Wakita....Searching for Twisters 20 years later

Sometimes movies leave a lasting impression on you.  For me, the mid-1990s produced some of the greatest films that I still watch with the same enthusiasm as a new release. Jurassic Park, Apollo 13, and one especially close to me….Twister. Why? If you knew elementary school Jeff, one of my big interests was weather. I’d sit in front of the weather channel for hours at a time watching national weather reports. I dressed up as a weather man for career day in 3^rd grade. In college, I would give a weekly weather report to my fraternity brothers pretending I was in front of a green screen. So, you can say I earned my weather nerd card. I still remember in  May of 1996, Dad, Danny Volek, Andrew and I saw Twister at the Irving AMC. It was amazing, and helped to pique my interest even more in weather.  Some of my Baylor friends loved it too, and we would watch it annually, quoting the same lines over and over again. Its crazy to think that 20 years have gone by since that time, but its true. In honor of that, my Irving buddy Andy Muskrat, who amazingly likes Twister and can quote it even better than me, came up to Tulsa on Sunday evening for a pilgrimage to the epicenter of Twister-lore- the tiny town of Wakita, OK. 

Andy in Wakita, which is surrounded by wheat fields.

Any Twister fan knows the city of Wakita. Set high in central Oklahoma about 20 miles south of Kansas, the town was a key part of the movie as the place where an F5 tornado as Dusty would say looks to “hit Wakita head on”. The cool part is that it wasn’t just a made up Hollywood town- we could go and visit the actual place they filmed it. Even cooler is the fact a Twister Movie Museum still operates there 20 years after the movie was completed.

Andy and I hit the road around 8:30 on Monday after he had made reservations at the Twister Museum with a nice lady named Linda Wade for a private tour (its normally closed on Mondays). We took 412 west to 35N, then exited and turned left at Blackwell. It was about 30 miles to go west on Highway 11 so, being the Twister geeks we are, we started playing the Twister soundtrack, composed by Mark Mancina, which totally fit the bucolic driving view around Northern Oklahoma. We saw lots of farm equipment and combines on the side of the road, kind of wishing we would have to dodge some in the air if a tornado were to pop up among the surrounding wheat fields. 

We arrived to Wakita at 11 am and drove through the town. At a population of a little over 400, it seemed smaller. The main street was just 5 or 6 blocks long, flanked with streets of houses on the right, and large wheat silos on the left.  It wasn’t hard to find the museum, which turned out to be where the directors and executive producers (Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Speilberg) had made their offices during the shoot.

Entrance to the Twister The Movie Museum. Wakita, OK

The door was wide open, so we ventured inside, greeted by the actual Dorothy I, a large metal cylinder invention from the movie. Linda showed up a couple of minutes after and she was such a wonderful host. She has given the personalized tour hundreds of times, yet as she proudly walked us through the entire museum, you could hear the pride in her voice of how the town rallied around the actors and movie crew throughout the month of filming.

Andy chats with Linda about Bill Paxton's popularity with the

 Wakita locals.

We were her only guests that day, which felt special. The museum was filled with movie props, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia, including a Twister pinball machine given by Bill Paxton to the town. We got a chance to play it for a while until Linda invited us to sit down at an old prop table from the movie (maybe from Aunt Meg’s house), and she pulled out a DVD that had home videos from 1995 of the actors walking around between takes, as well as some of the actual filming, noting that there was no way in today’s mobile world they would let the public get that close to a hot set.

Jeff playing Twister pinball, donated by Bill Paxton.

After the museum tour was complete and we got all the pictures we desired, we walked a few blocks to a couple of other important filming locations. Anyone who has seen Twister remembers the sweeping scene of the Wakita water tour as the crew leaves town to chase another tornado. Its still there, and got some pics near it. According to Linda, they wanted to paint over the town’s name for the movie, but it would cost $10,000 to repaint it, so they just left the name on there. The rest is history.

Another key place on the tour was Aunt Meg’s house…..or at least where it used to be, for we all know the tornado that hit Wakita left Aunt Meg’s “car in a tree around the corner”.  The lot where her house stood is still there on Elm Street

Street where crew parked to eat at Aunt Meg's.

The yard and former house location.

You can almost picture the crew parking on the street as they run inside to get some steak and eggs. Sadly, the house and former workshop and cool wind chimes are long gone. Linda said the director has them now at his house.





 Touring a town is tiring. It was time for lunch. What better place to assuage our hunger than at a place on Main Street called the Twister Café?  Actually, we only had 2 options- the Twister Café or the grocery store, which had a special on fried chicken. We chose the former. After a 2 block walk, we arrived at the cash only Twister Café for some really delicious bacon and cheese burgers.

Bacon burger with waffle fries- Twister Cafe special

There were a total of 7 people inside a small, wooden building with a husband and wife running the place. We ate quietly but soundly, as the burgers did not disappoint- the buns were buttered and grilled to give it that great crisp taste. Also, it was great listening to small town folk talk about dogs, gossip and all else that comes with living in small town Oklahoma.The community board in the restaurant spoke volumes. Town events (the Twister 20th Anniversary block party is May 14th), items for sale, and one sign that read "The only similarity between Obama and God is that neither have a birth certificate." Yes, we were still in the reddest state in the US.

Andy and me with Dorothy I

We had done enough F-5 damage for one day in our visit, we packed up our museum shirts, postcards and gifts and headed back to the big city. Wakita seems a world away from Tulsa, even though its only a little over 2 hours. I’m thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of Twister in the spot it was filmed, and for chance to get away for a bit from the bustle of everyday life. On May 14th, I'll be watching Twister again at my house to celebrate this cool movie as an Oklahoma institution.  Make it a great day! 

Potent Quote-ables

I have about 3 quotes in which, if you've known me long enough, have probably heard me utter. I try to abide by these words. Im sure Ill add more life quotes as I age more, but these are the basics.

1) Life's not fair, then you die.- Inez Morua, Cuban 6th grade math teacher.

Ms. Morua had a big mouth, large personality and a short temper. As a junior high math teacher for a bunch of little complaining in-fidels (pun intended), she didnt take a lot of your BS. After a few sighs, questioning and arguing from any 6th grader,  she would declare "lifes not fair, then you die" in a wonderfully Cuban-American accent then cock her head and stare at a 45 degree angle. Point taken Ms. Morua. She had a right to be like that. She lost a son to a drunk driver the Halloween before my 6th grade year. She had the right to be bitter. Life isn't fair many times and in many circumstances. As a believer, I trust God to work it all out. Thats the basis, or one of the tenets,of the book of Ecclesiastes. In the end, God is sovereign and just. When I want to complain or moan when I don't get a deal closed, feel slighted by people,  or when Im just a baby even as a 35 year old, its important to remember that life isn't fair. Im thankful for grace because without that, fairness would destroy me.

