Stories of a Moron

2009-11-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

School Stuff

The school I'm teaching at is a charter school that has been set up to offer students gifted in the arts a chance to express those in an educational setting. But more than that we get students who come to our school because of the small class sizes. My largest class is 16 and the smallest is 3. Most of these students have had some sort of trouble in other schools. At least once a day I'll hear a reference to a PO and not the box numbers. I also get a lot of kids that would be made fun of in the traditional schools. Kids who are socially behind, have a form of autism, kids who struggle with their identity, or are just different. Its kind of a cool place to work in because those kids who would be made fun of or beat up at other schools have a safe environment to learn in. It also makes for some interesting exchanges and interactions between students.

The other day we got a new student, Stan (not his real name). You could tell immediately by watching Stan that something was different. He had slicked back jet black hair and look straight out of the 50's with his blue jeans and button up shirt. At first I thought Stan may have been an ESL student but then realized he simply had a disorder that affected his ability to realize social norms.

There's this senior in my American Government class we'll call Stew. Stew's pretty much a thug, always one of the first to chime in whenever the discussion turns to drinking age or the legalization of certain narcotics. But I've started to notice Stew's not that bad of a guy.

When Stan showed up the other day, very quiet, and looking like an extra from Grease , Stew was the first one to go up and talk to him. Stew walked up and went to shake Stan's hand. Stan didn't shake his hand, a serious sign of disrespect. I think Stan was uncomfortable for several reasons already, but I'm sure that Stew being a 6'2" black 19 year old didn't help the socially awkward white 15 Stan. So Stew tried again. This time he said, "This is how this goes. I say my name, shake your hand then you say yours." So Stew put out his hand again and said his name. As Stan began to put out his hand and say his name, Stew grabbed his hand and began a an incredibly complicated series of dats and pounds followed by a bro pat. Stan was shocked. I think the rest of us were shocked even more. But that kid got an A in the gradebook for that day.

Paul "Soulness Confirmed" Murphy

2009-10-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Frustrations

I was talking with a good friend the other day and they were venting some frustrations.

I'm tired of more churches having worship committees than service committees.

I'm tired of people spending more time trying to figure out the best way to praise God and less time trying to find ways to serve God.

I get it; for some people their spiritual life is slightly dependent on what happens between 10am and 12pm on Sunday morning. For some people how close they feel to God is about how amazing a "worship" service is. But don't forget, Jesus never once stops and lectures his apostles about singing songs. He never once tells the parable of the off-key worship leader. Our Christian life isn't about Sunday morning service. I honestly think God is more glorified by the work we do, feeding the hungry, helping the oppressed, being a role model, raising a family, and ministering to the lost than by the songs we sing.

If you think more people will come to your church because of the songs you sing and how good the preaching is I think your nuts. Sure, you may get some people from another church, or people moving into town, but you'll never reach the lost with four part harmony.

I guess I'm kind of frustrated with myself too. About two months ago I decided to start playing ultimate frisbee with a group out at the park. They played on Sunday evening and Wednesday evening. So Mark and I would go out and play. We both saw it as a ministry opportunity. It was sort of a missional move. People started joking with us about skipping church. I guess I got tired of dealing with the flak I was taking for skipping church and quit going to play frisbee. How pathetic.

Paul "now I can get my ticket punched on Wed" Murphy

2009-10-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

The last month or so...

Ultimate tournament in Little Rock
Dad bought two horses
Quickly finished fencing in another pasture
Becky C's been in town
Rodeo with Aimee
Rob Bell in Charlotte
USC v Kentucky game (parking and game for $20- I didn't pay for parking)
and lots and lots of school

and lots of good food.

Sorry I just haven't had many thoughts in the last month about stuff.

I am upset that most of the bills on health care come with a penalty for people who don't sign up for insurance. If I don't want health care I shouldn't be penalized for not having it. Jerks. I'm healthy, don't visit the doctor, and haven't been to the ER in 7 years. Did I have the option of purchasing a plan through the school I work for. Sure. Did I take it? no. I'm not dishing out $178/month to not go to the doctor or hospital. And I don't like the government telling me what to do with my money. I'm fine with them taking it and doing what they want, but don't not take it and tell me what I've got to do with it. Terrible.

Paul "Life is good" Murphy

2009-09-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

Things I've Learned About Relationships from Jon and Kate; and others

So I'll just state up front that I've occasionally been impressed (like the British Naval way; not the "oh that's neat" way) into watching "John and Kate plus 8." I've compiled a list of things I've learned.

"When you're married, you're can't have a close friend that's a girl. You confide in your close friends, and the only woman you need to confide in is your wife" -Doc K-Stew

I think one of the biggest problems Jon and Kate ran into was that they learned to confide in other people besides their spouse. It seemed like they would use the cameras and their public audience to give information about their lives and vent; mostly about each other.

"Don't be lazy" -My mother

So the few times I watched the show I noticed that Jon always seemed reluctant to work, watch kids, and clean up. This led the most nagging I've ever witnessed. Did he deserve some of it? Sure. Did the nagging help? You tell me.

"...all she does is go 'SQUAK SQUAK SQUAK!' Here, have some more bird seed -----"- Jesse Shuff

Nobody likes and nag. They always come off as a glass-half-empty person. Trey Morgan always says couples need reinforcement, not nagging.

"Men loved to be complimented by their wives. Simple compliments like, 'Your hair looks nice today,' or 'You look handsome in that shirt,' will make your husband's day."- Trey Morgan

"I think I'm going to name the next one (Julia) Miney. I'll start calling Colt Eney, and Allison Meany" (Eney, Meany, Miney...)
"What about Mo" -Me
"There ain't gonna be no 'Mo'"- Philip Murphy

EIGHT KIDS! ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY!!! You've got to know your limits. I get it, they had trouble having kids then had to turn to fertilization techniques. If you're gonna load the gun, you've got be ready for the possibility of firing off all the shots. But in the end they surpassed their limits, and now it's their kids that will have to pay for it.

'Blah, Blah Blah'- Telemarketer offering me something
"Well is it Free?"- Me
"Honey, ain't nothin in life that's free."- Telemarketer

The van, the house, the trips, Jon's Hair plugs, Kate's surgery, and everything else wasn't free. It came with the cameras, the publicity, and the fame. You can't seriously expect to live your life under surveillance and maintain a close relationship with the people around you. There are things that go on in a house that nobody else needs to know about. Especially not the 5 million woman (and shamed men) who watched the program every week. I'm fairly sure the any intimacy that was there before Season 1 was probably gone by Season 3.

"If he's not getting it at home, he'll get it somewhere else"- Marybeth Greenway

Ladies, don't leave your husband at home during your rare spare time to pursue your book deal. Guys have fairly short attention spans. I think its easy for men to forget how much they love someone when that person isn't around. You've got to make time to make the relationship work. Frankly I'm surprised that Jon lasted as long as he did.

Paul "Waiting for the flood" Murphy

2009-08-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

An unsuccessful mission (The wise man built on what?)

vs

I hear people talking about how the Continent of Africa is a great mission field. I hear people using harvest metaphors. But I've got a problem with African missions. We haven't been doing a very good job.

You could say that Christian missions in Africa started in the 15th Century with the expulsion of the Moors by the Portuguese. In fact some of the earliest African missions were started in Portuguese areas of Northern Africa (see Pope Pius II calling for missionaries to Portuguese Guinea in 1462, Benin church 1485, Dominican mission to Senegambia 1486, etc.).

The strange thing is that even though we've had missionaries to the African Continent for the past 550 years it seems like there is an infinite amount of growth for evangelism. Unfortunately its impossible for there to be that much growth in population. What I'm saying is that the long-term effects of missionary efforts in Africa have almost been inconsequential. It seems like every 50 years you turn around and no matter how much progress had been made 50 years before the mission field was the same as it was in 1462 (Not completely but close).

Here's what seems to be the problem: infrastructure. It seems like in every wave of missionaries that we send they fail to set up an infrastructure for success. The Portuguese didn't do it in the 15th and 16th Century. The British, French, Germans, and Belgians didn't do it in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries. It looks like the only people who went into the African mission field with a legitimate plan for longevity may have been Bart, Mark, Philip, and James TL (The Lesser). The ONLY churches that have honestly survived in Africa for more than 150 years were the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and the Coptic Church. Both churches can trace their heritage back to the time of Acts. The Ethiopian church sites the baptism of an official by Philip as the beginning of their church. The Coptic Church can trace its roots to the missionary efforts of the apostles Mark, Bart, and James TL.

So what did the 1st Century missionaries do that the 15th-20th didn't? I think the answer is infrastructure. What's the difference in a church that we built 40 years ago in Kenya and the Lalibela churches in Ethiopia? One was built out of wood and mud and the other was carved out of the rock. One will stand until the a strong storm blows it down and the other has been standing for nearly 1000 years. What's your point Paul?

If we expect our missions to be successful we need to plan for the long term. We need to build churches that will stand over time, and not just the building. Something in our theology or actions hasn't worked in the last 500 years. Missionaries can go in and plant 50 churches in 5 years (I remember seeing figures like this in my Harding Magazine). That method didn't work 200 years ago what makes us think its going to work now?

In the end I don't think sending the right people is the answer. I think a lot of people go into the mission field with good hearts, and intentions; but that doesn't equal longevity. In order for a long term mission to be affective it has to be self-supporting. It has to have movement from with-in. We can keep sending missionaries to Africa for 500 more years, if we don't find a long term solution.

Education. I think the key is to educate people to be able to help themselves, to be able to preach. I think the goal of missionaries should be to start one solid church and make one solid preacher instead of 50 weak churches and preachers. We've got to set up educational facilities, preaching schools, and maybe even offer accessible ministry degrees to Christians in Africa. We can't keep feeding them the gospel; we have to teach them to feed themselves. We need to make less pew warmers and more bishops.

As the major mission fields are beginning to re-open around the world (see China pop 1.2 billion and India pop: 1 billion a combined 40% of the world population) I think its important to go in with a purpose. We need to make sure we're going in to build churches, not missionary newsletters that look good. It takes a lot more work and effort, but we need to carve our churches out of the rock.

Paul "I'll rail on short term missions later" Murphy

2009-08-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

This seems like a joke...

Job Title: Woodshop Teacher- Instr/Training Coor I
Agency: Commission for the Blind
Opening Date: Thu. 08/06/09
Closing Date/Time: Sun. 08/16/09 5:00 PM Eastern Time
State Salary Range: $24,881.00 - $46,033.00 annually
Agency Hiring Range: Min: Max:
Job Type: Temporary Grant - Full-Time
Location: Richland County, South Carolina
Normal Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:30 - 5:00)

Print Job Information | Apply

Description Benefits Supplemental Questions Additional

Within the scope of the grant, instructs blind and visually impaired consumers in the safe use of hand and power tools. Conducts well planned woodshop instructuctions/lessons with a goal of preparing consumers for employment. Maintains inventory of woodshop equipment, supplies and material. Provides direction and training in the repair of basic electrical and plumbing fixtures.

Minimum and Additional Requirements:
A bachelor's degree.

2009-07-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

New Career Idea

I'm:

unemployed
broke
living with my parents
hundreds of miles away from my girlfriend

This is the perfect recipe for a great musician

Youtube video links, myspace account, and website to come...

Paul "now all I need is talent" Murphy

2009-07-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

My Hero

Today I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate one of my favorite heroes. Someone who served his country in the Air Force as a test pilot (awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and retired as a Major General), was the first director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (my favorite museum and a dream job), and Astronaut (my favorite).

Congratulations to Michael Collins, and those other guys on Apollo 11, who made the possibilities endless.

Paul "Happy 40th" Murphy

2009-07-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Liberty and the Pursuit of Hapiness

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This is possibly one of the greatest declarations ever thought. The idea that we have God given rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; values that all people have title to. The problem is I don't think with really believe it.

Economics. Quick economics lesson. An economic environment where all parties are allowed to trade freely with each other creates specialization. Specialized economies with free trade are THE most efficient and productive economies. Specialization and competition allow for the best of the best to rise to the top.

Immigration. It always amazes me that in a country that boast about freedom we consistently and systematically keep people from moving here. It seems to me that if we truly believed that everyone was "endowed" with the rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness we wouldn't bar them from entering one of the few places in the world where those to rights seem to exist. People have decided that we don't want un-American influence and foreigners in our country. What are we afraid of? Are we afraid that we'll lose jobs? That our health care system will be over run? That our prosperous way of life will be over?

1. You may have been born here, but somewhere, someway, someone in your family showed up on a boat and was given the opportunity that we deny so many people.

2. If we truly believe in the idea of liberty why are we denying it to other people?

3. In an unrestrained economic system people win. Maybe not all people. Those who refuse to try to better themselves, who don't take advantage of the educational system, and who rather be mediocre lose. But for the rest of us its a huge win. If you're truly afraid that some uneducated Hispanic, Eastern European, African, or Asian person is going to take your job then maybe you're in the wrong career. And if you're afraid that some smarter, better educated Hispanic, Eastern European, African, or Asian person is going to take your job, then you'd work harder and prepare better.

I think I'm tired of the strict immigration laws in our country. I understand the need to keep many negatives elements out. But in the end I think if we truly believe that everyone is created with the rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness then we need to get out of the way of their rights.

Paul "Scotch-Irish" Murphy

2009-07-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

What's Half a Shekel Worth?

- 10 Gerahs Lev 27:25
- About 1/30th of a prostitute Hosea 3:2
- 1/40th of a Joseph Gen 37:28
- 1/60th of a slave goring Ex 21:32
- 1/160th of a Donkey's head during a siege 2 Kings 6:25
- 1/300th of a horse
- 1/1200 of a chariot 2 Chron 1:17

According to Rabbi Eliezer Posner, about $17 US.

I was having an interesting conversation with Adam Ellis the other day on our way back from Nashville. Ever since the conversation I've been having this idea bouncing around in my head. It taken me a few days on how to get it out and explain it.

Value. According to HumanForSale.com I am worth $2,521,562. I can't believe they took off points for hair color and height. I've been thinking the last couple of days about how we value ourselves. Not just ourselves but what we value in other people. For a long time I've been self-righteous about value. It's easy to scoff at people who value the wrong things about themselves (and others). There are so many women who believe their value is in how attractive they are. Good thing men don't have a problem like this. Our value is in something more reasonable like how good of providers we can be. Hopefully we value other things besides just height, weight, hair color, income, balding, and how much people exercise. I think we should really look deeper and see the other things in people that we value. We should value sense of humor, intelligence, the volunteer work they do, and things about there personality. Because that's how God values them.

Value. One of my favorite verses is the basis for the title. It's kind of weird and comes out of Exodus. 30:11-16

11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, [b] according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives."

2 Observations

#1 Our value to God isn't in how attractive we are, how well we can provide, our height, our weight, our intelligence, shoe size, drug usage, sense of humor, or any thing else that we obtain, are born with, or develop. Our value to God is solely that he made us. And he would give whatever it took for us to be with him.

#2 God values us all the same. Whether we choose to follow him or not. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. If you're a Saint or sinner. If you're on posters or in the projects. Which means that God loves the abusive husband, the junkie, the alcoholic, the murderer, the molester, and me all the same.

Your value isn't a sum of the parts. Your value was determined before time began.

Paul "=" Murphy

2009-06-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

Why I Hit Myself in the Junk

So today I was driving my Jeep to Aiken. I really love my Jeep. I should have had the top down today but my top isn't in perfect working order. In fact, its kind of hard to close because the top piece is broken. It leaves a gap and every time it rains it lets the water in. Its on the list of things to fix as soon as I get a real job.

Anyways, I was driving to Aiken. Suddenly I heard a smack above my windshield and realized a bug hit the top broken piece of my Jeep and fell into the car. I didn't think much of it. Then after about five minutes this "bug" flew up and landed on my leg. It was then that I realized it wasn't a bug but a nasty looking wasp complete with white stripes.

I thought for a split second about what to do. I decided to smack the wasp off my leg. Unfortunately there's not a lot of room to maneuver your hand between the steering wheel and your leg in a car. I merely tapped the wasp off my shorts and onto the seat, upsetting him. I tried again to kill the wasp by hitting it with my had against the seat, but the cushion gave and he was still angry when I picked my hand back up. The angry wasp was a little disoriented and heading for my crotch. So I slid back in my seat, as far as I could while still at the steering wheel, made a fist and punched at the wasp. I caught a piece of the wasp, but I also caught a piece of me in the process. Ouch.

Wasp 0 Paul Murphy also 0

Paul "I have issues with animals" Murphy

2009-06-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Time flys

OK so June recap.

1. Palmetto Bible Camp

This year was my first year to be the Junior Program Director. It was an easier gig then my last one but mostly because of the amazing staff we have at Superweek. I did some planning and preparation but the people who volunteered to do junior activities, speak and lead singing in junior chapel, and who helped coral kids did most of the work. And I got to see Aimee some when I wasn't working. It was still a ton of work and left me exhausted but good stuff.

2. IMPACT

Matt Fields and I went to IMPACT this year to work security. IMPACT is definitely a lot more high-tech then PBC. They have air conditioned buildings everywhere. They also have amazing productions, funny paid for acts, bands in the afternoon (Including the new Paul Murphy favorite Red Shepherd), and speakers they fly in. They also pay the Security people. It was a good time hanging out with Matt and the security crew for a week and a half. Oh, and I got to see Aimee some when I wasn't working. IMPACT also left me exhausted.

3. Now

Laundry. Mowing the yard. Figuring out what to do with my house. Interview with a college in Nashville next monday July 6th.

Paul "I have 15 billion new facebook friends" Murphy

2009-05-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

Over-developed Pre-frontal Cortex

I think the part of my brain that's supposed to make me afraid of stuff doesn't work so well. Either that or I'm a moron. Not sure which right now.

Last night Josh, Mark, and I decided to scope out a new local park. Mark said there were a lot of frogs at the park and it may be really good for frog gigging. We also had some interest in the all1gators that reside at the park. Mark has seen up to 12 in a day and the largest one is apparently around 13ft long.

I'll just make a long story short. At some point I found myself in the middle of an all1gator infested pond trying to catch one.

Some days I don't think things through.

Paul "Oh she's a bute" Murphy

2009-05-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I trust them...

So I was trolling for jobs this evening when I ran across this.

Research Assistant I - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Job Type: Full-Time
Location: Nashville, TN
Position #: 00215961
Standard Hours: 40
Req#: GC12906
Department Name: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Post Date: 05/22/2009
Job Description:

Under moderate supervision, set up, conduct experiments and continue research projects following protocols including the appropriate recording of data and reporting of standard or variant results. Assist in other laboratory and research functions.

Key Functions and Expected Performances:

* Mouse handling; including ear tagging and intraperitoneal injection
* PCR; DNA and protein electrophoresis
* Basic histochemistry and microscopy techniques
* Behavioral characterization ranging from basic sensorimotor tasks to coding of social behavior.
* General laboratory duties.

Ummmmm. What does child and adolescent psychiatry have to do with mice????? I'm not sure I trust them any more.

Paul "Less intraperitoneal. More Captain and Toneal" Murphy

2009-05-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

A Bad Reputation

There are some parts of life that I'm not real proud to share with most people. Some things are just embarrassing. Like when people ask where I'm moving to.

"Um... I'll be moving back to North Augusta."

"Oh, isn't that where your parents live?"

"Yeah, I'm moving back in with my parents."

That's bad, but what may be worse is when people ask about sports. Ok, ok, ok. I played intercollegiate ultimate Frisbee. In fact, I was a rock solid defensive player at the peak of my game. I went the entire 2006 Regional tournament without getting scored on.

Unfortunately ultimate Frisbee doesn't have much prestige in the world of athletics. Most people see it as a hippy sport people play with no shoes. Some even make fun of it. To think I use to like that blog.

But what may be worse is the image that the players themselves put off. Ultimate tournaments ALWAYS have a party after Saturday play. And not a toned down, hey lets meet at my house for drinks and a movie, party. Unfortunately the ultimate community has put off a vibe of ganja smoking, drunk on Sunday playing, and now public nakedness.

In case you haven't heard, the University of Oregon ultimate Frisbee team took the field at a tournament and played, what in the ultimate community, is known as a naked point. In their defense it was only their players at the field, it was freezing cold and raining, and they had long jerseys on. Also, I'd be lying if I said I never saw someone taking there clothes off on while playing ultimate. But in the end this all just looks bad on the Ultimate community as a whole.

