Just Thinkin' Outloud

The countdown is on

2011-09-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

For about a month, there have been several changes looming. We are excited that within the next week, many of these changes will be finalized and we will be able to announce them to everyone. I haven't been blogging because all of my energy has been applied toward these things. You'll understand better in a week when all things are announced why we couldn't say anything for a long time. Stay tuned.

Our family is getting bigger!

2011-06-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

No we aren't pregnant. Settle down. We are getting a puppy. We went to visit the puppy yesterday for the first time. She is about 4 1/2 weeks old this weekend. The breeder bred 2 champion goldens so that she could get a female for herself that would be one of her next show dogs. The litter had 2 females and 1 male. She is going to choose the best female for herself and then we will get the other one. After playing with them, we don't care which one it is. they are both adorable and both seem to have the same temperament. They were both cuddly and playful with both of us. Even the breeder said that she has no idea which one she will pick. She goes back and forth every week as to which one she will pick. For now, their names are "pink girl" and "purple girl". We had to apply to be able to buy a dog. She had a specific application that we had to fill out to see if we would be good owners. She feels very strongly that she has an idea of what type of home her dogs go to and that they are good ones. After passing the application phase, we were invited out to visit. Then after playing with them, seeing the parents, and talking it over, we put the deposit down to reserve our puppy. She will be coming home to us on July 9th. She will be 7 1/2 weeks old. I think I'm hoping we get "pink girl" and Natalie is hoping for "purple girl".

Purple Girl

Pink Girl

Paging Dr Google

2011-05-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a tip for anyone that goes to the doctor. Don't ever tell a healthcare professional that you looked online and you think you know what's going on. It's more annoying than you can imagine...and it's also insulting to us. Let me give you an example. I had a patient just yesterday that did this to me.

What the patient said: "So I looked it up online, and I pretty much know what's going on. I just wanted to make sure you agree."

What I hear: "By reading a couple of random things online, I know as much as you do, even though you have your doctorate and hold multiple medical licenses."

Here's the thing about the internet - anyone can write anything and post it for the world to read. For example, this blog. The thing that the internet can't do is syphon through your individual situation, history, current symptoms, and evaluate symptom patterns.

Here's another thing that comes to mind when someone says something like that to me - this person already thinks they are right and they don't completely think that they need me and my expertise - therefore, they probably aren't going to be completely compliant with what I want them to do because they think their way is better.

Another thought when looking up medical issues online. The stories that make it online are usually the horror stories, because it's not worth posting the thousands of cases where everything goes as planned. It's far more interesting to post the 1 case out of a million that went completely wrong.

As for websites that list symptoms of different conditions - they just list symptoms. They don't explain the symptoms. In any given week I can have trouble sleeping, have stomach pains, experience nausea, and be very tired. All of these are symptoms of cancer. Does this mean I have stomach cancer? No. Each of my symptoms can be explained. People without medical training don't rationalize these things though. They just read them and freak out.

Take home message: be careful what you read. It's not a bad thing to learn all that you can, but think about what you're saying when you go see a medical professional. If you're seeing them for their expertise, trust their expertise unless something really tells you otherwise. If you think you know better, then don't waste our time. Stay home and hope you're right.

My inspiration has been lacking...

2011-05-22T19:46:00.001-07:00

If you couldn't tell already, I've been a little absent. Not because i've forgotten about it, but because I really haven't been much inspired by anything, or at least not anything that I've been thinking of sharing. I have been staring at the tab in my internet explorer that shows my blogger dashboard. I also downloaded an app for my iphone where I can post blogs straight from my phone...ya know, for the small things. As you know from recent activity in my life, a lot of things have changed, including the type of things that I get to share my thoughts on. One of the fun things about working with people is that everyone is different. Sometimes that's a good thing...and sometimes it's one of the most annoying things you can imagine. As for the blog, it's a great thing, because there are new things to talk about every day. When it comes to people's health, they can get a little nutty. For instance, I've already had a patient tell me that he consulted a veterinarian about his therapy and his vet had some advice for how I should be treating the injury. You just can't make this stuff up. So more of these stories are yet to come. Don't worry, all HIPAA rules will be followed, and no patients will be harmed in the making of this blog.

Wait...I'm not in school anymore...

2011-02-25T07:34:00.000-08:00

While being in vigorous programs like my doctorate program, you just kinda put your head down and charge through it, knowing that if you take the time to look up and try to figure out where you are, you'll either fall behind, or something will hit you in the head. Keep your head down! After doing that for so long, you get in the habit of keeping your head down, hoping it will all be over soon. After graduation, I don't think the habit had yet worn off. This past couple weeks I've finally stopped once in a while, looked around, and thought, "Hey, I'm not in school anymore. I'm actually working...for money. This is fun." It's been quite nice. Unfortunately I can't say that the process is complete and I've figured out this whole, being a grown up thing, but I'm getting closer all the time. When putting life on hold for 3 years to go through grad school, I've put everything else on hold. Since graduation, it's taken a few months to restart everything that was put on hold and figure out what plates are teetering helplessly in the air, about to fall, and need some lovin' to stay spinning. I think I've just about figured that out and things are working smoothly again. And you know something that's weird - I finally started sleeping full nights again for the first time in a long time. I'm falling into a nice little rhythm and currently loving life. As long as I don't look at my student loan balance, I think that this feeling might last.

It's gonna be a good day

2011-02-24T11:45:00.001-08:00

Check that...it will be a good few days.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm back...and employed.

2010-11-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know I've been away quite a while. Hopefully I am now back to regularly posting. So to catch up, I graduated with my Doctorate (you probably knew that), I passed my board exam for physical therapy and my law exam (practice laws) and I am now a licensed physical therapist.

On Spetember 30th I accepted a job and signed a contract with Foothills Sports Medicine. It's a great company that has 12 clinics around Phoenix. I am currently working in their Ahwatukee clinic, which was the first clinic in the company and is still the corporate headquarters. The owner of the whole company and the billing department is at this location. The opportunity with this clinic came quite unexpectedly. I was actually planning on working for a different clinic. When that one fell through, the Arizona Diamondbacks' medical staff pointed me towards this company. After observing in their South Gilbert clinic for a day and working a couple of athletic training side jobs for them, I decided to send my resume to their owner. Less than a week later, I was signing my job acceptance letter.

It has been 3 fun and interesting months since I started. It has been interesting in that I have learned a lot about myself, my job and about different injuries. I'm starting to truly believe that experience accounts for a lot. I hate to admit it, but these first few months have kinda been blindly going by instinct with some cases. Over time I've learned to trust these instincts and fit all the pieces together, connecting the dots from learning in grad school to now treating a patient. I've made my mistakes so far, and I will continue to do so, but I'm getting better with every patient and picking out more things that I missed before.

With this new job, Natalie and I are learning new schedules and bracing ourselves for more schedule changes as the possibility of a better job for her lingers. I think with all the schedule changes, this last 3 months have gone faster than any time period before it. It's hard to believe that Christmas is only 3 days away. So since I have more Christmas preparations to complete, I will get back to that and I will update you more after this whirlwind of an approaching holiday is over.

Doctor Shaun Palmer

2010-08-19T20:17:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, I got tears in my eyes a few times during the graduation ceremony. I still get teary-eyed when I watch the videos, both of me walking across the stage to get hooded and when the president of the school confers the degree of Doctors of Physical Therapy on my class. You would get teary-eyed too if you went through what I did. To tell you that those 3 years were no big deal would be an outright lie. During those 3 years: I was almost set back a year in the program, I was diagnosed with a cyst in my brain, I struggled with light-headedness, difficulty concentrating, and on-going flu-like symptoms, I spent more than a year trying to figure out medical issues that are still being looked into, I worked sometimes up to 25 or 30 hours on the weekends and attended class full-time during the week, one restaurant that I worked for was shut down and I had to transfer to another location, I volunteered with the Milwaukee Brewers, I moved...twice, I lived in Oakland, CA for 6 weeks, I failed one class and had to retake it, and then I was newly married and had all the other normal stresses of life to deal with. On the scales that measure the most stressful life events, I think I covered most of them...some of them multiple times.

So to hear my name called and to have the degree and title of Doctor of Physical Therapy conferred upon me is something that, at times, I didn't think would ever happen. As I sat up in the front of the auditorium watching the graduation proceedings, my mind wasn't completely on what was happening. I was thinking about the last 3 years. I was thinking about all of those events that took place. I was thinking of all the times when I thought I wouldn't make it - including the times I didn't think I would be alive to make it through.

It still doesn't seem completely real that it's over. It mostly seems that way because I still have things to accomplish before I can practice as a physical therapist. I still have two exams to take and pass in order to become licensed to be able to practice in this state. Then comes the problem of finding a job. Until all of that hits, I will continue to savor the moment and remember what I accomplished and what I went through to finish it.

The Inspiration of Our Nation

2010-07-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

As political battles have been heating up over the last couple years, the morality behind the issues that face our nation has come into the spotlight. One side will say that this country was founded on Christian principles. The other side refutes this and is offended by it. I will let the words of our founding fathers speak for themselves.

"Having undertaken for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith."
-The Mayflower Compact

"This nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
-Patrick Henry

"We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus."
-John Adams and John Hancock

"The constitution - a system which, without the finger of God, never could have been suggested."
-Alexander Hamilton

"God, who gave us life, gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their basis?"
-Thomas Jefferson

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."
-George Washington

"The birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior."
-John Quincy Adams

The inscription on the Liberty Bell says:
"Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants therof." Leviticus 25:10

James Madison said that he conceived the three branches of government by inspiration from Isaiah 33:22:

"For the Lord is our Judge [Judicial]. The Lord is our Lawgiver [Legislative]. The Lord is our King [Executive]."

Seeing these quotes from the founders of this country, how can anyone say that this country was founded on anything other than the principles of the Bible? I find it especially interesting to read Thomas Jefferson's quote in light of what's going on in the nation right now. Our liberties are being taken away at the same time that the country is trying to disown the principles we were founded on. Our founders understood this. In the wake of immorality and the struggle for power and control, our current leadership has ignored this.

What will it take for this country as a whole to return to our values that made us great?

Ashton Kutcher Blames Republicans for Oil Spill...really?

2010-06-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Exhibit #1 - Ashton Kutcher opening his big, dumb mouth

Exhibit #2 - Ashton's Car - a Navistar CXT featuring a 70 gallon gas tank, putting out an impressive 7 MPG.

So yes he should be happy that the republicans want to drill for more oil since he drives a car that uses up as much gas as several SUV's combined per fill-up.

Or let's put it in terms of my car, a 2004 Nissan X-terra. Keep in mind that left-wing nut jobs like Ashton would call me evil for driving an SUV. In city (so at worst) my car gets 16 MPG on a 20 gallon tank. So if I were also to have a 70 gallon tank, while getting 16 MPG I could drive 1,120 miles before I had to fill up. Ashton has to fill up his abomination every 490 miles.

So...say I wanted to drive all the way out to Beverly Hills, CA where Ashton lives. I could drive the 391 miles to get there, leave a 21 gallon gas tank on his driveway and drive the 391 miles back to my house in Phoenix using the same amont of gas as he does in one fill-up in his truck.

What does he think that thing runs on? Unicorn tears?

Wow...that's all I have to say...

2010-06-14T20:33:00.001-07:00

At this point I'm embarrassed about how long I've been away and how little you all currently know about my life. I know I've promised you things before, but this time it is most certainly nearing. In 11 days I will be completely done with all work required for me to graduate with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. In 12 days I will be done with my last clinical. In 54 days I will shed the title of Mr. and will adopt the title of Dr.

In 12 days I will have more time and energy to fill in the blanks. I'm so close now. Just have to finish these last things. With so little left to do I'm finding it harder and harder to do them. So I have to push on, otherwise I might not do them at all.

12 more days...

The Beginning of the End

2010-02-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

***Disclaimer: So I just read my wife's most recent post and our blogs start off almost exactly the same way. I had written the vast majority of this post a few days ago, but didn't publish it because I wanted to add more when I had time. Meanwhile, Natalie wrote hers and I guess great minds think alike because we both intro'd our posts the same way. Either way, I will keep my original intro regardless.***

No I'm not talking about the end of the world. I'm talking about the school years of myself and my wife. I'm talking about the era of class, homework, tests, weekends spent working in restaurants, overall being poor, having little to no time with my wife, having little to no money to do anything fun with my wife, the constant anxiety centered around wondering if I will pass the next test and make it to the next quarter. It's all coming to an end. The countdown has started and the number is getting low enough that we can actually feel it now. Last Friday, Natalie passed her exit exam at Apollo, which is the last hurdle she had to pass in order to graduate with her RN on March 23rd. Yesterday she completed her last clinical shift in the hospital. Next time she treats a patient in a hospital, she will be getting paid for it. This weekend she begins a study course to prepare her for the state nursing licensure exam that she will take at the end of March. Then she's eligible for hire in April. I'm so proud of her. I remember when she timidly started the degree, looking at the mound of books, looking at the daunting task before her. Now she's through it, more mature, more educated, and ready to be a healthcare professional.