2) Ive never seen a U-haul behind a hearse.- Barry Camp, Highland Baptist Church

Love this quote. Remember the Pharaohs who were buried with all their treasure? It just sat there collecting dust as their mummified corpses slowly rotted.  What we do with the finances God entrusts with us in the life is critical. With only about 100 years to live, you cant take it with you. This is guaranteed. How you are generous with others and what you invest in is a lasting impact. I want to be a giver every day, month, year. I want God to show me needs to meet with others in my life. Strangers, close friends, family- I challenge myself to meet needs and be generous. It seems God gives us a bigger shovel when we give. The biggest secret of giving I've found is the person giving is blessed equally or more than the receiver. I made a goal of giving away at least 20 percent of what I earn to meaningful things. Why do we hold tightly to money? Why do we put our value in the value of our 401K? I pray I listen to the Spirit and anytime there is a need, I obey. Im not going to list the things ive done, but its been awesome to see how i can bless people in a small way.

3) If you are in the company of people who agree with you all the time, its time to find a new company.- Condelizza Rice

What a graceful woman- smart too. She would be a wonderful US President. Her words ring true. I want to be surrounded with people who challenge me. I love a good healthy debate. This is both in friendships and in work. Groupthink always dilutes what can be accomplished in the corporate world. People tend to just agree with others and blunt their own creative ideas and talents. I try to think outside the box in situations and not be difficult, but think of different ideas and ways to accomplish things to make quota or accomplish a project.  Sometimes this makes a boss frustrated with me, but I think its a positive thing overall. In interpersonal relationships, I always appreciated friends who would challenge my thoughts on politics, sports, life, mentality, etc.

Well, thats it. Make it a great night!

Super...bowl Sunday

I should be working on my PTMP for work and I have been but this masala tea has my mind wandering all over the place at Shades. Maybe being at Shades inspired me to blog again, as I wrote most of my posts here when I first moved to T-Town. I'm having a large group of friends over this evening for the Super Bowl and made chili and drinks for it way too late last night after running my legs off yesterday. Actually, I lifted weights with Kyle at 8, then did a spin class with Kelly at 10 and then ran in late afternoon. We were at a party last night (which had world's coolest deck overlooking a creek) and stood most of the time. I was going to take a bath late last night but got distracted because Twister was on AMC so ended up watching that and making chili for today. Went to church this morning and now I'm here working on the work project. Kelly and I got a super bowl pic at church (apparently a tradition now).   

Also, today is my sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Kathleen!!!!!!!I still remember her coming home from the hospital. Hope she is feeling loved up in Boston. Wish I could be there to hang out with here and get a canoli at one of those great Italian places there.

Tomorrow I'm going to Ada in the morning (otherwise known as the ends of the Earth), then back for a dinner with OneGas at Mi Cocina.

Make it a great week,
Jeff

Easter 2015 and weekend update on eating habits

Hello. This weekend, I was vastly improved over historical weekend eating habits. It seems that Friday night-Sunday are usually the belt busters of days, but I was able to be tame and really watch/limit what I consumed. Friday, I was able to have 1 banana and black coffee for breakfast, a handful of strawberries for a snack, a somewhat healthy salad at Zoes, and a burrito bowl for dinner with minimal ingredients. Saturday, I had black coffee and a banana for breakfast, McAlisters for lunch and 2 pieces of pizza for dinner (deep dish). I'm really happy with myself in not allowing any additional junk food like half and half with coffee, or big snacking in between meals. Saturday night, I was craving something when I got home from a movie and instead ate a cup of greek yogurt and honey. Delicious! For Easter lunch that we had today, I ate some ham, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, strawberries, some and black coffee and a bit of OJ. I'm also proud to say I ran every day this weekend even when I didn't want to. I did 45 minutes of running/bike on Friday, ran 4 miles on Saturday and ran 3.5 this evening. I have a half marathon this coming weekend, so I plan to do some minimal stuff friday (not running) but still get my cardio in.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the minimal damage I did this weekend. I plan to hit it hard every day this week. I'm 5 for 5 on the April challenge and am not stopping now. I think I'm under 210 which would be a first in quite a while for me. I plan to be under 200 by the end of the month.

Easter this year was much different, but very nice. Kelly and I weren't sure what we were doing. Scott and Vicky were visiting KC this weekend, and as the week drew to an end we still weren't sure of what we were doing, so we made a decision at the farmers market to just invite our friends over to enjoy a lunch together.
I started today in the Word, reading about God's love for us in 1 John. Just the start I needed for the day. Went to a wonderful church service- music, a message out of Luke and salvations. Afterwards, 
six of us got together to celebrate today and enjoy a meal together (me, Kelly, Lindsey, Siva, Jay and Bethany and kids). We had such a wonderful, relaxing time. It rained in the morning which provided a cool day. I got home from church and finished preparing the side dishes while Kelly finished the ham at her apartment. I set up a table in the main living room with a white table cloth and candle. Since I don't have a dining room, I joked that we use the living room only a couple of times a year to eat in, so it was kind of like eating in anyone's dining room. Everyone arrived at 2 for the lunch.  The food that people made was so good. I was a fan of the ham (the cloves really made it divine!) as well as the deviled eggs. Lindsey made some delectable desserts. The creme fresh that she had with the strawberries was a little taste of heaven. Seriously, Lindsey those were the best strawberries. They got me so distracted I gave you a present that wasn't yours LOL! We took pictures in the backyard with various people. The red bud trees in bloom provided a vibrant purple background and was perfect  for an Easter picture. We even had an egg hunt for little Eden.

This evening, I have been at my house and thankful for the Easter God orchestrated. Wonderful time worshiping the Father, time with friends and introspection.

April Running brings May Abs

Team- Coach Mossman here. Are you ready? Are you ready to deflate that spare tire around your waist? Its time to put the brownies down and put on your garmin watch. More running, less running to the kitchen. Its time to stop making excuses to cheat on eating healthy or not put in extra effort into a leg workout. THIS AINT NO GARDEN PARTY!!! Get to it!

