Duuuude...

Well, it was bound to happen. I knew that when we moved back to SoCal that eventually, something like this was going to happen. It was inevitable. I was just hoping that it wouldn't happen so soon, I mean, we have only been here 7 months or so. But it did happen this past week. The unthinkable, inevitable.

A co-worker and I were in the company truck on our way to work late one night (yes I worked nights this whole past week. But that's a story for another post). Anyways, we were driving to the job-site, just chatting (can't remember what about though), nothing special. And then suddenly out of nowhere, it happened........the words 'dude' and 'man' and 'cool' slipped out of my mouth. All in ONE sentence (as in 'duuude, that was like totally cool, man')! I haven't used the word 'dude' in that context like in 10 years! And in combo with 'cool' and 'man' - not since...well, I can't remember when! AHHH, the SoCal surfer/skater vernacular had slipped back into my life!

When I realized what had just happened, I was hit with shock at first and then embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eyes, I furtively glanced over at my co-worker to see if he noticed anything strange in what I just said. He didn't. And he's even from Nevada. So it was all good. We got to the job-site ( I didn't say much else during the rest of the night - too fearful of what I might say next!), did our job and got home again without another 'duuuude' slipping past my lips. Now I just have to watch out for 'rad, awwwesomme, fer sher, sweeeeet, gnarly' and other forms of verbal coolness. ;-)

Riverside County Fair and Date Festival

This past week, our company serviced the kitchen fire suppresion systems and fire extinguishers on the food trailers at the Riverside County Fair and Date Festival in Indio, out in the desert past Palm Springs. It was a lot of fun learning how to service the fire suppression systems installed in these kitchen on wheels. But it was a lot of work - we worked 12-13 hours a day for 3 days straight to get all the food vendors' trailer kitchens serviced, cleaned and upgraded before the fair opened. And man, it is amazing (and sick)to see how much grease gets collected up in the hoods and ducts over the professional-grade deep-fryers, griddles and gas burners! I am talking literally an inch thick of hardened grease, fat and oil that you have to chip off in chunks as big as Oreos (and it's black like Oreos too)!

And speaking of Oreos, I serviced a trailer known as Chicken Charlie's - this guy is famous for deep-frying just about anything. Like Oreos, Pop-Tarts, cheesecake, frog legs, White Castle sliders, s'mores, peanutbutter sandwiches, watermelons, Twinkles (umm, that sounds good!), assorted veggies (my favorite - cored zucchini with a hotdog stuck in the middle, then dipped in batter and deep-fried - sounds good).

And one of the most interesting concoctions he invented - deep-fried Coca-Cola! How the heck do you do that!?!?! Well, he mixes Coke syrup with a bit of flour, deep-fries it, then tops it off with more Coke syrup and powdered sugar! Talk about sweet! But it makes me really want to try it, being a Coke lover and all. ;-) He ain't called the Deep Fry King for nothin'!


PS - Here's a short video from YouTube of Chicken Charlie fryin' up some Pop-Tarts! That looks really yummy!

Riverside County Fair and Date Festival

This past week, our company serviced the kitchen fire suppresion systems and fire extinguishers on the food trailers at the Riverside County Fair and Date Festival in Indio, out in the desert past Palm Springs. It was a lot of fun learning how to service the fire suppression systems installed in these kitchen on wheels. But it was a lot of work - we worked 12-13 hours a day for 3 days straight to get all the food vendors' trailer kitchens serviced, cleaned and upgraded before the fair opened. And man, it is amazing (and sick)to see how much grease gets collected up in the hoods and ducts over the professional-grade deep-fryers, griddles and gas burners! I am talking literally an inch thick of hardened grease, fat and oil that you have to chip off in chunks as big as Oreos (and it's black like Oreos too)!

And speaking of Oreos, I serviced a trailer known as Chicken Charlie's - this guy is famous for deep-frying just about anything. Like Oreos, Pop-Tarts, cheesecake, frog legs, White Castle sliders, s'mores, peanutbutter sandwiches, watermelons, Twinkles (umm, that sounds good!), assorted veggies (my favorite - cored zucchini with a hotdog stuck in the middle, then dipped in batter and deep-fried - sounds good).

And one of the most interesting concoctions he invented - deep-fried Coca-Cola! How the heck do you do that!?!?! Well, he mixes Coke syrup with a bit of flour, deep-fries it, then tops it off with more Coke syrup and powdered sugar! Talk about sweet! But it makes me really want to try it, being a Coke lover and all. ;-) He ain't called the Deep Fry King for nothin'!


