Free invite to Dropbox

I've has been using Dropbox to sync and share files online and across computers, and thought you might want it too. If you use this link to signup it gives me a bit more space, which I'd really appreciate.

Visit www.dropbox.com to get started.

Party over here!

Party over here!, originally uploaded by den5769.

These photos were taken at my wife Sheila's 20 year Vineland High School Reunion, November 28, 2008. We had a blast and it was fun meeting all of Sheila's HS friends, some of which she knew since 2nd grade.

Enjoy! I don't remember everyone's name, so if you do please leave them in the comments on flickr.

VOTE

My voting experience was quick and easy. I think I spent more time confirming my ballot was marked correctly than I spent waiting in line.  I guess going at 8 in the morning will do that for you.  Plus, there really has never been much of a line where I vote in Upper Darby... don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  But this morning there was 4 people in line... shocker!

I wasn't expecting it, but the historical significance of the moment totally overwhelmed me, and I will admit that I got something in both of my eyes when I voted for Barack Obama. 

I'll admit it, I was a little verklempt.  To top it off, as I came out of the polling place... Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles came on my iPod... NO LIE!!  It felt like I couldn't have scripted it any better.

I've voted in every election since 1988, and this is the first time in 8 years I've ever felt genuinely hopeful when I cast my ballot, instead of resigned.  I was elated! 

Have you voted? Feel free to share your experience if you like.

Change We Need Rally with Barack Obama

SO, I went to the Obama Rally at Widener University this morning. I figured this would be the last time I would be able to see him speak before the election.

Well, I can say I was there... what I cannot say is that I could hear him very well - crowd spend most of their time yelling "put your umbrella down, I can't see!". I could see him, but not close enough to see his lips move.

I left about 8:20AM... for some reason I thought I'd get there in 30-40 mins. Traffic was backed up seemingly from my driveway. I finally get on 476 and things are moving fairly well... it's about 9:25AM when I see police lights behind me. It's Ombama's motorcade... three highway patrol cars, two black SUVs (secret service?), two touring buses and a bunch of other misc. cars with "staff" in the window.

The highway patrol is making everyone pull over, I guess because Barack was running late. So I said, screw it, and tailgated the trailing patrol car and followed them all the way to Widener. That was of course until we got off the exit and they let the motorcade though and blocked me... the nerve of them!

So I had to hunt for a parking space, so of course everything was full so I pulled into an alleyway and pryed my cars would be there when I got back.

I walked in the wind and rain and of course its a mob scene... I had told my bosses husband about the rally and he lives much closer to Chester and got there about an hour before me. so he was right up near the stage. I got funneled into a muddy field... and you can see be the blurry picture that there was a large empty area between the first crowd and where I was, I wouldn't understand why we couldn't all move up... crowd control or security I guess.

Anyway, I heard a few things he said... he only spoke for like 20-25 mins. At least I can tell my kids I was there! Wet and cold, but I was there!

I'm planning to volunteer this weekend. Join me if you like!

Boys get new bikes!

My Dad stopped by t his morning the drop off bikes for the boys... they really enjoyed seeing Grandpop and playing on the bikes.  Click here to see the photo gallery.

The cup in your hands

I found this excerpt online recently from the book "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh. The book originally started out as a letter written to Brother Quang in 1974, which was then later translated and published. While I am an active Nichiren Buddhist in another sect, I really found this insightful. It reminds me of the Buddhist principle of “three thousand realms in a single moment of life” (Jpn: ichinen sanzen).

There is much written in Buddhism about living in the present moment and I am really trying to live this way in my own life. I hope you enjoy this excerpt:

The cup in your hands
In the United States, I have a close friend named Jim Forest. When I first met him eight years ago, he was working with the Catholic Peace Fellowship. Last winter, Jim came to visit. I usually wash the dishes after we've finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else. One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, "Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them." Jim replied, "Come on, you think I don't know how to wash the dishes?" I answered, "There are two ways to was the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes to wash the dishes." Jim was delighted and said, "I choose the second way--to wash the dishes to wash the dishes." From then on, Jim knew how to wash the dishes. I transferred the "responsibility" to him for an entire week.

If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not "washing the dishes to wash the dishes." What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact, we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life."
~The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

Obama Staffer Effectively Debunks McCain Ad

This is a great way to respond to these continued McCain Attack ads, just debunk it point by point.  Give it a look!