That's Chaptastic!

Tiger Woods apology?

2010-02-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

Today as I signed on to Twitter, or Facebook, even ESPN there was nothing but news about Tiger Woods' press conference today where he was supposed to give an apology. I didn't watch, and have only one read story about the press conference (the Sports Guys' article). I am going to be completely honest, I don't care. I'm not saying that what he did wasn't wrong, but what I am saying is I don't care about his press conference because he doesn't owe me an apology. He doesn't own you an apology either. He needs to apologize to Elin, to his kids, his family and friends, and those impacted by these incidents.

Why do we, as a society, think that because someone can hit a golf ball well, or hit home runs, or throw a football well, that we need to know everything about their lives? I think we have put too much thought and effort in to finding out what celebrities are doing. That's why magazines like US Weekly and TV shows like TMZ can exist, because the American public eats it up. Why do we care so much?

I agree with Charles Barkley, which I never thought I would say, but athletes are not necessarily role models just because they are athletes. There are some athletes out there who are good role models, who play the game the way it's supposed to be played and give back to the community. Athletes are humans too, they make mistakes and just because they can put a ball through a hoop doesn't mean they are a good role model. Doctors, teachers, philanthropists, parents, those are role models.

Basically, the point of this blog is just to say that I don't care about Tiger's press conference. You don't owe the American public an apology and therefore it didn't need to be shown live on tv. Bill Simmons said it best, he said that in a few weeks Tiger will start hitting golf balls again and people will forget about this. But his family will not forget about this, this will leave a mark on them that will take a while to heal.

Musings

2009-09-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hey all, sorry I have not been better about updating this, but here are some random thoughts, things that have been going on:

Dallas Cowboys

So I am a pretty big Cowboys fan, and am always excited for the start of a new season. Unfortunately, things have not been going super well this season. I really like Tony Romo, so much in fact that my fantasy team is named The Romosexuals. As my older brother likes to tell me, I have a weird fascination on mediocre white quarterbacks, and I thought Tony Romo was different. Unfortunately, I am starting to wonder about him. He is extremely inconsistent, has a tendency to choke in big games, but can still make amazing things happen. For every stupid pass, he has that crazy how did he do that play? I am just not sure what to think at this point. After the Philadelphia game last season he vowed to be a different player this year, to take care of the ball and not make bad decisions. Well unfortunately, last night against the Eagles he was the same Tony Romo from that game. I can only hope he rights the ship. I am a little mad, but a good game next week can put us back on good terms.

Houston Astros

Well this season has been disastrous for my favorite baseball team. I have been excited to see Bud Norris get the opportunity to pitch, as well as Tommy Manzella and Chris Johnson get called up. Unfortunately, Berkman hasn't had a good year, Roy O hasn't had his good stuff all year, Carlos Lee has been pretty good, as has Wandy Rodriguez, but Kaz Matsui and Mike Hampton have not. Today the Astros fired manager Cecil Cooper and replaced him with third base coach Dave Clark. This should come as a surprise to no one, he lost the clubhouse, and hasn't made smart baseball decisions. What stands out the most to me was the time early in the season when he filled out the scorecard wrong so Michael Bourn, who has been a very pleasant surprise by the way, was called out for hitting out of order. Instead of owning up to his mistake and telling Bourn what happened, Geoff Blum who was on the on deck circle, had to explain it. That is not a way to instill confidence with your players. Hopefully next year will go better, the Astros need to give Tommy and Johnson a chance to win a starting job, they need to get rid of Kaz Matsui, continue to give the ball to Bud Norris, Wandy, Roy O, and Felipe Paulino. I think Brian Bogusevic, Reggie Abercrombie, JR Towles, Jason Castro, and some of the young pitchers need to get a long look in Spring Training. They also need to bring in a smart manager who will control the clubhouse. Tim Bogar, Dave Clark, and Brad Ausmus should all be talked to. Here is what I would like to see next year: CF - Bourn, RF - Pence, LF- Lee, 1B - Berkman, 2B - Maysonet/Vallejo, SS - Manzella, 3B - C. Johnson/Tejada, C - Towles/Quintero. SP - Roy O, Wandy, Bud Norris, Moehler, Bazardo.

