Turner Travel Blog

Day One Zurich Switzerland

2010-08-06T14:59:00.002-05:00

Went to an awesome castle today... Neuschwanstein Castle!

Day One Oberammergau, Germany

2010-08-06T00:23:00.006-05:00

Got to the hotel very late. Had an unbelievable room with two stories, two balconies, and we were "too" tired to enjoy it all. :)

After about 6 hours sleep, we got back on the bus and headed 30 minutes away to the little Bavarian village that puts on a major Passion Play once every 10 years since 1634.

It was drizzling 90% of the day but we still manged to shop during our free time.

The Passion Play (See Website) was awesome and much better than I could imagine a town of 5,000 pulling off. Everyone in the play are "normal" people from the village, around 2,000 are involved. Great production, music, and singing. We left very impressed.

Day One Frankfurt, Germany

2010-08-03T16:13:00.005-05:00

Spent the day on the way (in Eisenach) visiting Bach's home/museum, St. George's church, and a castle Luther hide out in.

At the town's statue

The center of town

Chill'n while listening to Bach

Day Three Leipzig, Germany

2010-08-03T15:41:00.006-05:00

Today we went to our favorite city (so far), Wittenburg. Luther lived here with his wife and he nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the chapel/school/castle.

The Door

From our lunch table

A man getting water from public fountain

Luther's front door

Day Two Leipzig, Germany

2010-08-02T11:33:00.005-05:00

Went to Erfurt today where Luther went to University and where he lived as a monk in an Augustinian Monastery. (below)

Ordered Pepperoni Pizza and got pizza with peppers all over it. Still was good.

There is a cool bridge in town "Kramer Bridge." It is the oldest inhabited bridge in Europe. Here are images from the bridge and under it.

Day One Leipzig, Germany

2010-07-31T23:18:00.003-05:00

Spent the evening with friends in town hanging out in the cool European air under an umbrella telling stories and enjoying the moment.

Day Three Prague, Chez Republic

2010-07-30T13:35:00.010-05:00

What a great and LONG first day touring this awesome city. The weather was just perfect. Cool 65 with no humidity.

Saw John Huss' Bethlehem Church and heard Chuck Swindoll preach from the same place this great reformer taught his flock over 600 years ago. Huss was burned at the state for teaching against the Catholic church.

Saw an unbelievable, breath-taking castle and chapel overlooking the river. Took 600 years just to build it. Had an indoor jousting facility in the king's palace.

We put about 6 miles on my poor feet today. Seems we have a great group of travelers. Tomorrow Germany!

Day Two Prague, Chez Republic

2010-07-29T22:50:00.003-05:00

A nap, a few meetings, workout, and a brief walk down the street. Simple day while we tried to adjust to the time difference and prepare for meeting our bus guests.

Enjoyed another late night stroll with the Kemps... and got to see our good friend Kevin from Boston.

Day One Prague, Chez Republic

2010-07-29T06:06:00.004-05:00

All international travel is tough but this trip over has been quite uneventful. Decent seats on the planes, no luggage lost, got to see 15 Mormons ride 12+ hours with suits and ties on (poor guys), and made it to our very nice hotel (Marriott) right after landing.

Blair, from the TV show "Facts of Life," is on our tour. Got to meet her, but didn't tell her I watched Superbowl 30 with Miss Garrett while I lived in LA. We will need something else to talk about later.

We fought through the first afternoon of tiredness by walking around Prague with Paul Sailhammer & Roger Kemp and their wives. We found an outdoor cafe with great food and people watched for a while.

Paul is great to travel with as he has so much knowledge about many local events and landmarks.

The streets are full of people and energy and the town blends old and new very well. Seems puppet shops, glass shops, concerts, and town clocks are very popular.

Mandy and I went to bed before 10pm but I'm already up by 2am... wide awake. The life of a jet-setter! :)

London, Day Seven

2010-06-28T19:05:00.004-05:00

Last day was spent working for the day and then headed back off to London to do a speed-tour with Scott and T-Dawg! This is the IFLUK team. Great bunch of guys and girl! :)

Rode a double decker, Rode the Tube, went to London Bridge, London Tower, and went to many spots.

The train brought us back after midnight and now its time to pack!

London, Day Six

2010-06-27T12:25:00.008-05:00

Not a lot of pictures today. I burned the memories in my head (and a few from my iPhone)

We ate at our hotel (below)
Spent the morning worshiping at the Local Anglican church in Ashtead with Scott's family. Took a "formal communion."

Then watched the World Cup before driving up Box hill on the way back to the hotel tonight.

T'Dawg and I on Box Hill, Dorking, Surry, UK

Then we ate the worlds hottest pizza EVER!

London, Day Five

2010-06-27T12:08:00.006-05:00

I think this was a Saturday so we worked some more at the office. We did get an extra hour of sleep but put in a half day before we headed off to London on the train.

The Queen was home and was tightly guarded. Being a weekend, there were a lot of tourist around the gate. But the good news was that the "funny hat" guys were out front.

T-Dawg and I went to Mandy's and my favorite "people watching" spot... Trafalgar Square The weather was great and we enjoyed hanging out in the public square.

Then off to see Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben before we headed back to Waterloo station and home. A quick Chinese dinner and we made it to bed around midnight.

The Abbey has awesome architecture... I'm just saying...

London, Day Four

2010-06-27T12:01:00.003-05:00

Too much time has past so my memory of this day is not well. But I will have to assume that we ate breakfast and walked to Starbucks and then went to the office... ate about 12:30... looked up and realized that the day got away from us. :)

I do think that Scott and I took a walk in the afternoon around Dorking and looked for some gifts for the kids and talked business.

The evening was spent at the Bean's house seeing his family. Its always great being around Scott and Kirsty. We stopped at a local dive to buy "meat and chips" and chilled in the living room while the kids swam in the back.

London, Day Three

2010-06-24T19:44:00.005-05:00

Not as crazy today. Spent most of the day in the IFL UK office working. I was able to take a short walk down the road during the afternoon.

Tonight, Scott took T-Dawg and I to a local Indian food place on high street. (This may be why I'm wide awake at nearly 2am writing this). I've never had this type of food. Not bad but I won't be looking one up in the Dallas area anytime soon...As long as there is Tex-Mex.

Tomorrow, we may try to squeeze London in... or we may be in the office finishing website tweaks. :) Or I may be napping at my desk.

London, Day Two

2010-06-24T05:17:00.006-05:00

One of the fastest days of my life today. Here is how it went: Woke up, breakfast, work, sandwich, work, train ride, dinner, train ride, 10:30pm.

Our Hotel Lobby

Spent 6 hours in the office and 6 in meetings/travel/eating. Overall a great day just lightning fast.

Boarding the train in Dorking

Did get to see Big Ben and the Thames River somewhere along the way.

In London at sunset

London is very hot right now. The trains don't have AC. They don't normally need them but right now its a little toasty in the Tunnel. I walked back to the White Horse alone in the dark (No wolf along the path this year) and got to see "Sir Laurence Olivier" birthplace a few blocks away from the hotel.

My good friend, Scott Bean

London, Day One

2010-06-23T07:33:00.007-05:00

A mid-morning flight to Charlotte, North Carolina started off our journey. We had a quick bite at an airport Mexican restaurant. Salmon mixed with Mexican was the gamble of the day. I survived.
We got bulkhead with an isle (I did at least) on the way over. A few sleeping pills and a "Night at the Museum" on-demand movie put me straight to sleep. Scott met us at the airport and drove us to his house on the wrong side of the road.

After a few hours of work our jet-lag kicked in and we became seriously worthless. Scott walked us to our 600+ year old hotel (White Horse) in our 2,000 year old city (Dorking).
After a small nap, T-Dawg and I took an evening walk around High Street and ate at a local Pizza Shoppe.
Our rooms are great and I slept like a little baby. 8 full hours and I'll be ready to hit the UK by storm.

Canada Day Three and Four

2010-06-04T14:26:00.002-05:00

Turned out to be a nice day our last full day here. Sunny and in the 60s. Ben took us to the hotel by the airport, since we had an early morning flight. Tdog and I had a killer view from the 14th floor.

We ate in the airport for dinner. I had sushi, since I was near the water. But I'm sure the fish came drom Detroit instead of Vancouver.

The room was off the hook and the bed was like laying on angel wings. Really enjoyed the trip here and got bulkhead on the way back. Good times.

Our neighbors to the North are OK by me. Ayy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Canada Day One and Two

2010-06-02T16:48:00.006-05:00

Great flight even though the landing gear made a loud noise and I thought an engine fell to the ground. T-Dog and I had a CFL football player sit between us and I'm sure we broke a record of how much meat can fit in three seats.

BC is beautiful this time of year. A lot in bloom. It has been raining off and on but it has not caused us any issues. Here is the outside of the Bed and Breakfast we are staying in... only 15 minutes from the office.

Working a lot (With Ben and Tanya) but enjoying the VERY comfortable room Ben set us up in. (Yes, it looks girlish, but it is VERY soft and made me sleep like a baby)

Destin Day Four

2010-05-31T15:47:00.004-05:00

Well, every day can't be perfect. Some bad luck today. We started the day off with a 2 hour ride of Seadoos, but choppy seas, clouds, wind, a thunderstorm, and a constant beeping warning light made the experience less than awesome. But hanging out as a family and seeing a few dolphins still made the time worth while. (Plus we got to see three girl flip their Seadoo) :)
We then headed to the beach but a LOT off moss came in and the sea was a green soup. As we sat on the beach waiting for it to go away a strong thunderstorm came in. So after a nap and a quick trip to the surf shop, we made it back to the beach at sunset.
Been a great trip. Can't wait till next year!

Destin Day Three

2010-05-30T07:32:00.006-05:00

Another long day at the beach

A small storm in the middle of the afternoon, allowed us to take a much needed nap. The waves were much bigger today, so the kids got to play on the body boards and tubes a lot. They all got good at riding the waves all the way into shore.