For me, the countdown has begun as well. When I laid out my clinical schedule for my last year, I purposefully put the two clinicals I would like at the beginning of the year, followed by my off-clinical (10 week break), then my favorite clinical (16 weeks with the Milwaukee Brewers). Well, I finished the first two clinicals in mid December. I only have a week left of my break, and on March 6th, I start with the Milwaukee Brewers. On March 5th, I will work my last shift in a restaurant. It will be the first time in almost 8 years that I will not be working in a restaurant, no longer be working while going to school. My transition into my career has started, and I can feel it. I no longer really feel like the little student that is fighting for grades and trying to stay sane through my busy schedule, balancing wife, school, work, sleep, and trying to relax. I no longer feel like that intern that is at the bottom of the todem pole, wide-eyed and in awe of all I see, with a distant hope of one day maybe being considered for a position in MLB. Now all of that work, all those years of school, and the countless volunteer hours I spent, are starting to come together. I feel a better sense of who I am and what I have under my belt. I don't mean at all to sound cocky because every opportunity I've gotten and everything I've been able to accomplish has been an undeserved opportunity given to me by God, for which I can't be more thankful. But from all of these things I have a sense of pride in what I have done and how I've made the most out of all those situations to get me to where I am now. I've worked extremely hard and have been very strategic in forming my resume to look like it does, and now I'm very proud of what I've accomplished and I'm excited to see what God will make of it now and what offers will come my way when I graduate. It's like an automaker that first makes all of the individual parts, then puts them together until the parts are in place and it's time to see the car run. I've made the majority of the parts, and I'm putting enough of them together that I can now see the what the car looks like. I'm just waiting for the last few pieces to fit into place before I can turn the key and set it into motion. These last few months especially have been really exciting. Within the last couple months, I've now made great contacts with medical professionals from two more major league baseball teams, and have been asked for an interview when I graduate with one of them. I've received an informal job offer from one great clinic in town that I've been involved with before, and what's even more exciting about that is that the owner of this clinic knows my future goals and dreams and wants to work with me until I get there and to help me get there. Each of these offers and meetings are so exciting because they each have their own unique stories that could only have been weaved together by God. I'm beginning to see pieces coming together and people come into my life that can help me achieve my dreams - people that I could never have gotten a hold of by myself. Seeing God working and knowing that He is doing something puts me at ease and makes my last few months of school very enjoyable because now I get to just do my work, finish what I've started, and see what else happens. I know that the other details are being taken care of.

So as the clock continues to wind down and these new opportunities continue to creep closer, I just continue on, being thankful for all that I have and all that has been given to me, excited to see each new day and what it brings.

Best Billboard Ever

2010-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

This billboard suddenly appeared along a freeway in Wyoming, Minnesota. No one seems to know who paid for it yet. Reports are also coming out that a second of these billboards has been spotted in Louisiana. Brilliant!!!

My Wish For 2010

2010-01-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

"There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all of the pictures. After much deliberation he was down to the last two. He had to choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful mountains that towered around it. Overhead, fluffy white clouds floated in a blue sky. Everyone who saw this picture said that it was the perfect picture of peace.
The second picture had mountains too. These mountains were rugged and bare. Above was an angry gray sky from which rain fell. Lightening flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not appear to be a peaceful place at all. But, when the king looked closely, he saw that behind the waterfall was a tiny bush growing in the rock. Inside the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest. She was the perfect picture of peace.
The king chose the second picture. "Because," he explained, "peace is not only in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace is in the midst of things as they are, when there is calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

"Portrait of Peace" by Linda Spitzer

This story was emailed to me several years ago. At that time I just saw it as a nice little idea to keep in mind, but as the last couple years have unfolded I've found this story to have more and more meaning to me. Peace can be extremely elusive. The way life is structured today, peace does not readily come to us. It must be found and tightly held onto. Very few times will our lives look like the first portrait, where peace surrounds us and there are no worries - no constant stream of emails, phone calls, health problems, bills, deadlines, fears, frustrations, etc. Our lives will almost always look like the second portrait. With the storms of life always encircling us, it is up to us to find peace within ourselves in the midst of any situation. The thing that has become increasingly clearer to me is that it is our choice as to whether we allow ourselves to get caught up in the storms or to find peace within them. If we wait for peace to just happen, it will never be found. The problems of this world cause worry and unrest. It's a vicious cycle that keeps repeating itself, continually breaking us down unless we choose to step out of the cycle, examine our thoughts and feelings, and choose peace over anxiety.

An Article About Me

2009-12-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

My school published this article in its marketing magazing about my experience with the Oakland Raiders.

PT student joins Oakland Raiders training camp

ASHS student Shaun Palmer, PT ’10, escaped the desert heat when he was given the opportunity to join the Oakland Raiders’ six-week preseason training camp as a medical staff intern July 29 in Napa Valley, Calif.
Historically, NFL teams maintain a relatively small medical staff throughout the regular season. However, during preseason, new draft picks, returning veterans, and new trades can double team sizes before the start of the regular season. The regular medical staff is then faced with a problem of finding preseason help.
ATSU Director of Human Anatomy Sue Hillman helped Palmer land the job. Scott Touchet, the Raiders’ assistant athletic trainer, was a graduate student of Hillman’s at the University of Arizona, and he calls her each year in search of good interns to help with training camp. After interviewing with the Raiders’ lead trainer, Palmer was offered the position and flew to California where he would spend the next month and a half.
A typical work day for Palmer and the other interns was 16 hours with 6 a.m. wake-up calls. On practice days, interns were charged with setting up training rooms, setting up the practice field with Gatorade, water, and medical kits, and even serving as “cramp patrol” during team meetings. On game days, interns arrived with the medical staff five hours prior to game time to set up the field with Gatorade and medical equipment. They then worked in the training room to provide needed treatment, eventually ending up on the field helping players stretch and providing water during pre-game drills. Following the game, they helped tear down the field and provide treatment.
Before his work with the Oakland Raiders, Palmer had always thought he would enjoy a career in Major League Baseball. Yet after training camp, he admits that he would now consider a career in the NFL. “I always thought of football as intimidating because of the number of traumatic injuries, especially spinal cord injuries,” he said. “But working in the NFL was a lot of fun, and it reinforced that I definitely know enough to survive in the sport and be a competent healthcare professional.”
According to Hillman, Shaun has a rare chance that not many PT students get to be a part of. “Shaun had the opportunity to be a medical staff member for an NFL team,” she said. “To some, it is a dream come true. To Shaun, it is part of his total education.”

I know I know. I'm trying

2009-10-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

I fully realize how long I've been away from blogging. The truth is I've been exhausted. Too exhausted to write something meaningful. Meanwhile I know what I want to write about, but I need enough time and energy, and for those two things to exist at the same time, in order for me to get a blog together. I'll at least tell you what I've been up to lately.

I've been working hard in my first clinical rotation. I've been at Phoenix St. Lukes Hospital for the past 5 weeks and I have 3 weeks left to go. It isn't at all the setting that I want to work in, but it's necessary in order to graduate. I have learned some things that I hadn't planned on learning and I've met someone who will hopefully be very influential in getting me my dream job...more about that at a later date. I know this is where God wanted me to be at this time because of things being put into place that I could never have thought I would run into at this hospital. After this rotation, I will be doing my next rotation at Healthsouth Valley of the Sun rehab hospital. It's a unit that sees a lot of spinal cord trauma, stroke, and amputee patients. It will be a very challenging rotation for me, but I know it will stretch me and teach me.

Away from school, Natalie and I are moving in 2 weeks! We are staying in the same townhome complex that we are in now, but we are upgrading to a bigger townhome. We love this place so much and the location is so perfect that we couldn't justify leaving this area right now, but at the same time we are bursting at the seems in our current place. Our current townhome is just over 8oo square feet and it's a 1 bedroom/1 bath. Inside that one bedroom is our bed, 2 desks, 2 book cases, and our dresser. If you're imagining a tight fit, you're right. The new place is a 2 bedroom/2 bath, and is a little over 1200 sq ft. It also has a 2-car garage instead of just a 1-car garage. So my car can be parked inside now too! We started thinking about moving about 2 months before I left for Oakland. I talked to the front office and told them what we wanted to do, but we had a very specific idea of where we wanted to move. We had a block of about 4 townhomes picked out that we would want to move into if one came available. So we knew our odds weren't great for getting one that we wanted. But a couple days after I got back from Oakland, I happened to be going to the front office to pay rent and our sales lady took me aside and told me that one might be coming open, and it was right in that area that we wanted. Within the week it was finalized that it would be ours. So now we move in 2 weeks. It's at a perfect place in the complex. It faces the pool and is right by the mailboxes. I feel so fortunate that we get to move there. We are so happy that we can now have an office that is separate from our bedroom.

Besides that we both still work on the weekends at Fox Sports Grill in Scottsdale. We are both in our last year of having to work in a restaurant on the weekends. Natalie graduates in 5 months and I graduate in about 10 months. We can't wait. It will be so nice to work in our professions and actually be getting paid for it.

Debriefing

2009-09-08T22:27:00.001-07:00

I know. I know. Now that I'm back, you all want to know what happened at training camp. Maybe interesting stories, funny athletes, pictures, etc. Well...It's coming. I think. I'm busy. I hit the ground running when I got back. So I'm coming up with inspiration and deciding what I can and cannot tell. There are rules about what can and cannot be said about things that are seen and heard at that level. So as I decide what to post and get more pictures hopefully, you can just keep checking back.

In other news:
Natalie and I are moving into a bigger townhome. It's something we've wanted to do for a while and we have held out for a really good one in a specific area of the complex, and we finally got it. We will be moving in mid October.

I am in clinicals in the hospital. It's definately not my setting, but I'm learning some interesting things. Better than anything else, it's going fast.

I graduate in less than 11 months!!!

Almost There

2009-08-24T21:19:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, I have been a medical intern at Oakland Raiders' Training Camp since July 26th. It's weird to think that I've been away from home for so long. I've been so busy here that it has seemed to go by really fast. I am now in week 5, which is my last week here. Saturday night will be my last night with the team as they have a home game in Oakland against the New Orleans Saints. Then I fly home Sunday morning. It's been a great experience. There have been some problems and frustrations along the way, but overall I have had a lot of great experiences and great stories that I can't wait to share. The NFL is definately a different operation from anything else that I've ever experienced. It has been a lot of fun to be a part of something like this though. Being on the sidelines of an NFL game is incredible. I can't wait to tell everyone about it. Until then, I have part of a week left to go. We move from Napa back to Alameda/Oakland on Thursday and Saturday is my last game here. Then no more living out of a hotel. I haven't seen my own bed in way too long. Most of all I've missed my incredible wife. I can't wait to see her and I'm already getting excited just knowing that it's close. I will update you all more soon and hopefully I'll have many pictures for you.

Caught on film

2009-08-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

I was caught in the background of a picture at the Raider Nation celebration. Finally proof that I'm here with the team. It's not just a crazy story.

A little something

2009-08-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how much gatorade and water an NFL team goes through? Here's an idea.

This lasts us about 1-2 weeks.

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

2009-07-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Well...I know when I'll be back, but it won't be for a while. This is my last post from home. Tomorrow morning I fly out to Oakland where I'll then drive up to Napa for a tour of the hotel, practice fields, and the town. Upon arriving I will also be meeting the guys that I will be spending every waking hour with for the next month. I hope to be updating this as much as possible. I'm told I will have internet on night duty in the hotel when the players are in their meetings. I'm hoping to have pictures also, but we'll see. I don't quite know what the situation will be and what the day-to-day activities will look like. If you see a sportscenter story on the Raider's training camp, be sure to watch the sidelines to see if I'm wandering around somewhere. Hopefully I won't be doing anything stupid. I have a tendency toward bad timing.

I will really miss everyone. The realization of what is happening still hasn't set in. I can't believe that I'm leaving for this long. Please keep me in your prayers for safe travels and that my neck/head symptoms will not hinder me at all. That is my biggest worry. I'm going to have very long, hard days out there and I don't want those problems to get in the way.

So until later (don't know when), I will leave you with the fairwell from my favorite TV show that I will also be missing while I'm gone.

"Goodnight. And big balls."
-John Henson / Wipeout

Does this look right to you?

2009-07-22T10:08:00.001-07:00

I got this ad in the Valpak that comes in the mail. I usually just throw the envelope away without opening it, but I'm glad I looked through this one. When first looking at this ad I thought, "Oh, that looks like a pretty cool school." Then I continued to read. I want to point your attention to the fact that this is a high school that offers free child care. Well that would explain why it's a fun high school. Apparently there are a bunch of easy high school girls prowling around the campus. It's unbelievable that a high school is actually offering free day care because they think there are really that many high schoolers that have kids. I really don't have anything else to say about this. This is the first time I've seen this concept and I hope I never see it again. I wonder if sex-ed class is part of the standard curriculum there.

What Do I Know of Holy

2009-07-21T17:57:00.001-07:00

I was taking a nap on the couch while XM satellite radio was playing in the background. As I woke up this song was playing. The words are chilling to think about - to look inward and determine if we really know what holy is. Would we really know who God was if He stood before us?

What Do I Know of Holy
by Addison Road

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know?
What do I know of Holy?
I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

(CHORUS 2)
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life "its" name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know?
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?

I'm Speechless

2009-07-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

This is not a joke. I repeat, this is not a joke. They really are selling Chia Obamas - and you can get them with the facial expressions of "happy" or "determined". I'm not quite sure whether to laugh, cry, shake my head in disbelief, boycott the chia company (which I already do as a matter of fact), boycott television for even running the ridiculous ad, or resort to heavy drinking in order to attempt to forget that I live in a country where people are so ridiculous that they would even consider selling this product - let alone follow through with selling it. Or even worse, let's not forget that some people actually buy this thing - yes they spend their hard-earned money on it. Or maybe people are buying it with the money they get back from the taxes that they didn't pay. I'm guessing that fantastic trinkets like this are the reason why they're poor. I would give you the website to go see it for yourself but, (1) refer to my boycott of the chia company, and (2) I think you could find it on your own if you really try hard enough.

