Christmas 2004

Christmas 2004, Part I
In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago.--Christina G. Rossetti, 1830-1894
Christmas 2004 was not a typical one. For starters, Mom and Dad decided to go to Florida for several days after Christmas, so I didn't spend anytime in Ohio over the holidays. (Mom, Dad, and Scott came to visit me at Thanksgiving, so I didn't go to Ohio then either). So Scott and I decided to drive down to North Carolina together, then spend a few days in Georgia, before returning home.

I attempted to finish my Christmas cards prior to our trip. In 2003, I came up with the idea of calling my holiday letter "TP Guide," putting it in a booklet format to resemble TV Guide. It didn't happen in 2003, but I was determined to finish an edition for 2004. There was much to cover--graduation from seminary, my commissioning as an associate in ministry, and my trip to Greece and sabbatical.

I was still working on assembling the TP Guide the week of Christmas. And to make things more complicated, I decided to also send an electronic version on compact disc to computer literate friends and family members.

On Monday, Dec. 20, I was ill. I spent most of the day at home. I ventured out at noon to have lunch with Noah. I prepared a turkey dinner for my Mutual Ministry Committee meeting that evening, but by then I was feeling really lousy.
Tuesday I went in to work. We were working on finishing up the January 2005 newsletter. I also had a youth event at 1 p.m. Five kids came--we watched "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," then a video of our own Sunday School Christmas program.

The snow began on Dec. 22. We assembled the newsletter. I helped assemble; we didn't have as many volunteers because of the weather. Charlene and I went to the post office before lunch. Visibility was getting bad. We made it safely back to church and had our staff Christmas lunch. Charlene went home early, and most of staff left as well. Pastor Ron and I stayed at church for the 5:30 p.m. Healing and Wholeness service, then made the treacherous journey home.
On Thursday, Dec. 23, I was unable to get to work. The main roads probably would have been okay, but the parking areas and roads in my apartment complex were not. I spent the day at home, working on the laptop computer. My family was also affected by the storm--my parents had no electricity. For dinner I walked to El Nopal up the street. The food was lousy, but it was nice to get out of the house.

I asked Ron to pick me up and take me to work on Christmas Eve day. I walked out to the tobacco outlet on the main road, so he wouldn't have to navigate the parking lot. I was officially on vacation, but I wanted to wrap up my Christmas cards. My plan was to stay at church until my brother arrived later that day.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel Christmas Eve services. We were unable to get the snow cleared from the parking lot. I think we made the decision at 2 p.m. After making numerous phone calls, Ron went home, and I stayed to man the phones. Scott eventually did arrive--he had difficulty getting to Louisville because of the weather.

We went to Jumbo Buffet for dinner, which was our original plan. Then we went to the Kull's house to visit with Matthew, Mark and John. We spent Christmas Eve at my apartment.

Our plan was to leave for North Carolina on Christmas morning. We had intended to take my car, but I was still unable to get it out of the parking lot. We packed up and got off to an early start.

Once we got to Lexington, the effects of the storm were not as evident. Rather than eating at a Waffle House (a Christmas Day tradition), we ate lunch at a gas station with a Taco Bell. We arrived in Hickory, checked in to our hotel, then went to Grandma and Grandpa's. Mom and Dad were already there. They had left early Christmas Eve morning. After the Raleigh Knauffs arrived, we went to another Chinese buffet. This one was far superior to the Jumbo Buffet. After dinner we returned to the house for gift giving.


Christmas 2004, Part II
By Sunday, the Raleigh Knauffs had left, and Mom and Dad had gone on to Florida. So Scott and I went to church with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa preached at a small Lutheran church shared with a UCC congregation. Grandpa used the First Sunday after Christmas lessons (rather than the Feast of Stephen lessons), but it was still an anti-climactic end to the season of Advent. Singing Christmas carols with 25 people in a carpeted worship space is not the same as singing with 200 at my home church. Still, it was nice to hear Grandpa preach, and the members of the church were all very welcoming.

We had lunch with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Craig after the service. Then Scott and I did some day-after-Christmas shopping while Grandma and Grandpa napped. We came back in time for dinner, then played Trivial Pursuit with Grandpa, using the Genus IV game.

The following day we left for Georgia to visit the Georgia Knauffs. Though I'd been to Georgia several times since moving to Louisville, I don't think I'd visited the Georgia Knauffs since 1987. The photo above was taken at the Big Shanty Museum, which housed the General locomotive engine, which gained fame during the Civil War's "Great Locomotive Chase."

We arrived at the Georgia Knauff's house and met cousin Kelly. The three of us stopped at the drug store where cousin Michelle works, before going to dinner. We ate at a Buffalo Wild Wings, and tried in vain to find a particular Caedmon's Call cd and a certain Starbucks mug. We then went to see a movie. Kelly's friend Nate, Michelle, and others also joined us.

The next day, if memory serves, we went to the Dwarf House (formerly the Dwarf Grill) in Hapeville, Ga., opened by Truett Cathy in 1946. The Dwarf Grill is the predecessor of the modern-day Chic-fil-a restaurant. This was my brother's third attempt at visiting the site, which, like other Chic-fil-a restaurants, is closed on Sunday.

Afterward we traveled to a "park n ride" location where we boarded the MARTA and headed to downtown Atlanta. I became pretty familiar with the MARTA system when I was in Atlanta for the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering. We walked through Underground Atlanta, then on to some historic Martin Luther King, Jr. sites, including his tomb.

That evening we visited with cousin Lisa and her husband Cary, who live in Rex, Ga. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant.


Christmas 2004, Part III
The following day we went to the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, formerly the Big Shanty Museum. The Museum was, and is, Home of the General, a locomotive engine that was made famous during the Civil War, and through books and films about "The Great Locomotive Chase."

Nate, Kelly, Scott and I toured the Museum. We were led by a very enthusiastic tour guide. When he asked where we were from, Scott and I pretended to be locals, rather than admit we were born in the same city as Civil War General Willima T. Sherman.

After we finished at the Museum, we went to a KFC in Marietta, which has a giant chicken atop the restaurant. This was the second significant fast food chicken restaurant of our trip. After lunch, we said our good-byes, and headed back home via Knoxville. We ate dinner at the Melting Pot.

Christmas 2004, Part IV
The following morning we dropped our postcards off at a mailbox before heading to World's Fair Park. Scott and I each have a set of postcards--one for each of the 50 states--with matching stamps. If you visit a state, then you get to mail the postcard to yourself. If you have a layover in Las Vegas, and can find a mailbox, that would be a valid postcard; however, sending a postcard along with a friend traveling to Hawaii does not. We probably have about the same number of completed postcards at this point.

World's Fair Park is a beautiful park at the location of the 1982 World's Fair, which we attended as a family. We've stopped there in previous years, hoping that someday we'd be able to go up into the Sunsphere, the Fair's focal building. Unfortunately, Knoxville still hasn't done anything exciting with the monument.

On the way back to Louisville, we stopped in Corbin, Ky., to eat at the Colonel Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum, completing our famous fastfood chicken "trifecta." This stop was actually the most interesting of the three.

Later that night, we attended the 25th Annual Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Louisville's Highlands. This is the third time I've attended, but the first time we went for the dinner (expensive, but very good). This celebration of Christ's birth, through vocal and instrumental music and medieval pageantry, was the experience I'd been waiting for since Christmas Eve, and was a fitting end to our 2004 Christmas adventure.

THE END

Christmas 2004 Post Script: The General Rides Again
At the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, many items related to the General were on display, including memoribilia from the movies and other adaptations of the Great Locomotive Chase. One of the items was a children's book titled "The General Rides Again."

To my surprise, I found a copy of "The General Rides Again" several days after I returned to Louisville, at the J-town Mall of Vendors, a flea market type of store.
The book tells the story of the General's return to the South after its refurbishment in Louisville. The book was published by Coach and Four Publishers, which was located on Taylorsville Road, between my church and my apartment.

Week of Oct. 10, 2004

Week of Oct. 10, 2004
I have been back in Louisville for just over a month. During the past four weeks, I have tried to catch up with members of our congregation and our staff, as well as the pastors and AIMs in our conference and in my colleague group. I have met with the Youth Ministry Committee, the Christian Education Committee, my Mutual Ministry Committee, and our H2H confirmation Guides. I met with the Spirit Group (children in grades 2-5) and their parents on Sunday, and I will meet with the youth groups and their parents on Sunday. In the coming months I will be meeting with the 2004 VBS Task Force to evaluate our Vacation Bible Schools and begin planning for 2005. I will also be meeting with the four “overseers” of our Firelight Summer Sunday School program, for evaluation and planning.

I have worked between 50 and 60 hours each week. I’ve also taken a full day off each week, though this week will be two half-days off. I don’t have a specific day off each week, but I am trying to plan time off in advance, so I can be more consistent.