Zander practiced his football catching skills in the waves.

We took a late evening walk on the beach and played our new favorite game "beach paddles." Zander and my new record is "58." Mom is still learning how to play. :)

Mexican seafood closed out the night... kids wanted to go home and sleep more than eat...The sand and sun is wearing them out.

Destin Day Two

2010-05-29T07:05:00.002-05:00

Our Cabana

The boys woke up early. The sun comes up at the crack of dawn here (pun intended). So the Turners hit the day on a few hours sleep. After a trip to the grocery store and a surf shop, we loaded up 5 body boards, two chairs, one umbrella, one cooler, and two beach bags and headed 300 yards south.

With only a brief dry sandwich lunch break, we stayed at the beach for about 9 hours. All went well except for Zander's shorts. The boy has NO butt and his pants keep falling down.

Had a "green flag" day and a little seaweed in the late afternoon. Wasn't crowded and our sand neighbors were great.

Cajun food and Walmart finished up the day, and we all CRASHED about five minutes after walking in the door at 9:30pm.

Changes in latitude, changes in attitude.....
Posted from my iPhone

Destin Florida Day One

2010-05-27T16:17:00.001-05:00

Last minute oppertunity to get away with the family this Summer... Even though it's the first day of Summer break. ;)

We went on the same trip for 8 days this exact same week last year. We had a blast. This year we will just be on the beach for three full days. Plans: beach, Dewey Destins for lunch, ride Seadoos with the Dolphins, cook chicken and corn on the grill behind the cabana, and find favorite BBQ sauce at local store.

The party has already started in the car!!!

We are playing out favorite car game... This year it is Zander and I verses everyone else. Points when you spot:

Green corvette
Convertable VW
Treehouse
Moving windmill
Pumping oil well
Great Dane
Dalmation
Black guy wearing black socks and black shoes
Man on horse
Girl with red hair on sign
Alligator
State flag
The number 22

Good times!!!!!!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Israel Day 11 2010

2010-03-18T13:11:00.005-05:00

Last day in Israel had us finishing up at the Garden Tomb, Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
We said goodbye to our friends tonight but we hope to keep them in our memories for years to come. God is Good!

Israel Day 10 2010

2010-03-17T09:56:00.004-05:00

Walked around the Shrine of the Book today and took some images of the model city of Jerusalem. Then we drove to the Holocaust Museum. That is a tough place to hang for a few hours.
We then went around the Jewish Quarter to shop with friends.

Israel Day 9 2010

2010-03-16T14:35:00.005-05:00

Traveled to the Dead Sea area today to view Masada, the Dead Sea Scroll area, En Gedi, and to swim in the sea. It was oily and saltly... but it was NOT hot. The desert was only 75 degrees today. Awesome.
We walked up to the highest spring and saw where David and his men hid from Saul. Great place.
We also saw where almost 1,000 Jews killed themselves to keep from death or slavery from the Romans almost 2,000 years ago.

Israel Day 8 2010

2010-03-15T14:13:00.006-05:00

Had another great day in the Holy City today. We walked through the 2,500+ water tunnel under the city. We also walked through the old city and the City of David.

Tomorrow we travel to the Dead Sea!

Israel Day 7 2010

2010-03-14T13:09:00.004-05:00

In Jerusalem today seeing the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. Great day, but of course..

Israel Day 6 2010

2010-03-13T14:04:00.005-06:00

What an amazing day today. Started out of the Sea of Galilee on a boat, headed to the ancient city of Beth Shan (City that hung King Saul's body on its wall), drove by Jericho, stopped at a military zone to visit the site of Israelites entering the Promise Land and Jesus' baptism... then entered the Holy City of Jerusalem at sundown.

Right after a quick dinner, we walked through the Western Wall tunnels then now... to bed! What a LONG day!

Israel Day 5 2010

2010-03-12T13:42:00.003-06:00

Still on the Sea of Galilee today driving to some amazing places nearby. Went to Jesus hometown and the the Jordan River.
Here is our GBF group on our last night at dinner by the sea. Headed to Jerusalem in the morning.

Israel Day 4 2010

2010-03-12T13:13:00.004-06:00

In Nazareth today.... Here is a picture on the cliffs over looking the Jezreel valley.
Went to the Galilee area today. Stayed at a hotel on the shores of the sea of Galilee. We ate outside with friends after visiting Jesus' hometowns. Here is Mandy studying early morning by the sea.

Israel Day 3 2010

2010-03-10T13:03:00.002-06:00

Awesome day today. Went to Caesarea by the Sea, Mt Carmel, and then over to the awesome city of Megiddo. Had a great time with our Bus number 4 (Green) bus. Had dinner by the Sea of Galilee and heard some great Jewish Music.

Israel Day 2 2010

2010-03-09T09:45:00.005-06:00

Been a great day at the Dan Panorama Hotel. Early morning breakfast and then a mid morning meeting for IFL staff. A large group of us headed over to Joffa for a quick tour of the Biblical port city, then we came back to the hotel to greet guest arriving from the airport.

A smaller group of friends went with us to walk the market streets and see the sights of the local neighborhoods.

Tel Aviv is an exciting city.

We will not have internet access until Wednesday evening, so this is the only post I will make for 26-28 hours. All is well, having a blast.

Israel Day1 2010

2010-03-08T12:34:00.006-06:00

Most of this day was on a plane over the Atlantic. Our 11 hour plane ride was short and sweet. Security check in was painless, we had exit row seating (plenty of leg room), and best of all...both Mandy and I slept the entire flight thanks to Xanax (sleeping pill) and exhaustion from a day of touring New York!

The weather here is much warmer than we anticipated which means we may have some sink washing to do a few times, since neither Mandy and I brought too many pairs of shorts. IFL was predicting more rainy days and cooler days than our last trip two years ago (May 2008).

Well we are now going to shower up after being in the same clothes for almost 48hrs and perhaps try to get ourselves on Israel time.... which is 9 hours ahead!!!!

I remember the food now. Lots of stuff, looks good, smells good, but I just can't eat it. I stick with the same three things each time. Going to be a long week. Maybe I can drop a few pounds.

New York was great. Climbed the Statue of Liberty and got to see out of the crown of her head. 300+ steps in a tight spiral staircase almost killed me but it was a great day. Walked around Central Park for a while too.

We had a 7 hour layover and got to see the city a little. You can see the pictures we took of New York on our Picasa Album.

Israel Day 0 2010

2010-03-06T06:25:00.004-06:00

Packing today and leaving at 3am for the airport. A 8+ hour layover in New York with the Stiles and then a 10 1/2 hour flight to Tel Aviv. As of now, we plan to visit Ellis Island, Rockerfeller Center, Times Square, and some of Central Park. Then off to security and my awesome exit row seats!!

The Holyland, here we come. (Southern Steps of the Temple Mount. Jesus entered the temple from these steps. )

Great wolf lodge

2010-02-01T14:11:00.002-06:00

Two days and one night at this overpriced hotel. But the kids had a blast and mommy did too. So I guess it's not too over priced. Here we are in our hotel room headed down to the pool.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Destin, Florida 2009

2009-05-25T09:07:00.005-05:00

We are having a blast and are too busy to be typing on a laptop all day. So I may not write another post for a few days. We rented a small cabana about 200 yards from the white sands of Destin. It rain most of the morning Sunday but cleared off for a beautiful day.
Here was our schedule Sunday (We will doing the exact the next five days) Crab Fishing, buying seafood, sitting on the beach, building sand castles, walking on the shores, cooking in the back yard, reading, sight seeing, and snorkeling.

We have found that or favorite activities at the beach include: digging giant holes in the sand, beach washers, wave riding, and watching people get sun burned.

New York Day Five

2009-04-27T12:14:00.002-05:00

Special note: There is a main terminal at NY LaGuardia airport called "Terminal B." Within Terminal B there is a wing called "D."

If your taxi driver tries to drop you off at Terminal D (Delta's terminal) and you are flying American Airlines, don't believe him. It is a LONG walk/ride back to the correct terminal D.

Also, when you do take that long bus ride, get off at Terminal C because the driver does not stop at before mentioned terminal D.

I'm just saying!

New York Day Four

2009-04-27T11:27:00.004-05:00

A fabulous day today. The weather was amazing, sunny, small breeze, and 80 degrees. After sleeping in a little, we decided to walk to Central Park with just a few shopping stops along the way.
The park was amazing and the amount of people using it was mind blowing too. I did not know how huge these piece of land was. Even with the tens of thousands of people there, there was plenty of room for everyone.
I did come to realize... I am not used to walking so much. The 8-10 miles I put on my body almost killed me late that evening. I was ready to see my bed at the end of the day.

New York Day Three

2009-04-24T22:32:00.005-05:00

A fun day at training today. Went by very fast. They did not supply lunch today, so we walked to a street vendor and ordered hotdogs and water. $5.

It was sunny and 70 degrees, so we walked to Madison Square Garden and people watched for about an hour. There was a taxi line near us, so we saw thousands of people walk, stroll, run, and sit by us. Lots of stories, lots of faces.
The afternoon class was very hands on and we all passed our final exam with flying colors. So after a quick walk back to our hotel to drop off paperwork and bags, we headed to the subway and then to Brooklyn. There was a pizza place we wanted to try. A hole-in-the-wall but it has a line out the door. It was GREAT!
We decided to walk back to NY via the Brooklyn Bridge. It had an awesome view of the city and the weather was perfect.
After touring Ground Zero, we caught an outdoor film festival next to the harbor and then caught a subway home. I'm headed to bed!