Random Thoughts

So I have been having this problem recently at multiple different stores, people keep thinking I work there. Wal-mart, Kohl's, and even Academy I have had people walk up to me and ask me where something is or if I can help them find something. It's very strange.
Today I was eating lunch in the Commons by myself, as I will often do if I am in a hurry or just need some time to clear my head. I don't think there's anything wrong with this, and I often think it's rude to eat and run if I am eating with other people. Well today someone walked by and said "You over here eating all by yourself? What's wrong with you?" And not in a joking way, I was a little taken aback. So if you ever see someone eating by themselves, don't make this comment.
I was watching Shark Week this summer, and as you know I am crazy scared of sharks, and they were talking about how there were X number of unprovoked shark attacks in 2003. Has there ever been a provoked shark attack? What would that look like?
Many congratulations go out to my good friends Aaron and Lacy on their awesome twin boys, and to Brent and Amanda on the birth of their baby girl. It's so amazing that my friends are parents now, I know they will all be phenomenal.

So that is all for now, but look for an upcoming blog about summer concerts and other fun summer activities.

Summer Update

2009-05-27T12:20:00.001-07:00

I like the summer. It's usually quiet around campus and I get to leave work when the sun is still out, which is weird. I get to read more and it's usually nice enough to spend some time outside. I am looking forward to this summer, I have no big travel plans, but it should still be a good summer. Here are a few updates from my life:

I get to see my nephews this weekend and I am really excited about it. Supposedly Tyler is crawling now, and so it should be fun to hang out with them for a little while.
I started playing softball with a few friends of mine, and it has been a lot of fun. Our team has not won a game so far, but I am hitting .636 (7-11) with 15 RBIs. I am enjoying playing and haven't hurt myself yet, so that's a plus!
I have been to three concerts in the past two weeks and expect to write a more in-depth review of them soon, but they have all been great! Plus, rumor has it that the Counting Crows will be playing in Austin sometime soon, which would make my summer.
My insomnia seems to have gotten worse. For the past week I haven't been able to get to sleep before 4am, which has caused me to be very tired at work. I don't know what it is that has made it worse, but I hope it gets better soon.

To PhD or not to Phd....

2009-04-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

... that is my current question. Ever since I finished my Master's Degree in December, I have been contemplating on what's next in my life. While I have enjoyed not being in school and being able to read whatever I want to, I am tempted to continue my educational endeavors. So I have begun looking at programs to get my PhD, but am still unsure of the program. Do I want to do Organizational Leadership (which I have my Master's in) or do I want to try Higher Education Administration (since that is what I want to do with my life)? The OL program would allow me to do quite a bit more if I ever decide to get out of Higher Education, but the Higher Ed degree would probably allow me to move up higher in my profession. I did find a very intriguing program through Regents University in Virginia which would allow me to get my Doctorate of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership through distance learning. I know I would not be able to do a program like this full time, so a distance program was a priority. So I don't think this is anything that I will attempt in the near future, but I think I have decided that one day I want to have a PhD.

Other thoughts:
- My friend Brent just bought a house and so this weekend I went and helped him fix it up. It was a lot of hard work, but I enjoyed it. I was able to learn a little bit about home repair, spend time with a friend, and help accomplish something.
- I have a job interview this week and am actually kind of nervous about it. It is the first one I have had since I completed my Master's and is for a very good position. Any good thoughts you all could send me on Wednesday would be greatly appreciated.
- I can not believe how fast this year is going by, it's already mid-April! It feels like it was January yesterday.
- The Astros and Express seasons have started and while neither has been off to a great start, I still love baseball. I have been to 2 Express games and they won both of them! Life always seems better when you're at a ballgame.