This is the first fall since I arrived in 1996 that I haven’t been “in school.” However, I continue to participate in First Call Theological Education. One aspect of this program is a monthly meeting with a colleague/mentor group comprised of pastors and AIMs in their first three years of call and a veteran pastor/mentor. The majority of our group attended the synod’s FCTE retreat this past weekend. I was nominated to serve on a task force to plan the spring retreat, which will focus on spiritual direction.

At the retreat we were asked to reflect on the joys, challenges, and hopes we’re experiencing in our ministries. Since I’ve been back, I’ve found joy in preparing for and teaching my Sunday School class. I have found getting back into the swing of things more physically and emotionally challenging than I had anticipated, and it seems difficult to believe it’s mid-October already. I hope that our “Youth Create...” program, which kicks off tomorrow night, and our Faith Stepping Stones programs, which began in September, will be meaningful programs that help our children, youth, and parents grow in their faith.

Week of Sept. 12, 2004

Week of Sept. 12, 2004
Friday, Sept. 24, 2004
Tomorrow will complete my second week of work since sabbatical. Today is my day off. I went to Jazzercise this morning, then headed downtown to eat lunch and see the IMAX Space Station film at the Science Center. I am at a pizza place on Main Street. The first restaurant I tried had a $10 minimum for credit/debit cards. (I have no cash with me). This place has a $5.50 minimum.

My first week back I worked just under 60 hours, and it was a physically exhausting week, more so than I ever expected. This week has been tiring emotionally… Somehow all three of my committee meetings landed on the same week, which I would never intentionally do. I ended up postponing the Christian Education Committee meeting. Next week will seem short, as Ron and I will be at a professional leaders event Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday. I need to try to finish the newsletter tomorrow, so Charlene can work on it while we’re gone.

Week of Sept. 5, 2004

Week of Sept. 5, 2004
Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2004—Day 80
I’m back in Louisville, and I’m feeling horribly disoriented… Scott and I drove down this afternoon. We arrived during rush hour/dinner time. I had trouble remembering how to get to Blankenbaker (we were going to eat at Ruby Tuesdays.) We ended up eating at the new El Nopal, near my apartment. I had forgotten what it looked like when I left. We attempted to get my TV, VCR and DVD player from the White House (our youth building) and unload my desk at church… I tried to time this mission so we’d be there while ALPHA people were in small groups, but we were caught. John P. and Michael T. were on the playground. I also bumped in to Christine and Mitch Noah. I didn’t spend much time in the building, but it seemed very brightly lit to me.

I brought the majority of my mail home and went through it while we watched a movie. I threw at least half of it away. I am going to try to start getting up at 8 a.m., so I can get back in the swing of things.

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004—Day 81
This morning Scott and I went to Mall St. Matthews for lunch, then we went to Locust Grove. Locust Grove is a house built in 1790, owned by the brother-in-law of George Rogers Clark, founder of Louisville. The house has been restored to resemble the way it looked in the late 1700s, which is when we date the beginning of our congregation—we’re celebrating our 215th anniversary this fall. Scott had to leave before the tour was over to go back to Columbus.

I spent several hours at church this afternoon. I saw all of the staff except Doris and the preschool teachers. I got my computer set up—after using AOL dial up all summer, the DSL seems very fast. I gave myself a tour of the building, surveying what needs to be done before Sunday. Most of the evening VBS wound up in the Sunday School office, so I started to sort through that.

I bumped into a handful of church friends today—at the mall and at church. I’m sure I will see more in the next few days. I think it is good… If I were to see 200 people on Sunday for the first time in 12 weeks, I know I would feel overwhelmed.
Schlotzsky’s is still closed (it appears it is closed for good, and not for remodeling), so I ate at Tumbleweed. I didn’t feel ready to go back to aerobics at church.

I was home by 5:30. I continued to unpack, and did some cleaning as well. I watched A Wrinkle in Time, a movie based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, which aired on The Wonderful World of Disney in the spring. I thought it was pretty good, and a more faithful adaptation than A Ring of Endless Light, which aired on the Disney Channel. I’m glad I reread the book this summer before I watched the movie.

Saturday, Sept. 8, 2004—Day 84
Today is the last day of my sabbatical. The past 12 weeks have been wonderful, and I won’t forget this summer, though the details are beginning to fade already.

I have spent a few hours at church each day since Wednesday. Yesterday my carpet was cleaned at my apartment, so I had to go somewhere else. I went to the Seneca High School football game last night, and saw Matt, Shelley, Chris and Mitch… and presumably Zach.

Today I was at church from 9 to 5, then I went back later to set some things up after the Prayer-a-Trooper event. I feel fairly prepared for tomorrow, though I wish my first official day back was not a 12-hour day.

I am tired… This week has worn my out—saying good-bye to my parents and brother, loading the cars, unpacking, trying to get organized at church.

It will take weeks for me to process the summer—I tend to process slowly. So I will continue to write in this journal a while longer.

Week of Aug. 29, 2004

Week of Aug. 29, 2004
Monday, Aug. 30, 1 a.m.
The images above are originally from the "Coleslaw" comic strip I drew for the Messenger jr. newsletter in the late 1990s. The image depicts the Cole's family sitting down to dinner. In the strip this panel is taken from, Galatia and John announce Galatia's pregnancy. (We find out in the last strip of the series that she has twin boys).

I reworked this panel for the National Council of Christian Churches' "Peacemaking Begins at Home" nonviolence curriculum, which can be found in its entirety through my links page. This drawing was used to illustrate the "To Respect Self and Others" aspect of the Family Pledge of Nonviolence, in which family members strive to "respect self, to affirm others and to avoid uncaring criticism, hateful words, physical attacks and self-destructive behavior."

I submitted the drawing on the left, which was probably the best panel in the entire "Coleslaw" series. I was asked to make some changes, to make the drawing more "inclusive." I very reluctantly turned Philip's chair into a wheelchair to include a handicapped person and added a baby to the scene, to expand the age range of those depicted.

With the changes, the artwork was deemed inclusive. But one detail always bothered me... In the revised version, the baby's high chair replaces one of the two empty chairs for John and Galatia. There is no room for them at the table...

And that doesn't seem very inclusive to me.


Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004—Day 74
Tonight I went to the 58th Annual Millersport Lions Sweet Corn Festival, a big to-do in the small village of Millersport. This is the first time I’ve been able to attend since 1996(?), as we’ve had our synod youth gathering Labor Day weekend since 1997. Mom, Dad, Scott and I ate at the Festival around 5 p.m., before the big crowds came and the lines got long. I had a shredded chicken sandwich and French fries (and later cotton candy and fried cheese). The grand parade began at 6 p.m., leaving from school, heading down Lancaster Street, then turning down Chautauqua Boulevard. We watched the parade from Marlowe’s house. It was pretty enjoyable. Several of the bands were very good. There are lots of band, a queen candidate from each area school, and the like. There didn’t seem to be any Shriners… I think 90% of the Jeffersontown Gaslight Parade is Shriners. The Sweet Corn Festival parade organizers put the horses at the end of the parade so no one would have to step in horse poo. Then after the parade, Scott and I enjoyed more of the Festival.

We usually had Thursday and Friday of Festival week off when we were in school. This year, Millersport also had today off. A good percentage of income for the Millersport Athletic Boosters, Music Boosters, and Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes comes from booths at the Festival, so some of my memories of the Festival are of working. My first job experience was probably at the Cub Scouts’ Mouse Roulette booth. There was an oversized roulette table in the center of the booth. A live mouse was dropped on the center of the wheel. Customers placed quarters on a number. If the mouse went in that hole, then that person would win a prize. Unfortunately, Mouse Roulette is no longer there, probably due to protests from PETA.

Another booth was the CRAZY ball booth, which was operated by the Band Boosters, and later the Music Boosters. I think the gambling aspect was similar, except the winning number was determined by rolling the CRAZY ball, a polyhedron-ish die. The slogan was “Come one, come all, come play a little CRAZY ball.

The sophomore class traditionally had game booths (duck pond, sucker tree, etc.) When we were juniors, we sold roast beef sandwiches. And when we were seniors, we sold steak sandwiches (aka hamburgers). Most of the funds raised went toward our junior/senior program and our senior class trip to Walt Disney World.

When I was growing up, we lived within walking distance of the Festival. When we went to bed at night, with the windows open, we could hear the sounds of the Festival.

As far as actual sweet corn goes, we never ate much…. We tend to be sweet corn snobs. The sweet corn my grandpas and Dad grew was/is much better than the corn served at the Festival. And sweet corn on the cob is the only sweet corn served at the Festival—it’s not one of those festivals where all the food is derived from the title food.

But my favorite part growing up was the midway rides. We usually rode rides on Saturday, when one could ride all day for $5 or so… I think it's $12 now.

