Burky's Blog

Dear Friends,

It was such a foggy morning, a kind of morning I would love to be home.  But now it is pass the mid-morning and I see the sun shining on the leaves through the mini-blinds.  If it is raining outside, I sure wish I can enjoy relaxing at home.  But that isn't always the case, and I remember my mom say once she noticed it seldom rain on Saturday, more sunshine than rain on Saturday that one year.  I checked that since and found that's to be true...much to my "disappointment"

Perhaps it is because I grew up on farm, and never had a farmer's heart, so if it is raining, it means I get to stay indoors ("Praise the Lord!").  So if it is beautiful day, then I have to drag my feet outdoors and do farm work.  But today, I no longer have to do farm work, and even went farther to have "conviction" against it basically because I am convinced vegetarian, although not strictly call it my lifestyle (yet!).  Working at Cayo Deaf Institute awakes the dormant feeling I have for gardening, so I must do inherit some green thumb from my mother.  Now, today, I am dreaming to own a home with a garden big enough to give me enough food to live on for a whole year, being less dependent on stores.

After all, considering that verse in the Bible mentioning about "having food and clothes, let us be content", could lead us to believe that everything other than food and clothes is a real luxury, despite our culture may tell us otherwise. 

This evening, we are planning to go watch bull-riding in Harrisburg, so I am sure it would be a crowd, as it is a professional event.  Imagine staying on the mean bulls for 8 seconds and try to get high points.  But then you are mostly at mercy of that mean beast under you to get that high point.  It is my roommate's favorite event to watch and enjoy more than anyone else I know. 

Seems to me that most of my friends enjoy greater variety of things than my roommate does.  And then I am the only one in my friendship circle that can eat anything and call it delicious.  No matter where I go for restaurant, I would by 99% chance would love the food I just happened to order, leading me to want to try something different every time I go out to eat.  But to be strictly honest with myself, I would admit that Subway, Blimpie, or any salad bar is my greatest weakness.  They often ask me if I want to clean up their leftovers!

Yesterday evening I sat between two divorcee and both are my co-workers in Longhorn Steakhouse for birthday party for Brent who is also my co-worker.  The food there is good, but I wish my steak is bit rarer.  I have had worked at Shady Maple Smorgasbord as a dishwasher and found that dishes from and for salad bar or vegetables get washed sufficiently by dishwashing machine alone, whereas desserts and meat dishes have to be scrubbed by hand.  It sure makes me wonder how such food go through our bodies.  It is obvious that our body assimilate vegetables far more easier than meat or any other food.  Anyway, the next steak I would have at Longhorn Steakhouse, I would want it to be rarer, so to be easy to chew.  Although I do wonder if there is next time.  My friends would have to convince me to come with them to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse again.

Oh now Fermin just instant-message me.  He faithfully call me everyday, except Sunday.  It is good to have him as my reminder, because I felt so strongly, wishing to go back to Belize for a visit.  But I felt so strongly as well that I must pay off my bills first.  So my only hope is in God to help me out.  And I trust and believe that anything that is important to me is also important to God, as the Bible seem to impress us that when we come to God as a servant, Jesus took us as a brother/sister, a joint-heir. 

Oh for some of you who don't know Fermin, he is one of students at Cayo Deaf Institute in Belize while I was there as a teacher.  I can see he has great interest in computers and technology like I do, so I hope for that day when God can make it possible for Fermin, Jeovani, and Ben to own one.  Yes, I know that would be a luxury for them as it is for us, but God is not limited to food and clothes, He like us to be happy as well.  After all, Jesus is all in all.

ASL social in Lancaster used to be every 3rd Friday evening, but now is moved to second Friday evening of every month, basically because of York having their ASL social on every 3rd Saturday evening.  But I used to like that arrangement because I can stay overnight at Mark Shenk's house after Lancaster ASL social and then spend all day on Saturday with him and go to York ASL social that evening.  My, fond memories is just that--fond memories, never to be repeated.

Now, Mark Shenk is all wrapped up with his girlfriend, being so human as all of us.  It is so easy for us, when we have one friend with common ground, we tend to hang out with that friend more than all other friends.  Praise the Lord, he saw me through the time of loneliness, and gave me love in small pieces through different people.

So that means my October schedule is as follows. October 2, I went out with Leon Hoover that evening.  October 3, I went with Jay to watch the parade in New Holland fair.  October 4, I went with Paul Hoover to New Holland fair and enjoy looking around.  We did few rides, and then watch firemen's tug-of-war afterwards with Charlene Zimmerman and Jay Edwin Zimmerman.  October 5, I went to ASL social in Camp Hill just in outskirt of Harrisburg, which is a hour's drive for me.  Upon return, I stopped at Longhorn Steakhouse for birthday supper for Brent, one of my co-workers.  October 6, 8 of us are planning to watch professional bull riders in Harrisburg Farm Show Complex.  October 7, I am not sure where I want to attend church, would it be First Deaf Mennonite Church?  Leon Hoover talks about going to Elk County in PA and watch ducks walk on fishes close to Erie.  It is first Sunday of the month, which is when First Deaf Mennonite Church would have their usual fellowship dinner after church.  I wonder if that would materialize.  Maybe I can talk with Leon later about that.  October 8, that's when Plant 2 would close for indefinite time and merge with Plant 1 where I work.  Yes, I am talking about Keystone Koating, the branch from Paul B Zimmerman in Ephrata, or Lititz, take your pick.  All the workers from Plant 2 will come over and work with us.  And we will start working from 6:30 AM to 5 PM everyday, Monday to Friday, much to my dismay.  Positive thinking would say "more moolah", but I beg for more time for myself.  October 12, I plan to attend Lancaster ASL social that evening.  October 14, I want to go to First Deaf Mennonite Church in the morning and go to Renaissance Faire immediately afterwards.  October 20, Sherlock Holmes will be playing on the stage at Fulton Opera House along with ASL interpreters interpreting the play.  That evening Leon Hoover will have their hayride for deaf people. 

So that means I have so much events to attend.  I would like to go to Field of Scream or Jason's Woods sometime in October, and Paul Hoover would like to go to Hersheypark in the Dark on October 27.  But whether or not if I attend any of that is left in question.  I would feel more comfortable if I have all my bills and debts paid.  It is kind of good to have much events to attend, so I wouldn't wallow in the pit.  Seems to me that people who don't get out much tend to be more closed minded and less fun to be around.  And it seems to me, according to biographies I have read, that people who are lost in God or filled with Holy Spirit tend to get around pretty much, even if it means being a traveling evangelist alone.

So far, the event I have in November is Penn Valley Deaf Seminar.  I plan to attend the whole weekend. 

I have been adding quite few people to this "newsletter" list and heard no answer concerning these emails.  I am thinking of deleting the names off the list, and keep my favorites, especially the ones who want to know what's new with me.  I even blank carbon copy to emails, because I didn't really like people asking me who's who, and it would ensure privacy to them as well.  I like to know what's new with you, but it seems like we are all so human, preferring to hear from others rather than sharing about yourself.  Just because I like to writing emails/faxes does not mean I would keep doing "one-sided" conversations.  Use Instant Messaging if you can, although I confess for not being online much. 

--
Omar Burkholder
1091 Martindale Road
Ephrata, PA 17522

Email:  deafdemophile@gmail.com
Fax:     1-888-580-1767