Astros Spring Training

2009-04-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ever since I graduated from college (2003), I have been planning on taking a trip to Astros Spring Training. I had heard so many people talk about how neat the experience was, and how the players are eager to sign autographs and interact with the fans. I have come close to booking a flight a few times, but I finally got the chance to attend a Spring Training game on Friday, March 20, 2009. Let me tell you, the experience did not disappoint. I had a blast! I ended up going to Orlando for other reasons, but knew that Kissimmee was only about 30 minutes away, so I bought myself a ticket. My seat was down the third base line, in the first row, and right behind the bench for the bullpen. I was able to talk with several of them and listen to them crack jokes on each other, share information, and give the fans a hard time. Before the game I was able to get a few autographs and actually chatted with pitcher Chris Sampson for a little bit. The Astros ended up winning, but I will take the memories of the interactions with me more than the final score. I guarantee that I will make it to another Spring Training game in the future. Here are a few pictures that I took:

Catcher J.R. Towles, one of my favorite Astros, even though he will be playing for the Round Rock Express this season. You can see Berkman batting in the background of this picture. I like this picture because it shows how close I was to the bench.

Hunter Pence made an appearance at camp. He didn't play due to an injury, so he hung out in the bullpen area for most of the game. The guys were giving him a hard time because of his high socks.

Carlos Lee, or "El Caballo," taking a break in the bullpen during the Astros at bats. Instead of running all the way to the dugout, he just ran to the bullpen bench and sat there. This lead to one very entertaining moment when he had to sprint to the dugout because he was supposed to be in the on deck circle. The other thing I like about this picture is that you can tell the Lee is the only one not wearing a batting practice cap.

Craig Biggio made an appearance in camp, which was completely unexpected. Here he is sharing some of his expertise with catcher Lou Santangelo. They stood in my way for about 1o minutes, but I didn't complain because it allowed me to get this picture. It was incredible to hear how much he knows about all aspects of the game.

Overall, it was amazing and so much fun. I can't put in to words how exciting the whole things was. I would recommend to any baseball fan that they attend Spring Training at some point. You get to see the stars of today and the future stars play in a smaller park. It's like watching major leaguers play in a minor league park. I have a ton more pictures, but these were the best of the bunch, I hope you enjoy them.

What in the????

2009-03-05T13:11:00.001-08:00

For as long as I can remember I have been a Dallas Cowboys fan. I remember the Super Bowls in the 1990's, the one win seasons, and the heart breaking playoff losses the last few years. But there is one thing I am not, and that is a fair weather fan. Even when the Cowboys struggled to make the playoffs and when they got killed by the Ravens and Eagles at the end of last season, I still cheered and proudly wore my Cowboys jersey.

But count me as one of the very confused about the moves Jerry Jones has made over the past week. I understand the signing of Keith Brooking, he's a younger, bigger Zach Thomas who fills a hole at Middle Linebacker. Smart moves: 1, Dumb moves: 0. Here are the ones I don't understand: trading the only corner you had that started all 16 games last season for a back-up quarterback who has the same salary cap hit and hopefully won't hit the field. Smart moves: 1, Dumb Moves: 1. The release of Roy L. Williams, the strong-safety who came in to the league and tore the place up in his first few years, was a perennial Pro Bowler, and rising star. Yes he has had a rough couple of seasons, but can it really be all his fault? He is still as athletic, strong, and smart of a football player as he was three years ago, so what changed? The coaching staff made some mistakes and tried to turn him in to a cover safety which is exactly what he isn't. That's like me taking over the Astros and telling Roy Oswalt to go play centerfield and bat fifth in the lineup. Smart moves: 1, Dumb moves: 2. Finally, the release of mercurial wideout Terrell Owens. Now I was not that excited when we picked TO up and I definitely wouldn't call myself a fan of TO. But what he does on the field is amazing. He is a game-changer and has more experience then all of our other receivers combined. Now does that mean the Cowboys should put up with his off-field antics? I think they finally were too much this past year. Plus, I believe it is time to give Roy Williams (the receiver not the safety) more of a role in the offense with a healthy Tony Romo. So let's count that as a half smart, half dumb move. So the final score is Smart moves: 1.5, Dumb moves: 2.5.

Now if Jerry Jones goes out and does something amazing like trade for Anquan Boldin or sign another shut-down corner, then I can forgive him for the last week. But I have gotten to the point where one more dumb move by Jerry Jones could result in me becoming a Texans fan. Luckily, Spring Training has started and so that has kept most of my attention of the horrible off-season that the Cowboys have had.

