Our New Bed!

Yes, after months of sleeping on an air mattress (albeit an abnormally comfortable one), we finally have our new bed. We picked up the frame at IKEA in Boston, and we ordered the mattress from Keetsa, a company that makes very comfortable mattresses from all-natural ingredients. They shipped the mattress to our apartment, and the way that they somehow vacuum-sealed a queen-sized mattress into a box must be seen to be believed. We are absolutely thrilled with our new bed; it looks great, and it couldn't possibly be more comfortable.

Click here to see the video of us opening our Keetsa mattress!

Patriots Day, Earth Day, Passover, and More!

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Dang it, you can’t just go makin’ up holidays! I ain’t never heard of no Patriots Day!”

Well, as it turns out, there is such a holiday. Patriots Day took place this past Monday, and it’s a holiday celebrated in only three states: Maine, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. Isn’t that bizarre? Everyone kept talking about it, local businesses were closed, and Lauren and I kept wondering, “What the heck is this holiday?” As it turns out, it's a civic holiday celebrating the first two battles of the American Revolution, and it also coincides with the Boston Marathon every year.

As for Passover, Lauren and I had a wonderful celebration. It was a meaningful night full of remembrance and wonderful food, and we even had a real table to sit around this time! God has been so good over the last year.

Perhaps most exciting of all, in honor of Earth Day, Lauren and I bought an all-natural bed! We’ll be posting more about it as soon as it arrives (it’s being shipped as we speak), but we ordered it from Keetsa, a company that makes quality mattresses from all natural ingredients. We’ll be sure to post more about it as soon as it arrives.

Poetry Contests

Because it's Springtime, and also because I'm my father's son, I've been participating in a poetry contest or two! I entered a sonnet contest on Garrison Keillor's The Prairie Home Companion radio show. The sonnet had to be about love of some kind, and because the grand prize was a Sleep Number bed, I chose to write about the love of sleep:

Often I’ve slept ‘neath the stars, on the ground,
Or on a crude cot with a bar in my back.
I’ve ne’er found rest when in tents I laid down,
Or in the backseat when a pillow I lacked.
Soreness and grief await those in a bag,
To sleep on a couch is to know honest pain.
Air mattresses leak and surely will sag,
No naps can be had on a noisy airplane.
Tis only in bed that true joy awaits,
A place of repose for all who are lovers.
Unparalleled bliss when sleeping-in late
Finds those nestled deep under sheets and covers.
Some beauty is fleeting and only skin deep,
But beds are the dearest to all who love sleep.

Alas, it didn't win, though they did receive over 4000 entries. Strangely enough, the woman who did ultimately win also lives in Maine. Anyway, the next contest I'm gearing up for is a Harry Potter contest that Amazon.com is holding. The winner will be heading to London and will be allowed to read a very rare book: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book that J.K. Rowling only made seven copies of, all of which she hand-wrote and illustrated. Amazon purchased the book for £1,950,000 (nearly 4 million US dollars), and all proceeds went to charity.

Click here to learn more about the "Beedle the Bard" contest.

Charlton Heston, 1923-2008

This week, one of the great Hollywood legends passed away. Academy Award winner Charlton Heston was a cinematic giant who completely redefined stage presence with his powerful voice and dynamic performances. He starred in many great and diverse films, most notably The Greatest Show on Earth, The Ten Commandments, Planet of the Apes, and Ben Hur. He was a controversial political figure on both the liberal and conservative ends of the spectrum. He marched for civil rights in the 1960's long before it was considered right or even acceptable, he opposed President Johnson's Gun Control Act in 1968, and he openly opposed the Vietnam War.

Becoming more conservative in later years, he spoke out against affirmative action, referred to political correctness as "tyranny with manners," and served as President of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003. His political and social stances were always bold and often questioned, but he will ultimately be remembered for his incredible film performances. He was a superlative actor and a true legend, and he created some movie moments that will live on for generations.