Friday, Sept. 3, 2004—Day 76
John Kerry was speaking today in Newark, Ohio. I went with Mom and Dad, though I was a bit misinformed about the event. I was under the impression that because we had special red tickets we would have seats, and that he would begin speaking at noon. Neither turned out to be true. We went through several “security” points. At the first point, Kerry supporters were checking the shirts some Newark football players were wearing under their jerseys, possibly to make sure no Bush/Cheney propaganda got in. They also made some people take off their “flip-flops” off and throw them away, apparently because some Republicans have accused Kerry of “flip-flopping” on the issues. Then we went through the metal detectors. I was asked by one security person to turn on my digital camera, then I was yelled at by another for not going through the detector. Local Democrats spoke prior to Kerry, including John Glenn. We only stayed for part of Kerry’s speech, in part because my back was getting sore from standing up, and in part because we wanted to avoid the rush after the event concluded.

After the event, we went to Columbus to visit my great-aunt Martha (my Mom’s aunt). We had a nice visit. Aunt Martha was born on July 4, and her middle name is Liberty.

Week of Aug. 22, 2004

Week of Aug. 22, 2004
Friday, Aug. 27, 2004
It is finished!

Today I completed the artwork for my comic book. There is a possibility I will decide to do one more tiny panel, but if I do, it will be an easy one. There are 12 pages of art in the story; adding special effects slides, commentary, behind the scenes, etc. brings he total number of PowerPoint slides to 77. In the next few days I will review each slide, check hyperlinks, etc. There are some issues that will affect distribution—namely, getting the fonts to look right on different computers. I probably won’t be able to fix this until I get back to Louisville, as I seem to have not brought the proper software.

I did, however, manage to bring most of what I needed, and I did not need to make a midsummer trip to pick up additional things at church or my apartment. (Many thanks to Charlene for mailing me some items, and e-mailing me some files). I am beginning to pack up here at Scott’s apartment. I shipped a box of books via Media Mail this week, anticipating that space in the vehicles on my return trip will be at a premium.

The week seems to have gone quickly… Scott and I were able to go to Bible study together on Tuesday. Attendance seemed good to me. Eric was there… He’s hilarious. During a time for sharing praises and prayer requests, several of the group members said that they were thankful for the young adult group, and though I didn’t say anything, I too am thankful for the group, and being able to hang out with people my own age this summer.

I exercised three times this week, and I plan to go tomorrow morning. I am hoping to reach one of my weight goals on Monday (losing 10% of my highest weight).

Week of Aug. 15, 2004

Week of Aug. 15, 2004
Saturday I went to Lancaster, the city where I was born. I stopped first at Rising Park and climbed Mount Pleasant. I was out of breath when I reached the top, and my heart was beating rapidly. From the summit, one gets a beautiful view of the city, including the Fairfield County Fairgrounds across the street. I stopped next at Subway for lunch, and had a roast beef deli sandwich and Baked Doritos. When I was in high school, Mom would sometimes get dinner for us at that Subway, and I would get a footlong pizza sub.

Then I made my way toward the house where we lived after I was born (until I was about 3 years old)… right around the corner from the hospital, actually. The house is a two-story home on North Cherry Street in the east side of Lancaster. It is blue now, but when we lived there it was yellow or mustard-colored. Across the street is a park, with basketball courts and two ball diamonds. If we had stayed in Lancaster instead of moving to Millersport, I probably would have played there often. I spent some time in the park, proofreading previous journal entries. After leaving the park, I stopped at the church where we went when I was very young. Roger Q. is the pastor there now—I met him when I was doing day camps for the Southern Ohio Synod. I also stopped at Risches drugstore, which still has an old-timey soda fountain with stools, etc. I remember taking my great-grandmother to the podiatrist next door with my grandma. While great-grandma was at the foot doctor, grandma would buy me buttered toast at the drugstore. I may have dipped the toast in fried egg yolk, as that was the only part I liked. I think they may have served drinks in paper cones.

After my trip down memory lane, I dropped my memory card off at Target, to have digital prints some digital prints made. While I waited (so much for 1 hour photo processing…) I went to “In the Ballpark,” a nearby comic store. They were having a HUGE 25¢ sale. I bought 56 sale books.

When I got home, I made Mom draw me a layout of the North Cherry Street house, so I would know what it looked like on the inside. There are a few photos of the interior, but Mom and Dad didn’t take as many photos back then, in the days of 126 film and disposable flash cubes.

On the way to Mom and Dad’s on Friday, I stopped at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, to go to the Augsburg Fortress bookstore and do some research in the library. At the bookstore, I found a booklet published by the ELCA in which my (uncredited) artwork appears. The image is very small, but it looks great in print. I bought all the copies they had in stock (3). I also purchased a Marty Haugen cd with Now the Feast and Celebration (a liturgical setting for Holy Communion) and Holden Evening Prayer (a setting for Vespers). The Annunciation/Magnificat from Holden Evening Prayer was sung at my commissioning service, and I still cry every time I sing it… At the library, I read a bit about The Acts of Paul, apocryphal stories about the apostle. As part of my research for my comic book, I am reading the Acts of Paul, Acts of Barnabas, and other extra-biblical books. Though the storyline of the comic is based on the Acts of the Apostles from the New Testament, I’m throwing in some subtle allusions to other literature. For example, one of the stories in the Acts of Paul is about woman named Thecla. I first read it in college in my Art of Biblical Narrative class. In my MissionTrek comic book, the Ambassador starship’s computer system is named TECHLA, an anagram of Thecla. The computer also has a female voice and personality, which although not original, is another nod to St. Thecla. After my time in the library, I met Andy and Laura for lunch. (Andy was the youth director at St. Peter’s in Corydon, Ind. for a time). Though I’ve run in to them several times this summer, it was nice to be able to talk to them for a longer time.

Thursday evening was our get together with the Fellas, guys I went to high school with. I think my Dad coined the term “Fellas.” The Fellas include me, the oldest of the Fellas, class of 1992; my friend Bill, class of 1993, who has been mentioned several times already in my journal entries; Kyle, also class of 1993, who lives near Scott’s apartment; Rusty, class of 1994; my brother Scott, class of 1995; and Kevin, Kyle’s younger brother, class of 1996. We played Cranium Turbo (which just came out in stores… we received a free preview copy from Cranium Central), watched some television, ate some pizza and reminisced. At one point I was laughing so hard I choked on some food. We went out for frozen custard after we were done with Cranium.

Week of Aug. 8, 2004

Week of Aug. 8, 2004
Saturday, August 14, 2004
This has been a good week. Last night was the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Scott and I hosted an Olympics Kick Off party at Meadow Park. A number of people came, mostly men. Bill and Kevin (high school friends) were among them. Though there was much heckling, I appreciated was excited to watch the lighting of the torch and the opening drama. Many of the places I saw on my trip were shown during the opening video montage (sans scaffolding) with voice over by James Earl Jones. The drama depicted the history of the Greeks, with men and women portraying some of the works of art that I studied in college and saw earlier this summer. Scott and I made some Greek (and non-Greek) snacks, including honey walnut cake, mini spinach phyllo pies, gyros, muffalettas, Olympic cupcakes, and Ambrosia almond crunch snack mix.

I continue to make progress on my comic book. During the party, I “inked” the drawing above. Today I colored it with Adobe Photoshop 5.0. This full panel page has been the most complex so far, as there are about 20 characters seen. This week I’ve also added a commentary I wrote on Acts 17:16-34, and a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the process of creating the comic book. So the total number of pages/slides as of this week is around 45.

During leisure time this week, I went to the Columbus Museum of Art with Mom, then later that night Dad meet us and we saw Mama Mia! It was really, really good. Scott and I went to COSI (Center of Science and Industry) on Wednesday. They moved to a new building since I was there last. There are some Disney-quality exhibits.

I think that’s all I can think of at the moment. I’m sure I’ll think of more things later… Oh, here’s another interesting tidbit. After I got back from LTS/LutherFest, I sent in a roll of film to be developed. Since I got my digital camera, I rarely use my film camera. I got the prints back this week… There were some on the roll from the first day of our spring break trip!

Week of Aug. 1, 2004

Week of Aug. 1, 2004
Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004--Day ??
My latest freelance project for the ELCA is now online. Follow the link below, if you'd like to see it. It's a pdf file, so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it. It doesn't look as good as it should, in my opinion. After I completed the project (in May?), some editorial changes were made, and I think it they messed up the print quality.

I finished the second page of the MissionTrek comic today. I may be able to get a third page done tomorrow. In total, counting the opening credits slide, and the "Easter Egg" slides, there are about 20 slides so far.

Scott and I met Marlowe for lunch this morning. Last night, Scott and I met Mom and Dad at the Ohio State Fair (it was opening day) for dinner. Then Mom and Dad went to a free concert featuring the Turtles and other 'Oldies' groups. Scott and I walked around with Bill (a friend of ours from high school), his wife Angel, and members of the young adult group at Scott's church.

I went to Jazzercize tonight, as well as Monday and Tuesday evenings. Tonight's class was in the new facility, which is nice, but riddled with acoustical problems.

On Tuesday night, I phoned Matt H., one of my best friends from my college days and a person who had a profound impact on my faith. He is living in Medina, Ohio. We had a good conversation, and we're planning to get together later in the month.