Two Years

2009-07-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I stepped onto the campus of A.T. Still University for the first time. A week of orientation started it off and then we hit the ground running with a blur of information being thrown at us week after week. For two years I drove 30 miles to school every morning and 30 miles back at the end of the day. For two years I spent the majority of my time reading and studying the human body and all that can go wrong with it and how to fix it. For two years I spent full days (sometimes 8-10 hour days) at school in classes only to come home and spend my nights on the computer studying. For two years I endured a constant stream of tests, quizzes, and projects. I spent two years in a constant state of stress, focused on surviving to the next quarter in the curriculum. Then after two years, I got my white doctor's coat symbolizing that I was in the last stage of my curriculum and about to enter the profession. After two years, I closed my computer, packed my stuff, walked out of the building, walked out to the parking lot, and drove off campus for the last time. After two years of graduate school and six years of college in total I said goodbye to the classroom. Now I step into the world of clinicals where I test how much information I actually retained and will work to put that knowledge to use toward trying to heal people. Now in one year, I will drop the title of Mr. Palmer and will adopt the title of Dr. Palmer.

It was a strange feeling on Thursday when we ended our last formal class at A.T. Still University. Everyone closed their laptops, stood up, packed their stuff, and looked around as if they weren't quite sure what to think or say. We were done. It was as if after two years of being submerged under water we got to come up and breathe fresh air for the first time. After all that time of having our heads down and fighting to survive in the program we all finally got to look up and realize that just as quickly as it had started, it was now over.

Words can't fully express what those two years meant to me. They were the hardest and most trying two years of my life. They challenged me and broke me in every way possible. To be done with those years is the biggest relief I have ever experienced. I never have to step foot in a classroom for a formal class again.

How Cool is That!

2009-06-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

A month ago, my work started a contest between servers for who could sell the most Widmer Hefeweisen (it's a beer). The prize - a Widmer snowboard. Usually when my work has had competitions I really haven't cared, mostly because there's always someone more gungho (is that how you spell it?) than I am and I usually end up doing all the work for nothing. This time, I decided that I really wanted the snowboard though. Maybe the prize was just good enough this time to entice me. The contest was about a month long and last weekend I asked my manager who was in the lead of the contest. Now I only work 2 nights per week, so I didn't really expect to win this contest, but to my surprise, I was the leader. Then this weekend it was confirmed, I won! So I got the snowboard. It's a really good-looking snowboard as you can see, but we figured it was just kind of a cheap one. That's why they're giving it away, right? Well today I decided to try to find it online and see what it really goes for. I was very surprised at what I found. It sells for $275 because it's a custom snowboard from a company called Revolution Snowboards in Utah. They're a big company in the snowboard industry and they have one of the largest and most high-tech factories in the US for snowboards. So that made it even more special for me. So that's my excitement this weekend that I wish to share with everyone.

Raider Nation

2009-06-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's true. . .I've been recruited. Not as a fan. . .that's a little extreme for my taste. Sorry Greg. A couple months ago, I was approached by my professors with the opportunity to go to Napa Valley for Raider's Training Camp to be a medical intern. My Professor specifically picked me and one of my friends as being the two best for this opportunity. My friend turned it down, so it was given to me. Being a five-week commitment, I was very hesitant to accept and I had to talk to my wife about it, but in the end, we both agreed that though it would be tough to be apart from each other for that long, it would be too good of an opportunity for me to pass up. It will look amazing on my resume, and it would overall be an awesome learning opportunity. This would also serve as a chance for us to see how we would react to being apart from each other for such a long time. I want to work in Major League Baseball, and that would take me away from home for a couple weeks at a time. Out of a year, I would be out of town for 4 or 5 months. We know that the MLB season schedule isn't easy and this would be a great way to see what happens and if we can handle it. So on July 26th I will fly out to Oakland and Napa Valley. I will be at Training Camp in Napa Valley for 3-4 weeks. Then I will be on the sidelines with the team for the first 3 preseason games. 2 of them are in Oakland and 1 is in San Francisco. Then I'll be flying back on August 30th, and will start my first PT clinical the next day. It's exciting and I'm looking forward to the opportunity, but at the same time it's a new scene for me and I don't really know what to expect. But either way, on Monday July 27th, I'll be in the Training Room at 6:15 AM getting the team ready to start camp.

At The End of 2 Years

2009-06-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

June 9th was the date of our 2nd anniversary. Natalie was in charge of our morning activities and I was in charge of our afternoon and night activities. Natalie surprised me with breakfast at our favorite Mimi's Cafe, some time at the driving range, and a 1-hour massage. I surprised her with a night at the Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale. We checked in early, relaxed by the pool, then got ready for our dinner reservations at Alto Restaurante, which is a fine italian restaurant that is famous there at the hotel. Included after the meal, was a gondola ride through the lake that surrounds the resort. We finished off the night with a walk around the resort, talking about our years together and we enjoyed a beautiful night on the lounge chairs on our top floor balcony, overlooking the lakes and golf course. It was a great night. And yes it was nice to be at a resort, and have a nice italian dinner, and gondola rides and all of that, but the best part was being with my wife - having her by my side. I married an incredible woman and I find out more and more every day just how wonderful she truly is. This past year has come with many challenges, but all of these challenges have brought us closer together and have made me realize just how strong and how supportive she really is and just how much I love her. Through our struggles she showed me how strong she can be for me and how she can hold me up when I can't seem to do it on my own. Through everything that happened, I never really felt at peace unless she was there by my side. Whenever she was around I could feel a part of me relax, and I felt more like it was going to be ok - because she was there with me. She is my favorite person to be with and the only one that I truly am relaxed around. My love for her grows more and more all the time. The pastor that we heard last week at church talked about how your capacity for love grows over time. This has been true with her. I never knew just how much I could love another person, but my love for her continues to grow all the time. She truly is my best friend. I hope that every year doesn't challenge us in quite the same way that this one has, but I know that when these hard times arise, we'll always meet them and get through them together, and as long as we're together, everything will be alright.

Are women born this way?

2009-06-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

This little girl is hilarious. I kinda feel bad for the parents if she does this all the time.

I'm free! I'm free!

2009-06-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

I always loved this old man from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. It's also about how I feel every time I finish a quarter. "I'm free! I'm free!" After a short week-long break I find myself in another 8 AM class. . ."Dangit!" But either way I am done with my last full quarter of classroom work in my doctorate program. I have a week off and then I go back for only 2 weeks of classes and then I'm off for a 3-week summer break before heading out to Napa Valley for training camp. I'll have more on that in another blog. When I come back from Napa Valley/Oakland, I start into my clinicals. What a breath of fresh air! It's such sweet relief to be done, especially after all that has happened this quarter. It has been the hardest quarter yet for me to focus on my work and do a good job, yet so far it somehow looks like I'll be receiving my best grades yet. Only God knows how that happened because He's the one that carried me through it. There's no other explanation for how I got through the hard times that I've recently encountered. But now it's behind me and i'm done. And that means more time to write blogs. I've had a lot that I've been waiting to get off my chest.

An Update for Now

2009-05-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

I realize that I haven't written anything since my story of what happened. I won't get into detail, but the time following that has not been fun. I'm still battling with my syptoms while at the same time still going to grad school full time and working on the weekends. Sometimes the symptoms are better and it is easier for me to handle. Sometimes my symptoms are worse and take a lot of my mental, physical, and emotional energy. I have times of high anxiety and times where this seems to take over my life. I then get brief moments of relaxation that I see as truly being gifts. It took a couple of weeks to sort out what the next step is, but now starting tomorrow, more diagnostic tests will resume. On Wednesday I'm going in for an ultrasound of the arteries in my neck to make sure that they are ok. On Thursday I will be going to a cardiologist to make sure that none of the symptoms are coming from my heart. In the mean time, one of the neurosurgeons at Phoenix Children's Hospital that we were able to contact through a friend has looked at my MRI's and is currently giving his time on the side to helping me determine what my next move should be. I'm extremely grateful that my road to diagnosis seems to be going faster now and I hope to get answers soon. As for now I still have none and the frustration grows by the day. I just want to know what's wrong with me so I can get it taken care of and I can get on with my life. For those praying for me, please pray that God will continue to protect me until this is figured out and that the doctors will have wisdom and insight as to what is happening. I will post more updates as I have them. I hope I will know something soon.

Are You Sitting Down?

2009-04-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

"I got the call today
One out of the gray
And when the smoke cleared
It took my breath away
She said she didn't believe It could happen to me
I guess we're all one phone call from our knees"

Thursday afternoon I was driving home from class. Driving 70 MPH in the HOV, I suddenly felt like I was going to pass out. By the time I got over a few lanes, the feeling passed, but my heart rate was really high and I still didn't feel right. I called my doctor and asked if I could get in, explaining what had just happened. After hearing my story, they said to go straight to the ER if I was still having the symptoms, or if I was feeling better to drive straight to their office. I went to their office and they did a thorough examination. EKG was normal...fast...but normal. They ordered a brain MRI just to be safe.

Friday morning I got up early and felt good. I went to get my blood drawn and I called the imaging place to get my MRI scheduled. They had an opening at 12 so I took it, wanting to figure out what was wrong as soon as possible. Everything was normal for the first 20 minutes of the test. After completing the last set of images, the usually calm technician's voice came on over the headphones with some urgency in it. "Shaun, you need to keep your head and spine completely still. We're going to pull you out, inject contrast into your vein and then do the images again." My heart instantly started racing. I knew what that meant. They found something. Contrast is a dye that they inject into the veins that appears a certain way on MRI, illuminating areas for the radiologist to more easily see structures. I knew that contrast was not on the original MRI order. As soon as he slid me out of the MRI machine I frantically asked him what was wrong. What did the radiologist see? "I can't tell you anything. All I can tell you is that the radiologist who is responsible for reading these has asked for it." I was shaking with fear. I had already needed one blanket because the room was cold, but now even with a second blanket I was trembling uncontrollably. The MRI tech was silent. He just put the second blanket on and patted my leg. He didn't know what to say. It was so hard to stay still for the next set of images. When it was over, I went home and laid down on the couch with Natalie to watch TV and settle down.
About 2 hours after getting home the phone rang. It was my doctor. Just like the MRI technician, she had a distinct tone in her voice that told me that this was not a reassuring phone call.

"Did Dr. Hoffman, the radiologist, call you yet?" she said.
"No"
"Are you sitting down?"

There are few sentences that carry the assumption that whatever is said next would be life-altering. This is one of those sentences. In the second it took her to start her next sentence, my mind raced with everything it could possibly be and the course of treatment and fears that would fall in line for every different thing she could say.

"You have a mass in your brain. It's pretty big...and you're gonna need to see a neurosurgeon on Monday because it's probably going to need to be taken out."

My heart has never dropped so hard, so fast in my life. I was imagining a life different from what I had ever before thought. A world of unpayable medical bills, surgeries, the constant fear of death and leaving my beautiful wife and my family behind. Natalie's eyes were already filled with tears. She heard "brain mass". She got up and walked across the room, letting her emotions out where they wouldn't detract from me listening to what I was being told. While the doctor continued to tell me about the situation all I could do was hurt...not just for me, but for Natalie too. We're so young. We haven't even been married 2 years. This isn't supposed to happen to us. The life we imagined together doesn't look like this. I hung up the phone and Natalie could barely get the questions out, "So you have a mass in your brain? What else did she say?" We hugged and cried together for a minute. Then I had to go get the fax of the MRI report from the front office of our apartment complex. Natalie called her mom immediately to talk and pray. I called my mom as I walked out of my townhome. How do you start a conversation that carries the meaning of this one? How do you tell your own mom news of this magnitude? I said the only thing that came to mind.

"Mom. . .Are you sitting down?"

I quickly explained to her everything that I knew at that time before I got the MRI report. When I got the report I called the doctor back.

"What do I do now? What doctor do I need to talk to on Monday?"
"We don't know exactly. We're thinking maybe Dr. White at Barrow's Neurological Associates. If you feel any tingling or numbness in your extremities or any other weird sensations, go to Barrow's ER immediatedly. That's all we know."

That's what I was left with for the weekend. Only the fact that I had a mass in my brain that needed to be taken out and the name of a surgeon that may or may not be able to help me. All I could think of was how ironic it was that our church was going through a series called, "Live Like You Were Dying." I think I need to take it to heart. This might be true for me.

Our families and friends were so amazing. Within hours after receiving the news, my brother came over to see us, Natalie's whole family brought us dinner and spent time with us, and my parents drove up from Tucson to stay until we found out what the treatment would be. From that point on we were flooded with love, support, and prayer from family, friends, and people we didn't even know. We kept learning about different prayer chains that we were on and people kept offering to help with anything and everything. My wife and I have never felt so loved in our lives. We felt truly encouraged and strengthened through all the support we got. We couldn't imagine having better families or friends. It's just not possible.

Even with all the support, that weekend was the worst of my life. I couldn't eat. I could barely sleep. I was more scared than I had ever been before. All I knew about this thing in my head was what I could find online, which wasn't too assuring. I got to see a surgery on youtube, and read about all the surgical techniques that were available. My mind continually messed with me for days, thinking that I was suddenly feeling something different in this leg or that arm or feeling suddenly lightheaded.

