• San Diego blackout live blog

    4:00ish – they power went out, first we thought it was just a breaker. Ten a neighbor banged on our door.

    4:05 – saw on twitter lots of activity. Hearing it’s out all over San Diego. Crazy!

    4:08 – trolleys are down, people are leaving work. Beer thirty came early! Thankful I didn’t go back downtown after my meeting at Journey.

    4:21 – kids got bored, playing dominos. (lofi fun!)

    4:32 – kids bored again. Goodbye dominos.

    4:44 – hearing sirens on El Cajon Blvd. Eerily quiet out there.

    4:47 – taking bets on when the power comes back on. Paul says dinner, Megan says tomorrow. When do you think? Also seeing on Twitter that parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Baja are out

    4:55 – filled up a couple jugs with water, just in case.

    4:59 – cell service is completely slammed. I’m not getting anything through now.

    5:04 – just heard that SDGE is reporting power will be out into the night, maybe as late a tomorrow.

    5:09 – off to find ice

    5:15 – Vons is closed, strike 1.

    20110908-051439.jpg

    5:21 – you can always trust a liquor store to be open. Unfortunately, my favorite one is sold out of ice. (avoided buying booze, tempting)

    5:29 – Paul (age 8) is telling me he thinks this was caused by a solar flare.

    5:37 – everywhere is either closed or out of ice. The upside is that everyone is calm and courteous on the roads. There will be a massive party tonight, you can feel that coming.

    5:46 – good news, no problems with water (yet) watering the garden. It’s cooling off rapidly out there.

    5:52 – looks like the gas is out, too. Thankful that our roast was already done for dinner. Weird that the gas is out.

    20110908-055418.jpg

    6:04 – lots of sirens in the distance, no bueno.

    6:10 – bad news on the roast, we have to eat it all.

    6:21 – Filling up more stuff, the water pressure is noticeably lower. We are also sitting in the back yard now. Going to be a night of community!

    6:33 – sitting outside and playing, “I survived the blackout and all I needed was an Apple, baboon, cotton candy, deer, ear plugs…

    6:39 – the world may end… We have no cell service.

    20110908-064502.jpg

    6:55 – going to take a walk, might as well be neighborly

    7:15 – rolando community BBQ tonight, awesome. Everyone is out walking and talking. Best night ever!

    7:38 – back from our walk, digging out candles. SDGE is saying maybe no power back until tomorrow. Some area have a water emergency, so far not ours. Have I mentioned how quiet it is? No planes or anything.

    7:48 – darkness is arriving, the kids are pacing in a dark house. They have no idea what to do. How many hours until the sun rises?

    7:56 – with darkness settling in, all I hear is chatter of neighbors, crickets, and a helicopter over City Heights. I hope the helicopter pilot got epic shots of a dark city. Crazy.

    8:01 – on our walk a gas meter looking thing was running, sounded like a generator. Anyone know what that is?

    8:10 – saw on twitter that school was already cancelled for tomorrow. Summer vacations revenge! Thankful our area not under water restrictions yet. Am I obsessing about water or is it just hot?

    8:25 – brought the kids outside to look at the stars. The moon is almost obnoxiously bright.

    20110908-083024.jpg

    8:29 – forced the children to eat all of the ice cream, also informed them that school closed tomorrow. Best day ever!

    8:48 – listening to am 600. Heard they are restoring power to OC, Tijuana.

    8:58 – KPBS is reporting that the power is back on at SDSU. I guess the giant toga party is ending…

    9:09 – spoke to an AP reporter covering the blackout.

    10:25 – we see lights on far out to the east on the hills. We secretly hate those people.

    10:34 – power is on in La Mesa, just like 2 miles from here. Now I’m just wanting this over.

    10:35 – if the power isn’t on by morning, filet mignon and eggs for breakfast.

    10:48 – power on at SDSU & La Mesa, but Rolando? Nothing. I’m calling Jesse Jackson in the morning.

