joedonahue.org

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This is the only way I have been able to describe to others the noise outside our apartment this morning.

3am this morning.

So, needless to say, I decided to get up and put on a pot of coffee and get some reading done for school.  It was kind of nice to relax on the couch and read about the Protestant Reformation.  Of course, it’s also noon and I feel like my day should be over by now.  But it’s working out OK.

Sunday was cool because I bought my first song on iTunes.  I have been a fan of iTunes for some time now, but it really pulled through for me this weekend.  Dave called me Sunday morning, asking if I could bring a copy of a song that I had suggested we play.  Before he hung up I had purchased and downloaded the song, sent it on over to Julie’s iPod, and had it ready for the band to listen to for after church on Sunday.  Well done.

JoeDonahue.org is now running on WordPress 2.02! I was mighty hesitant to perform the upgrade, in case something went wrong, but so far so good! Hopefully this will pave the way for some cool improvements. Anyone who posts or comments will immediately notice the improved interface for writing. Enjoy!

p.s. – I also JUST noticed that the previous post contains a spelling error on the word “Frisbee.”   Although I am eager to correct it, it must stay.  Andy, let’s try and keep this site as professional looking as possible.

to the millions of adoring fans who religiously point your browsers to this site on a daily, or hourly, basis: you, yes you, are invited to the most excellent game of ultimate frisbee ever, which will take place at Dunn Park (where The Paseo and Meyer Blvd meet, sort of) Tuesday, 3/21, beginning promptly at 11:00am. you may even get a chance to meet the infamous Ed “Wicked Frisbee Skills” Donahue, if you’re lucky.

Out.

ps- Joe, as much as we all want it to be, it’s not fall 2005 anymore…

At Starbucks today, from 10 until noon. Andy I went, and it was awesome. I don’t even like Starbucks coffee, but it was glorious to hang out on the patio at the Plaza and enjoy a sweet cup o’ java.
And I spontaneously received an email today concerning the possibility of returning my media center pc for repair. I had half given up on that, so I was surprised and excited to get that!
In the next 36 hours: Go to the library, read a ton, Julie goes on a road trip, and Ed flies in!
Looking Ahead: Small Group on Sunday and taking tuesday off from work.

I was going to write a really cool thing on “Web 2.0″, but it quickly grew into something more than I can invest into right now. Hopefully someday I will finish it, because it’s cool.
I got Royals tickets today! One of the NPH benefits is a pair of royals tickets, and today was the sign up day for our department. I didn’t think much of it, until I was informed that they are really nice seats right behind home base. Even though it’s just the royals, I am excited about it! I signed up for the August 10th game against the Red Sox, and James signed up for the same night. I think that will be a blast because even though I have offically decreed James as my archnemesis, it will be good times to go to a baseball game together.
(He mentiond me in his first blog post the other day, and so I wanted to repay the favor.)
Sweet Dreams, Kansas City.

The title of this post is dedicated to all the Cake fans in my imaginary audience (the band, not the dessert). It is mostly Spring now, so my long jacket has gone away until Winter comes next, and I finally got a hair cut this weekend. Hence the title.
Hair Cut Story: I spent most of Saturday morning working on my Greek assignments, and by early afternoon I was ready to get out, as it was an absolutely beautiful day outside. Julie had spent the day at work, and had called requesting I bring over our wireless keyboard (Which was supposed to be for the media center pc.. that will be the next story) and so off I go, and along the way I decide to finally get my hair cut. I took Gregory Blvd west towards Wornall, as I had seen a string of cool-looking shops I took note of previously. I found what appeared to be an establishment of hair cutting, so I parked out front and walked in. I was immediately regretful. I entered and realized I did not belong here. My eyes shot down to a pamphlet on the front counter, and found the words “Salon and Day Spa.” A receptionist paused from her conversation, cupping the mouthpiece to the phone with her free hand. “Who are you here for?” “Excuse me?” Was my baffled reply. I quietly excused myself and turned right around and out the door.
I kept driving found no other place, so I turned onto Wornall and headed south. I glimpsed what appeared to be a barbershop, and decided to risk it as I turned onto 75th to turn around. T0 my surprise, there was another barbershop on 75th, so I parked and went inside. This place was much more my style. I spent over two hours waiting to get my hair cut, and then I accidentally drive 30 minutes west into Kansas.

It seems like this whole week has been marked by a feeling of pressure and anxiety and fatigue, and this morning it was replaced by a fresh joy. The anxiety came from the “Perfect Storm” of having a lot of things to get done here at work, and staying up to midnight or 1 only to half-finish my work, missing my family and homeland of Maine, and reviewing my degree requirements to discover that there is no way I can work “on the side” and finish in less than 4 years.
And while these are all still pertinent concerns in my life, a fresh joy has overtaken me. I can’t explain it as completely as I can the things that bring me down, but I can point to some good things going on right now. Yesterday, I got an email from Ken, and that always is the highlight of my day. That right there is why I have this site – not because I am particularly important and this world can’t function without knowing that I am going to get a haircut (which didn’t happen!) or an oil change (which did happen!) but because it provides a global point of contact between myself and others.
And I like having a place to store my thousands of photos.
And an email address with my name in it instead of H1ppieeb0Y147f4c. That looks more like hex than a name.
I also FULLY completed a Greek assignment last night, and this morning it was 100% correct. I don’t think I have ever received full points for a Greek assignment, and it gives me hope. Also, my Church History classes have been really good, and although we discuss issues that are 500 – 700 years old, they are still present realities that affect the way we think and talk about ourselves, God, and the relationship between the two.
And then, after class, Andy Fey and I discovered a couple comfy living-room-esque chairs in the hallway. So we sat down and discussed all sorts of different things with a few other guys for only about 15 minutes, but I laughed so hard and it was honestly the most relaxed and enjoyable time I have experienced probably since we moved here, and certainly since Christmas. We talked about the magic bullet and dap. Tim, Brad, Andy, guy with the price is right t-shirt, thank you.

This Weekend: Greek. Buy a Futon. Library. Tuxes for Sherwin’s wedding. Maybe even practice some new songs for church.
Looking Ahead: Ed’s Visit, 3/17 – 3/24
Currently Listening: Among Thorns

Named in honor of a wall in Fenway Park, I have finally named my Contour “The Green Monster.” It is meant to reflect the simultaneous classic style and modern marvel of Boston. And my car is Green.
Today I have decided I am going to sign up for a library card and to try and rent some stargate episodes. My goal is also to try and find Macgyver and Doctor Who. Libraries are good for such a thing as this.
My plan for tomorrow is get a lot done, and I doubt it will all happen but I can shoot for it and see what happens.
1) The Green Monster needs a bath. It has not had a good washing since last summer. It is supposed to rain this weekend, so this may not happen.
2) Get a haircut. I have a 1980′s Macgyver meets 1980′s Steven Curtis Chapman thing going on right now, and it needs to be dealt with immediately.
3) Date Night. Thanks to rewards from our credit cards, we’re going to Red Lobster and to the Movies.
4) Greek. This is an everyday thing now, and has become 80% of the work I do for school. And it’s an elective. Sometimes I wonder why.
5) Oil Change. The Green Monster strikes again.

That will do.