Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Check Engine

The downside of the weekend happened Friday night on my drive to Chattanooga. I had to get a nail removed from one of my tires before I could even get on the road, and as soon as I left Wal-mart my battery light came on the dash of the truck. Less than 45 minutes later, all the lights on my dash were out and my stereo was going in and out. After providentially having an Advanced Auto Parts pop up along the way, I figured out that both my battery and alternator were practically dead. The battery was replaced that night, and the alternator the following day... a nice $350 bill. Everything seemed good until about halfway home when my check engine light came on again. I'm mildly frustrated, mostly because I really don't want to burn out another alternator, but check engine lights are like boys who cry wolf. They never actually tell the truth until you don't believe they're telling the truth. And the times you believe they're telling the truth they've really never been, but you had to be without transportation for a day and pay some guy with grubby fingers that smells like Trenton, New Jersey crossed with WD-40 and Marlboro a $45 labor fee to tell you there's nothing wrong. Tomorrow I'll make another trip to my friend's dad's shop.

Me and Davio had an excellent time with our long-lost China buddy. The way he lives his life never ceases to amaze me, and I often find myself jealous of his fervor for the Lord and the Chinese people and his willingness to step out into really uncharted waters. God puts people is specific circumstances for his purposes, but life sometimes seems to pale in comparison with some of things others are doing. Everything can't be extraordinary, because then everything would normal, still, I sometimes think I need to be more passionate like Matty or at least jump off a building or something.

Matty's visit was good, despite the no-shows by FB ("I...don't....think...I'll...be...able...to...make...it), Ben (saving for his new life with his soon to be wife), Sam (saddled at home by newly expectant wife), and no-shows and unreturned calls by Shad ("call me in the morning...we'll hang out") and Justin (who never showed up after memorable lines like "see you guys in the a.m.", "I'm in for the whole weekend, wherever!", "Should I bring anything?", "Can't wait to hang out with the guys."). You guys win the MLK Weekend Big Loser Award.

I have to say that I'm exhausted, but it was worth it, considering that I may not see Matty again until next summer unless I find a way to get to Beijing this summer. Plenty of Tiger Woods Golf, NFL, and Godfather I and II (though I fell asleep for parts). It was also good for Kati to hang out with the three of us, because I think it gave her a new perspective on my uniqueness (notice I didn't use the word "strange" or "weird"). We really should have video-chronicled that 8,000 mile trip two summers ago.

Should my larynx crackle if I push on it? For the last two days I've developed this pressure in my right ear, the right side of my throat is swollen and my neck is tender to the touch. It sort of reminds me of when I got sick around Thanksgiving, but I've yet to get the sore throat, throat ulcers and body aches that came with the aforementioned illness. So this morning, I woke up and noticed that the earache part of it was back and touched my neck a little too hard and was answered with a crackling in my throat around my larynx. Matty assured me it was nothing to worry about by doing it himself several times, but it still seems weird that I'd never noticed that bendy straw sound in my neck before.

On an unrelated note, I'm perplexed tonight because I know of a guy that is incredibly well-liked and I don't know why. I can't place my finger exactly on why I don't like the guy, except to say that I have that feeling like when you're wearing a t-shirt backwards or inside out. Something just isn't right. His words seem to be golden. His action apparently inspire, It's not my suspicions that bother me...it's my lack of understanding when it comes to why people follow him. Months ago, I explained to a young friend of mine that he had $1 to spend on relational energy. He could have four 25 cent friends, ten 10 cent friends or 100 one cent friends. The point of the metaphor was to say that you can try to be friends with everyone, but the quality of those relationships will suffer at the same time. I know this guy cannot be investing enough into these friends (followers) to warrant the devotion I see, so what's the story. Is there some happy kool-aid involved?

Time for bed. I need sleep so I can figure out how to get to games at 5:30, 6 (2x), 7, and 7:30 (2x) tomorrow and then get to the RA informational meeting at 10..