What may be worse is when the U of O guys were called in before the student activities board they gave the most horrible answer ever. It went something to the effect of 'We don't think speeding, under-aged drinking, and public nudity at a college event, are wrong.' Oooft. Thanks guys. Nothing makes you look like an irresponsible college student like going to college to play a hippy sport, speeding, under-aged drinking, and public nudity.

I miss the days where people just thought ultimate players were non-athletic hippys who couldn't hack it in soccer and relied on some mystical Spirit of the Game.

Paul "Doesn't wear a towel" Murphy

2009-04-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Political Post of the Month

I don't have t.v. at my apartment. I have a t.v. set, but I don't subscribe to cable or have a digital antenna. This means my news outlets are very limited. I'm not really sure where the economy is, I don't have a clue on what President Obama is doing, and I'm not completely sure that being a pirate wouldn't be really cool.

Coach Salley and I were having a conversation in Lexington last Saturday after a PBC meeting. We started talking about abortion and it has had me thinking all week.

I think abortion is wrong. I think it's morally wrong to kill a human being; born or unborn. Incest, rape, whatever; it's still wrong.

I think homosexuality is wrong. I think it's morally wrong to have homosexual relations. I'm not a fan of "Gay Marriage."

Fortunately or unfortunately we live in a nation established under the pretenses of freedom. Freedom from tyrants, freedom from religious persecution, freedom from taxation without representation, freedom to say and do what you want without fear of an oppressive government getting into your business (as long as it's not hurting anyone else (Sir OWH Jr. "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins.")).

How do you balance morality with freedoms? You don't you go with morality every time. I'm not serious. I don't want to legally force anybody to be a Christian. I rather lovingly convince them of it. I do think abortion is a symptom of a community we haven't shown enough love to. The same probably goes for homosexuality. Maybe if more Christians were willing to take in other people's kids, then mothers wouldn't think their only option was a terminated pregnancy. Maybe if we showed God's love to kids that had been sexually abused, mistreated, and made fun of, we wouldn't have to have the conversation on gay marriage (That statement sounds really bad but I'm fairly sure I can justify it given more time).

I think its hypocritical to just try to vote things away and not take any action on the ground level. If you want to vote against abortion and gay marriage, get involved first in the lives of people.

But if we were just voting on things I have a solution. 28th Amendment. State selection. Each state should be able to choose whether they want gay marriage and abortion in their state. These two will not be subject to the Full faith and credit clause.

Paul "Nobody asked me anyways" Murphy

2009-04-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Fun at Dick's Sporting Goods

Well I'm into my last five days at work. So I thought I'd have some fun.

I'll start with a side note. If you ever find yourself in a Dick's Sporting Goods find a phone on one of the support pillars. Next dial #60. Now you're on the intercom so say whatever you want.

For the next few days I will:

1. Page myself to Bikes and Fitness

2. Page myself somewhere else in the store while a manager is talking to me. Then explain how I have to go.

3. Page other associates to random parts of the store

4. Page associates while they are talking to a manager/annoying customer

5. Sing Karoke every time Free Bird comes on

6. If I need to direct someone to the website I will no longer give them the correct web adress of www.dicksportinggoods.com. I will abrievate it to something else.

7. Start dancing with customers/employees when good songs come on the radio.

8. Show up to work with a headband.

If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment.

Paul "If I leave you tomorrow..." Murphy

2009-04-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Worried

I'm not worried. A week and a half ago I put in my three week notice to my managers at work. I mercifully decided to stay through inventory. I hate inventory and always have ever sense my Papa had us grand children doing it at the parts store. I think I locked myself in the bathroom on that one....

I've been getting a lot of phone calls lately from family memebers. Even family memebers I don't ussually get phone calls from. I think they're worried about me. Well, don't be. I'm not real sure what I'll be doing in another two months, but I'll be doing something. My plan is to finish that sorry house, then move somewhere else.

As of April 23rd I'll rejoin the unemployed and those living with their parents. But hopefully I'll be done with that after a month or two.

Paul "I'm late for work again, but what are they going to do?" Murphy

2009-03-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

I think next week I'll be able to send some more money as I may have extra work - The Jerk

Last week was rough. One of our elders at church has been having a rough time. A couple of months ago he went in to have an xray(?) on his back and they found an aneurysm in his abdomen and a spot on his lung. The aneurysm wasn't too terrible, but they wound up removing 1/3 of his lung and putting him on chemo therapy. He hasn't been feeling too well and has been having trouble at night. So for the next month or so Danny, Emmanuel, Aaron, and myself will be rotating out spending the nights over at Malcom's place. Malcolm is an old Texan and ACU grad so I'm hoping we can find two other people and play some 42.

A lot of my readers know our campus minister here at Clemson, and my good friend, Matt Fields. Matt's brother Heath died of leukemia Wednesday night and the funeral was Saturday. It's been a really rough week for Matt, David, Lisa, and the whole family. Keep them in your prayers.

I finally got 40 hours last week at work. It was the first time in a long long time. I took me staying until 3am Friday night moving some stuff around, but it feels good to know I won't be losing money in March.

Paul "I'm turning into Uncle Norman" Murphy

2009-03-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hand-Me-Downs are good, but not for that

I love hand-me-downs. Or at least I do now because if I get clothes from my brothers its because I take them. But that's nowhere near where we're going with this post.

I don't like spending money on expensive stuff. It just doesn't make sense to me on why you would buy a car that's $32,000 when a good 2-year-old Saturn goes for $5000. They do the same job. But this isn't a Dave Ramsey post.

Sometimes its good to spend a little extra money on something. Sometimes you could really use a better quality product because of the circumstances.

In my life I've found there is only one entity that is cheaper than a Murphy; Church. Churches never like spending money (unless its on a new building). There's always some old lady/ Extra cheap Elder/ Any Member who questions the expenditures during a budget meeting, and I get that. But there are some things you shouldn't be Murphycheap on.

Missionaries always seem to get the hand-me-downs of church. Now not all missionaries, but most. Churches this year are going to be cutting back on there expenses and I guarantee that one of the first things getting cut in almost all churches is the missions budget. That's terrible. Since when did we take the Great Commission to say "Make sure your church has everything it wants then leave the rest to go into all the world..." I think its terrible that some churches take what's left over and send that to missions. It's like these men and women we ask to do the dirty work for us are having to take our left-overs; our hand-me-downs.

Case and Point. Land Rover. One thing we don't think about a whole lot in our every day life are the roads we drive on. They are maintained and built extremely well. Even if you live on a dirt road the county road grader comes by once a month to smooth out the dips. But most of us don't live in a tropical monsoon climate. Seasonal rains decimate roads in under-developed countries. Even paved roads are tough on any vehicle if the roads are built well. And considering most developing nations don't have civil engineers sitting around planning roads, even the paved roads are crap. But if any missionary ever requested $60,000 for a Land Rover its doubtful they'd get it. Or even $38,000 for a Toyota 4Runner. But until you've driven down a nasty 220 inches of rain per year dirt road, you probably don't see the reason to spend that kind of money.

Churches throw some hand-me-down at their missionaries. Its a nice thought, but in actuality its almost a slap in the face. It usually breaks down, and winds up costing more money and headache than its worth. Most cars just aren't made for that abuse. And in the end you still have to buy that Land Rover.

I know a lot of churches will be looking for places to cut costs this year. Find something creative like turning up the thermostat in the building 6 degrees to save on electricity. So what if sister Dorthy gets upset b/c she has to stand 78 degree heat during the summer. Somewhere there's a missionary without A/C in 104 degree heat that probably a little more uncomfortable then you.

Paul "It doesn't have to have leather" Murphy

2009-03-12T12:48:00.000-07:00

You can hear it in their voice

One of the best parts of my job is how many people I get to interact with on a daily basis. Some people are jerks. Most people aren't. But my favorite people to see in the store are veterans.

Today I had a brief encounter with an older gentleman. I asked him if he wanted one of our turkey hunting fliers as he came through the door. He told me he didn't. He didn't ever want to kill anything again. And you could hear the pain in his voice.

I love it when I see an old man wearing a 82nd Airborne, Retired Navy, or Army Veteran hat. It makes me happy. I usually strike up a conversation and tell them that I like their hat/shirt/jacket. On occasion they'll check to see what I'm talking about, but most of the time they know. I assume because it means that much to them. I'll usually prod a little into some of the vagaries of their service. Most of the time we have a little conversation about their time in the military and I try to end it with thanking them and a handshake.

The conversations aren't always light and fluffy. Sometimes I strike up conversation and when I ask about their service time the tone of the conversation takes a turn. They'll get a look in their eye and have trouble keeping eye contact. Suddenly the tone and pitch of their voice will change and become nearly inaudible. You can tell that there are a lot of painful memories behind their sheepish demeanor.

Sometimes I forget the price that has been paid for our way of life, but they remind me. I don't care much for war, but I do care about the service men and women that have served and suffered for our country. If you see one of these guys walking around a store, I suggest you talk to them, and thank them too. It doesn't take much time but it always seems to mean a lot to them.

Paul "Not just a yellow ribbon magnet" Murphy

2009-03-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

Youth Ministry vs Campus Ministry

For two years I helped Philip out in Am Sam with our church youth group. It was fun, and painful, and frustrating, and , at times, rewarding. Campus Ministry has been quite different then youth ministry.

Getting people to show up to events

Youth- Have a really cool activity planned to entice kids to show up and bring their friends. Trips are generally best.

College- Have food

Participation

Youth- Some are excited and show up before you do, and some you have to drag out of their house to go to anything

College- Some are excited and show up before you do, and some don't return your phone calls; unless you offer to go eat and pay for the food

Support

Youth- Going to school events like volleyball games and cheering them on

College- Going to a smoke filled bar and hanging out listening to their band, while drinking over-priced coke.

Games

Youth- Video games, sports, and active games

College- Really nerdy games like Risk!, and Settlers of Cataan, and food

Growth

Youth- Getting all kids to grow in their faith

College- Keep them from giving up on their faith completely and leaving

Smoking

Youth- Keep kids from starting to smoke

College- Keep kids from starting to smoke illegal drugs

Drinking

Youth- Keep kids from drinking

College- Keep kids from drinking too much

Weird People

Youth- Someone in your youth group inevitably invites the weirdest friend they have. You know. That guy that wears woman's pants and whose face looks like it came out of a tackle box.

College- I try not to be the weird friend who shows up to stuff. Maybe get a piercing or tattoo to blend in.

Paul "I may be getting a tattoo" Murphy

2009-03-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

Something I might like if it weren't gay

What a horrible title. So there's this radio program that I sometime catch myself skipping over. It always plays the sappiest music. And there's some woman calling herself Delilah giving out romantic advice.

Now the few times I've had the misfortune of listening to this program (after I turned somebody elses car on and it was on the radio of course) people are always calling in and either requesting some sappy song for the person they love or are looking for relationship advice from this radio personality.

But last night as I was lulled into a trance by Bett Midler's "The Rose" suddenly Delilah came on and said something sappy. The next caller was brilliant. Well the caller wasn't but it made me laugh. The caller wanted a song played for the man she was completely in love with. Unfortunately for her this guy didn't want to date her, but at the same time was apparently getting jealous when she talked to other guys. She just knew this guy was the one for her. And then Delilah told her the truth. They weren't in love and they were in a terrible relationship. This guy didn't love her or want to go out with her. He just was a littl territorial. In 20 seconds she destroyed this ladies hopes and dreams.

And I laughed.

Paul "I have never nor will never make listening to 103.2 The Buzz a habit" Murphy

2009-03-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

Famous People on Rejection and Failure

Mother Teresa- Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other's faults and failures.

Michael Jordan- I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

Thomas Edison- I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

Robert F. Kennedy- Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly

I'm tired of failure and rejection. In the last year or so I've been turned down for jobs as a Wal-Mart floor sweeper, college janitor, construction worker, DSS social worker, car washer, baggage handler, roto-router man, and lots more. I've been turned down to shovel crap, clean gum off the floor, and wash cars. I'm tired of this junk.

So here's my new plan. I'm only going to apply for jobs that are too good for me. That way when I get rejected I can at least feel good about it. I'm sick and tired of getting passed over for jobs that I'm over-qualified for. From now on I'm getting rejected for jobs I should be rejected for.

Paul "1st job application will be to Michael Jordan to go 1 on 1 and win" Murphy

2009-03-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

Work Opportunity, Nashville, and Snow

So I found a really cool new job. In hopes of being able to save up enough cash for a mancation I'm going to start doing contract work for gambling associations. I have a unique ability to cause the Gamecocks to loose every game I go watch. So if you want to see the Gamecocks loose, whether for betting or rivalry purposes, pay for my travel and ticket to wherever and a nominal $250 fee for processing.

Well I went to Nashville this past weekend for a job interview and to hang out with Aimee and Josh C and other random Nashville people.

Saw a pretty good band Red Shepherd play Thursday night. I'll show them some e-love.

Went to a job interview with Youth Villages on Friday Morning. And got to see Joanna F.

Struck out with the coolest hot-dog joint in the world Friday Evening. They close at 3pm

Ate great pizza.

Played Rock band with Aimee, Kim P, Amanda D, and the Kurdish boys.

Slept in Saturday morning (it was raining and I was tired).

Went to the coolest hot dog joint in the world. They get a 9 out of 10. Best hot dogs ever.

Watched a 3D IMAX

Watched the Gamecocks get hammered by Vandy.

Drove home to teach Bible class in Clemson.

Busy weekend.

It snowed 3 inches yesterday and the it took me an hour to get home from work.

Paul "Glad I didn't run Josh's car into the ditch" Murphy

2009-02-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

My Valentine's Day Rant

Valentine's Day really irks me possibly more than any other day of the year, including national prostate exam day. Ok there's not really one of those, but if there was I might enjoy it more.

On any day named after a saint I have to ask myself, "Who was St. ________, and why do we _________ because of them?"

St. Patrick- we drink green beer. What does that have to do with slavery, snakes (false), and evangelism???

Unfortunately upon further investigation there is no hard historical evidence that a St. Valentine ever existed. It's more like a tomb of the unknown soldier, except of christian martyrdom. Apparently several of the early Christian martyrs took on the title of valens or worthy. Which would actually be a really cool holiday to celebrate. So how would we celebrate. 1. Drinking red beer 2. Fighting lions in an arena 3. Reenacting early Christian martyrs deaths.

But like all good things some jerk had to go off and ruin it for the rest of us. Thanks Geoffrey Chaucer. Thanks to you British people can't spell my first name right, I've had to read terrible poetry on several occasions (Canterbury Tales), and you completely botched a really cool holiday for the rest of us. I could be drinking red beer upside down instead of watching crappy Jared commercials on ESPN. Leave it to a poet to screw things up.

Which brings me to the second reason I don't like Valentine's Day. Jewelry commercials. I'm not against all jewelry, just diamonds. I have a serious problem with the whole diamond industry. It's an industry that has been marred by near slavery conditions for imported workers, contributing to financing several civil wars in Africa (Angola, Libya, Ivory Coast, Congo x2, Sierra Leon, and Zimbabwe), a monopolistic cartel that controlled most of the world's diamonds and jacked the price sky-high, and Cecil Rhodes. All for what? So that Westerners can have a piece of jewelry. It's exploitation, and we freely participate in it. Why do you need a diamond. "Because a diamond is forever." Who came up with that crap- the same people mining them. Why are diamonds engagement rings the standard? Because DeBeers had a brilliant marketing campaign during the 1920's. Who's DeBeers? Those dirty jerks who exploit the poor, import indentured labor, funded civil wars, ran everybody else out of the market, jacked up prices by controlling the market, and founded by Cecil Rhodes (that dirty jerk). They even managed to piss off Ghandhi, though be it indirectly.

I hate it. I refuse to participate in it.

Paul "Wishing he was watching commercials about drinking red beer while being flayed" Murphy

2009-02-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Plan your dive and dive your plan

Judy Shepherd taught me that one. You make a plan, then you follow it through. Judy was my SCUBA instructor years and years ago. In SCUBA diving there are a lot of things you need to plan for. Current speeds, visibility, air usage, and blood nitrogen levels. That air usage one is pretty important. It works great for diving, but not necessarily for life.

The problem is that the biggest things in life, those moments that shape us most in life, the memories we will hold forever, aren't the things we planned, but the unplanned. Nobody looks back on there life and planned their hardest and greatest memories. Which by the way, sometimes the hardest things we ever have to do are the greatest.

I've been holding on to some plans in life recently. I tried to hold on to them after they didn't work out so well. I have a problem/gift, I don't do anything at half speed. It's either all, or nothing. But when plans don't work out it leaves me flat on my face. It left me pretty bitter about stuff. But I realized something during the process.

I'll use a good scene from Gladiator to make my point.

I like the first part of the scene where Russell Crowe says, "Whatever comes out of these gates, we've got a better chance of survival if we work together." I think this is true about life and God.

What I realized is that I want to be so close to God, that it doesn't matter what comes out of the gates. That it doesn't matter what the future holds. I want to know that no matter what happens if I stick with God, I've got a certain chance of winning. And furthermore, I want God to stack the odds against me. I want an impossible fight, so that when he comes out victorious it will be that much more amazing.

Right now I don't feel like I've got much to work with and I don't know what the future holds. Sometimes I don't feel like I have the right tools to accomplish the task. Shamgar had a pointy stick, a little Jewish boy had lunch, David had three rocks, Moses had a speech impediment. The same God who moved through a plowman to kill 600 Philistines with an oxgoad and deliver his people, turned a snack into a meal for 5000, turned a shepherd into a king, and a murdering babbler into leader of his people is the same God who can work through me. He likes a challenge, and so do I.

Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Whatever comes out of those gates, I'll stick with God.

Paul "I'm tackling the next bear I see" Murphy

2009-02-03T19:07:00.001-08:00

Free

Today I woke up early. It takes a lot to get Paul Murphy out of bed by 7:00am. My alarm clock went off at 6:30. Sheesh, nobody cares how I'm going to smell at 7 in the morning. I'll just snooze past shower time. So I did.

By 7:05 I knew I was pushing it. People would be waiting for me in the BiLo parking lot at 7:15. But seriously, when have a college minister, pulpit minister, and college student ever been on time for anything. So I'll take a little more time. Surely I don't need to brush my teeth either.

7:08. Alright it time to get out of bed and get out the door. I'll put on some shower in a bottle (deodorant (took me 8 times to spell that right)) and some pants. I better put on something other than sweats. So I threw on some khakis and shirt.

7:10. It's cold outside. In fact the rain from yesterday froze my door shut on my Jeep. So I crawl in from the passenger side. Good thing I look like a hobo with a plaid jacket, messy hair, and slight odor.

7:20. I hop in a extended cab truck with Danny Vaden, Matt Fields, and Adam. Its tight but that's how fun trips go. We cut up all the way to Denny's.

Now I don't usually go to Denny's. Every time I go the service is horrible and it takes forever. I do have the notable exception of having gone to the northern most Denny's in the world though. But today was just the Denny's in Anderson.

Today I didn't care about the service, too much. In fact we waited for 30 minutes for a table and my Dr. Pepper never got refilled. But that didn't matter because my Grand Slam breakfast was free. And free tastes soooo much sweeter than normal.

Unfortunately it only further solidified the notion that Denny's food is O.K. and the service is terrible.

Paul "But who cares because free is free" Murphy

2009-02-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

Problem

January was PACKED out with stuff. It was really good to finally have a month where I felt I could take time off and do stuff. It was pretty busy. Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL. Hanging out in L-town for a couple of days. PRAXIS II Test and Preaching the next weekend. Gulf Coast Getaway in Panama City, FL with the college group.

I finished the month up strong with a quick trip to Tennessee. I stopped in at Sam's in Knoxville after work last Thursday night and hung out with him and Mandi. I proceeded on to Nashville to spend some great time in the morning with Josh C. Then Aimee and I hung out at the Cheekwood botanical garden and art exhibit; which sounds pretty gay and whipped, but in my defense it was the $1 per person option of stuff to do in Nashvegas. It was a cheap way to do something interesting but really I just wanted to hang out with Aimee so back off. Then we had dinner (Great pick Kevin) and hung out at her friend's house and then I drove home. Long Friday but hey, I had to be back at work on Saturday. Fantastic way to spend my one day off.

New thought so I'll add some extra space.

I always thought I'd know when I was doing God's will. I always thought that God had a plan for me. I always thought that when I was doing what God wanted me to it would be absolutely clear and evident that I was following the right path. It seems that every time I heard of someone talking about following God that at some point they knew they were making the right decisions because of all the cool stuff that happened to them. Somebody considers moving to a new place, but there not sure, and all of the sudden the perfect job opens up and they're making like $80,000 a year.

