Random strange thought

You know how your recorded voice being played back to you sound so different than it does in your own head? Do you ever wonder what other people sound like to themselves? Do you think Gilbert Gottfried sounds that annoying to himself? How do impressionists know if they sound like someone? Does the person that they are impersonating think they got it right?

Sometimes I think about stuff like this...

Now you can, too.

Uganda Follow up

A little more info on the Uganda orphanage situation. We had diner last week with the couple that has founded the orphanage. They are having the first two housing structures and kitchen area built as we speak over there. They are also are having a well dug on the land. Obviously, the hope is that they will have freshwater, but it is entirely possible that they will have saltwater and need filtration systems installed.

They were looking to have us go to Uganda with them in late August/early September in anticipation of those first housing units being finished. We would then head over and help with getting things set up. They are looking for Rachel to help with organization (her mutant ability - little hyped for XMen opening this weekend?) and I would help with minor building (without electricity, my mutant ability of spending too much time online will go to waste).

There in lies the problem. In my mind, that is much too quickly for us to turn around and get everything together to get over there. Shots, planning, raising $4 to $5k. There is a lot to get figured out. What we have decided is that Rachel will help with planning and getting donations here and we will start looking at the idea of heading over sometime around the end of Q1 2007.

Once again, our plans may fall apart but we need to have something to shoot for...

Into Africa

There is a couple from our church that has started an orphanage in Rakai, Uganda to house young children who have lost both parents due to AIDS. They have ten acres of land on a hill and are currently working to build the orphanage and get infrastructure set up for themselves.

Rachel, who coordinates 1000 kids and teachers a week in Sunday School classes at our church, meet with a woman who is involved with the orphanage about how she can help mobilize our kids and their families to get involved an help out. We are always looking for a way to get the kids involved and to get them to think on a global scale. To try to reinforce the idea that they are extraordinarily blessed in America and they should do what they can to help others. This seemed like a perfect way to do that.

The evening after their meeting, Rachel had a voicemail from this woman. She said that she was very impressed with the organization and passion that Rachel has for kids and this kind of work and wanted to know if we would be interested in helping her lead a team of people over to Uganda to help get some work done over there.

We are meeting with her and her husband tonight to discuss the details and find out what they have in mind, but our minds are kind of spinning at the idea. It is both exciting and a bit frightening, but we are very interested in finding out more details and seeing if this is a way that we can compassionately help people in need in Africa. Obviously, this would be a short term (week or two) opportunity but this is not the kind of the thing that we could get involved in and then walk away from.

Interesting anyway and weighing on my mind. Thoughts?

Catching up

A quick rundown of things that mean nothing, but since nothing is what you have been reading on this blog, you should be used to it.

• Mission: Impossible III - See it.
  
• Alias - Good again...just in time to go off the air.
• Lost - If you aren't watching this, you suck.
• The Office - See Lost comment.
• Nintendo Wii - Dumb name. Awesome anyway.
• Planning trip to Europe - Overwhelming.
• Learning to speak basic Italian - Surprisingly fun.
• Paying $450 to fly to Fargo - Stupid.
• $20 of free cash deposited into my Party Poker account - Sweet.
• XBox Live Arcade (Pac Man, Galaga, STREET FIGHTER!) - Can't wait.
• Uno on Live Arcade - surprisingly entertaining.
• 4.25% interest on my savings account - money.
• Dog, The Bounty Hunter - rocks.

I'm sure I could sit here and think of a thousand other things to list here, but that is all for now.