The Mist.

The other day I caught the movie trailer for “The Mist,” based on the novella by Stephen King. I don’t profess to be a horror fan, but if there’s a decent storyline, snappy dialogue and a cool creature, I’m there. (As long as it’s not occult. I think it’s completely possible to have horror without an occult influences… just check out House by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti.)

So when I heard the plot to “The Mist,” I was intrigued. Then I grabbed the 3-D audiobook on PaperBack Swap and I’m listening to it as I type. The cool thing is it’s not a dry reading, but characters acting it out, complete with sound effects, positioning, etc. It’s really fun!

Anyhow, I’ll give you an updated review sometime later… I wanna give this my full attention for the next hour… then try to sleep… heh…

Kevin

Wisdom Of Strangers.

I love people. They can be so entertaining sometimes. While I’m primarily an introvert (I’d prefer to read a book in a quiet nook than party hard), I also really enjoy a genuine, masks-off conversation.

So when I had a conversation with a guy in the sauna at the gym today, I was ready to learn something new. And learn I did. (FYI, when you’re half nekkid in a sweltering room with strangers, it’s not uncommon to strike up a conversation.)

The guy (I think he said he name was Raul or Rollo, although he looked like neither) had traveled for most of his life. He had just returned from a trip to Antarctica a few months ago, finally able to check it off his list of visiting every continent in the world. He said he had a great time playing with the penguins for his 21-day stay. (And seriously, how many people can say that?)

So what do you ask a man who’s been all over the world? Why, where’s the best place to live, of course!

The answer? Bangkok.

That’s right. Bangkok. Although to be honest, London was his first response. He really, really loved London, but said it’s just too expensive to live there. (I nodded my head in agreement, having no whit of a clue, of course.)

Bangkok, however, is where his heart was and where he’d  choose to settle down, if he had it all to do over again. He said he loved the Thai people, emphasizing how kind they are.

I was surprised. I would have thought his answer would be related to the exotic cuisine. (I know MY answer for most-wanted locales would be closely tied to my stomach.) But no, it was their HEARTS that he highlighted. :) Kind of a refreshing motive for his answer, really.

So that’s today’s “Wisdom of Strangers” entry. I’ll be sure to provide further reports on Sauna Conversations in the future, as they come about.

Kevin

Review: Stowaway Xt Keyboard For Sony Clie.

So, I’m writing on my new Clie keyboard, the Stowaway XT. Since I do most of my writing for TheKMills.com here at the gym, I’m sometimes without my normal keyboard,the Sony KB11. So I browsed keyboards on eBay to see what else is out there, conferred with my tech guru buddy, Jeff Pickell, to see what the thought, and took the plunge.

$15 later, here I am on this sleek, collapsable keyboard.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I like it. :\ (Sorry, Jeffrey.) The problem? It’s eliminated the number and symbol row (usually above the QWERTY line) and instead made them available only by using function keys combinations. Thus, to type 123!! I have to stop and press not ONE, but TWO different function keys – blue for the numbers, then green for the symbols.

And this, my friends, is simply unacceptable. When I type, I type VERY fast. The thoughts pop into my head and flow through my hands instantaneously (much like my thoughts and my mouth, to be honest…). So to grind to a complete halt and figure out where the blasted keys are? Well, that’s just a mood killer.

Could I take the time to learn where they are? Sure. But I’d rather not. I’d rather stick to a standard keyboard, with standard keys in the standard locations.

So what does this mean to you? Most posts… and fewer hiccups or nasty words rifling through my head when I can’t find the blasted keys!!! :)

Again, Jeff. My apologies for not falling in love with it. The design rocks. It really does. But the execution? Not so much… So if you wanna get a keyboard for your Clie, I strongly suggest you get the KB11 on eBay. Or at least borrow one of each so you can tell the difference, take ‘em for a test-drive.

Kevin

Chuck Rocks. (bionic Woman & Heroes? Not So Much…)

I just finished watching two back-to-back episodes of “Chuck,” and I have to say, I’m hooked. It fulfilled every expectation I had for it. It was funny, action-packed and full of awkward charm. In fact, there were at least 5-10 times I found myself laughing out loud at the razor sharp exchange of dialogue. It’s been described as a hybrid of “Alias” and “The Office,” a description which I think it spot on, old chap.

Bottom line? I’m ditching “Bionic Woman” and jumping to “Chuck,” without a second thought or regrets. If you haven’t given “Chuck” a chance yet, I strongly suggest you get in on the ground floor, because this ride is only going to get better.

