Basket of bling!

This month has been full of fundraising at work for some state charity thing. (I don’t know the details, I just work here!) We had a volleyball tournament last week and today is the Chili Cook-off. Along with eating chili for the greater good of mankind, there is a silent auction today, highlighting a gift basket contest. Our department put together a simple “day at the spa” themed basket. Today, they revealed the items up for auction today. Here are a choice few and I’ll let you figure out which one I liked the most.

Digital TV made easy.

Case of the Mondays yet? Have a few good laughs with this 99-year-old grandmother setting up her digital converter box.

Blog Action Day: POVERTY.

I was finishing up the last day of the ACL 2008 Chronicles but discovered it was Blog Action Day which is definitely more important than my Austin shenanigans (although it will come later!) This year’s topic is POVERTY which is something I have a soft spot for but often feel like I am not doing enough.

Whenever I think of the poor, I think of Matthew 26:11 which says, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” This always reminds me that I can give and give and give, but money is not the point. The world will never experience equal socio-economic status. There will always be an empty stomach, a family with a single income, and orphaned children.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t try. In the name of Jesus, we have to. How can I truly say I love and follow Jesus Christ, if my actions don’t show it? Matt Chandler brought up two good questions we, as believers, should ask daily - Where is my money going? And do I treat people as if they have souls?

BURN.

Want to know who you worship? Check your bank account. I’ll be the first to admit, I serve my stomach first. And that’s a sad thing. Now, I don’t need to starve myself necessarily but I can definitely make better choices that will not only leave me well-fed but can feed others as well.

Do I really need Blockbuster Online?
Do I really need Starbucks?
Do I really need to add a large fry and Coke?
Do I really need name brands?
Do I really need a newer cell phone?
Do I really need to watch the newest movie with popcorn and candy?
Do I really need a pedicure?
Do I really need the newest iPod?
Do I really need the new and improved Macbook Pro?

The key words there are “really need” and the answer, of course, is no. Not really. I’d love to say I’ve nixed all of those luxury items but I haven’t. But I’ve started. My heart is changing. And my money is not my own.

Flowerdust.net quoted Francis Chan who said

lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling guilty. they want to do the bare minimum to be “good enough” without it requiring much of them…they ask, “how much do i have to give?” instead of “how much can i give?”

I’m tired of being lukewarm. I want to love Jesus passionately and love others passionately. How about you?

Here’s a few of my favorite organizations I support (or would love to support soon):

• Compassion - What is $32 to you? For a child, it means an education, meals, and a program with people that love her. I sponsor one child and I know a family that sponsors five. You do what you can.
• TOMS Shoes - Need shoes? Buy a pair and a pair is sent to a child in need of a pair. Win-win!
• Feed a Child with Just One Click Facebook group - You know you have free time spent browsing the web so why not put it to good use? This group has many sites you can check out and feed others by simply visiting their sites. My favorite one is FreeRice since it also tests my vocabulary skills!

The ACL 2008 Chronicles: Day 2.

7:12AM: Hear rustlings of Megan getting ready to get her run on. Amazed at her dedication and thankful for a few more hours of sleep.

9:47AM: Megan wakes me up and I take a shower. I realize how futile my shower is because I would be just as dirty in a few hours.

11:15AM: Finally head out the door, promising Megan she will have a great breakfast / brunch / lunch experience as we hit up Magnolia’s Cafe for food.

12:10PM: After waiting at Prima Dora, my name is called and head over to Magnolia’s. I finally got to eat a stack of their peach pancakes I have been coveting for months and I fulfill my promise as Megan enjoys her stack as well. (Seriously, check out Magnolia’s when you’re in Austin! Cheap and delicious!)

1:42PM: Unanimous decision to never pay $20 for uphill parking again. Paid $7 at a parking garage. Fairly level walk to the park.

2:01PM: Arrive at Zilker and catch the last few songs from The Fratellis. Wish I had caught the whole show. (Songs to check out: “Chelsea Dagger,” “Flathead,” and “Baby Fratelli.”

2:31PM: We camp out at the AT&T Blue Room stage, sitting by young kids eating pasta from a Ziploc bag and smoking from a bong. Crowd was quite friendly as we awaited CSS (as no one gave me crap about wearing a Texas Tech cap!)

3:30PM: The craziness that is CSS (Cansei der Ser Sexy) began. This Brazilian group was strange and we ate it up. The lead singer rocked a front po’ and a flower-patterned Spandex outfit as she danced the hour away. They surprisingly ended up being my favorite act of the weekend. I mean, seriously, any act that can rock a keytar earns at least two thumbs up! (Songs to check out: “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death from Above,” “Alala,” and “Music is My Hot Hot Sex.”

4:28PM: As CSS left the stage, I looked forward to another relaxing break between shows. Instead, a surge of people crushed us all at the front of the crowd and never let up. At one point, I was standing upright but not using my feet! The bodies surrounding me held me up! Definitely my least favorite moment of the weekend. Thankfully, we still had icy cold water and no one nearby passed out. I took some pictures of my fellow oxygen-depraved neighbors and this one seemed to capture the moment well:

5:30PM: I claim victory as I survived the Great MGMT Crowd of 2008. Still not sure if they were worth it but MGMT did end up selling the most records at ACL. Pot smell perhaps at an all-time high at this show too. (Songs to check out: “Time to Pretend,” “Kids,” and “Electric Feel.”

