Twitter

I like Twitter. I like to Tweet and I like reading other people's Tweets. I was skeptical about Twitter when I first started almost two years ago, but I quite enjoy it now. I actually use Twitter to update my Facebook status. I think people think I'm on Facebook a lot more than I really am. I only check Facebook a couple of times a week.

Here are some of my favorite people to follow on Twitter...

• Phil Poteat (Director of Worship and Production at Waters Edge Church).
• Chad Johnson (NOT the football player...the Catalyst Concierge)
• Tyler Stanton (One funny guy)
• Jamey Menser (Logistics Manager and Ministry Specialist at Waters Edge Church)
• Chad Childress (My youth pastor growing up)
• Monica Shepherd (My wife and a very funny Tweeter)
• Stu Hodges (Lead Pastor at Waters Edge Church).

Question: If you could have anyone follow your every move on Twitter who would it be? I'd get really excited if TobyMac, Kobe Bryant, Andy Stanley, and let's just face it far too many other people...started following me.

I Call This Adventure: The night 7 fire trucks came to my house

Last night I came home from an event at my church to the smell of gas. As soon as I walked in I declared, "it smells like gas." Now typically when I make that statement it's because one of the high school guys from my Student Community Group has farted. That happens on a weekly basis, but this smell was not produced by any human.

My wife, Monica, said that when she first walked in she smelled it as well. Now gas is not something that I'm willing to take a chance on, so I called the non-emergency phone number. I let the very nice lady on the phone know that I didn't think it was a big deal but because my wife and I both smelled gas I thought I should call. I didn't expect what would happen next...

In less than five minutes 5 fire trucks pulled onto my street with lights glaring. As they unloaded we could hear at least two more coming into our neighborhood with their sirens blaring. At this point it's 9:45 PM. All of that and they found nothing. We were a little embarrassed, but they assured us we did the right thing. It was quite the adventure, but I'm glad it had a boring ending.

Guest Post: John Finkelde

One of the reasons I started a blog was because I wanted to connect with other pastors. One of those pastors that I've met through the blog world is John Finkelde. Click on his name to check out his blog. Now the cool thing about John is that he's from Australia!

Guest Post John Finkelde:
Today, 26 January, is Australia Day. It's the founding of our nation day, much like the fourth of July.

So in honour of all things Australian here's some Aussie slang you can use on your friends or enemies if you prefer!

RIPPER it means brilliant! We used to use the word bonza but that has gone out of vogue and is no longer a ripper word

NO WORRIES it means ... no worries!

MATE means friend, dude (no Australian in his right mind would ever say dude!)

MAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE what you say to your mate when he has done something outrageous, unbelievably funny or nothing at all actually!

BARBIE no not the doll, it's short for BBQ

ARVO short for afternoon

FOOTY short for aussie rules football (also called AFL) during which we don't wear any wimpy protection like helmets and pads!

ONYA short for good on ya. Usually used with mate as in onya mate

You may notice we love to shorten things. Except test cricket that is which is a game that goes for 5 days. Yep you read it right 5 days ... and sometimes it's still a draw after all that time. We got test cricket from the Poms (that's England) so blame them.

CROOK means sick, as in can't go to work

CHOKA BLOK means full as in the car park is full. Oh a car park is a parking lot

FOOTPATH that's a sidewalk

OR STRAY LAH that's what it sounds like when we say Australia

So next time you meet an Aussie try some of these words out on them - they will love it!

Mind Dump

My brain feels constipated with thoughts. The following is a brain dump of all the random stuff going on in my head.

• Happy Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! Today bubble wrap turns 50, and the creators have dubbed today their official day.
• Yesterday I was a part of something that I believe is unique to Waters Edge Church. I had the privilege to team teach with my lead pastor. If your interested in listening to it you can do so here.
• This is a busy week for me.
• On Tuesday I help host a Waters Edge House Party. It's how our adults get plugged into Community Groups. Over the next few days I'll be forming the groups. My guess is a couple of hundred new people will join a group. It's going to be a busy next few days.
• On Friday, Monica and I are going to Philadelphia to see the Lakers play the Sixers. I have a goal that I want to see the Lakers play in every NBA arena. We try to see them play one time a year and this was our pick. I'm excited to see Allen Iverson play. He went to school right down the road from where I grew up. Even though he's from the 757 I'll still be rooting against him.
• The Super Bowl is set. Colts vs. Saints. At the end of the day I don't really care who wins (I'm a Lakers fan), but I would have liked to see Brett Favre go one last time.
• Who is your super bowl pick? You can vote on it on the new survey at robshep.com.
• I visited Hair Club for Men for my free consultation. The good news is they don't think I need a hair transplant. The bad news is I'm going to have to take on a paper route to afford what they recommended. Did you know they no longer do hair plugs?
• Lost comes back for one last season next Tuesday. I can't wait!
• Speaking of things I can't wait for...TobyMac's new album drops on Feb. 9. You can download one single a week from iTunes until the album comes out. Last weeks song was ShowStopper. LOVE IT!
• My dad is a part of the Screen Actors Guild. It's something that you have to earn by acting in a SAG film in a principle role. Pretty cool. One priveledge of being SAG is that he gets to vote on the SAG Awards. Because of this movie studios have been sending him DVD's for him to view. He let's me borrow them so this is a bonus.
  

Whew...I feel better now.

The Snoring Experiment Part 2

So on Thursday night I tried not one, but two products that claim to reduce snoring. Surprisingly they seem to help. On the first night I didn't wake Monica once. Last night she said my snoring was almost back to normal. So it doesn't heal snoring completely, but it looks like I'll be using these products for a while because they help.

The Snoring Experiment Part 1

So the week of New Years a virus attacked my body. It was rough. I'm almost back to 100%, except for one major symptom. I wake up with a really soar throat. The reason this is major is because it has caused my snoring to go to whole notha level.