On a side note, “Heroes,” quite unlike “Chuck,” continues to suck. Hard. Monday’s episode only ratcheted up the torque on the suckitude a few thousand amps. The bad guy from last year? Sylar? Well, he’s is not only still alive (after being “defeated” with a samurai sword to the gut), but last week we saw he was somehow stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere. Very much alive. And in this week’s episode? He’s lying face down in the middle of a dirt road in Mexico.

The explanation? There was none. NONE. He just jumps back into the series and makes conversation with the Muddy Wonder Twins with the goopy eyes.

It’s annoying, and frustrating, and it’s getting really, really old. Thankfully, between “Chuck” and “Smallville,” I’ll get all the action and super-hero special effects I need. Even if “Smallville” CAN get a little campy and stale at times, it’s still a heckuva lot better than getting yanked around like a freakin’ yo-yo… (Yes, that’s the best analogy I can come up with. Deal with it.)

So, that’s my updated thoughts on the Fall TV offerings so far. I’m kinda looking forward to “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” show (Terminator) coming out later, but only because Summer Glau (who played River Tam on Firefly) is in it. Yes, I’m biased. If they were ever in Firefly, I’ll follow what they’re doing, regardless.

And I’ve been watching all the Firefly episodes at the gym over the last few weeks. Just poppin’ ‘em into the portable DVD player, staking my claim on a treadmill and watch the pounds melt off as I walk to nowhere whilst enjoying a reunion with Mal, Zoe and the Serenity gang. :) Good times, good times…

Thoughts On Toyotas, Tv Shows And Kevin’s Current Book Line-up.

And now, it’s time for the timely updates on the lives of Kevin & Kim (& kids, where applicable…)

Toyota – When we first moved here to Oklahoma, we used some of the extra profit from our house in St. Louis to buy a new vehicle. It was a Toyota 4Runner (1998) that belonged to a friend of my father’s, and it’s worked great ever since. Very reliable and enjoyable. (Enjoyment comes from getting to look down on the cars around me, looming high and safe overhead…)

Anyhow, it recently hit 160,000 miles, so I took it into the shop to have it tuned up. (You know… The 150,000 mile tune-up marker?) So they tuned it all up… To the tune of $1,200+.

Yeah. Can you say “Ouch”?

I know that they did a lot of the good stuff that needed to be done – found and patched leaks, etc., but what killed me was the item on the bill where they replaced the bulb over my license plate. The part? $2.90. The labor? $48.00.

You may now cry with me. And LEARN with me, people! The next time your mechanic calls to suggest replacing something, if he utters the word “bulb” you give him a resounding “NO!”

Just. Say. No. (To bulb replacement.)

Still, I figured it would be better to get everything tuned up properly rather than “take a chance” with it all. But you just know I was praying on the way home not to get in an accident… man, THAT would’ve hurt…!

Moving on…

Kim and I are looking to move sometime at the beginning of the year. Her job is going to move us to one of the 17 largest offices. We get to rank ‘em, but they get to pick ‘em. We’re not really too freaked out about it all, though.

Having moved 8 times in the first 7 years of our marriage, new places and faces are just a fact of life to us. Plus, we LIKE getting to meet new people! They’re fun, and reassure ourselves of our normalcy(sp?) in comparison.

In preparation for the move, we’ve cleaned up the front yard, put “boxwoods” in our front flower bed, laid down nice cypress mulch and the works. I’d say it looks better than we bought it, but that’d just be a big fat lie. It looks good, but it doesn’t look like we’re obsessed with the yard, living and breathing just to eliminate every weed in a 50 yard radius.

Oh no. It doesn’t look like that at all. ;) But it looks good, and that’s what counts.

We’re gonna repaint the bedroom and bathroom, but I think we’re skipping the granite countertops in the kitchen. Houses aren’t selling all that fast in our neighborhood, and we’re not realy convinced we’d make our money back. Aside from that, we’ll be ready to go. (And don’t forget to whip out the vanilla-scented plug-ins, people. They say it helps sell the house, make it feel more homey and warm-like. :)

Fall TV Shows

Heroes – Unfortunately, this show continues to disappoint me. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong with it. It’s like the promise of delivering quality, “that’s really cool” moments is hit or miss. I find the new storylines completely muddied up and bogged down.