I don't have the perfect job. I'm not making $80,000 a year. I'm continually past up for jobs. I'm to the point that I get about one rejection email a week now.

So here's my problem. Why am I working for $10/hr at a sporting goods store?

I hope its not true but the answers that keep creeping into my mind are either
A: I really am not good enough for any of the other jobs I've applied for
B: I'm not in the right place

Paul "I could use some better answers" Murphy

2009-01-26T15:41:00.000-08:00

I recant the last blog. Completely and fully.

In other unrelated news I'll be in Nashvegas Friday.

Paul "fulcrum" Murphy

2009-01-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

Some good advice

I had an old friend post a picture of me on facebook from middle school. It reminded me of how uncool I managed to be in middle school. See if you can spot the uncool Paul Murphy in the picture

Alright.

Bottom Row. Second from the left. Wearing "Jorts." Uggfff.

I think its perfectly acceptable to be uncool. But some stuff didn't make any sense.

Middle school Paul on dating- Back in the day I thought the key to getting ladies was what I had to offer. I went down a check list of things. If I didn't have it I got it- for the ladies. Since of humor- check. Intelligent- Double Check. Good Cook- yup. That's right I thought being a good cook would be attractive to the ladies. I also thought that if I was good with children that'd be attractive to high school girls. I went around life trying to accumulate skills I thought would be attractive to the opposite sex. It never seemed to work though. Maybe I should have been trying to pick up middle aged divorcees.

Then it all changed around my junior year of college. I was sitting in my Gospel of John class listening to Shawn Daggett. Good class. I love sitting by Justin Bland in any class but Mr. Daggett always had a good spin on things. We were talking about the possibility of Jesus being married or having any relationship with Mary M. One of the girls in the class raised her hand and asked if Mr. Daggett thought that women would have been attracted to Jesus. His reply was brilliant.

"Of course I think that they were attracted to Jesus; he's what all men should be."

It was at that point that I realized all my cruddy skills didn't matter. In fact they may have been a waste of time. Maybe the most attractive thing I could do was to be as much like Jesus as possible.

Paul "So then I grew my hair out and look what happened" Murphy

2009-01-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

Outback... to the shed to get a whippin

I don't know if this is true for girls, but for guys you always know who your best friends are in this world by who'll make fun of you most to your face. Or blog.

I got to go to the Outback bowl last thursday to watch my South Carolina Gamecocks play. Or really not play but look like a high school team and get dominated. But that was ok because the trip was amazing.

Thanks to Luke Close we got some amazing seats. 50 yard line 15 rows up from the field. Ridiculous. They were also "Club Passes" so we got to use the Club Entrance and hang out in the Club Lounge. All for free.

The best part of the whole trip had to be getting to hang out with Allen Close, Luke, and Dylan. We had a great time, and some really good talks. We listened to some good Randy Harris sermons on the way back that were really amazing.

So props to Luke for the sweet tickets and road trip.

Paul "Never seen the Gamecocks win in person" Murphy

2008-12-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

End of the Year Grades

Well I'll call 2008 all but over. Its been an interesting year. There's been some really cruddy things go down in 2008 and some really cool stuff too. There have also been a lot of 1st for Paul Murphy in 2008.

1st
- International vacation by myself
- Time to replace a wheel bearing on a truck- twice
- Spearfishing adventure
- Time to pick up a dead dog out from under my bed
- Time to fast and pray
- Caught my first live rat
- Time to reset the date counter ever
- Time to hold hands with Aimee Nicholson
- Bad date ever
- Rejection for a job after an inteview
- Trip to Carowinds
- Win in a Columbia Volleyball Tournament
- Dumb comment to Aimee's Dad
- To step out and expect God to catch me
- Apartment
- Place to live with nobody else :(
- Job in retail (and hopefully the last)

There have been some really good things that happened this year. There has also been a lot of stuff I could have done without.

Bad
Going completely broke in February
Peaches the dog and all of her ticks
Being unemployed for 4 months and getting pretty depressed about the whole thing
Gus the Truck
Working during the entire Christmas season
Not getting to see most of my friends and family

Good
Learning to trust God more
Getting to spend time with Aimee
Selling Gus the Truck
Renewing my relationship with my Jeep Wrangler
Getting to play in a frisbee tournament with the old team
Hanging out with Josh again
PBC
Working
Free furniture
Working with the CSF in Clemson
Frog gigging
Spear fishing
Getting to know Josh Carrillon better
Xbox night that I missed so much
And so so so much more

2008 hasn't been easy, but it's definitely been a good year.
I'll give '08 a big A+ and it may get a lot better.

Easley HS is looking for a Social Studies teacher to finish out the year.
I'm going to see the Gamecocks play on New Years Day.

Paul "Outback Bowl Bound" Murphy

2008-12-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Engineering, Rejection, and David Spade

Christmas was good. Although my family abandoned me and left to go see other family I persevered. This makes two Christmases in a row that I haven't been able to spend with my family. It was cool though because Aimee's family invited me over for lunch and a movie or two. Good stuff.

A lot of people think about gifts this time of year. Whether its that cool Wall E robot toy or Emanuel I think everybody has stopped to think about gifts at some point or another.

Today I was thinking about some of the best gifts my parents ever gave me. Photon was good but not the best. I think some of the best gifts mom and dad gave me were the brilliant life lessons they would share from time to time.

Dad on engineering and relationships
Dad works as an engineer. While he's not the greatest people person ever he has some phenomenal insight on what makes people work. Now dad never has given the best advice on dating or romance, but every now and then he'll surprise you. He often skips valentine's day and rarely takes mom out. I still like his ideas on relationships.

Every relationship has issues. Dad says that a relationship is like a rubber band attaching two objects. Generally any stress (conflict) put on the rubber band (relationship) will eventually bring the two objects (people) closer together. But that's not always the case. Sometimes the people move so far away that the band breaks. Sometimes there is just stress (conflict) and there is just tension sitting on the relationship. At that point you have a choice: Leave the tension in the relationship, Take the relationship off, or shift.

Dad says conflict is an inequality between expectation and action. So when conflict arrives its either because of a change in expectation or action. The engineer solution is simple: Either change the expectation, or change the action.

Rejection
I get rejected by Aimee a lot. At least it feels like a lot. And don't understand why either because I've had some really good ideas.
1. Lets go to Vegas
2. You quit school and I'll quit my job so we can hang out more
3. Lets go to Charleston (Every time we get on I-26 East, its only 2 hrs)
She could have easily replaced David Spade in those annoying Capital One commercials with her incessant rejections. Most of the time I'm getting rejected for my ideas of ways to spend more time together.

I've been working a lot of weird hours, Aimee works and goes to school, and most of the time we're 6 hours away from each other. We don't get to hang out that often. Sometimes it causes conflict. But I've got a choice- win the lottery so I don't have to work, get out of the relationship, or change my expectations. Since I don't play the lottery and there's no way I'm getting out unless she kicks me out, that leaves me with changing my expectations. Easy out. This next semester Aimee will be both working more and taking on a greater course load. I don't expect I'll get to see her much. But it won't last forever, and I'll wait for her on the other end of August.

Paul "I love Aimee" Murphy

2008-12-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

Games I Play

Working at a sporting goods store has some perks. I've come up with a few games I play at work.

Puzzle
ESPN is on all the time. By about 2:30 I usually can piece the entire 30 min program together.

Work-out (not really a game but still fun)
When there is nobody in the store and I've done everything that needs to be done, I work out. Yup, I have a plethora of weight lifting equipment in my section so I make sure it's all in display form by working out. Some days I'll get 100 crunches in.

Mockery
I mock teenagers who try to use Bikes and Fitness as a date or friday night activity. Every Friday and Saturday I've got tons of adolescents coming in my territory and punching the heavy bags, removing boxing gloves from the packaging without putting them back, trying to kick-flip on my skate boards, and playing on my fitness equipment. So I make fun of them for it. "Hey, get your mom to drop you off somewhere else next friday." "Does your girlfriend always bench press more than you?" "My grandmother moves a heavy bag better than that" "Its called a 'Speed Bag' not a 'Slow Bag'"

Bonus
I have an inversion table in fitness. Most people don't know what it is so they just hop on it and pretend to do sit-ups on it. An inversion table is made to invert people. It also has to be set pretty close to the right height and weight to be counter-balanced correctly. So for fun I go and set it to a way low weight. That way when some unsuspecting teenager hops on it and leans back they go tumbling over backwards and get stuck up-side-down. Its really funny. I laugh at them a lot. Then when they leave in embarrassment I go and pick up all their pocket change.

Paul "Scrooging it out for Christmas" Murphy

2008-12-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

It's Bad, but it Could Be Worse

Sometimes things have a way of stacking up to get you down. It's been a rough week. Frankly its been a rough year. I suspect by the end of the year I will have made something like $12K. Which if great if this were 1972. I still can't find a decent job and working at Dick's is slowly getting worse.

I went to the Greenville Co School District mid-term teacher recruitment event. It sounded promising. 12 openings (mostly for math and speech path) 137 potential teachers. One social science opening. It was in a magnet school no less. I knew the opening was there and to prepare for it I signed up for my Praxis tests so I can start my PACE application. $210 of Praxis tests. That's over half a weeks work. Uggf.

At work we've been understaffed since the day we opened the doors. We've just been doing more business then projected. About 25% more. They kept telling us the more business we did the more hours we'd get.

Today I was starting to really get down about the whole situation. In fact I was toying with the idea of moving somewhere that maybe had a better job situation. I guess in some way working at Dick's translates in my brain to my worth being $10/hour. I think I'm worth more than that, but if somebody else thought so too, then maybe I'd have a job that didn't involve picking silica packets off the floor constantly.

I got to work today and the schedules had all been taken down with a sign "Schedule changes. If you have any questions call Adam." That's generally bad. Sure enough they cut hours at work b/c of the crappy economy, even though our store is doing fine. I looked at the new schedule and they hadn't changed my hours at all. I'll still be cranking in about 40/ week.

Things are bad, but they could be a lot worse.

Paul "Dr. Burks doesn't usually send me emails" Murphy

http://www.harding.edu/Advancement/video.html

2008-11-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

Cruddy Blog

Well my blog stinks. I think its because I don't have time to get too bored and go do stupid stuff like usual. Even my exciting stories aren't that exciting. Its sad really. Sorry.

I worked 12 hours today and sold a bunch of stuff. I guess that's good.

I spent Thnxgvg at mom and dad's.

I got a dog. It's one of Colt's dog's puppies. He really likes to climb on stuff. He tried to climb into the dishwasher but didn't have enough oomf to get up. I like an adventurous dog. So I decided to name him after another great climber. His name is Ed (Hillary). It was either that or Tenzig and I decided that Ed was a better name and people wouldn't always be like "What? Why didn't you give it a regular name like Spot?" Well its my dog and I'll do what I want that's why.

Ed's cool. I hope to one day teach him how to heard goats, children, and penguins. I'd also like to teach him how to love Taco Bell.

Paul "Needs two consecutive days off" Murphy

2008-11-20T13:37:00.001-08:00

Specials at the place I work

So here are the specials for next Friday the best I can tell. These should be nation wide. ( ) these are my estimates at the price.

Carhart jackets and pants ($??)

Baja motor scooter ($90)

Iron horse 24" bike ($150)

Response Sport XE mountain bike $299

Iron Gym (doorframe pull-up bar) ($19)

Horizon E401 treadmill or elliptical ($299-$399)

Rossi matched pair rifle/ shotguns ($150-250)

Paul "Likes to share Murphycheap" Murphy

2008-11-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

Age of Accountability

The other day I was driving down the road and thought about voting in church. I know some congregations that have a men's meeting a vote on things. Other congregations just vote on stuff every once and a while dealing with elders and deacons. I don't know where your church falls but it doesn't really pertain to this post. I was thinking about who gets to vote in church elections. Some say the men, some baptized believers, some say baptized believers over 18. But when did God ever set an age for something. It got me thinking about age in the church.

So I was thinking about the "Age of accountability" as so many people refer to it. I've never heard a really good argument for the whole idea of there being a certain age where someone is absolutely responsible for there sins. I've heard some people suggest that when someone knows "the difference between right and wrong" they are accountable. I don't buy it because a 2 year old knows when they did something wrong.

I guess I've been thinking a lot about baptism this past week and the huge commitment that it is. It really disturbs me when I see someone who fairly young get baptized. I just don't think a 9 year old knows what type of commitment they're getting into.

I think we have a serious baptism problem in the Church of Christ. I think we push baptism at an early age. Let me put it this way. As a country we say you're not allowed to drink until you're 21. Why? Responsibility. You can't vote until 18. In most states they don't let you operate a motor vehicle until 16. But it seems like a lot of churches push baptism around 12. Not responsible enough to drink, vote, drive, or get married, we'll let you decided the most important decision you'll ever make at 12 or sometimes 9 or 10. Seriously???!!! I know a lot of people who think getting married before you're 20 is irresponsible, but that's only the second biggest commitment you'll make!

Here's my take. I think we've watered down baptism. I think we've watered down what it means to be a Christian; to be a follower of Christ who was crucified. I think we've taken a "Better safe than sorry" approach so far that we push baptism on people who don't know what they're getting themselves into. By the way Safe?! who said anything about safe! God is not SAFE, but he is GOOD (Clive Staples rip-off). Christ told his disciples to take up their cross; that's not safe. Your Christianity should put you in harms way, or at least in a really uncomfortable spot.

I started out with a title and a thought about age and I'll get to that here in a minute. I think we doubt God's grace, and we push younger kids to get baptized. Oh and by the way, the only time I could find that God set an age for something was in Exodus where those 20 and under were the ones allowed into the promise land. Is there an age where people should consider their salvation and are accountable? Definitely. Is it 8? No, no its not. I don't know what it is but I think 20 is a good number, and the only scriptural one.

Paul "I broke up a domestic dispute last night" Murphy

2008-10-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Extra Cheap

This week I decided to go ahead and settle on a budget. So lets get some facts straight before somebody goes "Ramsey" on me. I'm a bike technician making $10/ hr with a graduate degree worth of student loans (and degree). Luckily I found a cheap apartment ($325/ month) and I keep my electricity bill low by not running heating or air ($17 last month). So I'll figure the rest out later including throwing in some extra budget for roadtrips (it should be one word).

While thinking of a budget I was trying to figure out how long it would be until I could get my xbox 360, internet and giant 42" plasma tv. Honestly I find if I cut back on food cost and driving I can save some serious cash in a few months. That's how I financed the NZ trip last year. But that got me thinking about how much stuff is too much.

I work in a sporting goods store. I see stuff all day. It makes me sick sometimes. There are so many people without stuff and we have so much stuff. This isn't a political conundrum, its a christian problem.

It's estimated that in 2007 1 million people died of malaria. MALARIA! Its not that hard to cure/prevent. 70% of those were under the age of 5. CCF claims to be able to offer a carton of malaria medication for $321. What have I wasted $321 on in the last year??? It's estimated that 4500 children die a day because of unsafe drinking water or insufficient toilet facilities. Women and girls in underdeveloped nations walk an average of 3.5 miles carrying 5 gallons a water a day. I don't know how long it takes you to walk 3.5 miles with carrying 5 gallons half of the way but after that I'm not sure I'd want to walk another 4 miles to get to school. In the US and Europe we spent $17 billion on our pets while people and children are struggling to survive.

But you know what? I work really hard for my hard earned money. I'm not responsible for taking care of other people half way around the world. Maybe if they went to school and learned some basic biology and geology they could dig there own wells and make there own vaccines. What's God done for me lately? I work a cruddy underpaying job and live in a one bedroom apartment in the ghetto. Maybe I'll just keep my money.

LORD, we cleared this land, we plowed it, sowed it and harvested, we cooked the harvest, it wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be eatin’ it, if we hadn’t done it all our selves. We worked dog-boned hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same anyway, LORD, for this food we’re about to eat. Amen.” - Shenandoah

On the other hand there's Mathew 25:44-45.

I think like Jimmy Stewart a lot in Shenandoah. But honestly at least I have a job and God has blessed me with it and in it (read #1 Dick's in the nation and #1 bike tech for sales and gross warranty sales). Sure I don't have as much as a lot of people, but I sure have a whole lot more than most people. Running water alone puts me ahead of 1 billion people.

I still don't know what to do about the xbox and big tv.

Help?

Paul "I'd also like to get some climbing gear" Murphy

2008-10-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

My cool Church (Re-post from 10/?/06)

Today I was thinking about cool people at church and how I'd like a church just full of cool people. My cool church would be full of cool people. Aaron Hasten would be our cool preacher. He'd have killer sermons every Sunday. We would all sit and make hmmm noises every time he made a thought provoking comment. He'd have cool stories to go along with his cool lessons. Some Sundays we wouldn't even have sermons just praise and sweet fellowship. We wouldn't have a song leader. We'd only have Chris Thompson sitting on the front row with a microphone. He wouldn't be the song leader, only the song starter. Yeah, that'd be cool. Oh, and Stephen Lamb would be there to do the Sunday morning adult class. He would have amazing lessons every week about salvation, and tying in current events with our Bible lesson. Lessons about the LRA, Christianity in China, and cool stuff like that. The Harding University Ultimate Frisbee team would be in charge of Sunday evening services. Guys like Justin Bland, Luke Dockery, Whit Jordan, Branson Bridges, Johnathan Lindsey, Jordan Walters, Daniel White, Jake Beveridge, and Landon Ganus. We'd have better attendance on Sunday evening because of people who's church's weren't as cool sneaking over for our service. Serving communion with cool communion thoughts would be some of the greatest servants that I'll ever know; Matt Fields, Kyle Jurek, Jeremy Stoneburner, Curt Harbuck, Brandon Stone, Danny Vaden, Thomas Kinsley, Stephen Jennamann, and Kevin Stewart. We'd have cool outreach ministries too. Ministries like a homeless ministry lead by Daniel Tignor, Sam Travaglini, and one of our deaconesses Amanda Pratt. I think it'd be cool to have deaconesses. We'd have a church athletic program headed up by Sean Brown, and we'd field a team for every game played at the park. And we'd be good because we have a cool church and cool people like Greg Maddux and Doug Flutie would come to our church. We'd dominate in sports. We'd have cool computer stuff because David Kelly would keep us up to date with everything. We'd also have cool elders, elders like Greg Beam, Dr. Klein, and James Taylor. I think having James Taylor as an elder would be pretty cool. We'd have cool functions like singles ministry mixers, multi-denominational worship services, and of course pot-luck lunch, except on every Sunday. And pot luck would be cool because we'd have like a lot of different nationalities go to our cool church so we'd have lots of different foods. Sam's mom would be in charge of the potluck.

People everywhere would want to come to our cool church. Max Lucado would send his resume' once a month and ask if he could preach for us. We'd just tell him that we might have a spot for him one Sunday about three years down the road if he wanted to be a guest speaker. Donald Miller would come to our church and help with the college class. Byron Nelson would have helped with our Retired ministry and golf lessons. Joshua Harris would want to come to our church but we'd make him take care of the toddlers during class; without physical contact of course. Weird Al would host Karaoke night on Thursdays. Barrack Obama would come to our church too, he'd be in charge of our bus ministry (I think that's a joke but I'm not really sure). Bottom line. Lots of cool people.

But there would be alot of problems with our cool church. First of all I think I'd get too old for our singles ministry and find myself not fitting in anywhere. I also think that I would eventually get kicked out of my cool church for not being cool enough. But even worse, I think people would start coming to my church because it was the cool thing to do and not because of their devotion to Christ. Also, Jesus didn't just invite the cool people, but everybody. The fact is at church you're gonna have to deal with some not cool people. Which you can already tell I have the wrong attitude about. Sometimes it is difficult to find a common ground with the people you go to church with, especially if you go to church 9000 miles from home. Bottom line: Jesus loves everybody and thinks they're pretty cool. I should probably find out what so cool about them.

Paul "got kicked out of his own cool church" Murphy

2008-10-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Exhausted

Insert generic apology about not blogging here --->.

It's been busy since I started work 2 and a half weeks ago. Worse I came into worked exhausted from the ultimate tournament. Ever since I started I've been pulling down 50 hour weeks. I've had several scheduled days off but I all except for two of them I wound up working anyways. Conversations went like this:

My stressed manager: We've got a bunch more stuff to do, and a full truck coming in the morning when we only have four people working.

Me overhearing the conversation: I can be here at 6am.

