Who do I look like?

I found a link to My Heritage on another blog. On My Heritage you can upload a picture and they will use their face recognition software to search a database of 3,200 celebrities to tell you which celebrity you look like. So, here is the results of my test:

This is the picture I uploaded



My celebrity matches

My favorite match! - Matt Damon


Ok, a super-baseball star! - Babe Ruth


Um, a liberal movie producer? - Michael Moore


WTF? - Martina Navratilova


Morgan's celebrity matches

I love the OC! - Rachel Bilson


Me likey! - Eva Longoria


Well, not a huge fan, but I wouldn't kick her out of bed? - Demi Moore


Well, Morgan is a liberal, female, seminary student. - Hillary Clinton

Well, I guess I was wrong...

Well, my friend Warren felt it necessary to point out to me that my suggestion about Conan and Tarja (see "Conan O'Brien vs Tarja Halonen") being the same person was proven wrong today. See this article for more information: Finnish President Meets With Conan O'Brien

I guess everyone is wrong ONCE in their life. Don't expect it to happen again.

For me to poop on,
-Triumph

How many Weight Watchers points is a Taco Town taco?

If you haven't seen the "Taco Town" Saturday Night Live commercial parody of the fast-food industry, then please follow this link and check it out: "Taco Town"

If you know me, then you know these two things are true:

1. I think this commercial is freaking hilarious.
2. I would sooooooo eat that taco if I were given the chance.

For those of you who don't know me, let me address these two facts separately so that you may have some insight into the sick and deranged mind of me.

First, I like to laugh (see my profile). I appreciate all types of humor, particularly smart humor and 6th grade humor (most of the time, these two types of humor are mutually exclusive, but there are a few instances where these two types of humor come together). This commercial exemplifies both types of humor. It is funny cause it is like something a 6th grader would come up with, but it is also funny 'cause it is true'. It in general just makes me laugh out-loud every time I see it. The subtle sarcasm used by the announcer and the immature facial expressions used by the actors all get to me. It is like watching Will Ferrell. The guy just makes me laugh by looking at him. He doesn't have to say anything, he just has to make a funny look and I laugh. And it isn't that fake laugh I make when my boss makes a stupid joke and I laugh cause he is my boss.

If you are a new reader at 'The Quest', then I will point you towards my post titled 'The Hamdog', which recounts my trip to eat a "hot dog wrapped by a beef patty that's deep fried, covered with chili, cheese and onions and served on a hoagie bun. Oh yeah, it's also topped with a fried egg and two fistfuls of fries".

I love Mexican food, so any kind of mexican food sounds yummy to me. Further, I love the Chalupas that Taco Bell makes. Why, you ask? Because they are FRIED!!!! The PCUSA boycotted Yum! Foods (parent company of Taco Bell) and did I participate? Hell no! Why? Because I love fried mexican food!!!!

And I am a sucker for the marketing scams that is the "New combination..." My wife makes fun of me every time a Pizza Hut commercial comes on that is advertising the newest weird pizza because she knows the next time we order pizza, I will fall for it. We have tried all of them; the pizza with cheese in the crust, the pizza that breaks into bread sticks, the pizza that is cooked square, the pizza with dipping sauces, the pizza with extra cheese, the pizza with a taco cooked into the crust (ok, they haven't done that last one, but if they do, I will order it).

And finally, why would I eat that Taco Town taco? Because I am on Weight Watchers and anything that fattening looks REALLY GOOD to me right now!!!!

Peace and bacon grease,

-Fatty McGee

My new "cubice"

Well, today I finally got an office, but it isn't really an office. It is more of a cube. Well, actually it is an office with 2 cubes in it. So, I finally get an office and I have to share it with someone else. It is better than a cube, but not quite as nice as an office. Therefore I have deemed it the 'cubice' (cube + office).

