Pulling chards away from peoples thoughts

Have you ever felt the feeling that things are being presented to you by others in various forms so that you will be reminded about great things in your life? I was recently watching a video blog from my close friend Travis and instead of getting the true message of being a strong leader in the family as a father, I was drawn towards a different message. I see myself trying to lead myself along my rocky road which is called my life. I see myself asking HIM to show me my willing to fight. I see myself asking HIM to make myself a stronger person to get through this YANK and continue to follow HIM. On Travis' prior blog he was describing former students of his that have made their way from high school throughout College and have now found relationships molding into marriage. This blog reached out to me also. I read the four points that he made and I felt that he was telling me something, however it was a completely opposite point. The four points described the makings of a strong ADULT, with a great head on his shoulder.

1. Dedication to the core truth of the gospel.

2. Dedication to being in relationship with other men.

3. Dedication to finding a Godly woman or at least the pursuit of a Godly woman.

4. Dedication to making decisions and standing by those decisions.

Godly men make decisions even when it is difficult. Godly men own the decisions that they make. Godly men do not let their wives face turmoil by themselves when it comes their way. I was called this week to see if I could take Bailey (my former dog) off of my former wife's hands because she says that she was giving her up for adoption. What should I do..... Tough decision.

My Halloween Costume 2010

My niece is growing up way too quickly

I'm getting old

Flying back from New Mexico a few weeks ago, I flew over the Grand Canyon en route to CA. As I gazed at the marvelous work of the river, it reminded me of pictures that I haven't pulled out for a while. Man that was a long time ago. Rocking the rubber diapers I'm pretty sure. Our family had many trips throughout the years, all of them interesting in their own right. At the time I had mixed feelings. L.A. Jr. loved to take us to random tourist spots. I think it was his own vacation at times, but we hit up some really cool places also.

ISome spots I don't really want to remember because of the difficult memories and some I want to because it helped me mold me into the man I am today. As much as we traveled all over the place, I was able to explore America. It helps me as an aging teacher, to describe to my students firsthand some details of various places throughout the country. Looking at the pictures it also reminded me my closest buddy and also how cute I used to be. Whatever happened to the cuteness. I miss that :)

Can We make it Four in a Row?

We've moved up leagues every time that our team is in question. Taking the challenge as they come. Watching the teams come into our league during the first week they show their brute strength by crushing home run balls every at bat. Our team is made up of a bunch of stragglers. Some make it every week, some don't. We have two players that are of baseball etiquette. The others are just athletic at various degrees. But we show up and make it a game. This year in our league, we have a team that is made up of 80% purebred baseball players. They show up and crush every week. But I guess we should have known that we would come across a fierce challenge at some point. Tonight is our challenge. I really want this championship. I want to show everyone that our team is legit and can still win, even when we continue to get bumped up divisions every year. But most of all, I want that tshirt that the champions get to add it to the collection.

Devotion

Blessing and honor, glory and power, unto the Lord we praise

Just another Monday at the Farmer's Market

I have Monday off and I was lucky enough to get an invite to the Farmer's Market

Since I have been trying to add more vegetables to my diet, I thought that this would be fun

The fruits looked so ripe and luscious that I had to give in and get some.

Vegetables were abundant, some that I have never seen before. (albino eggplant)

Company was Amazing

Tomatillo's so fresh... you think you were in New Mexico

Walking with the wheel barrow, I felt like a natural

Times like these I wish I had made fun trips to these places on a regularity in the past

Another successful day with a smile on my face and a point in the win win column

Here's to new Adventures and finding the Fun in life.......

SERIOUSLY.

I really like to sing "livin on a prayer" during Karaoke

What I am watching at the moment

Result of a charred Childhood

My entire life has consisted of a creation of a whacked out Vocabulary. Whether it is is childish to some or awkward to others, I have chosen to use certain words, phrases in my strong sentence structure. I don't know where these words are formed or how they come about, but they just fit into my daily dialect. I think most of it comes from the lack of my use of Swear words, since I was young. Lewis Albert jr. used to say words under his breath when he tended to get mad at the family and I always used to get riled up about that. My favorite was when he used to say instead of "Gdamnit" he would violently throw out a "Dagnabit". Maybe that's where this crazy deal came up with making stupid words up. I try to keep my language under wraps, however sometimes there is those times when I just have to let it out. Please remind me if I left any out.

Mother Freak
Samacooks
Cookalala
Jezebel
Harriet Winslow
Hairy
Satchel
Fruitshack
Chauncey Billups

I know there are a ton more, but just thinking of these few, makes me laugh at what an idiot I must sound like when I am talking to people in conversation. Here's to many more years of me growing up and me trying to grow towards a better vocabulary and not sound like I'm 18 again.