  • The Community – Individual Continuum

    Theologically, we all know that you can’t experience the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus without community. Jesus invites us not to merely partake in communion but to live in communion with one another. (A throwback to the Garden of Eden)

    Sociologically, we live in society built around the individual. We live in single family dwellings. We have our own rooms and our own stuff. We drive cars instead of taking the bus. We eat in individual pods of friends or by ourselves. (This individualism knows no boundaries and is the opposite of Jesus’ life in community.)

    The way we experience church in our society is intimately and inseparably syncretized to our culture, even in direct opposition to the model given to us in Acts. (See Pate’s Communities of the Last Days & Jones’ Teaching of the Twelve for a scholarly look at the practical implications of life in community for the early church.)

    Plotting my walk with Jesus on the Community – Individual Continuum

    In the last 24 hours I’ve been wrapped up in this simple drawing above. In fairness, it’s just a device to explore some assumptions I have vs. realities I live. So if you stretch it too far it falls apart. At the same time I can’t get away from the teachings of Jesus. Jesus’ very life is an invitation to walk away from Satan’s desire to separate us from communion with God. To walk with Jesus is to walk in communion with his people AND with God.

    Some examples:

    • Daily Bible reading (Mostly individual, though I often share what I’m reading with friends or here on the blog.)
    • Prayer  (90% of the time prayer is individual)
    • Small groups (A few hours per week, and we haven’t met since winter, so I suck at this one)
    • Attending church (I’ll generously put this near the middle. It’s communal, even though there’s almost no interaction with others.)
    • My home (We’ve had people live with us, stay with us, etc. But if I’m honest it’s way more about our family than community living. Nothing like in Acts)
    • My work (This is getting better and worse at the same time. Thus, the life of a freelancer)
    • My service (I do a lot of stuff, but it’s all “what I do” and not “what we do.”)
    • My kids education (I’d love for this to be a community effort, but it’s not. It’s all individualistic.)

    My challenge to you would be to take 30 minutes and plot out your day-to-day life along this continuum for the sake of discovery. If you want to get really dangerous, after you do that read the first 5-6 chapters of the book of Acts.

    I don’t know where this is going. But I do see the need to reject the individualism of my society and further enter into communion both with Jesus & his people.

    What about you? What are practical ways you are living in communion?

  • The Joy of Jumping

    As someone who has just jumped from the known to the great unknown allow me to tell you: It’s exhilarating. 

    Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

    Philippians 3:13-14

    Here’s how I visualize this passage.

    • Yes, it’s scary.
    • Yes, I’ve heard rumors of a recession.
    • Yes, I know I have a family to support.
    • Yes, I know I could get hurt. (The parachute might not deploy)
    • Yes, I know you aren’t supposed to jump out of a perfectly safe thing for an unsafe thing.
    • Yes, I know all of the “buts” and “whatifs” about jumping.

    The flip side? Jumping is way cool. It’s crazy fun. And I’ve learned that the safe way will almost never get you to where you want to go in life.

    In my eyes– there are many more dangers in playing it safe than taking a big risk every once in a while.

    • Playing it safe is… as good for your heart as eating McDonald’s french fries every day.
    • Playing it safe is… like rust on your soul.
    • Playing it safe is… so 2000.
    • Playing it safe is… a pathway to regret.
    • Playing it safe is… cementing a future you might not want.

    For discussion: Tell me about a time you jumped. 

    photo credit: kait jarbeau via Flickr (Creative Commons)

  • @mclanea vs. @dougfields

  • You change your passion for glory


    So many times, it happens too fast 
    You change your passion for glory 
    Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past 
    You must fight just to keep them alive 

    Eye of the Tiger – by Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik, 1982

    The other day I was jogging when this song came on. I’ve probably heard this song 500 times and the second verse never stuck out to me.

    Not only does verse two of Eye of the Tiger foreshadow the plot of Rocky movies 2, 3, 4, and 5– in many ways it captures the dichotomy many in leadership feel.

    We are driven by passion. And in the course of becoming proficient and gaining expertise towards that passion we receive a certain level of recognition… what Sullivan/Peterik label “glory.” Conversely, once you achieve “glory” the role changes unexpectedly. You stop pursuing the goal and start defending your place. It’s one thing to be the punk kid pursuing the dream. It’s another role altogether to be the defending champion.

