Japan!

My brother and I are in Japan for the holidays.

It was an interesting trip to get here, starting from when San Angelo's small, one-horse airport made us stand out in 25-30 degree weather to when my laptop's battery ran low on the 13 hour flight from Dallas to Tokyo. Do you know what happens when it does that?

It goes:

"Beeeep! Beeeep! Beeeep!"










Also, btw, Japanese pilots are a little slow on takeoffs and abrupt on their landings.

Anyhow, my older bro and I made it.

Our family was all together for New Years, which was cool since we weren't for Christmas.

We've enjoyed seeing a big Bhudda, getting pictures in Japanese garb, and a bunch of other stuff around here on top of board games and just chilling with the family.











Speaking of chilling, the wheather has been something else around here. It snows about everyday, but it doesn't stick.

A lot of the fun is being able to see another culture upclose. I've been making efforts to learn Japanese, so I bumble my way through a shallow conversation with someone now.

One thing that strikes me is how they are so much more consciunces of other people than Americans. For instance, when Cy and I got on a shuttle from the Tokyo airport to our hotel, the speaker asked that we silence our cell phones because they would disturb the neighborhoods we were going through.

They are a civilized culture, but less than 1% of this country is Christian. Let that sink in. It might explain why they have such a high suicide rate.

On a lighter topic, I've decided to do more writing this year than I did in the last one. My goal is to publish as much as I can and finish adding a bunch of stuff to my second book. The characters need more depth, depth I believe I didn't know how to develop till this past year.

My goal is to have a book published by the time I'm 25. It doesn't have to be fiction. As a matter of fact, I have my eyes on a non fiction book I'd really like to write.

I'm still considering an animal science degree, but we will see. My thinking with wanting to pursue some type of degree besides just Intercultural Ministry is that I want to be able to have some way of supporting myself besides ministry.

Also, I just feel better about the idea of having some job in the "real world" so I know what it's like, so people don't look at my background and think, "This guy has never had a job outside of ministry. How is he supposed to know what I'm going through?"

Even Apostle Paul was a tent maker, Peter was a fisherman and the list goes on and on.

I'm not saying being able to do ministry plus something is the only way and all the rest are bad. I'm saying that right now it looks like the best way to me.

Anyhow, I'll try to keep yall more posted about my adventures in Japan!

Let's See

There's been a bunch of stuff going on around me lately so I'll give some highlights.

I finished my first semester! (scored a 3.3, which I'm a little disappointed about. I could have scored better, but it was HARD to take Sociology seriously)

Been writing for the newspaper (Got to interview a Col. again this year. Cool)

Did a HOF Christmas party

Been working like a maniac at my job. Like, I've put in about 45+ or so hours this week. That's alright. I always will take extra time on the clock because it means more $$$.

Went to the lake yesterday. It's great to go there because it's a good place to go and think. It's quiet and the scenery is pretty good for TX. I took my guitar along, which made it better. :)

Been thinking about maybe getting a minor in some ag degree. Maybe. I'm still set on being a missionary, but I want something I can do in the "real world" too. Besides, I might be able to use that degree depending on where I go. Considering a job in ag for the summer so I can try it out a bit.

Been using a huge arctic sleeping bag for the past couple nights when I go to sleep...the thing's so heavy that rolling over is a chore. I actually feel exhausted when I wake up jk

That's about all I can of.

How 'bout yourself?

Oh yeah, as you probably noticed, I got a new background. It's been about 2-3 years, so I figured it was about time.

Hunting, Edit Miscommunication, and College

Alright, it's about 11 PM so I'll see if I can make this short.

I went deer hunting a little while ago. I had to get up at 5:20 (actually I was supposed to be at my friend's house at 5 AM...if you're interested, I didn't go slower than 75 on the way out lol) but it was well worth it....I kinda think my friends were a littl disapointed when I didn't freak out during the gutting part.

Now I just have to figure out some good ways to cook deer. Any ideas anyone?






I went out to cover a newspaper story at a cemeterary. The people the event was about had already been there. My edit failed to tell me that detail, so I was walking around when I bumped into this lady with a camera.

"You just taking pictures for the sake of it?" I asked

"No. Actually I'm a photographer with the newspaper and I'm supposed to be covering an event, but the people aren't here."

I laughed. "I'm the reporter."

The funny thing about this whole thing was that a friend of mine proposed that day and a family I'm friends with had a child that day...why did I end up walking around in a cemetary on a day like that? God trying to tell me something deep philosophical? I'll figure it out later. lol



Sat down to start writing my research paper that's due on the 28th. Got about 2 pages in about 45 minutes. Feeling good about that paper.

I only have 3 more weeks till this semester is over! Wooohooo!



Considering looking into getting a motorcycle. Let's go through pros and cons. On one hand, it's really cool and really cheap. On the other, you die if someone hits you....this might be a short argument with myself. maybe ;)

Week of...I'm not sure. Normal life I guess

Let me give you a few highlights of my week.

