Sunday, May 18, 2008
Alternative Fuels for Cars
Monday, May 12, 2008
Matthew Finnesgard
Children's Literature: Personal Narrative Rough Draft
May 10th, 2008
My Life as a Fish
"Daddy," my daughter said, "tell me about what you were like when you were my age." I looked at her pondering the question for a moment. What was my life like when I was her age? It was so long ago . . .
"Honey," I answered, "when I was your age, I was a fish."
"What?! No, you weren't! You were a little boy." She retorted.
"Oh yeah, who says? Were you there?" I replied back.
"Well, no, I wasn't there, but I know that no person has ever been a fish."
"Who told you that?" I inquired.
"Everyone knows that," she said indigently.
"Well, you asked me the question, and that is my answer. When I was your age, I was a fish. I breathed water just like a fish. I lived in water just like a fish. I was a fish."
"No, you weren't," she said drawing out each word to emphasis her point. She was growing more and more incensed at my insistance that I was a fish when I was her age.
"Who is telling the story here me or you?" I asked in a mocking tone.
"You are," she sighed.
"Tell me, would it be more interesting if I told you my life was like Johnny's just down the road, or that I was a fish?" She had no reply to this, so I went on with my story.
"When I was your age, I was a fish. You see, I lived in California. Santee to be exact. It is a suburb of San Diego."
"That is where grandpa lives right?" She interrupted.
"Yes, but if you keep asking questions like that I will never get to my story, so keep your yapper shut and let me go on. Where was I . . . oh yeah, I was living in California when I was your age. The thing I remember the most from that time in my life was the weather. Weird, huh? It was always nice, always sunny. It never rained. Not that it matter what the temperature was like outside because I was a fish. I lived in the water."
"How can you live in the water if you live in San Diego?" She asked crassly.
"Shamoo lives in San Diego, and he is a whale. Now be quiet or I am done telling the story," I said with a smirk on my face. She is such a wisenhimmer. She must get that from her mom, and that is exactly why I love her so much.
"Okay, okay. I will stop interrupting," she conceded.
"Just so we are straight, when I was your age I was a . . ." I asked with an inflection.
"You were a fish," she answer.
"Yes, when I was your age I was a fish," I said back. Proud at the fact that I have beaten my daughter at the test of wills, which does not happen very often as demostrated by the bulge in her toy chest.
"You see, sugar, when I was your age I lived with your grandma Mary and grandpa Mark (who were married at this time long before your grandma Cathy was around, but I digess), and your aunts Maegan and Melanie, and your uncle Mitchell. We lived on top of a hill--now a hill in California is quite a bit different from a hill here in Minnesota. Here we call any slight change in elevation a hill. What we lived on was more of a mountian to a Minnesotan than a hill. It was about a mile or so from the school I went to each day. It was called Sycamore Canyon. There were no hallways and the cafetria was outside . . . something you don't see in Minnesota very often. School, however, was not my forte. To be honest with you, I faked being sick as much as possible to get out of going, and don't you dare try to copy me. I know all the tricks in the book. My love was the water." I told her all this knowing she had heard it all before. I could see that she was starting to get sleepy, but I wanted to string it out as long as I could before she fell asleep to her own dreams of a child. Being a parent, you only get to see your child for a few precious hours during the day, and the most precious hours to me are the quite ones we share together before she goes to sleep.
"Dad," she said through a yawn, "why did you tell me that you were a fish?"
"I am getting to that part. I am just providing a backdrop to the story," I said in reply.
"Well, get to the story already," she urged.
"I loved to swim when I was your age. Love isn't a stong enough word for what I felt for the water. I longed for the water day and night. We had a pool in the backyard. A nice little pool we would invite all the neighborhood kids over to swim in during the hot summer days. But, I wasn't just in love with my pool. You see, we had the ocean just minutes from our house. Have you ever been to the ocean?" I asked my daughter knowing the answer.