History in the Making!

2009-01-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to be cliche and like every other blogger out there and post about the inauguration of Barack Obama. However, I feel like it's something I should talk about. I really didn't think I would care a whole lot about it or be moved by it, but I was. I was charged with helping to plan a watch party for our campus, so I looked at it more as a work event than something I would enjoy. As someone who graduated with a degree in political science, I am always interested in elections, speeches, and things like that. This event did not disappoint. Seeing all those former presidents and vice presidents in attendance was neat. I mean, who would have thought Walter Mondale would be there! I literally got chills after Obama was inaugurated. I feel like this country is energized more than ever before. More people care about politics and believe in the election process, especially young people.

I really enjoyed Obama's inaugural address as well. He is a great public speaker and is very engaging. I think he gets a very important message out there, letting people know that there is still a lot of work to do. His election isn't the end of the road, it's the beginning of a political process which will hopefully make us a better country. I hope that those who worked so hard to get him elected will continue to work to see his ideas turn into reality.

There were only two things that bothered me about the event: 1) Why is everyone saying that Obama is the 44th president? He is really only the 43rd. Grover Cleveland served two different terms (1885-1889 and 1893-1897), and is labeled as the 22nd and 24th president? But isn't he one person that should just be counted as the 22nd? Yes it was the 44th Inauguration, but Obama is really only the 43rd person to serve as president. 2) MSNBC was the only station we could get to work to show the coverage and Chris Matthews was awful! He made some inappropriate comments and I didn't enjoy him. But overall it was an amazing moment, one that I will never forget, and it made me add "attend a presidential inauguration" to my list of things to do before I die.

It's about time!

2009-01-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

So I know it's been a while since I posted, but that's what happens when you are trying to finish up a Master's thesis while working a full time job at the same time. It was a pretty good semester, a few challenges as normal, but overall good. I enjoyed my holiday break, I am happy to work in the world of education where we get two weeks off for the holidays. Some of the highlights included:

Getting to spend a week with my nephews Max (4 years old), and Tyler (5 months old). They are a lot of fun and Tyler is growing up so fast.
Hanging out with the family in general. It's not often we all get together, so we have fun hanging out.
Going to see Marley & Me with my parents on Christmas Day. It brought back a lot of good memories of my dog Magic. We had Magic for 17 years and he really was my best friend.
Finishing my Master's Degree! It feels good to be done, and it only took 2 and a half years. Now I have to figure out if I want to try and get a PhD.
I got to go to the Texans game when they played the Bears. It was cold and rainy, but a great game. Plus, me and my brothers got on TV!
Seeing my only living grandparent, whom I haven't seen in a few years because of all the stuff my parents went through. She is still truckin' along.

Those are just a few of the highlights, but you get the point. I have high expectations for 2009, and so far it is off to a good start. I wish each of you success and happiness in the new year.

Cheers,

Jason

Two Funerals and a job

2008-09-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

So work has been nuts for the past few weeks, but I feel like I am getting in to the swing of things now. Orientation Week went well, we had a lot of events and most of them had great turnout. The first couple weeks of school are usually super busy, but I always enjoy seeing all the students come back. There's something refreshing and hopeful about the beginning of a new school year. I just hope that this year goes a little better than last year. Unfortunately, it hasn't looked that way so far.

I have had to go to two different funerals in the past two weeks. In fact, it was 2 funerals in just 6 days. The first was for my uncle, who was 55, and the other was for a friend/schoolmate/co-worker who was just 25 years old. They were both great guys and anyone who ever met them probably never had a bad word to say about either of them. My uncle was a great father, brother, and grandfather. He taught me a lot about what it means to be a good man and to enjoy life. He was diagnosed with leukemia about two years ago and had struggled with his health ever since. But even though he was sick he came to visit my mom when she was having problems last year. He was always worried more about others than himself, and I admire that. My friend Matt has a very similar story, he was also diagnosed with leukemia about two years ago. He was also just a great guy, someone who would put everything down to help others. I played soccer with him a few times and he was as good a guy on the field as he was off. Even though he passed away young I know that those who have known him will never forget him.