After Leadership Training School last week, I spent the weekend at Lake Luther for Lake LutherFest, a small-scale Christian music festival. It was a great weekend. My friend Peter (from LTS 2000) came down from Michigan Friday and spent most of Saturday at camp as well. Megan "Mo," another friend from LTS 2000 was also there most of the weekend. On Sunday, Peter, Mo, my friend Kim, and I met for dinner at Pizza Hut in Fort Wayne--the restaurant where Kati works (another LTS 2000 alumna). We had a good time. I also got to see Kim's newest granddaughter and shop at a comic book store in Fort Wayne.

On the way back from Fort Wayne, I tried to stop at the [Neil] Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, but it is closed on Mondays. Perhaps another time...

Week of July 25, 2004

Week of July 25, 2004
Sunday, July 25, 2004--Day 36
Went to Sunday School and church with Mom, at my home congregation. They are using Davey & Goliath’s Camp Creation for Sunday School. Marlowe and Julian (who just graduated from Millersport) played their saxes twice during the worship service. Scott and his friend Jason also came.

Mom and I took Marlowe out to lunch at Applebee’s in Heath. I chose Applebee’s because of their WeightWatchers menu. Mom and I both had the Teryaki Shrimp Skewers—just 5 Points. I also had dessert (also 5 Points). I’ve been watching what I eat this past week, and hope to continue to do so the rest of the summer. Tomorrow is my weigh-in day.

I stayed at Mom and Dad’s for dinner, as my drive back to Hilliard is about 45 minutes compared to 90 minutes (back to Springfield, Ohio) or 4 hours (back to Louisville).

Scott was with Jason in Pittsburgh this weekend and is going to Cleveland with Marlowe tomorrow.

I got an IM from Chris K. this afternoon, and e-mails from Matt D. and Nicole S. the past few weeks. John P. also sent me a postcard from Hawaii. It was nice to hear from them

I think, in order to get my comic book project rolling, I need to redo the preview comic I did for my Acts class. Some of the pages need a little work, and some need completely redone.

Friday, July 30, 2004--Day 41
I have enjoyed my time at Lutherwald and Leadership Training School--I've always enjoyed it here. One of the happy surprises is seeing John, one of the camp counselors from last year. I had forgotten that he was here last year and that he might be here again. Iddoshe is here, and she seems to be enjoying herself. She has asked about coming back next year. Kim and I led our spiritual gifts workshop yesterday. The first one was a bit bumpy, but the second one went smoothly. Kim and I were able to get all the supplies into one storage tub, which we found more exciting than perhaps we should have.

Monday and Tuesday I went to Jazzercise, at 5:30 on Monday and 7:40 on Wednesday. The 7:40 class is a step class, which I've only done once before. I was able to purchase a six-week package for $8/week, compared to the regular price of $8/class. I'll probably be the only male, but what's new...

Sabbatical Day 35

July 24, 2004--Day 35
Went to the bank in Millersport and closed my account. The cash will get me through the next several days. Mom and I also went to the post office. I tried to buy some Olympics stamps, but they didn’t have any. Then we went to the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in Lancaster. Dad was there exhibiting pigeons as part of a Lancaster Festival event. We also saw llamas, goats, a camel, a cebu, and mules. I also saw something that I thought was a stuffed cat, but it turned out to be a stuffed albino raccoon. After dinner tonight, Mom and Dad and I went to Weldon’s Ice Cream to eat some ice cream.

I went though a box in my bedroom and found some good stuff, then I went through my boxes of letters from my college years and pulled out some funny stuff.

Tonight I read a short comic book about copyright and trademark issues for comic book creators. Most of the stuff I knew already, but it reminds me that I need to put copyright notices on my website.

Two nights ago I read through the last few chapters of Acts, which I don’t read as often as the middle chapters. My MissionTrek comic book—or at least the episode I work on this summer—will be one of the middle chapters. I’m not sure which one yet… I will need to decide while I’m at camp.

Continue to have difficulty with my eyes at night…

Sabbatical Day 34

July 23, 2004--Day 34
I’m spending the weekend at Mom and Dad’s. We went out to dinner at the Pizza Cottage, then we stopped at Marlowe Brainard’s house for a visit. Marlowe was my band director from 5th-12th grade. This school year he “retired” from teaching. I was able to come up for his final concert in May. (In a previous journal entry, I wrote that the last time I’d been to my parents’ house was spring break. It was actually the concert).

One of the joys of turning 30 is that my eyesight is likely getting worse, and when my eyes are tired, I have trouble reading, and therefore writing, so I will wrap it up for tonight and try to write more tomorrow.

Sabbatical Day 33

July 22, 2004--Day 33
I like to read comic books. Here are some books I've been reading regularly:
*The Ultimates (Marvel)
*Ultimate Fantastic Four (Marvel)
*Batman Adventures (DC)
*Justice League Adventures (DC)
*JSA (DC)
*Superman/Batman (DC)
*Teen Titans (DC)
*Teen Titans Go! (DC)
*Wonder Woman (DC)

I've also been picking up issues of the Superman titles, Robin, JLA, as well as the JLA/Avengers and Ultimate Six mini-series.



DC Comics

Sabbatical Days 31 & 32

July 20&21, 2004--Days 31&32
I continue to get settled in to Scott's apartment. We've been grocery and clothes shopping this week. I hope to take advantage of some back to school sales this week as well. I'm still learning where things are and how to get to places. I investigated the Hilliard Jazzercize tonight, and I will probably begin attending soon.

Scott had to work last night, but I attended his young adult Bible study group anyway. My friend from high school, Bill, led the Bible study. The topic was Luke 9. I think there were about 14 people there, many of whom I'd met at the young adult Sunday School class. I've also sent some e-mails to friends from college that I'd like to see while I'm here.

I'll probably head to Millersport Friday afternoon and stay through Sunday. I haven't been to my parents' house since our spring break trip, and both of those visits were brief. I'm planning on going to church with Mom on Sunday, but she tells me they won't have communion because it's the fourth Sunday of the month!

Next week I'll be going to Lutherwald, one of our synod's camps in northern Indiana to lead a workshop at Leadership Training School, then to Lake Luther (our other way-up-north camp) for Lake Luther Fest.

Sabbatical Day 30

July 19, 2004--Day 30
My major accomplishment of the day was repairing my drafting table (which collapsed last summer during my office renovations) and getting my computer set up. I also finished transferring my trip photos to cd at CVS and continued to work on my website.

Sabbatical Day 29

July 18, 2004--Day 29
Went to church with Scott again this morning, as my original plan didn’t work out. The Worship service was good, but they used the story of the good Samaritan as the scripture reading, which was the Gospel reading for last Sunday. They showed a video from their youth mission/convention trip. I realized tonight that it’s been at least four Sundays since I’ve had communion. Some of the young adults went out for lunch after church, which was nice. I spent some time this afternoon at CVS/Pharmacy, putting my trip photos on cd. I will probably return in the morning to do more. Spent quite a bit of time working on my website. Scott and I went for a walk after dinner. I’m afraid I may have lost my step-o-meter.

Sabbatical Day 28

July 17, 2004--Day 28
Last night we ate at the Sugar Shack, a Jamaican restaurant, at Ocean Isle Beach. I wasn’t very adventurous… I got the coconut shrimp. It was most excellent. Lois, Mike and I walked on the beach after we got back to the house. I collected shells for a craft project.

This morning we packed and cleaned, a chore I’ve gotten out of most years. I also got an education in “Sponge Bob Square Pants.” It reminds me of “Ren and Stimpy.” Saturday morning cartoons sure have changed since I was a kid. One of my favorites was the various incarnations of the “Super Friends” (Challenge of the Super Friends, etc.) They are beginning to release episodes on DVD, though I’m not sure they will do complete season boxed sets. Another favorite was “The Littles,” based on the books of the same name. That cartoon will probably never make it to DVD…

We packed the car and drove back to Raleigh, stopping for lunch at “The Front Porch.” We stopped at the house briefly, unloaded the car, and visited with the cats for a bit. Then Uncle Mike drove me to the airport. I bought a “Mr. Mystery” invisible ink book (see 06/23/04 entry) at the airport. The flight was short and the two seats to my left were empty. We got limited beverage service: water, orange juice, Coke or Diet Coke.

The Atlanta airport is apparently now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. They are renovating—at least in Terminal B. While waiting for my flight, which has been delayed, water dripped on me from the ceiling.

I enjoyed the week at the beach. It would be nice to go again next year, but it will be difficult. Our summer trip always seems to be the week before, during, or after the beach week. Next year, Grandpa would like to go a week later than this summer.

I am tired of being on airplanes. I think this will be the ninth flight of my sabbatical. I am anxious to get home.

Sabbatical Day 27

July 16, 2004--Day 27
Everyone went home this morning, except me, Philip, Uncle Mike and Aunt Lois. The house is very quiet now. After we got back from ice cream last night, we had “mandatory photo opportunities” and a cheddar cheese fondue. It was my turn to sleep in Mom and Dad’s room last night, and Dad snored quite loudly. My earplugs kept falling out too. So, I napped a bit this morning.