"We went to Hawii on vacation last winter, dad, or did you already forget the sunburn on your back?" she said with a wry smile on her face, and a hardy slap to my back.
"How could I forget? I had you pulling skin-jerky off my back for weeks!" I said back.
"Yeah, that was gross."
"Do you remember how enchanting the waves were? Do you remember the sound of the ocean? The calling of the deep?" I asked her.
"Kinda," she replied.
"Well, wait here. I will be right back," I said as I ran off to my bedroom to grab the conch shell we had found while scuba-diving on that trip. "Here, put this up against your ear," I instructed her.
"I can't hear anything," she said looking at me with empty eyes, as if to tell me to grow up and mature, but I am too old for kid-advice like that.
"Let me open your window. That way the ocean can send it's message to you on the voice of the wind." I opened up the window, and a cool breath flowed in from out of the west. "Now, put the shell up to your ear. Listen carefully because the message can be as soft as a whisper," and as my daughter put the shell up to her ear the wind blew. Not the usually wind, but a wind from a long distance away. It didn't carry the scent of grass like normal, but it carried the scent of salt . . . it was the scent of the ocean.
"Dad, I can hear it," she said with her eyes lighting up, "I can hear the voice of the ocean."
"Good, now keep on listening to it," I told her, "When I last listened to the ocean it had called to me. It called me to it's shores. I walked into the waves. I remember the water being cold that evening, exceptionally cold, as if it came from the deepest part of the ocean. It had come up to greet me. I soon found myself wading farther and farther from the shore. My head was submerged, but I wasn't holding my breath. I was breathing underwater. I could also see . . . seeing like I had never seen before. My vision had changed. All around me I could see the glow from warmth of the animals in the water near me. I also noticed that I was no longer standing on the ground, but rather I was floating . . . floating steadily, like a fish in an aquarime. When I moved I slipped easily through the water. I kept going deeper and deeper. I was passing all sorts of ocean creatures. There was a school of fish here, and a shark over there. A seal played tag with me, but I was soon going too deep for him to keep up. That was when I sensed it. It was a presence--a huge, mighty presence. I reached out and touched it. My palm pressed against the smooth back of the creature as it passed by. I felt a fin and grabbed onto it, and with that it pulled. The force of the tug was like nothing I have ever experienced before. Deeper and deeper we went. Past all life, past all light, but off in the distance there was a faint glow . . . something growing slowly. The closer we got the larger it grew, and the larger it grew the faster it expanded. It was a city, an underwater kingdom with gates and towers made of coral. And when we got to the clam-shell gates there was a great rumble as the they opened . . ."
It was at this point when I noticed there was a sleeping , lump of beauty in my arms. She had doozed off, and there went my precious evening with my princess, my daughter. Taking the shell from her hand, I placed it on the night-stand next to her bed. I laid her down to sleep, wrapping her snuggly into her sheets. With a kiss to the forehead, and a whispered, "I love you," in her ears and she was off to sleep dreaming of seals and whales and kingdoms under the sea.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Every once in a while, you just have one of those days.
It all started with I got to school today. I had a nice conversation on my walk into the build, but once I was there I relieved that I had forgotten my name badge and keys in the car. I make the trek back to my car only to see that there is no badge or key in it. I am a bit bummed because you need your badge to get into the building. Luckily though, there were people waiting in the hall that were able to let me in. So, I walk back to the class, and look through my bag and there they are, right at the bottom of my bag. Just a small change in my routine—putting my badge in the bag instead of in the glove box like normal, caused a small, yet annoying issue to occur this morning.
After that it went all downhill from there. You see, three weeks ago I had my routine set. I got off of work at 3:15, went home, napped, worked out, ate dinner, and went to bed. That was pretty much it. I was content with my lack of responsibility and causal days. However, that all changed . . . quickly. I started coaching track. Now, I rush out of work as soon as possible to make it to the Junior High to start practice. I am now directly responsible for nine great seventh grade boys, and in indirectly responsible for 70ish seventh and eighth grade boys and girls. After a week of coaching, I start classes, nothing hard just a reading class and an elementary literature class. However, I am required to participate in 20 hours of field observations, which means I get to work with one of my boys on reading for the next 20 days. Then I have been gone most of the week helping in the evenings with track meets. And, to top it all off, I get berated in front of some office staff about something I have no control over (the starting time for track practice).