It just gets me thinking about how two of the nicest guys I have ever met could be put through this. I know it was for a reason and that God has a plan, but it seems unfair to me. I know that they are both in a better place where their pain is gone, and that makes me happy, but I will always miss them.

Olympics Time!

2008-08-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

Every four years I get very excited for the Summer Olympics. I like the idea of athletes competing at their highest levels to represent their country. Mostly, I watch for the swimming because I know a lot of the competitors or have at least heard of them. I would say that since Friday, the vast majority of my time outside of work has been spent watching the Olympics. I even go online and check the daily results while I'm at work...shhh. The games have been very exciting but also disappointing.

Most of the excitement came from the Men's 400 Free Relay....Wow! I was screaming at the TV in my apartment and cheering as Jason Lezak caught the French team after being down by .6 seconds, a lifetime in swimming. I was so excited to see the passion those guys showed, especially Weber-Gale. I so often think of Michael Phelps as a swimming robot, so it was nice to see him show some emotion. I think I was most excited for Cullen Jones and GW. I was also very excited to see Peirsol do so well in the 100 back, that guy is a machine. Also, Peter Vanderkay getting the bronze in the 200 Free was great, he deserves it. Finally, Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe has been swimming out of her mind. It's great to see her doing so well, because as my brother says, "she's a sweetheart."

Biggest disappointed has to be Brendan getting fourth in the 100 breast. He looked pretty good until the last 15 meters or so. I'm so sad for him because I know how hard he has worked and how quick he can go. If the Olympics were at this time last year we would have destroyed everybody, but I guess even the best have off years. I know he will keep swimming and know he will work even harder to get his world records back. Katie Hoff hasn't been swimming real well either. Luckily she has a few more events in order to get back on track.

I'm looking forward to the men's 400 medley relay, the men's 100fly which will be a shootout between Ian Crocker and Phelps, watching Eric Shanteau swim the 200 breast and hopefully medal, and seeing if GW can medal in the 100 or 50 free.

I'm a bad blogger!

2008-08-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone-

I have been horrible about updating this thing, I can't believe it has almost been a year since my last post. Well this has been an exciting summer, but I will not bore you, here are just a few highlights:

I went up to the state of Washington to visit Seattle and Spokane. What a beatiful part of the country. I got to see the Mariners play and visit a very good friend. Spokane is a neat city, and the Falls were amazing. I have a ton of pictures on facebook, and you should look at them.
I went to Omaha for the US Olympic Swimming Trials because my little brother was swimming. It was a great few days with the family and my nephew Max. Craig did really well, and it was a great experience. I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished.
My new nephew, Tyler Wayne Chapman, was born on July 11. From what I have heard he is like the perfect baby, and I am looking forward to meeting him.
I spent less than 24 hours in South Bend, Indiana, and got to see Touchdown Jesus at Notre Dame.
I saw comedian John Caparulo at the Capital City Comedy Club, and he was amazing. Probably the 2nd or 3rd best comic I have ever seen live.
Went to the Kappa Chi Leadership Challenge in New Caney, Texas. There were over 70 young men from 6 states and 13 chapters there. It was a great weekend of worship and brotherhood.

I am going to try and be much better at updating this thing, hopefully at least once a week. The postings might be random sometimes, because I am a random guy, but hopefully it will help clear my head and entertain all of you.

Alas, the summer is over!!!!

2007-08-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

So I have been completely awful at updating this thing, I am truly sorry for that. It's very hard for me to believe that it is already August and our new class starts moving in in just 2 days!!! Where did the summer go? This was a very interesting summer, but a good one. I was approached at the very beginning of the summer about taking a job in Kansas City, which was very intriguing. A step up the ladder and a bigger paycheck was extremely inticing. But in the end, it just didn't feel right. I felt like leaving SU and the Austin area was not what I was supposed to do.
I took a great class this summer on Servant Leadership. I did the most writing I've had to do for one of my grad school classes, but it was great. I learned a lot about what it means to be a servant and a leader, and a servant leader. Also, after finishing that class I am officially halfway through with my degree.
The rain washed out a lot of the fun things I had planned to do this summer, but it was still good. I spent some time with my family, traveled to Indiana, took a roud trip to Florida, saw the Counting Crows with Live & Collective Soul, and refueled my realtionship with God. All in all it was a good summer. I feel like a bad friend because I did not see many of my friends in the area, and I am truly sorry for that. I wish I had a few more weeks of summer to make that happen. Hopefully this semester will not be as difficult as the last, but only He knows that. I hope to be better at updating this thing, but we will see.