Hiro’s in feudal Japan? Peter’s an amnesiac in Scotland? Two Latino Wonder Twins swap black goo between each other? And Matt survived 5 bullets to the chest… HOW, exactly? Yeah. I’m afraid I just don’t care anymore. I’ll keep watching for the occasional wicked cool event, but I’m making a formal complaint to NBC right now: I’m not impressed anymore.

Bionic Woman – I loved the concept, but even when the previews were showing last Spring, I was afraid this wasn’t going to live up to expectations. And I was right.

I understand what the creators were trying to do, though. Fill in the gap of female-led butt-kicking shows while capitalizing on the success of sci-fi hits like Heroes. It’s a decent formula, and they’ve updated it to the modern work fairly well, too.

But it’s not right. The dialogue, for one, is… Overused. It’s like they’re trying too hard, and you can smell the desperation even as the words leave their lips. While there are enough moments of coolness where Jamie Sommers uses her new abilities to entertaining effect, for the most part? I’m just not hooked.

I’ll watch a few more episodes, then I’m gonna stop wasting my time in the hopes for improvement.

Chuck – haven’t watched it, but the premise sounds good and it’s got Adam Baldwin, from Firefly fame. Granted, he’s got a dorky haircut, but still…

Smallville, on the other hand, has taken a definite turn for the better. With the introduction of BOTH a Bizarro Clark AND Supergirl – all in the season’s opening episode – my fanboy jollies were readily jumping. Since I’ve been a collector of Supergirl comics off and on the past decade, I was excited to see them draw the character straight from the latest, impetulant teenager in the current issue run. Good, good stuff. :)

The Office – What can I say? This show continues to be the best thing about television today. It has taken the lead created by the original UK version and extended it to full form. Hilarious stuff, and if you’re missing it, you’re worse off because of it. (I know, it’s harsh, but it’s true. You suck for not watching this show….)

Other winners that I record with my EyeTV on the iMac are COPS, Whacked Out Sports, Maximum Exposure and Reno911!. And the best thing about EyeTV? Editing out the commercials and slapping the platform-friendly MPEG-4 file onto my Sony Clie, where I can watch it whereever and whenever I want to. (Much thanks to my friend, Jeff, for introducing me to to the Palm program TCPMP.)

Books I’m Reading:

Jumper – Steven Gould – Great coming of age story about a 17-year old kid who discovers he can teleport, or “jump.” The movie comes out in February 2008, so I wanted to get a head start on this, experience it as a book first. It’s kinda like a sci-fi twist on “Catcher In the Rye,” so if you’re a Holden Caufield fan, you might like this book. :) Starting “Reflex,” sequel, in a few days.

Last On Earth – Marilyn Kaye – I like to read my books in “themes,” as I’ve mentioned before. The current theme I’m on is Anarchy, I guess. Basically, a total breakdown of civilization, like the show “Jericho” or something. (Never watched it, but heard it was worthy.) This book, part 1 of a trilogy, was fun. 25 teenagers come out of class to discover everyone else on the face of the earth has vanished. :) Good stuff… (Part 3 was a little over-the-top and full of new age, tree-hugging goodness, but the characters and situations were still fun to experience. And since it’s classified as a Young Adult novel, there’s not as much wordy dirds in it.

Parenting the Way God Parents: Refusing to Recycle Your Parents’ Mistakes – Katherine Koonce

The Prayer That Changes Everything: The Hidden Power of Praising God – Stormie Omartian – Great book on maintaining an attitude of thankfulness, and redefines what it means to praise and worship. (You mean I don’t have to check my brain out and raise my hands and sing sappy songs? Ya don’t say…)

When I Relax I Feel Guilty – Tim Hansel – It’s so true. I have a really hard time just relaxing without the nagging voices telling me what I SHOULD be doing. Selling on eBay, posting stuff on Freecycle, reading, praying, writing… it never ends. It was written in 1979 but the title says it all, and I need help. God is continually speaking to me this year about dialing my life down a few notches, taking the time to actually LIVE. I just pray He changes my heart and habits in a permanent way.

I have more to write, but I’m ready to take a break for a bit. Relax, if you will. Probably watch COPS. :)

Kevin

A Quick (sliver) Update.

So it’s obvious that I haven’t adhered to any kind of a schedule to blogging yet. :\ Actually, it’s more accurate to say I haven’t ESTABLISHED a schedule to adhere to.

