I have the highest score in my report writing class.

Today I became a certified Coffee Master, a keeper of the bean. I now have a black apron as well as the signature green apron. It was an interesting experience to say the least.
The thing that is kind of cool about this is that it shows I have taken the time to become an expert in something.
Something that I have always noticed about myself, with some curiosity mind you, is that I often time let my skill level in any one thing I choose to do become proficient and stop there. A true jack of all trades, able to do a little bit of everything. Specializing as a generalist.
The title of “Coffee Master” is a big thing in the world of Starbucks. I understand that it may be unimportant in my life in general, and is nothing near an Eagle Scout or Something else recognized by the whole planet. I think the most important part of this whole process has been for me, a lesson about being able to do better. I always know there is a better level of betterness for everything I can do. I just never really go there. I think I have spent my life embracing mediocrity. I feel like that is a state of being that I can relate to the best. I have a tendency to never quite make it over the hump. To bring this point home I cite the example of the Bazooka. I have done most of the traditional tune up maintenance. I have re-upholstered the seats. I epoxied the fairings and re-painted everything. I adjusted the drive chain and clutch cable. I refurbished the master cylinder on the hand-brake. I have replaced the mirrors and made some adjustments to the frame so the fairings fit snugly. All I have left to do is replace the handgrips, clutch handle, and wrap the pipes then it will be ready to sell. The pipe wrap has been sitting on the ground next to the bike for almost a month. I have looked at both the hand grips and the clutch handle more than once at the store and almost made it to the checkout stand twice. I just have not been able to bring myself to do it. I don’t understand why. Another example is when I know I am about to win at a computer game I start a new one. I have not seen a victory cinematic sequence since Warcraft 2.
The significance of all of this is... I’m not exactly sure what it is. The end has never really been important to me, just knowing I can do it if I need to has been sufficient for me.
Today I vow to become a master doer. I will no longer be the go-to guy because I can handle it. I am going to be the go-to guy because it will be hard to find somebody who can do it better.

My cat can eat a whole watermelon.

It is April 11, 2008. I just really have not felt like sharing anything lately. I feel kind of like I have writers block. I have sat down to post at least ten times since the last time, but have not posted anything.
I am really glad Melinda is getting married soon, because it gives me a good excuse to take a vacation and I will be able to see my whole family while I visit home. Heh, funny. I have always wished I could have invented some of the oxymorons on the funny oxymoron list like “giant shrimp” or “military intelligence” or “English fashion” and I think I just did it. “Visit home”.
When I get homesick, I don’t wish I was back at my apartment playing with my kitties or enjoying time with my wife. I wish I was in my parent's living room, playing a game of make me laugh while the power is out. I miss waking up on Sunday mornings to Mom’s choir blasting and eating pancakes with orange juice and hearing dad yell “Mom’s on TV!” I miss running around in the street with road flares in my pajamas or shooting off bottle rockets from dad’s secret stash on New Years Eve. I miss being able to make what I want for dinner because what mom cooked was on my list. (Enchiladas and fish) I miss making applesauce or using the cherry pitter and listening to conference or at least while conference was playing in the background. Whatever happened to conference bingo? I miss falling asleep on the floor wherever I want just because that’s where I decided to lay down. I miss all the extra people that always came home with brothers and sisters. I haven’t put a grasshopper in the microwave in forever. Btw, that’s not how the handle broke. I miss going to Country Courthouse for the family home evening activity and then to Monty’s for potato logs.
It is not so much the things in particular who I miss, but the people I was with when I was doing all these things that miss. I think that is why I have not been able to write anything, because I have a case of homesick. I think I got it when I went to the emergency room the other day. I also got aixelsyd that same day. That prolly made it blike really hard to write too. I guess.