It is difficult to believe that I have been on sabbatical for almost a month. I am anxious to get back “home,” though I’ve enjoyed my travels. I’m not sure where I’m going to church on Sunday. Scott has a double-header, but does not have to work Sunday night.

I bought some sea stars (starfish) to put on my Christmas tree. I'd consider also buying a hermit crab, but none of the ones I've seen look real healthy.

Total Steps: 61849

Sabbatical Day 26

July 15, 2004--Day 26
Medieval Times was actually pretty good. The best part was the Falconer’s falcon, which flew around the arena. The food was okay too. Kelly thought our waiter (serf) was hot. There was a cheesy bit at the end of the show involving the American flag… it was almost sacrilegious.
Today was a good day. I finished my second Crosswicks book this morning. We made a labyrinth on the sand in the morning. We (the women-folk along with me, Grandpa and Philip) ate lunch here at the house, grilled cheese and corn-on-the-cob. Unfortunately, there was only one ear per person—it was very good. When the golfers returned from their outing, we played a game of Trivial Pursuit. It was probably the worst game ever… those not playing were watching “My Big Fat GrΣΣk Wedding” in the same room. Those playing were also preparing dinner at the same time. It was hard to hear the questions and answers. We had turkey for dinner, then most of us went to play mini golf at Treasure Island, then ice cream at the Scoop. Mini golf was actually pretty fun—I got two holes in one.

Sabbatical Day 25

July 14, 2004--Day 25
Last night we played Cranium. It’s a great game, but there are some flaws. I’m supposed to get a preview edition of Cranium Turbo later this month. The victors were Dad and Mike.

Today I read most of the morning and opted out of going to the beach. We’re at a bowling alley in Shalotte. Scott, Kelly, Philip, Lois and Mike are playing. The alley has the most high-tech scoring system I’ve seen… there are little animations on the screen after you bowl, even when you get a gutter ball.

Tonight we’re going to Myrtle Beach to eat at Medieval Times. The other idea was Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, which seems similar in concept. I’m glad we’re not going to Dixie Stampede. The North vs. South thing could schism our family.

Sabbatical Day 24

July 13, 2004--Day 24
I slept in Mom and Dad’s room last night. My earplugs worked fairly well counteracting Dad’s snoring. We went to the beach around 10:30. The water was warm. I swam a bit. We came back to the house for lunch—noodle soup, sandwiches, fried zucchini, canned peaches, and red raspberry pie. I took a short nap after lunch.

Later we played Cluedo, the British version of Clue:
Mr. Boddy (US)=Mr. Black (UK)
Mr. Green=Rev. Green
Wrench=Spanner
Lead Pipe=Lead Piping
Knife=Dagger

Another game we’ve been playing is guess the ingredients of the condiments. We’ve done spicy brown mustard, worcestershire sauce, and peanut butter.

We’re at Betty’s Waterfront Restaurant now… There are 12 of us, so our options are eating in the smoking section or waiting forever for a table. I’ve never been real enamored with Betty’s.

Sabbatical Day 23

July 12, 2004--Day 23
Yesterday morning we went to a Lutheran (ELCA) church not too far away. They used Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) Setting Two, but there was not communion. Afterward we went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch. When we got back to the End Zone, I took a long nap. Kelly and I went to the beach for awhile in the afternoon, before it started to rain. We ate dinner at the Seafood Barn. The entire restaurant was non-smoking! Yeah!

Mom, Dad and Scott arrived earlier last night than I’d expected. There was exchanging of various gifts and souvenirs. Some people played poker, others watched television. I’m not sure what time I went to bed, but I woke up early again this morning. I read until others woke up.

Today we (minus Mark and Joy) went to Myrtle Beach. It’s not as appealing to me as it once was. It was very hot and humid. We walked around a bit. There wasn’t a lot to see. Mom, Dad, Scott and Kelly went on a flume ride (Dad called it a “plume” ride.) Mom, Dad, Scott and I had our family portrait taken at “Old Timey Photos.” We have a portrait or snapshot taken each year around my parents’ anniversary, which is in August. I think I’d thought of this idea before, but I was somewhat disappointed with the costume selection. I wanted to be the Old Timey parson, Scott to be the Old Timey newspaperman, and Mom and Dad to be the Old Timey school marm and school master. It’s not a bad photo, however, and it was both fun and funny.

Sabbatical Day 22

July 11, 2004--Day 22
Woke up this morning about 6 a.m. Didn’t remember yesterday that today was Sunday and we’d go to church. I believe the service is at 10 a.m.

We arrived at the beach yesterday around 5:45. The trip from Raleigh was about 3 hours. Aunt Lois picked me up at the airport, then we picked up lunch and stopped at her dental office. When we got to their home, we ate, then I played video games with Philip and his friends. Then we left to come to the beach.

Mark, Kelly, and Joy arrived right as we were leaving for dinner, so we helped them unload and all went to dinner together. We went to Paradise Café on this side of the bridge. Last time I was here, I think it was a pizza place. I had a Buffalo chicken sandwich and fries, both of which were huge, serving-wise. Afterward, we went to Food Lion. I bought Diet Coke and postcards. Then we returned to The End Zone. I got my laundry started, then got ready for bed, and talked to Mom, Dad and Scott on the phone. They are coming tonight. Grandma and Grandpa are coming tomorrow.

Sabbatical Day 21

July 10, 2004--Day 21
By the time I went to bed last night, I had been up for nearly 24 hours. It took awhile to get through customs. I had to tell them about the donkey ride. I didn’t have to wait for the hotel shuttle as long as I did before.

Woke up this morning earlier than I had to. I’m sure it will take a few days to get back on a normal schedule. Since there really wasn’t anything to do, I came to the airport early, getting here about 7 a.m. I was thinking there would be lots of interesting shops to browse, but there are not in this part of JFK, and most of the restaurants are not yet open.

I did pretty well money-wise, as far as not coming back with a ton of Euros. I still have the €30 Scott gave me for my birthday, and I cashed my last Euro bill in at the London airport for some British coins for my collection. I have a bag of small Euro coins, which I’ll probably use as gifts or prizes. I only know of one thing I lost on the trip—a €2 souvenir coin, the Greek equivalent of the flattened penny souvenir. Perhaps it will turn up when I unpack.

One of the things that amazed me was talking to people on the cruise who go to exotic places for vacation each year. The family we ate dinner with went to the Galapagos Islands last year, and the kids had a ton of stamps in their passports.

On the plane now… it’s a ComAir Delta Connection, just four seats across. In some ways it’s more comfortable than the huge British Airways plane. There is a ton of room under the seat in front of me. Tried listening to my Star Wars book on cd, but the aircraft noise is too loud.

I’ve come to appreciate cargo shorts on this and other summer trips. I usually keep my prescription sunglasses in my right cargo pocket, my wallet in my main right front pocket, my camera in my left main pocket and miscellaneous in the left cargo pocket. Normally I’d have my cell phone and date book, but on this trip, I’ve left them behind, as well as my keys. I guess I won’t have to carry many keys around this summer.

This flight is only supposed to take an hour. We’re getting beverage service, which is nice. Sometimes on short flights you only get a bottle of water. I believe Delta charges extra for meals these days.

My souvenir bag has ripped out already. It is being held together with two tiny safety pins from the Hotel Stanley sewing kit.

There were two pigeons and three tiny birds in the Delta terminal at JFK.

My aunt, uncle and cousin will be picking me up in Raleigh this morning. They live near the airport. We’ll drive to Holden Beach, N.C., this afternoon. It has been our family tradition (my mom’s side) to spend a week at the beach every summer since the late ‘80s, though the last summer I was able to attend was 1999, the week after the (in)famous Purdue Global Mission Event. On the return flight that year, I had mono or mono-like symptoms, and it was one of the worst flights of my life.

As my cousins and I have gotten older, our attendance at the beach has been less consistent, though my brother may have a nearly perfect record. This year my aforementioned Raleigh relatives will be there the whole week. My grandparents will also be coming, though probably not today. My parents and brother will be there, as well as my Uncle Mark, his friend Joy, and cousin Kelly. I think that will be it. Our usual activities are miniature golf; a day trip to Myrtle Beach, often to pick someone up at the airport; Trivial Pursuit; walks on the beach; celebrating July birthdays; and the occasional family squabble. Okay… a squabble of some sort is pretty much a guarantee. Holden Beach is a family beach, and groups generally aren’t allowed to rent houses, so it’s pretty quiet. Most of the houses have names. We’ve always stayed at “The End Zone,” except for several summers at “La Te Da.” Other notable houses are “Donald’s Duck Inn,” “Casa del Mar,” and “Tale of the Whale.” We also stayed one time at a house much further inland, which probably didn’t have a name. Holden Beach is just about as far south as you can get on the North Carolina coast.

