Journal - Audio Books and Football

Hi there everyone! I don’t have anything really important to talk about today. I do have a few minor things that I wanted to put down in the record, though.

I haven’t heard anything back from BCBS on the insurance. I’m not feeling too bad about that, though. Over Christmas I was feeling down and just wanted to get it all taken care of as quickly as possible. Now that I'm feeling better, I'm willing to wait again. I'm still not completely sure if this is the path God wants me to take, anyway. Joni filled out the application for me and mailed it in, and that’s really all I can do. Now I sit back and see whereGod leads me.

On a more exciting note, I have new audio books to listen to! Since Joni and I went to Minden and got our Nebraska I D’s, I was finally able to get a library card for the Kearney library. We went there last Wednesday to do that, and I took a look at their selection of audio books on CD. From what Joni says, and from what I could feelwith my own hands, they have a much larger selection than our library back in Carrollton. So for the last week, I’ve been enjoying searching through their catalog online. Their search engine is kind of tricky, not because I’m blind, but because it’s not organized very well, but I’m gradually getting the hang of it. I can find audio books online and put them on hold, then when they are ready to pick up, they send me an email and Joni can stop and pick them up on her weekly shopping trip. I haven’t had a new book to listen to for about a year so I’m pretty excited about hearing some new books and reviewing them for my other blog, “Reviews From the Deep.” In addition to the CD audio books, they also have audio books that you can download directly to your computer. Those are much more handy and the search engine for those is easier to use, but the selection is not quite as good. Between the two formats, though, I’ll have lots and lots of new books to listen to.

Okay, let’s talk football. I’ve never been a fan of basketball or baseball, but I love football. That means I spend the whole year anticipating the upcoming football season. This year was a little hard for me, however. The games aren’t as much fun to listen to, as they are to watch. I did get some enjoyment from listening to the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ games on the radio, those guys know how to do it, but the TV announcers are just no good. I never noticed before how little the commentators talk about what is actually happening on the field. All that aside, I have been enjoying the playoffs. Since I didn’t pay that much attention during the season, I was surprised to see the New York Jets as a wildcard team, and even more surprised to see them beat the Chargers. They have to play the Colts next, though, and I don’t think they’ll do it. Also, it was interesting to see all three teams that Brett Favre played for in the playoffs this year; the Green Bay Packers, who lost their wildcard game; the Jets who are still alive; and, of course, the Vikings who I think will beat the Saints and play against the Colts in the superbowl. I like Peyton Manning and Brett Favre equally, so I don’t really know who I will route for in the superbowl. Should be a good game though.

Last Sunday, Mom stopped by and brought food. Yay, I love food! She brought her famous German chocolate caramel bars, and her even more famous ham balls. Oh, and she brought Aunt LeeDel’s bread. Every Christmas, Aunt LeeDel makes banana bread, cherry bread, and pumpkin bread. She didn’t get to come for Christmas this year because of all the snow we had, and apparently it was even worse up in Sioux Falls, where she lives, so she mailed the bread to Mom, and Mom delivered it to everyone. The ham balls are gone already, the brownies are close, and the bread is about half gone. You’d think we never eat around here!

I’m still getting on the exercise bike, but not regularly. I’m trying to do better about that and this week I’ve done pretty good; every day so far. I downloaded some new karaoke music to play my sax with, but I haven’t realy been playing very much. I miss the Christmas music. Also I’ve been busy with audio books.

Well, that’s what’s been going on. Oh! I almost forgot, Bobbi's husband, Mike, had hip-replacement surgery last week. We visited him in the hospital last Thursday, the same day we went to the library. He’s home now and recovering so remember to pray for Mike!

See ya next time!

1 Samuel 12:23-24 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Journal - Nothing Special

Well, there really hasn't been much going on, but I’m going to try to do a little writing today anyway. I was kind of enjoying all the blogging I did in December, so maybe I can get something jump-started here. Nothing very exciting, I’m afraid, but there are a few things I wanted to note for the record.

I haven’t heard anything new from BCBS about the insurance. They called a couple of weeks ago to let me know they were forwarding my application to the underwriters for approval. Another BCBS agent keeps calling me to see if I want to add any dental or cancer coverage to the policy. I probably will need to, my monthly cost has to be $256 a month, but I won’t know how much I need until I find out exactly how much the medical part will be. I hate all this waiting, but I know God wants us to have patience and allow Him to do things in His own time. I’m trying!