In my office, an office is reserved for those members who have been promoted to 'Senior Consultant'. I was promoted to Senior Consultant a year ago, but never received an office. I just recently changed to a new project and, simultaneously, the entire office was being renovated, so everyone is changing locales. Over the weekend, everyone moved from wherever they were sitting to a new location. So, I received a 'cubice'. At first I was a little frustrated that I wasn't receiving an office when all of the other Senior Consultants were. Then I realized that I am the least 'senior' Senior Consultant on my project. Although I was promoted to Senior Consultant at the same time as many of the others, I have been working here for 5 years and all of the other Senior Consultants have been with the company at least 6 years. Also, with regard to the new project, I am the new kid on the block (please, no jokes about NKOTB-cause if you know what NKOTB is, then you are in no position to mock me), so I am also the least 'senior' person on the project.

So, yes, the grass is greener in the real offices, but I am content with what I have been dealt. I could be one of the 175 people in a cube or one of the 50 people in offices, but instead I get to be one of the very few select people in a 'cubice'.

How does killing a guy in a frozen pond make people want to buy a Chevrolet or watch the Olympics?

Have you seen this commercial? You know the one where the three guys have painted 'U' 'S' 'A' on their chest and are at the Winter Olympics cheering on the USA Olympic team. Then, the 'S' guy walks out onto a frozen pond as he is cheering and falls through the ice. The 'U' and the 'A' then use their Chevrolet SUV to pull him out of the pond. They then wonder if they should take their friend to the hoospital because he is frozen stiff with his hands straight up in the air, but they decide they still need an 'S'. So, they strap their friend on the top of their Chevrolet SUV and go to another Winter Olympic event. At the next event the guys are cheering on another event next to some attractive girls with the 'S' guy still frozen. The girls ask what the deal is with their frozen friend and say "he's kinda cute". The guys then strap their friend on top of their Chevrolet SUV again and follow the girls (who are also driving a Chevrolet SUV) to another Olympic event. The voice over tells you that Chevrolet is a proud sponsor of the Winter Olympics that will be on NBC.

So, how does killing a guy in a frozen pond make people want to buy a Chevrolet or watch the Olympics? Now, I appreciate comedy as much as the next guy, but I just am having a hard time finding the comedic appeal of this commercial. I just don't find any humor in this. I believe that I have that immature sense of humor that begins forming as a 6th grade boy and doesn't fully develop until your senior year in college. However, despite that frat boy sense of humor, I just don't even crack a smile while watching this commercial. I am honestly confused about the approach the advertisers are taking in this commercial. I just don't get it.

Can someone explain this to me?

-Cornholio (see, I have an immature "Beavis and Butthead" sense of humor)

PS- I searched diligently for this commercial on the internet and could not find it. If anyone knows a URL that has this commercial, please let me know.

Conan O'Brien vs Tarja Halonen

Is Finland laughing at Conan O'Brien?

So, do you think Conan looks like Finnish Presidential Candidate Tarja Halonen?

I have a theory: Conan isn't just poking fun at her, but that Conan IS her and that he is poking fun with fake campaign ads so that she (he) will actually win and then be successful in his plot to take over the world.

What do you think?

Actually sounds like something Conan might do.

For me to poop on,
-Triumph

"The most powerful booster in college sports"

So, I called out Ryan's alma mater because one of their wealthiest alumni members is supporting another school (see 'This one is for you, Ryan'). I guess what goes around comes around. Today, the cover story on ESPN.com is a story about how Bobby Lowder is "the most powerful booster in college sports." It is not the cover story on the College Football page of ESPN.com, it is the cover story on the main page of ESPN.com. That makes me soooooo proud to be an Auburn Tiger (note my sarcasm).

Anyways, here is a link to the article: A Tiger of a trustee

War Damn Eagle,

-Coach Dye

This one is for your, Ryan...

Riding the Trojan Horse

Story on ESPN.com about the head of Movie Gallery (and a Mizzou grad) who donates all of his money to Troy University and helps them become D1 so that they can embarrass his Alma Mater on ESPN Thursday night in 2004.

Why doesn’t he give his money to Mizzou?

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm

War Damn Eagle,
-Robert "Cadillac" Hay, Jr.

