect snow this weekend, about ten inches or so. We were pretty much snowed in on Saturday night, so our house rented "The Illusionist." It was great.

I wasn't sure what to think actually -- I was so confused between it and "The Prestige." The movie pleasantly surprised me. It was subtle, simple, and sweet.

If you ever have a lazy Friday evening, be sure to pick this up.