It's been a while

2007-04-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well, since it has been a while since I updated, here are a few of the exciting things/ intriguing things from my life recently:

Last weekend, my whole family was in town including my older brother, my sister-in-law and my nephew Maxwell. It was great to see them and it was so neat to see how much Max had grown in just a few months. He is a crazy little kid and we had a lot of fun hanging out.
I went to San Antonio with my family last week, minus Craig, and I have to say it was weird being back. I hadn't been back for 3 years and it was neat to see how things have really grown around town. It was a little sad to see our old house, but it brought back some great memories.
While I was there I got to see my friend Shannon and spend some quality time with her. Shannon was probably my best friend in high school and I am so glad we re-connected a few years ago. She is amazing, and I look forward to seeing her again this Summer.
I have seen two phenomenal movies in the past few weeks, Pride and Blades of Glory. I was really impressed with both of them, but for different reasons. Pride was a great story with some great acting performances, while Blades of Glory was just hilarious. I highly recommend both of the them and hope to see Reign Over Me very soon.
Saturday night, one of my favorites movies was on tv, The Rookie. I don't know what it is about that movie, but every time I see it, it just gets to me. Two parts in particular, the scene where Jim calls home to tell his wife and kid that he made it to the majors, and after his first game where he meets up with his father. Great movie.
Today is Opening Day of Major League Baseball. The Astros start their season tonight and I am optimistic about this season. I think they made some major upgrades on offense with the addition of Carlos Lee and with Chris Burke starting everyday. Their pitching may not be a strong as the past few years, but I think Chris Sampson will be great as their fifth starter and I am curious to see how Jason Jennings performs. I hope it will be a good year, and am looking forward to my first visit to Minute Maid Park this weekend.

'Tis the Season

2007-03-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it's soccer season again! I am very excited about the new season starting, I can't really explain it. Some people think I am crazy for still playing soccer despite the numerous injuries I have had, and that I am still willing to throw myself on the ground repeatedly to keep the ball from going in the goal. But there is something about the game that makes me happy. When I am on the field, I am a different person. I am not thinking about work, or worrying about bills, I am playing soccer, and that is a great feeling.
The season started last Thursday night with quite a thrashing. I chalk it up to our team getting used to playing together again, and a terrible referee. But the highlight of the season so far was the Southwestern University Alumni game, which pitted the Alums versus the current players. We had a pretty decent squad and ended up winning the game 3-2. I was just excited that I didn't get scored on in 45 minutes of play. It was fun to see old teammates and meet some of the guys that played before me. It was a fun afternoon. The season runs through the middle of May, so I will get to play in quite a few games, and that makes me happy.

The Little Things

2007-03-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was a strange, but good day. It was the last day of my first class this semester, "Organizational Theory," which was a great class. Anyway, I had to finish a 25-30 page paper reviewing an organization I had been a part of using the four frames of organizational theory. I worked on it all day and finished about 6:00pm. I then went to the Wal-Mart to get some bread and milk and such. On the way home I was feeling very sad for no real reason. I remember feeling like I didn't have anyone to hang out with, and I was basically feeling sorry for myself. I hate when I start to feel that way and know that I really have reason to feel that way. Anyway, I had to stop to get gas and when I turned my truck back on the cd that was in popped out and the radio came on. It was set on the local Christian station 92.1, and Chris Tomlin's song, "How Great is Our God," came on. At that point in time, my mindset completely changed and I was in a great mood again because I realized we do have an amazing God. I remembered that I am not ever alone, because He is always with me. I stopped to get some dinner and kept listening to the radio and heard 2 more great songs before I got home, including "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. Sometimes it just takes a little reminder of how good things really are to get me out of a funk.
It's been a nice week with the students on Spring Break. I have gotten a lot of stuff done and it is so quiet. Although I do have to take defensive driving this week. Also, the spring soccer season starts this week and I am very excited to be playing again. Hopefully Thursday night will go well.