So yeah, I am having a really distracted day. It is not a bad day. Nothing really terrible happened, but I have so much stuff going through my mind that I have been having issues processing it all. I go into these blank stares as one task is interrupted by another completely unrelated thought, which means once I snap out of it I have to start my previous task all over again. Man, I am glad tomorrow is Saturday. I am not sure if I could handle another weekday.
Oh yeah, tomorrow Arick is going to the State Finals for his Destination Investigation group, and Dave Mudder is getting married. Maybe tomorrow won’t be as relaxing as I had hoped! I also need to get some homework done before next Saturday!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Fitness Goals
I decided to start with my fitness goals for the summer to come. They are the easiest for me to focus in on, and therefore, write about in the few minutes I have.
I have decided to do the following:
The Chaska Triathlon
The Best of Both: Biking and running the Firehouse 50
The Minot Marathon
Now that I have posted and advertised my said goals, I hope I will follow through with them. There are two things that I have learned about goals this year. The first is that your goal needs to have a purpose. To ride my bike more than last year is not a good goal because there is nothing for me to focus my efforts on. Secondly, you need to get others involved in your goals. Goals that are written on a piece of paper and hidden away are never accomplished. So, those are my goals for today. I will let you know what my other goals are in the next few weeks (maybe).
My Review of Hot Shot Stockingfoot Chest Waders - Waterproof (For Men)
Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post
Closeouts . Stockingfoot chest waders from Hot Shot are essential for full access to your favorite stretches of water. These are waterproof breathable so if the day is warm but the water is cold, you'll be comfortable in or out of the river. Interior zip pouch Waist belt with quick-release buckle ...
Great Deal!
Pros: Breathable, Great Quality
Cons: Tears or Punctures Easily
Best Uses: Fly Fishing
Sizing: Feels true to size
Describe Yourself: Beginner
I am very impressed with the quality of both the material and the construction of the product. They outshine all other products for the same category!
The material is thin, so I am a bit concerned about riping.
(legalese)
My Review of Allen Canvas Wading Shoes with Rubber Soles (For Men)
Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post
Closeouts . Allen canvas wading shoes with rubber soles are durable and lightweight for no-nonsense, affordable performance. Steel shank Rubber toe cap D-ring lacing Pull-on tab Removable insole Drain holes in arch Height: 6” Weight: 2 lb. 15 oz. pr. Medium width Closeouts . China.
Great Deal
Pros: Lightweight, Comfortable, Durable
Best Uses: Fly Fishing
Describe Yourself: Beginner
The boots are designed for waders, so the toe box is bigger. I purchased them a size too big, which left quite a bit of room in my toe area. I would not recommend going up a full, but a half size.
(legalese)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My First Car Buying Experience
Anna and I have been shopping for a car for the last couple of weeks. I have found right away that we fell in love with, however, due to dealer incompetence we chose not to buy at that time (story to come later in the blog).
First off, there are a couple of websites that you must read through before you consider buying a new car.
The first is:
http://www.carbuyingtips.com
This guy knows his stuff. He is honest, straightforward, and thorough. This website is a must read for anyone considering buying a car. There is so much info in there will not only save you money, but will also save you from being scammed by a devious dealer.
The second is:
http://warrantydirect.com
This is a reputable company that was recommend by the previous website as a site to receive extended warranties for just about any car out there regardless of age. They provide quick, easy to understand quoted on warranties, and what these warranties include. They even followed up with me by phone explaining in great detail what is covered, what is not covered, what is recommended, and why. This company is heads and shoulder above anyone else in the industry.
