The great beard experiment continues into its seventh week. There is no way I could have predicted that I would last this long in forgoing shaving for 7 weeks. I inadvertently happened into this experiment when I became ill during the second week of February, and as is custom when out of the public eye for extended periods of time, I ignored my shaving routine and let it grow. Upon my return to good health, I planned to get back to having a nice smooth cut, but life had other plans. I was dared to grow a beard by my dearest wife, and since I've never been able to turn down many challenges in my lifetime, I accepted and set out to put the case to rest that I could NOT grow a traditional beard but that I was meant to have a baby face for the rest of my life.
When I reached the challenge end date of two weeks with some difficulty due to itchiness and embarrassment, I decided it was only right to silence her once and for all by continuing on for another two weeks to make it an even month. Then I reached that milestone and something had changed - I had started to become attached to my beard. Despite the awkward bald patches and strands of gray hairs scattered throughout, I had miraculously gone from annoyance to satisfaction and pride. I decided it was only fitting to let it grow for another two weeks and shave it off at Easter - the perfect time for a fresh face and new beginning. I conducted a poll to see what public opinion was of my latest facial change, and surprisingly, 45% of you liked it. I was certain that everyone fell into the "That is NOT a beard" or "Shave it off ASAP" opinions, but to my secret delight, I was not the only one that was liking the new look. I know I still have some critics and non-likers out there, but over all, it's really starting to grow on me (pun intended.)
Upon cruising by Easter and still not shaving, I repeated the familiar phrase of "another two weeks" to myself and all who asked and inquired. I admit, there is still a part of me that occasionally feels the need to suddenly pick up the razor and bring back the smooth - but then I gaze upon this handsome-rugged face looking back at me in the mirror and I melt with "how can I?" I've added a new friend - oh, he's not perfect by any means, but my beard has now been with me through the ups and downs of the last 45 days - it has become a part of me that I am just not yet ready to part ways with. I could make it to an even two months and decide that I am going to keep going without any more deadlines or calendar checkpoints - I could decide that I am going to keep it around longer just because I want to. Or, I could get close to or past the 2 month milestone and conclude that enough is enough and its time to return to my roots as a clean shaven 10 years younger looking man. I just don't know at this point. When I get a comment from someone, there is still a part of me that becomes self-conscious and defensive, and I need to let them know that it wasn't my idea and that I am just doing it for kicks. Then its like my beard calls me out and I feel like I've insulted it, and my way of making it up is by keeping it around a little while longer.
So, there you have it. I am officially crazy about my beard. I have achieved the once thought impossible "bushiness" and am definitely sporting a real beard at this point in the game. Many friends have reported that it takes them half the time to achieve their full strength beards - and I'm okay with that. I'm proud to say that I've gone this long and quite content with keeping the razor on the shelf for the time being. 15 days remain until I reach the next milestone, and as much as I tell myself now that 2 months will certainly mark the end of the road and I will be letting go - I think its safe to say that for now, I'm happy with just letting grow instead.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
L.B.L Madness
With March Madness upon us once again, the fun will start up to see who can out-do who in the greatest guessing game known in the wide world of sports. All of this is crazy fun, and somehow has transported me back to the days of the LBL with my older brother Kevin. The L.B.L, otherwise known as the "Long Basketball League" began in 1991 in St. Anthony, Minnesota on the Long brothers home court off of 35th and Harding Street. The LBL was a fictional world of NBA Players joining together in what surely was one of the first fantasy basketball leagues in the world. The creators? Myself, then only 12 years old and my brother Kevin, 15. Not in an electronically dominated age just yet, and forced to many a summer day of babysitting our younger brother Dave, we put our energetic and sports obsessed minds together and invented the LBL. Some may see this fictional league as weird or nerdy - but for three consecutive summers of our youth, it was simply the best form of entertainment and action we could ever have dreamed up.
