crashing the wedding crashers....

yeah, this is probably old news by now, but just in case you haven't seen it before, check out the following link:

http://www.weddingcrashersmovie.com/crashthistrailer/index.htm?id=263168
(copy and paste)
take a quick visit and tell me what you think!

part of the legislative record... officially recognized (busted) for skipping class!

Not many law students can say that their skipping class was officially recognized by several Members of the Florida House and chuckled at!

No kidding... today's incident will be part of the legislative record, at least the audio cd version of the meeting, FOREVER! Here's what happened...

On Feb 22, 2006, at 4:45pm, the Florida House Rules and Calendar Council meeting came to order. As Chairman Goodlette, R, from Naples, FL, was opening the meeting, he decided to recognize a few people and thank them for their hard work and service. I was among those that he recognized. While thanking me and mentioning my past service as a House Fellow and present service in the Rules Council and the House, and just as he explaining that I was NOT able to attend because I was "in class," the committee administrative assistant whispered to him that I was sitting behind him. At that moment the Chairman and the rest of the Council turned around to stare at me, he and others chucked and said "I guess he's skipping class." **ha ha**chuckle** I smiled with a little embarrashment at the attention and the realization that my "skipping class" was now and forever "Officially part of the record" of this legislative Council meeting. LOL!

That was the high point of the meeting, at least for me. It definitely seemed to be "most humorous" to some of the Members.

Just for the record... I was "not really" skipping class at all; I had gotten my Professor's permission to skip. On a side note, how can one skip a class they are not officially registered for? *smile*

Grace & Karma - the difference

The difference between grace and karma, as i understand it:
karma is a principle ~ "what goes around, comes around." but karma won't give you favor with God. we can be nice people but being nice or good isn't the same thing as being righteous or holy.

that's where God's grace, through jesus, comes into play. we all need grace as a starting point in our relationship with God and with others. we need to be gracious in our relationships with our fellow human beings. when we experience true grace, then we can be gracious. our graciousness looks like karma. as we show grace (acceptance, love, forgiveness, etc) towards others, we'll receive the same in return. or as Jesus said, "Do unto others as you'd want them to do unto you."

God gives grace freely, but we must willingly receive it. it's a gift, never earned. it's received in repentance (or turning away from selfishness and towards God). if we don't receive God's grace, i believe, then we cannot properly share true grace with others.

don't know if that makes sense, but i think you know what i'm getting at, right? i welcome your thoughts.

iceland photos & more

below this post are several photos from iceland. these were taken in northern iceland, near the island of Hrisey, where my mom was born.

yes, my mom is an icelander; my dad is an american (north dakotan by birth, part Russian/German and Real American - from a family that settled in the USA pre-1776!!). so i been sort of an international mutt - 51% icelandic and 50% american (ok, the math doesn't work, but it reflects my attitude). until recently, legally, i was only 100% american, but on 9 December 2005, by act of the icelandic parliment (althingi), i was granted icelandic citizenship!! way cool!! so officially, a dual citizen of Iceland and the USA! The best of both worlds... so i'm 100% american and 101% icelandic (another case of bad math).

regardless, enjoy the photos below.
cheers,
Erik