On Friday we took the Club kids to the zoo for the afternoon to traipse around through the heat seeing all the different wildlife. We only had a few hours so, being with the boys group, we wanted to see everything that has teeth. We saw bears, cougars, lions, gorillas, gators, anything that could kill something. For the most part they were all pretty lazy just chillin in the shade, hiding from the heat and the endless gawkers. The polar bear was the exception, escaping the heat in his arctic pool, showing off for the crowds with his ball. The difference between the zoo and a place like Etosha Wildlife Park in Namibia is that at the zoo the animals are in the cages and the people wander around. In Etosha, it's the people who are in the cages (cars) while the animals wander around. This is the first time I've been to a zoo since I first went to Etosha. The animals themselves are no less captivating. I'm sure I could sit and watch them for hours. But I found myself feeling kinda sorry for the animals held captive in cramped enclosures for the viewing pleasure of endless tourists, especially for the solo ones like the polar bear who had no one around to play with. It makes me glad to have a purpose in life. It reminds me that I'm here for more than just eating and sleeping and entertaining. It challenges me to make the most of the time that I have. It encourages me to look beyond myself and make a difference in the lives of others. And if I get all that from a trip to the zoo, then maybe these animals have more purpose than it originally seems.

Somebody from the Worldwide Zoo Database saw some of my Namibia photos and wanted to add them to their site. The website is still a work in progress but it hopes to list all major zoological sites across the globe. Again, it's no major accomplishment, but just a little fun exposure. You can see them here:

Thursday was our first day taking fan photos before the NASCAR qualifiers. It was pretty rainy in the early afternoon and cold all day. So between the weather and since it wasn't the race yet there really weren't that many people around. I took about 70 photos over the 5 hours we were out. The boss was going to send out an email with the list of people he wanted back for race day on Saturday. When the email came out...I wasn't on the list. I was kinda disappointed because that means either my pics weren't very good or I didn't take enough, but mostly because it was a fun job and now he probably wasn't going to ask me back again. I looked back at the pics and they weren't all that good, but I knew if I had another chance on a day with more people I'd do a lot better. So I was sulking most of Friday and this morning, but as I was praying today I reminded God (myself) that I trusted Him to provide for my needs whatever that may look like.

I went over to Freedom Park for the Festival in the Park with Jeremiah this afternoon. The weather was not too cooperative for shooting photos but I managed to catch a few good shots. You can see some more over on my flickr page. This silver painted guy near the Youth talent stage reminded me of Andrew Cass. We also stopped to listen to a teen singer/songwriter playing an acoustic guitar. She had a very mature voice and playing style. Maybe she'll get big and I can say I heard her way back when. There were lots of great photography exhibits, painters, homemade pottery and jewelry, plus lots of fair food and games. The clouds were flirting with rain all afternoon and finally let loose as we were driving home. A little damp and well exercised it was a nice break from the books.

My Statue of Liberty photo was chosen to be a part of the New York City sightseeing guide on Schmap.com. It's certainly no major publishing accomplishment, since there's about a million other photos on there, but it's fun to see my pics getting a little face time. You can check it out here.

I realize I haven't posted any pics from our new pad yet because I figured I'd wait till we'd gotten a little more settled in. Well, as you'll see there's still a long way to go, but it's getting there. There's still boxes of books waiting for shelves and suitcases of clothes waiting for a dresser. But I did manage to find a cheap desk and bed frame from Goodwill, so it's coming along. So here you go, a work in progress:

"Whenever I need to do some serious thinking, I go for a walk in the woods....There are always a million distractions out here!" ~ Calvin & Hobbes

Yesterday I went with Joe's youth group on their annual Cedar Point trip. We woke up at 4am and loosed 40some teenagers on the best rollercoaster park in the country. For me the trip included rides on some old favorites like the Power Tower which shoots you down from a 240-ft tower at 50 mph, and the Millenium Force coaster which opens with a 310-ft, 80 degree drop at 80 mph. Plus I got to check out a few new rides like the Maverick coaster which drops at 95 degrees (which, for those of you mathematically challenged ones, is steeper than straight down; it actually goes back under itself) and the Dragster (see photo) which shoots you out from 0-120 mph in 4 seconds, straight up 420-ft in the air, then crests the top and drops you straight down. Check out some of the other pics at the Photography links above, including ones taken while on the rides! Only the extra brave (or maybe extra foolish) get shots like these. :)