OK just doing an impression of me as a coach (can you imagine me being mean to the team?) In all seriousness, April 1 brings a new commitment from JEM- I will be doing 30 minutes of cardio every day in April. Ive been disciplined with working out through lifting weights. Many days I am up at 5 am to workout with Chet, Zack and Heath at Sky South. Its early and it feels like im in a weird dream because its so early. But in any case, I am headed to Las Vegas on May 11th for a work trip. Kelly is joining me for a couple of days so we will hit up the pool at the Wynn on Sunday, the 10th. It would be fun to have a cut physique (vain much?) but seriously, why work so hard if you cant on rare occasions feel like you want to walk around the pool with some confidence! Im near the peak of my personal best for strength, which has been a long but rewarding journey. Cutting fat is the other key thing I have not mastered. So, to help me stay accountable, I signed up for another half marathon on April 11th in Jenks. I get to visit the aquarium as a treat after the race. I will also have to pay a fine if there is a day I miss. I will not miss a day.

April Commitments.....
1) Cardio 30 minutes or more daily
2) No fried foods
3) No dairy (other than greek yogurt)

Im excited for this challenge because I want to develop my "muscle" of self discipline. Saying no to unhealthy choices and yes to the right ones.  So many times I say something or commit then falter. Im doing this people.

Make it a great night!

You're tense

I got a mall massage last night. It was amazing. Thirty minutes of pure bliss. The Chinese workers must all be taught the same methods because its all very similar before they come over to America. Not sure why I felt like I needed to sneak into the store, but I gingerly made my way inside to get the table massage. I started having flashbacks to my first massage experience at 10,000 Waves in Santa Fe, NM. It was a Japanese inspired pergola adorned spa.  Lets just cut to the chase and say it was a nudist-skewed awkward, "we're serious take your clothes off and get into a robe now while we're standing here" kind of place. The massage was decent, but I was still deer-in-headlights concerning what or what I wasn't wearing. Not exactly a nice transition for a first-timer getting a massage who is 20.
 Oddly enough, this is not the weirdest place I have gotten a massage. There is an indoor flea market at the Tulsa Fairgrounds and about once a month, I'll make my way over there to see Tony, who sells jewelry at his table and gives massages....sometimes simultaneously. He is really good, and his slots fill up quickly, so I have to get over there early on a Saturday to sign up for a time. The dull murmurings of the older-skewing crowd at the flea market make it a soothing sound as Tony works on several areas of issue. Once he is done, I want to melt off the table....so soothing and refreshing. Occasionally, I will head over to Dr. Peace, a chiropractor who has massage at his practice. They have this great table that is like a half-sized twin bed and they wrap you tightly in sheets like a cocoon. Its so cozy I would almost pay just to sleep on that bed without the massage. Alas, its back to the grind. Maybe some day soon I'll tackle the infamous Chinese Foot Massage place that several of my friends have frequented. Its in south Tulsa, so it may be a while before I can get down there.


 

Catching up....

Hello!
Its been exactly one year since I last posted in this blog. I can't decide why its difficult to blog more, but after much procrastination, I'm back in 2015. I haven't seen any flying cars, nor hoverboards to my dismay, but I'm still hoping the Cubbies and Florida play in the World Series (people who haven't seen Back to the Future are not getting this...).
I'd say 2014 was a success in reflecting over the past year.
Things I'm thankful for:
1) Trips to glorious places ( a New year's cruise in the Carribean, Washington DC for Cherry Blossom Festivals, Las Vegas 5 times (yes that's not a typo), Colorado for the 4th with the wonderful Miss Kelly, Kevin, and Suzy, the UK with Baylor friends, Switzerland with Kyle, and even a bowl game in Phoenix with Wes and several friends.

2) Spending time with Kelly- we have had so many fun times and eaten at so many wonderful places around Tulsa (its kind of our thing we like to do). Some of my favorite things we have done include art night at the Philbrook Museum, pulled pork taco night, scrabble, Red Rock, Los Cabos,  trips to Vegas in February, and Breckenridge hiking, fireworks and the roadtrip to Denver. Cafe Ole, Keo, Shades, Brookside, are just some of our favorite places!  We just know how to have a good time!

3) Meeting new friends and sustaining and growing closer to established friends. New ones like Evan and Jessica Myers who I met early last year through the Wilsons. They are cherished people. I took a memorable trip to Vegas to celebrate Mocky's 30th birthday. What a blast to get to experience Cirque du Soleil, breakfast outside the fountains of Bellagio, hiking etc. The Vegas 7 as I call them are all friends I feel very comfortable around and can be in my own skin. Chet and I continue to work out and laugh (make fools of ourselves) at the gym as we try every gym in Tulsa. Sharing time with the Stevenson's and their kids has given me great joy as well. I love knowing I'm"Uncle Mossman" to sweet Eden. We have started to take a traditional picture at Ole every year on my birthday. Jay and I get to hang out many a coffee shop to catch up and talk about politics, football, or whatever else is germane to the situation.

4)Time with my family over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was one of my favorites this year. We spent time at Grand Lake with my dad's family, and had so much fun playing table games, croquet, and sitting by the outdoor fireplace. Christmas Eve was lovely with a shrimp dinner after a great church service. We watched a ton of Christmas movies. Overall, just a very cozy and relaxing break.

5) Work.... I acheived my quota for the 3rd year in a row at IBM! I started the year off painfully slow, but I didn't give up. I had an amazing 4Q due to our investment in accounts earlier in the year. I'm very proud to overachieve, and hope that IBM gives us some travel points to take a fun 100% club trip. I am so thankful I get to visit so many cool places through work. Last year, I got to go to Vegas, Austin (played TopGolf which was awesome!), Alabama, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago for a week at the Palmer House, and Washington DC in August with a night trip to the monuments).

6) Fitness- got to work out quite a bit in 2014 and also ran in a couple of half marathons. I set a personal record for a half marathon at the Irving Marathon with a time of 1:46:54. That beat my previous record by over 5 minutes. I also was consistent in lifting weights and making some small gains.
7) Investing in the Kingdom- was able to help support 3 ministries in addition to my church home in Tulsa in 2014. I also made a commitment to help with some fundraising for a building in which The Gathering is trying to buy at some point. I felt God leading me to do that in August. Malachi 3:16 is right on target by the way. When you are obidient to God in how he leads us to use his money he gives us, great and mighty things happen.
8) In general, in 2014 I was able to reflect and be thankful for all that I have and to be thankful for a house, a car that has been a consistent, no issue friend for 100,000 miles now, an ability to have some margin to take trips, invest in others, etc.

