Illegal U-Turn - $140.00

Taking time to snap a camera phone picture for your blog - priceless

I hate car trouble.  There’s nothing more frustrating.  It has to get fixed and there’s basically nothing you can do about it.  This morning I get in my ‘95 Nissan Maxima and drive to work as usual.  I needed to run a quick errand so I jump in my car and turn the key. Nothing. At all.  I know what you’re thinking. “It’s probably just the battery, Jordan!” It’s not. The radio, lights, and a/c all come on no problem.

So I call Mikes Elite Towing and explain the situation.  After asking a couple of questions and having me run through a few things Mike diagnosis that I have an alternator problem.  Yikes.  So here we are.  Now I’m carless for a day or so.  I’ll keep you updated.  Hope your doing alright.

Jordan

UPDATE - It turns out that two belts cracked and ruined the battery.  Total cost came to just under $300. Not terrible. Not fantastic. 

As you can see, the structural integrity of the beverage was completely maintained just as I had theorized.  The layer of whip is completely intact and visible.  Special thanks to Sara Windhorn, the barista who had the privilege of making the very first “grande caramel frappuccino double blended - Layer It!“

This is a hilarious video of my wife, Kristin, Wii boxing. Watch the whole thing.

As many of you know, I used to be extremely anti-coffee. Then Kristin started working at Starbucks. Ever since she started working there drinking a grande caramel frappuccino (double blended) has become part of my daily diet. Fellow Starbucker’s will know that the frappuccino’s are topped with a luscious homemade whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel. One of my favorite parts of drinking the beverage is when it gets toward the bottom and I begin to get some whip in the straw along with the frap. So the other day I came up with a new term slash way to drink fraps.

As you know, Starbucks has a language of it’s own. I believe I should be able to follow up my drink order with the term “layer it!” That means I want an extra layer of whip half way through. Not following me? I took the liberty of drawing a diagram. Also, I think I should mention that Kristin doesn’t think this is a good idea. What do you think?

Here’s the new and improved “Grande caramel frappuccino, double blended, layer it!”

Usually my weekend begins on Saturday night around 10pm. About that time we’ve wrapped up service, packed up, and the band is on their way to Chilli’s for some queso dip and bottomless chips. This weekend’s a bit different.

• Friday - 6pm-9pm Set-up and practice

• Saturday - 4:30pm Soundcheck / 7pm service

• Sunday Morning - 8am soundcheck at Greenway Church in Orlando / Two services at Greenway.

• Sunday Night - 5:30pm soundcheck at Access in Lakeland. 6:30pm service.

Last week Kristin and I watched High School Musical per the recommendation of a friend…then we watched High School Musical 2 on our own accord. I just thought you should know.

I’m always searching for ways to do everyday tasks in a more efficient manner. Thought I’d share my top 10 resources that I use or check regularly to increase productivity. Hope some of these are helpful.

1. Inbox Heaven - This is a must read post for anyone who uses e-mail on a daily basis. It’s especially useful if you’re juggling more than one e-mail address. I have two church addresses, a personal address, and a booking address and this system has greatly increased my e-mail functionality.
2. Happiness and the End of the Working Week - A great post about rewarding output rather than hours. This post explores the advantages of working from home and paying per idea. Very interesting stuff.
3. Mint - This is a free online personal finance system that works great. You can set up your budget and then track your expenditures. Mint will even send you a text message if you are cutting it close in any area of your budget.
4. Google Calendar - Fantastic. Use it.
5. Seth Godin - His blog is a great resource for management, productivity, and marketing information.
6. Lifehacker - This site can be fairly random, but it has some great tips for “getting things done”.
7. Put Things Off - This blog gives great practical insight into the world of productivity. They also hae a great “creativity should be free” section that lists free software for things like photo and video editing, word processing, and designing.
8. Structured Procrastination - Story of my life. On this site professor and author John Perry explores “life choices” that are generally seen as faults in a positive light.
9. 43 Folders - Named for the 43 folder “Tickler File” system outlined in the book Getting Things Done, this blog gives great insight into productivity and efficiency.
10. Zen Habits - A great site for productivity, finances, and family.

While Misty and Nick were here we hit up The Old Salty Dog. It’s a favorite among the locals. Old Salty Dog is right on the beach and serves BBQ, burgers, and hot dogs. Their special is The Salty Dog which is a 1/4 lb. hot dog that’s been beer-battered and deep fried. In other words, the geniuses at Old Salty Dog found a way to take a food already known for it’s unhealthy characteristics and make it even more unhealthy. Way to go guys! After taste-testing The Salty Dog I decided to go with something a little healthier…a 1/4 lb. original hot dog.

Many of you know that Kristin and I recently moved to a new condo here in Sarasota. You can check out pictures of the new place here. Anyway, our friends Misty and Nick came over for the weekend and as our first non-family guests they set a pretty important standard. They brought a house warming gift. These colored vases fit in great with the decor and they look great on our table. So, for all of you who are beating down the door to stay at our new place…Respect the standard.