london bridges. a lesson.

You may scoff, but it was not until just last week that a game I played when I was young finally made sense. London Bridge is falling down... You know the game, so I won't bother you with the details, but if you imagine the setup of the two children making the bridge, you'll recognize the striking resemblance with this bridge:


But, what you may not know is this is not the London Bridge. It's the tower bridge. This is the London Bridge:


A bit less exciting, isn't it? It's a good thing "Tower bridge is falling down..." still works with the meter.

Here's another bridge: The Millineum Bridge. It's a pedestrian bridge that wobbled when it was first built because someone forgot to take into account the fact that people sort of sway back and forth even when they're walking straight ahead. But, for all that, it's a pretty neat bridge:

the big day

today is a big day in pennsylvania. i shouldn't have to tell you why, i'm sure matt lauer mentioned it enough times already. but, for posterity sake, i'll tell you:

it's pennsylvania primary day. the day when the democratic race for a presidential candidate could maybe, possibly, be decided.

in our office, we have strong democrats and severe republicans; obama-ites, clinton-ites, and mccain-ites who all love (and in some cases, worship) their candidate deeply, and are convinced that his/her way is the right way and everyone else should feel the same way. and they tend to get a little red in the face about it.

and then there's me. who will likely be found deeply in tune with her itunes playlist today.

lessons learned from a fire

if someone had come to visit us on saturday evening, they would've found us outside in the rain with no shoes on. in fact, they would've found the whole community of squires manor apartments standing outside in the rain watching the smoke pour from the 5000 building.

the 5000 building just happens to be the same building we call our home. 5008 to be exact; second floor, front window. the smoke was coming from 5004; first floor, back window.

in the end, the fire wasn't that bad. we were only out in the rain for about 2 or 3 hours. and were only homeless overnight. but as i reflected on the whole story, i learned a few things. they follow here, in no specific order.

1. firefighters are amazing. volunteer firefighters don't get paid enough.
2. people are remarkably reluctant to leave a burning building.
3. always leave the fire doors closed. no matter how annoying they are. the fire chief taught us that one.
4. give to your local volunteer fire department.
5. renters insurance is a valuable thing. if you don't have it, you're stupid.
6. always leave a pair of shoes by the door.
7. a fire extinguisher is a good investment.
8. when your home is on fire, don't stop to think about all the stuff you'd like to save. no matter how valuable (sentimentally or monetarily), it isn't worth your life.
9. God is good.
10. smoke is a very overpowering scent. getting rid of it is not easy.
11. fabreeze and baking soda are good deodorizers.
12. the only thing of lasting value in all of life is Jesus. know Him.
13. smoke is really hard to see through and spreads really fast.

edited to add:
14. never blog about a fire in your apartment before you call your parents to tell them.

i hope i'm the latter

"you may, it is true, meet with a shell without the kernel; but it is rare to meet the kernel without the shell."
-Benjamin Keach, The Travels of True Godliness, p32

something i want to remember

downside up: http://www.downsideupthemovie.org/