Ruminations on rumins

Noah's Toy Chest

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:04:49 -0700

Have I mentioned that I love woodworking? There is something absolutely grounding about working wood. The process of starting with sheet goods or boards and creating a functional (and hopefully beautiful) object out of them is more rewarding than I can explain.

With all of this in mind, I decided to build a toy box for Noah. I built a toy box for my niece once, but that was many years ago. I wanted this toy box to be something from me to him. Something he could keep for a long time and remember that even as a baby, his Dad provided and cared for him.

This is what I made:

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Two quick things...

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:58:20 -0700

1. My Google News just came up with this headline: 92% of all Americans believe in God or a higher power according to a Pew* study. How surprising, they asked people in pews and this is the answer they got. What about the other 8%? I bet they were there for the donuts.

2. If you haven't seen it, the IT Crowd from Britain is so hilarious that I keep watching it over and over again. Here is the first third of the first episode.

The IT Crowd - Yesterday's Jam (Part 1 of 3)

* I know the Pew group is a poll organization....

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I am that guy...

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:04:41 -0700

As I get older, I realize I am made of many different parts. Here are some of the pieces of me.

You see that guy walking through the grocery store making funny noises and faces at his infant son. He is absolutely oblivious to the fact that he looks like an idiot. Mainly because all he cares about is the fact that his son is smiling at him. I am that guy.
A guy is driving along singing Veggie Tales at the top of his lungs because that is the only CD in his car. "Where is my hairbrush?" blares like a rock tune for all to hear. He knows all the words and has made up little motions to entertain himself. I am that guy.
Even though he really wants to go work in his workshop, a guy does the dishes. Because he knows that his wife will really appreciate it and that makes life a lot easier on both of them. I am that guy.
His XBOX 360 broke two weeks ago. He is seriously considering not getting it fixed because it is too easy to sit down and play a game rather than do things he should be doing. I am that guy.
A guy sees a CD of "Bollywood Remixes" in the free area at work. He thinks to himself: "Hey, it has been a while since I have heard some good Bollywood music." He picks it up and listens to it while blogging. I am that guy.
A guy misses his family terribly. He really hopes to spend some quality time with his little sisters and his best friend in MN. He worries that he won't get to. I am that guy.
You see a guy in the grocery store who looks lost. But in reality, he is just daydreaming about what would happen if he had to defend the grocery store from anti-lettuce terrorists. How would he close off the isles to funnel the bad guys into an area where he could stun them with large melons? I am that guy.
A guy walks into the wrong conference room. Decides that this meeting is much more interesting than the one he was supposed to attend. He stays. I am that guy.
A 283 lb man running on a tread mill. I am that guy.
A guy who has lost more weight that his son has gained since he was born. I am that guy.
The guy who genuinely cares about people in his Vox neighborhood, which is weird because he doesn't really know any of them. I am that guy.
He would do anything for his son and wife. But he worries that someday, he will have to rescue both of them from a drowning car and would have to decide which one to save. I am that guy.

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The Etsy Shop

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:00:13 -0700

Ok, I have been horrible. I haven't been writing, I haven't been commenting, I haven't done a lot of things. Sometimes, just living takes everything out of me. But I just created my Etsy shop. I only have one item posted now but more are to follow.

Let me know what you think.

Joe's Etsy Shop

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Pictures from DC/Memorial Day Weekend

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:56:09 -0700

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Lately

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:48:26 -0700

A lot has been going on in my head and in our lives. I don't know if it is smart to write it all down but there are a few things.

1) Gretchen's Grandfather passed away a couple of weeks ago. His loss hit me pretty hard. I can't really encompass the totality of who he was with simple words. He was the most generous, thoughtful, happy, quick witted man I have ever met. He welcomed me into the family the moment he met me and never made me feel like anything other than his own grandson. He had an absolutely pure heart and a genuine love for people to go along with it. I was honored to be one of his pallbearers. I wept as we carried him out of the church. Which is something I don't do a lot of...

2) On a happier note, Gretchen got a new job. She is now the Human Relations Manager at Gonzaga University. How awesome is that? Not only is it a great job, but free tuition!!!

3) Noah is getting huge. He rolled over on his own on Friday. He rolls over then looks at you like "Hey, did you see that? I am cool" He really has a personality and I love being with him. His smile lights up my life. Plus, I can get him to smile by dancing for him. Believe me, it would make anyone laugh.

4) We were in DC for a family visit. It was amazing to see my only Uncle, Aunt and my Grandparents at the same time. I had a great time. I really enjoy my family and I wish I was closer. Plus, my nephew MJ and niece Mikala are awesome.

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Why the Zune plays children's songs

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:45:10 -0700

My childhood was most likely music filled. I am sure that I listened to songs about Humpty Dumpty. Sure, Mary and her lambs probably figured prominently in my early auditory years. Can I remember them? Heck no. Gretchen remembers every single word to every single song ever sung to her. I swear that once she heard a drunk clown sing about Jack and Daniels going up a hill and she still remembers the lyrics:

"Jack and Daniels went up a hill
to fetch a pail of whiskey
Jack fell down and broke his Crown Royal
And Daniels puked up some gin"

Apparently the clown couldn't rhyme. Enough about G and her awesome powers of recollection. This blog is about me. :) Even though I am sure that my parents gave me plenty of chances to learn the lyrics/words to popular children's songs/poems/stories, I apparently was not paying much attention. I get ridiculed in my own home about the fact that I don't really know the ending to the stupid spider and his trip up the local water spout. In order to save my son the hassle of having to teach his father about cracked eggs and putting them back together, I have programmed the Zune with tons of children's songs. Hopefully, after hours of um..."enjoyment".. I too will be able to sing along with Noah as we listen to his cds.