I've always snored. I think I snored as a baby. I'm not one to deny that I snore, but in 8 1/2 years of marriage it's never been a major problem. The worst it's ever led to is my wife waking me up to ask me to roll over onto my stomach. That changed drastically with this sickness. My poor wife, Monica, has tried sleeping with her iPod playing, taking Tylenol PM, and rolling me over to my stomach. Nothing has helped, and for the first time in our marriage we ended up in separate beds.

I feel awful that I've affected her sleep. I'll try anything! So yesterday I went to the store and bought SnoreStop and Breathe Right, two products that are supposed to reduce snoring. Last night was my first night of this snoring experiment. Any guesses on how it turned out?

To be continued...

Judgement vs. Judgemental

This post is not for everyone. It's only for those who have felt judged and or don't want to judge others.

It's pretty clear that those who follow Jesus are not supposed to judge others. I don't think you can argue with that. The sad truth is one of the things the church at large is known for is being judgemental. At the same time there are things that Christ followers are told to make judgements about. So what's the difference?

When you are judgemental toward someone it often leads to gossip, making yourself feel better, and negativity. When you make a judgment it often leads to talking to the person to help them, sadness because you hurt for someone you love, and it reflects that you care more about them then you do yourself. Being judgemental is all about you and your pride. Making a judgment leads to your heart breaking because you see where someone's poor decisions will lead them to. Being judgmental is selfish and a reflection of your heart.

There are certain things that Christ followers should judge. We should judge situations before we get into them. We should judge our own actions. We should even judge if we can handle being around certain people. The difference is this judgment should not lead to pride, or to us looking down at others. The point is to make wise judgements while you avoid being judgemental.

To All the robshep.com readers...I'm sorry

When I first started this blog I didn't have a fat clue about blogging. I started it because I thought it would be a great way to connect with other pastors around the country. What I came to find out is that I like writing a blog, and I'm not good at connecting with other pastors. The blog is fun for me. I enjoy sharing my thoughts with the worldwide web.

Throughout writing the blog I've ended up making some big mistakes.

• I've blogged too often. One time I did 9 posts in one day.
• I've written too much. I know people don't like to read long blogs and yet I've been guilty of this far too many times.
• I didn't interact with the readers. I love receiving comments on the blog! What I failed to do is respond to the comments. I think my lack of response has led some to stop leaving comments.
• I lack focus. This is one I don't know how to fix. When people ask me what my blog is about I have a hard time telling them. The big wigs say you have to focus your blog in order to keep readership.

So to the faithful robshep.com readers...I'm sorry. I'll try to do better. Thanks for staying with me as I try to figure out how to blog.

For a great list of ten blogging mistakes check out Michael Hyatt's blog.

More Awesomely Bad Movies

It's time for more Awesomely Bad Movies. Awesomely Bad Movies are movies that you think are awesome, but in reality they are bad movies. Some examples from some of my friends include...

Troop Beverly Hills

Rad

Dark Crystal

Sometimes it's hard to admit that a movie you love is Awesomely Bad. If you need help invite someone who has never seen one of your favorite movies to watch it with you. If they say it's awful then there is a good chance it's an Awesomely Bad Movie. So now it's your turn...what are your favorite Awesomely Bad Movies?

I Pity the Fool

Maybe it's because I recently watched the preview for the upcoming A-Team movie, but lately I've been thinking about fools. I remember being a kid, watching the A-Team, I'd run around quoting Mr. T saying over and over again "I pity the fool!" Back then I had no idea what that meant.

It wasn't until college where I read a book by Andy Stanley that I learned what a fool is. Andy defines a fool as "knowing the difference between right and wrong, but choosing to do what's wrong anyway."

We all make mistakes but it's foolish to not learn from them. "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." I pray for wisdom daily because I don't want to be destroyed by foolish decisions. If you don't learn from your mistakes, if you choose to do what's wrong, if you willingly ignore the potential consequences; then there is nothing left to do but pity the fool.

One: A Student Experience

Last Wednesday Waters Edge hosted One: A Student Experience. When it comes to Students we have a very different approach. Instead of a weekly student rally we have Community Groups that meet in homes. We feel like students connect with the Sunday experience. We also want to every students to be known, prayed for, and connected with. That can't happen in a large group setting. So instead of creating an experience that is similar to Sundays we only offer Community Groups in homes.

One came about because we wanted to create an easy environment for Students to get plugged into Community Groups. At the same time we love creating environments where students can get together to worship God. One is an hour long worship service that leads to time in Community Groups. Back in September we hosted the first One. It was such a HUGE success we decided to bring it back in January. The goal is that One would kick off each semester.

The night started with a clip of Justin Beiber's "One Time" video. It then went to this clip...



To intro my talk we showed the following video...



This past Wednesday 290 students came together for One. It was a great night!

Pants On The Ground

By now I'm assuming you've seen or at least heard about Larry Platt, the 62 year old who sang the original song "Pants On The Ground" at his American Idol audition. It was ha-larious. In case you haven't seen it enjoy the new cultural phenomenon that is "Pants On The Ground." I have to warn you the song will stick in your head.

5 Friends Every Woman Needs

So I saw a news blurb about the 5 Friends Every Woman Needs. Since I'm not a woman I don't know why I watched it, but it peeked my interest. They are...

1. The Cheerleader
2. The Advice Giver
3. The Childhood Friend
4. The Guy Friend
5. The Honest Friend

Now I don't know why there wasn't a similar list for guys but it has me wondering, what type of friends do guys need? Any thoughts?

People at the Gym

Are there interesting people at your gym? It seems as if no matter when I go to the gym I see certain types of people. I wish that I had a reason to talk to some of these people to figure out what makes them tick. They are unique, but at the same time they are not the only people I've ever seen do what they do. For example...

• The Jeans Joggers - these are people who wear jeans to run on the treadmill or to lift weights. I wish I knew one of them so I could ask if they don't have any shorts or if this is their way of protesting against them.
• The Khakis Pants People - these are the people who try to one up the Jeans Joggers by wearing Khakis pants to the gym.
• The Rules Don't Apply - I've seen this personality type a few times in a class I take called Power Cut. The whole class is following the instructors instructions except for this person. They do their own routine.
• The Grunters - these are people that whether they are running on the elliptical or lifting weights they manage to let out a grunt. Why? Because they can. There is no other explanation as to why a person should grunt on the elliptical.
• The Talkers - these people come to the gym to talk. They can't read body language or the fact that you have headphones on. They are going to talk to you no matter what.
• The Stretchers - these people stretch. There is nothing wrong with a little stretching, but these people do Tai Chi in the middle of the gym.
• The Gross - these people are gross because they don't whipe down their machine after they use it. They leave their sweat for the next person.

