Burky's Blog

I am planning to move back to my parents before Christmas.  So be forewarned, I may not be able to check my emails on daily basis, or be able to chat online as often as I used to.  There are no Internet at my parents' home, so the only way I would be able to check my emails would be going down to the library which is only 2 blocks from my parents' home.  I am looking forward getting back to my favorite room!  :)

2008 is almost over.  It is hard to believe that it seems almost yesterday when I last send out Holiday greetings to all my contact list in my email list.  And by mistake, I send it in "CC", instead of "BCC".  Then that scammer start bothering my people, which was embarrassing to me.  Not only that, there are some in my contact list that is for businesses.  Not personal email address.  That experience had me choosing the personal email address and put them into "Holiday Greeting" group so I can just put that group in "BCC", which I am doing now.  Also there are some personal email addresses which is only for texting to phones, which won't accept such a large email as this.  There are times when I kind of miss that fax program that I used to have, which I cut off in September.

There sure are a lot of changes in 2008.  Too bad that the earlier part of 2008 don't give me as much impression as August and after.  I suppose I can check my blog for those times, and see if it may refresh my memory.

Ah, yes, looking through my blog does help refresh my memory.  There are a lot of interesting facts that I want to keep, so I had those posted as well.

On January 12, I found there is a way that I can synchronize my blog to Facebook notes.  Really a cool feature, and I have been using it ever since.  I forget when, but Facebook did take on a new look.  It is all right, but that means I have to change few things around.  All my Facebook friends can read my "periodicals"!

I see that on January 16 is when the kitchen sink ran over and that's the last time I ever tried washing dishes at Jay's.  Today is my first time to try using that dishwasher that we never used.

On New Year's Day, I was walking on the beach at Galverston, Texas, with my family.  It is hard to believe that today we know that beach don't look like it used to, because of Hurricane Ike.

Then in February, I went to Messiah Bible School to visit my sister, who were a cook there for a term.  I met Cameron Martin, who interpret for Edward Burkholder.  February 2, I went shopping with Paula and Lisa.  They choose a outfit for me and I choose my outfit from Old Navy store.  I still have those outfits today.

February 3, Luke Martin from Canada preached at Martindale Church.  I had a goatee then and went into the church.  My deaf friends and I met Luke Martin afterwards at Hahnstown School.

I went to two weddings in April.  Henry Friesen and Dominic Miller.  They are still happily married as far as I am concerned.  ;)

March 19, I found the information about gas.  Sunco, Conoco, Sinclair, BP, Phillips, Hess, and ARCO are one of very few gas stations that don't buy gas from overseas.  Citgo is a gas station owned by an American enemy.

In April, tension was high about the presidential race.

In February, I joined Warranties for Less.  In March, I joined Quixtar, now called Amway Global in 2009.  On May 20, I wrote that in March, I skipped church two Sundays in one month just because of Quixtar.  Knowing that fact make me feel uneasy about being too involved with Quixtar.  Oh in that same blog, I mentioned that I went to two church services on Sunday after Henry Friesen's wedding.  That would be April 13.  I went to LCBC church at 9am service, and then I went to Manor Church at 10:45am service.  I did feel spiritually nourished that day.  Mark Shenk was hoping to invite me to go out with him, but that Sunday I was very glad to be home from a long weekend, traveling to Canada!

May 4, Charlene, Edna Jane, Anita, and two men came to First Deaf Mennonite Church.  That was a special treat to have a good old friends with us.  I really wrote a lot what happens in May in that May 20 blog.  I mentioned about at Community Christian Fellowship church, they had pictures slides about Jamaica.  I also found out about Pocono having their annual garlic festival on August 30 and 31.  I did go, and would go again.  That must be the last time I went to Casey County, Kentucky.  In May.

In June, Jay went to Oklahoma to stay for one month.  I had fun living alone.  Funny how some people take pity with me about living alone!  I was enjoying every minute of it!

And in June, there was a BIG thunderstorm.  The sky was so greenish.  There were hard rain that Tuesday, and Internet went down.  I had to wait 1 week until I can use Internet at home again, and then 2 weeks until I can use VideoPhone again.  One of my friend got mad at me for not talking on VP, and wouldn't answer my calls after I got VP up and running.  I can't do anything, then he told me not to talk with him or keep in touch with him.  Still, he keep forwarding emails to me, and such.  I never talk with him for a long time.  Now we are talking again.  I wish he would learn to be happy in Jesus, but he don't know the Truth.

In April, Keystone Koating terminate Keith Martin's employment there and moved Adam Witman from Plant #2 to Plant #1.  I really enjoy his supervisory role, but there are times when I miss Keith.  Keith is the one who make me feel free and be whole.  Adam is fun to talk with, but bit too limiting.  I think I know why.  Keith is a macho man, and in that realm, he is my role model.  Adam is a fun person to work with, and he keep me feel included in what's happening at work.  Both are nice in their own way, when it comes to supervising me at work!  Clinton Sensenig quit in May, so we had Jedd Musser working with us.  He eventually quit in August.  Jeffery Clark start in August for us.  At first, I thought he is a Christian kind of person I would like to hang out with.

Last weekend of May, or was it first weekend of June, that I did go to Canada for deaf reunion.  It was a wonderful time.  Then last weekend of June, I went to Walt Disney in Orlando, Florida, mostly for business meeting for Quixtar.  And plus, I got to experience what I keep hearing about of that place.  It was very enjoyable time for us, but the meeting is BOOOOORRRING!  I don't think I will go again, especially that Jean Pichiya and Mike Musser points out the demonic forces behind Disney world.