MSManager: That's awesome.

So I've accumulated serious bonus points with the manager. Including one episode where I messed some stuff up the day before we opened (today). My manager was disappointing that it wasn't going to be perfect. I told him I'd stay as long as it took to fix. More bonus points.

Last week was REALLY busy and tiring. I worked 50 hours with one day off. So what do you do when you have a day off? Roadtrip to Nashville to see Aimee. I left Wednesday at 5:30 and crashed with Josh C. Aimee and I got to spend all day Thursday hanging out. Then around 11:00pm I left for home. I got here about 6am and was at work at 8am. A little tired but completely worth it.

Oh, I'd also like to start putting up a Dicks Deal of the Week on the blog. This is where I scour the store for good prices and post them.

Two Deals this week: 1. Diamondback Response '08 Mountain Bike- rock solid mtb with sweet gear discounted $80 to $319. The Response 09 is $399

2. Safari TT double jogging stroller- $40 down from $199. Also if you go to the Anderson store I only have the display model so you get an automatic 10% off.

Paul "Stoked to be dating Ms. Lexington 2002" Murphy

2008-09-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

Busy.

Well in the last week or so I've gotten a lot done. I had a job interview last thursday with Dick's Sporting Goods as a bike technician. In previous interviews I've tried to let my accolades speak for themselves. I mean if you do the math a graduate degree and two years work experience at 24 don't equal normal. The subtlety hasn't been working. So I went in this one and told them how I dominate life.

Last friday I went to meet Josh in NA to road trip out to a frisbee tournament in Alabama. While hanging out doing my laundry at mom and dad's I got a phone call from Dick's. They wanted me to start as soon as possible. So Monday I started work.

I've been building bikes for the opening and trying to get stuff set up. Its been a really really fast week. Especially with the frisbee tournament mixed in there.

The Harding Alumni team was amazing this weekend. It was great to hang out with all of the guys. And we played well. I didn't have my best showing but all in all I think it was ok for not playing competitive ultimate in two and a half years. Good stuff.

Paul "I'll let you know when we have a discount on damaged bikes" Murphy

2008-09-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Waiting

Went camping this weekend and it was fantastic. I got to hang out with Josh, Amber, Kyle, Maddie, Mark, Lindsay, and Aimee. Good stuff.

Aimee and I made it back for church in Clemson and got to hear a really good sermon and waiting for God. Kelly Cambell came down from Tenn Tech. It's weird sometimes how sermons seem to come at just the right time. Kelly preached on the idea of waiting for God. He pointed out that in a culture of express lanes and fast food that the idea of waiting for God is easily lost. And it is.

Waiting is tough. But its amazing to me how often God expects people to wait on him. There's probably something to be noted that the word "wait" shows up most in the books of Job and Psalms, two books about struggle and a desperate desire to feel God.

It hit me in the shower this morning. Waiting may be one of the greatest acts of love. Now sacrifice is up there, but the people who loved God the most were generally the ones called to wait on him. David who loved God with all of his heart writes on several occasions about waiting for God. Job was called to wait on God's relief.

Then there's the story of Lazarus. Here are two women who love Jesus and whom Jesus loves. Also John says when they sent a message to Jesus they didn't say "Lazarus is sick;" the phrasing was "the one you love is sick." But Jesus makes them wait. He doesn't make anyone else wait in all of his miracles. Blind man- BAM! mud and he can see. Centurion- go back your son is well. Lame Man- Take up your mat and walk. His friends he loved- wait.

Waiting is one of the greatest acts of love. There's no reward in site with waiting. Job doesn't know God will rescue him. David only has hope that God will comfort him. Mary, who washed Jesus' feet, saw her brother die while Jesus wouldn't come. Waiting is tough and requires something different then service.

What's probably most amazing about all of this isn't how much love people show toward God, but the other way around. It's amazing to me how hard waiting is, even for a relatively short amount of time. But what's more amazing is how long God is willing to wait on me. I think after a while I'd probably give up on God. But God will never give up on me. He'll wait as long as it takes, and that's is unbelievable.

So here's some Coldplay as I wait.

'Til Kingdom Come

Steal my heart... and hold my tongue
I feel my time... my time has come
Let me in... unlock the door
I never felt this way before

And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don't know which way I'm going
I don't know which way I've come

Hold my head... inside your hands
I need someone... who understands
I need someone... someone who hears
For you I've waited all these years

For you I'd wait... 'Til Kingdom Come
Until my day... my day is done
and say you'll come... and set me free
just say you'll wait... you'll wait for me

In your tears... and in your blood
In your fire... and in your flood
I hear you laugh... I heard you sing
I wouldn't change a single thing

And the wheels just keep on turning
The drummers begin to drum
I don't know which way I'm going
I don't know what I've become

For you I'd wait... 'Til kingdom come
Until my days... my days are done
Say you'll come... and set me free
Just say you'll wait... you'll wait for me

Just say you'll wait... you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait... you'll wait for me

Paul "Being still" Murphy

I've got a job interview tomorrow

2008-09-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

Murphy-cheap Moving

So I haven't been blogging much. And the blogs I put up aren't of any real importance. I've been kind of down lately. I decided to move to Clemson, SC and help out with the Clemson college ministry. So I moved. I don't have a job yet and that's really stressful. I've been passed up for a lot of jobs this summer and it started taking its toll. My self-esteem has really suffered. But things are working out a little better now; I have an apartment. It's my first place to live by myself since freshman year of college. I didn't want it to be that way, its just the way things worked out.

So how do you furnish an apartment when you don't have a job? Easy, you go the Murphycheap route.

Entertainment Center- $0 stole Philip's old one
Mattress- $0 reclaimed my old one from the bunk bed
Microwave- $0 There are some good things about Philip and Jaime moving
Sofa and Loveseat $0 Its time for mom and dad to get new ones anyways
T.V. $0 Ganking Josh's one from college
Dishes $0 Thanks to Josh and Amber

I'm still considering a washer and dryer. I know of a pricey set, I'm just not sure I want to pay $0 for Jaime's old one.

I still really really really could use a job. Maybe I'll get that job as a custodian. Seriously.

Paul "Step out the boat" Murphy

2008-08-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Swindled

Today I had a list of things to do.

Get UPA waivers sent off. Check
Buy DC power inverter. Stole Dad's. Check
Mow lawn at the house. Check
Print off all 7 different versions of my resume. Check
Get ready to move to the woods. I'll be ready by tomorrow.

On my way home from errands I stopped for the 79 cent Dr. Pepper at the Circle K. But strange things were a foot at the Circle K. After I bought my DP I found a guy outside selling Peaches. I figured I'd buy some peaches from this farmer, as its really close to the end of the season. Last chance for fresh peaches for the whole year. So I spent $10 on a bag. But then I noticed something weird as I drove away. Something I hadn't seen driving up.

Now when I first drove up to the guy and his truck I didn't notice the huge mistake I was making. I thought about asking, but thought it might be rude. I should have considering it was the Exit 1 circle K. But as I drove away I saw he had a Georgia license plate. I just bought Georgia Peaches! Huge mistake.

Now for those of you who are thinking "Oh, Georgia Peaches. That sounds nice. Georgia is the Peach State, so what's the big deal?" I'll excuse your ignorance. Georgia is the Peach State, but that's like saying New York is the Friendly State, Hawaii is the Cold State, and California is the Sane State. Sure there are friendly people in New York, Snow on Kilawaia, and people who aren't out of there mind in Cali, but those aren't exactly the quintessential characteristics of those states.

South Carolina produces more peaches than Georgia and any other state. Why? Because South Carolina peaches are better. The look better, taste better, and are bigger. I live just south of the largest peach producing area in the US- Edgefield County, and somehow I've managed to buy Georgia Peaches. Stink. I'm so aggravated.

Paul "Noah's Wife?" Murphy

2008-08-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Jobs

Well its almost time for school to start and I still don't have a job. Which is ok. I mean, really, there's tons of stuff a B.A. in Social Science and a M.S.E. qualifies me for. Tons of stuff. Tons... of stuff. I just haven't found it. Its starting to get a little frustrating, but today I finally found a job I could excel at.

I was searching through the Discovery Channel's job listings. I was hoping to find something really cool like "Man vs. Wild terrain scout", "Shark week underwater photographer", "Deadliest Catch survival suit tester", or "Cash Cab question junkie." I didn't find those. What I did find was amazing.

As I scrolled through the job listings of sales and manager positions I found something I could dominate. The job title simply said "Preditor." Which I thought would be amazing. I would make a dominating preditor. I could kill lots of stuff. Maybe I'd get a chance to go Man vs Wild against Bear Grylls. Yeah, that's a job I could get into. Attacking stuff as a Preditor.

Unfortunately I was not blessed with an acute eye for spelling. Apparently "Preditor" and "Predator" are two different things. They weren't looking for a ferocious human being to attack stuff (which I'd have dominated) but someone to look at film and scripts before the real EDITOR, or the Pre-Editor. Stink.

Well that leaves me with a few more options. I can always work at Taco Bell. Or I could do something in the construction field. I'm not desperate yet. I mean I can alway find work as a male prostitute, which is disappointing as well. Apparently your still being hired by dudes.

Paul "'bout to go Thoreau on society" Murphy
I can eat squirrels

2008-08-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

The Weekend

Well I had a solid weekend. Friday I went to L-town and hung out with Aimee. I also made the first of many dumb pmurph comments to her dad.

A conversation between Aimee, her dad, and myself

blah blah blah...

Aimee- "Oh its about 10:30. Paul and I are going to go play four square."

Me- (to her dad) "That's what she calls it..."

Things could have been worse. I could have said "I've only gotten to the third square" wow I just started thinking of other things and it got pretty bad fast. So we won't play that game.

In other news I went and visited Morgan C. and Gloria in Charlotte on monday. We had a blast. It was really good to be able to catch up with people after my two year absence. We also got to see Gloria's work that was being displayed in the Habitat for Humanity coffee house. Solid work Gloria.

If you'd like to check it out its at www.gloriacave.com

Paul "I say dumb stuff" Murphy

oh still no job

2008-07-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

...by the cover

Well things have been strolling along. My interview with Easly went well last week. Hopefully I'll get a call this week for a second interview. We'll see. If not I think I'll focus on working as a tower technician on cell and radio towers and stuff.

Josh, Mark, and I played our best ball at the Columbia Crown tournament. Solid passing, setting, hitting, and blocking all around. Unfortunately we were put out by the eventual winners in the Semi's. But we had a really good time.

Apparently Aimee contracted some weird virus and has been sick the last few months. I think its called Epstein-Barr virus. Ok ok, Aimee has mono. Good think we always keep a Bible in between us so we never actually touch each other.... I get this bad feeling that I may be the only teacher in high school with mono.

Ok so for the title. I was walking through the bookstore today looking for something worth reading. I always check out the really nerdy history stuff out first. More of the same. More Starkey, more McCullough. More people trying to revise history with subtitles like "The mass production of Hate." ehh.

After all of the sifting through history, philosophy, poetry, and religion, I moved to the back toward something mountaineering. On the way I stopped by nature. I found this book.

Now I'm no poisonous animal and plant expert but, that's not right. I realize the cover was probably not designed by the author, but still that's an egregious mistake. Apparently in an attempt to get a coral snake the book put in a picture of a king snake. King snakes aren't poisonous.

The whole thing just added to my disappointment in the book store today. On top of that they had 0 books on mountaineering. That may be my last trip to Books A Million.

Paul "I judge books by the cover" Murphy

2008-07-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

Nothing

Sorry loyal readership, there's nothing new in life. Still looking for a job. So don't think your missing something exciting.

Josh and I did win a volleyball tournament. I'm kind of getting spoiled. I think that was my second win in three tournaments.

When there's nothing to blog about throw down on some Colin Hay. So here's Waiting for my real life to begin.

Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
I'll stand on the bow, feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down down down, on me

And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in
But don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

When I awoke today, suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams, I slew the dragon
And down this beaten path, and up this cobbled lane
I'm walking in my old footsteps, once again
And you say, just be here now
Forget about the past, your mask is wearing thin
Let me throw one more dice
I know that I can win
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll check my machine, there's sure to be that call
It's gonna happen soon, soon, soon
It's just that times are lean

And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart, let the light shine in
Don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Paul "----" Murphy

2008-07-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Bad Advice

So I've been a little bored the past few days. Frankly there's not a whole lot of fun in searching for and applying for jobs. I do however have my first interview on Thursday. But being bored I've been blog surfing.

I've found that there's a ton of advice for married people out there. I read Trey Morgan's blog occasionally and it seems that he has a lot of posts about marriage. Usually he'll tell a good story about some idiot, sometimes himself, then goes and makes a point. I don't stay for the point, but the stories are good. I've found there are a lot of blogs where people talk about marriage, but not a whole lot about dating. So I decided to compile the Paul Murphy tips for dating. These have GOT to be golden.

1. Jackass is not an appropriate date movie
2. When calling for a Friday date, don't call on Thursday... or Friday
3. When a girl invites you to dinner on Thursday don't forget about it and go play Ultimate Frisbee... Twice
4. When asking a girl out, hand written notes on a napkin work best. You'll need about 30 just in case she keeps throwing them away.
5. Stuffing anonymous notes in her locker after school is just creepy
6. When she says "ok, call me" Don't read "She doesn't want me to call her" because then she won't talk to you anymore when you see her a month later
7. Bring an extra blanket, just in case it gets cold

Ok that's it for now

Paul "Sage" Murphy

2008-06-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

Worst Date Ever

Aimee came into town this past Thursday and Friday. So Thursday afternoon I drove down to Michelle Stagg's house to pick her up for a night of fun and entertainment. Ok maybe not. I figured we'd be in Aiken and do something Aikeny like go to Hopeland Gardens, Hitchcock Woods, or see some horses.

I picked Aimee up around 4 ish and we took off. I gave her the options: Hopeland Gardens, Hitchcock Woods, or go shoot stuff at my parents land. Aimee went with shoot stuff. Excellent decision. So we drove to my parents house and picked up a few shotguns then off to Wal-Mart to pick up some shells.

After a few practice target shoots, I decided we should head down toward the swamp and walk through the woods to find some poor squirrel, stray snake, or anything that moved. Unfortunately the path Josh, Dad, and I cut a year and a half ago was a little overgrown. It made things interesting. Aimee and I both took a few briers to the legs and arms. And it was hot. And there was nothing to shoot at.

Then things got worse. Apparently I walked over a nest of yellow jackets. They weren't too happy with me so they came out and attacked me. So for the next minute Aimee and myself smacked ourselves trying to rid ourselves of the plague of yellow jackets. After everything was said and done I think Aimee took 3 and I took 10; almost beating my old record of 12. So we walked back out of the woods sweaty, scratched, and stung.

Not being too deterred, we went to the music in the park in North Augusta. It was pretty much a gray hair convention. Old band and old people dancing. Hilarious, and a little redemptive. Afterward I pulled out my cell phone and called Chris Thompson. I had begun noticing my lip swelling up.

By the time we got to Chris's house, I was full into an allergic reaction, my very first one. Chris hooked me up with some benadryl. Aimee went upstairs and picked out "The Karate Kid" to watch while Chris monitored my allergic reaction. After an hour I was good to go, and we went and ate at Ruby Tuesday.

Not exactly the end of the world but still the worst date I've managed to put together. Yellow jacket attack and allergic reaction. Oh and Dr. Barry was involved in there somewhere, but I'm still not sure what was going on at that time.

Paul "I didn't have to push start my car" Murphy

2008-06-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Summer Update

First some changes around the blog.
1. Blog additions: Matt Fields at Clemson, and the new Schimizee blog. Sorry Shaun I forgot and I'll get it up soon.

2. Date counter has disappeared. Really I got tired of resetting it back to "0" so I just got rid of it.

Camp went well. We worked hard, stayed up late, and developed an addiction to 4 square. I now have a rivalry with "Dirty" Josh Williams, and Ben "Standing the Heat" Baddeley. If I see either of those guys on the court it is on- no holds bar 4 square. I even bought a ball at Wal-Mart the other day.

I love Wal Mart. Its a beautiful thing. You don't have to go to 7 stores to find what you want, they've got it all in one place.

Well I've got lots of plans this summer. #1 is finding a job. By the way I could always use more people for references so if you'd like to volunteer for some reference letter writing just email me at jpaulmrphy at gmail . com. Also in the plans are a camping/rafting trip, some rock climbing with some old HU friends, vball tourneys, and a trip to Arkansas. Oh and a trip to Carowinds possibly next week. It all sounds like a complete blast.

Todays a busy day so I've got to cut and run. Aimee's coming into town today and I should probably have some sort of idea what we may be doing.

Paul "4 square super star" Murphy

2008-06-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ending with 200

Well this is the 200th post on stories of a moron. Throughout the process the title has remained true. I figure I'll do something special for #200.

Things I've Learned in American Samoa
1. Dept of Motor Vehicles stink every where
2. Geckos are not cute and cuddly and they chirp
3. US banking hours are FANTASTIC
4. Music is like business- if you only have one choice it stinks
5. Allyson still doesn't like me
6. Julia does sometimes
7. What "Potholes" are
8. Dogs are punks
9. How to dispose of punk dogs
10. How to differentiate b/t Kiwi's and Aussies (Kiwi's have some class, Aussies have none but just think they do)
11. Lynn Ashley is the man, hands down.
12. O te alofa Tina'
13. The ocean can be dangerous, btw Luke almost drowned the other month
14. Sometimes I have to wait on God
15. God is not a banker- nor does he care about savings, intrest, or loans.
16. Rats require a rat trap and are scarry at night under a house
17. Dogs can get stuck together
18. You don't have to have street names for directions (I got this one the other day "the road under the bannana trees")
19. Volcanic rock is not for climbing
20. Tetnis is not a game
21. Rugby players do wear pads
22. I'm not fat, nor will I ever probably be
23. A "6" is more like a "8" depending on geography
24. Golf stinks, but I keep playing
25. Not just white people are racist
26. Slippers aren't for inside
27. Pigs yell really loud when you kill them
28. Video stores don't have to be alphabetized
29. Gas is cheap in SC
30. Where tatoo comes from
31. Fish processing plants smell
32. All criminals aren't in jail, some are in government
33. Wal-Mart is something beautiful
34. "N" comes before "G" every time
35. Philip's kids talk in there sleep

Well that about it. I leave tommorow. It's been fun.

Paul "fa soifua" Murphy

2008-06-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Unemployed

I finished up my last day of work Saturday. I checked out and turned in my keys. I'm now unemployed. I now join the other 5% of US workers watching soap operas in the morning. Sad.

So I guess I'll post my resume online for all of those who are looking for someone to employ. OK not my real "hey I'm really serious" resume, but the funny "Paul Murphy is an idiot but decent person to hire" resume.

Name: J. Paul Murphy (The little known "J")

Contact: 423 Cooper Mill rd North Augusta, SC 29860 - Yes for the next few months if you would like to mail me anything (who's going to mail me a job offer???) I'll be at my parent's house. (that's sad, I'm 24 and back living with my parents)
email- jpaulmrphy at gmail dot com (yeah I don't want more junk mail than I already get)
phone- 803-279-8659 (Ladies feel free to call for any "non buisness" related inquiries as well)

Work Experience: Chik-Fil-A- cooking and cleaning. I guess I'd make a good housewife, or maybe governement empoyee b/c I'm use to cleaning up crap for other people

The Puff- ghetto pool- watched ghetto kids swim. Non of them drowned. I'm now fluent in ebonics, and no I'm not yo babie daddy. Cleaned up more of other people's messes.

GA at HU- 3rd floor stud. My job was to sit at my desk and look beautiful while the admissions people brought prospective students around. I also did secretary type work and fixed computers. Fixed other people's messes.

Teacher- You know you really can't make fun of teaching. But I guarantee I cleaned up some messes. You can't make a joke w/o offending students, parents, or other teachers. Wait, wait... Cleaned up the mess left by parents, other teachers, and students, known as "your kids." There we go, got em all in one try. Also left messes for parents, other teachers, and students. Ooops

Qualifications- B.A. in Social Science Masters of Science in Education also good at doing cool stuff. Actually I think that's where my real strenght is- doing cool, slightly crazy- stuff. So here's my pictorial resume for someone needing someone to do cool stuff.

Sailing, ice climbing, ultimate solid.

and the bungy jump

And cleaning up messes.

So if you need someone who is semi-intellegent, semi-good looking, semi-athletic, and semi-cool then I'm your guy.