PS - Here's a short video from YouTube of Chicken Charlie fryin' up some Pop-Tarts! That looks really yummy!

Wie Geht's or Como Esta??

This past Sunday in the Spanish Fellowship, I met a couple who had lived in Germany for a long time. And we spoke in German!! That was the first time I got to speak in German for an extended time. Wow, my German is rusty - I had to really concentrate to find the right words. Anyways, they are a neat couple - she is Mexican and speaks English, Spanish, German and he is African-American and speaks English and German. I am praying that they will come back this Sunday so we could speak in German a bit more. ;-)

Wie Geht's or Como Esta??

This past Sunday in the Spanish Fellowship, I met a couple who had lived in Germany for a long time. And we spoke in German!! That was the first time I got to speak in German for an extended time. Wow, my German is rusty - I had to really concentrate to find the right words. Anyways, they are a neat couple - she is Mexican and speaks English, Spanish, German and he is African-American and speaks English and German. I am praying that they will come back this Sunday so we could speak in German a bit more. ;-)

Quinceañera

Quinceañera is the Latin American (or mostly Mexican - I am not so sure exactly) party for a girl who is turning 15 years old. Technically the party is called 'Quinceaños' which literally means '15 years', while the girl turning 15 is called 'la Quinceañera'. It is kind of like a Sweet Sixteen party in American culture or a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Jewish culture.

It is a festival marking the end of the girl's childhood and her beginning as a young woman - she cease to be 'la niña' and becomes 'la señorita'. In Catholic tradition, it is also the time when the young lady dedicates her life to God (and even to the Virgin Mary I heard). Over the years, Christians have changed it a bit so that the young girl dedicates her future to the Lord Jesus. Usually it starts with a service (Mass for Catholics) - the priest/pastor gives a message, then the young lady dances a Waltz with her male companion. All in all a very touching time.

This last weekend, I got the chance to 'officiate' at my first Quinceañera - to give the message exhorting the young lady to become the woman that God has called her to be and to follow the Lord Jesus wherever He leads her. Also to pray for her at the end of the evening. The young lady is the godchild of a couple in the Spanish Fellowship and she is a neat young girl. She accepted the Lord about 3 years ago and already feels called to become a missionary in Africa (coincidence??). Anyways, we really enjoyed learning the traditions of the Mexican culture, getting to know members of the Spanish Fellowship better and seeing this young lady dedicate her life to Jesus. Oh yeah, and we ate LOTS of authentic Mexican food. I mean LOTS. And real stuff - not Taco Bell or Green Burrito stuff - but food made by real Mexican ladies in their homes! Ummmmmmhhh.

PS - pray for some of the young lady's family and friends who don't know Jesus as Lord. I preached on Romans 1.16 - where Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Pray that the seeds planted will take root.

Quinceañera

Quinceañera is the Latin American (or mostly Mexican - I am not so sure exactly) party for a girl who is turning 15 years old. Technically the party is called 'Quinceaños' which literally means '15 years', while the girl turning 15 is called 'la Quinceañera'. It is kind of like a Sweet Sixteen party in American culture or a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Jewish culture.

It is a festival marking the end of the girl's childhood and her beginning as a young woman - she cease to be 'la niña' and becomes 'la señorita'. In Catholic tradition, it is also the time when the young lady dedicates her life to God (and even to the Virgin Mary I heard). Over the years, Christians have changed it a bit so that the young girl dedicates her future to the Lord Jesus. Usually it starts with a service (Mass for Catholics) - the priest/pastor gives a message, then the young lady dances a Waltz with her male companion. All in all a very touching time.

This last weekend, I got the chance to 'officiate' at my first Quinceañera - to give the message exhorting the young lady to become the woman that God has called her to be and to follow the Lord Jesus wherever He leads her. Also to pray for her at the end of the evening. The young lady is the godchild of a couple in the Spanish Fellowship and she is a neat young girl. She accepted the Lord about 3 years ago and already feels called to become a missionary in Africa (coincidence??). Anyways, we really enjoyed learning the traditions of the Mexican culture, getting to know members of the Spanish Fellowship better and seeing this young lady dedicate her life to Jesus. Oh yeah, and we ate LOTS of authentic Mexican food. I mean LOTS. And real stuff - not Taco Bell or Green Burrito stuff - but food made by real Mexican ladies in their homes! Ummmmmmhhh.

PS - pray for some of the young lady's family and friends who don't know Jesus as Lord. I preached on Romans 1.16 - where Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Pray that the seeds planted will take root.