I started it off right by going paintballing with a bunch of friends. Went pretty good, though I found out later that I had 4 guys gunning for me the whole time on the other team! And I stuck my hand in a pile of ants and didn't notice till I had them all over my hand. lol

I did classes on Tuesday and Thursday. I am REALLY lucky my math teacher decided to give a group quiz (everyone gets the same grade) instead of a normal quiz. I would have gotten like 10% because I worked extra time on Wednsday and didn't have the drive to study passed 11 pm that night.

I went to House of Faith (a ministry I volunteer for) and had a blast as the only guy at the school I help out at. I got the privilege of keeping 10-20 boys entertained in a game of street football. That's actually a blast!

I feel like I'm getting to know a lot of these kids faster than I ever have in past years....maybe that has something to do with my fam moving away and I'm more interested in getting to know them now? Don't know. :)

Celebrated a friend's 18th birthday!

Worked all day Friday...worked all day Saturday.

I got into a boxing round on Saturday night. My brother told this other guy at work that I had been sparing with one of my friends and had taken him out, so my coworker wanted to give it a shot.

He and I had fun, but then this other guy wanted to go a round. Good grieve! In retrospect it might have been a good idea to explain the difference between sparing and hitting the other dude as hard as you can. haha had fun anyway.

That's about my life for the week. At this point, I can say I am working full time at college, overtime at work, volunteering at some ministry stuff, and writing the newspaper. The time it took to write this post might be the most time I get to goof around all week! lol jk

Anyhow, good night!

What's New

I know, I know. It's been a while since I've posted. I'll give you a few of the highlights of what's been happening to me.

I went on a hike in CO with a group of friends. I really enjoyed getting out and hiking around the mountains for a whole week! We couldn't get a cell phone reception, which made it better in my opinion. We usually hiked about 5 miles a day or so with large packs and then we went for smaller hikes after setting up camp.

Myself and some other guys jumped into a lake up in the mountains....Glad we had a fire going when we got out! Most refreshing though, if I do say so myself.

On the last night I put some yellow dye in one of my fellow camper's canteen, and he actually believed I'd used his water bottle instead of a tree!

Here are a few pictures of the trip.












After I got home, I only had a couple weeks till college started, but I started and am doing pretty well. That's my competely unbiased opinion. :)

I'm going to try to update every Sunday or so, just to make sure I'm staying fairly current. BTW, I have skype now. I am Jamin.Goecker on skype! People tried getting me to do it before, but having family in Japan has really motivated me to get now. LOL

Cows, Mormons, and Najaho Cops

My brother and I left San Angelo to reach our destination pretty early on Sunday...maybe we should've spent time at a church or something. Bad luck skipping church to do something. Last time someone threw me out of a plane when I didn't show at a church.

Anyway, the day started bright and early and my brother let me drive his car till noon. That was...interesting. The clutch on his car springs up like a catapult whenever I took my foot off it. My brother probably uses it as a weapon against other drivers.

With my hands on the steering wheel and as America slid past me in a blur, I spotted a herd of cows in a green field. I'm sure there are lots of people who would do what I did next.

I rolled down my window, leaned out the window, and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Hey cow!"

The idea of the game is to see how many cows look up when you yell. I think a lot of them looked up because I nearly swerved off the road on accident and rammed them.

My brother relieved me of the steering wheel after a while, and we stopped at a nice little town called Moab in Idaho...Moab, the place with the FDZ's. Everywhere we go we seem to run into those people!

The next day we were driving through a reservation when...I'll finish writing this later. To be continued :)

Sportscamp, Mufflers, and Stripping Wax from Tile

Whew!

Here are a few things I've done in the last couple of days. They're really not linked in anyway.

Sports camp is done and there will definitely be some kids I'm going to miss, while there are a few faces I'd rather not remember.

Some of you know my younger brother, Jared, played basketball last year. It turns out one of the kids I instructed played against Jared's team, and yes, he had attitude.

"Are you as good as your brother?" he asked.

"Nah. Football's more of my thing." I said.

"Well you must be really bad because he wasn't good."

Alright, buddy, you can talk smack when you're taller than my hip!


While driving home with some friends, my muffler fell off my car. Oh well. I own the most valuable car in the parking lot because my Honda gets 35-40 mpg, in my opinion.


I drove out of town yesterday morning to help strip wax from tile in a church before going to work. There are a few tricks to that job! First off, be careful with that buffer machine; one wrong move, and it'll speed across the room with you clutching onto it and sliding across the slick floor behind it.

Fun job anyway, as long as you stay away from stairs.

Tomorrow my older brother and I, with whom I'm sharing an apartment, are starting a road trip to Oregon. The point of the trip is to see the family a few days before they fly off for Japan. I'll probably have pictures in the future!

Push the Graduates out of the Plane!

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to free-fall for an entire minute, dropping at about 120 mph?

Let me tell you, it's an experience! For graduation, my family and the Zesch's went skydiving. Actually, it was my older brother, me, my sister, Annie, and Mr. Zesch who jumped. We started driving to the jump site, San Marcos, early in the morning and got home at about midnight. Every minute was a blast!

Here are some pictures.

The jumpers. Kinda looks like a movie poster for Matrix...though the middle guy looks like Kermit the Frog. I can see Kermit as a Matrix character, can't you? :)


That's about how high we jumped


Great poker face







Passing through a cloud


Touch Down!