New York Day Two

2009-04-23T20:16:00.005-05:00

Great day today in the Big Apple. Our Convio training classroom is only about 2 blocks from our crib. Mike slept on the floor last night. We have 3 guys and two beds. So man rules require one of us sleep in the car or floor. It was surprisingly quiet last night. I never work up once.
Of course, as soon as we hit the front door, music, smells, noise, and the business hits you in the face. This city has a vibe and energy like no other place.
After a productive day learning about computer software, we headed back to Rockefeller Center to shop the NBC store. Then Mike met up with an old friend and Chris and I headed to ChinaTown via a taxi. We ate at a little hole-in-the wall place recommended by a guy we met. It was tiny and crowded... with a small line in the door.
We also hit Little Italy too. After a subway ride back to the hotel, we are now looking for a local establishment playing the Mavs game. It is on NBATV and not on our hotel cable.

New York Day One

2009-04-22T20:28:00.004-05:00

Left Dallas this am with Mike and Chris and headed off to the Big Apple. We have been growing beards for a few weeks preparing for our big trip. We are here to study a new CMS for our organization's web software. The trip had been planned for months and was needed so we could wrap up a project we are in the middle of.

Landed and headed off to see the sights of the big city. Took about a 3 or 4 mile walk and saw a lot tonight. Madison Square Garden, Broadway, 34th street, Macy's, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Empire State Building, and lots of people. The sights and sounds of the city are "exactly" what I imagined. Lots of energy and lots to see. Truly an amazing place!

I am looking forward to the morning and our class. Should be fun to learn something new.

Nashville Day Four

2009-02-09T06:14:00.005-06:00

Started off mighty early today. I took medicine and went to bed around 8pm last night. I have been wide awake since around 3am.

I gathered some stuff in the dark, dressed quietly, and headed out of the room around 3:30am. I've been in a nearby lobby for the past few hours watching a DVD on my laptop, watching the night crew clean the stairs and carpet, and thinking about NRB.
I really enjoyed NRB last year. This year, I haven't caught the spirit. I am not sure if is due to the fact that IFL has a good game plan for 2009 and I am not hearing anything that is challenging me to think further down the road. Or could it be that no one has a great idea what the future holds for Christian media?

I can't help from thinking about a few major points. Even though there is such thing as best practice and human nature, Christian giving comes from a different place than charts, graphs, data, and trends can document. And will the model built for Christian Radio/TV ministries morph to the Internet? Is the Internet just another leg on the stool or a whole new chair?

It is fun meeting people, hearing ideas, spotting trends, and learning the industry, but I am wanting to see clearly down the road. I guess I'm frustrated I can't do that right now.

So, I guess I will work on learning to walk with bisters on both heels and learning to talk with a sore throat. And just keep at the gameplan we have already established for the next year. Its sound.

Nashville Day Three

2009-02-08T15:23:00.003-06:00

The morning started off great.. had a small breakfast buffett with Wayne and Bill at an artificial riverside cafe. Had theological discussions about the messages from the night before and philosophical discussions about ministries in general.

Bill and I attended a worship service. It was nice and had great music too.
I then headed to a cafe and asked for hot water and salt. I gargled for a few minutes to try and relieve this pain in the back of my throat. I'm not exactly sure but I am thinking a 10-12lb frog with sandpaper on its back, crawled into my throat last night and is break dancing in and around my sinuses. When I try to swallow, he puts his arms and legs against the walls of the opening and tries to block anything from passing, then kicks me a few times. I feel OK, but my throat is killing me.... did I say killing? Good, I meant it!

After the gargle, I went to a 2 hour lunch/meeting to discuss Convio, meet other ministries, and the Convio team. Great time, wish I felt better so I could interacted more and with a clear head.

I am now in bed for no other reason but to protect myself from talking to people... Did I mention I am in pain?

I wish I knew how to get medicine here. I need some sinus medicine BAD. Maybe a Z-pak! Are there bootleggers for this sort of thing?

Nashville Day Two

2009-02-07T13:25:00.004-06:00

Woke up and worked out. I was out of breath before I even made it to the gym. This place is huge. I did get in a few miles at the treadmill and the stationary bike.

I then made a horrible discovery. 260 lbs will not fit into a 240 lbs black suit. I'm not sure if this suit will make it back into the closet in one piece. I feel like a teenager in a chicken suit holding a "Eat at Joe's" sign. I'm not naked but I feel out of place and know people are watching and shaking their heads in disbelief. :)
Today is the big day. www.insight.org won Best Ministry Website of the Year and we receive an award and have a photo op later today. More to come. (I have to go sign up for a Yoga class).

We received our NRB award. We had our picture taken with the president of NRB and we had a few famous people in the room with us.

After the photo op and a quick bite to eat, we headed to the General Opening session of NRB and sat on the third row. A great 2 hours. A Christian band, Salvador, played. Billy Graham's daughter, Anne, spoke, then Alistair Begg.

I am coming down with something. My throat is killing me. I also made a horrible mistake. I bought new shoes before I came and now have two giant blisters on my heels. I may "seriously" have to wear tennis shoes with my suits for the next 3 days. Otherwise, I will need to rent a wheel chair. I will see what kind of looks I can get from people when I mix suspenders with K-Swiss.

Nashville Day One

2009-02-06T21:18:00.008-06:00

Back at NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) in Nashville Tennessee. We are at the Gaylord, right next to the Grand Ole Opry. This year was not as bad as "day one" last year. We didn't have to fight through delayed flights, icy weather, getting lost leaving the airport, and long lines at check-in.

It was smooth sailing from the time Bill picked me up in the driveway till tonight's viewing on our 30 anniversary DVD in our IFL suite.

Blue skies and 65 degree weather greeted us as we unloaded our bags and checked in. After unpacking, most of us went to the suite to help setup the furniture and electronics. Somehow I seem to always get the backseat in any vehicle I get in. I don't mind but as I get older and heavier, my body doesn't enjoy the positions I torque into.
Then an evening at a steakhouse capped off the night nicely. We enjoyed a nice evening of good food and told each other eccentricities about ourselves. I think I had the worst, but I am not surprised. The prime rib was one of the best I have ever eaten and I think I gained 4 lbs by just looking at the dessert. I need to thank Cynthia again.

The IFL Day One Crew

My Blog Spot

I am headed to bed and hope I wake up. I have a Canadian coming into the room after 10pm. Not sure what they do after dark. But I hope it doesn't involve watching hockey, calling moose, or singing their national anthem. Good night.

California Trip Day Seven

2008-11-28T11:39:00.006-06:00

Thanksgiving Day at the Pearsons. I think we left the house only once to drop of some food for the homeless and run to the grocery store. The rest of the day we watched football, ate, talked with friends, ate, played Rock Band, ate, played Taboo, watched ESPN, ate, and took naps. It was a good day. Tanya had a well prepared day for everyone.

Our friends Leaf and Tina came by too

We had some great ham and turkey. Ron had the honor of cutting it.

Go Cowboys and Texas

Let's Eat!

California Trip Day Six

2008-11-27T11:28:00.009-06:00

The Turner's and Pearson's ventured to Disneyland in Anaheim California today. It was pouring rain when we left La Canada but as we drove south, the clouds broke and we never saw or felt rain again. After arriving, we waited briefly for our friend Bob Dobilina to come out and give us some free Disneyland tickets. He is the head of the entrance/security (I think) and this is his second time to save us money at the theme park.
We put a whoopin on the two theme parks, Disneyland and California Venture. We got to ride about 90% of the rides we wanted and even road Pirates & water rapids twice. The kids held up really well. Zander was extremely nervous before most of the rides and then he ended up loving them all. I think he just needs to process the rides by watching them operate first. Rides inside buildings or mountains gave him a hard time.
My daughter, Addison, must have taken a brave pill. There was no ride off limits for her. She road a ride I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. She had a great time (and is still asleep this AM). Here is a video of our crew on the Matterhorn roller coaster. Notice the Scary Snowman.

We left around midnight to drive back north. Disneyland is a well oiled machine. Its clean, friendly staff, well run, organized, logical, very impressive. Its well worth the visit.

After a WET water ride

California Trip Day Five

2008-11-26T10:13:00.005-06:00

Slow day in La Canada and the Pearson/Myer house. Zander, Gabe, and I went to a few hair cut places in the area. After poor Gabe got his hair butchered, Zander and I decided to venture over to another shop to get our ears lowered. Z likes his cut and so does his mommy.
After a few naps and a couple of backyard tetherball games we decided to travel to CityWalk at Universal Studios to watch the 3D movie "Bolt." My families bill was $61.00. Thats right. Not a misprint. The movie was great.

We went out to discover rain and decided a quick sit down at a mexican restaurant might be just the thing. However it was still raining when we got outside. So we made a quick dash down the walk, took some pictures, and headed back home.

California Trip Day Four

2008-11-25T09:13:00.006-06:00

Busy day in Southern California. It started with a light breakfast and some laying around the house. The everyone (except mom) loaded up in two cars and drove to Pasadena to a Japanese resturant for some exciting cooking and conversation.
We then found "Flip Video Cameras" for $49 at Blockbuster. They are normally $149. We were so happy because we had been looking all over for them and willing to pay much more.
The girls and their mom's went to supper at the American Girl store at the Grove in Hollywood. I decided to take Gabe and watch a movie and hang out. We had a blast. We got to see Santa and take some pictures. Gabe informed him that he needed a new dog to replace C.J. Interestingly enough, Santa really did know where Gunter, Texas is and knew we received a lot of rain a while back.
We hung around the living room and watched Reagan entertain us with some shows and crazy talk! It looks like rain may effect our next few days. DisneyLand may be postponed. :(

California Trip Day Three

2008-11-23T11:43:00.004-06:00

Just woke up at 5:30am LA time and tried to keep kids quiet for a few hours. We just had a great breakfast that Tippy made...
and are waiting for the Cowboy game. Its starts at 10am here. Crazy. Update: TO rocks. He is still good!

The kids are playing in the backyard. The weather is just great.

The afternoon plans are: nearby playground, LA friends dropping by to visit, maybe catch 3D movie Bolt, and series premier of 24! Just a day of hanging around and letting the body heal from 2 days in the car. Kids are having a blast playing in the yard and wii.