We need more...AI Leong's

We need more AI Leong's in this world? Who is AI Leong you ask?


Well, in the late 80's and early 90's there was an actor who showed up in a lot of action movies. Whenever my brother and I would see this guy we knew it was going to be a good movie. We first saw him in Die Hard, then in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and then we rented Big Trouble In Little China. Ok some of those movies don't hold up real well today, but as a kid they were most excellent.


In Hollywood there are only a handful of Big Box Office stars. The thing that I respect about AI Leong is that he was never the big draw to a film, but he still brought his best. He was never the reason anyone went to see a movie, but for my brother and I we knew it was going to be good if he showed up.

If you are a pastor there are very few Rick Warrens, Andy Stanleys, or Steven Furticks. If you are a teacher there is only one teacher of the year. If you work at a job most likely you aren't the boss. The point is don't try to outshine the superstar or even be the superstar. Be who you are, work hard, and people will notice you for what you bring to the table. If you make the most of every scene you are in eventually someone will notice your hard work.

Step By Step by The Waters Edge Boyz

Sunday at Waters Edge was week two of our series "5 Easy Steps to Wreck Your Life." In preparation for this service the programming staff came up with a funny video segment. You see, when we think about five easy steps we can't help but think about the classic song, "Step by Step" by NKOTB. This video is just us trying to be funny. It got a great response on Sunday...I hope you enjoy it as much as WEC did.

Step By Step from Waters Edge Church on Vimeo.

Favorite App

So for my wife's birthday I bought her an iPod touch. It has opened a new world for the Shepherd home...Apps. We now have spent many a minutes with Words with Friends, Shake & Spell, Harbor Master, ESPN ScoreCenter, and Link Four (stay away from the chat room on this one, but the game if fun).

It made me curious what other fun Apps are out there? If you have an iPhone or iPod touch let me know what Apps you enjoy.

Flash Mob

Flash Mob (plural flash mobs)

1.A group of people who converge on a spot with little forewarning, perform some action (usually a protest), and disperse quickly.

Thanks Wikipedia.com. If you haven't seen a Flash Mob they are pretty incredible. I don't have a fat clue how someone organizes it but I'm impressed. Check out this madness as the Black Eyed Peas preform on Oprah...amazing! It starts with one lady, but at about 40 seconds the crowd gets involved.

Family Pic

Once a year my siblings and our families take a new picture to give to our parents. We take it at Picture People in the mall. They do a great job of putting you in the most awkward positions possible. We are pretty sure my nephew is a result of last year's pose. We rarely buy the pictures where they pile us up on top of each other. I hope no one ever sees the one they made us do this year. Instead of the awfully awkward pictures we decided on the following. Enjoy.

New voice or new coach Part 2

As a parent, teacher, or boss have you ever felt like the people you lead have zoned you out? Here are some common coaching behaviors that lead to zoning out...

• If you are a yeller chances are the teams you lead will eventually zone out to your rants. For a great example of this visit Wal-Mart on a weekend and watch how the kid in the stroller zones out as their parent yells.
• If you make a lot of idle threats chances are your team will eventually start to zone you out. Two year olds are smart enough to figure this one out.
• If you overreact chances are your team will start to zone you out. At first your team will respond to your panic but when it happens on a weekly basis your team will zone you out because they are used to you overreacting.
• If you don't uphold the rules or standards. A fast way to lose control of your team, whether it's a family, or employees is set rules and then not follow up with the consequences.
• If you don't communicate the rules your team will start to zone you out. If you yell at someone because they broke a rule that you haven't communicated then it's your fault not theirs. An example of this is the students in my small group. They used to text all throughout group. At first I got mad, but I never communicated with them that what they were doing was distracting. I set up a no texting rule and now it's a part of our weekly ritual. We all turn our cell phones off before group starts.
• If you don't listen to your team they will zone you out and not listen to you. One of the biggest complaints I hear teenagers say to me in counseling situations is that their parents don't listen to them. I think that parents should find some one on one time to just hang out with each of their kids. Allow them to just talk. Do something they like. Take them out to their favorite restaurant. Spend consistent time with them and eventually they will communicate with you.

It's really hard to keep your teams attention. It's even harder to win it back once they start to zone you out. Be consistant in how you handle adversity, but be creative in how you communicate to your team. Those are my thoughts on the subject...I'd love to hear yours.

New voice or new coach

Almost every sports season I hear sports commentators talk about bad teams not responding to their coach. During the game it is evident that the team has stopped listening to their coach. When this happens it is within a matter of days that the coach of the bad team is fired. The sports commentators say that once a team stops listening to their coach then the coach has two options...he can get fired or he can quickly change the way he communicates with the team.

This same bad team often turns things around during the season when a new coach is hired. It's as if having a new voice inspires them to play better.

If you are a parent, a leader, teacher, communicator, or a coach then the idea that your team can zone you out should scare you. If the same is true for coaches when the people you lead start zoning you out the only real option is to fire yourself. Most likely that's not an option, so instead focus on how you say what you say. Change things up from time to time to make sure your team doesn't zone you out.

To be continued...

Let's Get Pushy

I like to push people. Whenever I see one of the guys from my Student Community Group and they don't see me I will give them a lil push. It's not so hard that they feel like they are getting attacked, but it's hard enough to knock them off balance. They never seem to mind being pushed. In fact they always greet me back with a smile and some dap. You know dap? It's when you do something different then a handshake. Sometimes it's a three hit palm to palm (similar to a five but done three times). Other times it's a form of a handshake that leads to a hug for no more than 2.5 seconds. Anything longer then 2.5 seconds gets awkward. Anyway I digress.