Paul "unemployed" Murphy

2008-05-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

Ballet or the Bullet

I like Malcolm X.

One day I went to the University of South Carolina for graduate school. Ok more than a day. While getting my classes set it was suggested I take "The African American experience in the US from 1865." Cool sounds good. Great class. Especially because race is still such a huge issue in South Carolina and other states. For those of you who disagree just look at the education system and tell me who's coming out on top. The class really got me into studying about the African American experience. I really enjoy it. I also love teaching it. Good stuff.

So my class was studying Civl Rights the other day. We'd been talking about Dr. MLK Jr. (DMLKJ) and about the Montgomery Improvement Association and his famous "Letter from a Montgomery jail" and other stuff. Good guy that DMLKJ is. But then we got to Malcolm X.

As a white person living in the south it is my natuarl inclination to dislike Malcolm X. His rhetoric wasn't really friendly to people like me back in his day. So growing up I was never a big Malcolm X fan (who doesn't have a last name?) and was slightly afraid of Denzel Washington for a while.

I was reading X's "The Ballet or the Bullet" speech the other day. It has this great tone to it. The title is a little ominous and not exactly what you think it is; close but not exactly. X basically argues that when equality is not offered you must take it, defend it, do what it takes.

I found myself realy agreeing with X on his points. Especailly after understanding a little bit about the strugles for equality and against racism. I like the idea of fighting for freedom. Isn't that what the Revolutionary War was about. I like the idea of protecting my family, by all means necissary- even when that means buying a rifle. No Taxation w/o representation right? This is really my kind of guy, someone willing to fight for something worth fighting for.

Then there's DMLKJ. He really looks like a pansy next to Malcolm X. DMLKJ was getting hosed while X was preparing to fight. DMLKJ was worried about his daughter not being able to go to "fun town" while X was starting a militant movement in the Civil Rights. Non-violence, phshhshs!!!! Who needs that?! You've got to fight for your right to party, or vote, or eat at the same counter as white people. I agree the Ballet or the Bullet.

But I'd be wrong. It is an interesting lesson Civil Rights is. More was accomplished by not fighting, by resistence, by civil disobidience (why do I like Thorough more now than high school???) then by any use of force. It seems that people may be able to accomplish more by not fighting. What a profound idea. I still don't get it. It seems like it shouldn't work, but apparently it does.

I like Malcolm X, my first inclinations are to agree with him, but I'd be wrong. And he called me a cracker. Jerk.

Paul "Cracker" Murphy

2008-05-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

I don't want to jinx it... Gus redux

Well Gus the truck has been down and out for some time. Thanks to mom I got my really cool new starter in. So all I needed was to install and start 'er up. Since this about the fourth or fifth time I've taken the starter out and put it back it was pretty easy, even at night with a headlamp.

I was almost about to get excited about a working truck. I put the key in the ignition and noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I quickly popped it open to find a fire in the engine compartment. The next few moments were strange.

I walked quickly toward the house, not really knowing what to do. At this point it may have been better to get some lighter fluid and chuck it in the truck; at least then I could quit thinking about it. But I got some water after informing Philip and Luke my truck was on fire and put it out, and disconnected the battery cable.

Apparently the problem was electrical. To add to the confusion my clutch quit working. I racked my brain over it for a while. Can you guess what caused my truck to catch fire AND my clutch to quit working?

OK, so apparently the starter wire from the battery was frayed and contacting the frame. My clutch hydraulic line also comes into contact with the frame, and down the line the ground to the battery. Not directly but in a convoluted way. So when I hooked the battery up it made a circuit with my hydraulic line as a resistor; hence the fire. The heating caused an air bubble to form in the line, rendering the clutch useless. So I repositioned my starter wire and bled the hydraulic line.

MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!!!! and my wheel bearings seem to be holding!

Paul "dirty fingernails" Murphy

2008-05-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

Unsafe at any speed: Huffy the bike that kills

Ok so it almost happened today; twice. So I decided to ride to Pago to mail some stuff. Sorry mom, you didn't get anything, or Josh, or Kevin. Nevermind I didn't mail anything....

The bike ride started off fun wisping down the hill of death. Then onto the second main road. I ducked in behind two trucks- less wind = easier speed. So as I was drafting at 25mph (5 over the speed limit) a truck wizzed by me and cut in front of me just to be slowed down by the other two vehicles. I kept up my speed and looked for an opportunity to pass the truck back : p, and stick my tounge out. I didn't get it on the straigt away, oncoming traffic and all. So I finally got my chance to pass a car up by the giant speed bump, next to the 7th Day church. The trucks slowed down, but my 3'11" wheel base allows me to fly over the bump. So I passed them on the right.

That's when the 1st truck started turning left into the parking lot, directly in front of me. So I hit the breaks. No real breaking power there. So I sped up in hopes of getting around the car quickly and only recieving a glancing blow instead of head on comedic impact that would have hurt a lot and required stitches. Luckily I BARELY got around the front of the vehicle, my tire missing the last corner of the bumper by 4in or less.

Then coming back from the post office I was cruising down the ocean side highway. I decided to kick it into high gear. My bike has a tendency to slip when I torque the gears hard. Its not a problem b/c I only reall crank on the crank going slow up hills. The gears slip; my feet slip, then I stop.

So I started speeding up to 25mph+ I was cranking the peddles hard. And that's when the gears slipped and my bike tried to kill me again. My feet flew off the peddles and my leaning forward pose made me slam down on the bar. All guys have had the experience if they ride a bike long enough. So then I'm flying down the road, looking like an idiot not being able to get back up off the bars, b/c my balance is off and I can't get my feet on the peddles. So I slowly came to a stop and regained my gusto.

Paul "Its probably possessed" Murphy

2008-05-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

Adventures from the past month

First I'll definitely be at PBC this year for all of those enquiring. I've got my stuff booked. Just in case I need it later its Pago - Honolulu 11:30pm - 5:30am HNL-LAS 3:00pm - 11:30 pm LAS-MIN-DET-Greenville 12:50am - 5:45 - 6:45 - 9:30 - 12:15pm
7 time zones 5 states 4 layovers 3 carriers 2 hemispheres for 1 super week.

So Gus the truck went down. It was a whole fiasco about a wheel bearing then not getting the right part, then getting it 3 weeks later and the starter being dead. Its in the mail, just in time to sell Gus the Truck. It's been a pain, probably most for Jaime and Philip as they have to drive Colt, Allison, and Me to school in the morning.

Luckily I've got Buffy, my sweet bike. Yes its a Huffy, but I took the stickers off so it looks cool. The bike's been getting me around the island for a year now whenever the truck dies. Its a good combo. If only it had A/C. It's treacherous sometimes, but still fun.

We live on a small mountain. The road is partially paved going up to the house to keep erosion down. Its steep and smooth which makes it AMAZING to ride down. But only the steep part is paved so once you get to the bottom erosion has taken its toll leaving a drop. My new favorite activity is flying down the hill at 30+ mph and flying off the paved part onto the loose volcanic soil and not dieing. It all started b/c my breaks don't work to well. But it still rocks.

Tonight's the schools Arts Festival. The high school is doing a Samoan dance, which is kind of lame b/c that's what they do most years and we live in Samoa. Maybe they should have done a line dance, or cool Russian dance. So I decided to add some "Flair." I decided we'd add "The Dirty Bird" to a part of the dance. For those of you not familiar with the famous ATL Falcons end zone dance here's the skinny.

The dirty bird was concocted by O.J. Santiago when he was with the Phil Eagles. He used it sparingly as an end zone celebration. When he moved to ATL he used it more and more as the Falcons had their spectacular 97(?) season. It caught on like quick and soon the rest of the team was doing The Dirty Bird with every TD all the way to the Super Bowl. So now my students have snuck it into their dance routine. It'll be hott. South Pacific Culture meet Southeast Culture.

Paul "The bike thing would have been better if I bit the dust and broke something" Murphy

2008-05-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

Stuff I don't like

1. People who don't blog regularly. Sorry loyal readership- the AS Dept of Ed has blocked blogger.com and the internet at the house has been down since April.

2. The song "Mansion Robe and Crown"
This one takes a little bit of explaining.
So I'm a little old for my age. At first it may not make since but I'm younger than most college graduate masters earning been working for two years people. I get stuck talking about it when people ask my age. I really don't like talking about it. I think people get the false impression I'm somewhat intellegent; which if you read the blog you know I'm not.

I've been thinking a lot about a recorded sermon I heard. The brilliant should continue to speak at church preacher talked about how life wasn't about checking off things on a list but in the journey. I use to think goals were what I wanted, and I worked at attaining those goals. But what do you do once you get there? I realized something profound. Getting somewhere isn't the point of life. If you just focus on that you'll mis out on everything. It's about the journey.

Back to MRC

I know "MRC" is loved by many in church-goers, but I'm not a big fan. Maybe its because of the low "guys" part that I can't sing very well. Or maybe I find its message a little weak.

You see according to the song Heaven's going to be great and all with all of this cool stuff. It'll be cool because I am there and I get a mansion, cool robe (hopefully with tassles), and a crown (not a fan; how bout a gamecocks hat, but not a normal size but giant "fergusson" size hat). And apparently heaven will be cool because I get stuff, like Christmas. It's like the reason for being a christian is heaven- one goal- get to heaven so I get live in paradise and live the easy life. That's why I don't like the song.

Life is about the journey. Christianity is about a relationship with God and continually building that relationship; not about heaven. Heaven's not going to be great because of a house and I'm there. Heaven's going to be amazing because the I AM, the creator of everything, the being who is love, the sultan of swat, the I AM who loves me is going to be there. That's all I need. Ok I threw in the sultan of swat, but I'm possitive God could crank one out of SBC park into sea, the Sea of Tranquility (pushes up nerd glasses).

In short MRC- petty and I don't think I'll sing it anymore, Heaven's not going to be good b/c of a nice house and bath garment. They seem pretty crappy compared to the creator of all good.

Paul " times up " mUrphy

2008-04-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Noticed

I love climbing. I wish I could do more of it. I wish I was better at it. There's something about the challenge. Some games are mental, some physical, but nothing is as all-encompassing of a challenge as climbing. Its a puzzle, test of strenght, and measure of mettle. Yah.

I have a few climbing heroes. Tenzig Norgay, Edmund Hillary, and David Breashears. Norgay and Hillary were the first to summit Everest. What a combo. In a climbing climate of rich and famous summitting Everest, Hillary and Norgay were symbols of climbing. Both came from common backgrounds; Hillary a beekeaper, and Norgay a Sherpa.

Breashears at first seems like the misfit of the group. He wasn't the first to ascend a 8km mountain. In fact his most famous first ascent is on a slab of rock in Colorado simply called "Perilous Journey." An understatement if there ever was one. It was a flat wall with almost no outcroppings and a singular 1cm crack.

I first picked up Breashears book while dieing in Grad school. During long nights at the library I'd browse the biography section. The book that caught my attention the most was "High Exposure," about Breashears life of climbing and the call to Everest. He's a photographer and climber. He even did some of the filming for Stalone's "Cliffhanger." I never really had time to sit down and finish it. I got to chapter three. I bought a copy in NZ when I was there over break and finished it in four days. Brilliant.

I'll just cut it short and say I really really really admire Breashears. He has my dream job. He gets paid to climb. He was lead on the IMAX Everest film. And it was during that episode that he managed to help save a number of people who'd gotten trapped in bad weather. Sorry I kept going.

The other day I was on Facebook. On the advertisements on the right I noticed a group "David Breashear: Why we climb." I joined emmediately. I was #30 in the group. I thought for a while about posting. It's so much pressure. What if I say something dumb? Eventually I posted a question on the wall for Breashears about the situation in Tibet.

No answer. I was crushed. For almost a day I had one of three wall posts on the ever-expanding group, but no answer. He even took the time to reply to another question, but not mine. Acckk. But then yesterday I checked again and he, The David Breashears, answered my question. Wow! I'm still stoked.

Paul "can I get an autographed wall post?" Murphy

2008-04-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

A new distraction to the educational experience

Math class 8:35-
I went to the restroom to blow my nose. On the way back a student interupted me.

"Hey, there's like a rat back here"

"Where?"

"Oh its gone now, but it was huge. I thought it was a puppy that got in the school."

"Oh that sounds like Peety. He's probably gone now."

Yes we have a rat hanging around school and a student decided to name it.

Math 8:45-
I went to blow my nose in the restroom.

"Hey Mr. Murphy, I've got the rat spotted. See it tail?" - pointed at the nasty rat tail.

"Ummm. Ok." -What exactly am I supposed to do?

"Lets catch it" - oh something manly. ok

"ok"

We then armed ourselves with brooms and an emty trash can. After banging around the lockers we spotted it many times. After a few minutes it we cornered then scared it out. It took off straight for me. I dodged its snarling teeth and managed a manly attempt at boxing it with the trash can. It ran into the bathroom. So me and two of my students went in after it.

Hiding behind the trashcan the rat was between the wall and me. It chose me. One student hit the t-can with his broom to scare the rat out. It took off toward the other one. They managed two good swipes with the brooms and I hadn't yet found my rhythm with the t-can. At one point they kicked it airborn. Eventually it scampered back to the locker room.

"Can we have a break" - Block periods cause students to want to not work on math for 2 hours straight.

"ummm, ok" -we'd become a spectacle.

After scrounging around the locker room for we'd managed to recruit some more help. Again we scared the rat out and it took off straight for me. I finally found my stride and boxed the rat with the t-can.

What do you do with a rat in a trash can? Put it in a bag and slam it against the road was the answer we came up with. So we took it to the street and a student brought a bag. Unfortunately when I lifted the cardboard covering the rat supermanned out and ran away. Oh well.

Paul "Rat-1 Murphy-0" Murphy

2008-04-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

On the surface

So I stumbled across this website the other day
www.biblicalpolygamy.com

Now honestly I'm not into the idea of polygamy. I have enough trouble as it is. That and on the salary I make I don't think I'll be able to afford two mail-order brides.

On the other hand we could synergize. And the website does make some interesting points.

Thoughts commments whatever.

Paul "twin, full, queen, king, J. Smith" Murphy

2008-03-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

Cursed Colt

About this time last year Colt managed to somehow burst his eardrum. Don't really know how that happened. He went to the docotor and found this out. Unfortunately part of ear drum rehab is staying clear of swimming. He loves swimming and was really really really upset about the propisition of not being able to swim for 3 months.

As you know from the last post the last dog died. So Philip and Jaime got two puppies from a family at church. Fantastic. They are pretty cute, but I'm still not impressed. They smell, and attract ticks.

Colt has a nasty rash. It's pretty yucky. So last night Philip took him to the doctor. While the doctor was questioning Colt the subject of dogs came up. Apparently Colt has mites acquired from the last mangy piece of fertilizer. The doctor's orders: cream and stay away from dogs.

Stinks for Colt. Two new puppies and he can't play with them.

Paul "hmmm hmmmmies aren't much fun..."

2008-03-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

What I Found

So a few months ago Philip arranged for us to get another dog after he ran the last worthless mutt over with his truck; on "accident." Yeah right. So we got a dog from the humane society.

The new dog was a little weird. It attracked ticks like Murphy's to an estate auction. One evening Philip picked off 78 ticks off the poor puppy. It wasn't playful. It'd walk from outside into Colt and I's room. Sometimes it would lay on the floor next to the couch. The dog was a bum. I asked God to deal with him harshly on doggy judgement day, seriously.

To make things worse it would walk inside to use the bathroom in Colt and I's room. I didn't like the dog too much and Colt hated cleaning up after it. It never really barked at anything either. Oh and somebody named it Peaches.

So this afternoon I walked into the room and the dog was laying under the bed, its ussual spot. I smelled urine and ploppies. So I went to shoo the dog away. Unfortunately its mouth was open and I spotted a white tounge.

"Hey dog, are you dead?"

Then I touched it and sure enough Peaches was out. There was weeping in the house today.

What has two thumbs and is not bothered by Peaches' death? This guy.

So after months of peeing in my room, battling worms, and fighting depresion b/c of having the sissiest name for a dog ever, Peaches the Dog gave up the ghost.

2008-03-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

House Decorating

I always enjoy a little decoration around the house. Especially around non hollidays. Here are a few of my favorite decorations from recent months.

I especially enjoy the xmas lights when its way past January.

2008-03-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

INTERNET!

WE got internet at the house!!! Major feat acomplished. I'll be back to blogging.

Unfortunately nothing brilliant has happened since the NOAA boat incident.

Spring Break is coming up next week. That means only 10 more weeks until I get to see the beautiful South Carolina (really 11).
Goals for the week off:
1. Nuuuli Lecture series
2. Clean room so Luke has a place to sleep
3. Bowl with teens
4. Fix truck (starters making noises)
5. Work on long irons
6. Catch fish worth posting
7. Work on sermon

Well it sounds like a great break. I'm sorry there's nothing better

Paul "Stealing chapel devos for my sermon" Murphy

2008-02-26T15:14:00.000-08:00

Philip Morris and NOAA

No there's no connection between the largest tobacco producer and the Ocean and Weather people. Except that I've run into both in the past few days.

So Sunday afternoon I took off to the local spear fishing spot. No, I still haven't speared anything worth mentioning. In fact I don't spear anything that looks pretty or I can't post. I saw a fish swim under an overhangin piece of coral about 20ft down. By the way I can hit 50ft and stay at 40ft, just thought I'd share. Oh yeah story. So I took off down after it.

I reached the bottom and held on to a rock to peak under the coral. I looked. The fish was gone, but some smaller fish greated me with looks of fascination. That's when I heard the guy with the chainsaw. Wait... There aren't any chainsaws in the water. I looked up and saw a boat zipping overhead. So I got run over by a boat.

I hopped up to talk to the person and let them know I was in the area. I also thought it might be someone I knew. Nope. Apparently NOAA was doing a fish survey. So that's how I was ran over by a NOAA boat.

Philip Morris. I found something interesting on their website. "It can be very difficult to quit but, if you are a smoker, this shouldn't stop you from trying to do so." What? I didn't get that one. And "Millions of smokers in the United States and around the world have succeeded, though - most without outside assistance." Sure you don't need help quiting. That's exactly what I'd tell any addict; if I was the supplier. I guess if I made billions of dollars off people inhaling nastiness into their lungs I'd throw down on some confusing language too. Sure they couldn't just say- Quit smoking- it'll kill you. Apparently 1 in 10 people death in the world can be attributed to smoking. And 67% of men in China smoke. Reason #342 China won't be eclipsing the U.S. anytime soon.

What sort of poor soul would work for a company like that? I guess they'll have to answer to God some day.

Paul "Jab Jab Jab duck" Murphy

2008-02-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Unfinished

I get frustrated with my students from time to time. Not because they don't have the highest energy level, color cooridanted projects, or because they can complain. No. I get frustrated when it seems like the realm of their abilities lies only in what we covered in class yesterday. But maybe I've just forgotten what its like to be in highschool.

I do remember having trouble with assignments from time to time. But the hardest assignment ever handed to me wasn't in highschool or even at Harding. It was in my African American Experience since 1865 class at USC. Hist649.

I signed up for the class on the advise of my advisor. Apparently that was a better choice than some graduate level economics class for my program. The first day of class was a little overwhelming. The demographics of the class were to be expected. Dr. Littlefield was our African American professor. And she knew her stuff. Also to make class a little more daunting was ------ (I can't remember his name) a history doctoral student. ----- later became the president of the graduate student council.

One of the books for the course was "Trouble in Mind" by Leon F. Litwack. I surmized from the cover it was about sharecroppers and maybe some thoughts about Booker T. and Ida B. Just another history book I'd add to my shelf. But then I had to read it.

Dr. Littlefield assigned bits and pieces to be read one day at the end of class. The first chapter was called Baptisms. I don't remember any of the other chapters and mostly because I never finished the reading.

Trouble in Mind was different from any other history book I'd read. It wasn't an overview. It didn't state facts and causes. It wasn't some historical fiction trash that so many history teacher try to use. It was interview, after interview. People telling a story and reliving the facts. It was personal.

The stories were disturbing to say the least. People talking about "place" in society, and how society kept them in a state of fear to stay in that "place." And so went the stories; injustice after injustice. A son killed for arguing against an unfair tobacco price here, mobs hanging inocent victims there. Its kind of a blur now. I couldn't believe it. It was unbelievable. Some of the stories.