In the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, I drew a series of comic books about my family. The second issue of the series included a story about our trip to the beach that year, as well as our "American History" trip. (See the July 20, 1990, entry for an excerpt). Inspired by the Brady Bunch tv movie, “A Very Brady Christmas,” the series was titled “A Very Knauffy Christmas.” There are those in our family who pronounce it ‘nowfy’ and those who pronounce it ‘nawfy.’ The “K” is silent either way. There were six grandchildren when I started the series—three boys and three girls like the Brady Bunch. The cover of each issue featured a nine-square grid, with Gramma and Granpa in place of Mike and Carol Brady, the grandkids in place of the Brady Kids, and a special guest star in the center square. By the time the third issue came out, cousin Philip had been born, so he’s occupied the center square ever since.

Most years we visited my grandparents in North Carolina in the summer and at Christmas, though we were there at least one Easter and I think at least one Thanksgiving. I also went one Thanksgiving by myself, and Scott and I went the Thanksgiving when Mom and Dad were in California. I have fond memories of the parsonage where my grandparents lived. They’ve lived in a different house in a different but nearby town since Grandpa retired.

Sabbatical Day 20

July 9, 2004--Day 20
Part One-- Today I begin my journey home. I am at the Athens airport. They have a kiosk with free internet access (10 minutes at a time, but no one else seems to want to use it, or no one else knows it is free). I didn't sleep well, so I got up, showered and packed. I got off the ship in Pireaus at 6 a.m. I had to wait awhile for the luggage to come off the ship, then awhile longer for our travel rep, then awhile longer for Steve and Connie. It takes about 40 minutes to get from the port to the aiport. We got here around 8 a.m., my flight is at 2 p.m., and I can check my luggage at noon.
Part Two-- On the flight from London to the U.S. Today will be the longest day of my life so far, as we are flying “back in time” as we fly back to the United States. I’m tired of sitting. My back is sore, probably from carrying my backpack around all day. The meal on the flight from Athens to London wasn’t great, but the meal on this flight was excellent. There’s also in-flight entertainment. There was a recent episode of “Friends” on that was hilarious… I’ve missed most of the past few seasons due to my dedication to “Survivor.” Before my flight to London left the Athens airport, I spent time with Steve and Connie, as their flight left later than mine. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them over the past week and a half, and I appreciate their friendship and generosity. Today I’ve been thinking about friends from college and being able to see them this summer while I’m on sabbatical. I’m thinking about one person in particular, but that is a topic perhaps for a future journal entry. I am also thinking about friends from church. Now, on in-flight entertainment, is an episode of “The Simpsons,” from the season that was just released on DVD. Addendum to Fun Things While Flying on British Airways: 11. The way the in-flight entertainment announcer says “Sabriner, the Teenage Witch.” Yesterday was another busy day. We disembarked at 7:15 a.m. on Crete. We went to the Minoan ruins—the Palace of Knossos. It was a change from previous sites, with bright red columns and quite a few reconstructions, including concrete with a faux wood finish. Our tour guide was okay. I wasn’t feeling great, and I was afraid I was going to faint and split my head open on a column or something. [We are still 3 hours and 40 minutes from New York… Remind me never to do this again!] After the site, we went to the museum, which was quite crowded and I still wasn’t feeling well. We didn’t have enough time there, which has been pretty typical for excursions. We had to go through a security point to get back on the ship, which was not the norm. Steve and Connie and I ate lunch in the dining room. (The pool-side buffet lunch was served in the Sirenes Lounge due to the weather conditions). After lunch, I took a two and a half hour nap. I think my cabin steward walked in on me while I was sleeping. Yes, the door was locked. (See also July 20, 1990 entry). By the time I woke up, we had arrived at Santorini. Though I hadn’t purchased an excursion, we were allowed to disembark after all the excursions left the ship. To get to the town, a person has three options—walking up 500+ stairs for free, riding the cable car up for €3.50 one way, or riding a donkey up over 500 stairs for €3.50. We chose the latter on the way up, and the cable car on the way back down. Riding the donkey up the steps was scary. Each of the donkeys (ridden by Steve, Connie, and me), slipped at least once. Mine liked to stop and rest periodically. To make things more exciting, donkeys were coming back down the steps as we were trying to go up them. We did some shopping in the town, checked e-mail, Steve made some phone calls, Connie bought some jewelry, or jewellery as they spell it in Greece. By the time we returned to the ship, it was nearly time for dinner. I think it was the best meal we had on the whole cruise. I had a chicken appetizer, tomato soup or Caesar salad (I can’t remember which) and chicken curry. For dessert I had fruit and cheese. Then we went to the casino after dinner. Connie won some money at the slot machines. Before I went to bed, I finished packing my suitcase, and set it outside my cabin as instructed. Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul: 54,883 steps

Sabbatical Day 19

July 8, 2004--Day 19

In the Footsteps of St. Paul--52555 steps

Sabbatical Day 18

July 7, 2004--Day 18
It is becoming more and more difficult to keep track of the days, remember the order of places we’ve been, etc. This morning I got a slow start. I tried the pool-side breakfast buffet. It was pretty good—-more American than the Stanley or the buffets we’ve been to. Our excursion left at 7:30 a.m. We went from the town of Rhodes to Lindos. We visited the acropolis there. It was quite a climb. From the top, we could see a small bay named St. Paul’s Bay, because the apostle was supposedly there. We then returned to the town of Rhodes and had a short tour there… I am officially tired of excursions, though tomorrow morning’s excursion to Crete should be good. The bus dropped us off at the ship. I ate the buffet lunch—there was hardly anyone there. I had chicken and roast beef sandwiches, fruit and cheese, and desserts. Then I went back to the “Old Town.” I went to the archaeological museum, which is housed in an old palace or fortress. There were some interesting pieces. Then I walked to the beach, about a 20-minute walk. I didn’t swim, because I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my stuff on the beach—my plan was to take a dip at a smaller, less crowded beach near the ship on the way back. I returned to the ship through the Old Town. I bought three postcards. I passed a toy store, which caught my attention. Out front, they had a set of Justice League Mission Vision action figures, including Wonder Woman and Darkseid, whom I’ve never seen in the U.S. I would have bought them, except:
1) They had been out in the sun and the cards (packaging) were faded,
2) I’m running out of room in my luggage and,
3) they were €15 each!

The store had a bunch of “bootleg” type toys as well, like a junky looking Superman figure in a Captain Marvel (Shazam!) costume, sans cape.

I then went to the little beach, and this time I noticed the “No Swimming Allowed Sign,” so I didn’t go in. Not that I was afraid of getting in trouble, as plenty of people were swimming, but I figure there must be a good reason for the rule, if they put up the sign. The little beach was fairly close to the cruise ships—perhaps there are pollutants.

Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul—50,716 steps

Sabbatical Day 17

July 6, 2004--Day 17
Yesterday we began our cruise, and the day was quite busy, which explains the brevity of my previous entry. Yesterday morning I ate breakfast at the Stanley. I tried some corn flakes with milk—they tasted a bit off. I also had an egg and toast. We were taken by cab to Pireaus—we being Steve, Connie and me. We stopped at the post (office) twice so Steve could ship a rug home to Idaho. We got to the dock and waited a very long time to get on the ship. We met up with the other Steve and Judy. Steve asked me to take his and Connie’s picture as they ascended the gangway—I did and got fussed at by the official photographer of the ship, who was taking photos that would be available later for €7. My cabin is located right around the corner from the main reception desk. It is a small inside cabin with poor lighting, and two short beds. Right after we departed, we were required to do a long life boat drill. I sat on the deck for awhile a little bit later and got a little sunburn. I had forgotten to put sunscreen on my arms, which I’ve been really faithful about. After eating buffet lunch (mostly cheese and fruit), I went back to my cabin for a nap.
The ship rocks much more than I thought it would, especially when we’re sailing. I haven’t gotten sea-sick, though. After my nap, I prepared for our excursion to Mykonos, the most affordable (€6) of the excursions. While on Mykonos, I put my feet in the waters of the Aegean Sea, but not for too long, as there were all kinds of things floating in it, and there was a dead pigeon on the beach. We went from the ship and returned to the ship via “tenders” or smaller boats.

I returned to the Triton in enough time to shower, shave and change for dinner, the second sitting at 9:15 p.m. There is an evening dress code on the ship, but it doesn’t seem to be enforced. Dinner was very good. The two Steves, and Connie and Judy are at my table, as well as a family from Virginia—Jill, Teddy and Veronica. I had a popcorn shrimp appetizer, a steak with cauliflower and cheese sauce and good French fries, bread, iced tea, and apple pie a la mode. After dinner I read a bit (Paul) then went to sleep about 11:30 p.m.

When I woke up this morning, we had arrived in Kusadasi, Turkey, my third country and second continent of the trip, not counting the U.S. and North America. I ate breakfast in the dining room, which has open seating for breakfast and lunch. I did not realize, however, that they fill up tables. So I was seated with three teenagers, rather than by myself. They were nice enough, but I felt a bit awkward. The boys shook my hand after we finished eating, which I thought was very polite. Our excursion to Ephesus (Efes in Turkish) began at 7 a.m., which seemed a tad early. Our tour guide was a Muslim woman from Turkey. We saw quite a few things in Ancient Ephesus—the well-preserved library, the brothel, the toilets, a fountain, etc. Most biblical was the theater, which they said Paul spoke at. Following Ephesus, we returned to the port city, where we went to a carpet shop to learn about hand-woven rugs. It was interesting, but I wasn’t in the market for a rug. I bought some postcards and some stamps, and attempted to mail a post card from the post office.