The Book of Daniel

So I just finished watching NBC's newest drama, The Book of Daniel. In case you didn't see it or haven't heard about it, the show centers around an Episcopal Priest named Daniel and his family. Of course with clergy being the 'family career' in my family, I was interested to watch this show.

So there is Father Daniel, who is a pain-killer popping Priest. He's wife is very fond of the martinis. They live in a very nice home that we learn is a family home of hers. Daniel's father is the Bishop and Daniel's mother is suffering from Alzheimer. Daniel's father is also having an affair with another female Bishop who works with Daniel. Daniel's brother-in-law is a thief and his sister in law has been having an affair with a woman whom is suspected of helping to kill her husband.

And we haven't even started on the children yet...
The oldest son is gay. The daughter is selling drugs to support her animation habits. And the other son is an adopted chinese boy who is having sex with the most influential man in town's daughter.

Oh yeah, and then there is the Jesus figure. Probably the only character that I really liked. He was a very laid back Jesus with a sense of humor.

So, I am not sure what I think of this show yet. On the one hand it has the potential to show that clergy are just people like everyone else. But, on the other hand it seems to be playing up all of the vices of humans and almost making the church and clergy look very bad. I think I need to see a few more episodes before I form a complete opinion. Like I said, I like the Jesus figure and I liked the interactions the main character had with the Jesus figure. But I am not sure those few moments outweigh the negative picture that is being painted of the church.

The jury is still out.

What do you think?

-PK Hay

Thanks, Pat

Robertson suggests God smote Sharon

Thanks Pat for being the voice of Christians!

I wish someone would put one of Sharon's sweaty socks in Pat's mouth and then use those 700 clubs to beat some sense into him.

Peace
-Robert

Disclaimer- Please don't read this as me in support of Palestine or Israel or in support of physically beating someone. Read this as me thinking that a public Christian figure shouldn't say such stupid things and give the rest of us Christians a bad name. I don't really want to beat him with 700 clubs, but I would enjoy sticking a sweaty sock in his mouth...

What the hell is Scientology all about???

So, Moose (aka Governor Bryson) made us watch this episode of South Park about Scientology. The Episode is called "Trapped in the Closet" and it features such famous Scientology members as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. I think the funniest parts of the episode include the scenes where 'Closet Expert Analyst', R. Kelly "pulls out his gun". You will have to watch it to understand.

Anyways, the episode essentially was calling out Scientology for the fraud and cult that it is. Before watching the episode, I didn't know much about Scientology, and I still don't. However, I spent the better part of my day today (yes, at work - I am very bored) researching it online. I have read websites controlled by the CoS (I learned that stands for Church of Scientology) and I have read websites that are controlled by critics and 'defectors' of the CoS.

My opinion... It is a cult that brainwashes people into believing mythical science fiction. They use 'fixed donations' to provide quack 'services' to rid your body of 'thetans' (alien souls that are in everybody that were put on earth by Xena 75 million years ago). The whole farce is a well-designed scam to make some people very, very, very rich. I am ashamed to live in a country that allows this cult to hide behind the protection of a 'religious institution' for tax fraud. I am ashamed that we allow this brain-washing organization to exist and to prey on people for their money. I wish there was some way to stop it.

Some quick resources for your own research:

• You can download the South Park "Trapped in the Closet" episode here *This is a 174 MB download that will take a long time to download* (If the video doesn't show up after you have downloaded it, then you will need the XviD codec to play it which you can download here)
• The official CoS website is here
• Operation Clambake can be found here (a website dedicated to telling the 'Truth' about CoS)
• A 1991 article from Time magazine about CoS can be found here
• "The Truth About Scientology" website here and its sister-site "Scientology Lies" here

So, what do you think?

You're my boy, Blue!

Some memorable quotes:

Mitch: Who's this guy?
Beanie: Oh, that's Blue. An old navy vet who hangs around my store a lot. Don't worry. He's legit.
Mitch: He looks like he's one hundred years old and he wants to pledge?
Beanie: You kidding me? Old man river can't shut up about it.