Saturday morning, Natalie and I both woke up in tears. We were both lost and scared, having no clue what to expect next or what was going to happen to me. We got the Bible and looked at each other. Where do we start? For Christmas my parents got me a ring. On one side it said "Fear Not." On the other side was a Bible verse - Isaiah 41:10. "Fear Not for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. . .For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Little did I know back at Christmas what this ring and its message would mean to me - both now and for the rest of my life.

I couldn't wait to get to Sunday. I knew it would put me at ease to go to church and pray with our pastor. I wasn't prepared for what happened that day though. When we were talking to Pastor Greg after the service, he asked what the name of the surgeon was who we were told about. I told him and we went on praying and talking about the situation. A couple hours later he called me.

"Shaun, guess what? After I talked to you I talked to our drummer and told him about your situation for him to be praying. He asked who the name of your surgeon was. When I told him it was Dr. White he said that his wife was the personal trainer for Dr. White and his wife. She's going to call them tonight and ask if they can get you in as soon as possible."

I was speechless and in tears. What are the odds of this happening? It was clear that God was giving me a reminder that He is in control and He knows what's happening. He's there and He's going to show me through this. A couple hours later Pastor Greg called me again and told me that the lady had already talked to the surgeon and he promised to see me as soon as possible, and they gave me information on how to contact them immediately Monday morning. They would be expecting me. After that, Natalie and I went out to dinner at Cheesecake Factory to get out and be with each other and try to get our minds off of everything. For the first time since Friday before we got the news, we both had an appetite. We could feel God moving and it brought about His peace that transcends all understanding.

The next morning I called the office and just like the doctor said, his secretary knew about the situation and told me to get the MRI's and come down to Barrow's as soon as possible so that they could see me. Without an appointment and without taking any of my information the doctor looked at my MRI's and met with me to tell me that it wasn't an emergency situation and it may not even need surgery. However, he was not an expert on this type of mass. He referred me to another neurosurgeon in there that would know all of the answers. He passed all of my MRI's and reports on to her and let her know that he was referring a patient to her that day. However, she was in surgery and none of her staff was in the office until Tuesday. Honestly, all of this news took away some of my confidence. Why would God lead me through that weekend with all that happened and those people that knew Dr. White and got me in with him when he couldn't even help me? The road was taking a turn that I hadn't expected. I had to keep my spirits up that I still got to see the neurosurgeon for free and he assured us that it wasn't an emergency.

The next day (Tuesday) I called first thing in the morning and her secretary said that she would call me as soon as the doctor looked at the MRI and had any news for me. Until then I needed to get the reports from the CT scan that I had as a child that showed a dark spot in the same area of my head. Those would help the doctor make a final decision. They called back later that day and said that it didn't look like I needed surgery, but they still needed to see the reports from when I was a kid to know for sure. Those would not reach Phoenix until Wednesday morning.

Going through this whole process was agonizing. Every day that it was delayed was torcher. Every day consisted of me waking up by 6:00 or 6:30, worrying about what that day was going to bring. I would never be able to go back to sleep after I woke up with those thoughts. I would lay in bed for at least another hour, hoping to be able to get back to sleep for just a little while longer. Then I would get up and go work out, trying to get my mind off of what would happen that day and try to make the time go faster. After working out, I would try to eat breakfast, but food was nauseating to me. I could never get much down. Then I would just sit and wait until we heard from the doctor's office. We just wanted to know for sure what was going to happen. Is that too much to ask?

Lifehouse just released a new song that I found during the week. It's words were very close to what I thought and felt.

"The broken clock is a comfort. It helps me sleep tonight.
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time.
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts.
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out.
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart, that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm barely holdin' on to you."

Most of Wednesday was spent waiting for the doctor to call with her final decision. Until then we just waited around, hoping to get in to see her and ask all of our questions as soon as we heard anything. Natalie was at her nursing clinical. I couldn't stay home alone. I had too much on my mind. I went to Paradise Bakery to try to get some food down and have distractions around me. The doctor's office called at 9:30 to tell me that they had all the reports and they would call back as soon as they knew anything. Hours past. Not yet being able to go home, I walked around the Biltmore Plaza, praying and talking to family on the phone. Not knowing what the doctor's decision would be, my mind kept racing through the possibility that she would change her mind about surgery. I kept seeing the image of the surgical sheet draped over me, only exposing the incision sites. It was now 11:30. Why is she taking so long? Is she getting opinions from other doctors? Is she mulling over the decision? I couldn't stay at the Biltmore all day. I had no choice but to return home. I didn't want to go, but I really didn't have any other choice. 1:30 and still no word. I couldn't take it any more. I called them to get an answer. Her secretary was always extremely understanding and helpful. Oh I was so grateful for the secretaries of the 2 surgeons that I had to talk to that week. They were both so nice and understanding. I think they understood who they were mostly dealing with. They deal with people who are scared. I think scared is a gross understatement. They have been shaken to their core. Some of them have been demoralized by the bad news that they've recently been given and they are turning to an option that they had always hoped not to resort to - brain surgery. She put me on hold and went to ask the surgeon immediately. She didn't take long. The doctor had made her final decision. No surgery was needed, but they would be happy to meet with us to discuss any questions that we had. Finally, I could take a deep breath and let out all of the fear of surgery and of the unknown.

Thursday we got to talk to the neurosurgeon and ask all of our questions. Basically we just wanted to know the basics of what was in my head. We hadn't yet gotten to talk to anyone since the diagnosis. No one explained to us exactly what this is and what the MRI report was fully talking about. I had only relied on my own medical knowledge at this point to understand everything about the report. This thing is either called an arachnoid cyst or a Dandy-Walker cyst. They can't tell by MRI exactly which one it is. I think it's an arachnoid cyst though. So that's the one I'll explain.

Both options are congenital, meaning I was born with it. There are 3 layers of connective tissue that cover your brain and spinal chord. The dura mater is the tough outer layer, the arachnoid mater is the the middle layer, and the pia mater is the inner layer that adheres directly to the brain. An arachnoid cyst forms when the arachnoid mater and the pia mater split apart at some point and fills with CSF (the fluid that encases your brain and spinal chord). These grow in places where they connect with one of the ventricles of your brain, which is where the CSF is produced and stored. Mine connects with the 4th ventricle. It sits in the back base of my skull on the right side, behind my right cerebellum. It is 5.9 x 6.3 x 8.0 cm. Yes that is a big one. Thankfully it has grown in proportion to me and my brain has adapted. My cerebellum is much smaller on the right side because it didn't have room to grow. So either my left cerebellum took over all of the functions the right one was supposed to have, or my right cerebellum is extremely concentrated with neurons. I'm sure you're wondering why something that big doesn't need surgery. That's the first thing I wanted to know. The neurosurgeon explained that there is still adequate spacing between the different compartments of my brain. Yes it's large, but it's not pushing on any other structures or causing any problems. My brain just grew like nothing was wrong and adapted to the room it was given.

I will have a yearly brain MRI to be sure that it isn't growing, but the doctor said that the chances of it growing and causing a problem that will require surgery are slim. Almost exactly one week from the time that I arrived at my physicians office after having an anxiety attack on the freeway, I was now walking out of the neurosurgeon's office. And it was finally over.

Now God doesn't bring us through situations like this for nothing. He uses these times to talk to us and teach us what we've either forgotten or have not yet learned either because we weren't ready before now, or because we weren't listening. He never brings challenges our way until we are capabale of dealing with them and we are ready to learn from them. I was ready and I took with me some lessons that I will never forget.

"Sometimes I get so tired
Just trying to find a place
To lay my head
I look up to the sky
I feel the warmest light comfort me
I've seen the great heights
Reminding me... that I'm alive
I don't wanna die
I don't wanna waste another day,Or night
I know there's something more
Than what we're living for
I see it in the stars
I feel it on the shores
I know there's something
I know there's something more."

*Song lyrics borrowed from:
-Mat Kearney "Closer to Love"
-Lifehouse "Broken"
-Tyrone Wells "More"

My Update

2009-04-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, where have I been? Good question. School and work. I know, you were hoping for something more exciting than that. Sorry. I wish I could tell you something better than that. Life has been as unpredictable as usual. My wife and I went to San Diego in mid March with my family for spring break. Upon returning we found out that Fox Sports Grill in Glendale (where I've bartended for the last 2 years) would be closing at the end of the month. So I had 2 weeks to figure out what to do. That was a bit unsettling because I had this wonderful little plan of continuing to work there for the next 10 months until it was time for me to quit the restaurant business and begin my last clinical internship with the Milwaukee Brewers. Thankfully the Fox Sports Grill in Scottsdale (where my wife works) allowed me to transfer over there to be a server. I much prefer and enjoy bartending, but it's a job. I can't complain. And I've been wanting to get out of Glendale for some time. This provided me with a neat little opportunity to make the move. So it was a mixed blessing.

Meanwhile in school I am now in my last full quarter of classroom work in my doctorate program. I'm actually already in week 5 of 12 for the quarter. It's going by really fast. I'm extremely excited to get through this quarter and start my clinicals as then I might actually start to feel like a healthcare professional...instead of a student. Either way, it's getting closer to August 7, 2010. Then I'm free. Just as a fair warning, from August 7, 2010 to September 7, 2010 I will be requiring everyone to refer to me as Doctor. I think after all these years of school I can ask for 1 month of this. If you wish to continue this after September 7th, feel free. After all, I will be a doctor.

Where did Shaun go?

2009-03-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

If you regularly check my blog, you have probably realized that I haven't posted anything in a long time. I originally planned to write a lot over my Spring Break 2 weeks ago. Well that went way too fast and I never got around to writing anything. Basically I never got the chance to relax. Between golfing, spring training games, putting together a new dresser, and traveling to San Diego, I never stopped moving. The day after returning from San Diego I got some bad news. The restaurant I have worked at for the last 2 years is being shut down. March 29th will be the last day of operation for Fox Sports Grill in Glendale. There's a whole blog planned about this topic so I won't go any further into it in this post. So life has been hectic this last week and a half as I have not only had extra work from the beginning of a new school quarter, but also the added stress of possibly not having a job after this upcoming weekend. There are many other things that I also plan to blog about. I just need to find time to get to it. I have a feeling that school should take priority. I want to really take time with these upcoming blogs because they are imporant to me and I want to make sure I say everything the right way and really think about everything I say. Check back soon as I have a lot to talk about.

Of All People, He Should Have Known Better

2009-02-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

Viva Las Vegas

2009-02-15T21:02:00.001-08:00

Last week I was in Vegas for a physical therapy convention. A medical convention in the middle of Las Vegas...more specifically in our case, a bunch of overworked, overstressed, PT students loose in Vegas...good idea? Probably not. Our convention was at the Mandalay Bay and I stayed at the Excalibur with several people. If you've never been there before, the Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay are all connected to each other, both on the ground and by tram. It's really easy to travel between them. So most of my week was spent between those 3 hotels. For those of you who don't have a good visual of the layout and need one, the Excalibur is the hotel that looks like a castle, the Luxor is the pyramid, and the Mandalay Bay is a big gold tower next to the pyramid. Odds are good that you've at least seen a picture of those at some point in your life. If not, I encourage you to google it.

This was my first trip to Vegas. So I was like a kid in a candy shop. Instead of going on and on about everything that I did and saw, it will probably be easier just to show some pictures and talk about each one. There's so much that I didn't get a picture of, but that's ok.

First, here is the Excalibur. It was strange to see it in person because when it was being built, my dad was contracted to take aerial photos of it. So I clearly remember these huge photos of the hotel in my dad's office. Obviously I was really young when it was being built. Last week I got to see it for myself.

I was probably most thrilled with the outside of the New York New York Hotel/Casino. As you can see, it's visually stunning.

The Bellagio water show is absolutely amazing. It is so well done and so beautiful. I regret that I only got to see it during the day. We didn't get to go back and see it at night like we wanted to, but I did get to see 2 different day shows. I posted a video for you to see a little bit of it.

In the MGM Grand there is a lion exhibit. Between 11 AM and 10 PM there are 2 or 3 lions in there at a time. There is a lion ranch about 11 miles away from the MGM where about 37 lions are kept. 2 or 3 are brought over for 5 1/2 hours every day. The environment that they stay in is pretty big, with rocks, rivers, trees, and 4 waterfalls. It is behind a very thick layer of glass. There is even one area where the floor is made of glass where they lead the lions to sit. You can walk underneath this area and look up at the lions, getting a good feel for just how big they are. The hotel explains that the lion environment is an odorless, sound-proof environment. The lions are relaxed because they can't smell the people and the only thing they can hear is the sound of the 4 waterfalls. We were lucky enough to walk by when they were feeding them (pictured). The trainers came out with big rolls of ground beef. There were 2 lions in the observatory at the time and each lion had a trainer that walked them around the glass of the environment, either throwing ground beef and sticking it to the glass so the lions lick it off the glass, or they put their hand out and the lions ate right out of their hands. I got some awesome videos of this. I posted one of them above. Enjoy.

I thought this was hilarious. So you know those claw games where you try to get stuffed animals? Well this is the exact same game, except you're catching live lobsters. Oh yes, you heard right. It's $4 per try to catch a lobster, after you catch one, it drops into a hole, and you reach in and grab it. Then you take it up to the chef and choose your side so he can cook it.