    Getting there and staying there are two different fights. Passion and glory are a two-way street. Both have their perks, but you can’t exchange one for the other.

    Here’s what I know: The pursuit of a goal and the moment of achieving the goal are actually way more fun than having to defend your position. Like Rocky Balboa, if you stop pursuing your next goal the two-way street get out-of-whack and you end up old and cranky towards your wife.

  • Love God, Hate People

    In 2003, on my last day attending the first church I ever worked at, an elder cornered me in the parking lot in an attempt to affirm me. “Adam, one thing I really like about you is that you seem to really love all different types of people. Where did you learn to do that?” 

    Stunned, I didn’t know another way to say it. “I learned that from Jesus in the Gospels.”

    Sadly, in the 18 years I’ve been involved in church life, I’ve learned that there are far more Christians defined by their hatred for people than there are those defined by their love for all people.

    Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1

    God is bigger than my opinion

    We live in an age of opinions. Everyone has something to say about everything. And since we live in a reactionary society with an instant ability to speak our mind to thousands of people via Twitter, Facebook, and the like. This means we live in rude, violent times where the tongue is not tamed. (James 1)

    To make matters worse, we live in a time of great pressure. When people are under pressure they reveal their weaknesses. Money is causing some of this pressure. But so is an open acknowledgement that some of the stuff we’ve done successfully in the past is failing today. And while that pressure, in community, should fuse us together to make a diamond it is too often burning away and leaving worthless coke.

    As I read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount this morning one thing stuck out to me: I can’t love God and hate people. It’s impossible.

    I don’t have the right to hate a single person. I’m not the judge of anyone. I’m not better than my neighbor. Instead, the Gospel lives through me when I practically acknowledge with my actions that my neighbor is worthy of my love and service. To hate my neighbor would be to hate the God who created my neighbor.

    My opinions aren’t really that important to God. I won’t one day get a pat on the back from my Heavenly Father for having a great apologetic for the matters of the day. I won’t impress Jesus with my ability to divide people over things that don’t really matter.

    But if I love my neighbor. But if I serve my neighbor. Then what? 

  • Keeping San Diego State classy, one lawn at a time.

    Megan’s comment: “Their grass is greener than ours.”

  • SDSU vs. Cal Poly

    Had a great time with Megan last night. Good to hear the cannon go off a lot.

    I think they proved that they could move the ball last night. 49 points with 42 of them coming from the offense. Ronnie Hillman is an amazing running back, 189 yards on 27 carries and 2 TDs. Ryan Lindley didn’t make many mistake with 4 TDs and a little over 200 yards. And while no star emerged among the receiving corp there were signs that they could get things done.

    Looking forward to Army: The Aztec defense had little problem with the triple option last night. There were a couple long plays… one particularly on an option pass, but overall the defense held its ground against a fast-paced, hurry-up, triple option. They should give Army a run for their money.

    Ticket sales! The ticket office has to be very happy. 34,000 for a home opener vs. a Football Championship team? Fantastic. And with the next home game against Washington State of the Pac-12, that might be 40,000+.

    I was especially happy to see the student section packed. They even opened up 3 sections of overflow for all of the students.

  • College Football predictions

    Today is opening day for my two favorite teams, Notre Dame & San Diego State. Here are my predictions on their seasons.

