Games..Must We?

My inspiration this week is the season premiere of Survivor: China.

1. Usually someone will emerge as a leader in each tribe, but last
night, one tribe sort of thrust leadership upon someone. He accepted
the role, but said it made him a little uncomfortable. Do you feel
you are a natural leader or is it something you had to learn? Or, on
the flip side, something you were neither born with or learned?

I think leadership is a trait you can be born with but it has to be honed
properly though training. I don't think we live in a society where the
traits of leadership that we are born with work out of the box. I think
it is like a diamond in the rough sort of thing. Having been through
management (my degree) and leadership training in college I learned a lot
of pitfalls that many leaders make and can tell you there is no substitute
for leadership training. That isn't to say that there aren't natural born
leaders who just fit that role so naturally that they do a great job from
the start. They are very rare though and especially in a society with a
highly educated class of people. Having said that I do feel I was born
with the trait but like everyone else it needed/needs to be honed.

2. The contestants had trouble sleeping because they got soaking wet
while trying to construct shelter. What is the longest you have gone
without a significant amount of sleep & why?

Seems like once during my working career I went a full 24 hours. I think
the reason was due to a work schedule when I worked at the grocery store
in many departments. I ended up working 18 hours in one day and for some
reason I ended up being up for 24 hours.

3. When the contestants first arrived on the island, they had no
shelter or fire & only the clothes on their back. They were given one
pot of rice, but no other supplies. So what's the most important
thing to make first--shelter or fire?

I guess that depends on what the temperature is and if it rains a lot. If
it was tropical I would do the shelter first to protect against sun and
rain. If it was cooler I might do the fire first so I wouldn't freeze.

4. One of the first things the contestants had to do was participate
in a Buddhist ceremony in a temple, with several idols lining the
walls. The host made a point of saying that he realized the group was
made up of people who had a variety of beliefs, so this ceremony was
not worship, simply a way for the Chinese to say "welcome". One of
the women said she was not "religious", but she has a personal
relationship with Jesus & that when she bows it will be only to Him.
Do you think she made the right decision? What would you do?

I would probably explain that in my faith that it is unacceptable to bow
or something like that. It seems as though in our society we have to make
accommodation for other cultures all the time. Why shouldn't other
cultures make accommodation for us.

5. The prize is a million dollars. Is it worth being separated from
family & friends, risking your health & living very primitively for 39 days?

If it is a guarantee then sure. I think it could be a real learning
experience. That isn't to say I would take part in Survivor because I
wouldn't.


It is now fall and with that change we say goodbye to many outdoor
activities for another year. This five is mostly about indoor things we
do when the weather isn't so warm anymore.

Listening to Music
1. What was the first musical album (record, tape, cd etc...) that you
purchased and do you still listen to it?

I recall this as being Adam Ant's Friend or Foe album. I don't have it
anymore because it was on tape but I still like the music on that album.
I also recall the first album bought for me was Queen's Greatest Hits and
the first tape bought for me was Synchronicity by the Police. The first
CD was Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. It was the only album I could find
in the CD racks that had a song on it I wanted to hear which was Axel F.
Funny

Reading
2. What are you reading right now and if you aren't reading anything tell
us the last book you read and if it is/was good.

I am reading the Dave Ramsey book again "The Total Money Makeover". I am
reading this with Janine and we are going through and and discussing it as
we go. That is why I am doing it.

Eating
3. Do you have any favorite cool weather foods you enjoy? Please feel
you can share a recipe if you have one.

I love pumpkin pie in the fall. Cooler weather also seems to be the time
when we stop using the grill so much and start using the oven more. So
things like ham, roast beef and turkey are all cold weather favorites.

Party
4. Do you enjoy the parties that cold weather can bring such as
Christmas, New Years and Valentines? Tell us about a memorable one...

My office party is usually pretty decent and my Sunday School class
Christmas party was really good last year. I would love to either have or
go to a decent New Years Eve party. Decent to me means people aren't
getting drunk.

The oddball question
5. You can relate this to our theme if you want or you don't have to if
you don't want to. As a child did you ever think something crazy that as
you got older you realized wasn't true?

When I wrote this question I had a few good ones to share and they have
since left me. I do recall thinking my pediatrician was the same guy who
played Dr. Joe Early on Emergency which was a TV show in the 70s. I also
recall thinking as a kid that one of the widow's walks across the street
from my house was haunted. We all thought that. A widow's walk is a room
in the top of a house that is usually glass. The purpose of it relates to
Victorian times when this area was filled with sea captains and their
large mansions. Their wives would watch for them to return home from the
glass room at the top of the house when it was time for them to be coming
back. It got it's name "widow's walk" because many of the sailors didn't
return and it was a place where widows would watch for their husbands who
would never return. Kind of morbid really. I bet Bill would love one!