I am off to memorize Mother Goose and the Brothers Grim. Maybe they should combine into the Mother's Grim Goose...

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I like Bloggin because... (stolen from Runnergirl)

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:27:06 -0700

Runnergirl posted about how blogging makes people realize how not odd we are... That really hit home with all the people who responded to my family post. So, in her honor, I am adapting her post to be one of those things that millions of people could fill out. Here are just a few tidbits about me.

I just spent 5 minutes... deciding on what miniature rose plant to buy for G.
I get annoyed... with people who talk too soft
When taking training courses,... I need to be stimulated. Otherwise, I read ahead or fall asleep. Not really two good choices
I'm terrified of... losing my wife and son
I have to talk myself into... eating right. Donuts are tasty but bad for Joe
I no longer enjoy...I don't know. I think I still pretty much enjoy the things that I always have. Wait, no, I no longer enjoy working on computers. I really hate having to fix my own computer.
I have eclectic... choice in music (sorry RG, I had to copy). My Zune will shuffle between funk, rap, classical, kids songs, rock and folk. It is kinda weird to hear Humpty Dumpty after listening to Family Force 5 rock out. That reminds me, I need to blog about a childhood thing. That's my next post.
My first... kiss was Jenny Swedell in the 2nd grade
I am a man who is trying to change.
I always try to be polite and hold doors, say "excuse me" and do the right thing.
I am a perfectionist when it comes to creative things.

Now it is your turn... Yes you.

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Family

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:34:59 -0700

The Stoup family has not traditionally been super close. At least not my extended family. I only see my Uncle once a year and I haven't seen my Aunt in a long time. I get to see my Dad and Sandy more and my Grandparents twice a year. To be honest, it is my own fault. I made the decision to move this far West but even before that, I grew up in a different state.

But let me tell you something. My whole family is coming together this weekend. Why? Not because of some huge event like a family reunion. No, it is only because G, Noah and I are going to visit my Dad and Sandy. My Aunt is coming down from PA along with my Uncle and Grandparents. I am very excited. I can't wait for them to meet my son and to be able to spend some time with my family. I really enjoy having them around and I wish that I was closer so that the opportunities would be more abundant. I miss having an extended family, so this weekend is going to be one of the few chances I get to feel like part of a large family unit.

I am nervous about traveling with Noah, but we have to do it sometime. It is more the unknown part that is not appetizing for me. I promise to let you know how it goes.

What else?

I am starting to sell some wine barrel candle holders and crafts. I am hoping it will help us to get ahead. I promise to post pictures and a link to my etsy account, just in case you need some random wooden goodies.

Work is good but I am a bit overwhelmed... Lots of things going on, more on that later. Oh and last but not least-

Who is reading this blog from St. Cloud? Who are you? Let me know. Or, if you would rather stay anonymous, feel free.

To my other readers- leave me a comment with your city and state. That way, I know where you are, because I love how my readers are spread out all over the nation...

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Political Post of the Day: California Supreme Court and the Gay Marriage Ban

nobody@vox.com(Smilin' Joe) — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:43:43 -0700

Ok, I know that this may not be a popular opinion, but hear me out. The government should not marry homosexual couples. The government should not marry heterosexual couples either.

The term "marriage" has become an issue for religious leaders. When John Calvin began his reformations , he recognized marriage as "the dual requirements of state registration and church consecration to constitute marriage." This definition seems to be accepted by the majority of people getting married in the USA (80% have weddings in churches according to Soundvision). Although the concept of marriage can be traced back to the beginning of recorded history, the institution itself has changed from an initial legal recognition to a largely religion based concept. It is time to change our definition of marriage from that laid down by Calvin.

Before I go any further, here are my disclaimers. I am a Christian. I love God and Jesus. I hold the concept of "judge not lest ye be judged" very close. I believe that the Bible does address homosexuality as a sin. I believe that we are all sinners...

It is time for the US government to get out of the business of marriage. Leave marriage up to churches. Let's go ahead and legally recognize any two people who want to enter into a contract of obligation to the well being of the other person.

I have heard the arguments about the sanctity of marriage and how allowing gay couples to marry hurts that ideal. I disagree. That sanctity is more hurt by the individual greed attitude of "I do what I want, feels good or desire and consequences be damned" more than allowing two people in a loving relationship to come together. The legislation of morality (i.e. the supposed argument that preventing gay couples from marrying somehow prevents homosexuality) is something that has to stop. Morality is something that comes from something other than a government. For my family, I try to instill morals that are Biblically based. For others, their morals come from their life experiences. I have yet to meet someone who says "Well, my morals are based on the local county ordinances".

When marriage becomes a religious issue instead of a legal one, we get choice. As individuals, we can choose to be part of a church that marries gay couples. We can choose to not be part of a church that marries gay couples. Our churches can decide on what they believe.

The government should remove the term marriage and all recognition of a religious ceremony. It should be a requirement that in order to be legally recognized for obligation, the two persons must appear at a courthouse and certify that they undertake the legal responsibilities and obligations that are provided by law (kind of already have to do that anyways). Very unromantic but that is what legal obligation should be. Two people who come together and purchase a house, car, raise a dog, or spend their life together should not be forced to give up rights to the legal benefits of those decisions. This couple who decides to spend a life together should be able to receive medical insurance, have legal rights to inheritance, etc.

This should not be that hard for us as a nation to accept. The concept of "common law" marriage is accepted for heterosexuals. Common law marriages should be as egregious as a gay couple who wants to be married if many religious leaders arguments are to be applied equally to all situations. Yet we recognize one person's rights to another's assets when they have spent a specified amount of time together.

It is time to put the term marriage back into the churches and move the government's role forward into legal obligation. Separate the two terms. Governments get to legally recognize obligation and churches get to marry.

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