Yes, I also went to a couple nightclubs. One of them was LAX in the Luxor. This is a picture from the balcony taken that night. I'm somewhere down at the bottom of the picture. If you know me, you know that I'm not a clubbin' person. Actually these were the first 2 nightclubs I've ever been to. What a great first experience. One of the Pussycat Dolls was there that night also. Usher was going to be there the next night. Ludacris was performing there a week after. So it's a big name nightclub. I think there are 3 or 4 celebrities that have part ownership in it. These nightclubs were really really really ridiculously expensive. If you had a Luxor room key card it was free, but if not, it was at least $30 to get in. Yes, just to get in. Then drinks were more expensive than I've ever seen. Even being a bartender myself, I was blown away. We got 4 drinks and it was $44. At my bar this would have been about $20. Then we got kicked out of an upstair VIP area because apparently you had to buy a minumum of 5 bottles of alcohol to be up there. This would have cost at least $2000. Needless to say, we weren't up there for long.

My last night in Vegas I got the amazing opportunity to go to KA, one of the Cirque Du Soleil shows. My friend Ryan had received these tickets from a friend and didn't have anyone to go with him at the last minute. You couldn't get seats better than these. 4th row, dead center of the auditorium. These seats were $265 each. So being able to go for free was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you go to Vegas, you need to see this show. It was so well done. Some of the stunts done were out of this world. To get a better idea, I recommend going to their websidte and watching a trailer of it. There's really no way to explain it.

Overall, it was a great trip. I wish my wife had been there with me, but now I know where to take her and what to do next time. Thankfully the other people I went with had been there many times and knew exactly what to show me. I can't wait to now take my wife and see the same expressions on her face as I'm sure I had when I saw these things for the first time.

The strip has a lifestyle that is different from any other that I've seen in my life. It's strange to be in a place where practically everything is open 24 hours a day. It's strange to see ads for companies that send women directly to you. It's strange to see the casino full at 2 AM and then again at 8 AM. It's strange to see people gambling in their PJ's. It's strange to get hit on by a hooker. It's strange to walk up to a table with $40 and walk away with $165. It's strange to walk up to a table with $40 and walk away 2 minutes later with $0. It's strange to never really know what time it is. It's strange to be able to buy a 44 oz alcoholic beverage. It's strange to see people walking around with a drink in their hand...everywere. In summary...it was strange...Fun...but strange.

Maybe there's something to this...

2009-01-27T16:58:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest. I really like editing pictures and videos on the computer. I constantly like making desktop backgrounds and banners for sites like this. I made the slideshow that played at my wedding. It's a secret passion of mine. Or maybe I just use it as an escape. Give me software that I can tamper with and make something creative and professional-looking with and I will love it. While making my new banner for this blog today I finally said something outloud that I've secretly known for a while. I really like doing this. I really like creating and editing things like that. Maybe I'll do stuff like this on the side when I get out of school. I don't know who would want me to do it, but I think I'm pretty good at it and the perfectionist side of me keeps me editing these things until I get them just as I want them. Speaking of which, the banner still isn't up to standards yet...but it's getting there. I just couldn't wait to get it up on the site. Give me feedback. What do you think? This is your chance to be like Simon on American Idol. Is this something I'm good at? Or should I become a CPA, where I can't even pretend to be creative?

The Best of Reality TV

2009-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

This has been an amazing year of reality television. Yes, I am one of those who loves reality TV. I think that people's natural reactions are the most entertaining. The best of the shows this season is Momma's Boys. A more appropriate name for it is "101 Ways to Embarrass Your Son in Front of All the Gorgeous Girls That He Would Give Anything to be With." Maybe that title was too long to use. If you haven't seen it, I'll compare it to the bachelor, except that the guys aren't as qualified, there are 3 of them, and all of their moms are living in the house with the girls causing all sorts of drama. Could it get any better? I submit that it cannot. Let's also throw in the fact that 2 of the moms are super protective Jewish moms. Oh it makes for such great TV. One of the moms seems to be hell-bent on destroying her son's life by fighting with every girl and destroying every chance that her son has to go on a date with an incredible woman. She embarrasses him more than I've ever seen any mom embarrass her son. Even better, she does it in front of the girls.

Here are some of my favorite happenings on the show:

When you grab a bunch of beautiful women, the odds of getting girls from unfavorable backgrounds seems pretty good. This show further played with that concept, purposefully choosing a bunch of good girls from great backgrounds that mothers would love for their sons, and then also choosing many girls that would fit the bad girl description that moms would not want for their sons. One of the guys set his sights on a specific 2 girls in the house. One of them the mom didn't like because she had posed for Playboy. The mom did everything possible to drive her son away from that girl and toward another girl. This other girl (the one the mom does like) turns out to not be a Playboy model, but instead a Penthouse model...the current Penthouse Pet of the Year. Of course she didn't tell them until the season finale. Oh what great TV to watch the reactions of the guy and his mom the first time that the girl tells them this. And so follows the best of the natural reactions. After pushing this girl on her boy the whole time, she is unable to admit that she was wrong and this girl should go home, even though she bounced the playmate for a lesser crime. Hypocrisy at it's best.

Another boy and his mom are discussing who he should choose as his girl. She wants one girl for him. He wants the other. When he tells his mom that he wants one girl because that's what makes him happy, she responds with, "It doesn't matter what makes you happy!" There's nothing like a mother's love.

The worst mom started the show off by saying that she doesn't want any girl of color dating her son. Then she proceeds to get into a fight with every African American girl on the show for absolutely no reason at all. When she meets the girls for the first time she goes up to the African American group and says, "Oh, so do you all play basketball." One day she breaks down talking to the African American women, saying, "Am I racist? I don't know. I'm so confused." Yes you are racis...and naive.

I truly hope that this show returns next year. I highly recommend it to all lovers of reality TV.

Fun with pens...and electricity

2009-01-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank my friend Ben for posting this on his blog. You might have to watch it a couple times to figure out just exactly what happened.

And now back to my regularly scheduled blogging

2009-01-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my absence from the blogger world. During my Christmas break I fully intended to write a bunch of new, wonderfully stimulating blogs. Here's why that plan failed. My first night of break was the Friday before Christmas. At work that night, I began to feel a tickle in my throat. Well over the next two days this turned into the flu. This flu stayed with me for 2 weeks. At the end of this 2 weeks it was time to go back to school. My first day back to school was also the night of the Fiesta Bowl, which I volunteered to work. Well, one of my co-workers had a head cold, on top of that we ended up working until 1:30 in the morning. So I only got 4 hours of sleep before school the next day. Oh, and remember that head cold that my co-worker had? Yah, I got it. So there's another week of being sick. Now tonight I'm finally feeling better after 3 weeks of being under the weather. I'm not completely better yet, but I'm getting there. If you could pray that no other plague decides to strike me I would greatly appreciate it. In return you'll be getting some wonderful new blogs from me. Thanks.

My Own Sports Stories

2008-12-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Steve Kerr Secretly Hates the Suns

I think Steve Kerr is secretly still a Chicago Bull or San Antonio Spur at heart. He shows this in his relentless efforts to destroy the Phoenix Suns. I know he's the Suns' GM, which is a perfect cover. Let's review Kerr's decisions since taking over the Suns. He brought in Shaq, who obviously never fit in with our style of play and who is the only reason that we lost to San Antonio last year in the playoffs. He got rid of Mike D'Antoni, who was a perfect and exciting coach in Phoenix. He realized the strength of the Suns. The "Run and Gun" style of offense, and he made us one of the best at it. Well anyways, he's gone. Now Kerr brings in Terry Porter, who so far has less than wowed anyone. Porter has taken a team whose greatest strength is their speed, and decided to throw in an offensive plan that involves slowing down and waiting. Brilliant. Now in the latest sabotage...I mean dealing...Steve Kerr has traded Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, vital parts of our fast and powerful offense. And he traded them for someone I've never heard of. I'm not sure I need any more proof of my hypothesis. Wait, the Suns are 13-10. And I was told by someone in the organization that this record is better than they expected. Ouch.

$100 million or $160 million?

What a great problem to have. I wish I had to ask myself that question. Do I want $100 million or $160 million? Of course, if I was asking myself that question, I would probably also be asking the question "What country do I want to buy?" CC Sabathia recently had to ask himself that...the money question, not the country question. The Milwaukee Brewers offered him $100 million, but the NY Yankees offered him $160 million. Who really needs that much money? Is it possible to spend that much money without giving a $5 to every person you pass on the street every day? Here's what's more ridiculous, in CC's contract, he got an opt out clause after 3 years because he's so concerned about moving his family to New York. Wait, if you don't want to move your family to New York and you could play somewhere else for $100 million, why would you take the deal to go to New York? Does your ego really cry over $100 million as compared to $160? Seriously? Here's an idea for CC. Take the $100 million contract, put half of it in a ROTH IRA, and in like 10 years it will be like $200 million anyways. Problem solved. You're welcome.

The Big Picture of Baseball's Spending

A baseball analyst made a really good point on Sportscenter this morning. Why is baseball still spending all of this money when the economy is in such bad shape? It's just irresponsible. Why are teams still giving away $160 million dollars to one player when no other industry in the US could afford this? Now let's bring this full circle for everyone. When the economy is down people cut out luxuries that they can do without. Some of the first things to go are eating out and special events. Ridiculously expensive tickets to sporting events are one of those things that are the easiest to cut out of a budget. Many teams are already estimating their attendance to drop by several percentage points. So if sporting events are already too expensive for many to afford, why are they upping their spending, which would inevitably raise ticket prices, forcing more people to watch from the comfort and affordability of their own homes. So if more people refuse to buy tickets, teams go further into debt because such a large part of their money is already promised away. Why isn't baseball instead conserving costs and making tickets affordable? If baseball as a whole decided that they will not spend so much money, then players will have no choice but to accept lower contracts. If they hold out for higher contracts, then the press will paint a picture of them as being selfish, greedy people who want to further the economic turmoil of the country. If all MLB teams hold to this concept, players will have no choice but to sign for lesser amounts. If the MLBPA stands against this, then all players will look bad in the eyes of the whole country. But hey, I'm just thinkin' outloud.

iPhone Killer

2008-11-25T11:33:00.001-08:00

I currently have cell phone service through Verizon. I love their service, but let's be honest, they get the worst phones. For years, every AT&T commercial I've seen has made me jealous that I'm not with the company. They just get the coolest phones. Verizon gets the hand-me-downs. So my wife and I have finally broken down and decided that for Christmas this year, we are buying each other iphones and switching to AT&T. Meanwhile hoping that either Verizon will gain rights to the iphone or that they will finally get a cool phone of their own. They've tried vigorously for the past year to come up with what could be considered "The iphone killer." Every attempt has failed miserably. Apparently just having a touchscreen doesn't automatically mean that it's as good as the iphone. You mean there's more to a phone than that? Hhhmmm.

*Insert the sound of trumpets*

Then blackberry announces the Storm. Oh I was so excited to see it. A touchscreen blackberry that can finally rival the iphone. Maybe I can have an excuse to stay with Verizon after all. So I hurried into a Verizon store to play with one. While playing with one of the Storms, a 10-year old kids strolls up next to me to play with the other Storm on display. Within a minute he exclaims, "This sucks." Yep. I hate to say it, but he was right. Even a 10-year old can see that. I'll give it a month before all the business men that bought it end up returning it. Thankfully it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. Blackberry is going to wish they hadn't done that. Every time you press a button, it takes at least 2 seconds before the desired action occurs. The touchscreen isn't even calibrated right. The features didn't work. It took 5 steps to do the simplest tasks. The side buttons activated the dumbest tasks that no one would need in a hurry. Never before have I been so disappointed in a device that I have had so much hope for. If I was an executive at Blackbery, I would be thoroughly embarrassed. There have been many attempts at overtaking the iphone. All have been massive failures. Yes, this is maybe the first concept that could compete, but come one people. Next time these companies have a brilliant idea for a phone, they need to sit on it and develop it for another 3 or 5 years and then release it. I'm not sure these companies realize that they're dealing with a device that has over 300 patents. That means the iphone has over 300 features that either no one has accomplished or even thought of to this point. You don't just come up with something like that over night. For now...there is no iphone killer. No one even seems to be offering up any competition.

A Year To Be Thankfur For

2008-11-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

When life is busy and tough, it's hard to think of all the good things going on. Focusing on putting out the fires seems to consume the year. I know that's how a lot of people feel. The other day it really hit me that I have so much to be thankful for this year. I don't know if I've really had more blessings than usual this year or if I'm just finally taking the time to think about all that I haven't given thanks for in the past. It started at my in-laws house last Saturday when we gathered to celebrate thanksgiving with her family. At the table they pass around a "Thankerchief", which is a handkerchief with a turkey painted on it. When it's your turn you have to tell what you're thankful for this year. Natalie's grandma wanted us to say 10 things that we are thankful for. My first reaction was, "10 things!!! Holy crap!!! That's a lot." Then after the initial panic, I began to think about what I am thankful for this year. That's when I realized I really have a lot. God really has taken care of so much this year.

Natalie and I feel extremely blessed that not only do we get to have our families so close to us, but that our families do so much to help us out with the little things that keep us running while we're making it through school. We wouldn't be in the place we are today without their help, and we can't begin to express how thankful we are for all the little things they do.

My little nephew Drew is a wonderful blessing right now, and the news of his good health is amazing. Having a little baby in the family has been so much fun, not only for me to have a little guy to play with, but to see my whole family light up around him.

As much as school is a pain, I am so very thankful that I have the opportunity to go to grad school and that I am already half way through. There have been some tough quarters so far where I just barely squeaked through, but God brought me through each of those quarters and I continue to move toward my goal of working in Major League Baseball. Next year I will start my 2nd internship with the Milwaukee Brewers. I have been extremely blessed to get the opportunity to work in Major League Baseball. Very few people get this opportunity, and I am so grateful for it.