Love

Yeah, we'll shine like stars in the summer night

We'll shine like stars in the winter night

One heart, one hope, one love

With or without you ...

Seriously?

Every day that I was in my relationship with miss lagrant I knew that I had a fighting chance to make it work. There were many times that specific things were done in spite just to get a reaction out of me to make me give up on my marriage. As some of you know I have been getting into the joy of collecting wine for the past 3 or 4 years now and I have built up quite a collection. Last November I was bartending a party and the client came up to me and thanked me for my diligent work at his company party. He then went into his vast wine cellar and brought me a bottle of 1995 Silver Oak Cabernet. I was in shock when he gave it to me because the bottle was valued at about 250$ since it was limited addition. 3 weeks later I was bartending another party that went until 2:00 a.m. Upon arriving home I noticed that my Silver Oak had been uncorked through the foil with no wine left in the bottle and two glasses left on the counter half full. It was a stab to the heart, meant to sting. Forward to tonight. Working very hard, tired, just want to come home. And I get a text. "Is that bottle in the fridge very expensive?" I replied, "don't joke with me" "please tell me you did not uncork that" It had happened again. 1999 Silver Oak meant for someone...... uncorked, drunk and disposed of. It just makes me say..... Seriously. I have about 200 other bottles around. And you chose that one. Seriously. Just add it on to the tab of My Life Sucks.

Roller Coaster equalling points of joy

Do you ever feel like life is a constant roller coaster, with drops and turns with it leaving you wondering what will come next? This past year has been a serious roller coaster. I'm talking The Grizzly at the former Great America. Old and rickety making turns at 60 mph thinking you could die around the next bend. I'm learning to deal with my new life, but in the mean time there are many things to be joyful about. I was searching the internet to find quotes depicting points of joy. I came across a few that were quite cheesy and didn't seem too proper considering the sentiment that it was trying to portray. Then I came across this quote by Luciano Pavarotti. What he says is quite true.

"For me, music making is the most joyful activity
possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion."



So in other words I can use his guidance to write about my emotion. Let me try it out.

1. For me, Painting is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

2. For me, conversing, hanging out, and getting advice from my friends is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

3. For me, golfing is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

4. For me, Singing Karaoke is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

5. For me, playing with my nieces is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

6. For me, Teaching in any capacity is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

7. For me, celebrating life is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

8. For me, writing on this blog is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

9. For me, praising Jesus is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

10. For me, being Jonathan is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

Watching this makes me miss my job

Just what you need

Back when I was in middle school I used to adore my older sister Susannah. She had the cool name Siouxzie, the cool clothes, and always had the coolest friends. The thing that I was always jealous of was that she had the best mix tapes. Yes you heard me correct. Mix TAPES. She hadn't hit the cd age yet, however it was still so cool to me. I used to steal my sisters tapes all of the time, because of #1. the way that they sounded #2. The way that they looked (paper and artwork inside the tape itself) and #3. the thought of how cool it would make me look just by creating one. Fast forward a lot of years. I have been making amazing mixes for people for a while (I'm not gonna lie, they are pretty awesome). However I've stopped lately because they have lost the meaning that I have meant them to feel. This past week. I created something that just flows. Thought I'd share with you and if you like you could create this for yourself. Let me know what you think.......


Animal (ACOUSTIC LIVE!!!) 4:03 Neon Trees
Crossfire 4:17 Brandon Flowers
Exalted (Yahweh) 5:51 Chris Tomlin
Eyes As Candles 4:08 Passion Pit
Little Secrets 3:59 Passion Pit
Love Lost 3:36 The Temper Trap
On Melancholy Hill 3:00 Gorillaz
Paparazzi 3:19 Making April
Somewhere Over The Rainbow 4:32 Tori Amos
Sweet Disposition 3:54 The Temper Trap
Vanilla Twilight 3:52 Owl City
The Cave 3:38 Mumford and Sons
White Blank Page 4:14 Mumford and Sons
1983 3:43 Neon Trees

These are the Things We do in New Mexico #2

This was a week where I could throw away all cares......
I could focus on a break. I could wear whatever clothes that
I wanted. I could wear the ugliest handlebar mustache
that would fit me.

A week to golf with my buddy since middle school.
Someone that I miss everyday and wished that we
lived closer to each other.

I had a great time with his family.
They are a truly a gift to my life.

Things that made me laugh during the week......

# 1 Seriously T?

# 2 Legal M-80's

# 3 Missed with the 7 magnum from a hundred yds away..... ooops

Shooting a 22 in the mountains

Wished I had a buck tag on the golf course....