Just returned from the park. Mandy and I took the 5 kids about a mile up a hill. (I dang near needed an ice pick to venture my way up to the park. I think my fat heart hit 145 bpm) We played a great balancing game on a crooked beam. We rock! Zander schooled me in small rim "around the world" while I took him to the woodshed in big boy "around the world."
Dad and I are waiting to see if Jack Bower saves the world tonight!

California Trip Day Two

2008-11-23T11:35:00.005-06:00

Not a lot to say here. We were in the car 90% of the day. Got to LA about 8:50pm Texas time.
We tried to stop at cool rest areas and get State Sign pictures. Arizona did not play very nice.
The sunset was beautiful while driving through Palm Springs. It was a nice drive once we entered into central California. We were ready to get out of the car and even more ready to see Aunt Tippy and the kids. Tanya did a great job preparing for the 1 week whirlwind. Can't wait for our crazy week to get started.

California Trip Day One

2008-11-23T11:21:00.004-06:00

Left North Texas midday Friday (after watching Gabe's Thanksgiving program at CCA) and headed towards El Paso on I-10.
I drove most of the way with dad picking up the slack for a few hours. The iPhone has turned out to be a life saver. The GPS Map apps is awesome and the "near me" app told us about upcoming gas stations, places to eat, and hotels. The iPhone saved us $80 by allowing us to shop and drive 30 miles outside of El Paso.

The kids travelled great and watched movies in the car and listened to iPods. Mom wore her mask to keep lights from her eyes.
We stayed at a Red Roof inn next to a topless bar. Nice. I should have question things when the lady wanted to know if we needed our rooms by the hour or night.

Austin Day 1-4

2008-11-23T10:32:00.006-06:00

Made the annual Convio trip to Austin. Convio Summit 2008. This year I went with Chris Baggett from Insight. Our trip to and from Austin down I-35 was great. The conference gave us opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people from many different non-profits. It is a wide range of people respresenting many causes. From save the whales, ban guns, pro choice, end tidal waves, free James Brown, and down with freedom. Even though IFL is technically a non-profit, I must constantly filter everything we hear (strategies and trends) knowing that we are a ministry and do not have traditional NP operations and goals.

Chris and I went to a few nice meals and watched the latest James Bond movie, the Convio/Austin tradition. Since I am on the Convio CAB, I was invited to go on a dinner cruise on Lake Austin right by downtown. It was a nice night full of nice scenery and good conversation.

My main memories of this trip include: Getting to know Chris better, Nice dinner conversations, CAB discussions, and Convio APIs.

2008 Convio CAB Group

Turner Trip Blog Details

2008-10-06T09:00:00.005-05:00

Thanks for checking out our family travel blog. It's a lot easier to update family and friends via a blog then to send out 20-30 emails each day of the trip. Read our daily synopsis and be sure to look at the videos and pictures linked below. I try to update them almost daily during our travels. Daily Pictures (Web Album) and Youtube Videos

London Day Nine

2008-10-05T17:17:00.003-05:00

Finally, the rains came. The cool weather and heavy drizzle caused us to sleep in a little today. We finally decided to brave the weather and were so glad we did. The clouds never broke but the rain stopped and the winds died down.

We took the train into Victoria Station and walked to Buckingham Palace. The next four hours we filled with picture taking and being in awe of the massive structures before us.
We stopped back by Scott's house to say bye to their kids. We played Wii and I got my rear kicked in Bowling and boxing. We did OK on a trivia game... although we did not know the UK or many sports answers. We are packing for home right now.

London Day Eight

2008-10-04T18:52:00.002-05:00

Long day around London today. Walked a lot and took almost 400 pictures. We ate at a Spanish restaurant and then saw the play Wicked at the West End. It is 1am and we are headed to bed.
We saw a lot of Hip Londoners in the Knotting Hill area. It seems to the the Melrose of London. 20 and 30 somethings dressing up in their hip outfits (Black of course) and shopping, sipping tea, and looking important.

Notes on fitting in on a London Subway:

1) Wear something black. Its like a giant funeral around here.
2) Listen to your i-pod. It doesn't matter if it on, but keep the earpieces in to avoid conversations with Americans.
3) Read a paper. There is a discarded tabloid on almost every seat.
4) Keep quiet. Only American tourist are loud. Not the British
5) When appropriate... cuss. The F-Bomb is no stranger to the British tongue.
I really like this city. It is full of old and new world nicely blended. The building are phenomenal, the people are beautiful, and the weather has been great. (I know that is is not normal) The whole experience has been epic. I feel we dove into the city life and into the country charm of England. From slow train rides in the country to the Underground subways within the city, we have seen a lot.

London Day Seven

2008-10-03T17:12:00.002-05:00

Bill woke up with a sever limp in his left leg. I have no idea how his day went yet because he and Liza went a different direction than Mandy and I.

We headed to the trains and went all around the south of London. Down to the coast, over to the east, up towards London and back to our hotel about 30 minutes after dark. Its been a long day but full of interesting scenery.

We learned everything we needed to know about trains, schedules, tickets, pay-as-you-go bathrooms, seating etiquette, and "minding the gap."

The coast was cold and windy in some towns yet pleasant and warmer in others. We were able to find most all the gifts we needed in the towns we visited today.
Most everyone is very friendly. If not, it is because they are "properly" keeping to themselves.

Mandy and I had fish and chips at a pub in Leatherhead. I hit my head twice on the same cross beam near the bar. Dang my short British ancestors.

The weather has just been great this whole trip. It rained for a few hours one day... other than that, its been sunny and fair. We couldn't ask for better fall weather. Cool and little breezy and sometimes damp.... but that is typical London.

London Day Six

2008-10-03T17:11:00.003-05:00

Woke up and had another great breakfast and walked to the train. The station is about 1.5 miles from our hotel down a nice windy street littered with nice houses, an old church, a few pubs, and large trees.

The station has a train come by every few minutes and most them take us where we need to go. Once Bill and I arrived in Leatherhead, we walked about a mile to the office via the a path besides a river. It is beautiful and very peaceful.
We had a meeting with the whole staff and then had some one-on-one time with employees. It was a very productive day.
The walk back home seemed a lot longer than the walk to work. All four of us went back to the same pub near the hotel for dinner and called it an early night.

Pubs are a very interesting place here. They are next to churches and part of everyone's lives. Even good Christian women would be seen in a pub... eating and socializing. It does not have the stigma of a bar in the states. The ones we have visted are hundreds of years old. I have enjoyed them very much.

London Day Five

2008-10-01T15:21:00.002-05:00

An early morning eating a English breakfast (eggs, beans, ham, and hash browns) in the hotels dinner. Low ceilings, fireplaces, and quaint table settings made for a unique experience. Productive day at work with some long white-boarding sessions.

We met the chairman of the IFL UK board for lunch and I had grilled sole. Great conversation.

Mandy walked to town and began shopping and changing currency to the Pound. She and Liza took a train to another village to find some jean (pants mean Underwear here). They were brave. I was proud of them.

Mandy, Bill, Liza, and I walked to the local pub and had a truly British dinner: starters, drinks, dessert, and hot tea.

The weather was great today. A little chilly but very crisp and sunny. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

London Day Four

2008-09-30T15:50:00.003-05:00

Our day started when we were waken by Scott at 9:30am and asked if I was ready to go to the office. I slept in and did not plan on Bill’s plane to arrive 1 hour early. So a quick shower, hasty dress, and an apple for breakfast started the day.

I ate lunch with Bill, Scott, and Terry at a Chinese restaurant and had chicken Hong Kong style. It was good. The afternoon was spent on a long video conference with the US office. 3 back to back meetings then back to Scott’s house. We stopped by a fish and chips take out and took it back home.

Scott took us to our new hotel in a nearby town (pictured to the left) . Mandy and I are on the third floor. It is very small and has a cool window that drops down. The bed was made in or around 1450 A.D. and has rusty springs that protrude into the small of your back, the side of your face, and into the actual bone of your feet. If you dare to roll over, you will wake dogs in neighboring counties or set off car alarms.

We had great weather the first two days but now have typical London weather… soggy, foggy, damp, cool, and nippy. But It is sort of fun to experience knowing it is 92 and dry at home. We miss the kids but are enjoying our time together.

London Day Three

2008-09-29T16:00:00.004-05:00

What a lot of walking. Scott did not tell us they didn't have cars or bikes around here. :) Just good old soles to pavement. Actually, we took the train into London, walked around all afternoon, visited old landmarks, and took 350+ pictures. I'll be uploading a lot, so take a look. Castles, Castles, and more Castles. London Bridge, Westminster, Tower of London, River Thames, etc.

It was a great day full of interesting and beautiful sites. I'll write more in the morning. We just walked in the door at 10:30 pm and are getting ready for bed. Here is a picture of a Beefeater guide at the Tower of London.

Slept hard and only woke up once.

London Day Two

2008-09-28T13:46:00.006-05:00

Still have not gone to bed but it is almost 8pm here in Leatherhead. I am uploading images as I type this. We got settled in and took the train to King Henry's Castle. Hampton Court, I believe it is called. It was HUGE.

Took an audio tour through many rooms and saw original paintings, rugs, furniture, and relics. We also ventured through an outdoor garden maze. This guy must have been VERY rich.

We are still in a daze but plan to be on full alert by morning. A nice night with the Beans eating Indian food and catching up. What a wonderful family and home they have.

The kids go to school in the morning and we head to London Tower and to a local Pub for some fish and chips. The motherland is good!

(OK. I'm going to still consider this day 2 even thought it is 2am in the morning. I am not wide wake but I am awake and can't seem to go back to bed. Mandy is passed out beside me and I have played Bubble Breaker one too many times on my treo. On a side note...Is there something I need to know about British Toilets? The one upstairs will not flush. I tired atleast 15 times to get something to happen when the level goes down. Stay tuned.)

Extremely quiet house with no "noise fan." We were so tired going to bed, we did not even care. Now that I'm up I can hear the quiet..its very loud.

