Day 38 (November 7, 2010)

Today I learned how to embed videos from Vimeo. Perhaps there's hope for me after all.

Love the video. Love the cause.

There's an Easier Way To Give a Goat - outreachshop.org from Outreach International on Vimeo.

Thanks for reading,

Jeff

Day 37 (September 27, 2010)

This video was made during the Story conference I attended in Chicago last week. It hits close to my heart and reminds me of my experiences in Texas.

We Are Not Invisible from Good World Creative on Vimeo.

http://www.vimeo.com/15267303

Thanks for watching,

Jeff

Day 36 (September 2, 2010)

My new favorite prayer:

Lord, please grant me patients, for if you grant me strength, people will be hospitalized.

Day 35 (February 4, 2010)

Today I did something very Baltimore.

A big snow storm is forecast. As is customary, news crews broadcast live from the grocery stores the night before a storm. People are always buying three things in preparation for the storm: Bread, Milk, and Toilet Paper.

I get the bread part. You need to have it in case the power goes out. No cooking is required and you can't store it too far ahead.

I get the milk part. Again, it goes bad and, especially if you have kids, you'll want to have it.

Then there's the toilet paper thing. Yes, you surely don't want to run out. But, it's not like it goes bad or is rationed at the store one roll at a time. It's not hard to keep a few days worth of rolls ahead in the house.

Yet, every time there is a storm forecast in the Baltimore area there's a run on bread, milk, and toilet paper.

So, I was in Walmart today getting some supplies from church. As I was going down the aisle, I got swept up in the frenzy of the bread/milk/toilet paper crowd. I knew I had plenty of bread at home. I knew our milk supply was good.

But then I started thinking about the toilet paper and couldn't remember exactly how many rolls we had in stock. Though I was fairly certain we had more than enough, I said to myself, "There's a storm coming so I'd better get some just in case." I pushed through the crowd and got my 24 "double" rolls.

No, there's not enough room for them on the closet shelf because we already had an ample supply in the house.

I think I may have lived in this town one storm too long.

Thanks for reading,

Jeff

Day 35 (January 19, 2010)

I had a Saturday yesterday. I know it was Monday but here's what happened:

-We all slept in. Not as late as I wanted but a couple extra hours helped.

-We went out to Friendly's for a late breakfast. You can't beat their $3.99 special.

-We all went to Target. Usually, the goal for shopping is to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. Yesterday we looked in a variety of departments, tried on (and bought) some clothes that were on clearance, and just looked around. Onalee also spent some gift money from Christmas.

-We stepped in a couple other stores in the shopping center (Michaels, Old Navy) and picked up a couple of things.

-We walked over to Barnes & Nobel so that the kids could get books with the gift cards they got at Christmas time.

-It was a beautiful day. So, even thought it wasn't planned, we stopped by a park. The kids played on the equipment while Vonceil and I visited.

-Next we walked around Arundel Mills. Bryce spent his Christmas money at the Lego store. We watched the fish in the Bass Pro shop and poked around in a few other places.

-We drove back into town and picked up a few groceries at Aldi.

-Chick-fil-a was the location of our early supper.

-At home we got haircuts, watched TV, checked email, and worked on a jigsaw puzzle.

As the day wound down I found myself ready for to go to church in the morning.

Most of you are probably not thinking this is too profound. The thing is, I don't recall a day quite like this in the last 14 years. In 2009, there were only 9 days when the schedules of the public schools, the catholic schools, and my job all lined up when the whole family had the day off when no one was taking a vacation day.

Because of that, those days are usually spent doing something "bigger." Day trips and major household projects top the list of what we usually do. A day were we go out and don't really do anything but do that together is just something we don't do.

I guess as much as anything I was surprised that a day like I had yesterday still felt like a Saturday kind of day. I might want one again in the next 14 years.

Thanks for reading,

Jeff

Day 34 (January 6, 2010)

Dear The Jeff Page Blog,

Did you think that I had forgotten you? Yes, it would be completely reasonable if you felt neglected the past few months. You've moved way down the priority ladder in my life.

Would it help if I sang you the Willie Nelson song You Were Always on My Mind? It was true. I can sing it from my heart to yours.

Actually, I enjoyed our time together just a little too much. I had so many things I wanted to type but they didn't all seem to fit you. Because none seemed quite right you didn't get any attention.

But behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy! You now have sibling blogs that will help me pay appropriate attention to you again. My other types of writings will end up on those pages so you and I can keep our special relationship alive.

Yes, I will need to spend time with them. No, I won't be posting on you every day. Just know that the attention you get will be especially focused on you without all the messy distractions.

Yours truly,

and Thanks for reading.

Jeff