And death i think is no parenthesis

That is me and my sister... together... last week... at Disneyland. Yes, that is correct. My sister was in southern California with a touring choral group, and I just happened to hitch a ride with them from some Christian high school in Sun Valley to the happiest place on earth. And, getting to see my sister again, it truly was the happiest place I could possibly be at that moment.

I just finished two books, both concerning money in one aspect or another. The first was called The Undercover Economist . The author talks about everything from traffic to coffee to how to sell air. Along the way, he demonstrates several useful rules, like "You can never buy a decent used car". Anybody interested in how the world works should read this book. The great thing about this book is that I can read a chapter, walk outside, and observe the things he writes about. A real mind stimulant. The Undercover Economist: A Next, I read a book that Sterling College requires for some class. It is called Nickel and Dimed and follows the adventure of one lady as she plunges herself into the working class to see if she can survive. I was hoping for a lot more convincing facts - the book was mainly narrative about how disgusting her jobs were, what it was like trying to get along with coworkers, etc. Only in the footnotes and in the last chapter (analysis) did I find such facts. I...

Well, I did it. I haven't had my hair this short in quite a while, but I guess since dogs shed their hair for the summer, I might as well do it too. Temperatures in Santa Clarita are hovering in the high 80s and low 90s. As I write this, it is 93 degrees outside. On Sunday, I hung out with some guys from my church out in the sun. Consequently, my arms are a bit pink. At least I'm not experiencing the humidity of Kansas. You guys should all come out here. As most of you know, I'm planning on a backpacking trip this summer. Most of you who have voiced an opinion have expressed interest in the Badlands of South Dakota. Here is a picture of Badlands National Park.

What can I say? My time at the YMCA has made me into a new, ultra-sexy man. The last time I was able to fit into this outfit was when I was 5. Seriously though, I have started working out at the local Y with a trainer . That is a big step for me. I give myself 4 out of 5 pats on the back for that one. In other news, I finished Orthodoxy and Fast Food Nation . I fear that I did Orthodoxy a grave disservice by rushing through it - it is one of those books (written about 100 years ago, mind you) that needs to be read slowly and deliberately, while chewing on a toothpick and sitting at the park. I didn't do that. Chesterton has a habit of turning things on their head. While this is cool at first, it gets old after a while. He is clever, though. Orthodoxy: C Fast Food Nation was a blast to read through. I felt like crying during many of the passages that talk about what immigrants have to go through in meat-packing plants. I recommend this book to anybody - very entertaining, and yet...