Stories about white people traveling to a lynching like it was a carnival, bringing their families; picnic blanket and all. One Atlanta man was burned alive and his body parts taken as souvenirs later to be sold and displayed in storefronts. In one horrific account a African Americans family is hung with him. I don't remember the details or the supposed crime. What I do remember is the depiction of a pregnant woman being strung up on a tree, her stomach sliced open and .

Yeah. I couldn't believe what had happened. I never finished the reading assingment, and most of the class didn't either. Sometimes we try and sweep the not-so-pretty part of history under the rug. Avoid it; it'll go away. But those are the most important parts to learn from.

Paul " " Murphy

2008-02-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

Squishy

I've been in the ocean spear fishing a lot lately. Every afternoon I get the chance I go. I still haven't caught anything worth mentioning. But every time I get a little closer to something I might be able to post a picture of.

In the mean time I've made some acquaintences out past the breakers. One of those is a white tip reef shark. The first time we saw eachother we bolted the other way. Over the past few weeks we've gotten a little more familiar with one another. I decided to name it. Its name is Squishy. Squishy isn't very big and is getting more and more curious each time we spot eachother.

Paul "If Squishy gets too close its dinner" Murphy

2008-02-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

The Clock Dealer (long)

Ok last post in the series of social change.

The Industrial Revolution, WWII, and everything else has created a drastic change in our society. We now have the independent woman. Something quite remarkable because it was unthinkable 200 years ago. But the independent woman has changed social behavior.

Dating. Way back when dating wasn't like it is now. Courting I believe was the term. Basically, young men would sit in the living rooms of a family and talk during the evening. If he seemed like he was a good worker and honest person the coulple would usually get married. You found someone to help support you. It was very practical. And mariages ussually lasted a lot longer. (Bad logic courting = better marriages)

Things are different now. During the Victorian era the Romanticist ideas came about. Things got less practical. Life was more complicated. Life became less about survival and more about stuff. People started looking for partners that not only could support them but support them fashionably. At first it was a Burgeosis thing, but as time went on and the middle class began to triumph it became and everybody thing.

Now instead of looking for an honest person who was a hard working, men and women alike were looking for something more. We became more picky. Now it mattered what type of car he/she drove. Or how big her mothers bottom was; or fathers receeding hair line. It became about clothes and fashion and finding your soul mate. It astonishes me how for thousands of years marriages did just fine when people weren't looking for their soul mate.

It gets more complicated with the introduction of the independent woman buy the '70s. Before men had to worry about wooing the ladies in one way or the other. Woman were an inelastic quantity, the supply didn't change. 1 woman for 1 man. The demand stayed the same so guys continued to have to work and be charming to get a wife. But then the 60's and 70's came.

The independent women changed a lot of stuff. First of all the supply started to become more elastic as women started forgoing the 1:1 thing as they threw off the bonds of tradition. Suddenly men didn't have to work as hard at getting what they wanted and price of the stock fell faster Enron. It might as well be free. And that's when Chivalry died.

Nowdays we see dating as something completely strange from the past. Woman want the old higher price but with the market saturated in the product. Like the old saying goes, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" Suddenly the men have come into demand. Women have to work at getting a good husband. And some woman don't seem to be happy with it.

I read this last week. It made me think alot about the social changes that have caused this situation. And people approach the problem in different ways. Woman market themselves to men. Men take the bait. It completely left the entire system in shambles. Its turned dating into a marketing campaign.

The Clock dealer analogy. Dating today has turned into something astranged of the past. Economists talk clocks and antiques when talking about positive outcomes. Basically you have a buyer and a seller. If the clock gets bought then both have had a positive outcome. Use to courting was a clear deal. Men looked for a good clock that kept time. Women looked for a solid buyer that could take care of the clock.

Its differnt now with the infusing of the independent woman and romanticism. Suddenly women are looking for a buyer with a big house and that likes Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movies. Men are looking for neat features in the clock like ornate designs and cool chimes. Fashion plays a role as well. People try to put their best foot forward while dating. Its like a buyer looking for a fashionable Rococco clock. The dealer knows thats fashionable so tries to explain how his clock is very similar to the Rococco clocks. In fact it might as well be the same. But both parties are dissapointed when the clock gets brought home. Suddenly the features are different b/c that's what was expected.

I see married people dating. In fact I'm to the point where I think I'm on the downhill side of wedding invitations. Sometimes they portray themselves as something they're not really. A girl will be flirty and fun loving while dating, and a guy will be mature and love art. Suddenly when they get married she turns out to be a real worrier and he really loves playing video games. The clock gets talked up and taken home and turns out to be something different.

I like old couples. I like talking to them about how they got married. Its simpler. Dr. Barry and Nurse Karen's story is my favorite. I'll tell it how I want to. Basically Dr. Barry was in Medical school and was a bright young man after graduating from Georgia Tech. Nurse Karen was a bright young woman in nursing school. Mrs. Karen had to coax Dr. Barry into calling her one night to go out. They started dating for a while, but Dr. Barry didn't want to get married without a job. Nurse Karen got tired of it and put together a budget for them and showed Dr. Barry how they'd make it if they just went ahead and got married. Romantic? Not classically. Practical? Very, and that practical attitude has kept them together ever since. At least thats how I see it.

A clock dealer and buyer. They each had an idea of what was important in a clock. When they found it, the clock went home. Easy as that. So what's importnant in a clock? Dad always says that if two people focus on their relationship with God first then everything else will work out. So we'll call a relationship with God keeping time well; what's a clock that doesn't keep time? Some people like pretty wood clocks that are ornate with nice carvings that will look good on the wall, while others want something they can take along in life. Some people like old fashioned clocks. Some like newer stylish clocks. Some like to work on the clock, while others prefer the low maintanence version.

I think a clock would be cool to have. Do I need one? Not really. Some people are looking for a clock to complete them, that's not me. I guess if I got a clock it would have to be more of a someone to join me in my complete life. It needs to be durable and portable. It needs to be water resistant up to 30 meters, because I like going in the water. It needs to be something that I can take to play frisbee in. It needs to be able to survive repeated lay-out attempts. It needs to be low maintenance, I don't want to be winding it or replacing the battery all the time. It needs to be practical. It doesn't need to be shiny or new. It doesn't have to have a calculator, chronograph, or gps. It needs to keep time well, be durable, portable, and able to take a spill. Like the Armitron Men's Digital sport watch.

Paul "More like a chapter" Murphy

2008-02-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

New Title

The old one was kind of harsh. I'll call it

Carl's Junior Affect

On island we now have a cool new Carl's Junior. Apparently they call Hardee's that on the West coast. I've really enjoyed the new CJ's. Good burgers and fries and free refills, which is unique on island.

Unfortunately CJ's isn't all good. I've been given a new option in the dining out world, but there are some unwanted consequences. Like maybe if I wasn't spending time swimming around in the ocean I might get fat. Even though CJ's is a good thing, it may have a unwanted consequence.

Society has changed a lot in the last 200 years. I blame Victorian erra social outcomes for some of it and the Second Industrial Revolution for the rest.

Factory work gave women a place outside the home to go and make a living. By the time World War II came women were needed in the workplace. They threw off the traditional role of homemaker and went into the workforce. The movement continued into the 70's where equality became the huge issue. Just like Carl's Junior on island I think equality in the workplace is fantastic. But it may have lead to an unforseen change.

The basic social contract. For thousands of years there was a unstated social contract between men and women. A man and a woman would get married. The man was responsible for working the fields and other labor intensive jobs. Women would labor at home. Each job as valuable as the next. And men didn't leave their wives because there was often no hope for a husbandless wife, except that. Conversly wives didn't leave their husbands, their survival sometimes depended on it.

Problems came up when a woman's husband would die if they didn't have any family to take care of them. Elisha found a woman about to starve to death because she didn't have anyone to help here and she had no field to work in even if she could. Women didn't work outside the house, but it should be noted the Proverbs points to a strong house managing woman.

So for years you had this unwritten contract. Husband and Wife. The demands of nature seemed to demand a team.

But something changed in the late 1800's. Women could find work. Factories needed labor. Suddenly the old social contract no longer stuck. Women could leave their husband's without fear of starvation. Divorce rates began to rise slowly. Also husbands could now leave their wives, the wife could survive on her own.

By the time the 70's came around and the women's working revolution divorce rates went through the roof. In fact they had doubled since 1950 (2.6%) to 1979 (5.3%). Something good indirectly led to something not so great. Just like Carl's Junior.

The century old social contract was altered.

Tomorrow the Carl's Junior Affect II

Paul "its back below 4%" Murphy

2008-02-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

A new series

I decided to start a new series. Hopefully I'll be finished by Friday.
I've basically been thinking about a lot of changes in society. But more importantly how those changes affect social contracts and old ways of doing things. Call it postmodern if you like- but the problems don't start there. They go deaper.

So today- The Modesty Construct: ideas on modesty then and now
Tomorrow- If you're so strong quit complaining: changes in society have changed basic social roles
Thursday- Where would we land: Straight talk about where social change has brought us

Disagree with me as you will- just post a comment or three. I expect some regulars to comment; Philip commenting on my blatent errors, Josh laughing at me, Pete saying something I disagree with, Jason hasn't been here in a while but he'll show with some hyperbole. I guess I'd like to hear everyones thoughts. I'm not right. You may be.

The Modesty Construct

Modesty is something I've seen my generation battle with for years. Not everywhere but mainly at church. It seems like every time we had a split devotion of any sort the girls would get a talk about modesty and the guys would have a talk about intercourse. Obviously this is because teenage girls don't struggle with anything (Heavy sarcasm). When I got to Harding it was more of the same. The girls dorms would have talks about modesty while the guys power showered on second floor.

Tim 2. Ussually when we talk modesty we turn to Timothy 2. Women should dress modestly, not wear gold, braid their hair, or talk in any church meeting. While some still hold strictly to the words on the page, I think most of us realize there is some culture reflected in the verse. Like the braided hair thing. And gold. We quickly scratch these out b/c they're cultural issues. Sometimes we pick and choose.

Swords for $200. It seems like churches are saying Immodesty=the "s" word. If women dress immodestly then it will lead to our young men sinning and thinking impropper thoughts. So young ladies are scolded for short shorts and sleavless shirts at whatever church function.

Burka. Young men are young men. I can pretty much guarantee that young men in muslim countries are the same as young men in the U.S. It doesn't matter what young ladies wear. Girls have girl parts and guys will think about them "." Even if they're wearing a burka.

Modesty isn't the issue. When somebody has a fever we don't put them in ice, you give them antibiotics. See the fever isn't the problem; Fever=Infection=Antibiotics. I think the issue of modesty is similar. Stay with me for a little while.

Modesty as a symptom. Why? Here in AmSam women ussually dress very modestly. If they wear shorts they're basketball shorts past the knee. Shirts are always closely cut to the neck line. Sleaveless ussually doesn't happen. Ussually. But even with the modest attire of our young ladies we still have the same problems to the same degree as any community in the States. Teen pregancy and the "s" word are still just as big a deal here as anywhere else. Even though modesty is upheld, the values are still slipping through the cracks.

Let it go? So if modesty does not = the "s" word then why bother (via contrapositive). Its a hassle. Our culture has changed and accepts things the generation previous did not. Short shorts. Tank tops. They're common place in today's environment. Maybe we shouldn't worry about it so much and spend more time with the antibiotic. We're still not curing the fever with our proverbial icewater.

Distracting? Ok if its a complete distraction I understand. But anything can be distracting to a 15 year old. You might as well hand out paper bags with eye-holes and cardboard boxes for everyone to wear. Wait, scratch the eye-holes.

Paul "I'm still not wearing short shorts" Murphy

2008-01-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

Writing to Failure

The last couple of days have been a bit odd. It's like a bad joke. One of those where it isn't really funny and nobody laughs. But that doesn't make a just description. It's more like when Colt makes a joke. You don't really listen except to determine when he's finished so you can give him a mild chuckle that reaffirms that his jokes need more work.

I'm sitting here chuckling at life. It's jokes need a little more work. They're not horrible and they're not good either. Just blah.

Failure 1. I haven't really been catching fish. Now sure I can skewer some small reef fish, but I don't want small fish, I want something I can take a picture of. I would also like the amount of fish I catch to exceed the amount of energy I spend catching it. I shot a small fish yesterday just because it was taunting me. Little punk. He eventually got away when I tried putting him on the stringer. :-(

Failure 2. My truck, Gus, died. Well it didn't die it just broke. I pulled over after some nasty noised came from the front left wheel yesterday going to church. Smoke was coming out of the locker casing. I'll work on it this afternoon. Also my cool flip flops broke this morning in class. Now I'm out two modes of transportation. Usually I'd be really hacked and say Gus makes me want to cus, but not this time. It seems ok, and I glued my shoe back with some Krazy Glue. It's like life has turned into a Bobby McFarren song.

Failure 3. Not really a current failure, but apparently Whitney Hay7es found my facebook stuff and we're facebook friends now. She wrote me a message. I don't know how to take it. Can I just electroshock those memories out of my life. There are two standing memorials to P Murph failure on my Facebook wall. Thanks life. That's really helping my coping skills.

I guess Mom's right; if I didn't have all this junk to deal with life would be boring.

In other news I have a dominating immune system and I think it'd be really cool to get to share it with other people, and DK will take me out to get icecream if I donate bone marrow.

Paul "When your flip flop pops a loop, just go get some Krazy glue. Don't worry. Be happy" Murphy

2008-01-24T18:28:00.000-08:00

My new pigs

So I've found a new way to help save the world. I've been watching a lot of House lately and they're always looking for bone marrow donors. So I signed up on the list.

National Marrow Donor Program

apparently it costs $52 for the test, so you pay that and they send you a cheek swab kit. So here's to finding a match. You might want to sign up too. Apparently there's a huge need for more African-Americans and Pacific islanders.

Paul "I think they use a huge needle to get it" Murphy

2008-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

P Murph- 0 Ocean- 4

So I got my speargun in yesterday. Wednesday is my night to cook too. So I took off after work for the ocean to catch some fish to fry up with my totally cool new speargun. I grabbed my gear to hiked off to the beach.

I would like to appologize to all of the dead transendentalist writers I use to make fun of. I still dislike your writing style but I understand some of the themes a little bit better. Melville writes about the indominable ocean, and how humans constantly fail against nature. I guess its about insignificance. I didn't get it in high school. Frankly, you can go to the SC beaches and constantly be disappointed with the size of the waves- weak force of nature. So I never really understood the whole "the ocean will kill you" thing transendentalist wrote about. I just wished for bigger waves.

Not true on the island. Now we don't get the huge North Shore waves but they can get pretty big. Worse, we have a reef that surrounds the island so the waves ussually crash on top of them. But you have to get on the deep end of the reef to catch good sized fish.

So yesterday I struggled across the pounding waves to the dark side of the reef. Spearfishing is different then other typs of hunting. Unlike dear, fish have gills and swim remarkably well. Go figure. I do not have gills. But I do have a record of 2 minutes holding my breath- and am an accomplished swimmer (what does that mean?).

I eventually landed a shot on a fish. So then I was in fairly deep water with a dying, bleeding fish. Shark bait. I reached for my stringer to hold the fish when I realized I left it on the beach. So I needed to swim back in.

As I approached the reef the waves were at a managable 4 feet. Just get close, hang on to the rocks for the backdraft before the wave, and ride the wave in. But then there was this huge backdraft that ripped me off the reef backwards. I never saw the wave but I was pretty sure it was a big one from the amount of water it pulled off the reef. I aligned and began riding the wave in over the reef. Unfortunately for me it was absolutely massive. Somewhere between 6-8ft high. I was submerged then summersaulted by the monster wave with huge amounts of power. Remember, a cubic yard of salt water weighs like 1000lbs. It threw me around like a rag doll then slammed me square against the reef.

At first I thought I may have broken something when I hit. My right calf also started cramping hard. What good is adrenaline if it just makes your muscles cramp? I quickly realized that no matter what I was still at the edge of the reef and another wave was coming in. As I checked on that wave I saw the fish that was formerly on my spear jump out of the water as if to taunt me. Jerk. I quickly turned around and swam hard, still clutching my speargun. I got back over the reef but scratched up and in pain.

My rear still hurts from being slammed down. I also have a sweet scrape/bruise on my right cheek. Unfortunately I haven't been able to show anybody my cool battle wounds. Maybe I'll post a picture.

Paul "Still never bagged a fish in the ocean but I'll try again today" Murphy

2008-01-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

A New Crag

Sometimes its hard to realize that the blog is about one thought at a time. Otherwise things get wordy. Nobody likes a wordy blog.

Rockclimbing, this post is about rockclimbing.
When I lived in Arkansas I use to love going out and rockclimbing. Most of the time I would either scamper over to Riverside park and sometimes out to that hill by the lake- I forgot the name. Sometimes it was hard finding the time or people to go with you. Luckily Mandi P would ussually be up for climbing whenever.

When I firt got to the island I saw all of these rock walls that I thought would be great to climb. See volcanic rock is especially susceptible to errosion. This leaves random large rock formations. At first I thought it would be cool climbing on these rocks. Nobody else had probably ever sumitted many of the walls. I could be the first.

So I started climbing. I started at beechside rock formations that are scattered about around the island. Unfortunately there is a reason volcanic rock errodes easily. Its actually very loose compared to other rock. Its worse then sedimentary rock. Ask Ron Staggs I'm sure he can explain it to you why its like this.

The first few climbs I did ended in the same way. I would find a solid outcropping that held the initial weight I put on it. As soon as I went to push off to occupy the next step a piece would inevitably break, putting me precariously off balance. And by that I mean almost threw me to the ground 20ft below. Luckily, wait, Skillfully I always managed to catch myself, but not before my body was slung against the wall. In the end I wound up with matching scars on my shins where I slammed into the jagged volcanic rock; permanent reminders of how fragile rocks can be. So I gave it up.

Until now. Down at the beech behind the house (Its really a walk through the jungle a few hundred yards) I found a piece of rock that is sticking out past all the others. It runs right down to where the waves roll up after breaking. The bottom is ussually wet at high tide. But something is a bit different about this one- its harty and has stood the test of time better than the surround rocks. So I've started climbing on it. I should get a picture.

Its definitely a 5.9 or higher climb. Holds are few and far between and it slants backwards. But a few more days of working my arms out on the rock and I should have regained the strength and endurance to make it to the top.

Paul "A bit rejuvenated" Murphy

2008-01-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

More Moron Moments

I have a tendancy to say dumb stuff sometimes. It happens. Sometimes Its because I'm an idiot. Sometimes because I'm trying to be funny- and I'm not. Humor takes a while to accurately grasp. Here's another Paul Murphy trying to be funny moments.

My third grade teacher was Mrs. Fox at Ridge Spring Monetta Elementary. RSM for short. From what I remember Mrs. Fox was a nice lady with long fingernails, and long brown hair. I think she was in her forties, but I'm not sure. She was definitely better than Mrs. Cockrel, who Josh had to put up with for his year of third grade.

Mrs. Fox always had new ideas on how to inspire kids to do well in class. One day she promised everyone who got a 90 or better on a quiz that she would buy us icecream. Now it wasn't real icecream it was the kind that you get a school or camp that comes in a presized styrofoam container and a tin lid. But it was still icecream; sort of. Being the brilliant third grader I naturally dominated whatever quiz it was, and began waiting for my icecream to come wednesday.

Wednesday. In the morning Mrs. Fox had us doing some trivial exercise about something. I don't remember what it was but I was bored. When I'm bored my brain thinks of dumb things. So Mrs. Fox went on with the activity. She eventually asked the class, "What things remind you of a hot air balloon?" Now I was bored and hadn't been paying a lot of attention so I'm not sure to the context of the question. All I know is I saw an opportunity for a joke. I raised my hand.

Seeing that I may actually have been paying attention while staring at the walls, Mrs. Fox was eager to call on me to answer her very elementary question. I was a bright student so I'm sure there may have been some abstract thought she was awaiting like, an imagination; because its bright and colorfull and can take you places you've never been. But that's not me.

"You remind me of a hot air balloon!" The other students giggled. "Becuase you're big and full of hot air!" The classroom errupted in laughter. I had made my joke. It was good, and everybody laughed; except Mrs. Fox.

Later that day after lunch she carried a tray full of white icecream containers in. She called students to the back of the class to pickup their reward and return to their seats to feast. As the names went by I kept expecting mine to come up. But name after name it didn't. I didn't understand what went wrong, and being me I wasn't going to question my teacher. But I still couldn't understand why I didn't get my icecream.

