the news from Newport News

I'm in Newport News, VA. We got here about 1:45 this morning after a ridiculous weather day in Atlanta. I was in Louisville the night before and got to hang out with Jamie, Jon, and Jon's roommate Tommy. It was great and made me forget I was at work. The only problem with having a fun overnight at the beginning of the trip is that it makes the rest of the trip seem soooo long.

I'm back to doing 4 days this month. After allowing myself to slack off the first two months back after surgery I decided I had to work hard this month. That means doing 4 days every week. So far they have been pretty good, but I had forgotten how long they can seem. I woke up today feeling like I should be headed home, but instead I'll go to Atlanta and then go on to San Antonio for a short night. Tomorrow I'll go home.

I can't seem to remember how to write any more. I don't know what happened but whenever I think about writing a blog or something I draw a blank. It's not that I don't have anything going on. My life has actually been quite busy. I guess I'm just afraid of writing mundane, pointless things.

On Sunday I flew up to Asheville to see my grandparents and help my Daddy continue to clean out their old house. It made me sad to see the empty house and know they don't live there anymore. I got to bring home the rest of my Grandma's African violets which was really nice. I'll always remember seeing them sitting in the window above her sink.

After bringing the violets home my apartment is starting to look like a jungle. I feel like plants are to me what pets are to other people - minus the slobbering, pooping, shedding, and vet bills. It makes me happy to come home from a trip and see how they've grown. I planted some seeds and have now transplanted them into a big pot. Hopefully before too long I'll have enough basil to cook with. I also ran across a 4 for $5 plant sale at Publix and got some nice plants to add variety to the ones I already had.

I'm reading a book right now called "The Year of Living Biblically". It's an interesting and amusing book written by an agnostic man who is a writer for Esquire. It has really inspired me to read the Bible. I haven't finished the book to see the final effect living Biblically has had on his life and thinking, but it's great to see how he has become a more caring and compassionate person. He is realizing that while the God of the Bible is a god of justice, He is also a god of compassion.