These things and many more I am thankful for in 2014. So many times we sit and sulk thinking about things not going our way. I have to remind myself of the wonderful things God has blessed me with and it really puts things in perspective.
Make it a great day!
Jeff
-

Jan 20

Today was packed. I spent the night in Bentonville last night in order to make a meeting this morning at 7:45 AM, so I headed to the Doubletree last night after getting back from my Aunt Holly's funeral. We had her service on Saturday afternoon in a very busy day. It was a beautiful funeral and I told my mom Holly and watching with a smile along with Granny and Papa. Having your parents and only sibling die in less than 2 years is a hard thing. It was so beautiful seeing so much support from the extended family, Holly's real estate network, and church friends.
I worked out this afternoon after working a bit longer. One awesome thing to see tonight was the 2 puppies of my good friend Lindsey Mocky. She kept talking to them in a mommy voice, which was cute. I'm glad she has those puppies- she seems to be in good spirits and is enjoying 2014 so far!

I don't have a lot of coherent thoughts right now. I'm all over the place, so just bear with me. Its been a long, tiring day.

I've been looking at some of my friends' old blog posts the past hour. There are some really funny and memorable posts in there. I really do enjoy getting into the minds of some of my friends through the written word. i want to get in a time machine and go back to some of those experiences. I thumbed through Lindey's blog that she printed out from 2013, and it was darn near the size of an encyclopedia. Pretty cool all those thoughts in there.

I weighed in about 208.6 today. That seems high for the fact I've been eating pretty healthy and trying to work out. Maybe its just fluctuation. Who knows. It was kind of depressing honestly....demotivating. I am needing to really start training for the Bearathon on March 22. I heard another one of my friends from Baylor will be running with us, so that will be fun.

On Feb 9th, I'll have worked 10 years at IBM....yeah! Bonus is I now get 4 weeks of vacation instead of 3. I remember starting in 2003 with 13 people in my class. I think there are 3 of us left. Thankful for great bosses, tons of places I've seen, and consistent pay.

I'm overdue for a Sam and Ella's run. Its about the best pizza place in the country in Talequah- an hour away. We tried to go there for Kyle's birthday but it was too snowy. I passed by the exit on the way back home today. Lindsey's dogs, who I met tonight, are named Sam and Ella after that restaurant. These constant reminders make me hungry and want to go there. Who wants to go with me in the next couple of weeks????

I received kindness, generosity and demonstrations of Christian love from people who I hold most dear to me in the past several days as I traveled home to Dallas and came back to Tulsa. These people have encouraged me, spent time with me, sent nice texts and even gave me a couple of gifts. I'm beyond thankful. Its so nice when you feel like friends and loved ones reciproate the feelings you have for them. I seek the opportunity bless those who bless me. I hope that chance comes soon.

Soon I'll post my very brief 2014 goals and a review of what I was able to meet in 2013.
Good night!!!!

My Five Favorite Places in Tulsa

 This was in my draft folder from early 2012 and never published it....so here you go. Kind of fun to look back on a time stamp. I'd add in 2013 that I love the Brady District (Guthrie Green, Chimera, Rusty Crane, etc) but this is kind of fun.

I've lived in Tulsa for over 3 years now, and have discovered some great places that have become a part of my whole Tulsa experience. So, here are my five favorite places in Tulsa in no particular order. They are:

1) Drinking a grasshopper at Shades of Brown. My comfort blanket. I went here probably 4 nights a week when I lived over on Brookside. I used to get vanilla lattes, but now I've switched over to grasshoppers. I have many cherished memories from times spent with friends talking about life, playing games, or just wanting to be somewhere with people around. Some of my most valued friendships I have blossomed at Shades. I've always seen people there that I know at Shades.

2) Cafe Ole in Brookside- If ever a way to enjoy and evening (or lunch) on a patio, its at Cafe Ole. They have mouth-watering fajitas, creme-cheese queso, drinks, and ambiance. Their patio has a fireplace that's on in the fall and winter. I lived one block from the place, so had easy access. I went there many times alone my first year in Tulsa. About a year ago, I went there for my birthday with friends, and it has been an almost weekly staple from then on.

3) Walking around the Fairgrounds at the flea market.

4) In the Raw Sushi- Sushi is a new love. It started when I lived in Grapevine when my neighbors invited me to join them for sushi one night. It was good, but my craving for sushi really took off in Tulsa. I first started going to Fuji, but In the Raw is now my favorite.

5) The Mayo Hotel- I've always been interested in restored buildings, and the Mayo is an old world hotel that makes you feel like you are staying in Chicago or New York, not in Oklahoma. I've walked through and sat in the lobby many times thinking about how it would have been in the 1920's when it was built. One of the treasures is its ballroom on the 16th floor. It has spectacular views of downtown, and a nice place to take a date. They have a coffee shop and nice restaurant in there as well. I'm glad I ran into it.

Snow and such

Christmas season is in full swing in Tulsa. We have had a blanket of snow on the ground the past several days and more snow was falling as I came home from hanging out with a friend tonight. With Christmas music blaring in the car, it felt festive indeed.  I've always been a winter guy. I'd take 25 degrees over 95 degrees any day, although I still get really cold sometimes.  I came home tonight after being outside and ran into my bed and hid under the covers for 30 minutes trying to warm up.

I enjoyed a nice weekend. I got to celebrate one of my favorite people in the whole world... Tall Kyle. His birthday is on the 15th, but we went out early to celebrate since he has family coming in town next weekend. I have always admired this guy- humble, soft spoken, genuine and wise. We desperately need more Kyles in this world.  I've traveled to Europe with him and am just blessed to have known him since that first trip to Pops with him back in 2011 (April I think). We met him at Red Rock Canyon Grill, the de facto birthday place to celebrate. He had chosen 4 guys that are his close friends to join him. We dined on ribs and chicken and had a Luger's Bavarian cake to celebrate. Afterward, we went over to Lindsey's house to hang out a bit. On Saturday, Kelly and I went to downtown to eat at Hey Mambo. We had delicious pear, honey, walnut and a cured ham pizza. After that, we walked around Guthrie Green and looked at the Christmas lights- so pretty. We walked over to Chimera after that and had a cozy latte. It was a very fun night indeed, especially after just watching Baylor win the Big 12!