No, wait. I’m not being fair to myself. I DID have a schedule. I’d blog while I was at the gym, after the treadmill, the sauna and the shower. Kinda like a reward. But then Kaleb developed some kind of nasty cough and I didn’t want to take him to the gym, for fear that we would 1) get him sicker, or 2) get other kiddos sick.

So, no gym – no blog updates. :\ But now Kaleb’s better, I’m at the gym and I’m ready to write for a bit…

In the sauna I had a nasty experience. I was reaching down to sweep some magazines off of the wooden bench, when I experienced one of the worst pains imaginable. A moist, heated sliver of wood drove itself up and underneath my middle fingernail. That’s right. UNDER THE NAIL.

It hurt like nothing else, but I’m pleased to say I was able to stop yelling just after the word “MOTHER…” came out of my mouth. (Which surprised me, because I don’t think I’ve EVER used that cursin’ combination in my LIFE. Guess it took a sliver under the nail to get me to talk. I’d make a REALLY lousy spy. Pain tolerance? Non-existent.)

Anyhow, quick update for ya: The Neti. Works like a charm. You stir in the special mixture (baking soda & salt) into the plastic pot, turn your head to the side and pour it in.

It feels a lot like drowning.

But then you remember to breathe through your mouth, and it’s not so bad. It’s still an odd feeling, what with your sinus cavities filling up with water and then having it drain out the opposite nostril. But when you’re all done, you can BREATHE. And breathe freely.

So, yeah, it’s a strange experience, but I heartily recommend the Neti Pot remedy for sinus hell flare-ups. Or just for a hoot. :)

Kevin

The larger photo link of the nasty weapon of destruction.

The Nail Splinter

Sinus Hell.

On Saturday I woke up at 6:00am, feeling something was wrong with my body. Didn’t know what, just knew I didn’t feel “right.” So I get up, go to the den and read the Bible and pray. I figured I was up, might as well maximize the quiet time. I didn’t get any profound revelations on what was wrong, but it felt good to be with God, regardless.

About an hour later it hits. My eyes started watering, my body began to ache and my nose suddenly alternated between stuffed and runny. Thus began a 36 hour (and counting) bout of Sinus Hell.

And I have no idea why. My allergies haven’t bothered me for a long, long time. Seasonal allergies, that is. Once in a while I’ll encounter a food allergy I conveniently forgot about, and it’ll throw a wrench in the system for a day or two, but seasonal hasn’t bothered me in years. Maybe it’s the heat. The temperatures for the week were up in the 100′s, so perhaps that did something to the pollen or the air or my body or whatever.

After taking three different kinds of antihistamines (different times of the day) with little to no effect, I’m about to try something new: a Neti Pot.

Specifically, a SinuCleanse neti pot. As I understand it, I pour the special sauce in one side of the nose and let it drain out the other. Rinse and repeat over a few days, and voila! Breathing becomes a whole new experience! Which is ironic, considering my previous post was about breathing as well. Huh. Whoda thunk?

So I’ll keep you informed as to whether or not this is The Godsend that it’s made out to be. I WILL say that both my father and my friend, Rob, swear by it. And they both have thin nasal passages and are doctors, so take that for what it is. I, being the larger-nosed, normal everyday guy might have a different reaction. But you’ll know this: I’ll give a solid review, no holds barred. :)

Kevin

Book Review: Breathe: Creating Space For God In A Hectic Life – Keri Wyatt Kent

Book Review: Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life – Keri Wyatt Kent

God often works in my life in thematic spurts. I’ll read a passage of scripture which “just happens” to coincide with the sermon a day later, and then a new book comes in the mail (through PaperBackSwap.com) which further supports the “coincidence” factor.

So it was no surprise a few months ago when I first heard a sermon from LifeChurch.tv (“God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle,” as seen in an earlier post.) The gist? Some of us are increasingly accepting constant stress and pressure as a normal way of life. This really resonated with me and the hats I was juggling of stay-at-home Dad, editor, novelist and podcaster.

A few days later in my LifeGroup we watched a NOOMA video entitled “Breathe,” which coincided perfectly with a book that had arrived a few days before THAT. And THAT is what I’ll be writing about today.

Breathing. :)

Even though the book is intended for MOPS groups (Mothers of Preschoolers), it’s still greatly applicable to my life as well. Because aside from my two macho testicles, the basic experience of stay-at-home parenting is relatively the same.

Here’s a few of the nuggets the book had to offer:

“Life is about more than productivity, more than quantifiable results.” – 26

Getting enough sleep, deciding not to hurry, saying no to what the world says you need to do so you can say yes to what God is calling you to do.