I returned to the ship and wrote in my journal and waited for the lunch buffet to open. Even though I was toward the front of the line, it still seemed to move at a snail’s pace. I had fried fish and fries, salad and cheese and salami. After lunch I took a nap.

Our excursion to Patmos met a half hour ealier than published. We went first to the Monastery of the Apocalypse, where John is to have written Revelation. The second part of the excursion was the Monastery of St. John, which I wasn’t tremendously interested in, which was followed by more time for shopping. I found two comic books in Greek—an Asterix comic and a copy of Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man #5.

Tonight’s dinner is a Greek meal, and to be honest, I’m tired of Greek food. We’re supposed to wear blue and white, the colors of the Greek flag. The name of the country in Greek is ΕΛΛΑΣ, which is where we get the word “Hellenic,” or “Hellenistic.”

I am enjoying the cruise, but my schedule is busier than I’d expected, and the ship is smaller than I’d envisioned. My perception of cruise ships comes from the classic television series, “The Love Boat.” (I haven’t fallen in love yet either.)

Sabbatical Day 16

July 5, 2004--Day 16
In the Footsteps of St. Paul--43288 steps

Sabbatical Day 15

July 4, 2004--Day 15
Yesterday we arrived at Delphi, then went to one of the archaeological sites, then shopping and wandering in the nearby town of Arachova. We returned to Delphi for dinner and to check in to our hotels. The dinner was one of the best I’ve had on this part of the trip—stuffed grapeleaves and meatballs. After dinner I got on the Internet (€5/hour) and updated my website, typing several journal entries in. I also checked my e-mail briefly. As far as hotel rooms go, this one was the worst so far. I’m not at the Amalia per my itinerary, but rather at the Hotel Vouzas. The view from the restaurant makes up a little for the room. I’m waiting outside for the bus. Inside, Greek church is on the television, reminding me that it is Sunday. I went to the kiosk across the street, to see if there is such thing as the “Sunday newspaper,” but it seems most papers have a combined Saturday/Sunday edition. If I haven’t mentioned it already, the kiosks are the cheapest place to buy water (€.50-€1) and Coke Light. We’re supposed to get back to Athens this evening, but I’m not sure there will be much to do there, because it’s Sunday. From what I understand, the final game of the EuroCup is tonight. The plan is to visit the Delphi museum this morning (though much of it is apparently under renovation), then visit the main archaeological site. One of the neat things about the sites throughout Greece are the matching ticket stubs are brochures at each site. There have been a few sites that I didn’t receive a brochure, and one of the stubs is a bit wrinkled, but they will make a nice addition to my scrapbook, or whatever I put everything in. I bought a bag yesterday to put souvenirs in. I’ve bought a lot of postcards, and two books. I am down to €5, but I can get more at the hotel when we get back to Athens.
1:45 p.m. Delphi was good. We started at the museum, which was under renovation as previously mentioned, so only one room was open—the famous Charioteer of Delphi, and a few other artifacts. Then we went to the main archaeological site. There was much to see—the Temple of Apollo, a theater, and the belly-button of the ancient world. I climbed all the way up to the top where the stadium, home of the Pythian Games, is. Lunch was at a restaurant… I didn’t get the name. I had a salad with feta cheese and an appetizer sampler plate, which included fried cheese, spinach pie, grape leaves, zucchini, etc. It was a very enjoyable lunch. Then we headed back to Athens, stopping midway for a “pee pee” stop, as our tour guide says. We made quite a few hotel stops. Ours was the second to last. I am on the fifth floor this time, but my room is very similar. I decided to return to the Acropolis, as it is one of the few things open on Sunday. I took the Metro (subway) this time, rather than walking. I found the Metro to be easy to navigate, inexpensive, and quick. I bought an Acropolis ticket for €12… I think my remaining tickets from last time had expired, and I forgot to bring them anyway. I bumped into Jacinta and Morick at the Acropolis… I headed toward the Ancient Agora. My self-guided tour was relaxing and enjoyable. It took me awhile to find the Metro station (a different one than I got off) but I eventually did, and I returned to the hotel in just a few minutes! Much nicer than walking!

In the Footsteps of St. Paul: 40068

Sabbatical Day 14

July 3, 2004--Day 14
Today is my 30th birthday. I opened a card my brother gave me before I left. It contained 30 Euros. It took me about a half hour to figure out the significance. We’re on our way to Delphi. The bus and all the passengers went across the Gulf of Corinth on a ferry, crossing from the Peloponnese to Central Greece. They are constructing the world’s longest (?) suspension bridge, which would presumably take the place of the ferry service. Before we crossed over, we stopped for morning refreshments in Patras. Steve bought me a chocolate donut to serve as my birthday cake. Across the street was the church of St. Andrew (hAgios Andreas), the largest Orthodox cathedral in Greece. We are driving along the Gulf of Corinth, with its beautiful blue water and fish farms. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant wide a wide selection of seafood, including “octapus.” I had pork chops… what I would really like is a turkey sandwich. I am also disappointed that none of the restaurants I’ve been to serve hummus. I thought it was a Greek dish because they serve it at the Greek restaurant back home.

I attempted to do laundry last night. I should have waited until the cruise, as my clothes did not dry overnight. I had a bit of a scare this morning when I couldn’t find my money belt and passport—they were buried in my suitcase. Repacking every morning is getting old… it should be nice to be on the cruise ship several nights.

The couple in the seats in front of me are Stephen and Judy from Los Angeles. The Joneses are from Idaho. They sit up front behind the driver. The Italian family also sits up front, behind Marilena, the tour guide. Both of the girls have some difficulty walking, but their spirit has brightened the tour bus. They serve as translators for their parents, who speak little English. Jacinta and Morick (?) sit to the right of me. They are teachers from Australia. In the back are two young women from Sydney. There is another family toward the back. The dad is from Greece, and the mom is apparently from Argentina. I believe they live in Philly. That leaves Bill and Loretta, a couple from NYC. Our tour guide is Marilena and the bus driver is Demetrius.

Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul: 25490 steps

Sabbatical Day 13

July 2, 2004--Day 13
The breakfast at the hotel was okay and free. (There was a controversy last night at dinner regarding whether beverages were gratis). We went to the other hotel to pick up the Australian women around 8:15 a.m. The rest of the morning was spent driving through the mountains to Olympia. The ride was not pleasant. The road is narrow with many hair pin turns. Along the side of the road are many tiny chapel markers dedicated to people who died in (or who were saved from) auto accidents. We eventually made it to Olympia and toured the museum after a much-needed trip to the W.C. I was slightly embarrassed when I was the last one to return to the meeting spot. The museum was good, but again rushed. We saw the pediment from the Temple of Zeus (?) featuring the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs and the Hermes by Praxiteles, which is so famous and important that it gets its own room in the museum. Lunch (and another trip to the W.C.) was at the nearby Ambrosia restaurant. Rather than having chicken again, I opted for the American sounding hamburger. It was two small patties, fries, and zucchini. The zucchini was the best part of the meal. I’ve learned that fries cooked in olive oil are nasty. After lunch, we went to the Ancient Olympia archaeological site. We saw the place where the Olympic flame is lit, and the stadium where the ancient games were held. We also saw the remains of Zeus’ temple, where Phideas’ colossal gold and ivory statue was. Our guide liked to remind us that it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. (Only one of the Wonders exists today—the Great Pyramid at Giza). We are staying at a Best Western tonight. It is about dinner time. Tonight we’re going out… I think I’d rather sleep, but the whole group is going. One reason I’d rather not go is that everybody smokes, especially the locals. There is even one guy smoking in the pool.
Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul—20346

Sabbatical Day 12

July 01, 2004--Day 12
We’re off on our 4-day tour of Greece. Actually, we’re parked outside a hotel. We’re on bus #2 of the day. Mr. and Mrs. Steve Jones have the same Gate One itinerary as me—they were also on yesterday’s tour. The rest of the people on the bus are from different hotels, though they may be Gate One people too. The bus is nice, but apparently the water closet, or toilet, doesn’t work, which makes me a bit nervous.
We traveled through Athens leaving the busy city, heading to quieter country. Our first stop was the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas. We had a few minutes to shop as well, and the tour guide suggested we try the raisins, so I bought a €4 bag of raisins and a Coke Light. I didn’t buy any souvenirs. I am starting to see some interesting trends in souvenirs.

Next we drove to Ancient Corinth, which wasn’t on our schedule. We weren’t allowed to get out, but I could see the Acrocorinth and ancient agora, both of which were mentioned in the book I was reading last night—Paul, by Walt Wangerin.

