Things from space.....

I feel a need to comment.......

NEWS ITEM: Japanese astronaut tests stink-free underwear.

Koichi Wakata, the first Japanese astronaut to live on the International Space Station, is testing the clothes, called J-ware and created by textile experts at Japan Women's University in Tokyo.
"He can wear his trunks (underwear) more than a week," said Koji Yanagawa, an official with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Wakata's clothes, developed by researcher Yoshiko Taya, are designed to kill bacteria, absorb water, insulate the body and dry quickly. They also are flame-resistant and anti-static, not to mention comfortable and stylish.
Japanese astronaut Takao Doi gave the clothes a trial run during a shuttle mission last year. Even after a vigorous workout, Doi's clothes stayed dry.
"The other astronauts become very sweaty, but he doesn't have any sweat. He didn't need to hang his clothes to dry," Yanagawa said.
The Japanese space agency plans to make the clothes available to NASA and its other space station partners once development is complete. A commercial line also is in the offing.
Wakata, who arrived at the station last week for a three-month stay, said on Sunday that the clothes appear to be working.
"Nobody has complained, so I think it's so far, so good," Wakata said.

Okay, maybe this is a way to not pack so much for a space mission, but I understand there are plans to sell this underwear to the public.  This is just SO WRONG.  Will this be marketed to teenage boys who have "changing underwear" issues?  Have these scientist addressed the 'stain" issue?  

Astronaut Wakata is quoted  saying  "Nobody has complained, so I think it's so far so good."   I've got news for you, if your waiting for folks to complain about the smell of your underwear before you change it, YOU'VE WAITED WAY TO LONG....................  Is he sniffing his underwear each day?  I know college guys have been doing this for generations in their dorm rooms, (to find the "clean" pair), but thats a whole different blog.

Another thing, this underwear is flame-resistant. Why?  I say if your shorts are burning and erupting in flames you have other issues.  Are they lighting farts? Again, something teenage boys have been doing for generations.  (There, I have used the word 'fart' in my blog) 

I can hardly wait for the advertising campaign...............

I should have seen this coming

This weekend Cathey and I are spending some time with her folks in Helena, MT. I don't think I could have wished for better "in-laws". They have made me feel a part of their family since Cathey asked me to drive her home for Spring Break 33 years ago.

I'm reflecting on our history together this morning as it has dawned on me that Cath is just a 'little' obsessive concerning sports. I should have seen this coming many years ago when we both discovered hockey.

Growing up in Eugene, I am not even sure where the closest NHL team would have been. I was vaguely aware of Portland and Seattle's tier 2 hockey teams. Eugene is not known for it's ice, unless it is coating everything in a freak ice storm. I think the closest ice rink was at the Lloyd's Center in Portland. The Lloyd Center Mall claimed it was the largest mall in North America at the time it was built in 1960. Oh, but I digress.

A friend took me to my first hockey game. back then they were the Spokane Flyer's. The speed of the game was incredible. Of course, the fights were also entertaining. I talked Cathey into going with me a couple of weeks later. She loved it.

The rest of that season we actually would plan weekend's with another couple and head up to Canada to watch them play when they were not in town.

The kids started arriving and our hockey obsession subsided.

Then there was the 1995 Mariners. Let me explain. My work keeps me on the road. In the car alone, I would listen to Mariner's baseball. When we travelled as a family they thought it was to boring. That is, until 1995 when the Mariner's won their first division championship. After that the Mariner's were welcome in our car and home on the radio and TV.

Don't get me started on WSU Cougars, Seahawk football. Of course, our daughter was active in her high school (Mt. Spokane) on the dance team and as a cheerleader. She also managed the Varsity baseball team. (Granted, I am sure Travis had something to do with the latter.) So we attended many high school football, basketball and baseball games.

Our son, Alex, played soccer, basketball and baseball. I think Cathey attended the majority of any of these games.

But, I must say, one of her major obsessions (beside fanasty football) is Gonzaga basketball. If you don't know, Gonzaga is located here in Spokane hence it's our local team, even more so than WSU. The Zags have gone to the NCAA Tourament the last 12 seasons. Making one run to the Elite Eight.

I dont think Cathey has missed very many televised game in years. (It was one of the things that got her through her Chemo, surgery and radiation treatments when she was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago.)