One random side note- something I've been wanting to do for a long time and not doing it for an excuse after excuse reason was memorize scripture. On Sunday, I got to celebrate learning 25 new verses by heart. Our goal is to learn 52 verses in one year, so its cool to being halfway there. I have found so much value in being able to quote scripture in my head. Some of the verses that convict me the most often are "set your mind on things above, not on earthly things" - Colossians 3:2 and Romans 1:16- "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God that brings salvation to those who believe, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Great reminders!

OK- I've been trying to get up to do some cardio by myself in the mornings to keep as much fat off as possible as the holiday season "rolls" on. I've been able to do some 5Ks but there is no comparison to going to a spin class.  I'm going to try to get out of bed to go see my favorite instructor Ann. 5:45 is early but it will be worth it!

Camping!

This past weekend I went camping with some “missions” friends that I have made over the last few months. After work on Friday, I headed 3 hours east near Ponca, AR on the Buffalo River to meet 7 friends. Libby and Katie, who are two twin sisters, along with Brittne from my China travels and Jarod Townsend, Luke and a couple of new friends made a campfire quite cozy on Friday evening. I arrived a little late, and lucky for me, the tents were set up and the fire was blazing. Set right on the Buffalo River, I knew we would be in for a treat when the sun came up. You could see the granite cliffs rising above the river in the moonlight.

Everyone was so inviting and genuine to me throughout the weekend. I was the only one who doesn’t attend Mercyview with them, but they treated me as one of their own. We chatted around the fire, ate smores and toasted bananas, and laughed a lot. We encouraged each other and just enjoyed one another’s’ company.

Saturday morning, I woke up to Luke and Mitch making “pourover” coffee, which takes way more science and measuring than I realized. It’s a funnel that flows into a beaker like object. You pour boiling water over hand-ground beans and it slowly trickles into the glass. Very strong and very good. We had a divine breakfast of Katie’s scrambled eggs, bacon, and biscuits cooked in a dutch oven over a fire. Yum! With our stomachs full, we headed out for a hike in the mountain wilderness. This 3 mile hike did not disappoint. We meandered through woods, then eventually hugged the side of a mountain that had a several hundred foot drop. Lots of sitting, pondering and pictures followed. I wish I had some to post but hopefully soon. The leaves were mostly off the trees, but the silence of the Ozarks was really cool, broken up by the occasional eagle flying over the valley below. I came back to Tulsa Saturday afternoon, but the rest of the group stayed through Sunday. It sounds like the weekend continued to entertain after I left.

Its always good to get away for a time of refreshment. On my drive to and from camping, I got a chance to spend time talking with the Father. I’m really trying to be thankful for all he has provided for me, especially during this time of the year. He has been so gracious to me- providing me employment, putting people in my life who truly care and love me, giving me challenges for growth, and forgiving me when I fail Him. I’m thankful for this year- the good and the bad. In looking back on what I wanted to accomplish in 2013, many things have been done. Some haven’t but there is still time. Just like the river below our tents, I yearn to always be flowing and never stagnant. Being stagnant causes water to lose its vitality and life. Things stop moving in a river that stops flowing. I don’t want to be stagnant or lukewarm.  Rather, I want to be challenged daily to live for him and show what “living water” is like- refreshing, purifying and nourishing. To a great weekend!

Make it a great day,

Jeff

Ignorance truly is bliss!

Hello friends. This week I deactivated my facebook account for a temporary hiatus. I must say that its been ultimately refreshing. Day 1 I found myself typing in facebook.com in the car when I'd come to a red light then catch myself when it asked for a password. Day 2, I thought about it less. I did a FB break a couple of years ago and it was great. I find myself, at my own fault, becoming envious, coveting, annoyed, or any other adjective you want to insert for basically playing the compare game with other people. Most of the time not anyone's issue but mine. And sometimes, you have put up guardrails against things that wear at your soul. So, I'm almost 3 days into this and I feel great! I'm choosing to spend the countless wasteful time I would spend on FB on more productive things, like praying for others. Instead of browsing on my phone at lunch, I'm trying to spend more time in the Word. A couple of guys and I are reading John 6-7 this week, so I've been trying to meditate on those scriptures more and more. Its seemed a little more distant without social media, but I think the benefits of a break far outweigh the negatives. A friend joined me in the hiatus after I told him about it, so its nice to have some accountability of not looking at it again until Jan 1 (the goal that was set).

Side note- I've been so blessed to get some texts this week with scripture that really has lifted my soul- full of encouragement.  Caleb and K- thank you! God gives us just what we need at just the right time.

Finally, Baylor is playing OU in football tomorrow night. I'm really hoping for a victory. I have some friends coming over to watch the game and enjoy some Aspen Diner sandwiches, so it should be an entertaining, laid back evening.

Make it a great Baylor day!

Jeff

Life is short.

My heart has been somewhat heavy all weekend. Yesterday morning I heard of the death of Johanna Mae, She was drivng in Sapulpa and was hit has she turned left onto 81st Street and New Sapulpa Road. She was a really kind barista who I saw 3-4 times a week at DoubleShot coffee, where I frequent for work throughout the week and on Friday mornings for coffee club. I danced with here at the Caravan and everytime I saw her, she always had such a sweet smile and so kind. I was really sad she died so suddenly and I know that her boyfriend Garth is hurting too. She was a believer, so it gives me comfort to know she is celebrating with Jesus right now. On Sunday morning, I found out that a good friend's mom I grew up with went home to the Savior this morning. My heart breaks for Dusty and his family. Gabi was always such a kind-hearted person who would always offer hospitality to us growing up. I know she leaves behind a large void in Dallas, and I'm praying for Dusty. She had a cancer that developed very quickly and spread.
These two passings have made me realize this weekend that we never know when our time on this Earth will end. It made me think about what I am doing for the Kingdom, and also to value each relationship fully, because we really will never know if its the last time we will see them. I saw Johanna Friday morning as I was leaving Doubleshot and said hi to her behind the counter. What a crazy thing that she will not be there when I return Monday. These two deaths have made me a bit somber and feeling down this weekend. To juxtapose these sad occurences, I was able to celebrate with Lance, one of Michael's (who I mentor) good friends as he was baptized today, celebrating eternal life that he will now have with the Father. I went to Life Church Broken Arrow Campus to see Lance's baptism. Michael got to help baptize his friend, who he now shepherds in his life group. Lance's family and friends (over 20) came over to my house after service for a meal of pulled pork sandwiches. We were able to celebrate the decision he made that is the MOST important he will ever make! I was so happy to see Lance proclaim his salvation in a public way, and also to see how God is using Michael to further his kingdom. Michael is sold out for the Lord, and I pray he continues to be built up and prayed for as he leads and grows his small group. What an odd weekend. It felt at times empty, sad and other times joyous. Father, let me value this week as if its my last, and depend only upon you. The world will get busy with "life", but you alone are always there for me. Let me treat others like its our last week here- with kindness, humility and generosity.  

