Attention All Verizon Customers

The Verizon stores located inside Circuit City stores are a lot cheaper. They are corporate stores just like the standalone stores, but offer much better prices and deals. I asked the salesperson at the standalone store if that was true and she simply said "yes". I asked her if she feels that that is fair and she said "We can't compete with their prices because they are a corporate store too". If that makes sense to anybody, please leave a comment. I am bewildered.

Matt

Two More Books

I finished a couple of more books and wanted to share them with you.



The first one is called "Light Force" and it is part of a series of books written by Brother Andrew. He founded the Open Doors ministry. I enjoy reading these type of books because they remind me how easy it is for us to do ministry compared to what some others have to endure. The stories in this book are great and very inspiring.



The next one is "The Difference Maker" by John Maxwell. It is a quick read, but well worth it. He explains in detail how our attitude is the difference in everything we do. As in all Maxwell books, it is well organized and setup to be easy to apply.


Pick them up and give them a try. Click on the pics if you want to order from Amazon.


Matt

Being White

Sounds like a rather insensitive title. I have read many books on diversity since being assigned the task of championing diversity at my previous position. All have been extremely good, but this one does a great job of helping "white" people truly understand what they thought the understood. If you think you are "colorblind", read this book. You will find that being colorblind is just a way of expecting other cultures and races to be comfortable in our (white) societies and customs. That is not diversity. True diversity is immersing ourselves in other races and cultures and truly understanding how they feel in ours. If you are serious about being racially and culturally sensitive, read this book. Sissies should pass on this one and just keep thinking that you have it figured out. Incidentally, you can click on the book pic above and order it from Amazon - if you are brave enough.

Matt

Water Skiing 2

If you look back about a year I blogged about the Mashburn's first Water Skiing adventure with the Mossers. Today we had round 2. Unfortunately as you can see below, I am still skiing using the boom. I found out today that I have to quit walking by the Ab machines at the gym.

In the next picture, you see the only evidence we have that Bailey gave it a shot. 2 reasons: Nick fell asleep at the camera and Bailey was not that interested in water skiing after the first try.

Below you will see the Water Skiing master of the family. Nick mastered the rope handle (off the boom) right away and continued to get better all day.

There was some tragedy in the day as my video camera took a swim. The good news is that I can buy a new one now. The bad news is that a lot of our footage from the day was on the tape in it. Oh well.

Big Thanks to the Mossers for making a great day for the Mashburns possible. We had a great time.

Matt

If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get out of the Boat

Today I finished the above mentioned book by John Ortberg. I got it from him when he was here a few months ago. He even autographed it for me - cool. I had previusly read "The Life You Always Wanted" by Ortberg

and thought it was one of the best spiritual growth books I have ever read. Even though I enjoyed the Water book, it was not quite at the same level. It did however end with several chapters that were very timely for me in the stage of life that I am in now. Great chapters on hope, faith, and worship. I recommend the book, but you have to stick with it. Starts slow and finished strong.




Matt

Apple Seeping In

It is hard for me to write this blog. Apple influence is seeping into my house. Last week, I got an iPod for myself. A deal I could not pass up (20GB 4G iPod for $99 - you have to watch http://www.woot.com/). I have already dumped 12GB of stuff on it and I really like it. But, that is not the most disturbing news. This morning I was outside doing my morning reading and when I came in I asked Nick what he was watching on his laptop. Much to my dismay he was watching Steve Job's press conference on the new iPod release. It gets worse. I just walked by and he is still watching it. I asked him how long it is and he said "1 hour and 20 minutes". He is watching the whole thing. Unbelieveable! Incidentally, he washed cars this summer to earn money to buy an 80GB Video iPod and a new Laptop - a windows laptop. I still have hope.

Matt

Matt

A Family Tradition

A while back we took the kids to the grand canyon. While there we took a family picture in a tree as a tribute to when my family did the very same thing when I was 12. I found the old picture. We just figured out that it was the very same tree. What are the chances that we would pick the same tree? I have not seen that picture in 15 years. It has been 27 since we took the original. See the comparison below:

Mashburn + Vacation = Injury

This picture of Bailey's finger and the associated precautionary sign is worth a thousand words.