Competing against my older brother was just something I always felt compelled to do. He was not opposed to to this constant desire, but welcomed my young and naive thirst for victory. Despite being heavily out-skilled and out-smarted, I thrived on pulling the upset special and being able to give myself a pat on the back for a job well done. The first two seasons were mostly filled with temper-tantrums and bitter defeat, day after day after day. How Kevin continued to put up with me is still a mystery. I know he enjoyed delivering a whooping on me, and despite my usual comebacks and even temporary leads, he would inevitably drill a three-pointer to seal the victory or squash my momentum. Ahh, the memories. Even though I could pretty much assume a losing record to him, what made the LBL so much fun was keeping our statistics and playing "pretend" together. What do I mean you ask? I kept all of our records and I will give you a sampling here:
LBL Season 1991
Miami Fire (3-4)
Texas Guerrillas (3-4)
Minnesota War Pigs (2-5)
San Francisco Terminators (2-5)
New Mexico Pythons (4-3)
Los Angeles Predators (3-4)
Louisiana Cobras (6-1)
New York Death (5-2)
These were our teams that we created. We each kept track of 4 teams of 6 players. We held a draft every year and assigned our players a number and position - and although we played 1 against 1, we did play by play while battling and made sure that after each point scored, we announced "who" had made the basket. And when a certain player just wasn't cutting it or was having an off day - no worries, we could bring in our substitute to give him a rest. We played to 35 - we called our own fouls and shot free throws. We had a make-shift three point line and could even use the brick embankment and garage door to pass off of. I can tell you're getting excited just reading this - and you are not alone. Looking back, I realize just how good we had it. There was no telling us how to have a good time. Here's some more stats, now that you're hooked:
'91 All League 1st Squad
PG: Kevin Johnson
SG: Mark Macon
F: Tom Chambers
PF: Dominique Wilkins
C: Hakeem Olajuwon
Top Scorers: Mark Macon (82 points), Dominique Wilkins (67 points), Reggie Miller (66 points) Low Scorers: Terrell Brandon (10 points), LeBradford Smith (10 points), Mark Randall (14 points), Dale Davis (16 points)
Man, Dale Davis was terrible for me. I remember we used to joke about him often and just how he could not make a shot to save his life. And then there was Kev's Mark Macon. What a stud - he probably averaged at least 80% from the 3 point line. The next season, we stepped it up and added more teams and more games. It resulted in some truly dominating performances and team records - David Robinson carried the Houston Warthogs on his back, amassing a league high 127 points and totaling 7 Player of the Game awards, en route to winning the '92 Championship. There were also some downright awful teams, like the Alaska Kodiaks - winning 1 out of 9 games. Yikes - but, at least they had a bright star to make them at least watchable - Tracy Murray - of course, he was the substitute player of the year, which should tell you something about the Kodiaks.
By the time our final season of '93 rolled around, we had wisely returned to our original format of 8 teams and 7 games. Kevin and I were now a little more evenly matched, which resulted in an intensely fueled competition level, as the tide had turned and we both knew I was now able to win some games. This then ultimately led to a few more outbursts of anger and bitter temper tantrums when defeat was stolen at the last second or mistakes were made that could have been avoided. Again, Kev put up with me - although there were a few times I had to persuade him out of early retirement (thanks Kev... ) Yes, I did win some more games that year, and even accomplished a first ever scoring title with Clyde Drexler. We can honestly say that the LBL was worth it - and even though all those statistics mean absolutely nothing, well, we know it gave us a lot of joy and brought us closer together as brothers.
Although a formal resurrection of the LBL never took shape, once Dave was of age, I passed the older brother basketball dominance on to him and he and I competed on the Harding Street home court once again. Terribly outmatched - I cannot tell you how many times I swatted his feeble shot attempts, but Dave showed up to play and we continued in our pretend fun. Although, Dave always insisted on being Charles Broccoli, which kind of killed the "team" play I had in mind, but we had a good time nonetheless. And now, several years later, Kev and I must bow to our younger sibling's skill on the basketball court. Apprentice has now risen to defeat master(s), and the cycle has come full circle.
Thanks for the memories bro's.
Competing against my older brother was just something I always felt compelled to do. He was not opposed to to this constant desire, but welcomed my young and naive thirst for victory. Despite being heavily out-skilled and out-smarted, I thrived on pulling the upset special and being able to give myself a pat on the back for a job well done. The first two seasons were mostly filled with temper-tantrums and bitter defeat, day after day after day. How Kevin continued to put up with me is still a mystery. I know he enjoyed delivering a whooping on me, and despite my usual comebacks and even temporary leads, he would inevitably drill a three-pointer to seal the victory or squash my momentum. Ahh, the memories. Even though I could pretty much assume a losing record to him, what made the LBL so much fun was keeping our statistics and playing "pretend" together. What do I mean you ask? I kept all of our records and I will give you a sampling here:
LBL Season 1991
Miami Fire (3-4)
Texas Guerrillas (3-4)
Minnesota War Pigs (2-5)
San Francisco Terminators (2-5)
New Mexico Pythons (4-3)
Los Angeles Predators (3-4)
Louisiana Cobras (6-1)
New York Death (5-2)
These were our teams that we created. We each kept track of 4 teams of 6 players. We held a draft every year and assigned our players a number and position - and although we played 1 against 1, we did play by play while battling and made sure that after each point scored, we announced "who" had made the basket. And when a certain player just wasn't cutting it or was having an off day - no worries, we could bring in our substitute to give him a rest. We played to 35 - we called our own fouls and shot free throws. We had a make-shift three point line and could even use the brick embankment and garage door to pass off of. I can tell you're getting excited just reading this - and you are not alone. Looking back, I realize just how good we had it. There was no telling us how to have a good time. Here's some more stats, now that you're hooked:
'91 All League 1st Squad
PG: Kevin Johnson
SG: Mark Macon
F: Tom Chambers
PF: Dominique Wilkins
C: Hakeem Olajuwon
Top Scorers: Mark Macon (82 points), Dominique Wilkins (67 points), Reggie Miller (66 points) Low Scorers: Terrell Brandon (10 points), LeBradford Smith (10 points), Mark Randall (14 points), Dale Davis (16 points)
Man, Dale Davis was terrible for me. I remember we used to joke about him often and just how he could not make a shot to save his life. And then there was Kev's Mark Macon. What a stud - he probably averaged at least 80% from the 3 point line. The next season, we stepped it up and added more teams and more games. It resulted in some truly dominating performances and team records - David Robinson carried the Houston Warthogs on his back, amassing a league high 127 points and totaling 7 Player of the Game awards, en route to winning the '92 Championship. There were also some downright awful teams, like the Alaska Kodiaks - winning 1 out of 9 games. Yikes - but, at least they had a bright star to make them at least watchable - Tracy Murray - of course, he was the substitute player of the year, which should tell you something about the Kodiaks.