Thirty 3!

Birthdays make you feel way more popular than you really are. But isn't it so great?  Its one day a year where you are showered with gifts, kind words and love. On Monday I turned 33. I'm happy to still say Im in my early 30s! I've had some wonderful birthdays over the years. I loved trains when I was little, and had a birthday party in a caboose at McDonalds when I was 6 or 7. When I turned 14, my mom and dad hosted a Montreal Expos birthday party(its a former pro baseball team for my non-sports friends) and got me an autographed baseball of my favorite player- Delino DeShields. When I turned 21, my parents bought me a Nokia cell phone and gave it to me at Ninfa's when I was a junior at Baylor. For several years in my 20s, I was in Europe during my birthday. On birthday 27, I visited Kathleen in Holland. I've had friends buy me a snowcone machine for my 30th birthday, which I still use today. On my 32nd birthday, I was given a surprise Justin Bieber party (if you don't know the story you haven't talked to me in a loooong time). I've also spent several birthdays in Tulsa at Cafe Ole, my favorite place in town with an amazing patio. This year, I was blessed with an incredible show of love by my friends as I celebrated 33.
The Saturday evening started with me driving to Chet and Karli's house to head over together for dinner. When I arrived, Lindsey Muecke was there with a birthday gift for me. It was the letters J-E-M made out of wood. On them were photos and quotes from the past few years.

 This meant so much to me! I can't wait to put them up in my house in the perfect spot. Lindsey is a special, amazing woman. I've known her for 4 years and am very thankful for her. Like many of my friends, I met her at the Caravan. Since then, I've been on many a roadtrip, Vegas vacation, concerts and ,many good talks. Her written word is one of her best strengths. Her blog is a view into her heart and mind. You can join along for the ride in a very real way through joys and challenges. She makes herself vulnerable through it, and I've been thankful to be a part of her journey.
After that, about 14 of us met at Red Rock Canyon Grill (also went there for birthday 31).


I sat looking at these friends who joined me. I loved having people from all stages of my Tulsa life there in one place. At one end sat the Hollands, my oldest tenured friends in Tulsa. I met Krista at The Gathering Church in March of 2008 and she has been a cherished friend ever since. Her home was always warm and inviting, and I was a part of her small group for a couple of years. Next to her was JPH- John Paul Holland, who I've known almost as long. He has been a friend who teaches you to be a man. I was honored to be a groomsman in their wedding. Team Holland is very special to me, and I've been very close to them.....literally. I've shared a tent with them last year on our camping trip after my tent flooded!

I saw JPH talking to the world's model citizen- Kyle Young. Kyle has traveled with me to Europe and shown true friendship and humility. I'm thankful to know a guy like him- he lives simply and cares for others without being loud about it. I looked at the other side of the table and saw Jay and Bethany. Jay is another close friend whose family I really love (especially Eden and Sawyer!). We have bonded over many shows, movies and politics. I also was so happy to see Bethany recovering and able to walk again without assistance. I've really enjoyed getting to know her the past couple of years. Many others at the table all brought me great joy. Kevin, my friend who transcends my different friend groups, to people like Kelly Hall and Jessica Lanham, who have such sweet spirits and hearts.
After dinner, we walked out to the parking lot. Thinking we were going to Palace Cafe, I was headed to the passenger seat ready for a banana boat (their specialty). Instead, Chet blindfolded me with one of Karli's scarfs and we headed off to "pick up a package". I got kind of car sick on the drive but tried to chat as best I could. We parked, and I was guided with a blindfold still on into......the Phoenix.

When I took off my blindfold, there were many friends inside of the Phoenix Coffee Shop Library to surprise me. They had rented out the library just for us. It was incredibly overwhelming to see all that was put into a birthday. There was a banner that Karli made that said "Mossman" and "Sic'em" (she is very crafty and talented). There was a Baylor football cake that said "Have a Kill Kill Killer Birthday". There were homemade smores, chocolate fondue, fruits and vegetables- it was all overwhelming. They sang to me and we got a great group picture with me being held up by my friends. Chet said one of the requirements to come was to bring a birthday note for me to read. I left with a box full of words of affirmation. There is no better gift than that.

          Afterward, we headed to the new country western dance place called "Legends" in downtown where we two stepped. I had a great time, and by 12:45, we headed home after a fun filled evening.

        I'm so thankful to Tall Kyle, Lindsey, Karli and Chet for the work they put into this for me. I know it was a financial sacrifice and a lot of work. I feel very undeserving of it, but will remember that night forever.
               The catalyst for this celebration was my best friend Chet Wilson. He coordinated all the parts of the evening, and made me feel incredibly loved by my friends. He knows me better than anyone, and has been there for me consistently since I met him in 2009 (also at the Caravan!). I was a groomsman in his wedding this past June. Chet is always a man of his word, and that is a lost characteristic in this generation. When he says he is going to do something, he does it. Spiritually, he encourages me to grow in my faith.  He challenges me to live above reproach, and is wise beyond his years.We haven't always agreed in every situation, but know we are acting in the best interest of each other no matter the outcome. 2013 has had lots of life change for both of us, but I think our friendship has grown even stronger. Thank you Chet helping make it a great 33!

             I also got in the mail a very kind letter from my grandparents, mom and dad, and the coolest wooden letters that say "Sic'em" from my dear friend Leann Boehr. I love it!
So in the quasi-words of Taylor Swift-

"I know about me.....I'm feeling thirty-three-e-e."

Make it a great year! (and Lindsey, thanks for letting me steal some of your great pictures).

Jeff

Being in the moment

There are a few things that irritate me about facebook, but one thing that I always roll my eyes at is when I see someone post this or something similar to this: "Is it Friday yet?"  or "Sigh....can not wait for this week to be over!". I'm guilty of this attitude occasionally, but I've tried to purposefully train my mind not to think this way anymore. What a waste! I feel like people consciously run out the clock each day, and miss the opportunity to be "present" with the countless opportunites to make a difference and do something significant with their lives or for others.