London Day One (sort of)

2008-09-27T18:09:00.005-05:00

Not in London just yet but it still counts as day one of the experience. Mandy and I had a breeze getting through the ticket line and then through security. (We wont mention Mandy's left sandal and the need for it to go through security in it's own container). We ate at a Blue Mesa here at the airport. Mandy did not want to go into the Admiral's Club even though I had a pass. She said we were under-dressed and under other things. :)

We are on cloud nine after attending our son Zander's soccer game. It was hot and only 4 kids showed up for the game. The other team had 9 players. Our kids fell behind 2 to 0 early but then scored and gained some confidence. When it was all over an hour later, our Gunter Tiger team won 5 to 3. My son scored 3 goals and even more important, he never gave up hustling. From the starting to the final whistle, he ran hard, passed smart, and gave it his all under tough odds. We are so proud of him. The parents and coach of the other teams were full of congratulations at our victory and could not believe the fight our 4 kids put up for the entire game. They said they deserved to lose to our team.. with all the extra hustle our kids put forth. (I think the Sherman team always believed we would wear out and they would end up winning. Just didn't happen!)

Mandy is getting excited and is looking forward to trying to sleep on the plane. I hope we can get "some" rest in our two seats. I pray God blesses this trip. For IFL and for Mandy. I am so thankful God allowed us to combine work and our 10 year anniversary. God is good! Look out Queen, here comes the Turners.

London Weather

2008-09-27T09:18:00.003-05:00

For a detailed look at weather, visit Leatherhead's Weather

London Trip Details

2008-06-28T18:52:00.004-05:00

Headed to the motherland in September and October to visit Scott Bean's IFL UK office. Mandy and I will be traveling with Bill and Liza.

We will be staying in Leatherhead with Scott Bean's family for a few nights then join Bill at our hotel in the Surry Countryside for the remainder of the time.

Below is a Google Maps insert of the area we will be hanging out, just South of London. About 30 minutes by train.

View Larger Map

Tyler State Park and Zoo

2008-06-22T18:41:00.003-05:00

Took the family to East Texas for a 3 day weekend. Didn't plan it, just loaded the car Friday morning and headed out.

Got a great Shelter (# 16) on top of a wooded hill near the restrooms. Not too close to hear visitors or doors slamming, but close enough to watch the kids walk over. We had a LOT of space. Hung a hammock, put out horseshoes, made a small washer pit, and made the place home for a few days.
We took a few walks, one of them around the entire lake. Gabe did great. He was able to keep up and did not complain once. All five of us hopped on a paddle boat and went around the lake for about an hour on our first day.
Notable events included: Seeing a black widow near the bathroom, watching a snake eat a mouse at a park ranger event, jumping off the floating dock about 200 times, playing horseshoes and washers, sleeping on a hard concrete floor, having a 'large" tree limb fall and hit where we were standing just 30 seconds earlier, and eating at my favorite roadside taco stand in Canton.

Brazil Trip Day Nine

2008-06-14T06:30:00.004-05:00

Ok. I had one of the best seafood dinners of my life. A Fish and Shrimp Stew. The taste is still in my mouth from last night. Simple fabulous. We had crab claws for a small appetizer and the dipping sauce for those was just wonderful. The hole in the wall restaurant was actually well known and had a lot of accolades on the wall. The New York Times had a small article with great reviews in a small frame.

I learned some very sad news last night. It has been on my mind a lot as I laid in bed. Rio not only has homeless people but also street children. We have seen them begging and also sleeping on the streets each day. Barefoot and dirty clothes. (I know to Americans the problem seems easily fixed... just give them money, take them home, or get the help somehow. It just does not work like that here. It has been tried) The country has no orphanages. The kids wont accept certain help. They have been taken advantage of so much, that they don't understand love, help, compassion. They "live" on the streets. Its a way of life. They steal, beg, and manage somehow. Some are 2 and 3rd generation homeless.

That is sad enough... but here is the very horrifying news I learned. Just 10 years ago, there was a "Save the World" conference in Rio (Very Ironic) and city/country leaders did not want visitors to see the children on the street. So a week before it began, they started going around the city at night and picking up the children. After the event was over, the kids were not seen and questions started to be asked. Turns out over 4 thousand of the street kids were mass murdered by the government. The newspaper broke the story and I believe pictures were taken of the mass graves. It breaks my heart.
We had a great day at Rio on the Beach. I was made to eat Sushi at a small (and I mean small) restaurant even though fish are made to catch, put on walls, and to put in aquariums. They are not made to skin and eat raw. However, I was a trooper and ordered grill salmon and shrimp on the side. It was VERY good.

The plane trip was OK. We did have a baby sitting in front of us who was trying to break glass with her high pitched squeal... for the entire 8 hours. We then had to wait almost 20 minutes for AA to open the doors of the plane. Customs and Security was very easy.

I can't wait to get home, see my wife, kids, and my bed.

Brazil Trip Day Eight

2008-06-13T16:26:00.006-05:00

Finally got to spend time on the beach today. Poor Tony bought some sun glasses on the beach then lost them on a big wave 5 minutes later. We were able to boogie board on some big waves. It was really fun. Not sure if I burned or not, but the people beside me sure did.

We then took the trip up the Sugar Mountain on the cable car. It was very cloudy but we got some good shots and great scenery. 360 views of the entire area of Rio. It is a beautiful city with great views from various high spots. I was impressed.

A view from the first summit

A place to eat on the 1st mountain

We are trying to find a seafood place for our last night here. I then plan on wrapping up shopping for my family. I have a few ideas from things I saw today. We had what they call a cold front today. it got down to the 70s. I almost had to take off my flip-flops and put on real shoes. :)

Brazil Trip Day Seven

2008-06-12T08:17:00.007-05:00

Just woke up in the room with Ken.. overlooking the beach in Rio. It is very nice. I expect the fog/mist to burn off soon and get a clearing picture of the city.

Our room looking left out the window

We ate breakfast and are are feeling a little upset in our bodies. I wonder if they washed the fruit with old bath water? I think we are going to face the day anyway.

We were told by Ken to NOT carry passports, lots of money, or jewelry. This town is know to treat tourist very bad. Steal, beat up, or even worst. We MUST travel together and watch each other's back. There are a lot of street vendors (and gangs) and they run a lot of scams on visitors. Other than that, its beautiful here and tattoos are 1/2 price.

Outside our Window Video

Jesus in the Sky

All four of us tonight

Man I'm a Giant here in Brazil.

Brazil Trip Day Six

2008-06-11T08:56:00.005-05:00

We were able to sleep in a little this morning and pack our bags. Today's plan is to wrap things up at the office and drive a round the city for a quick tour. Maybe see the official government buildings and some key landmarks before we head for the airport this evening.

We had our last free breakfast at the hotel. It has been nice to sit down around a large spread of fresh fruit and a guy making custom omelettes.

As I mentioned before, the hotel is 5 star. Not in amenities, so much, but more in curb-side service, I imagine. Every morning there are 4 or 5 guys on the red carpet managing cars, people, taxis, etc. They are very serious about making sure everyone wanting in gets in and everyone needing out, gets out. Plus, there are some very wealthy visitors at our hotel. Based on the amount of long Mercedes and guys wearing dark sun glasses standing by them, I would think some might be very important people as well.

Hotel Entrance

Tony worked until around 3am this morning wrapping up some server configurations. I got to bed around 12:30am. We will spend this morning cleaning the office (We made a nice mess while trying to help). We were going to get some before and after pictures, but Ken may have some extra work after we leave. Oops!

I'll update more tonight while in Rio.

We are here and have a great hotel and view. We ate some shrimp pizza and sat near the beach. Awesome night. Here we are in the back of our TINY taxi.

Brazil Trip Day Five

2008-06-10T07:28:00.007-05:00

An unbelievable meal last night with Ken Grant, Esly Carvalho, Raquel Hoersting, Tony Garza and Rachel Garza at Fogo De Chao. It is within walking distance of our hotel. One of the best meals on my life and great conversation too. I learned a lot about Jewish Holidays from Esly.

Tony needed some vertical help

Just returned from the mall. What would make me think of venturing out alone? You have NO idea how many people speak to you in a day, until you can't understand them. (Hello, how are you? what time is it? Where did you get those shoes? do you workout? are you married? can I help you? would you like a shopping basket? hot out there isn't it? wow, you look great in those jeans! I bet you can bench press about 435. Am I right?)

I understood none of it. And looked foolish shaking my head and smiling. AND I could not find the stores and gifts I was looking for. I'll try again with Ken.

A picture of our hotel sign
Our Hotel

Long day driving around town looking for computer parts. Finally got to see how the city is laid out. Really neat. Literally EVERY city section looks like the others. They are are all built identical. Here is the crazy part. The city is zoned so well, that all carpet stores are on one street, all paint supply companies are are one street, computer parts, automotive, drapes, windows, etc.. are all on one street. This way you don't have to drive all over town to compare prices for what you need. Each area of town has their own bank, grocery store, etc... but city wide there are streets that specialize on only 'one" specialization.

These areas of town have one street that connects them with the major roads through town. You can't drive from neighborhood to neighborhood. You mush leave, hit a major road, then enter another neighborhood. This keeps the small streets less congested. Remember.. no red lights or stop signs. I'll get a picture of the small city scaled down to model sized and insert it here.

Brazil Trip Day Four

2008-06-09T13:18:00.006-05:00

Breakfast was great. We found an omelet-maker guy near the buffet line. The ingredients are a little different but it taste fine. Unlike Israel, we have bacon here, so that is a plus.

Ken took me with him to the bank. That was an experience. You go through security then up to a receptionist. After you plead your case, she sends you to another room where you sit and wait for someone to call you up.. to plead your case again. It took an hour to get something Americans could do over the phone or Internet. Makes me feel blessed.

Got some work done and answered email this morning. Had some good conversations with Ken.