People keep telling me that this has been the coldest and snowiest winter Nebraska has had in a long time. Thanks a lot people! We had those two blizzards toward the end of December, and none of the snow has melted away yet. We’ve had lots of sub-zero temperatures, with wind chills as low as thirty below. Then we had another little storm last Wednesday. Not much snowfall this time, but lots of wind that made new drifts. Sounds like the snow will be here for a while, it’s not expected to go above freezing at least for the next week.

Wednesday morning, just before the worst of the storm began, Joni and I went to the courthouse in Minden to get our I D’s switched over to Nebraska. We still had our Texas ones. We’ve been putting that off for several months so I’m glad to have it done. One less thing hanging over our heads. Still have to get the truck registered though, and get our Nebraska license plates. Probably won't do that until February, though, it cost $56 to get our I D's.

Last week, my mp3 player quit working. Not good! That’s what I use to listen to audio books, and without it I am lost. Luckily, the prices have gone down a lot on those lately and I got a new one for $40. It has twice as much storage as my old one, too. My new one has an fm radio, like most others, but I can actually switch back and forth between the radio and the player. I never quite figured out how to do that on my old one.

And speaking of radio, I was flipping through the stations the other day and came across the local oldies station, KKPR. I heard Hall & Oates and John Cougar Mellencamp. The oldies station is playing music that was popular when I was in school. Those are not oldies and I am not old! Well, at least they have the decency to call them “classic hits” instead of coming right out and calling them “oldies."

Let’s see, what else? I think that’s everything I wanted to mention. I think I might be going stir crazy. I don’t like going out in the snow, it’s so hard to get your footing when you can't see the shape of the ground, or the snow that’s piled on it.

Okay, that’s it for now. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you later, okay?

Romans 5:3-4 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Journal - Happy Birthday!

Wow! It’s a landmark day for Drums In The Deep! This is the first time I’ve posted twice in one day. Ensign Ro will be so proud of me!

Well, I was up late last night getting some things off my chest. And I must say, after that I went to bed and slept very soundly until about 7:30 this morning. Things always look better in the light of day, even if you can’t see the light, so to speak. Also, I got a couple of very thought-provoking comments on last night’s post. So I’m feeling a little better about things this morning. Also, I can’t be down today because IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

Yup, I’m 39 today, and it’s shaping up to be a good day. I had lots of nice things in my email this morning; blog comments, birthday wishes from Facebook, an e-card from Aunt LeeDel, and a birthday email from Mom. Joni is off to Kearney to get my birthday socks. I love getting new socks, and I look forward to them all year. Last years’ socks really took a beating. Since I haven’t been working, I haven’t been wearing shoes very much so my socks are all worn out. Also, Joni is bringing home McDonald’s for lunch. A couple of days ago, I saw a commercial for a new burger they have; the 1/3 pound angus burger! Well, let me tell you, I’ve been dying to try one ever since I saw it so that’s what I’m getting for my birthday. Also we’ll get some of the Coke glasses they’re giving with the value meals. That will be nice because since going blind, I’ve broken all our glasses. We all have to use plastic cups now.

So I just wanted to post something happy today to balance out the more somber post of last night. After I finish this I’m going to practice on my sax for a while. Which reminds me! I’m so excited, Joni and I are having the family over on the 19th for a little pre-Christmas get-together. We’re going to have supper and then I’m going to play some Christmas music.

As an early birthday present last week, Joni let me download some new karaoke songs. At Amazon.com, you can buy and download individual songs for 99 cents each. I think that’s a great deal instead of buying a whole CD that has maybe 1 or 2 good songs on it. So I got 10 new Christmas songs. Some of them are really difficult so I’ve been working really hard on them. I’m excited about it because my family has done so much for me this year, and I know it’s not much, but this is how I can say thanks.

One more thing and then I’m out of here. It’s cold! Joni said it was 10 degrees this morning. Am I missing Texas? Well, I miss the weather, I know that much. I’ll take 100 degree summers over this anytime! Now if I could just get my family to move down there!

Isn’t that amazing? Just a few hours ago I was all depressed, but I prayed about it and God lifted my spirits! And he used all of my favorite people to do it!

Okay, gott ago practice. See ya later!

Psalms 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;