“We live in a society that’s focused on doing. That’s one reason so many of us wrestle with being a parent: time spent with our kids doesn’t feel like we’re producing anything.”- 45

This is an area that plagued me when I first started looking after Kyler. While I was somewhat comfortable with the idea of being a stay-at-home dad, I oftentimes felt like I had to try to explain or justify myself to others when talking about my life. Now I’m completely confident that what I’m doing MATTERS. I’m not just wiping butts and doing laundry and shuffling kids around – I’m setting an example. Even when I don’t think Kyler’s looking, I KNOW that he’s quietly absorbing everything I say and do, and will one day recycle it and internalize it as he figures out who he is and who he wants to be.

So I’m not just a glorified babysitter anymore. But I also don’t have to be SuperDad, setting up “educational opportunities” to enhance their minds and spirits, blah blah blah. I can just be me. I can just spend time with Kyler and Kaleb, and just spending time with them is a gift itself. (No, I’m NOT sayin’ I’m All That, but I AM saying that giving time to your kids is incredibly valuable to them. Being loved and noticed is what they’re all about, especially at such a young age.)

Anyhow, here’s a few of the other notes…

“We don’t focus on God or Christ by accident – we need to be intentional about it.” This especially applies to establishing a quiet time routine.

“Seek contentment, a simpler life. How many times do we buy things we don’t need? And then how much time do we waste maintaining those things we’ve bought?”

“We want to have time to spend with our neighbors, rather than spend all our time getting stuff, cleaning stuff, storing stuff and fixing stuff.” – 118

“Sometimes the best thing you can do for your kids is to say no to the needs of others, set aside some time to be alone with God, and pace yourself so that your family gets your best.” – 159

I’m a firm believer in that statement. Giving my family my best. When I was working as a freelance editor through PaperPolisher.com, I often found myself up against a deadline at nights. I’d have dinner with them and then have to disappear for the rest of the night to edit. And while I felt productive in terms of making money, it wasn’t worth the alienation I subjected Kim and Kyler to.

So when God started talking to me about relaxing a bit more and refocusing my priorities, He made it clear that my time at PaperPolisher.com was coming to a close. Which was a relief to me. I think the site was infinitely more successful than I anticipated, and God was able to put me in contact with a number of people who I both blessed and was blessed by. And as mentioned in the latest newsletter, I now have a co-author, Patrick, with whom I’ve grown especially close to. He’s not just a co-writer, he’s a trusted friend.

Now I’m in the process of drafting a new schedule for my life. Scheduling time for God, time to be with just Kyler, with just Kim, etc. Time to read, time to write, time to do nothing at all. I’m clearing my plate of all the other “stuff” that used to take up my time. There will be plenty of time to resume some things when the kids are in school and my days are free again. But until then, I think I just want to invest in their lives and development as much as possible. It’s a rare opportunity, and I don’t want to take it for granted.

“Prayer is essential to eliminating hurry and simplifying.” – 248

In keeping with the theme of slowing down, a similar book was just mailed to me this week from PaperBackSwap.com. It’s “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life,” by Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey. You might recognize Carlson’s name from his “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” series of books. I figure if God wants me to downshift, I might as well get a clearer understanding of exactly how to go about it.

I look forward to the next year and seeing how I continue to change as I strive to hear what He has to tell me. Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day when I’d VOLUNTARILY go to bed at 10:00pm on weeknights. That’s just crazy… but effective. :)

Kevin

Kevin’s Joke Of The Day.

Question: How did the bird lose his feathers?

Answer: By flying under my truck.

That’s right. A bird flew UNDER my truck as I was taking Kyler to school this morning. We’ve all seen ‘em – the hot shot birds that dart across traffic? They move at the speed of light, a simple blur chasing them in their wake?

Well, that’s exactly what I saw. A feathered blur shot in front of my 4Runner, and then – POOF! – a handful of feathers shot up in front of my left tire, caressing my hand through my open window.

Why, yes, I WAS disgusted! How did you know?

Then I had to figure out what to tell Kyler when he asked “Daddy, why did you scream like a little girl?” (Okay, those weren’t his EXACT words, but you KNOW he was thinkin’ it.) In the end I decided to tell him the truth.

With a riddle. And now? Now YOU’RE in on the joke, too.

Enjoy.

Kevin

Switch to our mobile site