6:32PM: We get the heck of out dodge and find a spot to enjoy the sunset. I get antsy and went on an adventure to fill an entire garbage bag full of recyclables. ACL had the brilliant idea of rewarding those who filled a bag with a free shirt. This adventure ended up tougher than I thought and by the time I was done, they had temporarily ran out of shirts. They gave me two totes as a consolation. Still a little bitter. But I did help out and enjoyed listening to John Fogerty in the background as well.

7:46PM: We decide to get some eats. I wanted to try Hudson’s famous chicken cone but they had run out. I chose the fish cone instead. I think I made a rookie mistake but it was still pretty dang good. Megan opted for some wrap that seemed like a good bang for her buck.

8:30PM: We decided to watch Beck from afar and sadly, he failed to meet my expectations. I had read some reviews about his poor performances but didn’t want to believe them. Out of all the bands I had checked out before ACL, I listened to his stuff the most. Somehow he managed to deliver great, upbeat tunes with the energy of slug. He seemed to perk up for their “electronic set” which was pretty fun but he mellowed back down afterwards. Sad. (Songs to check out: “Timebomb,” “E-Pro,” and your choice of oldies, “Loser” or “Where It’s At.”

10:15PM: Gleefully walk back to our car, hill-free. It was an amusing walk back as an older woman with a basket made eye contact with me and creepily said, “Special brownies for special people?” I smiled politely and secretly delighted in how strange Austin truly is. Also, Megan and I took several, several pictures of this man in front of us. He never realized it.

10:40PM: Helped So Big, who so graciously lended her house to us, with her computer problems. I also presented a large bag of candies as a “thank you” gift. She had finished 3/4th of the Hershey’s bag by morning. Thanks again, So Big!

The ACL 2008 Chronicles: Day 1.

7:15AM: Woke up early, full of anxiety and excitement. Ensured I packed allergy medicine, bottled water, and my iPod filled with ACL music. 

10:30AM: The time I was going to pick up Megan.

10:52AM: The time I finally picked up Megan.

11:05AM: The time Megan was finally ready to leave.

11:45AM: Me: I’m hungry. I’m going to stop at the next exit.

12:45PM: After missing several exits, stopped at ROSA’S! in Waco after spotting a billboard for it.

1:50PM: Finally leave Rosa’s after I talked Megan’s ear off.

2:50PM: The time Louis XIV took the stage, a band that we had always planned to see but always end up missing. This time was no different.

3:45PM: Arrived near Zilker Park and looked for parking. Spotted $20 parking area that seemed close to the park. Splurged for parking spot.

4:10PM: FINALLY! step foot in Zilker Park and surveyed the lay of the land. Caught a minute of Delta Spirit but headed towards the AT&T stage for Gogol Bordello.

4:30PM: The dancing begins. My hunch that Gogol Bordello would put on a great show was right. Not a band I would normally listen to but everyone needs to experience gypsy punks at least once in a lifetime. (Songs to check out: “Wonderlust King,” “Sally,” and “Immigrant Punk.”)

5:15PM: Left Gogol Bordello early to grab decent spots at the AT&T Blue Room stage for Hot Chip.

5:30PM: Hot Chip took the stage. What should’ve been a great dance party ended up a slight disappointment. Sound was extremely muddy especially from the right of the stage. Singer was dressed in a white jumpsuit and awkwardly moved around. I had pictured highly trendy European guys dressed in black. I pictured wrong. (Songs to check out: “Ready for the Floor,” “Shake a Fist,” and “Over and Over.”

5:45PM: Spotted a few creative flags. For those of you who have never experienced a large music festival, people use large “flags” so their group can spot them easier. We enjoyed the “Clothing Optional Area” flag because it danced and crossed our paths several times during the weekend.

6:20PM: Hungry again but met up with Brooke! since she made the trip for the weekend. Finally met her brother, Justin, and her beau, Bo. Ended up sticking around for N.E.R.D. which was actually a fun show. Pharrell had a big dance party (of girls) for “Everybody Nose” aka ALL THE GIRLS STANDING IN THE LINE FOR THE BATHROOM. Don’t worry, I turned around and sang towards the general direction of the port-a-pots nearby during that song. (Songs to check out: “Everybody Nose,” “She Wants to Move,” and “Lapdance.”)

7:35PM: Nom nom nom, chowed down on a brisket sandwich at the Stubb’s BBQ stand. I think the brisket I ate was mostly fat but at that point, I didn’t care. This was also the point where my allergies kicked in and I cursed my inferior genes. (Yes, we missed The Swell Season but we did overhear them as we made our way to the food. I guess food > music.)

8:30PM: Danced the night away. Perhaps it was the energy emanating from Manu Chao or the fact that it was dark and no one cared but we skanked until we could skank no more. We probably understood about .005% of what they were singing about but that fact was overlooked as they commanded the stage. The pictures I took were terrible and I was too busy dancing so check out this sweet pic of Manu Chao. (Songs to check out: “Bongo Bong,” “Clandestino,” and “Rainin’ In Paradise.”)

10:12PM: Cursed my poor decision to pay $20 to park on the top of a steep hill. Overheard “THANK YOU, JESUS!” by a fellow hill hiker once he reached his car.

10:26PM: Stopped by CVS to buy a toothbrush and some candy for the girls that let us stay at their house. Megan found bologna bubble gum. That’s right. Because kids need more reason to eat bologna.

12:17AM: After watching an hour of the Sex and the City movie with THE LEGENDARY SARA KAINER, we hit the hay but not without me sneezing a hundred times. A million curses but still a great start to the weekend.