By the time our final season of '93 rolled around, we had wisely returned to our original format of 8 teams and 7 games. Kevin and I were now a little more evenly matched, which resulted in an intensely fueled competition level, as the tide had turned and we both knew I was now able to win some games. This then ultimately led to a few more outbursts of anger and bitter temper tantrums when defeat was stolen at the last second or mistakes were made that could have been avoided. Again, Kev put up with me - although there were a few times I had to persuade him out of early retirement (thanks Kev... ) Yes, I did win some more games that year, and even accomplished a first ever scoring title with Clyde Drexler. We can honestly say that the LBL was worth it - and even though all those statistics mean absolutely nothing, well, we know it gave us a lot of joy and brought us closer together as brothers.
Although a formal resurrection of the LBL never took shape, once Dave was of age, I passed the older brother basketball dominance on to him and he and I competed on the Harding Street home court once again. Terribly outmatched - I cannot tell you how many times I swatted his feeble shot attempts, but Dave showed up to play and we continued in our pretend fun. Although, Dave always insisted on being Charles Broccoli, which kind of killed the "team" play I had in mind, but we had a good time nonetheless. And now, several years later, Kev and I must bow to our younger sibling's skill on the basketball court. Apprentice has now risen to defeat master(s), and the cycle has come full circle.
Thanks for the memories bro's.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Path of Presence
My journey has taken me over some bumps, landslides and detours, and I continue to find myself pondering anew this mysterious world we find ourselves immersed in. We all have our different ways of staying upright and moving forward, and most of the time, we can look to these inner compasses to get us back to safety. For me, I know I can always look to the Bible for wisdom, inspiration and comfort. Scripture and prayer have a way of centering and keeping me upwardly focused and inwardly grounded, rather than spiraling downward and out of control. My other foundation has always been my family. I have truly been awakened to the great power and strength available to me in the ears, hearts and love of my family. When we find ourselves doubting the presence of a greater power at work or questioning His existence altogether in this pain-filled and sorrowful world, we need not wait long for a sign. Although behind the scenes most of the time, God always hears our cries for help. He dwells among us in the smile and laugh of a friend and the embrace and support of a cherished companion. Recently, I have discovered another resource for guidance - the ancient way of the Celts, from the book "The Path of Celtic Prayer" by Calvin Miller. Their way of life centered around the power of the Holy Trinity and the ever-presence of the Three-in-One in nature and creation. "Their fervor in prayer washed their world in a vital revival." These truths practiced by the ancient Celtic Christians have made my troubled path feel a little less rocky and perilous as once perceived. With that said, I'd like to share with you a "long wandering prayer" that has touched my heart out of this week's reading:
"Father of all humankind, who keeps my journey and marks the horizon of my destiny, love me through my journey toward tomorrow.
Son of God, leader and keeper of the maps, show me not the whole road at once, but give me the distance to be gained in single steps.
Spirit of God, who holds my inner compass, may your presence on the journey awaken trust within me when I don't know what lies around the bend.
God bless to me this day, then I shall make my journey by sunlight and know the way.
Christ, bless to me this uncertain step, then I shall find the step more certain.
Spirit, bless to me this lonely moment, then I shall not be alone.
O Three-in-One, do guard my steps.
Travel with me God,
and I shall travel with the darkness at my back and the Sunlight on my face.
Travel with me Christ.
Then I shall mute the thunder, and walk through lightning unafraid.
Travel with me Holy Spirit,
and my solo anthem shall have accompaniment throughout the journey.