Frank: *Spanish*! Do you trust that we have provided you with enough rope so that your cinder block will fall safely to the ground?
Spanish: Y-Yes sir.
Frank: Blue, do you trust that I do not want to see you die here tonight?
Blue: Yes, sir.
Frank: Blue, you're my boy!
Blue: Thank you, sir.


[two girls are topless in the pool of KY jelly]
Frank: Are you sure you're ok with this, Blue?
Blue: Just ring the fucking bell, you pansy.


Frank: I see Blue, He look's glorious.


Nicole: I heard one of your pledges died. Is that true?
Mitch: Well, yes but Blue was really old. And I feel pretty confident when we get the autopsy back it'll say natural causes.


Blue, thanks for the laughs. We will miss you!!!!!

View the story here.

Love,
-Frank

PS- You're my boy, Blue!

Outsourcing...

WorldNetDaily: Housing officials 'cancel' Christmas

WorldNetDaily: Housing officials 'cancel' Christmas

My friend Warren sent me this link saying that if he had a blog, he would blog about this. I can't believe that we live in the land of the free, but people are not allowed to celebrate their religious holidays because they live in government subsidized housing.

Land of the free, my ass
-Robert

I love Montreat and Auburn

I do! I really, really do!

I had a great time in Montreat last Thursday through Monday. My planning team (Montreat West 06) is awesome and our leadership team rocks. I am so excited about the conference we will be putting on this summer and I know that God will be praised and worshiped and will recreate with us.

The meetings were over on Saturday at 7:45 PM. Perfect timing because the Auburn at Georgia game started at 7:45 PM. As worship ended, I sprinted down the hall to the lobby to watch the game. I think I had 3 heart attacks during the game, but in the end our kicker redeemed himself and the Tigers were victorious. Next up - UAT (that is the University of Alabama at Tuscaloser).

So, I came back from a wonderful trip and now I am back in the funk. Work sucks and I can't get motivated to do anything about it. Good thing Auburn has a football game this weekend and that I am going back to Montreat next week for Thanksgiving.

War Eagle and I love Montreat,

-Junior

Home Sweet Home

I am headed to Montreat tomorrow. I am serving as a Planning Team member on the 2006 Montreat West Youth Conference team. I love going to Montreat. Just the thought of being in that place is enough to calm my anxieties. I wish I could have that feeling everyday. I will update later with how the meetings are going.

Seacrest Out

The Grind

No, I am not referring to what you may do to coffee beans, or to a provocative dance (although that would be an interesting post), or to an MTV dance show. I am talking about the same ole crap that we do every day because we have to. For me, it is getting up and going to work. As you may have read in earlier posts, I really should have NO reason to complain about my job. I am rewarded, recognized, and compensated for my hard work. But, that just isn't enough sometimes.

I am in the process of switching roles at work. My new role will be much more leveraged and influential. I will learn a lot and will be depended on for my strong opinion much more. I will be self-directed and self-managed and will be responsible for dealing with many outside groups and clients. All in all, this new role will be very challenging and will be 3 or 4 steps up the proverbial 'corporate ladder'. But, I still don't think that is enough.

Although this new role may feed my ego and may cause me to be more highly compensated, I am not sure that it will make 'The Grind' any less painful. I hunger for something more. I still haven't found it (cue the U2 music), but I am patiently waiting for God to show me the door so I can open it.