I got home and told my mom first about the hillarious joke I made during class. She laughed, then told me it wasn't very nice. Then I lamented about not getting icecream and explained to my mother how some mixup probably happened. Mom laughed. "You called your teacher a hot air baloon and expect to get icecream?!" Mom laughed at me for a while. Then she told everybody in the house.

Sheesh, I didn't know making jokes about middle aged women was such and offense to have icecream stripped away from an 8 year old.

But now I know.

Paul "A little slower than your average bear" Murphy

2008-01-17T16:32:00.000-08:00

Unnecissary Blog

Why? Because it won't change your opinion.

I like Donald Miller's writing. I was handed Blue Like Jazz on a Friday afternoon and closed the back cover before Saturday's 2pm frisbee at Harding Park. It's mezmorizing.

I especially like his not-better-than-you style of writing. Its a breath of fresh air when I'm submerged 2000ft in a book ocean. (What was that <- ?) Is he a Tolstoy- no, that's not his style. There are a lot of smart people out there that like to write like they're smart people. Lots of times they write books about history and I get wrangled into reading them. Even some on the side link do so. There's nothing wrong with it, It's just not my prefered method. (Mine's "elementary") In my mind the true mark of a great teacher, book, whatever, is the ability to take a complicated subject and make it accessible to everybody. It's why I love Peter F. Drucker's books on Economics, Stephen Hawkings A Brief History of Time, and Donald Miller's writing style. They simplify something complicated to where anybody could read and understand it.

Donald Miller deals with some complicated stuff. In BLJ its religion and its place within our relationships with God. In Through the Painted Desert its about solidifying who you are and what you believe. Its about finding God somewhere other than in pages of a Bible or in the pews of a church building.

He jumps around and is crazy. Yes, ok, I concede that. Miller will use a train of thought internal discussion and will (spaghetti) take a detour during a chapter for a while. But it all comes back around. And I like that he's crazy- but we all are- he just write about it and the rest of us keep it inside. Maybe you aren't and that's why you don't like it. But I think some crazy stuff, and its nice to know that somebody else does too- it makes it real.

Sunday I was finishing up TPDesert just completely submerged in the book. It was a great chapter about life, fun, girls, and camping in the yard. I was so completely into the chapter that at the end I looked up and had forgotten completely what day it was. Now that's some good writing. Maybe its just his Bohemian view and lifestyle that so attracts me. I dunno.

Paul "Confused about why Japanese science experiments wind up on the grocery store shelf" Murphy

Whaling for science? That seems........ wrong. Especially when it winds up as food.

2008-01-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

Reading and Fishing

I bought a speargun. The company shipped it out this morning via priority mail so I'm hoping it shows up either on Sunday's flight or Thursday's. I'm really excited. I've never tasted Sea turtle and I'm really interested to see how it tastes. That's a joke. So I've been looking up fish charts for the area to see what is edible. I think it'll be a blast. I got a Murphycheap 27" JBL Explorer speargun. It's not a big game gun, but its mine and hopefully it'll be shiny.

I've been reading a lot lately. I've downed 3 books in the last month. The two on Mountain climbing, which were excellent, and another Donald Miller book "Through the Painted Desert." Its about a roadtrip. I like roadtrips. Jeremy Stoneburner says we're going camping this summer. So we'll go somewhere cool again.

Through the Painted desert wasn't like Blue Like Jazz. It was different but the same pragmatic but poetic Donald Miller. I like his take on things, he makes christianity easy. I love how he takes a sobering look at relationships between people, and people and God. I also like the idea of traveling around and living in the woods and stuff.

What a random blog

Paul "captain random" Murphy

2008-01-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

Off the home row

You ever notice when someone is frustrated they type only on the home row? asdkfjasdlf style. Its like if we're frustrated we just move around the easiest keys to press. I'm frustrated and I don't know where the keys are.

Over break I read two really good books. Into Thin Air by John Krakauer, about the 1996 disaster on Everest and High Exposure by David Breshears. Both excellent. Both about mountanineering and what pulls people toward something as ridiculous and illogical as climbing to 29,028ft, the troposphere. Both books resonate somewhere inside me. Its about personal challenge.

I'm frustrated with a lot of things right now. All related to what I do from 7:30 to 3:00. On one hand I've got this new enthused idea that each day is special and shouldn't be wasted. On the other I'm not happy. Problem. Solution? I don't know.

All accounts I can read from mountaneers on Everest say that nobody enjoys the short walk to the top. And by short walk I mean 13,000ft drudgery of a march through wind, cold, and ice from Base Camp to the peak. Sure people enjoy some aspect of the climb but on day 4, sumit day, nobodys chipper and happy. Even veteran climbers have to force themselves out of bed at midnight to make the last ascent of the excruciating climb. Above 26,000ft your intestines shut down b/c of a lack of oxygen. It feeds on itself for energy. They call it the "death zone." Often climber return with a 20% loss of body mass.

I kinda feel that way. The question becomes how do you balance a "don't waste a day" philosophy with being miserable at work?
A. Find something else that doesn't make you miserable
B. Find a way to make work less miserable
C. Suck it up and waste the next 163 days of your life
D. Find meaning, value, and happiness somewhere else like spearfishing, cycling, or some other cheap activity.

Paul "not in a good place" Murphy

2008-01-02T01:15:00.000-08:00

Panic! at Midnight

I never know how much to discuss about my current trip. On the one hand I could say stuff like... (backspaced out). True, yes. Accurate, ehhh. So I don't know how much to divulge of my NZ exploits.

Many of my actions tend to be high-risk high-reward type stuff. I think that's how I can continuously come up with stuff to write for this blog. Paul Murphy makes another blunder in an attempt for greatness. I guess Dad was right, I don't think a lot of things through. But that's how I roll yo. And that's how I fall flat on my face and wind up making a fool out of myself then post it to all my friends to read.

New Years Eve I was making my way up from Queenstown to Aukland riding the bus. So NYE I found myself in the small seaside former whaling town of Kaikura. It was small and not much to do. So after I trekked out to see a few fur seals I went back to the room and crashed around 5pm New Years Eve.

I woke up around 11 pm by the bad cover band blaring outside the window. The NYE party was on, and I was sleeping it off. How lame. So my brain got to thinking. I decided that I should go join the party on the street and find a good looking lady to stand by when the clock stroke 12. We'd have our celebratory kiss and I could go to bed. I was also hungry b/c I missed supper. Brilliant. I really don't think things through though.

So I went down to the streets where people were partying and a little on the drunk side as a whole. It was an hour till midnight so I sat in a small roadside park and watched drunk people. Drunk people are funny. Then the drunk people spotted me sitting by myself and decided to talk to me. Nuts. Should have thought that one through. So I talked to some guy and his plank of wood he'd drawn a face on. Then one of the girls asked how old I was.

When asked how old you are its always good to lie. Period. There isn't an advantage to telling someone the correct age. Especially girls. I made the mistake and told her 23. Nuts.
"How old do you think I am?" came the reply from the inquisitive girl.
Nuts. Another question you shouldn't answer correctly. There's only one reason someone would ask that- they're too young. Nuts. Brain-"Get the smash out of here!!"
"you look... ... ... eight." (17???)
Drunk people don't like strange answers. So I gave a few more and they left me alone. Back to my search for a good looking lady to position myself next to. And I could use some food.

So I found the "Speights" sign and went in. I got a "hotdog" (corndog) and some fries. That should hold me over. Now to listen to the bad cover band and eat my food, and scope out a good place to stand.

As I sat there eating my food and listening to the music, and searching for a place to stand, I apparently caught the attention of my plump bus driver. So she came over and sat down and we had a conversation. All the while I was panicking. This isn't what I wanted. I was supposed to find a hot german girl or something. Anything but the bus driver!? Oh snap. Then I started to panic.

My horribly planned plan began to crumble as it ticked closer to midnight and I was still carrying a conversation with the bus driver. Nice girl, just not the plan. Some of her friends came over and we talked a little more. There was no way out at 1 minute till 12. I was toast. And so ended the brilliant plan of Paul Murphy. I dodged a quick kiss and went for the hug. I quickly came up with some lame excuse and bolted for bed, narrowly escaping further pursuit of physical contact. Whehww.

Paul "Moron" Murphy

2007-12-30T00:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday Apologies.

If you didn't check out the pictures from yesterday there at the bottom of the last post. Good stuff.

Today I searched out a game of Ultimate here in Christchurch. Good stuff. I then walked 7km to find the church for sunday evening services. I didn't find it :( But I did find Burger King! :) Frisbee is great, no matter where I go if there's a game I'm usually welcome.

I was thinking on my way back about some stuff that happened a while ago but still sort of bothers me. I need to apologize to some people. Specifically to Luke D, Colby B, Jordan W, Brett J, and Whit J. At one point or another I was pretty angry with you. Instead of saying something was bothering me I just kept it in.

During our frisbee days I use to regularly get mad at one, if not all, of you. I apologize for that and any crappy behavior that came with it.

I think that's why Luke didn't get a card that one year. Sorry.

Paul "What a lame post, but its my blog and I'll cry if I want to" Murphy

2007-12-28T23:39:00.000-08:00

Pictures and video are in and thoughts on casinos (just scroll to the bottom if you don't want to read the random garbage)

I remember when Georgia first decided to open up the Georgia Lottery. As a lottery has gone GA has done a fairly excellent job with making sure the money gets to where it should go. Some states haven't, like Texas.

Dad use to go buy a lottery ticket every-now-and then. He would usually only buy one. Sometimes he'd get three and let us bubble in our birthdays for the winning numbers. Dad never won.

I also remember Mom and Dad going to a casino in Aruba. Mom played the slots. Mom was always happy playing $5 worth of nickel slots. Dad went to the roulette table and placed a few lucky bets. We ate his $15 of winnings in ice cream later that night. Dad also use to go to Vegas on buisness trips. He'd come back with good stories about watching some guy lose $2000 in half an hour. But dad used all of this to teach a lesson.

Lesson 1. you don't win the lottery. period. Dad figured he could either buy a candy bar or a lottery ticket. The candy bar went towards his cholesterol numbers and the lottery ticket went toward education. So most fridays he went with the ticket. I think sometimes he went with both.

Lesson 2. Roulette. When you go into a casino know your odds. Your going to lose. They don't power all the fancy lights in Vegas with the guys who walk out with winnings. If you gamble, be sure you plan on losing that money. Dad would sometimes play roulette and see how long he could play on $20. It was never about winning, just burning time and having fun. He got to where he could last about 3 hours on $20.

I've taken heed of Dad's advice. Twice I've walked into a casino with $25 to see how long I could play. My target was to beat Dad's 3 hour mark. The first time I made it 15 minutes.

Roulette is the Murphy game of choice. 36 spots on the wheel and one 0. Sometimes there's 00. Some bets are simple, others more complicated. Numbers, odd, even, red, black, and 1/3's are the simple ones. All except for the numbers carry relatively decent odds. 1:1 payouts for odd/even red/black and 1:2 for the 1/3's (each bet covers 1/3 of the board). I've found that idiots bet on numbers, corners and inbetween lines. I've watched many a player loose serious cash betting on scrambled numbers. 1/36 that the ball will hit your number with a 1:35 payout. Big gamble=big payout. But dad taught me to play for time not money. So I've bet the higher odds, simpler bets.

The first time I lasted 15 minutes. That is before I worked my $15 into $60, more than enough to cover the price of the room I slept in that night and the Dr. Pepper I was originally searching for. Tonight I went into another casino. Armed with $25. The roulette table was empty. I initially placed three bets; red, 25-36, and the first line. $15. The ball landed on 32(?) A red number on the first line between 25-36. I placed two more bets. Black 25-36. $10. The ball hit 26 black. Solid. But once again I couldn't beat my dad's record 3 hours. I walked away.

Its important to remember there's only one guaranteed way of winning in a casino. Don't play. Go in and watch some asian guy drop $2000 on long odds. Honestly the roulette people have pretty good control over the wheel and ball. I watched one guy who didn't like doing the math hit the easiest spot to calculate the winnings on the board 3 times in a row. They try and spot numbers. On both occasions I was being set up. I was just smart enough to walk away when I was ahead.

Oh here are the pictures I got developed from the trip so far.

And me bungy jumping off the Nevis high wire. Jumping with 440ft of air beneath me. All total I fell something like 400 ft or so. CRAZY!!!

2007-12-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

Ready for flight

Apparently my blogs have been so great hardly anyone else has done so. Michelle hasn't put anything up since before xmas. Paulo since the 11th. Whit for a few days. And so on and so forth. What a lame phrase.

I made my way down to Queenstown. Its like the Aspen of NZ. The mountains still have snow. Today I watched the second LoTR movie then went outside and looked around like, "hey that was in the background." I also got to play a solid game of Futball. I was sucking wind for the first 30 minutes just getting use to exercise in at a higher altitude. Tomorrow I gear up and make it to the Nevis Highwire bungy jump. Yeah. Like 108 meters. Thats like falling for a football field. More fun. Last night I watched a guy lose about $1000 at a roulette table in under an hour. Crazy.

I completely blew my $9 food budget today. I cooked a solid steak mashed potatoes and green beans meal for myself. It was cheaper than going out at $15NZ. That's like $11 US. Solid work for a good dinner. Tomorrow night I might try for a dinner for two. 1533 days is a while. holy cow, time really gets away from you.

Paul "surely there are some budget strapped backpacker redhead ladies in this town" Murphy

2007-12-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

Awwwwwwesome

Today I went Iceclimbing on the Fox Glacier. I picked up a pair of ice tools, some mountaineering boots, and crampons and headed out onto the glacier with a guide. It was stinking amazing. Fantastic. At first it didn't feel right; holding on the the wall with just the front points of your crampons, but by the end of the day it was like third nature. It took me a while to realize that its 80/20 legs/arms not 20/80 legs/arms. I took some pictures with my fuji film disposable. Alltogether we spent about 6 hours out on the glacier picking away at icewalls and cravasses. I think I'll find time to go iceclimbing again. Need to buy gear.

It has to rank up there with flyfishing in AK, my first SCUBA in Cozumel, shore diving on the big island of Hawaii, and holding hands with that girl I almost chundered on.

Paul "goin' on ebay later today" Murphy

2007-12-23T00:50:00.000-08:00

Kudos and Extinction

Well I got on ferry this morning and transfered to the south island. Ferries are cool. Especially car ferrys. Honestely I was a little offset by riding on a car ferry. Apparently they sink quite fast and people die. Anywhoo. Sorry about the spelling I've been forced to use IE. Grrrr.

In other news I went to a movie the other night in Taupo with Lee the Irishman. Cool cat. Apparently during the movie there was a decent earthquake about 180 km to our east. Go figure.

Today I jumped off the bus in Nelson. I went to a singing service at the Nelson Church of Christ. Good folks over there and I recommend you stop by if you're in town. It was a xmas carol singing service, and I hate xmas carols. But not tonight. Something was a little different. I guess it was the firm realization that I'm thousands of miles away from family and friends for Christmas this year, and the closest thing I had was the congregation here in Nelson. Kudos to them they were incredibly hospitable and had a good looking, sweet, red haired coC girl who apparently teaches highland dance. Solid.

I was faced a few months ago with an article in National Geographic that said my kind (people with red hair) will be extinct in 100 years. Ever since then I've had this internal nagging to continue my rare pedigree. But how do you start a conversation like that? Hey we should hook up because... you know... we're going extinct and stuff.... No. So now we will come up with the top 10 pick-up lines for keeping the red hair going. I'll try to keep them Mimi appropriate.

10. Have you seen Ice Age 2? Because I think you're like that mammoth...

9. Hey sweety, lets say you and me fight natural selection together.
(these aren't good. I need some help)

8. I want to grow old and die of skin cancer with you. ( we make vitamin D more efficiently which in turn leads to higher skin cancer cases in sunny climates)

7. Hey baby, you want to go lay out on the beach and get a sun burn. (most of us are quite pasty)

6. Lets role play; this time you have to be Andy Richter...

5. You want to play "connect the dots" on eachother?

4. Can I rub sunscreen on your face?

3. Hey sweety, how 'bout you come over here and we can start mixing alleles.

2. Can I be your pasty Ricky Ricardo?

1. Lets start a bonfire

Paul "I hope I get on the right busses tomorrow" Murphy

2007-12-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

Story and Broken

Forgot this great story. So there are several bus companies that run through NZ that are private backpacker oriented buses. I'm on the Stray bus with Mori the post hippy surfer NZ'er. Anyways he makes fun of his competition buses, but knows most of the drivers as they probably see each other quite a bit as there is only so much to see in one place. Anyways we're driving down the road and Mori spots a Kiwi Experience bus coming in the opposite direction. So Mori calls for everybody to go to flash the other bus as we past it. He hollers for people to come to the front. We all just laughed and sat there. So as the Kiwi experience bus passed us Mori lifted his shirt along with a younger Dutch guy. We laughed some more. Mori then told us we sucked for not flashing the other bus. At that point the 61 year old lady pipes up and informs us that she too flashed the other bus. Ewwww! I almost chundered on the cute girl I was "holding hands" with. That story is entirely true expect for the last phrase.

Broken
Riding along the bus and watching people interact in foreign places with foreign people has brought something I've been thinking about into full light. The brokenness of People. By broken I'm talking about the incompleteness that is evident in many peoples lives. Not necessarily some religious aspect but something else. I think a lot, make that most, people don't think of themselves as complete. They think something is missing, that they are not good enough in one way or the other. We all deal with this feeling of brokenness to one degree or anther.

To be whole, complete. Nobody is perfect. But what is it about some people that seems like they are complete? There are some people out there that... that... seem to have it together. They don't readily think of themselves as lacking in any way. Not just a confidence issue but something else. I like to think I'm slowly making my way to being complete. But how?

Everybody has trash, crap, junk in their lives. Some of it is their own fault, some of it was caused by something, someone, else. Everybody has a little brokenness in their lives. There's no getting around it. Like the bumper sticker says "'Stuff' happens." And sometimes that stuff hurts and breaks us, emotionally. Being broken emotionally leaves us two choices, maybe more, but two for now.

Choice one is to ignore the broken part of us and seek acceptance from others. This is what I've seen on my trip. People yearning for acceptance. Incomplete people that mask their brokenness by other avenues. Its really visible in guy/girl interactions. Two broken people trying to fill some missing void of brokenness by... by... other means. Its the mutual crutch. You lean on me and I'll lean on you. But we all know what happens when you lean two things against each other. It only takes a slight movement to knock everything down. The yearning that broken people feel leads them to yearn for acceptance, in sometimes self-destructive ways.

As a guy looking for dates/relationships/whatever one thing I've keyed in on is brokenness and how a person deals with it. It's completely unattractive. Maybe its attractive to others, but not me. Maybe really broken people find other really broken people for some fleeting feeling of acceptance.

Choice two is a better choice. Choice two involves addressing the brokenness directly. Sometimes I feel inadequate because... You fill in the blank. Recognize the issue and deal with it directly, not by looking for verification from other people that your O.K. It shouldn't matter what other people think, and if that's your standard then your doomed to fail. What should matter is what you think. I think I'm good enough.

I'm short. Ok I'm 23 and still have acne. Ok. One ear sticks out further than the other. Ok. My nose is comparable to Tom Cruise. Ok. Emotionally. I've been rejected and turned down. Ok. Does that mean there is something wrong with me? No. Does a teacup still crack when you drop it? Yup. But is the teacup any less useful because you super-glued it back? Nope. Just as good as new. Just as covering brokenness is incredibly unattractive, people who have dealt with it, acknowledged the crack, and super-glued the teacup of their life back together is freaking hot.

Just like an un-mended teacup doesn't work right; neither does an un-mended person. Its ok to have some cracks; we all do. But what's important is to recognize and repair them. Otherwise we wind up looking for verification of our wholeness from other sources than from within. And they don't work.

How do I know my cracked teacup is good enough and not something to be sold for 5 cents in a garage sale? Like an old poster in a preacher's office once proclaimed, "Because God doesn't make junk."

Word out.

Paul "I spent $10 on internet today" Murphy

2007-12-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

Wellington

Named after the great Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesly. I once wrote a huge paper on him. Now I'm in the town named after him. Wellington is most noted by his domination of Napoleon at Waterloo. Before that he was responsible for establishing a foothold in Portugal and Spain. Good stuff. Little Advice: Don't read history books by British authors. They try and use the longest sentences possible.

Everythings gravy right now. All my bookings have sorted out. Hope to go to Sunday evening sevices in Nelson tomorrow.