So, how did I get to this point? As many of you know, I love cars. I receive three car publications (magazines for the normal people) each month, and I read them from cover to cover. Other the last two years I have been looking at cars, observing the market, and figuring out what is a good deal out there.
Anna, after doing our taxes, gave me the okay to buy a new car. My gay, purple, Dodge Neon has about 145,000 miles on it. It is a great car, but we really need something with a bit more space, and a few less miles on it. So what happens? The moment I start to really consider buying a car, a deal I cannot pass up shows up, a 2003 Volkswagen Passat Wagon. No, it is not just any Passat, it is the top of the line, eight cylinder, 270 horsepower model with just 60,000 miles on it. It has every option available for this car. Retail new: $40,000, retail, retail used: $24,000, selling now for: $12,000. It is an amazing deal. Obviously it is something I need to take a look at.
So, yeah, I am a bit concerned. How could it be such a good deal? I am not sure. I read Carfax report, and it looks like it was involved in a minor fender-bender a few years ago, but that was it. The fender-bender did not cause the airbags to go off, nor did it cause enough damage to require a police investigation.
I continue the research. There are a few W8’s out there for sale right now. Why there are so cheap is a still a mystery to me.
Anna and I decide to go to the deal. We called the salesman up I have been talking for a couple days to confirm the test-drive, and he tells me the car is being test-driven right now. Anna and I are already on our way. We are a bit bummed, but there were other cars we wanted to drive anyway. In the back of our minds we are thinking that this is a sales ploy to instill a sense of urgency onto the customer to buy the car. However, when we get to the dealership, we find out that what the salesman said was legitimate. There was a couple there wanting to buy the same car Anna and I wanted!
We end up stalling for an hour or so test driving other cars. The Volkswagen GTI with a VR6 engine in is a ton of fun to drive by the way. It wasn’t quite the car Anna and I need right now, but it was a hell-of-a-lot of fun to drive!
After hanging out for an hour we finally get our chance to drive the Passat. Let me tell you, it was amazing. Better than I thought possible. It was quieter going 80 mph than my Neon going 20 mph. It has all the upgrades we want (power seats with two driver memory, heated seats, multi-disc CD player, moonroof, and it is a wagon). We feel in love with it in less than five minutes of driving.
We decided we wanted to buy it. We walk in, and tell the salesperson, “SOLD”! He sits us down, and disappears. He was dealing with the another couple at the same time. Fine, but then he sends over this other guy. Nice looking guy. New at his job. He proceeds to tell us how high-tech of a car we are getting. All of this I already knew because of my research, but he felt it was needed to tell us it all again. Finally, he tells us that the engine in that car cost $27,000 and has been discontinued by Volkswagen. Not to worry though, they have us covered. For a small fee of just $4500 they will provide us with a bumper-to-bumper warranty. They $12,000 car becomes a $16,500 car. We start to feel doubt. We start to feel uncomfortable, so we backed out. After being more than willing to buy the car; we leave the dealership sans new car.
This, however, is a miracle in disguise. It gave Anna and I a chance to research and understand all that is going on. I found the above websites, and found that not only was I being other priced on the warranty, but I was also being quoted for an inferior warranty. We also had the chance to look around just to verify that the purchase we were making was the best we could find (and yes, it is the best deal out there right now for us). By taking the extra time Anna and I have saved $2000 on the warranty, but we also were give the peace of mind that this is the right car for us (not that we own the car yet). We were also locked into a loan that is 2% lower than the loans quoted to us by the dealer. In the end, we saved a bunch, and are much more excited about the purchase we are about to make.