We should be living each day with fullness and zeal, making the most of every opportunity we have been given. Being present. Proactively seeking and seaching for purpose for each day.  I look back now and (this is so cliche) the days seem to be going faster and faster and faster. There are days when I'm lying in bed at night and  I have "buyers remorse" when I look back and think: "what did i do today?"  I've been convicted about using every hour given to me as an investment. What am I doing with each hour? How am I using it? Am I being a good steward of the time that work has given me to accomplish my tasks?  For myself, am I treating my body like a temple of God or am I being lazy and unproductive? Getting up earlier to work out and run has helped me feel more productive. For people in my life, did I send a note, or a text or call someone to encourage them today?Am I making a difference in someone else's life with this time or am I mind-numbingly wasting it away through mundane tv shows or even sometimes, hanging out with the wrong people? To clarify, when I mean wrong people, I'm not just talking about the "wrong crowd". I talking about people who don't build you up and make you a better person. Sadly, these can many times be believers who lull us into a pool of mediocrity. Its time to change that.

Another struggle I have had over the years is looking back too much on the past and yearning for those "better" days. That's as bad as wishing the weekend was here now or the day was just over. I miss opportunities for what God wants to do at this current time when I think this way. Isaiah 43:18-19 says to "forget the former things- do not dwell on the past (whether good or bad), for I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?" Anyone who knows me well knows this is an area I have needed to work on.

The charge to myself is that we take our uncertain amout of days given to us and treat each like a Christmas gift.  Each day is Christmas morning. We get to unwrap it, enjoy it, and hopefully be fulfilled by it.

Make it a great day!

Jeff

September 12

"Have Mercy", the basketball team I'm on with some good friends, played tonight and we ended up losing.Sad. It capped off the end of a day where I got home just drained and feeling lousy in general. It wasn't so much a physical tiredness of the game and driving to Fayetteville and back.  I felt overall frustrated and just kind of down on myself.  I hate that feeling as I consider myself a positive, glass half full kind of guy. So....I'm going to reflect on the good things happening lately or coming up in my life!

1) Its almost my birthday. I turn 33 on October 7th. October is my favorite month of the year because it signals fall, and frankly, I love getting cards/letters even more than a gift, because words of encouragement feed my soul.  I keep all things written to me and reflect upon them at different times. I'm not sure what I will do this year for my birthday. For several years, I was in Europe each October and spent my birthday solo.  Chet mentioned doing something for me this year.  I'm going to reflect more on this in a later blog.

2) Working out. I've been working out with Chet almost daily since Jan 2012, and its been great to see physical gain of muscle for both of us. I enjoy this time of day, whether its morning or afternoon, where we challenge ourserlves physically, and also catch up on the day. There is usually alot of laughing and jokes about fitness instructors but we work hard. Chet is very loyal to me and our workouts. I'm very thankful for him.

3) Roadtrips- I'm gearing up for several roadtrips to see Baylor football this fall and maybe a Rangers game. I'm hoping I can get some friends to go with me to see the games and eat at some cool local places in Manhattan, KC and Stillwater. I've asked a few people but no commitments yet.

4) I've been able to meet some new friends lately, which has been a breath of fresh air. I'm thankful God has brought me these new relationships. He is faithful.

5) I've tried to serve others as best I can over the past few months -financially, relationally, prayerfully and tangibly. Its been so rewarding to be a part of something greater than yourself.  

6) I'm running the Tulsa Route 66 Half Marathon in November. Its given me motivation to train and be in shape for the Nov 23rd date. I don't think I'm going to get a PR but it will be fun to get a medal!

7) I'm headed to Boston Sept 20-22 to see Kathleen! I haven't been there since 1999 so this will be so cool to see Harvard (she lives very close) and eat some chowder....

8) I've gotten to be a part of experiencing a cherished friend Michael as he grows in Christ. We have met every Sunday for 11 weeks and has been awesome to see him grow in his faith and Biblical knowledge. I care for him like a brother. We memorize 1 verse a week and talk about 3 chapters of a book of the Bible each week (we are in the middle of Romans now). One of Michael's best qualities is his encouragement to me.  He is always positive, generous and has a wonderful heart.His whole family is very special to me. This time together is definitely a highlight of my week.

That's it for now. And Jay, thanks for commenting on my blog. I never know who reads these. I'll work on the suggestions you gave me- all great ideas!

Make it a great night!

Brian Eastland- Mosaic

Brian and his new wife Kristin in Seattle.

I was going through some old pictures the other day, and ran across some of my dear friend Brian Eastland. I went up to Seattle in 2008 to see him get married. Brian and I weren't particularly close friends when we were at Baylor, but were always glad to see each other and hang out in group settings. He was rather quiet and kept to himself. However, as we progressed through college, we became better friends. He got his BBA in Entrepreneurship (I think) but was called to start a church in Seattle. He came and visited me when I lived in Grapevine to share his vision- reaching college students near the University of Washington area.

Some of my college friends in Seattle.

I felt an instant peace about supporting him, and for about 7 years, I partnered with Brian as they started a church to reach the lost in Seattle- Mosaic Community Church. There were many ups and downs, but it gives me great joy knowing that I could help play a small role in helping him fulfill God's vision there. I loved getting his updates through the years about the successes and challenges. All the while, God was there through it all. . The church is now thriving and even expanding! Sometimes you can't go on a mission trip, but you can always do something- whether sending/supporting someone and prayer. I'm so glad he reached out to me; otherwise I would have not gotten to be part of this opportunity.



Here is their website:   http://www.mosaic-seattle.org/#/home

 His roommates I stayed with in Seattle (all 14 of them) were awesome guys. They had a "Bro Night" every Monday night where they all just hung out. It was like one big frat house, but it was called a Disciple House, where they lived in Christian brotherhood and did life together before they found the right girl to marry. I was highly impressed. I wanted to pack my bags and move to Seattle. Here is a pic of the house, built in like 1900. It had a pool table in it and all kinds of sweet old house touches. It was huge inside!

Awesome porch and cool roommates for the weekend in Seattle right by University of Washington.