-Samir Nagheenanajar

Living River

Thursday night while I was sitting at Gulftreat thinking about all of my memories of camping at Gulftreat, I felt the need to share my story. So, I typed the following email and sent it to the Fundraising committee for the new Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley camp 'Living River'. I thought I would share it with all:

From Elementary Camp to Hurricane Katrina
Camping in the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

My first memories of camp are as a young elementary aged kid at Gufltreat. My dad was the Youth Pastor at FPC, Selma and he was leading a Work Camp of Senior Highs while my little brother, my mom, and I tagged along and called it a ‘family vacation’. A few years later, we moved from Selma to Atlanta. Even after we moved I attended Elementary and Middle School Summer camp at Gulftreat instead of attending Cherokee Presbytery’s Camp. My dad also began to bring the youth group from Marietta to Gulftreat for weekend retreats and spring break trips. During college, I worked at Gulftreat as a camp counselor and helped lead day camps in Wilcox County, Anniston, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. I also helped plan and attended many college retreats at Gulftreat. After I married Morgan, we began to bring her youth group to Gulftreat for Presbytery retreats and we even had a ‘family vacation’ of our own here. Now I am at Gulftreat helping victims of Hurricane Katrina live here and start to put their lives back together.

As you can tell, Gulftreat holds a special place in my heart. I have a lifetime of memories in these old cinder block buildings and I am only 27 years old. I have cried, laughed, sang, shouted, worked, prayed, and played here. I have spent the last week helping to fixing all of the hundreds of things that are broken and not working in these old, old buildings. Even though I see the state of this camp and my head tells me that everything is broken and beyond repair, my heart still hurts to know that it is time to move on.

I know there are many other people that have similar stories about Gulftreat and have similar feelings about how hard it will be when the time comes to lock it up for the last time. I also know that there are many other people who are ready to shut this place down and build a brand new camp that has everything in the world in it. And then there a lot of people like me who hurt for the loss of Gulftreat but are excited about the possibilities of the new camp on the Cahaba. And this brings me to my point…

All of these people are right. We are ALL right because we (the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley) has for generations made camping a priority in the mission of our church. We have volunteered at camps, given money to camps, built camps, lead camps, attended camps, and prayed for camps and that is truly an amazing thing. There are hundreds of thousands of people who remember Gulftreat or Covenant Mountain or a Day Camp in their own church all because WE have made camping a priority. It is not the place that makes a camp special, regardless of how many good memories you have in that place, it is the people and the presence of the Holy Spirit that make a place special. That is exactly why I KNOW that the Living River Camp on the Cahaba will truly be a place full of the Holy Spirit. We have been given a wonderful opportunity to build a camp in our own backyard that can serve us and our kids hundreds of times more than Gulftreat ever could. So, I challenge you to not only give money to help build this camp, and to not only pray for this camp, and to not only tell more people about this camp, but when this camp is built to send your kids to this camp, send your grandkids to this camp, attend this camp yourself, volunteer at this camp, and make sure you bring the Holy Spirit that is SO alive in our Presbytery and our camping!

Peace,

Robert Hay, Jr.

Gulftreat - Day 4

Well, I finally had to leave Gulftreat to head home. I got up Friday morning and tried to take care of all the little things I needed to and made a list of items to hand off to the Shelter Director and the Pastor. I said goodbye to several of the volunteers and to some of the guests. They all were very appreciative of my time and hard work.

As I drove away, I couldn't help but feel like I was running away from people in need. I know that I just spent the last 4 days working my butt off and using my vacation time to do it. I know what I did was a good thing. However, was 4 days enough? These people will be living this nightmare for the next several months and I get to go home to my wife and dog and house after only 4 days. I get to go home and watch football all day on my comfy couch. I get to go back to my job and my friends and act like this devastation never occurred. The logical side of my brain tells me that there will always be more people I can help, but that I must get on with my life or I will spend the rest of my life volunteering. However, my heart wants to help as many people as I can as much as I can.

At work, we have this concept of 'Work/Life Balance'. Basically our bosses tell us that they want us to work hard, but that they also expect us to balance that with a life away from work so we don't get burnt out. How do I balance my life with a life of helping others?

slackers

I interrupt this regularly scheduled broadcast of my experiences at Gulftreat to announce that all you bloggers out there that are reading my blog and aren't updating your own blog are being a bunch of slackers. If I can find 10 minutes at the end of a long day of manual labor to write a blog, then you folks can find 5 minutes to at least make fun of me or something so that I have something to distract me from all of the grief around me. So, snap to it!!!

We now return to our regularly scheduled broadcast...