I like pushing people, but for the sake of this blog I'm not talking about pushing physically. In my opinion man is destined for mediocrity. For most of us we find our groove and just settle there. If you've ever dated you know what I'm talking about. On that first date you pulled out all the stops. Flowers, you dressed nice, and you tried really hard not to fart. But after a few years of being with someone it's easy to get complacent. It's easy to forget the flowers, hang up the romance jersey, and let one rip in front of the love of your life.

There are a handful of areas where I get pushed on a regular basis.

• My co-worker Josh Wilson pushes me when it comes to jogging. He recently ran a half marathon and he's lost a lot of weight with jogging. I'm pushed to want to run when I talk to him about jogging.
•  I like reading books that push me out of complacency and get me closer to God. Books by Francis Chan, Steven Furtick, and Mark Batterson have pushed me.
• I like hanging out with my brother. He's the funniest guy I know. He is also very positive and genuinely has a great attitude. He works in the sewers for a living and not only enjoys his job, but he works hard with a really good attitude. That pushes me.
• There is a couple at our church that pushes me on a regular basis. Eric and Stacy Froyen push me with their kindness. They are always so thoughtful and kind with their words. I often think about doing nice things for other people, but I forget to actually follow through. They don't forget. In fact they go above and beyond with their thoughtful gifts.
• Monica and I hate debt, but we also hate doing a budget. We manage our money with a budget, but we don't do a great job of planning ahead. Our friends Jamey and Carlyn have pushed me to set goals and plan ahead.

Now for most of these examples people didn't set out to push me. They were just being who they are and I felt the affects of it. Hanging out with them pushes me to be better. Nobody likes someone to be pushy with their beliefs, and passions. But when you live passionately people will feel it. People will be affected by your words, and your actions. By the way if you are feeling complacent then try spending time with someone new. The truth is that in this day and age there is no excuse to not be pushed. If you need to be pushed find a good book, a good blog, or even a good Facebook poster and stalk them in a non creepy way. The key to be pushed it to be around people who push you.

I want to be the type of person that pushes people. I want to push others to love more, laugh more, and get the most out of this life. It's far too easy for me to get complacent in this life. I'm thankful for people who push me.

Best of the Decade

So long 2000...hello 2010. The last ten years have marked some significant memories for me. Here are a list of some of my favorites from the past decade...

1. I got married!
2. I graduated from Seminary.
3. My wife surprised me with my first trip to LA. We saw two Lakers games.
4. My parents surprised me by contacting the Lakers chaplain. He set up a meeting with Horace Grant, a former Lakers and Bulls star.
5. Playing Mark Batterson and the NCC staff in Corn Hole. We lost bad, but it was fun. Read about it here.
6. Starting work at Waters Edge church.
7. Getting to preform with the WEC band. You can check that out here.
8. I met Dan and Danielle Peters in a WEC Community Group. They are two of my favorite people...and I didn't know them before this decade.
9. I turned 30. My wife spoiled me with 30 gifts in 30 days. It all ended with a flat screen TV. WOW!
10. We lived in Texas for two years. It seems like such a long time ago. I loved my time in Texas.

Best of the Decade

Before we hit the 2000's I didn't have a fat clue who Mark Batterson, Donald Miller, or Rob Bell were. Below is a list of my favorite books from the last decade...

1. In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day - Mark Batterson
2. Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
3. Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell
4. Crazy Love - Francis Chan
5. Communicating for Change - Andy Stanley
6. It - Craig Groeschel
7. Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them - John Ortberg
8. The Shack - William P. Young
9. The Last Season: A Team In Search of It's Soul - Phil Jackson
10. Visioneering - Andy Stanley

As you can see I don't read a lot of fiction. What were your favorite books of the past decade?

Best of the Decade

It's crazy to me that this week we enter a new decade. It's hard to imagine life without Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, and the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The following is a list of some of my favorite movies from the past decade.

1. The Dark Knight - 2008
2. Slumdog Millionaire -2008
3. I Am Legend - 2007
4. The Bourne Trilogy - 2002, 2004, 2007
5. Iron Man - 2008
6. Shrek 1 and 2 - 2001, 2004
7. Star Wars Episode III - 2005
8. Batman Begins - 2005
9. X2: X-Men United - 2003
10. Elf - 2003

Honorable mention: Bruce Almighty, Signs, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, and Mission Impossible III.

It was hard to limit the list down, but that was my best attempt. What were some of your favorite movies of the past decade?

Christmas Eve with Waters Edge

Christmas Eve with Waters Edge was a huge success. 4,294 people attended the service. Just to put it in perspective, last year we had 2,700 at Christmas Eve. We are averaging close to 1,700 right now on Sundays. I don't know where we are going to put everyone if they come back to WEC.

The service was packed with creativity, humor, and a clear gospel message. Monica's (my lovely wife) camera died before the service was over, so you won't get to see everything. Enjoy the pics.

Pictured Above: I borrowed this pic from Larry Enscore's Facebook page. We ended the service with 6 drummers rocking out to Oh Come Let Us Adore Him.

Pictured Above: Mike Dominice rock'n out.

Pictured Above: The band kicked things off with Carol of the Bells..it was sick nasty.

Pictured Above: We had a DJ mix with the band. He's also the #16 beat boxer in the world. Check him out at http://www.maximillianmusic.com/

Pictured Above: I had the privilege to start things out with a 30 minute pre-show. I shot Chick Fil-A cows out to the crowd, showed videos, and played some crowd games. It's our way to help people get to church on time...even early.

I Got A Snuggie For Christmas

So for Christmas I got a Snuggie. In case you haven't been exposed to the cultural phenom that is the Snuggie, a Snuggie is a blanket with sleeves. My wife saw a super hero Snuggie at the mall and surprised me with this hilarious gift. I'm not going to lie it has now become my blanket of choice. Enjoy some pics...

Pictured Below: My brother got a matching Snuggie from his wife for Christmas.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

The first time I saw a preview for Sherlock Holmes I marked my calendar for December 25. The preview looked amazing and I couldn't wait to see it. Every Christmas my family has a tradition where we go see a movie after we open gifts, and Sherlock Holmes was the unanimous selection. The question is does it live up to the hype?