Outside the office building we are in

We ate lunch at Ken's. He grilled some meat. Tasted great!

The front of kens house

Working around the office

Our Great Night Out (Tony's Favorite Place)

Brazil Trip Day Three

2008-06-08T05:59:00.009-05:00

Wake up call worked. Not a typical Sunday today. Because we need to knock out some work, we are meeting at the office at 9am. (I will be Skyping home later and making an update to the GBF website. I'm praying for the church this morning as they are receiving a special announcement.)

Can't talk enough about the weather here. I can only describe it as perfect. Low humidity. Cool light winds. Sunny. Morning, day, and night. one could wear pants and long sleeves or shorts and a t-shirt. It would feel great in either.

Ken in his office

The office is cozy but very well decorated and efficient. Ken has done a great utilizing space and giving it a nice feel. Tony has realized that he has more work ahead of him than previously thought. Good thing he brought 1/2 of the IT closet with him and so far has had most everything he needed. I am wrapping up some personal and work emails and have been able to Skype home and Tech Support at web.com.

Tony at his new desk for the week

My new corner of the office

Great rest of the day. We went to a local Expo and walked around. We then ended our day at a nearby mall for a quick bite. Tomorrow is a big workday.

Brazil Trip Day Two

2008-06-07T14:39:00.011-05:00

A good flight with very little problems. I sat by a quite man (who might not have spoke English). Guys only need to nod "move over, can I borrow your pen, and I've got to go pee."

I'm still trying to soak in the whole travel experience. Lots of new sights, smells, signs, fashions, and certainly words. Tony might get away with being Brazilian, which is not really helping us out. People assume we know what we are doing and begin speaking Portuguese to us from the start. I learned "No Falo Portuguese" but so far that has only brought stares, finger pointing, and a little shame. Maybe I'm saying it all wrong.

Ken is happy to see us! (We think)

We are in a nice hotel in the Brazilian capital. This city was only built about 40 years ago. Its like Washington DC, a planned city... shaped like a plane. Very well laid out and organized. It was meant to hold 500,000 people and have no traffic lights. All right turns and round-a-bouts. Very neat.

Internet is VERY slow. You can improve it but it cost way more per minute. I may have to upgrade when using Skype. Our hotel is considered 5 star. It is very nice but Ken got it at a great rate from a Christian couple who own it. We have two toilets. Someone might have to show me a Youtube video so I can learn how to use them both. Right now, I'm just keeping my drinks cold in one of them.

View from my balcony turning left

Not much on TV.. unless you speak Portuguese or like to read subtitles. Some soccer games and weird talk shows. The shower is one of the best I have ever had. Its like standing under a waterfall. It could knock a small child off his feet.

Great dinner tonight. Brazilian Ribeye steak at an outdoor restaurant. Met some new friends helping on the website with Ken.

Brazil Trip Day One

2008-06-06T12:33:00.003-05:00

I am headed to Miami, then Sao Paulo, and will fly home from Rio De Janeiro Sunday June 15th. Tony, Rachel, and I are checked into security and ready to go. Tony had a small detour with the guy at the x-ray machine and our ticket agent thought he was working the floor at a small comedy club, but other than that... all is well. We have tested Skype on our laptops (Sorry Mike), visited the bathroom, stretched, and handed our Religions of the World passports to those within earshot. We are ready for technical ministry.
Ok. They just changed our gate from D21 to A15. After a mad dash, we are here and getting ready to load. Tony just spent $1 for a 3 minute massage in a big black chair. I'll wait for one in Brazil. :) NOT!

Ok, with people in the world with real problems, these are really minor... but if you are on this blog.. then you must want to know about my day. Due to a moved gate, 20 minute delay boarding, another 25 minute delay on mechanical issues, we were 2-3 minutes late to our Brazil flight gate (we ran most of the way.. or at least fast walked). They would not let us on even though the plane sat there for 15 more minutes. We were moved to a 11:30 pm flight 4 hours later. And we were given 3 bad seats nowhere near each other. Plus, we now will be missing the next flight out we needed in Brazil. So a bunch of trickle down issues all derived from American Airlines. :(

The good news is we got 3 hours to people watch in Miami. I did not know they let hookers through security. Wow. I think I just saw a women dress like Barbara Eden in I Dream of Genie. Seriously, I would think you have to have clothes on to get in the airport. Apparently not. One lady is wearing a rain coat.. thats it.. PS. Its not raining here. Some Brazilian is writing in her blog right now (WOW. There are some fat guys wearing workout pants around here. Certainly there is a weight limit on these planes. He looks uncomfortable while he is typing.)
I hope I can sleep on this plane. I am getting a little tired. love everyone. Good night.

Israel Trip Overview

2008-05-23T10:40:00.002-05:00

Israel Trip information: These are the URLs needed to come along with us on the trip.

Web Album (updated pictures daily)
Youtube Videos (updated as I make them)
IFL Daily Video Blog (Be sure to watch these daily)

IFL's Israel Invitation

Israel Trip Day Twelve

2008-05-22T07:02:00.005-05:00

Our free day in Jerusalem was not so free. An early morning bus took us the ancient City of David where we went under the city and walked through Hezekiah's Tunnel. It was a BLAST. Dark, cool, fresh spring water under your feet. It was one of the best parts of the trip. It took about 45 minutes to walk all the way through from gate to gate.

Here is a part of our group. We have really enjoyed getting to know these great people. What a blessing to fellowship with other Christians from around the states.
When then had a large lunch (40 IFL staff) with Chuck and Cynthia. It was at a really nice hotel. 5 stars. We sat with the Hocker's and had lamb and salmon.
We then went to the old city to shop and are now packing for our trip home. Boy we sure do hope to get good seats and good TV. I had a blast here in the Holy Land but I am ready for some Pizza and Mexican Food. I did NOT like the food on the trip. Too many weird meats and healthy vegetables.

Israel Trip Day Eleven

2008-05-21T10:00:00.005-05:00

A slower day in Jerusalem. Garden Tomb, Hezekiah's pools, and the Last Supper Room. We are headed to a concert right now. The streets have a lot of energy and it is fun thinking of the marketplace 2000 years ago. I'm sure there were less T-shirts back then.

We will miss the friends we made on our bus. Just two weeks together traveling has create friendships that will last a lifetime. Really great people on Plum Bus #6. I will miss them very much.
We plan on staying in the city tonight and smoking the Cuban cigar I purchased last night. Should be a good time with some of the friends we sit with on the back of the bus. Just returned from a late night 12:30 AM sitting with our new friends in the hotel lobby. What a great time of sharing memories and learning about each other's families.

Israel Trip Day Ten

2008-05-20T08:25:00.004-05:00

Masada, En Gedi, and The Dead Sea today. Incredible views and heat.

We saw where David hide from Saul in the Desert. We saw some wildlife (Fox and Deer/Ram/something-or-another with horns). I shot this beautiful plant while on top of an overlook.
We then traveled up the mighty Masada mountain top. Mandy and few other people actually walked down. I took her 20 minutes and about 45 for some others. It was incredible that they build this city so high and incredible that the Romans could overtake it in 7 months.
This cave 4 where some cool Dead Sea Scrolls came from
The Dead Sea was an experience. So easy to float. What got me was the realization that we were at the lowest point on the earth. Wow! We even rubbed the black mud on our skin and floated for a while in the 115 degree sun. Our first REAL hot day. Here is an image I got. I am real proud of the pictures I have been able to take. Very impressive. Its is so easy to get great pictures here.

A small video of top of Masada near Dead Sea

Israel Trip Day Nine

2008-05-19T11:10:00.006-05:00

Another great day walking around Israel. We really put some miles on our sandals today. Starting on the Mount of Olives and working our way to the sites of the cross and burial tomb. Was not as emotional as I had planned. The day is packed with so much information and responsibility that I did not have much time to reflect. However my main goal was accomplished and that was to learn about and experience Israel and open my eyes when reading the Bible. I 100% believe that is happening each and every day.

We also did a little shopping too. But tonight we go under the Temple Mount and explore the tunnels. I have been told it is a blast. We will lose some more sleep but it should be worth it.

Wailing Wall at night video

Israel Trip Day Eight

2008-05-18T11:59:00.004-05:00

Jerusalem. Holy City, City on a Hill. City of David. WOW!

It was an awesome view of the city when we drove in yesterday and today we were able to walk within the old city walls. We visited the Wailing Wall, The Southern Steps, The Temple Mount. Walking on the same stones that Jesus and His Disciples stepped on when visiting the Temple. It was truly an experience of lifetime.

We are getting really getting close with the member of our bus. With all the gifts IFL gives us, plus our bus guide and the camera man, we are going to have full suitcases on our return. Everyday we get more books and cool stuff.

Please take a look at our Israel Images on the links in the nav. We got some great ones today.

Israel Trip Day Seven

2008-05-17T13:18:00.007-05:00

In Jerusalem. Great entry to the city. Whirlwind evening... Look at the pictures tonight. We are at a new hotel. I'll try the video again too.

Kathy Stiles and Mandy (Sea of Galilee)

The Ancient City of Beth Shan (video)

Singing in the Theater Beth Shan (video)

Israel Trip Day Six

2008-05-16T09:10:00.006-05:00

The Sea of Galilee Early Morning (video)

We started our day with a beautiful tour of the ancient tribe of Dan. It was breath taking. It was full of greenery and lush colors. There were nature springs and flowers along the hike to the the ancient city. In was a perfect day for a hike up in the northern part of Israel. Breezy and mountain like weather.

I was amazed of how much agriculture is grown here. In my mind, I always pictured dry places with some trees and such. But up in the northern part of the country it is absolutely gorgeous.
Our next stop was at Caesarea Philippi where Jesus took his disciples. Mark 8:27-29

We also went to Hermon Stream to see a waterfall. The water is so fresh smelling and crystal clear.