A little God story for you. Before I went to bed the day before the test drive, I asked God to give me an escape if something about the car purchased didn’t feel comfortable. He answered that prayer. Anna and I were ready to buy a car without doing all the proper researcher, but do to our desire to see a friend in Burnsville, and Anna need for food, we were able to leave the dealership before making a big mistake. Thank you, God.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Book of Galatians
It was cold today. Really cold. –12 degrees, plus a nice bit of wind-chill, so church was cancelled this morning. Instead of church, people meet together at each other’s homes. Anna and I were a bit sick yesterdays, so we decided to take it easy again today. I decided to read the book of Galatians. You know, it is Sunday morning, I should be at church I might as well do something “spiritual” right? It has been a long time since I have just picked up the Bible just to read it. I sometimes listen to it on the radio, and often discuss it with my friends. However, as of late, I have not been reading. Not like I probably should be at least, but this is another story for another time.
Anyway, I read the book of Galatians from the New Living Translation of the Bible. I like the New Living Translation. Most people use the NIV. It is what I grew up reading, and used at college. A couple years ago I asked for the New Living Translation for Christmas. I want something more readable, less complex, and that is exactly what this translation is. If you find the NIV to be difficult to read and understand, try the NLT version.
Paul is writing to a group of gentiles that he had preached to and converted sometime earlier. Paul really sounds like a whiner in the first few chapters. “I” this and “I” that is all he seemed to talk about. How annoying, but it got better.
After the introduction Paul jumps in the meat of the message (chapters 3 and on). My intentions when I opened my Bible this morning was to read a chapter or two and reflect on those chapters, but as I read I found the message to be more and more compelling. I ended up reading the how thing.
Paul discusses following the law in the form of circumcision. (For those of you who don’t know what circumcision is, it is the cutting off of the foreskin of a male child. The Jews used circumcision as an outward sign of devotion to God. Gentiles of that day, however, saw it as a horrific mutilation of ones body, and for obvious reason did not partake in the practice.) The book of Galatians was written around 49 AD, only 16 years after the resurrection of Christ. People were still figuring out what it meant to be Christ-followers. They weren’t even called Christians at this time, instead they known as the followers of “The Way”. So, what is going at this time was defining what following Christ meant. Did it mean that a gentile had to convert to Judaism, and there by follow Jewish laws and traditions? Or, was being a Christ follower something totally something different?
Paul quickly answers that question. We are saved through faith in Christ, period. There is no need to be bound to the law, and therefore, no need to become Jewish. We are therefore free from the law, and by correlation, free from sinful cravings. Those who follow their sinful cravings end up in: “sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasures, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, division, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins.” As opposed to those who’s lives are controlled by the Holy Spirit live in: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
How does living by the law lead to sinful cravings? Paul transitions quickly without explaining himself very well, but it is pretty easy to understand. When you follow the law you need to bind yourself to the law, and thereby loosing your bind with Christ. When you loose touch with Christ, your sinful nature creeps back into your life.
It is interesting to look through the list of sinfulness. When I was reading this book I was wondering how could apply this to my life, how does it apply to the church, and is it outdated? I was actually really struggling with the relevancy of the text. I have never been taught that I need to convert to Judaism, so how does this apply to me and us today? However, when I went through the sin list it became evident how it applies today. When we look at Christianity today we can see all the rules and laws that you need to follow in order to be “Christian”. We could list the things we see, but that isn’t the point. We can see what happens when a person outward devoted to Christ (following the right rules), as opposed to inwardly following Christ. When we look at the followers list, it is not a list of actions or things we do, it is a list of what we are. You do not do love, you are loving. You do not do patience, you are patient. You do not do faithfulness, you are faithful. You do not do self-control, you are self-controlled.
So, following Christ is more about who you are, not what you do. You can say all the right things, do all the right tasks, but in the end if you are not loving, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled you are not following Christ. One thing that I have learned while being Christian, it is easier do Christianity, than it is to be a Christian. I picked up a book recently called “Simplexity”. It is about how simple things are often the most complex. It is simple to get to heaven, follow Christ. But, as many of you know, it is much easier said then done.
So yeah, read Galatians. It is short and to the point.
Right now, my mom is coming up here to make some meals with us. I am pretty excited. Have a great day!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
My First Blog
P.S.
If you live in Minnesota and plan on caucusing tonight, here is a great web locator:
http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/