Now that Whitney works for Gonzaga she is elgible for two tickets for each home game.(Gonzaga has been sold out for years) Cathey and Whit have attended a couple of games each season together, as have I. Cath follows them religiously and has opinions on each players strengths and weakness's.

Last night we found a pub here in Helena that would let us commandeer their big screen to watch Gonzaga play Western Kentucky in round 2 of the NCAA tournament. We had discovered that the "local" Helena CBS affiliate was not going to cover the Zags, but was going to show the Texas/Duke game instead. (That's just not right!!) Anyway, as the game went on, we got louder. Halfway through the second half, I think the whole bar was rooting for the Zag's. Cath was, I think the loudest and was referring to them as "her boy's".

I love it, but she keeps beating me in our tournament brackets!!!!

Not a bad obsession to have.......

I guess I'll start to really worry if she starts to watch the WWF, World Wrestling Federation, swears it real, and starts calling them "her boy's". In the meantime its off to the Sweet Sixteen!

Celtic Sunday

I grew up in a very conservative family and attended a Conservative Baptist Church as a kid. You know the drill, no cards, no dancing, no movies, no adult beverages, no electric guitars and NO DRUMS. Now being a kid who loved to go to school dances and was a drummer, well you get my drift.

We went to church Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings. Oh and lets not forget the Midweek prayer service and week long evangelist services.

I was a drummer in a band in high school that played in churches all over the state, except for my church. Those electric guitars and drums were banned, and we didn't do hymns.

I say all of this to explain that I love attending a church that has a Celtic Sunday complete with Irish dancers and the music from the Celtic Knots. Wow, dancing in church. Even though it felt weird to me, it was very cool and a great time of worship. And, I didn't get hit by a bolt of lightning........

Pastor Glenn gave us the background to Christianity and the Celtic way. Seems St. Patrick's used their symbols and traditions to teach them about Christianity. What a great way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

A passion for youth....

I was on FaceBook today when I read a quote from Chris Sloan, our youth pastor, that he was enjoying the teachings of Mark Yaconelli. I chuckled to myself, thinking he meant Mike Yaconelli. No it's his son. Mike died on a stretch of I-5 south of Medford, Oregon on Oct 30, 2003. It has taken this long for me to find out. Although, I think I now remember Chris telling me this in passing a few years ago.

I got into youth ministry because of the ministry of Mike Yaconelli and Youth Specialties, started by him and Wayne Rice. I met him at a youth pastors conference held in Eugene in the early 70's and here in Spokane years later.

I had read his stuff in "The Door" and I knew we were like minded (a tad twisted and messy, but loving God) He spent one on one time with me and we had prayer together asking God to bless my ministry. (Which He has done abundantly!!) Mike's passion began to be my passion. My preaching and youth ministry was peppered with Mikes thoughts and ideas.

I have now been out of the Youth Ministry for ten years or so. I continue to harasse 5th-6th graders on Sundays, but that the extent of it.

A couple of quotes from Mike I would like to share....... and yes I am bummed to remember that Mike is no longer with us.

I'm in awe of youth workers, and I think Jesus is, too. I just wish the Church felt the same.

I am beginning to understand that faith is not the way around pain, it is the way through pain. Faith doesn't get rid of the opposition, it invites it over for dinner. Faith doesn't give you the winning point at the last second, it ties the game and sends you into overtime. Faith doesn't give you the solution, it forces you to find it.

A youth worker in our town was recently fired because he was reaching the "wrong kind of kid." I thought the wrong kind of kid was the right kind of kid. The elders insisted that youth ministry was not about bringing in the "riff raff" off the streets but working with the kids that were already Christians. I thought we were all riff raff...... I'm beginning to believe that if those who are called into youth ministry follow the lead of the One who called them, getting fired is inevitable. Why? Because, in general, the institutional church doesn't get it. The institutional church has become hopelessly corporate, hopelessly tangled in a web of secularism. Instead of the church being the Church, it has opted instead to be a corporation.

Mike, I will truly miss you.

If I were to have a heart attack right at this moment, I hope I would have just enough air in my lungs and just enough strength in me to utter one last sentence as I fell to the floor: "What a ride!" My life has been up and down, careening left then right, full of mistakes and bad decisions, and if I died right now, even though I would love to live longer, I could say from the depths of my soul, "What a ride!"
- Mike Yaconelli