August 23, I mentioned in my blog that I read that book, How to find Your Way Back Home.  I remember reading that book.  That book change my life.  I wasn't far into that book when I suddenly understood everything.  Everything clicked.  While I may praise that book for opening my eyes, I am slow to recommend it to anyone because of some false teachings like reincarnation.  For years, I always want to be a Christian, but I struggled continually.

John 10:10b was always my favorite verse; it is my goal.  Thanks to that book written by Bess Permut, I have achieved that goal.  Of course, I didn't become Biblical Christian overnight.  But with what I understand about life by reading that book, and following the same principles I have been following for many years, I started to improve.

Christian life is very exciting.  No longer do I worry about my destiny.  No longer do I doubt if I will go to Heaven.

October 31, I was baptized by immersion.  Mostly because I understood that is what the Bible actually teaches, thanks to Lewis Meyers, and also that I want an experience to remember and reconfirm that I AM A CHRISTIAN!  Many of my friends would remember the first year(s) I live in Pennsylvania, I lived a rowdy life.  I was tired of trying to live a Christian life, so I gave up trying.  I don't want to be a hypocrite.  I will do whatever that is ME!  Thanks to that book I read during the last week of August, I no longer have to be hypocrite and BE A CHRISTIAN.

In September, I make a mistake of sending out email inviting people to join Reunion.  I didn't like that because you have to pay to use it.  I also accidently invited people to IMVU.  Again recently, I also accidently invited people to HoverSpot.  I suppose everybody by now knows how curious I really am!  Always trying to learn new things, always trying out new things.  After all, you will never learn until you try it.  Often, experiences in life is best teacher!

So I suggested that you disregard any of my invitationals to join any sites.  If you want to join, that's your privilege.  Much as I wish, I will respect you if you don't want have any part of Facebook.  That is the ONLY social networking site I use and will continue to use.  I am closing all my other accounts, so I will lose friends from MySpace, Hi5, Tagged, and others, unless if they want to join Facebook.  Compared to all other social sites, Facebook have more features.  You can play games with friends there.  You can download your blog, so there are no need to retype or any copy/paste things.  You can share links that you thought was cool or suggest others to look at.  You can exchange ideas and help one other to prosper.  There are Prayer Groups, Bible Study groups, as well as many other groups.  I used to be part of Real Estates group and I learn much about buying a property.  Recently I joined Computer groups, mainly because I want to learn more about computers.  You can use it as your online photo album, so you don't have to bring your pictures and show to your friends.  Just post your pictures and then tell your friends to look at them when they have time!  They can leave comments about them too.  They can even comment your notes, status, and other things that you have on there.  Only thing I am hoping for is Bible Trivia games!  I haven't found one yet.  I thought it would be fun if we can challenge each other on our knowledge of the Bible.  Only sad thing about Facebook photo albums is their restrictions.  Only 60 pictures per albums!  O please.

I also synchronize my Google calendar to my Facebook.  It is not perfect, but that's the plan.

Ah, God bless Google.  Gmail went through few changes this year.  Now you can have themes and you can change the layout of Gmail.  For a long time, it has a chat program that appears in the corner.  You can chat and read your emails at the same time.  It is really nice.  Now it has video chat, if you have webcam.  Also, another change is you can send SMS (or text messaging) from Gmail chat.  If anyone reply back from their cell phone when you are offline, you will get it in email form.

I am still waiting that MSN and Gmail can work together.  I have been chatting on AIM in my Gmail for a long time already, and I am still waiting for that day when I can chat on Facebook, Yahoo, and MSN from Gmail.  With all that talk about Web 2.0, they say that may become possible.  I am just thinking I like the feature of Gmail chat.  It don't take the whole window, just a small corner, and you can see what was said when it was said and then go back reading emails or Facebook profile whatever.

In November, I went to Youth Bible School and enjoy meeting my old friends from Belize on Monday evening.  Tuesday is Election Day, and they talked about it at Youth Bible School that evening.  I almost did vote, but decided against it, because I didn't get approval to vote.  Plus, I didn't have much time to get home from work, to get ready, and go back to YBS.  Wednesday, the next day, I went to Las Vegas with Jay to watch Professional Bull Riding.  It was an interesting experience, although I don't think I will go again.  4 days after returning home from Las Vegas, I went to Penn Valley Christian Retreat for deaf seminar.  I really enjoy it, although I didn't get fed.  I probably would get spiritually fed better at YBS than at Penn Valley Christian Retreat and Las Vegas!  I lost the job on Monday following that weekend.

In search for job, I didn't find anything.  Every time when I ACTED upon my unemployment status, something came up that put me wondering if I need it.  Finally, I decided to move back to my parents.

Jay and I hosted a Christmas party for our deaf friends on December 20.  We play cards, visited, and look at pictures.  We feasted well too.  We really had so much fun!  I finally went to bed at 2:30AM!  I am glad that it went so well, because it is my FINAL party I am hosting at Jay's.  Now they are talking about New Year's Eve.  I would have to see what my parents say about that.

Even if I went to bed so late, I still woke up in time to get ready for church.  Then Jay woke up wondering if we should go to church.  Icy roads, and snow everywhere.  It seems safer to stay home.  Jay went back to bed.  I was on my computer since I woke up.  I wrote a message to four girls, explaining why man are to lead and woman are to support.  Especially one, who ask me why I won't accept a girl if she ask me out for a date.  Then I wrote this Christmas email...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

--
Omar Burkholder
"Burky"