 

Make it a GREAT day!
Jeff

Verses

When I was in East Asia on our mission trip in April , one of our five teammates, David, was such an inspiration to me.  David went to Oklahoma State and carried a 6.5 foot cross around with him at all times. He preached outside the student union almost daily during lunch, and has surrerended his life to become a medical missionary after he graduates from medical school. What I found most inspiring was that he was in the midst of memorizing whole books of the Bible. He knew many of Paul's letters word for word. He asked me to test him a couple of times on our trip (I think it was 1 John). I was amazed at how it was "written on his heart". David was an example to me, and I returned home convicted about my sad state of scripture memory. Being able to reference God's word in conversations, or knowing where to turn to is critical.

I've challenged myself and a new friend of mine to learning one Bible verse a week. We are on the 3rd week, and I am really excited to see how many we can memorize. Each time, we test each other on the current week's verse, as well as every verse learned previously so that it sticks in our long term memory. I was in Bible Drill as a youth in Irving, and to this day, many of those verses are still with me. Luke 2:52, Malachi 3:10, Hebrews 12:1, etc.  I've really became lazy in my 20's with scripture memory, and especially being able to reference where a familiar verse was in the Bible. Satan is always on the attack in our lives, and to be able to recite the word of God to combat him in these tempting/challenging times has helped me.

 This weeks verse is "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things". -Colossians 3:2.  Simple verse  but hard to make that choice daily.

Make it a great Day!

Jeff

Flower Beds and Ann!!!!

             Busy busy busy the past few days. I'm still here and am committed to blogging, so wanted to send out a short update. Last weekend, I helped Chet and Karli with a new flower bed. It was HARD work but the results were worth it. We started at 9:00 AM on Saturday and went to Hardscape Materials to pick up some good stone. We loaded it up and took it back to his house. After removing the manufactured stone and taking out all the black mulch, we slowly laid out two levels of natural stone, giving it a nice curve as we progressed. We took out some grass and extended the bed out to make it one seamless area. We went back and got a load of dirt, took out all the old bushes and built up the area with new dirt. After that, we headed back to Lowes for bushes, flowers and mulch. Did I mention it was near 100 degrees? We finished around 8 pm and were exhausted. We all took a shower after a day's hard work, and it was amazing how much dirt came off of me and into the shower. We all headed up to Pei Wei and got a snow cone because, heck we deserved it. I got home about 10 and slept like I haven't in years. All worth it though. Had some great fellowship with Chet and Karli and was able to make a small difference.

                This week has flown by! I went to Austin from Monday through Wednesday. Best reward was the food! Had Rudys Monday and Chuy's Tuesday night. Amazing! I'm back in Tulsa now and ready for the weekend.

              Today I went to spin class with Chet for his birthday to see our amazing instructor Ann at 5:45 AM. We love Ann. We have an unhealthy obsession with Ann. I kept waking up last night hoping it was time for spin. You see, we used to see Ann 3 times a week for Spin, but Chet got a new work schedule so I was a team player and joined the gym by his work. We both agree we miss Ann terribly! She is like a cat- she makes you work for her affection. She is sassy, a Mid-town snob, and a cunning sense of humor. Chet did not like her the first time we went to her class (shocker!). But, we have more than warmed up to this high-society post-cougar. Most of the times, our adventures on spin bikes involve rescuing lost children or ones that were kidnapped by guerilla gangs. You never know what to expect with the music. She usually yells at me for not trying hard enough (its my long legs....makes it seem like I'm going slower or that's what I'm telling myself). She was so happy to see us today.This was probably one of my favorite mornings of 2013 no doubt! Below is a picture from this morning. Please note we are wearing matching shirts from Chet's bachelor party (yes its a picure of him on the shirt). We both agreed that we will be going to her funeral when she passes away. She is just one of those people you like for a reason you can't quite put your finger on.

Make it a great day!

Jeff

Rental Car Roulette

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       It’s a nearly perfunctory ritual each week to hear from friendly Rita “Thanks Mr. Moss. Your rental car is in spot A82.” With keys in hand, I’m off.  I swiftly walk toward my designated parking space. I’m excited and slightly nervous. You see, the thrill and anticipation of which car Hertz is going to give me provides a lot of mind clutter as I wait for a plane to taxi to our terminal, or just trading in my car for a brand spanking new rental.  Could I look at the keys and see the make/model that they chose for me? Sure. That would ruin the suspense of the moment. Internal dialogue is always optimistic but cautious as I pace towards my spot. ‘Maybe Rita hooked me up today? She knows I like Volkswagens. They seemed to have lots of Jettas in the lot.’

      Its really just a guessing game of what you will get.  I’ve had highs and lows in my hundreds of rental experiences. During my first trip to Tulsa to check out the town and be introduced to my team, I sat in a Toyota Prius  the Tulsa Airport for I dare say 30 minutes trying to figure out how to turn it on. I ended up exchanging it for an Aveo. Another time they gave me a full sized mini-van. I wanted to offer to take kids to random soccer practices but that would have been creepy. Other times, you just get lucky. I’ve had a tahoe, a Volvo and a decked out Cadallac cruising though the Rocky Mountains. I’ve also been blessed with cars that I wasn’t sure if they needed to be wound up before leaving the lot. We are talking small cars here people.

Jeff and the Passat- a rental car winner

      Here are the awards for cars I have tried in rental car roulette:

Best Ever Rental: Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Edition(Tulsa)- got to keep this baby for a week. Leather seats, sunroof…it was amazing! I took it down to OKC for a roadtrip with some friends (unlimited miles on our rentals) and we still talk about that cool Jeep.

Silver Medal for Best Rental: Toyota Solara convertible (Tucson, AZ)

Worst Car Rental: Ford Fiesta. Definitely not a party. I felt so big in it. Close behind is a Chevy Aveo. You just feel like less of a man driving an Aveo. Trust me.   

Worst Name for a Car Rental: Toyota Yaris. Sounds like a Japanese anime bug. Also, I’m fairly sure it’s a V-2.

Most improved car rental: Ford Focus and Fusion- Ford has come a long way in the past couple of years. I love the interiors of these two models.

Most “get out of my way” Rental: Hummer H3 (Little Rock, AR). I felt like I was driving a Panzer tank.

Most surprised liked rental: Kia SUV (Tulsa) - I can’t remember if it’s the Optima but its their SUV and it was a smooth ride and lots of bells and whistles I didn’t think Kia would offer.

Car I would buy after renting it: VW Passat. Love the feel of the road and the German engineering. I seriously may buy one after my Accord dies. 

Make it a great day!

Jeff