Israel Trip Day Five

2008-05-15T08:22:00.004-05:00

Another exciting day here in the Galilee region. We had a massive storm that came on the Sea of Galilee last night. Made us think of the disciples. The setting is just breathtaking.

Today we went to the following places today: Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Nof Ginnosar, Yardenit Baptism Site.

This is "THE" exact synagogue that Jesus preached at in Capernaum. They rejected him in this town, even though He lived here. We also saw Peter's house right outside of the building. One of the rare places we "KNOW" is an authentic site. It was special to know that the Disciples hung out right near where we stood.
This is the beach were it is said that Jesus first called Peter and where he told Peter to meet Him after the resurrection. It was a special calming place.

I will post images and videos to the best of my ability but words can't really describe this place. Awesome!

A video from the place where Jesus gave his special speach to the Disciples.

Israel Trip Day Four

2008-05-14T15:04:00.004-05:00

A crazy long day but what a blast. I don't even have time to go into all the cool things we saw and did today... We hit 5 major spots in one day.

This is the water aqua-duct that Herod the Great built in Caesarea by the sea. The outdoor, ancient theater Chuck spoke at was awesome. This is were Peter was on trail, found in the book of Acts.
I uploaded images so click on that link and I uploaded a video of our hotel lookout over the sea of Galilee. Awesome.

Gabriel spoke with Mary in the background (Nazareth)

We went to the following places today: Caesarea, Mount Carmel, Megiddo, Nazareth, Cana, and Tiberias. We ended the day on the Sea of Galilee.

Israel Trip Day Three

2008-05-12T17:59:00.008-05:00

Well, I should be asleep right now. It is around 2 in the morning. When your body says "you should be awake" there is not much you can do about it.

It is very quiet in the hotel. All I can hear outside is the sound of gunfire and explosions in the distance (Just kidding Alan). Actually, the streets are quiet too. Mandy's breathing and the noise from our battery-operated sound machine fill the room. (When we laid down... it sort of sounded like "rain" but now it sounds like digital rain falling on a working electric train track. There are some weird noise patterns in this thing) I'm hoping the batteries wear out soon.

Most everyone in Israel speaks English as their second language. Most signs are in Hebrew and English (most but not all). The funny thing so far is something that I have always wanted but now I have it, is sort of weird. The elevators (There are 5 in this hotel) will show you which door will open "way" before the door opens. So if you push "up" an arrow above a certain door will light up. It may not open for 4 more minutes, but at least you know which one to wait in front of. Not a bad feature.

Once again, I am in another country that loves sports we know little of in the US. Mandy and I watched a handball game on TV briefly. Looks fun. Sort of like Water Polo...without the water.

The currency rate is 3.5 to 1. But we have been told, don't argue over some rough calculations when purchasing things. 3-to-1 is easier to do in your head and most people wing the price of things anyway. Their dollar is called a shekel still, but the shekel in the Bible was made with silver (I believe) and means "weight." This currency is obviously not based on a gold/silver standard anymore, I would guess.

Its going to be a whirlwind tour, I can already tell. Between packing, eating, loading, touring, bathing, and following instructions, it will be real difficult to log on and upload to the blog, but we enjoy it and will do our best.

A great day here in Tel Aviv. After sleeping in till 10:30am (boy we needed that), we got ready for our 11:30 meeting with the entire IFL and DTS staff. We learned of our responsibilities and some facts about the tour we needed to know. We then had a good lunch at the hotel. A few of us (6) decided to go to the port city of Joppa (or Joffa) about a mile and a half walk down the shoreline.

The ocean was very blue, almost Caribbean blue but the pictures really do not do it justice. Sort of cold but swimmable... just not for us.
The city itself was on a hill, which I can only guess, was done on purpose since ships could see high ground first when looking for land. Most of the town looks "old" and is not littered with modern buildings or shops. I think it would be a fun 3-4 day weekend destination. Beautiful views, a cool wind, and clean streets. We could better understand why in Acts Peter went to the rooftop to take a nap. We saw many roofs with small gardens and could tell the cool breeze felt better on the high places in town. (our first.. "now I get it moment")
We came back to the hotel to greet some buses and travelers arriving from the airport. We actually met a small group from Van Alstyne this evening.

Before dinner we (and a part of the Stiles family) took time to stroll down a local market. It was crowded, noisy, and frankly dirty. But very authentic and part of the everyday life here. Fresh fruit, bread, olives, spices, peppers, cheese, and even a few t-shirts. We walked through a city park and took pictures in front of a small olive grove and at the beach.
The evening ended with a large dinner and meeting of 700ish people in a room. We were introduced as Bus 6 (The Plum Bus) host and hostess. Tomorrow I may have to speak in front of 700 people and explain the video blog we are working on each day. Not looking forward to that.

We are headed to bed and getting ready for a big day in the morning. Miss the kids and hope they get to take this trip of a lifetime sometime in the future.

Israel Trip Day Two

2008-05-12T13:43:00.008-05:00

Not sure if it really counts as day 2 or not. It is 9:43 at night. Dark outside right now but it is Monday day in Dallas. This counts as our day two since our last post was Sunday.

Israeli customs was not near as bad as we have been told. It was no problem at all. The airport was big and looked very nice. No guard dogs and guns (that I saw).

Traffic was bad.

Our bus was VERY impressive. Very lush and new! If we tour the Holy land in these bad boys all week, then I will consider us very lucky.

Our room is clean and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.

Just took a shower and went down to eat with some other IFL and DTS staff. Food was great. Buffet style. not food I normally eat.. but that is good. We need to expand our horizons.

We are now hooked up with Internet and uploading more images. $17.50 Shekels a day (we think).

Tomorrow we will walk up to Joppa (Jonah's port and Peter's vision) about 1 mile up the beach. We have a few meetings to attend. Our big Welcome meeting is Tuesday evening. Most of the tour guest arrive in the afternoon.

Our view from the balcony
A video we made in the room.

Israel Trip Day One

2008-05-11T17:17:00.007-05:00

Does not really count as Israel but it is day one away from Gunter, Texas. Everything went smooth this morning. Got to DFW and through security with no issues. The flight to New York was very short. great tail winds cut our flight time by almost 1 hour. The view out of the right side of the plane stunk. We saw the Empire State Building but not much else. Water, houses, and the back of a ladies head.

From our seats on the long flight

We are at JFK now and had some Chinese food. We have plenty of people watching to do. (I just lost my seat to a guy in the lobby. I guess he thinks my suitcase in front of a chair does not count as "taken.") I'll just sit here on the floor I guess for the next two hours.

We are going to try and get better seats but I have to wait till 7pm before they release the extra spaces.
I am uploading some images as we speak. Next stop Tel Aviv.

Boston Day Five

2008-04-13T08:15:00.003-05:00

Just woke up. Left the window open and we are FREEZING. Sunny but windy and cool. It might rain a little betwwen now and our trip to the airport. (it did)

Ok, Mandy just worked out. I was wearing shorts and hung out in the gym. Got about 40 minutes of "something" in.
We walked around downtown again. Sort of a different vibe on Sundays. Most shops and eateries do not open until noon. So we decided to wait for Bean Town Pub to open. Glad we did. People watching was fun but the food was really great local fare. Our trip to the airport was not too bad. Walked two blocks. Took the Subway 4 stops to the airport exit. Took a bus a few more blocks to Terminal B. The security line was bad. The guy in front of us thought he was "Above the Law" and did not need to bag his liquids. The next 10 minutes was spent discussing the issue between the Middle Easterner and the Security Agent. We had to sit back and watch.

Boston is a really great place. I would not want to move here (for the rest of my life) but I could see living here a year or two. It would be a great experience. The people are great, except for all the cussing. The city is very unique and full of viewable history. I am sure after my first hard winter, I would want to be back in Texas.

Blogging at Login Airport

Boston Day Four

2008-04-12T20:17:00.002-05:00

Very busy today. Saw Boston. Because of trusting the forecast, we made a certain set of plans. If we would have known it was going to be sunny most of the day, we would have been outdoors.

Started the day taking the "T" down to the waterfront. It was cold and windy but we enjoyed the character of the area. We then got back on the subway and headed to the Boston Science Museum. This place was interesting and full of things to do. While inside we noticed the sun can out. We went to many exhibits and watched two Imax films: Grand Canyon and The Alps. Breathtaking scenery. The last thing we saw was an indoor Electrical storm. Wow. remind me to stay inside next time I see lightning.

Once we stepped out of the building, it became cloudy and started to sprinkle. We got on the Red Line and headed to Harvard. We got about an hours of sightseeing and the clouds dropped their fury on top of us. We were NOT prepared for a rain shower. Our clothes were drenched and we had nowhere to hide. We just kept walking back to the train. After drying off we went to a local Pub and ate and watched Boston hockey and baseball on their TVs.

A little about Harvard. Nothing little about this place. It is massive and impressive. I can imagine how beautiful it must be in the Spring and Summer. Saw a few "weirdos" on the curb singing (I think that was what they were doing) and I saw a Black Panther rally. If it was not raining, I would have loved to hear more.

Boston Day Three

2008-04-12T20:08:00.005-05:00

Turned out to be a very busy day at work. The meetings gave very little free time for me to blog, make phone calls, check email, or talk to Mandy. I believe she spent a good part of the day running at the park and shopping nearby. I spent my day discussing the Internet, software, and donation strategies with other non-profits.

We were going to go out to a local symphony (we were offered free tickets) but our dress attire was very limited, so we stayed casual and close to our hotel. Walked near the water front and had some clam chowder and walked around for a while. We even sat in the lobby and people watched for 30+ minutes.
Got in enough site-seeing to feel good about it, but not enough to blog or talk about today.

Boston's Fenway Park

2008-04-10T18:32:00.003-05:00

Electric atmosphere here. Awesome. I doubt I will ever care to experience another Ranger game. Its almost like its another sport all together. Every pitch is electric and has the crowd on the edge of their seats. The outside of the park is just as fun and electric.