I am coming to you O Three-in-One.
One day at a time,
one hour at a time,
one step at a time.
Son of God, leader and keeper of the maps, show me not the whole road at once, but give me the distance to be gained in single steps.
Spirit of God, who holds my inner compass, may your presence on the journey awaken trust within me when I don't know what lies around the bend.
God bless to me this day, then I shall make my journey by sunlight and know the way.
Christ, bless to me this uncertain step, then I shall find the step more certain.
Spirit, bless to me this lonely moment, then I shall not be alone.
O Three-in-One, do guard my steps.
Travel with me God,
and I shall travel with the darkness at my back and the Sunlight on my face.
Travel with me Christ.
Then I shall mute the thunder, and walk through lightning unafraid.
Travel with me Holy Spirit,
and my solo anthem shall have accompaniment throughout the journey.
I am coming to you O Three-in-One.
One day at a time,
one hour at a time,
one step at a time.
Amen."
Friday, March 7, 2008
Holding the Helm
One of my favorite things about living in Virginia is being able to begin the Spring season in March. I've been seeing flowers coming up and buds popping more and more the last couple days - it's wonderful. It's fun to see things poking out of the ground and temps warming just enough to encourage the new growth from the earth. With zero snow throughout the winter, the change in surroundings from brown and barren to green and lively is very welcomed. Sure, we lose an hour of sleep - but we gain more sunlight, and this is great since I work in a basement cave 40 hours a week. I am looking forward to getting out more - perhaps I'll even take up running once again, since my "it's too cold" excuse will soon be unusable.
Speaking of new growth - my "beard" continues to fill out.... oh I wish that statement were true. In reality, it's darkening, but not really "filling out." In fact, I am now noticing more patches of non-growth - I even have a little Harry Potter lightning bolt bald patch going on the side of my face - which has neither the cool significance nor the prestige of Mr. Potter's mark. So, even though I have committed myself to going another 3 weeks without shaving, I know that Easter morning will surely be the day it all comes off. I will be very surprised if I have any "bushiness" by then. But hey, I tried.
On a more serious note, I find myself waiting in faith in so many major areas of my life lately - house, job, future etc. I know the path ahead of me is full of uncertainty, and I am finding that these are the times when having faith are essential to my personal emotional survival. I've had my share of downs, and my faith continues to hold me up or pick me up off the ground or give me a swift kick in the butt - but over all, I know that this is what life is all about. A quote comes to mind, "Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm." This quote reminds me that it is in times of crisis and chaos that we find out what we're really capable of. More than that, it is when we find out what God is capable of...
Looking to your faith and leaning on God's care and guidance is never easy to explain or grasp, and yet, I know this is truth for me. This is what being "Christian" is to me - and despite my battle with doubt and fear just like every other human on the planet, I know that Christ lives in me and will see me through whatever the crisis or challenge. As much as I find myself wanting the details, the plan of attack, the escape route and the answers, I know that these are insignificant in the end, for all that really matters is that I trust not in my own capabilities, but in His.
So if your spring is as full as mine with busyness, change and/or trials, don't forget to put things in perspective and trust the One who can hold the helm better than any other...
"I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1,2
Speaking of new growth - my "beard" continues to fill out.... oh I wish that statement were true. In reality, it's darkening, but not really "filling out." In fact, I am now noticing more patches of non-growth - I even have a little Harry Potter lightning bolt bald patch going on the side of my face - which has neither the cool significance nor the prestige of Mr. Potter's mark. So, even though I have committed myself to going another 3 weeks without shaving, I know that Easter morning will surely be the day it all comes off. I will be very surprised if I have any "bushiness" by then. But hey, I tried.
On a more serious note, I find myself waiting in faith in so many major areas of my life lately - house, job, future etc. I know the path ahead of me is full of uncertainty, and I am finding that these are the times when having faith are essential to my personal emotional survival. I've had my share of downs, and my faith continues to hold me up or pick me up off the ground or give me a swift kick in the butt - but over all, I know that this is what life is all about. A quote comes to mind, "Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm." This quote reminds me that it is in times of crisis and chaos that we find out what we're really capable of. More than that, it is when we find out what God is capable of...
Looking to your faith and leaning on God's care and guidance is never easy to explain or grasp, and yet, I know this is truth for me. This is what being "Christian" is to me - and despite my battle with doubt and fear just like every other human on the planet, I know that Christ lives in me and will see me through whatever the crisis or challenge. As much as I find myself wanting the details, the plan of attack, the escape route and the answers, I know that these are insignificant in the end, for all that really matters is that I trust not in my own capabilities, but in His.
So if your spring is as full as mine with busyness, change and/or trials, don't forget to put things in perspective and trust the One who can hold the helm better than any other...
"I lift my eyes up to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1,2
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