I love the Nomads backpacker hostel. Everytime I need a place to stay they've got room. They also offer a free meal so its Murphycheap as well. Yah for them. I ganked this picture of the crossing yesterday. They offered a midnight trip but I'd have to burn a day. Cool beans. My knee hurts a little. But its all gravy.

2007-12-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

Today was good

First of all THDGs stayed in Taupo while I ventured on. We had a 6 (4) hour hike today on the tongariro(?) crossing. It was good. The elevation went from 600m to 1900m. So about a mile up. I got to see snow for the first time in a while. I touched it and played in it. I also completely dominated the rest of the group as far as speed on the hike. I also got to do a little rock climbing at one point for a better view of Mt. Doom. I looked for Dwight but he wasn't around. Good day. Tommorow is Wellington. Still paying for internet. I think I got all the booking stuff worked out. I have to take an extra bus on the 25th b/c the Stray busses aren't running. Although I specifically remember checking that on their web site. Ehh. Just another $45. The food budget is staying together pretty well. $9 US/ day. Ummm bread and bagels. Ehh good stuff.

Paul "I'll find some other acronymous ladies" Murphy

2007-12-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

Quick notes
1. Paying for internet.

In the last few days I've been to Hahei (rich foreign tourist place like Bocca Raton FL). It was aight. the beach was alright. Nothing spectacular. I also learned a new card game from a couple of dutch girls (further reffered to as THDGs). Good stuff. We went to a hot water beach. Basically there were pools of hot thermal water if you dug in the sand. Also we stopped by a boutique winery for a quick taste. The next time I want fruit juice that tastes like someone put mouthwash in it I think I'll just do that...

Next day to Raglan. It supposed to be some sort of surf mecca for NZ. The water was flatter than... than... a glass of tea on the ground. It was a good hike. Also played some ping pong at the hostel.

Yesterday went to Waitomo. Did not pay for the caves. $112 to go to a cave and see some luminescent worms. I did manage to find a new lunch. Full cream milk (1030 calories) and bread (1200 calories) all for about $5. Good stuff. Today I'll eat fast food in Taupo. I'm in Rotorua currently. Nothing to yell about. It smells like sulfur b/c of the thermal activity. More hotwater pools.

I bought a cheap disposable cammera. 27 pictures. Yeah.

Paul "I'm going to go hang with THDGs now" Murphy

2007-12-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

Trip to New Zealand
Day 1 and 2

So for the next three weeks I'm in New Zealand touring the countryside. But like any Murphy vacation it's bound to become a disaster at some point. Friday started poorly. After school let out at noon I started rushing around getting everything ready. I had to pack all my stuff and I threw it in my truck so Philip wouldn't have to worry about it. And its my stuff.

I also needed to print off my itenerary, exchange money at the bank, pack my bags, and make a run to the post office to be angry that my box wasn't there. Sorry mom, the box didn't make it in time which is really sad. So I ran to the bank to deposit a check. The Tafuna branch didn't do the exchange thing so I had to go to the main branch in town. Another line another half hour of waiting. My flight was leaving at 5:40. So I got my currency exchanged then ran into a 3mi long traffice jam on the island. It took me another hour and a bit to get home. By that time it was 4:00- need to be at the airport. Pack quick and run.

Make my flight and get to W. Samoa to board the plane for NZ. No problems there just a quick layover and more waiting. The plane ride was cold. Now maybe a 76 F cabin doesn't sound cold but it is when you haven't had anything below 80 in a year. So I didn't sleep much on the plane and it got into Auckland aroun 1:30am Sunday (today). I went to immigration- the guy asked me for my return ticket. I didn't have the itenerary printed off (t-jam). So I got flagged by immigration and had to wait for everything to get straightened out.

Then onto customs. I hate customs forms. Always the same. No fruit. No cigarettes. No alcohol. blah blah blah. Backpaking tent? Umm yes but it hadn't been used in a while. I'll check no. I put my bag through the scanner and on its appearing at the other end the lady asked me if I had any "football boots" in the bag. I did and agreed.

"Are they new?"
"No, about a year and a half old."
I was just confused about why she was interested in my soccer cleats. I know; they are fashionable. (I plan on playing a few games of disc while down here).
Apparently she wasn't admiring my Addidas red, green, and black cleats but I was supposed to declare them on the customs form. It was under the tent on the list. I didn't see it. So they let me off with a warning after scrubbing my cleats down to remove the grass and dirt stuck on the bottom. Ooops.

Slept in the airport. It was cold too so I didn't get much shut-eye. This morning I stowed my luggage where I'm staying and hiked off to church. I'd found a church of christ on the web. Sweet. So I started hiking in the general direction the google map had told me three days ago. My memory isn't great. I eventually (after 1.5 hours and 4 miles) asked directions from a chinese laudrymat couple.

"Oh its just down the road. It should only take you about 10 minutes... to drive it."
nuts. Another 3 miles or so down the road. By this time it was getting close to 10, the universal start time of all CoC. I arrived 30 minutes early (I started walking about 7am). But wait. They didn't start till 11. I knew something was fishy. So I burned another 1.5 hours. Church was cool. It wasn't a real CoC but a New Zealand brand completely independent. They sat me next to Michael, a single twenty-something guy. We chatted before service and it was a contemporary service. I fell asleep multiple times during the 40 min sermon. No sleep last night. I felt bad. Church let out at 12:30.

I began my trek back to the hostel. Luckily they built the southern hemisphere's tallest building about 6 blocks from it so navigating back wasn't difficult.

Today I meant to do two things I use to enjoy that I no longer get on the island. There was pick-up frisbee at a park. I never found it. So I got to enjoy the other thing I've missed. Scoping cute chicks. I've missed girls that are shorter and weigh less than me. Its a beautiful sight.

tommorow I get on the bus and travel somewhere else.

Paul "I miss white chicks" Murphy

2007-12-10T20:33:00.000-08:00

I'm insane with anger (ok just disappointed)

It's busy so maybe I'm just intolerant right now. But here we go.

I was browsing through the Christian Chronicle when I found this little gem of an article. Maybe I shouldn't read the Chronicle any more.

Dr. Wilson has some interesting stuff to say about singing in church.

1. Examine the texts of the music we’re using. This is a highly emotional area where differences of opinion will occur, but if everyone agrees that a particular hymn text is poorly written or has nothing significant to say, why should we use that text in our worship? This may also force us to look at texts that have only one thing to say, over and over again, and decide if there is a better text to use.

2. Get a music professional involved in looking at the music we sing. We expect our preachers and ministers to have a college degree; our musicians should have a similar background. At the least, find a musician in the community who’s willing to evaluate the hymn arrangements and separate the wheat from the chaff. We all appreciate those who have good hearts and the willingness to lead, but some training is absolutely required.

3. Look for good music that is well written. Don’t assume that if it’s in the hymnbook, it must be good. Publishers are primarily in the business of selling. When a new piece of music becomes popular, a publisher’s job is to get hymn arrangements available as soon as possible. This doesn’t always lead to great arrangements. Look for the good ones. Avoid the bad ones.

The bottom line is that we shouldn’t be satisfied with presenting music to God that is less than the best we have to offer.

Congregational singing doesn’t have to be a concert, but it should be the best we can make it. We must teach our members the difference between music appropriate for private enjoyment and music suitable for public worship.

We must learn the difference between individual pleasure or having fun, and the corporate effort of worshiping God. New music should be included with older, more traditional hymns, but only music that is worthwhile and well written.

GARY P. WILSON is director of choral activities and associate professor of music at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. A member of the Smith Springs church in Antioch, Tenn., he earned his doctorate in musical arts from the University of Nebraska.

Dec. 1, 2007

Okeydokey.

Examine the text of a song. Agreed. Especially in Samoa. Some of our members speak as much english as I speak spanish. Beulah land is out forever. All people that on Earth do dwell, Be not dismayed wher'er be tide, Come ye disconsolate, Here we are but straying pilgrims (oka! funny hats?), Kum by yah (#986), and almost anything else written before 1875 are all out. In fact I don't understand the words I'm tearing it out.

Songs that say the same thing over and over. Every song with a chorus is out. Ok maybe not. But what's wrong with a nice repetitive song? Don't the angels sing Holy holy holy is the Lord for like 10,000 years? Well I think I'll keep "How Great is our God." I don't give a load of poop if the song is repetitive; does it have meaning? That being said don't sing it EVERY time we meet.

A good music professional involved. Ok. I definitely think someone needs to be involved with the songs. Especially someone who can find solid songs, especially those not in the book. The problem with a good music professional is they like a professional sounding service. I've driven by a lot of Samoan churches that don't sound good musically, but the people are praising God with their hearts. So it sounds a whole heckuvalot better than we do with our four part harmony where everybody sings under their breath.

Look for music that is well written. Umm alrighty. Does it sound good? Well let me tell you if its complicated it won't. If is arranged for a chorus, chances are it sounds like crap at the Tafuna coC. (Lynn if you read the blog please stop singing "Beautiful" its not good. People don't sing not because they don't know they words, they just think it sounds horrible)

Find good arrangements. That gets an old-school Alvin "BEEEEBOOOOP!" Just sing the freaking song like you heard it on the radio. I'm sick of this music notation and people trying to complicate a good song. Just sing it from your heart, not the page.

Difference between music for individual pleasure and the corporate worship. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. I'm so angered by this statement I can't combat it. Here's what I heard, "don't sing songs that you hear on the radio that you like. God doesn't like that stuff. Its not coC." I dunno.

I guess I think that if you have a congregation that really enjoys singing four-part choral arrangements then that's what you should sing. We like singing at Tafuna, but not that. The same goes for camp. I don't think the 8-14 group sings in four part very well at Super Week. We shouldn't expect them to. Cut the quartet up front- sing the song- one or two parts. If people want to sing others- ok, but don't expect them to.

Paul "

2007-12-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Excitement

About a month ago Philip stated that he and Jaime were not missionaries. It's true of course because we all know missionaries have to have continual funding from outside sources. I think its something about some missionaries never building self-sufficient churches that doesn't fit in with the Murphycheap ideology. Or missionaries expecting others to support their venture. I think sometimes we forget that Paul was a tent-maker; maybe the ideal style for a missionary. At least its the Murphycheap ideal.

I can absolutely understand why Philip doesn't like the label. Missionaries are expected to write reports, take pictures of baptisms, and stay where they are. One thing I've found is that missionary reports can lend themselves to a little bit of "magic resume" type wording. Stated: Worked for Fortune 500 company More correctly: cleaned bathrooms at McD's. The same thing is true with newsletters. You want a report? I should makeup a song to the tune of 12 days of x-mas. ...three school fights, two incarcerations, and a family with a teen pregnancy. That's our Thursday night group.

Second great reason. Vacation. Missionaries don't get good vacations. Jaime and the kids will be home this xmas, and maybe this summer. I'm getting real excited about my trip to New Zealand this break. 21 days total. Last night I booked my ice climbing on the Franz Joseph glacier and my Nevis Highwire Bungy jump. Nevis (134meters) is the third highest commercial bungy in the world. They take you out over a canyon in a gondola and push you out!! Fun stuff right there. The rest of the time I'll be eating PBJ's, Lunchables (pizza), Gourmet Hotdogettes (Vienna Sausages), and whatever I can find to cook on a fire next to my tent. Some nights I'll stay in a hostel dorm, but I prefer the Murphycheap campsite when available. I've got my backpack, tent, headlamp, alarm clock (bus leaves at 8am!?), sleeping bag, and my books should be in this week. Sweetness.

Paul "somebody at the post office ganked my MP3 player so tunes are questionable" Murphy

2007-12-06T19:25:00.001-08:00

A Lawyer and a Doctor

There are some mistakes in life that you'll just make. Some are completely unforeseeable. Other mistakes we tend to mis because of some problem with our "mistake-0-vision." Sometimes mine is terrible. In comes the doctor and the lawyer.

When it comes to decent advice you can never go wrong with Philip or Josh. I decided to compile great lessons I've learned from the two of them over the years.

Make a friend who is bigger than and a lot of other people. People don't pick on you when you've got the biggest friend.

Don't take Mrs. Cockrel

Don't poke the dog with a broom

Don't turn your back on that goat

Don't touch the fence, its electric

But then there's the advice I didn't take and wish I would have later.

I wouldn't cut that; its poison ivy

Don't take Mrs. Whatsherface for typing or accounting

You might want to call the government office up first

All of this I did then regretted later. I've think I've finally learned to do what Josh and Philip say. They probably know something I don't.

2007-12-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

Nap time

So I've got not much to do right now b/c colt is reading a book and philip is sleeping. I guess I could continue to plan my trip to New Zealand, but there's not a lot to plan. Eat cheap- go walk around for a while- wake up - get on the bus and find somewhere to eat cheap. By the way if anyone wants to jump aboard with me it'll be great fun....

I figured I'd just share a favorite bored website of mine. Sometimes in times like these I go to the amazing Thinkgeek. What other place can you find a knife with flint fire started and a USB drink chiller. In fact it may be the most useless website ever. Nobody really needs any of the stuff, but it's all so cool.

Who the heck needs "Pirate vs. Ninja" AA batteries? Nobody, and that is why they're cool. The Annoy-a-tron (micro gadget that emits a horrible noise that you stash under "that guy" in your offices desk) is completely dumb. But then again I need a way to get back at "that guy."

USB Rocket launcher?! SWEET! although perfectly useless after the first two days of fun.

Now nobody Needs a virtual laser keyboard but it is freeking cool.

Do I need a Titanium Spork? No. Do I want a Titanium Spork? Yes, yes I do.

Caffeinated Lip balm doesn't help cold sores, but it should be a completely worthwhile waste of $3

How many times have you needed a crossover cable to link your xboxen? The crossover keychain turns any CAT-5 cable to crossover. Fan-tastic.

So if you're shopping this Christmas for the unshoppable person, you might want to try some stupid gadget from Thinkgeek. Just remember they won't use whatever you get them anyways, so at least get them something their friends will envy while not being used.

Paul "please don't get me any of this junk" Murphy

2007-11-30T19:32:00.000-08:00

Thpwwpwpw.

I hate it when people are like. Nothing to blog about. Sure there is.

Now if I could only figure out what...

Here's something I've been thinking about recently: how should a poor person live. Now personally I'm one family member away from the poverty line. That being said I'm definitely above the poverty line for the US. Also I think there is some misconception that things are cheaper here on island. That its like going to mexico to buy Reeboks. Let me assure you the only things cheaper on an island in the middle of the S. Pacific is taro, bananas, coconuts, and trips to the ocean. Everything has to get shipped in on a boat. If I sound like I'm complaining, i don't mean to, I love going to the beach.

Back to the question. How should a poor person live.

We've all seen it, someone pulling their nice car into the front yard of the shack they live in. My WASP self has definitely thought, "hey that's a bad investment. Why don't you put more money into something that won't loose value like your house." Sometimes I've found myself sounding like that dude with the videos who does financial counseling. But who am I to judge other people on how they spend their money? Why should I care? I guess at some point there may be people abusing federal aid programs. Mom once commented on people on welfare that drove nicer cars than our Chevette. But I'm almost positive that everybody drove a nicer car than my mother at that point in our life.

Why? I guess I question myself on whether or not I'm living like a poor person should live. I think if the 11 year-old self saw the 23 year old self he'd be disappointed. "Hey where's your corvette? And why haven't you been out of med-school for four years? Why don't you have a retirement account?" I use to know what I was doing- I don't any more. I use to have a 5-year plan. My house, dog, and corvette have all gone out the window. It was going to be a 1968 stingray too. ;(

But back to the question. I'm not sure I live like a poor person should. On the other hand I'm not real sure what I should be doing differently. Honestly I'll spend about 20% of my salary on travel this year. I'm not sure that's 12 year-old Paul appropriate thing to do. I dunno.

Paul "<3 is not a heart" Murphy

2007-11-24T02:42:00.000-08:00

Monastery?

I'd like to thank everyone who submitted applications for where Paul Murphy moved to next. I still don't know where I'm going. At this point Charleston is looking pretty good. Sorry Jeremy, Michelle, and Stephen. Mormon desert isn't a very good church atmosphere. Amsterdam is too far from chocolate pie. Akron seems to have their ministry going pretty well. So here's the new idea. The monastery. Maybe a bad term.

The Chuck-town monastery. No this sounds bad. The Chuck-town commune. No still not good. The 1106 v.1.C-town. I dunno the name doesn't really matter. But here's the idea. I was going over churches and ministry opportunity in Charleston the other night with Philip. Sure there's some stuff going on in the outskirts, but there aren't any solid Coc churches in Chuck-town. I figure there's great ministry opportunity there. Ministry ideas:

1. College Ministry- College of Charleston MUSC Citadel Charleston Southern
2. Homeless ministry- its a city, we're going to live IN the city
3. Mentoring- As a members of the house we would take on various mentoring projects like coaching, tutoring, and I think we should have a little brother.
4. Rec league ministry- We go play sports and show people Jesus' love.

So here's the scoop. Find cool roommates. Buy a house near downtown Chuck-town.
Fix house so it is livable.
http://www.charlestonrealestateguide.com/2708753.html
http://www.charlestonrealestateguide.com/2719151.html
http://www.charlestonrealestateguide.com/2721844.html
http://www.charlestonrealestateguide.com/2733225.html

The first one is probably the best. Its a duplex.

Mortgage 20 year- $1500-$900/ month. Not bad for Charleston. And the first duplex has five bedrooms. Two a room? I've done three a room twice before. I guess if someone wanted they could pay the extra and get a single. Also we could split the levels girls/guys.

So first I need to see if there's any support out there. Anybody want to come live in Charleston??? Stoner? Stephen? C'mon. Anybody is welcome as long as they're willing to help out with our cool monastery type style. Ladies? any ladies out there want to go live in the ghetto of charleston?

I think its a cool idea. Go live somewhere and be a factor in the community. Show people God's love. Be a beacon in the darkness. Just have a cool place where the people are devoted to Christ and is a refuge for anyone who wants to come in. We'd always have hot chocolate and coffee during the winter. Weekly bible devotionals at the house. Group outings on the weekends. Friday night movie night. And just generally a good place for people to hang out.

Current Job openings:
Trident Tech: Librarian
Math teacher- sammer

Surely we can find jobs in Chuck town.

Paul "t-ball spectator" Murphy

2007-11-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

My Addiction

It seems like every time I turn around there it is again.

I don't like the idea of it, but something in my mind says, "Hey man, its ok."

I resist for a little bit, but it always wins.

I've tried other things. I've tried to come up with a way out.

Something will work for a while but in the end I find myself in the same spot.

I don't know what to do.

Every time I talk myself out of supporting Mike Huckabee something else comes along.

Yesterday's Newsweek.

Then this.

The Man is freaking Chuck Norris Approved!

Frankly that has to be the best border plan anyone has thought of.

I hate the idea of voting for a major political party figure. Give me a cheap third party candidate any day. Someone who represents values I agree with.

But Huck does. I don't know if I like social conservatives. I do however like a man who says Jesus is his savior and want wants social justice for the poor.

This guy is gold.

Paul "Don't drop, go for the Huck" Murphy.

2007-11-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

Free Agent

I've decided to go into free agency here in the off season this summer break. I guess I've been playing too much Madden football. In the game I've got to decide who to recruit and and sign and stuff. When you sign people they have certain preferences and stuff. Like some guys are just in it for the money. Others want to be on a winning team.

I guess I'm like Michael Turner. Who's Michael Turner? A few weeks ago Michael Turner teamed up with Ladanian Thomlinson to score five touchdowns for the San Diego Chargers. LT scored 5 of them.

Does your ministry need someone to help out? Here's my Free Agency Resume'

J. Paul Murphy
684-699-5184

Looking for a ministry that needs somebody to help out. Tent maker style; no salary required.
Ministry needs to be motivated, not real conservative, and have a young adults program of some sort. College ministries are also very appealing. Low cost of living is prefered. Availibility of roommates is also a bonus.

Old, ultra-conservative, restrictive ministries need not apply.

What matters to me?

Church atmosphere: 15%
Church that has a need: 30 %
Availibility of cronies: 20%
Availibility of disc action: 15%
Me able to find a job teaching in the area: 20%

I'll admit, there's a reason people move into free agency. Sometimes you don't need a backup running back anymore. And that's pretty much what I bring to the table. Backup runningback ability. Need somebody to come in after your starter has racked up 130 yards? I'm your man. Want somebody free to work at youth ministry? Professional? No. Murphycheap. Show nough.

So if your ministry is tight on change and needs a little help, drop me a line.

Paul "free agent" Murphy

I should be Paul "Secret Agent" Murphy