The next stop was the citadel of Mycenae, where the so-called Mask of Agammemnon was found. The Mycenaen period/culture predated the Greek periods. We also saw the famous Lion Gate and the Treasury of Atreus. Then we stopped for lunch. I had fried cheese (I don’t remember the Greek name) and souvlaki (aka chicken shish kebab). Then we went to the Theater of Epidauros and the archaeological museum. The acoustics in the theater are so good that a person high up in the top row can allegedly hear a person on stage cough without amplification. The bugs were loud and the wind or breeze also hindered the effect somewhat, but it was still cool. We did see the museum there, but didn’t have much time to see the archaeological site.

We continued on to Nafplion, where we would be spending the night. It is a picturesque town and we were given some time to wander through the Epcot-like streets. I found an Olympics shot glass for cousin Kelly and a birthday present for my brother. Dinner was with the group at the hotel. I opted for spaghetti rather than stuffed tomato, pepper and zucchini. The main course was chicken and fries and baby carrots and Brussels sprouts. I went to bed by 9:30, my first day/night of normal sleep since I’d left New York.

In the Footsteps of St. Paul--17047 steps

Sabbatical Day 11

June 30, 2004--Day 11
Woke up about 4 a.m. and wasn't able to get back to sleep, so I read, organized, and went to breakfast earlier than I'd planned. (Bacon, eggs, orange bread, watermelon, cheese and a chocolate cookie, with grapefruit and orange juices). We were told to meet in the lobby by 8:15, though our bus didn't come until about 8:30. There were other Americans on the tour from my hotel and we also picked up others from another hotel. It was one of those double-decker buses. We sat on the top level. (Everyone in Athens, including our driver, drives insanely through the narrow streets crowded with buses, cars, scooters and pedestrians). Our first stop was the Panathenaic Olympic Stadium, which was built for the 1896 Olympics. The stop was a 10-minute photo op, though there really wasn't much to see. There were some men working on getting the site ready for the Olympics. The stadium will be the terminus for the marathon, which will begin in... Marathon. It will also be the venue for the archery event(s). Our next stop was the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, or the remains of it rather. This time we were given about 30 minutes. All that remains are a few columns of the Corinthian order. But they are impressive! They are very tall. Also on site is Hadrian's Arch, but it was so obscured by scaffolding, there wasn't much point in looking at it. The view of the Acropolis, our next stop, was nice... The bus parked in the Acropolis parking lot and we walked up toward the Acropolis. I had to check my backpack before we entered the Acropolis proper, so I quickly lost the rest of my tour group. The entrance to the Acropolis is through the Propylaea, which was under renovation. Next came the Parthenon, also under renovation. Walking around the Parthenon counter-clockwise, one can see the Theater of Dionysus below. Next came the Acropolis Museum, which was a welcome respite from the mid-morning sun. Most notable in the museum are the caryatids, woman-shaped columns from the Erecthion, which were moved to the museum for the sake of preservation. I continued my way around the Acropolis, coming to the Erecthion. From the Acropolis, you can see people on a hill nearby. I descended, again through the Propylaea, and inspected the hill. There was a large bronze marker, with an inscription in Greek--no English translation. But I was very confident that this was the Aeropagus (sometimes called Mars' Hill) and the inscription was from Acts 17, where Paul meets with the members of the Aeropagus. (There is debate whether Paul actually met with the members of the Aeropagus at the Aeropagus or at another site). I climbed the hill eagerly--it was number 2 on my list of things to do. The steps were very slippery and then they ended, leaving me to crawl up the rocky surface to the top. I took a 360 degree shot with my digital camera from where I stood. I went back down the hill an easier way. The Areopagus figures prominently in the prologue to my novel, and now I will be able to refine the story with first-hand experience. One of the converts after Paul's speech at the Aeropagus was Dionyssion, or Dionysus, a member of the Aeropagus. There is a road near the site called "Dionyssion Areopagitou Promenade" and there is also a Roman Catholic church in Athens (one of the few non-Greek Orthodox churches) named after him as well. Damaris, a female convert mentioned in Acts 17, does not receive as much recognition. Unlike most of the rest of the people in the group, I returned on the bus to the hotel. (Most of the others continued sightseeing and made their own way back). I wanted to try to get to the National Archaeological Museum before it closed at 3 p.m. It was one of those Disney World moments when you realize that you can’t do everything and you have to make some tough choices. Except with Disney World, it’s foreseeable that I’ll be back again in my lifetime. What happened next is one of those things you don’t tell your mother about until way after the fact. I set off by myself on foot to the museum. It’s not too far from the hotel. It was the middle of the afternoon. My passport and funds were in my money belt. My only valuable was my camera. It took me about an hour to walk there… it probably should have taken 20 to 30 minutes. I walked through a street market-type thing, with fresh fruit and vegetables for sale, as well as raw fish with the heads still on. I walked through some not-so-nice looking parts of town, but I don’t think I encountered any gypsies. I was trying not to pull my map out too often for fear of looking too “touristy,” which probably led to my demise. Street names are posted on buildings rather than on sign posts. Most of the signs are in both Greek and English letters, but they are also small, and some were too dirty to read. I eventually did make it to the museum—we were told it had just reopened on Monday, but they were still doing a lot of landscaping and noisy construction outside. The museum was great, though I felt rushed, as I did at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York several years ago, but it was worth the €6. The gift shop had full-size reproductions of things like the bronze Poseidon, so I couldn’t afford to buy anything. Imagine trying to get that thing through airport security! A highlight was a copy of the Farnese Hercules, which is a sculpture I wrote a paper about in one of my art history classes. You might see a copy of it at your local Caesars casino or resort. More modern Greek art is displayed at an art museum (El Greco, etc.). I made it back safely to the hotel, though the walk took longer than it should have, because I made a giant circle. For lunch I had a giant bottle of water, chips and a Snickers, then I took a very long afternoon nap. After waking, I read by the rooftop pool and got in the water briefly. I ate dinner again at Virtus—fried zucchini, with chicken and bacon shish kebab and fries. My feet hurt badly from my adventure, so it was nice to put shoes and socks on for dinner.
Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul: 13652 steps

Sabbatial Day 10

June 29, 2004--Day 10
Arrived at Hotel Stanley in Athens about 10:30 p.m. New York time, or 5:30 a.m. local time. My suitcase did not survive the trans-Atlantic trip--the top part of the suitcase frame was cracked. Slept from about 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.... that may not be correct. My watch and alarm clock read different times. The hotel seems great, though I haven't yet ventured out of my room, as I am watching the Greek television programs.

8 p.m. My alarm clock was indeed off. Met with my local travel representative a while ago and booked four excursions for my cruise. Walked around the hotel a bit--went up to the rooftop restaurant/bar/swimming pool, which features a stunning view of Athens, including the Acropolis. One thing that will take some getting used to is using the toilet. You put the used toilet paper in a little wastebasket instead of flushing it.

10:30 p.m. Had a "Coke Light" at the bar downstairs. Walked around the block. There is a kiosk on the corner, a subway station entrance, a bank, and a souvenir shop. Ate dinner at the rooftop, piano restaurant called 'Virtus.' Porkchop with rice, bread, fruit for dessert, a huge bottle of water and the famous 150 ml, 2.50 Euro Coke Light. The view from the rooftop was again, stunning. I sat facing the Acropolis. I am unsure of which building I saw. Above the Acropolis, the moon was nearly full. My view was framed by two flags waving in the breeze--the Greek flag and perhaps the Athens flag or the EU flag. As I ate, the sky began to grow darker and lights of the city began to come on, including some illuminating the Acropolis. As I ate, I was several times nearly to the point of tears. I have been thinking about this trip for about a decade, and I am very relieved to have finally made it here safely. Many people have asked me in the past few weeks if I was excited about my trip, and the answer was an honest 'no.' Too many stresses and anxieties weighed upon me. But now that I'm here, I'm looking forward to the days ahead.
Walking in the Footsteps of St. Paul: 4277 steps

Sabbatical Day 9

June 28, 2004--Day 09
Fun things while flying on British Airways:
1) The way the pilot says 'schedule'
2) Not being able to understand the flight attendant
3) The flight attendant dropping my seatmate's lasagne on me
4) My seatmate not being able to understand the flight attendant when she asks if she'd like worcester sauce in her tomato juice
5) Free socks, eye mask thing, toothbrush/paste
6) Two meals & worcester sauce-flavored pretzels
7) Tiny cans of British Diet Coke
8) Another meal on my flight to Athens
9) People puking on each flight
10) Testing my SkyRest inflatable pillow

The flight to London was long, but the in-flight entertainment helped. There were sitcom reruns, music, several movies, including "Tarzan" and "Along Came Polly." My seatmates slept most of the trip; I did not. My brief stop in London was fun--it's like being in Bizarro United States. Big Brother (the reality show) is popular there. It was difficult to sleep on the flight to Athens, but I arrived safely. Made it to the hotel fine, and they were able to give me a room to spend the early morning in.