Where Else? NYC...

This is a picture of Time's Square the day before New Years Eve last year. Since I took this picture, I've returned to the city to visit in May, help at camp in July, and traveled to hang out at the Revolution retreat up there in October. This morning I'm heading back...and no it's not to hang out down at Time's Square.

I'll be up there with some of my closest friends to hang out and have a good time. This year two of those friends are house sitting at the apartment we will hold our celebration in. Should be a good time. I'm also hoping to hang out with some of the kids I've worked with over the past 7 years or so. Should come back with some good stories as always.

In case I can't get back on here before Monday night, Happy New Years!

Hayes Carll

Hayes Carll is playing downtown tonight. Let me know if you're interested in going...

On Location in NYC

Early Friday morning I get to head back up to New York for another New Year's visit. Much like last year at this time I have no idea what the plan is except that I'll be there with friends from Camp Shiloh. Between my arrival on Friday and departure next Wednesday I'll have plenty of time to explore the city (especially while my friends are still at work Friday afternoon when I arrive).

In all of my trips I've seen the normal tourist places like Time Square and the Statue of Liberty. I've even taken days to wander about like when I helped pass out water at a race in Central Park then left to join in the Czechoslavakian Independence Celebration.

Aside from going to the Seinfeld diner, I haven't spent a lot of time going to see TV and movie sights which is something I'd like to do. I think I might try to sit on the steps used for the Cosby's house or stand outside the apartment building used for "Friends." I've heard I can even find the old fire house used in "Ghostbusters." Should be a pretty fun way to kill a couple hours around town.

If you had a couple hours free in NYC to entertain yourself, what would you do?

Merry Christmas to all...

Like I did when I was a little kid on Christmas, I woke well before sunrise this morning. The difference is this year it wasn't out of excitement for Santa, it's due to my current day-shift schedule of waking at 4am. I patiently waited for the rest of the family to wake hours later before we sorted through our gifts.

We later enjoyed our lunch around the dining room table before I had to head back home. Thankfully Mom packed me some leftover ham in case I want it for dinner, lunch tomorrow, to make sandwiches with, to freeze for later, or just to eat on the road. As I left the house I gave one final seasonal listen to "Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen.

While a fortunate few are just starting their Christmas vacation, or are able to continue their vacation for a while longer, I am headed back to work tomorrow morning. So if you're one of those able to enjoy another day sleeping in tomorrow enjoy some leftovers, using your gift cards on the post holiday sales, and some games with the family for me too.

Scramble

My brother and I ended up opting not to buy the full Santa costume from Target this year to instead spend our afternoon on the disc golf course with Dad and Poppa. Poppa and I teamed up against Brandon and Dad for a scramble where you play the best throw. What Poppa couldn't do with his drives he more than made up for with his putting. More than anything it was pretty fun to be out there with the guys. We used Brandon's new iPhone to take some pictures out on the course then he showed me how to use photoshop to combine them all together. (Note to self: research buying a Mac after New Years) 

I've been told the rest of our Christmas Eve will be spent eating dinner, drinking Egg Nog, and watching "Christmas Vacation" with our Griswold jerseys on. The fun fact about our Egg Nog recepie is that we got it from my preschool teacher. With a source like that you can't go wrong.

Puzzling?

For as long as I can remember there has always been a puzzle sitting out during Christmas time. When we lived in Virginia there would be one at our house and one at my grandpa's house. Now that my parents are in Texas, the tradition still lives on. I'm sure this isn't true of most people, but when I think of Christmas, I think of Poppa busy at work on another puzzle.

Medieval Times

For my first night in Texas with the family we stepped back in time. Way back. We headed across Dallas to Medieval Times for "feast and tournament." When we arrived we were given crowns of the color knight we'd be cheering for. They took the cheesy souvenir pictures that my brother and I cheesed up even more with smiles similar to the picture above. I think we even made the photographers laugh. 

After we were seated in our yellow section we were told to hold our left hand up then our right and brush them together. This was done to clean ourselves because we were then told that our left hand was our knife and our right was our fork. I almost got them confused and used my left hand as a fork but Brandon was quick to correct me. 