My wife has definately been the closest and biggest blessing in my life. I love her more every day and we have more fun with each other all the time. Being married to her has taught me what it really means to love another person with all that I am. I look forward to experiencing the rest of life with her.

Of course, this is an abridged version of the full list, but these are some of the things that I'm most thankful for.

It has begun

2008-11-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

He isn't even living in the white house yet, but his plans for gradually taking away our freedom has already started. If you listened to Obama's pre-election interviews, he often mentioned Sean Hannity's name with disdain. Voices like Hannity's and Rush Limbaugh's were among the leading voices warning of Obama's reign over this nation. Now Obama gets to have the last word. He will be trying to silence those voices, taking his first step toward taking away freedom of speech...well freedom of speech that isn't praising his name. After all, he is the savior. We should be praising him, right? Well, here's what our savior is up to. Please note that whenever the name savior is used, it is done with absolute sarcasm. Among the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) there is a term called localization, referring to how radio stations need to endorse local radio programs before carrying national syndications in order to keep their license. If a radio station doesn't meet this requirement, the FCC can shut them down. Obama and the rest of the Left wing nut jobs are scheming to make those regulations just a bit tighter, which would put radio stations in fear of airing conservative syndications because if they did, they would be shut down. So now the government will be telling us what opinions we can and cannot listen to. The only reaching across the isle this president will be doing is reaching across to slap a conservative or take money out of their pocket. You want change, America? You got it. And you thought all that socialism talk was just poking fun at a candidate. Is it still funny? Getting funnier?

Yep, it's that time again

2008-11-08T11:24:00.001-08:00

This upcoming week is my finals week, and it's gonna be a hard one. I'm currently sitting here studying over 100 typed, condensed pages of notes. And those are only for 2 of my 5 tests. Please pray for me. The good news is that I have 2 weeks off after this. I've been saving up my thoughts for a time when I can blog. Only a few days to go.

The Tragedy of A Nation

2008-11-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

A Fox News reporter just summed it all up. "Now we get to sit back and see who this man is that we just elected to be our President."

A Message From Our Troops on the Election

2008-10-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

Iraq Veteran Sgt. Cook

Obama is NOT a natural born US citizen

2008-10-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

The Seacret 500

2008-10-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

You know those kiosks at the mall? The ones that you don't want to visit or make eye contact with. The ones that have vendors walking around, reeling people in to tell them about how fabulous their product is. It's so fabulous that the company can't sell enough of it to afford a real store to sell them out of. I'm saddened because I really don't like these kiosks and my favorite mall has now started allowing them. As Natalie and I sit at our favorite mall, Desert Ridge Marketplace, we can't help but watch the kiosk that is stationed closest to us, Seacret. I believe they're selling skin products made from salts harvested from the Dead Sea. While being here we've been laughing at the tendencies of the vendors. There are 3 vendors at this kiosk. Whenever they aren't actively pestering someone, they are just hurriedly circling the kiosk, looking for their next victim. If a couple of them are cicling at the same time, it looks like a race. We call it the Seacret 500.

So who's really lying in the campaign?

2008-10-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

Read this article on the Fox News website. It's amazing how many lies have gone un-checked so far in this election. It's amazing how many people want to overlook the lies of the Democrats. It's especially scary how Joe Biden doesn't understand the role of the Vice Presidency which happens to be the position that he's running for.
Read the Article

The Real Reason for the Government Bailout

2008-09-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well these two pictures are worth close to 2 billion dollars.

Next season New York will open 2 new baseball stadiums. Yes, both the Mets and Yankees are both getting new stadiums in the same year. No, neither team deserves it right now based on their records from this season. Regardless, the New Yankee Stadium costs $1.3 billion, and Citi Field (the Mets' new stadium) will cost $610 million, which I find funny seeing that the Yankee staium is double the cost of the Mets' stadium when the Mets' at least almost made the playoffs this year. Those lucky New York taxpayers get to split the bill with the Mets and Yankees for those stadiums. I believe the New York taxpayers will get to split about $200 million of that bill. Citi Group gets to pay $20 million per year for the naming rights to the stadium. Now seeing as our country is looking at a $700 billion bailout, this probably isn't helping the situation. I propose that both teams need to make the playoffs before they're allowed to move into their stadiums. But hey, I'm just thinkin' outloud. What do I know...

Define Important

2008-09-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting here at the computer, I heard comments on TV that just couldn't be ignored. At the end of the EXTRA TV show they asked people what they thought of McCain cancelling his appearance on David Letterman. Several of the idiots walking around the street that day said that McCain was cracking under the pressure, he couldn't handle the "hard hitting" questions that Letterman would ask, and my personal favorite - one woman actually said, "How do we know he won't walk away from important stuff if he was to become president?" Wait...did she just imply that a David Letterman appearance was important? Did she just imply that it was more important than doing his job in Washington, which is why he's cancelling his Letterman appearance? Yes, yes she did. How ignorant are people now-a-days? The funny thing is that she was contradicting herself because McCain was in fact doing his job instead of ditching it for an interview - exactly what she wants her president to do, but I bet she won't vote for him. How dare he ditch David Letterman.

One-Way. Not two. One.

2008-09-17T13:53:00.001-07:00

It continues to amaze me how many people don't understand parking lot designs like this. The whole parking procedure works better if you drive the right way down the isle. I very commonly see people going the wrong way down these isles. Usually the isles in this type of parking lot are much narrower, making it difficult for a car going the wrong way and a car going the right way to pass each other. It's especially hard when you have a truck parked in there that has like a 7 foot long hitch. There's no gettin' around that. But it always amazes me that when you come head-on with one of these idiots that are going the wrong way, they give you the look like you're in their way. They're probably simultaneously thinking, "Why are these stupid parking spots facing the opposite way. Don't they know that it's nearly impossible to park in these spots?" Sure enough though, if they come head-on with a car going the right way and they see a spot, they will either make a 35-point turn to get into the spot, or they will make the car going the "right" way back up so that they can pull past the spot and then back into it.

This, along with every other driving blunder used to infuriate me, but I've recently taken a new approach to stupid people. Simply put, "Expect them." Now I no longer get angry when drivers do stupid things. I expect it of everyone so it never surprises me. It only puts me in that much of a better mood when people actually do the right thing because they pleasantly surprise me. Try this approach and tell me it doesn't make your day that much better. It's not worth getting mad at stupid people...they're too dumb to know that you're mad at them anyway.

And the winner is...not the VMA's.

2008-09-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday night was the night of the MTV VMA's (Video Music Awards). Like any major awards show, I started watching it. Within 3 minutes of listening to the host's intro my TV shut off. Funny thing, my finger reached over and hit the power button on the remote. Russell Brand, the British host, managed to push me over the edge in that small amount of time. I'll elaborate:

Strike 1 - He started out with "Please elect Barrack Obama!"

Strike 2 - He called President Bush "that retarded cowboy fella."

Strike 3 - He spend a couple of minutes bashing Sarah Palin's daughter.

By this time he had already struck out by traditional baseball rules and I'm scrambling for the remote, urgently trying to do my part in dropping MTV's ratings. I can't get to the remote fast enough. The strikes just keep coming by the second.

Strike 4 - he makes fun of purity rings and people who aren't sluts

Strike 5 - he does all this while wearing eye liner, women's jeans, and a hair cut reminiscent of a poodle on crack.

I get to the remote. Finally it's all over.

MTV made the biggest mistake in choosing him as the host. Thankfully today, it's all over the internet that he was the worst host in show history. Some of this country still has sense left in them. How does a foreigner think he has the right to come into our country, make fun of our President and our values? Then he tries to tell people who we should vote for in our election. He endorses the candidate that will be the most detrimental choice for our country.

I read one blog post from a citizen of England that said it all.
It said, "I hope they don't allow him back into England. He's an embarrassment."

I'm An Uncle!!!

2008-09-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew Ryan Palmer
Born September 4th @ 5:50 AM.
7 lbs. 8 oz.
21.5 in long

Drew and mommy are both doing great. They will be going home early Saturday morning. Natalie and I are a very proud aunt and uncle. He's such a cute little guy.

How to deal with annoying people

2008-09-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

If you are sitting next to someone who irritates you on a bus, plane or train follow these instructions:

1. Quietly and calmly open up your laptop case.
2. Remove your laptop.
3. Start up
4. Make sure the guy who is annoying you, can see the screen.
5. Close your eyes and tilt your head up to the sky.
6. Then hit this link

Watch this. You're welcome.

2008-08-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hiphopapotomus vs Rhymenocerus
Stupid but funny. Thank you Jason for getting me hooked on this.

The Club Phenomenon

2008-08-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

My work has recently started a new event. We're now doing club nights called "Fox After Hours" on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 2am. This is a new scene for me. So I've noticed certain things that are definitely unique to this crowd. There are certain phenomena that happen "in the club" that you just don't see in everyday life. I will elaborate:

-The old people that have way too many drinks and then start doing what we can only assume is what they think is dancing. It more looks like a crazy person waving at the floor. Or it looks like she belongs to a Harre Krishna sect.

-The drunk couple off at the side who either forgets where they are or forgets that other people can see them doing things that no one wants to or should have to see.

-The hardcore thug that, after a few drinks, thinks all the girly dancing that he does on the dance floor looks awesome...but he is very much wrong in that assumption.

- There's the guy that just doesn't seem to make it all the way to the dance floor. So he stands by himself just off to the side dancing, creating his own dance floor.

-Then there are always the people that don't understand that 2am closing time is not only law, but very much our preference so we can go home. No we don't want the DJ to play just one more song like you do. We want you to leave and leave fast so we can go home. Some of us are 4 hours past our bed time.

-The girl that knows she's good-looking and thinks that if she flirts with the bartender, free drinks are sure to follow. They never flirt after they see their tab...wonder why...

-2 female friends who decide to have a long and serious conversation with each other in a place where I'm sure they can't even hear each other. One usually starts crying. This is a normal thing in life, but why at a club? A coffee shop is completely understandable and this wouldn't be out of place at all, but the seriousness of the situation is somehow dissipated as clubbers bump and grind just inches behind the talking women.

-I didn't know alcohol was a precursor for testosterone release in males...and in some cases females. But sure enough, at the end of the night, when everyone has had enough alcohol in them, the testosterone and the dumbest fights in the history of Arizona are unleashed upon Westgate.

-Also, apparently Bud Lite triggers WWF flashbacks, which prompt people to pick up chairs and throw them at people.

-The people that think they will get served faster if they angrily pound on the bartop and yell at us. Some people think they have to tell us that they are waiting to get drinks. Oooohhh, that's why everyone is yelling at me. I was wondering about that.

-There are always people that talk down to us and assume that since we work in a restaurant, we're obviously uneducated and are there because we can't do anything else. Well lots of bartenders are only doing it while they go to school, and it's usually grad school. So the person you're yelling at for being slow and stupid might possibly have more schooling and higher degrees than you do. Let's take my bar for example: I'm getting my Doctorate in Physical Therapy, one of my bartenders is becoming a nurse, and another is becoming a Physician's Assistant. The three of us are usually the ones working club nights.

-The people that yell at us for how expensive their drink is.
A) Do you think I care how much you have to pay for your drink?
B) Do you think I'm the one who sets the prices?
C) You should know alcohol is expensive. Either stop complaining or stop drinking.

-The people that have way too much pride in either being from the "East Side" or the "west Side". Come here, I wanna tell you a secret...No one cares. Stop shouting "West Side" and put your hand down. Remember Tupac used to throw up hand signals and look where it got him. Learn from history.

So this is why I'm still going to school

2008-08-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

I've hit a wonderful little point in my physical therapy curriculum called a "clinical". For those of you not in the medical field I will explain it as working a full time job without pay. I've completed one full year of classroom work at AT Still University in Mesa, in route to my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. At the end of this first year, we go on a mini 4 week clinical where we are reminded what physical therapy is and how all of this random knowledge in our heads might actually be applied - hoping we don't injure someone in the process. Every physical therapy office is run differently and have PT's that operate from different schools of thought. So every person in my class is receiving a slightly different experience. After the first week I've heard good stories from my classmates and I've heard bad ones. Thankfully I can report that I think I have had one of the best experiences so far.

I am spending my clinical at White Tank Physical Therapy in Goodyear. My brother plays in the praise band at Palm Valley with Pablo, who is the owner and head PT of the clinic. The other PT that I get to work under there is Cory. My brother and his wife suggested that I look into doing my clinical with Pablo because they felt from knowing him that he would be a great teacher. After week one, I know that I have fully been blessed to find this clinic. I don't think I could have chosen a better place. Like the night before starting most jobs, I didn't sleep well. I was nervous about how my supervising PT's would be, and of course, nervous about looking dumb in front of a patient or doing something wrong. My morning started with not being able to find the clinic for a little while. Thankfully I was about 30 minutes early and I had time to figure out my treasure map...no thanks to google maps. I would like to take this opportunity to say that google is not always right. Remember that. I digress. Back to the clinic. My day began with a tour of the office and an introduction to all who work there. First off, everyone that works there is Christian, and they live and work using their morals as their guide. This is a rare and amazing example to find in this world. The way that they practice and the way they act is exactly as I believe and this gives me a great example to follow for the rest of my life as I work as a health care professional.

I immediately started feeling at home and getting to know and help some great patients, and learning a lot along the way. Some things I'm learning are new. A lot of what I'm learning is figuring out how what I learned in the classroom comes together to treat a patient. There's a lot of random knowledge to put together. In the first episode ever of Scrubs, JD walks into the hospital for the first time and says that after all his years in medical school he knows one thing for certain, "I really don't know anything." I thought that was a funny statement at the time, but now I know exactly what that feels like. Repeating information on a test in the classroom is completely different than applying it in the clinic on patients. It feels like completely different knowledge than what I learned. It takes a little bit of time for everything to come together. Now after almost two weeks in the clinic, it's coming together more all the time. Continuing to think about Scrubs, I'm just glad this place doesn't have a janitor.