From my cell phone

Boston Mass Day Two

2008-04-10T10:52:00.006-05:00

Great nights sleep last night. This room is small. Was able to jiggle the toilet handle from my bed with my big toe. Mandy slept like a rock.

I am on my way to the CAB conference in the same hotel. Mandy and I just walked part of the city. Sunny and bright. The weather is awesome. Walked a few famous cemeteries. More to follow soon.

We are heading to the Red Sox and Detroit Tigers game tonight. Look for some post from my cell phone.

Boston First Night

2008-04-09T20:12:00.003-05:00

Old and New Downtown Boston

A cell phone shot of the movie intro

Wasted our first night with a walk in the park and a movie. Had to watch this guy talk about how humans are destroying the earth first. Then some trailers of better movies than what we just paid for. Leather Heads, I think. I give it a 4 out of 10.

This town is pretty at night, but I can't seem to get a good picture. Flash doesn't do it and neither does suppressing it. Guess I'll buy a postcard.

On our late night walk at the park

The downtown city park is very large and well lit. We saw plenty of police and many emergency phones. Mandy felt safe enough to run around during the day. The city ice skating park just closed and will becaome a wading pool soon.

Boston Mass Day One

2008-04-09T16:22:00.005-05:00

Even with all the American Airline cancellations, we got away from Dallas with no problems at all. No lines at the curb, ticket counter, security, shops, or runway. It is cold here. We even saw ice on the area lakes.

The subway taking us from the airport to downtown

Our very small room downtown (oldest hotel in the US)

Right across the street from our hotel
Mandy needed some food (from my cell phone)

At a downtown hangout (shops and food)

Eating Mexican food in downtown Bean Town was interesting. I did get a salmon dish, so I mixed Texas and Boston into one meal. Here is the hot sauce I tried. Not too bad.
There are a LOT of Boston Red Sox hats, shirts, stores, fans, etc around here. I thought Cowboy fans were bad. Wow. Of course, we are near tourist traps but the prices seem very high for t-shirts. Maybe we will find a dark ally shop with some lower prices.

The downtown is a nice mixture of old world America & brick and new world steel & glass. Narrow brick streets and allies give way to lights and concrete. I think Boston has done a nice job keeping historic buildings in place and showing their heritage. We look quite the tourist as I look up while I walk and take images at every new corner I see.

Our hotel is noted as America's oldest continuous hotel. Our room is very small and I think of all the people who must have used these sheets over the last century. I hope they turn the mattress at least once every fifty years.

It feels like the city. We cracked our window and hear horns, sirens, and yankees. We will see what it is like not having our fan going and dogs barking behind our house while we sleep.

It is sort of nice not having to wave at everyone we passed today. They wave here too but use a lot less fingers than Texans do.

Palestine and Tyler Trip

2008-03-16T21:24:00.008-05:00

Took the train ride. It could not have been better weather. The experience was awesome. The kids just loved it. Noisy but a good noisy. Train sounds: whistles, creaks, squeals, pops, and grinds. The views were great and made me miss East Texas very much. Tall trees, lots of creeks, old houses, plenty of cattle, deep valleys, rolling hills, and friendly people. We saw at least 20+ deer stands along the way. I would recommend this trip to anyone. I am sure we will do it again someday.

We went to Tyler and met up with my high school best friend. After a drive around looking at old houses, schools, parks, and friends homes, we went out to eat at a favorite restaurant. It was too late to drive back to Gunter so we just booked a hotel room in Tyler. Holiday Inn Express with a indoor pool. Kids are happy. Mom and dad are tired.

Drove by some old houses and went home through Canton. We pulled over at a taco stand and a fruit stand to look for some Noonday onions. The kids slept most of the way home. Mandy and I talked and looked at the hills and scenery.

Athens and Rusk Texas

2008-03-15T19:54:00.007-05:00

Well, the Turners got a wild hair over the weekend. In order to get away from the phone, TV, and (almost) Internet, we decided to leave the house together and head to East Texas.
Even though we are winging it, we did plan on two things... The Athens State Fishery and the Rusk to Palestine Steam Railroad. Tonight we are in a cheap hotel, where our kids thought 65 degrees and early spring weather was enough of an excuse to go swimming in the pool.
We enjoyed the fishery and took a nice nature walk around the grounds. I was very impressed. I have always wanted to go here since it opened years ago. I bet it is even more beautiful in the late spring. We had a blast feeding the catfish in one of the outdoor tanks. My kids finally got the nerve to touch the fish on their heads. Every once in a while, a fish would start to flop and got the crowd (and us) very wet. It was a neat opportunity to see these big fish up close.

We then went to a local seafood place on Lake Athens. After a short drive to Rusk, we went to a long "footbridge" in a small park in downtown Rusk. We just dried off the kids from their swim and have their lips almost back to red. Mandy and I feel a little bad, as I have missed church for 4 weeks now. But we figured that God is with us and we really needed the uninterrupted family time. We plan on having a small church service in our hotel room, provided the Gideons did their duty. I'm hoping to pull a good tithe as gas is $3.20 in this area.

We played a game as we drove. Girls vs boys in a game of "I-spy." Each team received a point as you spotted one of the above: Yellow car, white horse, green Corvette, oil well, red barn, Dalmatian, Great Dane, fireworks stand, blue tractor, or working windmill. So far, Zander and I are winning 26 to 21.

Take a look at the pictures of our travels today.

And Addison's Cold Swim. (Yes, she says "In your face" at the end.) Public Schools!

Nashville Day Six

2008-03-12T07:03:00.005-05:00

Just woke. Wayne, Bill, Paul, and I are headed to the airport in 30 minutes. I will be looking for Addison's gift at the airport. Couldn't find anything at the mall yesterday that I liked.

Didn't know so many IFLers were on the plane. We got to hang out in the terminal for a while watching all the musicians going to and fro their gigs in Nashville. Bill and I were amazed at how bad it seems Nashville markets itself. The city and airport really had no souvenirs or icons that represented their city. Even Grand Ole Opry items were not to be found in the shops. I bet Memphis has issues with Nashville selling so many Elvis items.

Ran into Dwight and Garth at the airport

Smooth trip, but we landed in a different terminal than we parked 6 days ago. Bill and I took a shuttle but got off well away from his truck. Got to see DFW on foot. Does Bill really need to walk with his shirt off?

Last Night Together

For those of you not looking in the nav at the pictures, here is a slide show.

Boy do I miss my family. Its been way to long away from them. Over the course of the last 3 weeks, I have missed 2 soccer games, a student of the month award, 2 teeth being pulled, and a birthday party. These are on top of homework, practices, church, and normal family time. Glad to be in my bed tonight and our noisy little living room and kitchen this evening. Boston is next in April.

Nashville Day Five

2008-03-11T18:01:00.008-05:00

Busy Day. Saw (and heard) President Bush give NRB a speech. Walked by the Grand Ole Opry. Went to the Mall. Watch a new Ben Stein movie at the convention and had a formal dinner to end NRB. Was a long but great day. I enjoyed talking to my IFL peers outside the office. They are more friendly after 3 full meals and desserts each day.

President Bush Speaking. He is the dot on stage

This is Ben Stein talking about his Creation vs Evolution movie

James Dobson speaking at the NRB Dinner

Got to bed about Midnight after packing.

Nashville Day Four

2008-03-10T11:54:00.008-05:00

Got lost in the Gaylord with Wayne this AM. Wow, this place is BIG. Jack Graham signed a book for me and I saw Charles Stanley a few times. His book signing line is way too long to stand in.

Had a good discussion with a mobile content company. They still seem to be in their infancy, but that is true with a lot of tech companies. I asked a simple question and got a vague answer. "Who is the champion of mobile technology within companies/organizations you work with? Internet team, Marketing, Production, Information Technology? " They answered, "We work day to day with the team that hands us off the content." This tells me they don't know the 'in-door" to the companies they are trying to lure. But it also tells me they are hungry to find partners. I plan to meet with them again.

The bad news is just what I thought. No one has standardized a payment gateway or application. So the carriers are charging 30-50% of the transaction of purchased products/services/donations. A "Please call" call-to-action still could warrant a "connect fee." If you just want to minister for free, the carrier say "Whats in it for us?" I would love to be first to market and cutting edge, but it might be painful to mature with the industry... not knowing the return. I'll pray about it & discuss with Wayne.

Thought I would be bored here, but am finding walking, eating, meeting, and listening takes up to 90% of my day. The rest I fill with finding happy hours, stealing pens, and flirting with the help.

My next two meetings should be good. "Repurposing Content" and another meeting with Salem Communication's Web Division "OnePlace.com." If I have time to eat and work out, I then plan on going to a free comedy night. Christians are funny!

Although there is room for consultants in this world, I am getting a little frustrated with the Tech meetings here. They are littered with companies trying to brand themselves experts and then implying that you couldn't possibly make it without them. I have only asked a few questions in the sessions, but each one was not answered or not answered correctly. They can't help the people on the road, they can only help someone get on the road. I want to have dialog with someone who has already been down the path we are going. Looks like I will have to find niche companies and discuss each point individually. This of course takes time and I, of course, am not patient enough to finish a

I saw a mall right next to the hotel last night. They have a Bass Pro Shop. I might kill two birds and walk there instead of the comedy night. We will see if anyone else is crazy enough to do the same with me. It is a little cold in the evenings and I'm not wearing a blazer in my free time. A man has to stand for something: casual dress, long baths, No-Tollways, simple mobile billing, and NO MALE LINE DANCING are mine. These are a little more conservative than my neighbor's causes: Sleeveless shirts, repeal open container laws, dirty-word bumper stickers, and "if it flies, it dies" open hunting seasons.

The next meeting is run by the "Love Worth Finding" Radio and TV ministry. She is head of their Marketing division. I had breakfast with her group the other day. Very nice.

The late night dinner crew

Had a great night of dinner and conversation at Jimmie Kelly Steak House in downtown Nashville. Heard some great stories and learned a lot about these guys.