The joust itself was very entertaining but not quite in the way it was intended. The actors would duck before the swing was taken, they would take a blow on their horse and still ride a few more seconds before "falling" off, and there was one time that a guy had to stop his sword mid swing to allow his opponent to raise his shield to block.

We've started the holiday setting the bar pretty high for cheesy Christmas activities. Can't wait to see what we come up with today...

Last One Standing

While watching the last episode of the season I realize I should have tried to promote this show sooner...but it has to have been one of the best show's I've seen on Discovery in a while. If you're even close to as big a fan of the Discover Channel as I am you should definately check this show out on reruns...

Santa

I just noticed Target has a bunch of Santa costumes on sale for a decent price. It reminded me of a recent news story about a bunch of people dressed as Santa meeting at a bar to drink and carry on. As long as there weren't any kids passing by asking their parents why Santa was drinking, that sounds kind of funny to me.

My brother and I have since started brainstorming other places it would be funny to see Santa. Some of the ideas so far are rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, clif jumping at Heber Springs, eating at a restaurant, and going to see a movie. Where do you think the funniest place would be to see Santa (or somebody in a Santa costume)? If there are enough funny answers, my brother and I may be talked into buying a costume for ourselves and making those images a reality!

Honoring 21

The late Sean Taylor received the most votes of any safety for this year's Pro Bowl team earning himself a starting spot on the NFC team this year. "It is well-deserved," Redskins center Casey Rabach said. "If he would have been able to finish the season, he would have been in there. It just shows the respect everybody around the league had for him and what a great player he was."

Christmas Cards

Every December the front of my refridgerator becomes a whole lot more colorful. It is filled with pictures of trees, ornaments, new borns, and families. Of all the Christmas cards that come in, I've noticed two predominant themes. They are either from families or work. Very rarely are they ever from single friends to each other. I've always accepted this as the norm, or at least that there was no expectation for me to be sending out Christmas cards in mass every year. Am I off base here?

ACC

I still have no idea how to play cribbage, but since my post on Saturday I've had three offers of help. Two of those offers came from gentlemen I don't even know.

The first comment came from Joe at Cribbaholics Unanimous. He keeps a couple of blogs that focus solely on the game of Cribbage. He did answer that the "pone" is the non dealer. He also made me feel a little better about not understanding the directions as they were probably printed in China or Taiwan.

A new comment was added today from Bob. Bob is on the Board of Directors for the American Cribbage Congress. When my lowly post had generated his interest I knew I was on to something. He offered another link to written rules and suggested joining a local ACC club.

Bob, if I've still got your attention on the Basecamp blog, there aren't any local clubs listed in the entire state of Arkansas. I live in Little Rock and it would require quite a drive for me to participate in any of the clubs listed. I do however have two great friends in Searcy, Arkansas that have offered to give us lessons and sound like quite the experts themselves. What would it take for us to start our own ACC local club?

Holiday Shiloh

Loyal readers of the "Notes from Basecamp" blog know I like to spend a lot of time with a bunch of kids up in New York. Since 2001 I've worked and volunteered with Camp Shiloh. (Check out the website at http://www.shilohnyc.org/. There's an old picture of me on the front page with a shaved head!) The camp offers a place for the children of the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Bridgeport a place to feel safe and be loved. Year round many of these kids participate in weekly bible studies and mentoring programs with friends of mine who loved camp so much that they moved up to the city to help.

With the Holidays approaching, we have been given the opportunity to bless some of our Shiloh kids and families who need it the most. We have chosen several families who we feel can most benefit from the Holiday Shiloh Program. The families have each been contacted in writing, letting them know they are eligible to participate this year. If the families choose to participate, we will work with the parents to come up with a gift wish list for each of their children. Using the funds raised by you and others we will be able to provide each of the children with gifts that will not only be useful to them, but also things that they really want for Christmas this year. Not only will this be a blessing to the kids, but their families as well.

