May the Force be with you.

Well, I wish I could say we really whooped it up this weekend, but, alas, it was very boring. Nina didn't feel much like partying on Friday night, and rightfully so. Her poor dog, Fizzgig, somehow sliced her upper paw pad almost completely off! Noone knows how, but it was a clean cut. They took her to the emergency vets and got her some staples and a lampshade. It worked for about a day, and then the wound got infected. Time for surgery. $700 and minus a paw pad later, Fizzy is out of danger and ready to heal. Poor baby has to be on constant sedatives to keep her from running around with all the other dogs :( So we just ended up going out to coffee that night.

Saturday I had every intention of getting up early to run, but when I woke up I was just so tired...so I went back to sleep. Around 10am I rolled myself out onto the sofa and firmly planted my butt there until 4pm. TV and intermittent naps hit the spot. I finally took a shower around 4pm and took my time getting ready. Jill and I ended up hanging out at Coconuts that night. The band was great, and the weather was perfect. We ended up playing psycologist to a recent divorcee, Steve, most of the night...he payed us in beers, so I didn't mind. Poor guy though. He found out his wife of 13 years was swinging on the side. She had been with like 15 dudes (and chicks) that she really didn't know (met through the internet). She wasn't safe about it, so who knows what this guy has, disease-wise. So scary!

Again, I had every intention of waking up to run early on Sunday morning, but I woke up with a splitting headache. It had disappated by 10am, so I got up to get ready for church. This week: Star Wars. The service started out great with the Weird Al Video of The Saga Begins. The pastor focused mainly on the similarities between the Force and a real-life spiritual force. Obi-Wan says that the Force is an energy field that surrounds us, and binds us all together. Some choose to not believe in the Force (like Hans Solo), but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Gravity exists whether you believe in it or not. Pastor John likens the Force to the spiritual force of God...it always exists whether you believe in it or not. He read an exerpt from a George Lucas interview about God:

I put the Force into the movie in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people--more a belief in God than a belief in any particular religious system. I wanted to make it so that young people would begin to ask questions about the mystery. Not having enough interest in the mysteries of life to ask the question, "Is there a God or is there not a God?"--that is for me the worst thing that can happen. I think you should have an opinion about that. Or you should be saying, "I'm looking. I'm very curious about this, and I am going to continue to look until I can find an answer, and if I can't find an answer, then I'll die trying." I think it's important to have a belief system and to have faith.

Lucas' point of view here really speaks to me, because I, myself, do not yet know what I believe in, but I will search until I find a satisfying answer. Next week's theme, Remember the Titans.

After church, Jenn, Nina and I decided to take Paula to the Bridal Show at FIT. It was your typical show, with cake tastings, a fashion show, and horrible DJ's doing the Macarena, but I think Paula really enjoyed herself.

That night it was time for another round of The World Series of Pop Culture (I'm linking you to the Wiki becuase the other site is sucking right now). After 6 rounds, Jill is ahead of me by 4! She's quicker on the draw than I am...and I think it will be my downfall throughout the competition.

So the only other picture I have to post today is the shuttle landing. Can you believe I didn't take any pictures all weekend!? I'm totally slacking! Anyways, the shuttle touched down at 9:14am today and everyone is AOK. I heard the twin sonic booms on my way back from the bathroom. I was so busy working on my RSSP that I forgot to watch the time. Oops. Maybe next time...Atlantis is set to launch Aug. 28th.