Sherlock Holmes is the newest recreation of the classic character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Like Batman, or James Bond Holmes gets a fresh start with this modern reboot. As Holmes, Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) creates a character that could be Captain Jack Sparrow's brother...or at least his cousin. He's a little eccentric, but you can't help but root for him.


The movie has great action scenes, excellent acting, and a decent plot. It's a good movie. I didn't love it like I thought I would, but I may have to see it again before I make a final judgement. If you liked the new Bond movies or your fan of action movies then you will love Holmes. It's rated PG-13 for intense action/violence, a few swears, and a creepy villain who is in the occult. I give it one thumb up.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

That's Christmas

From the makers of the classic video "overnighter" comes "That's Christmas." These guys are a part of the High School Student Ministry at Saddleback Church. I dream of making videos like this. Enjoy...

Spirit Week at the Waters Edge Office

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the office...WEC STAFF WERE WORKING LIKE CRAZY! Santa has nothing on the Waters Edge staff.

Christmas is a very busy time for the WEC staff. We are all putting in extra hours to make sure every detail is covered for our Christmas Eve services. In the midst of all the busyness we celebrated our 2nd Annual Spirit Week. Last week we celebrated each day with a different theme. The founder and president of WEC Spirit Week, Jamey Menser, did an excellent job of pulling it all off. Enjoy the pics...

Pictured Above: Founder and President, Jamey Menser, posted flyers all over the WEC office. The location of this one made me laugh.

Pictured Above: A WEC member, Derrick Phillips, took the staff out to lunch at Carrabba's. Carrabba's opened just for us. Big thanks to Derrick for that one!

Pictured Above: WEC staff plus Derrick doing our best to look cool for Dress Cool and Trendy
Day at Carrabba's.

Pictured Above: Tuesday was Flip Flop Day. Besides Fridays this is the only day of the year where we can wear flip flops to work. We are all off on Fridays so that day doesn't really count.

Pictured Above: Wednesday was Tacky Christmas Sweater Day.

Pictured Above: Favorite Waters Edge T-Shirt Day

Book Review: Primal by Mark Batterson

I'm a big fan of Mark Batterson's books. If you haven't read "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" then stop what you are doing, buy that book, and start reading it today!

I was lucky enough to get a pre-released copy of Mark's newest book "Primal." In Primal Mark challenges readers to get back to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus...to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. I love Mark's writing style. His writing makes me feel smarter at the same time he puts his lofty knowledge on the bottom shelf so I don't feel like an idiot. He quotes psychologists, facts about the universe, and theologians like sports statistics. At the same time he offers practical application that challenges the reader to put what they read into action.

Some of my favorite quotes are "It's much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one," "Most of us let what we cannot do keep us from doing what we can," The Bible isn't meant to be read reactively. It is meant to be prayed proactively. There are thousands of promises waiting to be claimed."

Primal is a great read and without a doubt it should be one of your first reads in 2010. Primal hits shelves today or you can purchase it here.

Brain Dump

My brain feels constipated with thoughts. The following is a brain dump of all the random stuff going on in my head.

• I saw three ladies wearing tacky Christmas sweaters while out at dinner. I wasn't at a Tacky Christmas Party. My question is are they in on the joke or do they seriously not know? Maybe they just don't care. Do they never get invited to a tacky Christmas Sweater Party because people are afraid they'll hurt their feelings?
• Speaking of tacky Christmas sweaters our staff wore them last Wednesday for Spirit Week. Come back Wednesday for some pics.
• Weird things are happening at my house. Monica and I came home the other night and the Nintendo Wii was on. I hadn't played it in days and it wasn't on when we left. Speaking of weird things...
• Last week our the water pressure to our shower turned into a pressure washer. It nearly ripped the skin off. I couldn't help but chuckle when, from the living room, I'd hear my wife yelp when the water first hit her.
• I went out and bought a new shower head that feels like rain. I was quite proud of myself. I don't fix things. It's not my gift, but I took care of this one. However, I did have to borrow some tools to get the old one off.
• This week is Christmas...CAN YOU DIG IT?
• I don't know if you know this or not but it's a proven fact that this is the most wonderful time of the year.
• For the first time ever Monica and I are giving each other a practical gift for Christmas. You don't know how hard this is for us. We love gifts! But we need a lot of stuff for the house so it makes sense to put the money towards that.
• I can't sleep on Christmas Eve. I wake up around 4:00 AM in excitement for Christmas. I normally open my stocking and then put in a Christmas movie.
• Robshep.com's survey for best Christmas Movie ends on Christmas day. Right now Elf has a commanding lead. If you haven't voted you should.
• The Christmas Movie Season is here! It's the second best movie season behind the Summer Movie Season. Look for a lot of reviews in the next couple of weeks. Click here to see the review for Avatar.
• If you live within a 610 mile radius of the 757 then you should come to Christmas Eve with Waters Edge. It's at the fabulous "Ferguson Center for the Arts" in Newport News. Service times are 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 PM. Pre-show starts 30 minutes before the service.

Whew...I feel much better now.

Movie Review: Avatar

Avatar is the return of James Cameron. He's the director and writer of Terminator 1 & 2, Aliens, and a little film called Titanic. It's been 12 years since his last film, Titanic, took over the world. The question is was it worth the wait?

What separates Avatar from all other movies is the stunning visual effects. It's the best looking movie I've ever seen. I saw it in IMAX Digital 3D. I could do without having to wear 3D glasses, but it did add a cool element to the movie. The visual and special effects are worth seeing Avatar in the theaters, and paying the extra money for the 3D glasses.

The movie is epic in scale, visually stunning, and has some of the coolest action scenes in any movie I've seen. With all that you'd think I'd love this movie, but I didn't. I liked it a lot, but I didn't love it. I think the main problem was that it is a little too Sci-Fi with a dash of weird. I give it one thumb up. It's rated PG-13 for swears, and action/violence.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

Everybody needs a Chad Johnson

We can only pretend to be perfect for so long. Eventually who you really are will be seen. The last few years whenever a public figure would fall from grace I would start to get scared. Not because of something I was hiding, but because of the lack of accountability in my life. I think people assume that everything is ok with Rob.