We hope that you will be able to help us in raising the funds needed to support the Holiday Shiloh Program this year, but if not, please keep this program and the families it serves in your prayers this holiday season. If you are able to help and will be sending a check, please write Holiday Shiloh in the memo line, or the money will not get to the Holiday program. Checks may be sent to:

The Shiloh Family
Shiloh Inc.
PO Box 95
New York, NY 10028

Merry Christmas

My brother's blog just reminded me of one of our favorite things in a Christmas movie. We love the way George Baily over acts after finding out his lip is bleeding and his car is still wrecked. If you haven't tried yelling out "Merry Christmas" with your best George Baily impression go ahead and give it a try. Seriously...I'll wait...

Pretty fun? It's even better that my brother and I get the same enjoyment out of it and can go back and forth saying it for a while. Can't wait to get back to my parent's house for Christmas and greet them with another loud George Baily impression!

What's a Pone?

I tried to learn how to play Cribbage today. For some reason it sounded like something we could figure out really quickly by reading the instructions that came with the game. We couldn't have been further from the truth. The instructions that came with the cards and board may as well have been written in a foreign language. The first sentence instructs the "pone" to start the play. We don't even know what the "pone" is...

While at Target chosing the game to play, we passed up the more familiar games for this one because of how long it has been around. Any game that's been around this long must be really good right?

It is said to have been invented in the early 1600's by an English poet. It is now the only card game that can legally be played for money in English pubs. Some sources say Cribbage is still one of the most popular games around and it played regularly all around Britain in pubs. Now I just need someone to teach me how to play.

A Simple Life

I read a book a few months ago by a guy named Shane Claiborne (above) called the Irresistible Revolution. In it he describes how he has chosen to radically live out his faith. After years spent helping the homeless in Philly, working with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, serving as an intern at the Willow Creek church, and a long trip to serve in Iraq, he and his friends have set out to live the simple life. They have moved in together in an underpriveledged neighborhood to serve the community around them. They are active to reduce their carbon footprint, welcome the homeless in to take what they need, and some even make their own clothes.

Shane came to Searcy this weekend where Dave and I got to see him speak. He spoke to large crowds in the Riverview High School gym Saturday night and The Underground Coffeehouse on Sunday morning. Most of the stories he told can also be found in his book Irresistible Revolution. There was one however that I either don't remember from the book or I had not yet heard that left the most lasting impression on me.

He told of a husband and wife who had spent years trying to concieve a child but could not. They had visited clinics, read books, and tried all the advice. One day they were walking around their neighborhood when they saw a homeless woman in an alley. When they stopped to talk with her they noticed she was pregnant. They could not pass by and allow her to live on the streets like that so they invited her into their home. After some time had passed they told her about their failed efforts to have a child. They also told her that they would be very happy if she chose to have her child while staying with them. The woman did end up having her child there with the married couple looking after her. After the child was born the married couple told the woman how their dream had come true to have a child in the house. The couple asked the woman what her dream was. She said she had always wanted to become a nurse. They said since she had helped their dream come true, they would like to help hers come true. So, the married couple began to look after the baby while the woman was able to go through nursing school. 10 years after bringing the homeless woman into their home, the wife began to show symptoms of MS. The disease took hold quickly and now requires constant medical attention. The medical attention she now gets is from the woman they brought off the street into their home.

At the end of the story Shane advised that we be mindful of life's little disruptions. As frustrated as I can get at the little "disruptions" that come my way, it was good to be reminded to still always look for God in them.

Belay On

The above picture is pretty much how I looked tonight at the climbing gym. Ok, not really. It's actually a picture of Kris Kyle, the guy who first taught me how to climb years ago at Mt. Magazine. I'd like to think he'd have been proud of my showing tonight though I did have to relearn about everything.

I'd been to the climbing gym once before to boulder (see above). Bouldering wore me out quickly since I was much more tense knowing there wasn't a rope ready to catch me if I fell. Tonight I had a great time knowing somebody was ready to keep me from falling to the ground if I slipped. If you haven't had a chance to check out the climbing gym here in Little Rock, I highly recommend it. Visit their site here.