Matt

My Birthday

I have to admit that today was a pretty cool birthday. I got MANY birthday wishes throughout the day, including some hugs solicited by Garland on my behalf. Got some really cool gifts also. Thanks to everybody who made it special including Ricky and Heredes for the heartfelt serenade (brings a tear to my eye even as I write this). FYI - my birthday meal was Little Ceasar's Pizza - one of my favorites, especially considering my dietary restrictions of late.

39 (but who cares?)
Matt

A Special Treat

As hard as it may be for some of you to believe, I have been eating pretty well lately. Tonight, I had to take a brief vacation from that plan. My birthday is tomorrow and my son, Bailey, made me some special brownies. Brownies have never tasted so good. Now I have to run extra miles for the rest of the week, but it was worth it.

Matt

Mashburn Family Tradition

For the last 8 years it has been a well protected tradition in the Mashburn household to attend the Monster Truck Races twice a year. In August they race at the BankAtlantic Center and in February at Dolphin Stadium. Today we went to our 16th race and had a blast. Although I do get some ridicule for it, I always say, if you go once you will be hooked. Tickets for the Feb show go on sale Sunday at midnight. We will be seated on the front row 50 yard line. Below are some pics from today as well as one from our first show.


Grave Digger and Maximum Destruction Get Ready to Race

Monster Mutt doing a Wheelie

The only Dodge that looks better than mine

Grave Digger gets sic air

Nick at his First Show in 2001

Elevator Etiquette Part 2

When you step into the elevator, move to the back. Dont' just stop inside the door causing everybody behind you to body slam you. Surprisingly, you are not the only person in the universe.

Sincerely,
One of the other people in the universe

Elevator Attack!!!

Was anybody else ever taught any elevator manners? I was always taught that when waiting on an elevator, you stand back so that if there are people in the elevator when it arrives, they can exit before you get on. (Also taught to let women enter or exit first but that is another topic).

In our travels over the summer, we had several hotel stays that resulted in many elevator rides. Every single time we were getting ready to get off the elevator and someone was waiting, they would practically run over us to get in the elevator before we get out.

I don't get it. Are they afraid it is going to leave them? Are they afraid that no other elevator will come for them? Have they been waiting for hours and simply can't control the urge to jump right in? Or maybe everybody enjoys elevator rides so much more than me that I can't sympathize with their uncontrollable enthusiasm.

Matt

Getting Things Done

I am an organizational/time management obsessive compulsive enthusiast. Figure that one out and then remember that you do not want to be one. I love systems, processes, solutions, challenges, and procedures. I have spent a lot of time honing my personal organizational/reminder/time management system. I have always felt that it is unique to me as it has been developed over many years and as a result of my many idiosyncrasies. Recently I have found out that it is not so unique. I have been reading a book called "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. This is may be the best book I have ever read on personal organization, project management, and team leadership. The system he describes is a lot like the one that I have painstakingly developed over many years. It's a little frustrating to re-invent the wheel, but at the same time it is reaffirming. I suggest you check it out if you feel like you have more plates spinning than you can handle all the time. If you don't feel that way - get married, get a job, find your holy discontent, have kids, strive to be a learner, find someone to lead, find someone to follow that challenges you, live a healthy lifestyle, and try to rest in the middle of all that - then read the book.

Matt

Cannonball Contest

Here lately, the boys and I have kind of made it a part of the regular routine to work in the yard a little on saturday evenings and then jump in the pool. We usually just hang out and spend some time beaning each other with splash balls. Tonight we decided to have a cannonball contest. Below are some pics from the contest. Sorry they are so dark.

Bailey's Jump

Nick's Jump

My Jump

As you can see it is quite obvious who the winner is. Below is the podium shot from the awards ceremony. Everybody was a winner in the end.