This year I started praying for someone in my life to ask me the tough questions. Again it's not because I was in trouble it's the fact that I could get away with it if I wanted to. I was sharing my thoughts with my good friend Chad Johnson (not the football player). That next week Chad gave me a call and that turned into weekly phone conversation. We talk about sports, life, the Bible, and what no one else knows about us. It's a safe conversation where we can honest.

Everybody needs a Chad Johnson in their life. Someone who can ask you the tough questions but not judge your answers. Someone who pushes you to be a better person. Someone who will make you think twice about decisions that could ruin your life. Someone who sees the real you.

Need A Christmas Game For Your Party?

The last few years I've played a really fun Christmas gift game. It's called the Dice Game. If you like White Elephant, Yankee Swap, or Dirty Santa (why does this game have so many names?!) then you should like the Dice Game. Here's how you play...

• Everyone needs to bring 5 wrapped gifts that cost no more than a $1 each. They can also bring junk from home if they don't want to spend the $5 bucks.
• Once you are ready to play put the gifts in the middle of the room and circle up around the gifts.
• You will need 4 dice and two containers to roll the dice in. Small plastic containers work fine. The container helps the dice not roll all over the room.
• When you say go, the two people that have the dice roll them into their container. Start the two containers at opposite sides of the circle.
• If they roll a 7 or 11 they get to pick out a present from the pile. If they roll doubles they get to roll again.
• After they roll they pass the container with the dice to the person next to them. The next person rolls and continues the process.
• The game moves quick because of the two sets of dice.
• Once all of the presents have been collected everyone gets to open their gifts. I like to have each person open one gift at a time. This way everone gets to see the gifts.
• Now this is where the fun begins. Set a timer for 5 minutes and start the game over. This time if someone rolls a 7 or 11 they can steal one gift from someone else. If they roll a double they get to roll again.
• At the end of the five minutes if anyone doesn't have a single gift then they get to steal one gift from someone else.
• It's a fast paced game and a lot of fun!

Here are a couple of pics from my Student Community Group. We played it on Wednesday night for group. I also played it with my Adult Community Group on Monday. I say that just let you know it's not just a Student game.

Vs.

Vs. - a challenge at robshep.com where you decide the outcome.

On this weeks Vs...

Real Christmas Tree vs. fake Christmas Tree. Which is better? You decide.

Negative People Suck

There are some people that will complain just because they are negative. The problem with negativity is that it's a cancer that spreads quickly. I've said for years that negativity breeds negativity. If you hear a negative comment it plants a negative thought that often gives birth to more negativity. Unintentionally a negative person can turn the most positive person into a sourpuss.

I believe that negativity comes from issues from within. A person who is at peace with themselves focuses on the positive things in life. When I get negative one of the first things I start to focus on is what's wrong within me. Why am I jealous, why am I being critical, why are they getting on my nerves? Finding out the answer to why I'm negative helps me change my attitude.

A negative person is that way because of their insecurity, jealousy, lack of fulfilment, and inner turmoil. Everyone visits negativity from time to time but some people live there. Spending time analyzing your own actions will help protect you from an extended stay in negative land.

My Pastor's Clone

This is my pastor, Stu Hodges...


This is my pastor, Stu Hodges clone...

The above picture was taken by a former WEC member who moved to Texas. They were visiting friends when they saw this picture. They sent it to their old Community Group Facilitator at WEC who then sent it to me. The resemblance is scary.

Christmas lights prank

I was sent this picture through email this week. I don't know if the following is true (I mean it was from an email forward) but it sure is funny. Enjoy...

Well, there is good news and bad news about my Christmas decorations.
The good news is that I truly outdid myself this year. The bad news is that
I had to take them down after only two days. I had more people come
screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me
take it down. First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic
accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by. Second, a 55 year old
lady grabbed the ladder and almost killed herself putting it against my
house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was
not happy). She was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard
couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people
literally drove up my yard.

If Chick Fil-A Ruled the World

I tweeted this earlier this week, but I felt like it was a blog worthy thought. What if Chick-fil-A ruled the world. If you are a robshep.com reader outside of the south you may not know about Chick-fil-A. What you need to know is it's amazing! Both the food and the customer service are top shelf. It's fast food yet they come by and ask if you want refills on drinks, provide after dinner mints, and wet wipes. They also always respond with the phrase "my pleasure" whenever you say thank you. So what if they ruled the world?

• Places like the DMV, cable companies, and Wal-Mart would have stellar customer service.
• You would pay a little bit more (they don't have a dollar menu) but it would be worth it for the quality and service.
• Businesses would be closed on Sundays so that families could spend time at church and then with each other. Thus I believe we would be less stressed, have healthier relationships, and come to work on Monday's re-energized.
• Comedy would be smart but void of crude humor. Have you ever scene their billboards? Ha-larious.
• Politicians would run clean campaigns while at the same time poking fun at their opponent. Chick fil-A picks on hamburgers non-stop. Their slogan is "Eat More Chicken" and it's said by a cow. It's funny but it's not mud slinging.
• All coupons would be taken even after they expire. I love that about Chick-fil-A.
• Creativity would be appreciated and taught at schools. It's one of the most creative companies I know.

Any other ideas of how our world would be different if Chick fil-A ruled it?

Do you want liquid to spew from both ends of your body?

My wife calls me in a frantic state to let me know that there was a recall on all Slim-Fast cans. Apparently some of the cans had a bacteria on them that causes explosive liquid to spew from both ends of your body. Hearing that made me giggle. There are no issues with other Slim-Fast products...just the cans. You can get a full refund for all cans from Slim-Fast.

I drink Slim-Fast for breakfast.

I have two cans left in my fridge from a six pack. To drink or not to drink? That is the question.