A Day to Remember

For all of the No. 21 jerseys, waving towels and handwritten signs in the stands Sunday, for all of the flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the stadium, for all of the pregame tributes to the Pro Bowl safety, the most stark reminder of Taylor's plight came when the Washington Redskins lined up on defense for the first time since he was shot to death.

Instead of 11 Redskins on the field, as rules allow, there were 10.

As the Buffalo Bills got ready to run their first play midway through the first quarter, the man who replaced Taylor in the starting lineup, Reed Doughty, stood near coaches on the sideline with his arms crossed. After watching while Bills running back Fred Jackson gained 22 yards, Doughty entered for the next play -- and made the tackle.

While the outcome of the game did not go the way I had hoped, I am thankful for each and every one of the Redskins who buckled up and played today. As a Redskins fan since birth, I felt closer to the team today than any win could've done.

Goodbye, Sean

by Arthur Mills of ExtremeSkins.com

We didn't know Sean Taylor.

On 3rd-and-4 against Dallas, as he jarred the ball free from Patrick Crayton, we thanked him.

We admired him against the Vikings as Moe Williams came rushing forward full speed only to be stoned cold.

When he didn't communicate with the coaching staff during an absence, we were frustrated by him.

We were amazed by him as he sat deep in coverage, seemingly beaten against Green Bay, goading Brett Favre to throw behind him only to gallop into the play to make the play.

He made us smile as he floated into the end zone against Philly, made us marvel as he intimidated Terrell Owens, made us shake our heads when he worked out in Florida, made us get up and cheer when he had the ball in his hands.

He made us all do and feel so much.

On Tuesday morning, he made us cry.

We woke up and the first thing we did was check for information about him. This man we didn't know. This man we loved so much for what he could do.

We've drifted through this week dazed. Some of us seeking the huddle of fellow fans holding each other together, some of us spacing out internally attempting to put answers to questions that have no answers.

We catch ourselves closing our eyes in disbelief days later.
People in our lives we do know, who may not otherwise even like us, have reached out to us to offer sympathy for the loss. Cowboy fans even seem to care.

The feelings and response is so crazy. So stupid. So ludicrous. So wrong. So understandable. So sane. So right.

All of it.

We hate ourselves when we think about what this means for the team. How could we? It's just not important. Kickoff is still at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. How can we not?

Men who did know Sean Taylor have to suit up and play football. Coaches who did know Sean Taylor have to watch game film, prepare a game plan, teach it to the players, then coach a game. Then pack up for a trip to Miami for a funeral.

If we feel the way we do, what must it be like for them? How will they respond?

If the team responds to Taylor's death finding unity and purpose behind these unwanted, negative emotions by going on a memorable, admirable streak of victory, could we cheer?

If the team responds to Taylor's death with distracted, even disinterested play, causing a string of losses, could we boo?

Before Tuesday, being a football fan was simple. He can't play or he can. He can coach or he can't. If we had Taylor, Owens would not have had any catches. Campbell's not clutch, or he's an emerging star.

We had football and the views of football fans, regardless of how divergent they can be. Views uncomplicated by the realities of life until life's tragedies intrude and remind us just how shallow our passion is, but just how wonderful it is because of how pure and simple it is in a world where a man can be taken from his family so senselessly.

It took Taylor's death for us to get to know him better.

To know he was seeing a woman related to Andy Garcia. To know he was a homebody since the birth of his child. To know he was maturing. To know he was easy with a smile to those he knew and trusted.

Each story bringing us closer to the man we only knew on the field yet who has now impacted us so greatly off it.

Each story connecting us more to the man Sean Taylor was rather than the football player we knew him to be.

In this week after three consecutive losses, he unites us with the team in a way no victory could accomplish.

On Sunday our cheers will come more from the heart than the throat. It will be our release. One we need.

One our team needs.

Sean Taylor's no longer here for us, but, for a while, he'll be with us more than ever before.