Ron Artest and his "culture"

2008-07-31T22:51:00.001-07:00

I really don't know what to comment about this story because either way, it will probably sound racist and I'll get in trouble for something. So I'm just going to retell the story. Ron Artest recently became a Houston Rocket. If you don't remember Ron Artest, he's the one who jumped into the crowd a few years ago and attacked a fan. Besides that he's generally known for getting into fights in the NBA. Enough history. When word spread about him becoming a Houston Rocket, Yao Ming was interviewed about it and made a statement that he hoped Artest has stopped attacking fans. Of course, this got back to Artest who said, "I understand what Yao said, but I'm still ghetto. That's not going to change. I'm never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don't think he's ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he'll understand what I'm about." I don't think anyone knows what to say about this quote. From what I can gather, Artest seems to indicate that his culture is all about violence and attacking people he doesn't see eye-to-eye with? Does anyone want to touch this one?

I'll Miss Being Cool

2008-07-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

According to Pastor Greg, a person loses the ability to be cool when they turn 24. So as of tomorrow, July 10th 2008, I will no longer be cool...if I ever was that is. I'll be celebrating my uncoolness by taking more final exams. How awesome is that?!?! I guess it's kinda fitting for this birthday.

Oops I did it again...

2008-07-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

I have created another blog, but it's not about me. So for news on me, you will continue to check out this page. The page I started is about Fox Sports Grill in Glendale, the restaurant that I bartend at. I mentioned the idea to our advertising manager last weekend and she loved it. We're launching a new event at Fox called After Hours. We are now staying open until 2am on Friday and Saturday. Starting at 11 pm, there will be a $10 cover charge. If you're already sitting at the bar at 11 pm, the cost will only be $5. We're bringing in an entertainment agency with DJ's, lighting, dancing, and their own models to promote the event. There will also be drink and food specials. So the new website will help promote that and other events. The link is over on the right hand side of the page under "Links". Check it out.

The Paradox of Our Time

2008-06-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is a great quote that I stumbled across. I wish I could take credit for it, but it is way beyond what I could ever imagine to write.

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more c opies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind."

By Dr. Bob Moorehead

Amazing Message

2008-06-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

The ending is an incredible lesson. Since I'm in the field of health care/science, I found this especially interesting. You won't believe what you see at the end. This is the perfect example of how God reveals truths about Himself through creation.

Give Me Your Eyes

2008-06-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

*Disclaimer* If you're looking to download the song, go to iTunes. You won't find it here.

This is a new song by Brandon Heath called "Give Me Your Eyes." It just got released to the radio and the single isn't even for sale yet. I heard it while driving home from work late friday night. Listening to it, I was at a loss for words. The chorus is so perfect that I could never have thought to pray it before. Now the chorus will serve as my daily prayer. Listen to the perspective that he asks for.

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus

Ive Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Listen to the Song for free. Just scroll down to the grid where it says download. It will open in Windows media player.

Kung-Fu Kitty

2008-06-18T09:17:00.001-07:00

Tag. I'm it.

2008-06-11T09:49:00.001-07:00

Four jobs I've had:
1. 49er's Country Club - golf course outside serviceman
2. On The Border, Chili's, and Macaroni Grill - server/bartender
3. Dodge Theatre - Luxury suites server
4. Fox Sports Grill - Bartender

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. 300
2. Gladiator
3. Transformers
4. Constantine

Four places I've lived:
1. Tucson
2. The ghetto (GCU - 33rd ave & Camelback)
3. Phoenix (nicer parts than the ghetto)
4. with my head in the clouds.

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Top Chef
2. Scrubs
3. The Office
4. Grey's Anatomy - It's Natalie's fault

Four places I've been:
1. Illinois
2. San Diego - our favorite place
3. Disneyland - the happiest place on earth
4. Paonia, CO - if you've ever heard of it, I'll buy you something nice.

Four people who email me regularly:
1. Natalie
2. Mom
3. the physical therapy department secretary - stupid announcements
4. Jack Smack - thank you Ben for signing me up for fakebuddy.com

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pepperoni pizza
2. Natalie's chicken parmesean
3. Natalie's cashew chicken
4. Chipotle - burrito bowl - rice, black beans, steak, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, lettuce - every time, no exceptions.

Four places I would love to visit:
1. New York - Time Square
2. Miami, Florida
3. Hawaii
4. The Caribbean

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1. The birth of my nephew.
2. Being one year closer to graduating school forever.
3. Getting an iPhone
4. Hopefully a new Dave Matthews Band studio album.

Four friends I'm tagging: (It's your turn for the limelight)
1. Ben Ihms
2. Jamie Ihms
3. My apparent fake friend (Jack Smack)
4. I think everyone else I know on blogger has already been tagged.

The Sunset of the First Year

2008-06-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's already been one year since Natalie and I said "I Do." This year has probably been the fastest I have ever experienced. So much has happened, and it happened very fast. After being married we got a relaxing summer to spend together, just sleeping in and enjoying each other's company. Then school started for both of us. My first quarter was really hard and it was an hour away from where we lived. A few months later, Natalie changed schools, and we had to move off campus. So in December we moved into a 3-story townhome. Very exciting. Natalie was especially excited because it finally felt like a home to her...I guess on-campus apartments at GCU doesn't exactly count as a cute place to live. I continued going to school and she started at her new college a couple months later. Since we got married we worked at the same place on the weekends, Fox Sports Grill in Glendale. I bartend and she serves. Just over a month ago she decided to transfer back to the Fox Sports Grill in Scottsdale because it has much better management and clientele. We also wenth through a change in churches. We irregularly attended a college/post-grad service called Element up at Highland Church, but we began to feel...I can't believe I'm saying this...too old for it. It didn't feel like a place where we could continue to grow and have fellowship. We tried a few other places, but didn't feel anything for any of them. Then we went to Palm Valley Church, where my brother and his wife attend. After the first sermon, we both got in the car, looked at each other, and said that this is the place for us right now. We've been there for a couple months, and we still feel the same way.
In psychology there's a stress scale where it maps out serious events that could take place in a person's life and it tells how much stress you've been under and from that they can predict your possibility of having a serious illness in the next few years because stress has eaten away at your immune system. We found that we have a very high rating on that test...and a high number of points is not good. Getting married is worth a lot, job change is worth a lot, school change (2) is worth a lot, church change is worth some points, and moving is worth a lot. All things we've done in one year. Despite all of this, we're as happy as can be. God has blessed us and truly taken care of us during our first year.
It's great to go through life with your best friend, knowing that you always have someone to talk to and listen to, and that person will still love you at the end of the day no matter how little you made at work that day or how you did on that test you didn't study for. Whatever has happened throughout the year we've done it while holding each other's hand and laughing together the whole way. God blessed me with an incredible and beautiful woman. We've had so much fun together, and we've learned so much together. I'm so glad that I have the rest of my life to love, learn, and live with her.

The New iPhone

2008-06-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it will be mine. The new iPhone was unveiled today and it just seems like a sign that since it was released on my anniversary, I am meant to buy it. Ok...that's a stretch. Sounds like a great excuse though, huh? No? Alright, well I watched the unveiling video on apple.com and I have to say that Apple has made an amazing machine. The first one was great. The 2nd generation iPhone is seemingly flawless. You can go to their website to see all of the cool things that it can do now, but I'll tell you for all of the guys who love baseball as much as me, there is a program by mlb.com that gives you constantly updated scores, play-by-plays, and video highlights. Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot. Oh, and it's cheaper than the last iPhone too. The phone will be available July 11th. Unfortunately...my contract with Verizon doesn't end until next Spring...maybe they'll have the 3rd generation iPhone out by the time I can get it...

At Least You're Not This Guy

2008-05-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

Minor league baseball player John Odom was recently traded from the Calgary Vipers to the Laredo Broncos. So big deal. He was just traded for another minor league player, right? Wrong. Did the team want money for him? Nope. So what did the Calgary Vipers get in return for the trade? Ten maple bats. The Bronco's GM surprisingly said, "They just wanted some bats, good bats -- maple bats." According to the Prairie Sticks website (the company that sells the bats), each bat costs $62.50. So for ten bats, the grand total is $625. What did John have to say about it? "It'll make a better story if I make it to the big leagues." Yah...that's looking like a strong possibility at this point. So as you go through the upcoming weeks and you find that your self-esteem is low, just remember that it could be worse. You could be this guy.

While I'm busy. . .enjoy these.

2008-05-20T15:05:00.001-07:00

I'm in the midst of two weeks of finals right now. So I don't have enough free brain cells to write a thought-provoking blog. So I'll be posting some funny pictures for your enjoyment. My personal favorites are demotivators from ebaumsworld.com. Enjoy.

Gas Station Etiquette

2008-04-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Now for a quick lesson that we all should have learned long ago, but apparently we didn't. Before stating the obvious rules I'm going to go over some quick, basic concepts. The most simple of these: Fire + Gasoline = Explosion. This is followed by another simple one: Explosion + people = death (and a spot on the news). I'm sure this blog doesn't actually apply to those of you reading this because, let's face it, if you're dumb enough to smoke while fueling your car, you're probably too dumb to use a computer, get on the Internet, and find this blog. It has recently amazed me how often I either see someone smoking at the gas pump or fueling their car with the engine running. As Triumph the Insult Comic Dog would say, "They're just asking to be pooped on!!!" The whole smoking thing is just one of the most profound examples of a lack of common sense, but the running engine concept shouldn't be that hard to understand. I know it's a long line of common sense, requiring the understanding of how an engine works, the fact that cars do not completely stay still while they are idling, and the understanding of friction and sparks being created when two metal surfaces rub against each other. Then we go right back to the first basic concept: fire + gasoline = explosion. For those who do these things while at the gas station and miraculously found this blog, let's recap in simpler terms:

1. Don't smoke.

2. Turn off Engine before fueling. It will start up again afterwards.

God hit me. . .like a soda can on a freeway

2008-04-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

Since school started it has been hard to consistently go to church, let alone find a church that Natalie and I both like. We have both been feeling God tugging at our hearts that something has been missing from our lives. Knowing that church was the answer, we made a committment to finding one. The answer was easier than we thought. My brother, Jason, and his wife, Nikki, have always welcomed us to come to their chuch, Palm Valley Church, especially on the weeks when Jason plays guitar for the band. In the midst of going to support my brother, we found the church that we're supposed to be at. We arrived in the middle of a series called "Life Hurts, God Heals." The first week we attended was about loss. I hadn't really experienced loss in a while. In fact, life was going pretty good. Then God reminded me that He has to test me to make sure I understand the lesson.

Coming home from work one night that week, a full soda can bounced up from the freeway and hit my car, cracking my front grill and denting my hood. My car is one of my nicest possessions and I really like it and am proud of it. Something like this is a loss to me. Even worse...my comprehensive deductible is $500. This amount is not a welcomed expense while Natalie and I are still in school and in debt with student loans.

Week two at Palm Valley brought a lesson about failure. I have an appeal going on at school right now over a class. I won't get into the details, but it fits the lesson.

Week three at Palm Valley reminded me that through the pain in life, I am still always in God's hands. Another situation reinforced that.

So I think I can safely say after three weeks that Palm Valley is the place where I belong right now. Though I feel as if I should communicate with Pastor Greg weekly to know what he will be preaching about. If he does a series on death, bankruptcy, fire, floods, scorpions, or furbies I will not be there to save myself from the personal application lesson that is sure to follow. The next series is about a woman's beauty. I'm married to a beautiful woman. So I think this is a safe series to attend.

It must work. . .A Chiropractor invented it.

2008-04-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought that the whole magical magnetic bracelet theory had finally died, enter Phiten. Goodbye Sabona. We'll see you in our golf-playin', country club livin', metamucil chuggin', retirement years. Us young people can now wear Phiten. Ok, let's not get ahead of ourselves. For those who don't know, people have for years been theorizing that introducing certain magnets or metals to the skin will help a person feel better by altering the electrical atmosphere in cells. Sabona was the big name that introduced magnets as bracelets. Now Phiten claims that titanium may have several positive effects. Their products have become increasingly popular in Major League Baseball. Many players can now be seen wearing their necklaces. That thin nylon cord-looking necklace that you see around players' necks - yep, that's Phiten. Now that you know the whole pointless story of Sabona and Phiten and you are wondering why you're wasting your time with this blog, let's get to the point.

One of my friends at ATSU started wearing a Phiten necklace a few weeks ago. I had seen them before, but now I was intrigued. So I decided to do some research. Reading over some of the literature from Phiten I found that. . .well. . .it didn't completely make sense. The guy didn't completely understand how the body works. So I searched for a real research article about titanium, meaning research that was done by someone other than Phiten. None to be found. Shocking. Well, maybe not "shocking." Afterall, the founder is a chiropractor. If you're wondering if I'm inferring that chiropractors are not real healthcare professionals, the answer is yes. That's exactly right. If you would like my rationale for that, I would be happy to tell you some of the amazingly stupid things that they claim they can do. They basically claim that they can do everything, even save your soul from hell, just by popping your back. That was a sidetrack. All of this did inspire me to do my own research. I'm starting by buying my own Phiten necklace, and then considering making it my research project for my doctoral thesis. Look for future updates.

Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got...

2008-03-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

'Til it's gone. Once again, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot. One of my favorite places to be at is now closing. The Coffee Plantation at Biltmore Fashion Park is closing at the end of the day today because they lost their lease. If you've ever been here, you know that this is the perfect coffee shop, with as much outdoor space as indoor space, and in a perfect up-scale shopping center. I have been coming here to study since my freshman year of college. It was always a great little escape. It was also the place where Natalie and I first hung out to talk. This is where we began to get to know each other. Now as a married couple two years later, we walked in to this place this morning to find the sign that said they lost their lease and this is their last day in business here. I really can't understand that. Even as I sit here now, there are at least 70 other people here, with a line still forming at the register. And this is a slow day. Usually the place is packed out with easily more than 100 people, and finding a place to sit becomes quite difficult. So I know the place isn't hurting for money. This makes me wonder what happened. Maybe starbucks came and bought out the lease. They would do something like that. Whatever is going to happen, I can't imagine anything being here except a coffee shop. It's the perfect cozy little corner for one. This supports the case that it's important to appreciate things when they're there, because one day they won't be. It was just last week that I was sitting here on the patio doing homework when I looked up and began thinking how perfect this place is and how I'm so glad it's here. . . I'm glad that it was here.

Perspective. . .nice concept, hard to accomplish

2008-03-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

Is the glass half full or half empty? Can it be filled to the top? Did someone drop a straw in it and suck it dry? Can I freeze the glass and its contents so that it can't go anywhere? Alright, who knocked the glass over? As I get older, I find that perspective is one of the most important aspects of life. Yet, it is also one of the hardest things to obtain and maintain. For me, it has been my struggle, especially lately. . .especially when I could be sitting on the beach in San Diego instead of in grad school. Wait...no. See what I mean? I lost perspective for a second. I lost sight of what I'm trying to accomplish and I focused on what I want right now. This has been my experience in graduate school so far. I'm only 8 months into a 36 month program. . .and each day it seems like I'm further away from it being over. I'm trying to think of an analogy for grad school. I think it's probably like a gorilla at the zoo that has been deemed dangerous, kept in the cage inside, not safe enough to be let out for the world to see, but not dangerous enough to be disposed of. . .yet. That's only one wrong move away though. Sitting in the middle of the cage, I see two different scenarios. On one side of me is the barred door that leads to the outside, where I want to be. On the other side is another set of bars, with zoo-keepers standing there with their arms crossed, holding a tranquilizer and a shotgun, just waiting for me to mess up. The consequence of such actions is obvious. So I continue to sit here, doing what they tell me to do, hoping I do it right so I don't get shot. Yes I realize that by giving this example my brother will have a field day with me comparing myself to a monkey in a cage. Oh well. That's the view of grad school without perspective. With perspective it looks like climbing a mountain with my goal of the career of my dreams at the top. Sometimes I scale parts of the mountain quite easily. Sometimes I lose grip and pull a mission impossible move, hanging by one hand. Sometimes I get over one tough stretch, thinking the top of the hill is just out of sight, but when I get there I find that the top is still much further away than I thought. But I keep pushing on, hoping that my rope and anchors hold, and my strength doesn't give out too early. The thought of reaching the top of the mountain is amazing. That keeps me going. It's just about all that keeps me going.

The great balance of money and time

2008-02-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

This week my wife and I attended Element at Highlands Church, a service for the college-aged and young adults. The pastor was talking about his ability to sit and spend time in God's word in the morning and then go to church and be able to discuss what was revealed to him with other pastors. I found this to be a fascinating idea, to consistently have time in the mornings to be still and listen to God and his Word. I only get a couple days each week where I can leisurely sit down in the morning and read through God's word and pray. I really wish I had time to do that every morning. But my life and my career path lead me in a different direction. I'm busy with school and internships and work. I'm not saying that I'm too busy for God, but I'm too busy to have the full time to sit and really be still before Him, giving Him all possible time to talk to me. I think this is common in life. It seems that there are two paths. One path is rich in time, and not so much in money. These people are allowed freedom of thought, peace of mind, and a calm spirit, but not a financial peace. The other path is to be rich in money, but eating while driving and talking on the bluetooth while also reading emails arriving by the minute on the blackberry, meaning no time to oneself . . . you get the idea. These people experience more financial stability, most of the time...assuming they don't take their riches to heart and buy everything they see. But they also lack peace in their life. I think they lack the fullness of life that God offers. There are some individuals who can adequately balance these two paths, but it's very rare I think, and I would love to talk to one of these people to know how they do it. Maybe God sends them messages on their blackberries or maybe they do devotions in their sleep. Who knows. The point is it's hard to do. I found it interesting to think that we have a choice in this life. We choose daily how we will spend our time, money, and energy. I know which of the two paths I'm on. Which one are you on? I bet we have something in common. I bet we have something in common with the other 99% of america.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2008-02-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Spring...possibly my favorite time of year. Some of it is because of the perfect spring weather. Some of it is because of spring break. Some of it is because of spring training. At this time every year, over 10 major league baseball teams ascend upon the valley to kick-off the new baseball season. Awesome. It's the perfect time for every baseball fan. Cheap tickets, choice of teams, and the ability to get closer to the players than at any time during the year...unless you happen to run into one at circle k. For me, this season hits a little closer to home. Last year I was the Intern Athletic Trainer for the Milwaukee Brewers during spring training, an opportunity that very few people get. You have to know someone to get into an organization. So last year I got to meet the players and work with them daily. This was one of the best things I've ever gotten to be a part of. This is what I want to do for my career. It is the perfect career for me. So when all of this action comes to Phoenix, I feel like my future is right here, within my reach. For me, working in major league baseball is one of those jobs that they really wouldn't have to pay me to do, because I love it so much. It doesn't feel like work. It's just so energizing to me. So now you know why I'm in such a good mood around february and march. I'm closer than ever to what I want to do for the rest of my life. Now it's just a couple of years away.

The coolest way to get into your car

2008-01-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

Sigh

2008-01-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

Are the holidays over yet? Yes? Huh...that's strange. I remember getting off school somewhere around mid December. After that, I don't remember a whole lot. I think I moved, went to Tucson for Christmas Eve, went snowboarding in Flagstaff on Christmas Day, and worked alot. I think that's what happened, but it's kindof a blur. I started school on January 2nd, yes the day after New Years. Happy New Year! Now get back to work! To make things even worse, we had 2 quizzes our first day back. Now this is the first time since mid December that I've had time to even post one blog. So I thought it would only be fair to update everyone as to what is going on in my life.

As mentioned, Natalie and I moved into our new townhome on December 19th and have been struggling to find time to arrange everything since then. We still have many things in boxes which has rendered us unable to park in our garage. We're slowly getting stuff put away, just not as quickly as I would have hoped. Work has been very busy. We had a week straight of events, which means that the best are there and working alot. So Natalie and I were there alot. Natalie is a server trainer and has been there longer than any of the others, and our new bar manager told me that he wants me to be the head bar trainer. So the managers want us there to help keep things together. New Years Eve was one of those nights where we were needed. Natalie was unable to be there because she was at an Aunt's wedding in Austin, Texas. Westgate Center hosted one of the largest New Year's parties in Arizona where an estimated 80,000 people were in attendance. Fox Sports Grill is one of the main bars there and it felt like most of that 80,000 wanted a drink from us at one time or another. We were open until 2 AM. The bartenders did not leave the building until 4:30 AM. Enough said.

Christmas Eve was spent in Tucson with my family, and was as great as always. My mom has always done so much to make it special, and this year was no exception. This was the first year that I had a partner for our games. This was the first year that I have been married, and it proved to be wonderful for the games. Natalie and I pretty much cleaned up. We won all but one game, which means mucho gift cards. Basically so we can pretend like we aren't poor college kids once in a while.

Christmas day was spent with Natalie's family. We woke the kids up at 4:45 AM for a surprise trip to Flagstaff for a day in the snow. About half the family skiid and half of us snowboarded. It was my first time on the slopes, and I had to spend about 2 hours in lessons, which Natalie's little brother took with me. After that it was off to the races...if the race was who could end up on their butt the fastest. I would win that. I actually did better than expected, but I was very sore at the end. After opening presents late that night after the whole family got back home, Natalie and I were finally able to come back to the townhome and relax...until work the next day.

The best commercials you've never seen

2007-12-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

During my sophomore year of college, my friends and I made a video that we entered in a movie night competition at GCU. We decided to make some commercials, creating spoofs of some of our favorite TV commercials. We were quite proud of ourselves. So I'd like to share it with you all. . .all 3 readers of this blog. . .

Turkey in drive-thru at Dunkin' Donuts

2007-11-23T21:13:00.001-08:00

Much To Be Thankful For

2007-11-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

This is the first year of many changes. Some of the changes are hard to recognize until the traditions of holidays expose them. This is the first year that I was not able to spend a whole Thanksgiving vacation at home with my family. In fact I didn't make it to my family's house until about 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day. Don't mistake this for complaining. The reason for this jostled holiday schedule is because this is the first year that I am married, which is the first thing that I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for my wife and her family. It's a family that I really feel like I fit in with and enjoy being with. Another large change in my life is my first year in grad school. It's the first year that I have not been in a Christian school. It's the first year that I've really ever had to work hard and force myself to concentrate, which leads me to learning just how small my attention span is. Regardless, I'm thankful for the opportunity to go to grad school - a priviledge that very few people get. I'm thankful for my wonderful family and friends. I'm thankful that some of my best friends are moving into the same townhomes as Natalie and I. I'm thankful that we could get that townhome. As Natalie just whispered in my ear, I'm also thankful that we get to go to Disneyland with my family next weekend, which is my favorite holiday tradition that I look forward to all year long.

Outdone and overpriced

2007-11-20T16:34:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, the day we feared had finally become a reality. Margaritaville opened its doors in the Westgate center in Glendale. Well, most everyone thinks this to be a wonderful experience. . .but not if you work in a neighboring restaurant like my wife and me. Fox Sports Grill looked like a ghost town this last weekend. I half expected to see a tumbleweed blow across the dining room floor. I know. I know. Why would a tumbleweed blow across a dining room? Well because that's what happens in a ghost town. Anyway, I digress. We are no longer the hot spot at Westgate. And it makes sense. . .We were seriously outdone. Margaritaville is an amazing sight. It's a 2-story, half indoor, half outdoor club-like atmosphere with tiki statues with flames on top, bars shaped like boats and men walking around on stilts. Ok I don't understand the whole men on stilts thing, but it's still a sight. Over the weekend I had to get used to seeing margaritaville pagers and to-go containers on the bar from people waiting to be paged for their table and people who had just finished there. I became the sideshow while they waited for their real entertainment for the evening. And I agree that a man on stilts beats me any day. Even after we cleaned up and were leaving Fox at 1 AM, we could hear the music, laughter, and screaming coming from margaritaville, still packed out. This would worry me more, but I didn't hear many great things about it from people that went there. I heard about extremely overpriced drinks, waiting periods of 25-30 minutes just to get a beer, and not much seating room for an amazingly large restaurant. After visiting it myself, I'm not too worried. Yes it is a really cool place, but probably one of the worst aspects of it is that you can barely hear the person next to you because the music is so loud. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, but it was also just as annoying. As for the food and service, not impressed at all. The food was slow, expensive, and not very good. Plus it made Natalie sick. The drinks were what blew me away. I paid $7 for an 8 oz margarita. The same type of margarita, but twice the size at Fox would have been $5.75. They even have a margarita there that is $13. No thanks. Of course. . .I'll be over at Fox. Because I work there. . .

A Whole New World

2007-11-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

Natalie and I are about to start a new phase in life together. A little over a month ago we began thinking about the possiblity of her switching schools, meaning that we would have to leave GCU, a change that I knew would eventually come, but I was putting it off as long as possible. I originally thought that our humble 600+ square foot apartment here in the North Rim Apartments would be our home for the next year or two. . .but I was wrong. God reminded me that I'm not in control. So the search began for a new place. Our search began at Pinnacle Towne Center in the Biltmore District, and about a month later it also ended there as we signed a lease for a 3-story townhome. Quite an upgrade from our current pad. As nice as the new place is, a part of me knows that I will really miss the community here at GCU. Maybe I don't know everybody like I used to, but it's still a community of people that are my age that I have a lot in common with. It's still a place where I have grown and changed more than at any other time in my life. I hadn't realized it before talks of a move began, but college is the only time in a person's life when this unique situation presents itself. When else in life do you get the rare opportunity to live within 200 yards of several hundred people your age that you know? I've immensely enjoyed living here over the last four and a half years of my life. So many changes have taken place in my life here. I would not have been the same person without living here. Now I look forward to seeing what changes await me in the next phase of my life.

A New Place To Think

2007-11-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

In the past, I've posted blogs on my myspace page. I'll continue to post some of my blogs both here and there, but I think this might be a bit more of a mature blogspot where I can post ideas, thoughts, and feelings that maybe I don't want everyone on myspace to see. During my undergrad I really enjoyed writing down my thoughts, and I had time to do it regularly. . . then real life hit. I got married. I started grad school, working toward getting my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Then on top of that I work as a bartender on the weekends. I think you can see how personal time to write down my thoughts kinda gets pushed out of the agenda. I've begun to realize that I really miss being able to write down my thoughts and be able to reflect on them. I think these blogs really help us to reflect on what's going on in life and take stock of what is really important to us and what we are really thinking. I think that if I have a blog where I know people are reading it and checking up on it, I will feel compelled to keep adding to it. We'll see if this works.