Birthday time!

2007-03-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

So it was my 26th birthday last week, and as someone told me that means I am officially closer to 30 than 20 now. That makes me feel a little old, but I'm okay with that. I had a great birthday and I am so thankful to all my friends who sent me messages that day, it made me feel very loved. My actual birthday was on a Friday, so we didn't do anything super special, I had to work that night and then I went home to finish a paper for my class. On Saturday, I woke up early and drove to Austin to watch my little brother swim. I hung out with him for most of the day and my parents came in town later that afternoon. That night we went to Craig's meet again and watched him swim a career best, which was awesome. Then we went out to eat as a family plus Craig's housemate and his family. After that we went to Pete's to cap off the night. Several of my friends met me there and I had a great time singing along, being goofy, and watching my brother work it on a girl there. Overall, it was great birthday and I am so thankful for all of my friends.
On another note, my little brother is officially a professional swimmer. This past weekend was the American Short Course Championship, and Craig did very well there. He won the 500 freestlye the first night and on the third night got third in the 200 backstroke. Placing in both of those events won him some money, so he is official now. It's been such a treat watching him grow in to the great swimmer he is these days and I am so very proud of him. He works extremely hard so it was great for his confidence for him to do well this weekend. Now we're just looking forward to Olympic Trials in 2008. If you want to check him out, he has his own website now, he's big time! Check it out: http://www.conciergechappy.com/ Some girls made it for him and it looks really good.

Update

2007-02-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe that it has been a month since I last updated this thing. Well here is a quick list of some of the highlights, lowlights and in-betweens of the past month. By the way, time is going by way too fast, I can't believe it is already February. Anyway, on to the updates:

I always love this time of year because it is so beautiful in Central Texas. I love driving around town with the windows down marvelling at the beauty of this place and what God has created.
We had a few ice-days (2 and 1/2 to be exact), but unfortunately, I still had to work. I guess that's what I get for living on campus. It wasn't too bad actually, I got quite a but accomplished those days.
As an office, we decided to try and make it the semester with one less staff person that last semester. I think we can do it, even if it means more work for us.
The Cots won the Super Bowl and I couldn't be happier for them and Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy. They are a classy organization who do things they way they out to be done. I am impressed every time that I hear their owner speak, he's a great man.
Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away on 2/3. It was sudden and unexpected and I actually just returned to Georgetown following the funeral services. She was a wonderful woman and a great grandmother and I will miss her tremendously. I plan on posting more about this, but I have to get all my thoughts together first. Rest In Peace Ruth Rebecca Strom, you meant more to us than you know.

The Last 24 Hours

2007-01-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

So I had a completely different topic that I wanted to post about, but it will have to wait because two amazing things have happened over the last 24 hours.
1) Last night I went to see "We Are Marshall" at the new City Lights Theatre in Georgetown. First of all, it is so exciting to have a movie theatre in Georgetown, although I still think the drive down to the Round Rock 8 is worth saving $3 on a ticket. Anyway, the theatre is very nice, I was worried it was going to look bad, but they did a great job with it. So after purchasing the biggest Mr. Pibb that they had and a box of Hot Tamales (a movie must), we went in to the theatre. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this movie, like most people I knew the story behind it, but I was very interested to see how they told the story. Let me just say that they greatly exceeded my expectations. This movie was incredible! The emotion of the whole story was portrayed so well by the actors. In short, I highly recommend you see this movie, even if you aren't a sports fan.
2) For lunch today we went to the newly built Bush's Chicken. My friend Aaron had been bragging about this place since we heard they were opening one in Georgetown. Usually I don't like Chicken places very much (with the exception of KFC because of their bowls), but this place was awesome. They not only had great chicken, but crinkle fries and great rolls. I am always excited when new places open in Georgetown, especially one that has good food and excellent customer service.
Lastly, tomorrow the Cowboys play the Seahawks in the NFC Wildcard game. It's been 10 years since the Cowboys won a playoff game, 10 years! So let's just hope they play better than they have the last few weeks. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Holiday Update!