    1. Notre Dame – The Irish have a tough schedule. The first five games are as tough a schedule as you’ll see anywhere because teams always “play up” for Notre Dame and their National TV audience. If you look at their order of schedule and the style of football each team plays… it’s really hard to adjust. This team is better, but not quite of the power to roll over teams just yet. I think they will handle USF today and Michigan next week, stumble at home to Michigan State and again at Pitt. But then go on a bit of a tear until and beat Purdue, Air Force, and USC. Then they will lose to Navy before beating Wake, Maryland, and Boston College. Then we’ll see how good they are in November at Stanford. If Andrew Luck is healthy they will be tough to beat. Overall- I’m seeing 8-4 and a trip to the lowest BCS game. (It’s about money, friends.)
    2. San Diego State – Last season, the secret weapon was the defense which made the offense look better than they really were.. They’ve leveled up a bit on D. But I think the combination of Rocky Long (a defensive-minded guy) and the flip-flop from a talented WR core to an all rookie one will kill their ability to move the ball. Ryan Lindley is a great pocket passer. He’ll need to depend less on the long ball and more on short passes and screen with the weapons he has available. Ronnie Hillman, if he is healthy, is explosive and rips yards off in a Barry Sanders kind of method. He’ll got 2-3 yards at a time, then rip off 25 when you aren’t looking. That will all depend on their ability to spread teams out with WR and TE. The opposite of the Irish, they have some playing styles with opponents that will help them. Secret weapon of the Aztecs? Kicking. Holy cow they have guys who can kick it miles. Remember last years 88 yard punt in New Mexico? I think they’ll beat Cal Poly and Army before losing to Washington State, Michigan, and TCU. Then they’ll win four in a row against Air Force, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado State. They’ll get pounded by Boise State and then beat Fresno and UNLV. As long as Hillman and Lindley stay healthy they will be 8-4 and play again in the Poinsettia Bowl.

    Other thoughts on college football, in general.

    We need to see some teeth from the NCAA. Both Ohio State and Miami deserve the death penalty. Their fans disagree. But the reality is that they completely ignored NCAA rules and made a mockery of the whole thing. I think USC got off easy and it’s awesome they can’t get ranked in the coaches poll. (If only Pete Carroll had gotten punished…)

    I hope the Mountain West defectors get pounded this year. TCU lost to Baylor last night. I hope Utah loses 8 games in the Pac-12. And BYU has just become BY-Who? (Who do they think they are to go independent? They are no Texas or Notre Dame.) None of the Mountain West teams want to schedule them. (I see one MWC game on this years schedule. What’s that tell you about the cheating they do?) Speaking of, I heard Texas A&M is looking for a conference home. I hope they jump on the bandwagon for next season with Fresno State, Nevada, and Hawaii.

    Is it the year of the Ducks? They sure are fun to watch. And I’d love to see the tomahawk chop back in prominence in Tallahassee. If you just look at the mascots… it’s a great year. Could it be a BCS game of the cowboys vs. indians? (Oklahoma State vs. Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl?)

  • The high cost of tomatoes

    1. The Unsavory Story Of Industrially-Grown Tomatoes – Clip from Science Friday, August 26th 2011     

    Source: Science Friday – August 26th 2011

    I love tomatoes. They are a seasonal treat I grow in my garden. At the peak of the growing season we were getting 50+ per week from our garden.

    Key word: Seasonal.

    Americans have no concept of seasonal food. We want what we want 12 months per year in complete denial of natural growth cycles. In other words, if you want a tomato on your salad to start your annual New Years diet, you just go to the grocery store and get it.

    Here’s the thing: Tomatoes don’t grow naturally that time of year. There are places in the world where tomatoes grow well during a season. But in the middle of the winter your typical beaf steak tomato doesn’t grow anywhere in North America. At least not naturally.

    So why can I buy them year-round? 

    Supply and demand has a dark side. As the audio from the August 26th version of Science Friday documents, those low taste, high cost winter tomatoes you buy at the supermarket come at a very high cost.

    • About 120 chemicals are needed to make those tomatoes grow in Florida.
    • 8x’s the pesticides are needed for Florida winter tomatoes that aren’t needed for ones grown in California.
    • Many are hand picked and cultivated by modern-day slaves…. in Florida. (More than 1200 cases of such have been documented in recent years.)
    • They are picked when they are completely unripe and bright green. Then they are gased to turn them bright red, even though they aren’t ripe.
    • The reason your store bought tomatoes have no flavor is that they aren’t raised in soil, they are raised in sand. (No natural nutrients, sorry)

    What’s the point?

    If you knew that you were buying something produced by modern-day slavery in your own country, would you still buy it if it were a good deal?

    My advice? Next time you sit down to eat something or make a meal ask yourself… where did this food come from? What were the farmers who produced it paid? And was this food made under conditions that honor God?

    You might not want to know. But the reality is that there is an entire industry out there who doesn’t want you to think about where your food comes from, they just want to get rich off of your ignorance.