Rob Raps

A couple of Sundays ago at WEC I got to channel my hip hop side at church. Sometimes I like to pretend to be a rock star. It doesn't come out often, but I have a lot of fun with it when it does. If you weren't there I hope you enjoy the performance.

The song is "Get This Party Started" by TobyMac

A Letter to Hair

Dear Hair,

I really appreciate you. In fact I'd look really weird if my body was completely hairless. You provide warmth for my head, as my eye brows you provide a sweat catcher, and because of shaving you give me something to do in the morning. In other words I'm grateful for you.

With all the good you do I hate to nitpick but there are a few things that I just don't understand. I don't understand why you decide to grow and not grow. Why are you on my back when I don't want you to be? At the same time you're leaving my head where I really want you. Don't you want to go where you are welcomed?

I also don't get what causes you to grow. Why did you decide to start growing on my ears? Are you like a plant who leaves seeds when it falls. Did you fall off my head and onto my ears, and back? Don't get me wrong I don't have it as bad as some guys, but I'm curious.

If there is anything I've done to tick you off and make you want to leave my head then I'm sorry. Please don't take it out on the rest of my body.

Trying to understand,

Rob

P.S. Please stop growing out of my nose. Instead put that same effort into the top of my head and I'll be a happy man.

What do people think of you...

What do the people who know you the best think of you? Everyone can fool strangers or people at a distance but the people who see the real you can't be fooled.

"Being above reproach means that the people who see the real you still decide to follow you." - Francis Chan

It's easy to try really hard to please people you barely know and neglect the people that you love the most. The real you comes out when you are not pretending. When that happens it's the people who love you the most that are affected. Make a conscious effort to work on yourself and then you wont have to work so hard to hide who you really are.

Lazy Man's Christmas Lights...or Genius

Do you have a neighbor who goes all out with Christmas lights on their house? If so you might want to borrow this idea...
In my opinion it's very clever.

Rob's Top Ten: Christmas Movie Edition

It's December and that means that it's time to watch Christmas movies. Call me legalistic but I don't think people should watch Christmas movies before Thanksgiving and after New Years. Someone should pass that along to the cable networks who play Home Alone 2 in July (seriously it's played almost every month of the year). The following is a list of my favorite Christmas movies of all time...

10. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (It's not as good as the first but it still makes me laugh)

09. A Charlie Brown Christmas

08. Gremlins

07. It's A Wonderful Life

06. The Santa Clause (classic, but don't make me comment on the two sequels)

05. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

04. Die Hard (I recommend watching this one on TV, but it's a classic)

03. A Christmas Story

02. Elf

01. Home Alone

What's your favorite Christmas movie? Vote on it on the new poll at robshep.com.

If you like Twilight...

If you like Twilight I think the following clip will make you laugh. It's from Taylor Swifts appearance on Saturday Night Live. Very funny.

God doesn't make sense

I don't get God. In fact there are a lot of things about God that just don't make sense. Like why doesn't He show up anymore? In the Old Testament He seemed to show up a lot. I'd like a burning bush every now and again. Another thing that doesn't make sense is how God is one and yet at the same time three...Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That may not be a big deal to you but that claim almost got Jesus stoned (and I'm not talking about the wacky weed). I don't get why God doesn't step in more when tragedy arises. I don't get why God allows negligent, unloving people to have kids, while potential great parents are barren.

There are a lot of things about God that just don't make sense, but some how God still makes sense of my life. I don't get God and truthfully I'm glad. If I could fully understand God what type of supreme being would that be?

What makes sense to me is that I need Him in my life. Without Him I'm lost. I'm a better husband, friend, and human being because of God. What makes sense is that I'm imperfect and in need of a Savior. What doesn't make sense is how God would love me despite my imperfection. What doesn't make sense is how God would pursue me despite how many times I've turned my back on Him. God doesn't make sense but He makes sense of my life.

Movie Review: The Blind Side

The Blind Side is one of the best movies I've seen this year. It's heart warming, funny, and inspirational. It has something for everyone in your family.

The Blind Side stars Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw (yes the country music superstar). The film is based off the real life story of Michael Oher, a NFL lineman. Oher was on the streets, and a below average student when a family took him into their lives. This movie has something for everyone, sports, drama, humor, and an engaging story. It's also one of Sandra Bullock's best performances. It's rated PG-13 for brief violence, and a few swears. I give it two thumbs way up.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

Random Things I'm Thankful For...

Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks. I'm thankful for my wife (she's the best wife ever hands down), I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my church, and I'm thankful that God found me. There are also a lot of random things that I'm thankful for, like...

• The inventor of toilet paper, Joseph C. Gayetty. Before him people used the Sears Catalog, grass, leaves, sponges, shells, and corncobs. Read those last two again and you will be thankful for Joseph C. Gayetty.
• The inventor of the phrase, "righty tighty lefty loosey." I don't know who that was but they have saved me a lot of time and frustration.
• Chipotle...nuff said.
• People falling down. It makes me laugh and laughter is a healthy thing.
• Ice Spiker hair glue. I've used it for years. It works really well.
• Wireless Internet. We just got it for Monica's (my wife's) b-day. Before that we were stuck up stairs on a computer that was worse than having dial-up.
• Underwear. It rarely gets seen but it's one thing we all have in common...at least we should.
• Texting - so simple but yet it's revolutionized the way we communicate.
• The fact that my butt has never been featured on the news when they talk about obesity. Have you ever watched the news when they talk about obesity?
• The Nintendo Wii. It's fun and it's name opens itself up for immature jokes.
• Speaking of immature humor who came up with the name aspergers. It's a serious condition that many kids have, but someone should have thought through that name.
• Naps - if I was in charge I would allow a 30 minute nap everyday. We force kids to take them but then we don't take them ourselves...a little hypocritical don't you think?

That's it for me. So what random things are you thankful?

Rob's new hair

I have not kept it a secret that I know that I'm losing my hair. I posted about the time my barber told me I was at stage three for hair loss...there are only four stages. I posted about the new shampoo that is supposed to work work wonders. It's expensive. It also brings fear to me every time I use it because I'm nervous it's not going to work on my head...but shampoo has to touch other parts of my body when I wash it off. I'm afraid I'm going to turn into a bald wookie (for none Star Wars fans that's what Chewbacca is).

