Holiday Inn Frederick

... Baghdad before reaching Shanghai.

Still ten months out, I'm excited beyond belief that this trip is really going to happen. Tomorrow, I'm going to wander the roadsides of Urbana, MD to collect some more aluminum cans. Best of all, next week, I'll receive 40-hours worth of vacation pay. Every penny of it will go into the travel fund.

It's real! I truly can't believe it! See you in China!
Jen

... and embarrassed, aside from the headache... but what Arn said afterward made me feel better: "Hey, Mike, I really appreciate how you played so enthusaistically. It really means a lot to these guys. Seeing you have fun helps them to have fun. Because these guys don't get to play with people like you. Usually they're just on their own, mindlessly shooting the ball one after the other. So playing around with a guy who plays with energy and enthusiasm is refreshing. So, thanks."

Cool ...

... dollars. Hah! It's pretty sharp, too.

That evening, we headed to the house of some friends of the Bjorndals (wow, Mike, lay off the prepositions). We shared dinner, and talked about our respective jobs. Cris Rhyner, our hostess, talked a while about her experiences in India. She works for an organization called Partners in Hope (and per her request, here's the website: www.partnersinhope.us). Partners in ...

... behind a bunch of planes, I can feel the heat emanating from the engines. They're all about ready to take off. I imagine my head getting completely vaporized because some pilot pushed the wrong button at precisely the wrong moment, and I run screaming, behind him, terrified.

Meanwhile, the other people are yelling and screaming at me like I'm going to accidentally set off a nuclear holocaust out there.

So I just... freeze... and scream some more... not a cool ...

... Cool :) It's neat how being a positive voice and sharing truth, even without using Christ's name still reflects what He's all about. Any Christians watching the show can see biblical principles clearly. Any non-Christians watching the show can still be empowered to make right decisions.

Tonight we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with the Bjorndals and a low-key evening at home. More to come :)

Today was our first day with YFC in Frederick, Maryland. We're staying with the Bjorndals--a nice long stretch of a homestay. Their daughter is getting married within the year, so we've been able to share some of our recent experience with that process.

We're sticking to our standard busy schedule--about two schools a day this week, and we're doing the same sort of thing as we did in Scranton ...

This is the day I waited for for at least six months! I haven't been on a big vacation for quite a while so I was excited. I just completed my first marathon, the Marine Corp Marathon, a little more than a week ago. How do you top a life accomplishment? How about with another life experience! Two weeks in Japan!

The day started with ...

... by Appalachian hardwood forests. Unusual plant communities are one of the attractions of the Sods. Sphagnum bogs, groves of wind-stunted, one-sided red spruce and twisted yellow birch, heath barrens, grassy sods, rhododendron and laurel thickets, and rocky barren plains invite exploration and provide an endless variety of vistas. The highest areas are covered ...

... place fills up quickly so get there when it opens or make reservations. Bologna Dining: Il Portico Via A. Righi, 11 - 40126 Bologna http://www.appetitovienmangiando.it/Rec ensioni/portico.html I dined here three times, once for lunch and twice for dinner. For lunch: Delicious pizza with sausage and a ¼ liter of merlot. 9 Euros. For dinner the same day (you must read my journal of ...

Today I left for Dublin, Ireland, where my conference is being held for work. I was a little sad to say goodbye to some people, but I think it'll be okay, because I'll see them again in about 5 weeks.. ;) I went to work this morning in Frederick, it was chaotic finishing packing and making sure that we packed everything that we needed for the conference. I only got a few hours of sleep though. Had a pretty rough night, but it's okay, I need to sleep on the plane, which is usually ...