These are from Lisa

1. My sweetie and I are going to Bar Harbor on an overnight. If you were to plan a realistic overnight getaway for your sweetie or a best friend, what would it be? Where would you go? Where would you stay? Where would you eat? Any special activities?

This is an easy one. I think right now I would plan a trip to Boston with my Sweetie Janine. I would stay at the Nine Zero or one of the hotels at Prudential Center. I would plan a day of sightseeing and shopping along with a great dinner somewhere like the Kansas City Steakhouse or something like that. I would also plan to see a jazz show. I would eat a big steak and just plan to show Janine "my" Boston. The one I have enjoyed so many times before. I would also plan a stop at the cigar bar.

2. My family and I are going to Virginia for a long-weekend. If you were to plan a realistic long-weekend getaway for your immediate family, what would it be? Where would you go? Where would you stay? Where would you eat? Any special activities?

I would probably go to Michigan and introduce my parents to Janine's family. We could go see the Henry Ford Musuem and go to a few cool restaurants like Big Boy and Famous Dave's. I would also love to show them Somerset Collection and Frankenmuth, MI. The only special things I would eat are some ribs at Famous Dave's and a chicken dinner at Zender's in Frankenmuth. I would also go to Bronners in Frankenmuth which is the largest Christmas store in the world.

3. Have you ever read a novel set in an exotic locale? If so, tell us a little about it. Would you like to visit there?

This may sound silly but the only thing that comes to mind is Lord of the Flies. I would love to be stranded on a desert island as long as I had plenty of stuff to take care of me and there were no real dangers afoot.

4. When I go away, I really look forward to eating at restaurants that are not here where I live (Golden Corral, Sonic & Cracker Barrel). Are there similar restaurants that you like to frequent when you are away?

Krispy Kreme, Famous Dave's, Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Culvers, Bahama Breeze.

5. I have only been to one Broadway show (“Cats”), and I would like to go to another. However, it would consist of quite a bit of travel to get there. Since I probably won’t be attending anytime soon, tell me something about a Broadway show. Have you ever been to one? Have you heard about one that peaks your interest? Is there a Broadway show that has music of which you are particularly fond? Do you hate even the thought of Broadway? Why?

I have never been to one but it would be cool to go see one and just have that experience. I would think you could travel to Boston and see one and it wouldn't be too hard. Just an idea.

1. Hectic and crazy are often how we describe our daily lives. If you had to pick the moment of each day that you felt the most serene, when would that be?


Probably when I am relaxing in my bed either in the morning or night.

2. What “habit” has been the most difficult for you to give up? Why do you think it’s been so difficult for you?


For me this is snacking and I haven't given it up yet. I have ups and downs. I think overall though this year I have done a lot better.

3. If you could relieve your spouse (friend, family member, significant other) of one burden in life, what you take away?


Soon Janine will move here and she will be away from her family. I wish there was some way they could all come with her so that aspect would be easier on her. Maybe in time I can get some of them to come here. ;)

4. If a psychic offered to tell you anything you wanted to know about your life, what is the thing you would least like to know?


I would least want to know if I did anything to really and deeply hurt anyone else. I am better off just not knowing because it would haunt me. I hate the idea of it even though I know that there are situations I know if in my past where I didn't know what else to do. I avoid it now better than I used to and I thank the Lord it hasn't happened much.

5. What has been the hardest transition you have had to make in life? And how did you do it – what helped?

I think the hardest for me is coming up in the next year with all the changes that are happening in my life.


Bonus Question – How about those Red Sox! Are you a true blue fan, loyal through the ups and downs? Or do you follow them only if they are in the World Series?

I am a fan of them but not a full time one. I don't watch all the games. Who has time?

1. Do you like roller coasters? If you do what is your favorite part? If you don't? Why not?

I have never really been on a "real" one. I would like to try a tame one and see if I like it. I don't like the idea of the huge long lines though. It wouldn't be worth it to me no matter how good it was to wait an hour to do it.

2. What is your favorite traditional treat you find in a halloween bag?

Reeses or Almond Joy

3. When was the last time you went to the dentist? Was it routine or was something bothering you?

A few years ago to have a tooth fixed. I just can't afford the dentist all the time.

4. What was the last book you read that you would recommend?

Latley my answer when that question is asked is The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. We ask a lot of book questions here on the five.

5. What is the theme song to your life right now?

Blizzard of Lies by Dave Frishberg

I think for the first time ever I missed a whole month with no posts. Well maybe not never. Where I have I been? Well there is this girl from Michigan who takes up a lot of my time but that is ok because I love her very much and she is worth it.

I will try to do better. This is one of those huge post nights that Bill always talks about. =)

It doesn't get any more 80s than this video. I happen to love the song but the video is just so great. I say that in terms of a sort of 80s cheese and also reminding me of my childhood for some reason. I think it is just the culture presented in this video and remembering what it was like.

Chick Corea Electric Band - Electric City