A chance to hobby in photography

Shock and Awe at my buddies medicine cabinet

Peace at the end of the day........
It was just what I needed. They made me feel at home
even though I'm not a native. At all times I felt appreciation.
Thank You for everything.

19 years ago to the day

1:35 My friend Jamie calls me over to his house to help get things ready for his 13th birthday party.

1:45 I start cutting mixed fruit for a platter that was meant for 20 guests.

1:50 Derek shows up at the front door asking for me, wanting to sell me a set of golf clubs.

2:00 I arrive at Derek's house to look at t0he clubs and was directed to the room upstairs where the clubs were held.

2:10 Derek pulls out an automatic pump air rifle to show me and do what ever else was going through his brain.

2:15 Derek's air rifle goes off.

2:16 Derek runs to the laundry closet to get towels and carpet cleaner while I lay motionless on the floor.

2:25 After cleaning the wound, Derek runs down the street to notify my mother. She asks him if I was o.k., he says "no". My mother tells him to call 911.

2:28 Upon calling 911, Derek reveals to the operator that I had just suffered a diabetic insulin reaction and that I was suffering from a seizure.

2:40 Paramedic's show up to the house on Vermont Place not ready for what had happened.

9 days later I awakened from my coma.

SHOT IN THE HEAD DAY is very close to my heart. It's sort of a second birthday to me. God has given me a second chance to live on this earth. Many people ask "why do you celebrate the day that you got shot...isn't that gruesome"? Well this is the thing. I am celebrating that I am alive. I am celebrating that I also have a second chance at things that I take for granted. I celebrate Jesus because without him I would not be here. How many people do you know that was shot at point blank range in the head, with the bullet going all the way through their brain have survived? The only thing that I really deal with is a tremor in my right hand. This year is the first year that I can be vocal about my anniversary and really verbalize it. It feels really nice to know that this accident has not really held me back in life. Thank you to all of my family, friends, and co workers that have been supportive throughout the past 19 years. For #20, I want to throw a huge party celebrating life. Any one want to come?

These are the Things We do in New Mexico

Some more Bands. go Dirpy them!

Pixie Lott

Mumford and Sons

NEON TREES

Owl City

Brandon Flowers

PASSION PIT

MUSE

Dirpy.com

		My new favorite toy on the internet. Download any Youtube videos on the site and they instantly are decoded into MP3 files so that you can listen to them on your ipod, burn to a cd, etc.... So for instance the other day I blogged about my niece and her amazing "twinkle twinkle" rendition, but it was only on a video. I downloaded the video to Dirpy and now I can listen to it in my car during traffic. Take advantage of it. I know that I will during one of my karaoke performances

Jon Ruff's Staples

i love friday's. i love . i love my mom's mashed potatoes. i love visiting other states. i love diet soda from the fountain with pebble-y ice. i love working as much as i can. i love my nieces. i love my wine collection. i love running into people i know at church. i love being generous. i love crew hair products. i love my road bike. i love the julien's (pictured above). i love having coffee with fellow teacher's. i love philadelphia sports teams. i love happy hour food. i love texting. i love friends with history. i love jesus. i love employers that appreciate my desire to give them everything that I have. i love Walnut Creek. i love watching tv and videos online. i love http://dirpy.com/. i love playing golf. i love the sound of monrovia's vernacular. i love my mom's cinnamon rolls. i love oil paint. i love going to u2 concerts with my two favorite fans. i love really nice wine. i love to stay up late and work on my computer. i love eating at chili's. i love finding amazing deals at Marshall's. i love making people smile. i love the SF Chronicle Sporting Green Section. i love staying up really late. i love my amazing friends. i love treating people to dinner. i love working at a winery.i love my sisters inspiration.

and that's not the end.........

Single....... Not Divorced

The Big D word.
I hate it.
My current situation that is.
Starting a new in February of this year has been more difficult than I previously had thought out.
I have had many quiet sessions with the Big Man upstairs on this subject.
It sucks.
I never asked for this.
I wanted to work things out, make it all better.
But in the end I wasn't successful.
Forward to this past Sunday.
Sitting in Church waiting for the sermon to begin, writing notes back and forth with A,
Pastor Matt
suddenly got my attention.
He began answering all of the questions that I have been needing answered.
HE hates Divorce that is true.
However, I can become a better person through this personal unfortunate predicament.
I need to be stronger in my faith.
I need to make wiser decisions about the way I live.
I'm surrounded by legitimate quality.
I will never say to people around me that I am divorced
however it will always be in the back of my head going forward as I strive to make me be
a better man in all facets.