My Year in Review – 2005 Version

Well, it’s the final day of 2005. I am spending it running errands before I head down to Pitt’s clash against #22 Wisconsin tonight. Should be a dandy!
In summary, this year has been an ok one for me. I learned many things about life and am looking forward to all that 2006 has to offer. With 2005 about to come to an end, I am going to take this time to reflect on the past year, acknowledge just a few of the people who have made it special, and hand out some year-end awards. Without further delay, here are Bill’s Year-End Awards (back by popular demand—haha):

Album of the Year: A three-way tie for the award (a first in Bill’s Year-End Awards history) between: Jars of Clay, “Redemption Songs”; Kutless, “Strong Tower”; and Passion Worship Band, “How Great Is Our God”. Solve this problem and just buy all three.
Sports Word/Phrase of the Year: Boo Birds
Acronym of the Year: NCMO - A southern term that stands for “Non-Committed Making Out”. Strange. Up north we just call it “experimenting”. LOL.
Accounting Genius of the Year: Kristina Ward breezes through her accounting class at MVNU—drawing both the jealousy of her classmates and praise of her professor. This outstanding performance enabled K-Dubs to become quite popular among the geekish accounting majors who in turn wanted to elect her Accounting Society president by force. Combined with her unparalleled skills in hip-hop dancing, Kristina has become irresistible to the male population at MVNU. As a result, her days of Nazarene Boy Chasing (NBC) have come to an end. LOL. No one ever knew that accounting could be so worthwhile. Congratulations to K-Dubs for a job well-done.


The type of hardcore studying you have come to expect from the "Accounting Genius of the Year" 

Nugget of the Year: Julianne Cole (a.k.a. HG). Have you seen the size of her head lately? LOL. Like I said, “Once a nugget, always a nugget!”. Interesting fact: Her nugget gets her in trouble about 54% of the time. Haha.
Encourager of the Year: Trudy Rohrbaugh. The Trudester is always known to lend a kind word or send a comforting card to people just when they happen to need it the most. Her IM name of luv2encourage couldn’t be more fitting.
Tight-Knit Family of the Year: The Anderson Girls. You just can’t beat the togetherness exemplified by these ladies from Georgia. Nurse Ashlie (in the middle, below) is the kind-hearted sister who exhibits a “Type A’ personality characteristic of most first-born children. She has an extensive knowledge about female-related health issues and anatomy—like the cervix (whatever that is). Amy (on the right) is the family fashion expert who enjoys going shopping and buying high-end merchandise (and no, Amy, there isn’t a cash award or prize for winning one of Bill’s Year-End Awards, LOL). Rumor has it that as crazy as Amy seems, Amanda is by far the wildest. Her torn jeans scream, “I may look nice, but don’t even try to mess with me!”. LOL.


Three of a Kind 

Sunday School Discussion of the Year:
- “As a Christian, what child-like quality do you admire most? Or which one would you most like to have?”
-“Innocence.”
-“And why is that?”
-“Because I’m not......that......innocent.”
Pleasant Voice of the Year: Cathrine Bybee (or the southern belle also known as Mysterious) easily takes the award in all conversations not involving sarcasm. LOL.
Geekert Award: Bethany
Smoothest Guy and MAC Champion of the Year: In a return to his high school glory days on the Pittsburgh District, Gary trumps last year’s winner Rico by beginning a serious relationship in 2005.
Most Awkward Discussion of the Year: I had lunch with my pastor at Hoss’s one day in December—discussing a wide array of topics such as church leadership, spiritual progression, Christianity, relationships, and the like. Here is a snippet from that conversation:
Pastor: “I am glad to know that you are a virgin.”
[Awkward pause]
Me: “Um, me too!”
(I crack myself up sometimes.)
Reggie White Perseverance Award: After initially electing to forgo his senior year of college and head to the NBA, Carl Krauser returns to the Panther’s backcourt to lead a rather inexperienced group of teammates to an 11-0 start. We are Team Pittsburgh!
Photo of the Year: The first award to be decided by the readers. The following two pictures are up for this year’s best photo because in my opinion, any Pitt player teaching a Penn State athlete how to play the game is great photography. Is it Carl Krauser slicing down the lane in picture #1 or John DeGroat going baseline in picture #2? Be sure to sound off.


Pic #1... 


...or Pic #2? 

Retired Quote That Now Enters Bill’s Year-End Awards Hall of Fame: “When the wart smiles, God frowns...”

Well, that’s it for this year’s awards. Thanks for reading and participating! Hoping 2006 holds great things in store for everyone (and brings everyone closer to Jesus). Peace.

Wrapping Things Up

Well, I figured I would update a little sooner than I normally do. What has been going on with me lately?

"The Chronicles of Narnia" was a very good movie. Unlike alot of the other movies I have heard in the past that are said to be linked to Christian themes ("Lord of the Rings" and "The Matrix"), the parallels by C.S. Lewis were much more obvious. It's hard to describe all of the analogies on here, but I'd be interested to hear some of the ones that people saw. The new Shenango Valley Cinema is pretty nice as well.

Tonight I am teaching the teens again. Friday evening is the MPB Christmas party at the Country Club in Meadville. I'll be flying solo, but it should be fun anyways. In addition to the Christmas bonus check, maybe I'll win a prize (I could really use a DVD player).

I am still holding off on the "Bless the Broken Road" discussion, but I will get to it. I have a few days off next week and the following one for Christmas. It will be nice to get things in order before tax season starts.

Speaking of the end of the year, be on the look-out for my Year-End Awards (coming December 31, 2005)!


K-Dubs ponders whether she'll be the recipient of one of Bill's Year-End Awards... 

Christmas Shopping and Birthday Thanks

The last two weeks have been highlighted by Christmas shopping, my birthday, and a quiz meet in Warren.

I'd also like to say thanks to everyone who remembered my birthday in someway (even as simple as wishing me a happy birthday). I was shocked by the out-pouring of gifts from everyone. It is awesome to have such great friends. So, thank you. The Waynesburg crew hooked me up (Nugget specifically) with a free dessert and appetizer at T.G.I. Fridays. I wasn't thinking someone would tell them it was my birthday. Shannon brought a cookie cake to the quiz meet (with candles on it to embarrass me of course, lol). Danielle King (the Ice Princess) made me a card and bought me a Rascal Flatts CD (suggesting I listen to "Skin" and "Bless the Broken Road"). I'll have to carry on a conversation about those two songs when I have a bit more time (I had heard the former before, but not the latter). The closest I had come to country before receiving that CD was Bill Mallonee.

I'll be checking out C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" this weekend at the new theater in Hermitage. Be on the look-out for "End of the Spear" in January 2006--it's a "must-see". I know, you never thought you would hear me suggesting movies to go to! Haha.

I stole some pics from HG's blog of those who ventured to Ross Park Mall on Novemeber 26th. Check them out:


Me, HG, The Ice Princess, Matt White, and Taylor Baily taking a break 


One of those cool panoramic shots (and CG being a diva)... 


I see at least one nugget. Haha. JK.