Matt

Vacation Ends

Looks like another great vacation is coming to a close. We have had a fantastic time. Vegas has been great. There is way too much to see here, so we feel like we missed a lot, but we got to see some really cool stuff. Coolest of all was probably today when we visted the Stratosphere. I would not say that I am afraid of heights (I do not lock up in those situations) but it definitely makes me uneasy. We could see the whole town of Vegas. The kids rode a couple of rides on the top of the Stratosphere - one that shoots you straight up and one that hangs you out over the edge 866 feet in the air.

I used to like that kind of thing, but I think I am getting old. I did run into an old friend today - see pic below:

Vegas is a town that represent a lot of the things that are wrong with our world, but there are a lot of things that are good for families.

Tonight, I asked the kids what they liked the most and they said the trash chute. Everytime we need to throw out the trash, they run down to it because they can hear the trash falling 22 floors. Sometimes it is the simple things in life.

We have a long day of flying tomorrow (two 3 and one half hour flights) and then we will be home. It will be good to be back. Hopefully our bodies can adjust back to EST. Here is a cool pic of some of the hotels:

Had to eat my own words

You might remember a few days ago I blogged about the inherent danger at the Grand Canyon and the fact that people seemed oblivious to it. I finally found a warning sign (above). Well, the next day while we were visiting the GC, Nick stepped in a crack and fell and cut open his elbow.

We had to take him to the GC Clinic for 5 stitches. Seeing him in that hospital bed brought back old memories and also reminded me that it can happen to anybody.

We did get to see some more of the GC including the sunset and then headed back to Flagstaff to prepare to leave for Vegas the next day. I share a few pics below:

Train Ride to the Grand Canyon/Fatalities

Yesterday, we surprised the kids with a train ride on the Grand Canyon Railway to the Grand Canyon, They knew we were going to the GC, just not how. They were so excited. The train ride was awesome, complete with entertainment and train robbers.

It was very scenic and allowed us about 4 hours in the park to check it out. Below are some pics from the park time. Today, we are going back a little later to finish seeing the sights and end the day with a sunset over the GC. One of the most interesting things I saw is that the rim trail runs right along the rim (hence the name) with NO GUARD RAILS. You can walk right out to the edge. In a society that is fixated on liability, this was very weird. I saw people who were not used to having this kind of freedom, making questionable decisions about how close to the rim to get. I can't imagine somebody lacking in their judgment to that level.

It seems that their tendency to rely on rules to keep you safe found them without judgment when rules were removed. As we were walking, I thought that it must not be much of an issue or they would put up rails. When we returned to the gift shop, Melissa found a book about fatal accidents at the canyon – that was about the size of a phone book. Maybe my original observations were right.

THis picture has an interesting significance. When I was 12 years old (26 years ago) my family took a similar picture in a tree at the Grand Canyon - the traditions continues.

Spontaneous Human Combustion

I am calling it right now. I am the only known survivor of Spontaneous Human Combustion. Today the Mashburns embarked on a journey to the Grand Canyon for our Summer Family Vacation. The day began at 3:20am (for me) and you can see what time this post is. We had heard news reports of the heat out west, but you always hear “There is no humidity, so you don’t feel hot”. NOT TRUE. When we got off the plane in Phoenix it was 106 degrees. And it felt like 106 degrees. After cramming all of Melissa’s luggage into our rental car, we set off for a short trek to Flagstaff where we are staying to explore the Grand Canyon and other things in the area. On the way, we drove through Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, which leads me to my near demise. In Sedona, we stopped to see Montezuma’s castle – which sounds pretty cool and it was. The problem was the unbelievable heat. It was so hot, it was hard to breathe. Not long after I boasted “I could burst into flames any moment. Let’s get back in the car” Melissa and the boys saw smoke coming from the top of my head. Being the quick thinking wife that she is, they quickly doused me with water and, it would seem, averted what would have certainly been a catastrophe. The weird thing is that neither of them remembers the part after I said I might burst into flames. I think maybe the heat got to them. Besides the oppressive heat, it has been an amazing trip so far. I posted some pics below to share.

Suds

Just in case you were wondering if you can use dishwashing soap when you run out of dishwasher detergent.

Sure wish I had bought that wet vac.

Matt