This visor could solve that for me. We saw it at a restaurant in Nags Head and it made us all laugh. I hope you enjoy the pic.

Can You Fall Out of Love?

I'm not a big fan of the phrase I fell in or out of love. I often use it, but I'm not a fan. The problem I have with it is that it makes love completely about a feeling. It's relatively easy to fall in and out of love when it's comprised of feelings alone. Something new can evoke a feeling that we mistake for love. Attractiveness can evoke a feeling that we mistake for love. Instant gratification can evoke feelings that we mistake for love. The need for companionship can evoke a feeling that we mistake for love. Love goes beyond feelings. It's a choice!

Feelings are fleeting. True love sees the worst you have to offer and still sticks by your side.

I know we can't always control our feelings...but that is why when it comes to love it has to be about more than feelings. If you want true love in your life then choose to love others well...despite their flaws. If you want true love in your life love beyond the feelings.

If you can fall out of love then was it ever love to begin with? Maybe it was just a feeling. I have enough feelings in my life...I want to choose to love.

Movie Review: Twilight Saga New Moon

I don't get it.

I give it a thumb to the side.

(For more review check out the comments...)

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

Conflict Part 3

Conflict happens for two reasons.

1. Unmet expectations
2. Unrealistic expectations

Conflict arises when someone doesn't meet or exceed your expectations.
Think about something you think is rude...someone texting during a meeting, a girl farting on a first date, someone constantly interrupting you when you speak.

Now the question you need to ask is have I communicated this expectation? If you haven't then your first step is to communicate it. Not when you are upset or mad, but when you can communicate it clearly.

Ex: The guys in my Student Community Group often text during the lesson. I felt like that was a distraction but I never communicated that with them. I can't get mad if they text if I never set up a ground rule. So the new rule we have in group is everyone shuts off their cell phone before the discussion.

Now if you have communicated that expectation then you need to answer a second question...is it unrealistic? In premarital counseling the example we always give to guys is that it's an unrealistic expectation to have sex every day with your wife. That's unrealistic! Understanding if it's realistic or not can help you decide if you should address the conflict.

If you have communicated the expectation and it is realistic then it's healthy to confront. In fact it's the only way to grow and move past this...for you and for the person you are in conflict with.

To be continued...

Conflict Part 2

How do you feel about conflict?

I hate conflict but I've come to believe that conflict can be healthy and necessary to maintain healthy relationships. With that being said I still want to avoid it like the plague.

The reason that conflict can be healthy is because, when handled right, it can help restore a relationship, heal a wound, or help a person get to the next level.

Think about it this way if someone had a problem with you and it wasn't petty wouldn't you want to know? If you had a blind spot in your life that drove people crazy wouldn't you want to know? If you had unintentionally hurt someone with your actions wouldn't you want to know about it?

Now if it's a high maintenance friend who always complains that you don't call, don't hang out enough, or leave them out then you may not want to know. But if I'm doing something and it's affecting the quality of someone else's life I'd want to know. The key to conflict and overcoming it is in the way you communicate...

To be continued

Catalyst: One Day

On Monday the WEC programming staff went to Maryland for a conference called Catalyst One Day. It was a great day and a good conference. This trip was extra special because we brought our wives. Enjoy some pics of the trip...

Pictured Above: Bethany and Phil Poteat

Pictured Above: Stu (with strep throat), Tab, Jamey, and Carlyn.

Pictured Above: Our staff was blessed with a homemade dinner for the ride up and a basket filled with sparkling cider, chocolate covered strawberries, mixed nuts, and grapes. All of this was provided by one of the WEC volunteers!

Pictured Above: We took the WEC party bus.

On our drive up the party bus broke down. Lucky for us Bill Laws was with us. Not only did he drive us he also pulled a MacGyver and fixed a leaky hose with duct tape.

Pictured Above: All the liquid leaking from the party bus .

We stopped at a Wal-Mart in hopes to find the parts we needed to fix the bus.

Pictured Above: Carlyn and Tab pretending to dual.

Pictured Above: Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel spoke at the conference.

Both were top shelf!

Pictured Above: Steve Fee led worship. If you don't have his new disc you need to ASAP!

Pictured Above: The WEC staff and wives singing We Shine by Steve Fee

Conflict Part 1

I learned in a college psych class about Flight or Fight. According to Flight or Fight we all have a tendency to either flee confrontation or fight when a problem arises. For me I'm a bona fide flighter. I hate confrontation.

Because I hate it I have a hard time talking to someone when they hurt my feelings. I analyze it to death, have conversations in my head, and then dismiss the issue because I convince myself it's not that big of a deal.

Here's what I've learned with conflict...it shouldn't be avoided. Conflict should be handled with care and done in a respectful way, but if you avoid it the problem it never goes away.

To be continued...

Monica's Birthday

30 years ago today my wife was born. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have her in my life. Without a doubt every day is happy birthday to me because of her.

I love you Monica!

Movie Review: This Is It

"This Is It" is the documentary about the prep for Michael Jackson's last concert tour. As you probably know Michael never got to preform that concert so all the footage is of rehearsals for the show.

"This Is It" is a great film. Maybe it's because MJ's music is so timeless but the film is very enjoyable. At times you can tell MJ is going through the motions but even at 50 years old it is evident that he is a stellar performer. The sets for the concert are mind blowing, the dancers move effortlessly, and the concert shows why MJ was one of the greatest entertainers ever.

I probably won't own this on DVD but it's such a great theater experience I have to give it two thumbs up.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

Catchphrase

Catchphrase: "A phrase that is recognized by it's repeated utterance and often becomes apart of culture."I don't know about you but I like to know where phrases that people say come from.

Today's catchphrase: "Sorry Charlie."

Origin of Sorry Charlie - according to Wikipedia "Sorry Charlie" comes from a popular tuna commercial that played up until 1985. It was said by Charlie the Tuna after he would escape the fisherman's hook.