2007-01-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

Since my parents' internet is painstakingly slow, I was not able to update while I was at home. So here is another list of highs and lows of the holiday season.
Highs

Getting to spend some quality time with my entire family, espcially my nephew Max. He was so much fun and already has a fun personality.
My parents' new dog Abby is awesome! She is definitely a puppy and has a ton of energy. She likes to bite and chew things up, but is very sweet. I had fun playing with her and teaching her some new tricks.
New Year's fireworks! In what has become a Chapman family tradition, the fireworks spectacular was awesome. I don't mean to brag, but I'm getting pretty good at fireworks shows.
Goign to see "Rocky Balboa" with my brothers. Not so much for the quality of the movie (although it was better than I thought it was), but for the fun times with my brothers.
Getting to visit my grandma, and her looking so much better than she did last Christmas. Even though she still gets confused and I'm not sure if she knew who I was, she looked great.
Going to a Houston Aero's game with my dad, older brother and Max. He loved it and it was so fun to see him at his first hockey game.

Lows

Catching a stomach virus that put me in bed for two days and keeping me from eating pizza at Chuck-E-Cheese.
Having to visit my Uncle in the hospital.
Everyone in my family catching the illness bug, putting a damper on the last few days.
Realizing that it will be a while until the whole family is back together.
Being around the family constantly for almost two weeks. I guess I am spoiled living alone, but I enjoy my "Jason time."

So that is all for now. I hope you all had a great Holiday season.

It's the most wonderful time....

2006-12-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

It's less than a week away from Christmas and I get to go home tomorrow for a few weeks off. I should be super excited, but I am having trouble getting in to the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know if it's the health issues I've had recently, the unusually warm weather (it's been like 8o here the last few days), or that I am still unsure as to what all the plans are for the break. I am excited about giving my presents to my co-workers tomorrow, although one present has not come in yet (yikes)! I love this time of year, it really is my favorite time because I love cold weather and the look on people's faces when I give them their gifts. I hope that going home tomorrow and helping my parents decorate the tree will help bring some Christmas spirit.
On a side note, I am extremely excited about meeting my parent's new dog tomorrow. I have heard from my mom that she is a little bundle of energy, so it should be fun.

A new beginning

2006-12-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

So I decided it is time to bring my blog back. I have not been blogging for a while due to some problems with my last one, but I am smarter now. I have had more problems sleeping lately, and my doctor believes part of it is due to the fact that I can't turn my brain off, so we're hoping that by bringing the blog back, it will help. So here are a few quick thoughts to start things off:

I am starting to get very excited about Christmas. Not only do I get about 10 days off of work, but I get to see my family, including my awesome nephew Maxwell, and I get to meet my parents new dog.
The Fall Semester has really flown by! I feel like Orientation was just a few weeks ago. It's a little scary, but it's been a good semester.
I can not believe that I am a quarter of the way done with my Master's Degree. I am so happy to be back in school, I have already learned so much.
I went to lunch with my co-workers today, and it just reminded me how lucky I am to work in such a great office with really cool people.
I am really going to miss one of my co-workers who is leaving us. I don't know if we are going to be able to replace her with someone as creative, funny, easy-going, and fun as she is. But we will try our best.
The Houston Astros made a very dumb trade yesterday. I understand you need a solid #2 pitcher (since they let Andy Pettite walk away), but to trade away your starting centerfielder, your #1 pitching prospect, and a solid fifth starter is just dumb. I feel like I will need to dedicate a whole post to the Astros off-season very soon.
I am a huge Tony Romo fan! It's about time the Cowboys starting playing well, with the big exception of last week's game vs. the Saints.
I am so thankful for some great friends, a wonderful family, and a good job. I feel like God is really using me here and I am glad I chose to stay in Georgetown and at SU.

So that is all for now, I will try and update this thing as much as possible. To those who actually read it, thanks for your support.