tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97952692011-08-18T10:04:23.400-04:00Wonderings of a wandererAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-76113485513903448412008-08-25T20:52:00.000-04:002008-08-25T21:22:35.785-04:00

Chillicothe gave me the perfect birthday present yesterday.As I was driving through my beautiful city, I looked to my right and spotted a very respectable mullet. Upon further investigation, I realized that this mullet was riding a bike, which inspired me to write a song to the tune of "Lucy in the Sky". It went, "Mullet on a bike, with jean shorts."Okay, it wasn't a great song, but it was a

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-4580458560696882752008-07-28T21:38:00.000-04:002008-07-28T22:04:03.954-04:00

Two trips to the dentist in the same month.I realize this is an incomplete sentence, but I don't know what kind of verb can go in this sentence to give it more meaning or feeling. I feel as though it expresses everything any complete sentence could express.Ever since being free of my parents' health and dental insurance, I have chosen to celebrate my dental independence by not going to the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-36954748992688761262008-06-08T20:45:00.000-04:002008-06-08T21:31:10.569-04:00

I think the title of this post says everything I need to say.Tonight was graduation at school. After struggling to get myself into my old, uncomfortable, made in Honduras suit, finding a parking space a mile from the auditorium, and walking in 90 degree heat, I have to admit that I would have liked to have worn shorts and flip flops. Why didn't I? I can't really say that I'm sure. I would like

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-21241950588525068332008-01-05T22:52:00.000-05:002008-01-05T23:58:11.338-05:00

To my friends with political differences from me - you might want to stop reading right here if you're afraid my conservatism could make you think less of me. I still love you.So I tuned in to the New Hampshire debates tonight, but before discussing in detail, let me first share my thoughts on the Iowa caucus.The Republican side: normal and predictable.The Democratic side: somewhat predictable;

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-90582768859749652622008-01-03T18:35:00.000-05:002008-01-03T19:33:55.297-05:00

A brief rest from the STDave chronicles.It could only happen in California. A tiger escapes from a cage, kills a boy, injures two others, and zoo-goers rush to defend the tiger.The facts of the story are simple. On Christmas day at the San Francisco zoo, a tiger escapes from its viewing pit. Tragically it killed a teenager and injured two young. After the rampage, zoo workers killed the animal

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-30607313318337596582008-01-01T19:26:00.000-05:002008-01-01T20:25:33.325-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!Among the many interesting stories one could tell concerning STDave and his tenure in apartment 1D, most of the more interesting ones involve the adventures and mishaps he encounters with his friends. As mentioned in previous posts, he had many friends at the neighboring university that neither Jim, Dave H., nor I knew. As the three of us are generally friendly people, it

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-22362763450355632712007-09-08T19:08:00.000-04:002007-09-08T21:17:13.318-04:00

Our adventures with STDave started in the Fall of 2003. I was preparing Apartment 1D for the arrival of my three new roommates. The carpet had been cleaned (not by me), all the rooms were empty, and the kitchen was daily becoming cleaner and cleaner. I very much looked forward to living with the two roommates that I knew. Unfortunately, the fourth roommate that we had planned decided to live

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-65421556958720917232007-08-22T20:17:00.000-04:002007-08-23T07:38:00.571-04:00

Every once and again, people come into your lives that you hope you will know forever. You get along, you share secrets, you look out for one another. These are the people you are proud to call your friendsThen there are the others. The ones that Residence Life sticks you with because your planned roommate drops out at the last minute. This blog is about one of those people.My senior year of

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-74620248253648144022007-08-13T10:46:00.000-04:002007-08-13T17:55:27.278-04:00

My summer stints at Starbucks have taught me a few things.People are ridiculously picky about their coffee;the best way to deal with dumb people is to repeat what they said in the form of a question and let them realize what they said (e.g. "Would you like to talk to our manager about your frozen coffee drink melting in the July sun?");and soy milk is actually pretty tasty.It is this last

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-43060348143882676322007-08-06T23:33:00.001-04:002007-08-07T00:13:33.366-04:00

11:33 PMI think the batteries to my remote control are broken, forcing me to either get off my butt and manually change the channels, or sit through 35 minutes of news on what appears to be a very boring day in Dayton. As it is 11:33 (whoops, 11:34 now), and the news started at 11, and I'm still watching it, I bet you can guess which option I chose.When I went to work today, I noted to myself, "

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-6282045704155213882007-04-29T19:09:00.000-04:002007-04-29T19:47:01.154-04:00

So, it appears that my last post was on July 3, 2006. Today is April 29, 2007. For those of you who are good at math, you've already figured out that that has almost been an entire year. And what a year it has been. Graduation from grad school, a new job, passage into real adulthood (i.e. paying student loans). One would expect that my next post (which has been almost a year in the making) should

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1151992151117460532006-07-04T01:05:00.000-04:002006-07-04T01:49:11.130-04:00

Under a title like "Losing Battles," the concerned Christian has no clue what to expect."Is Andy about to disclose some secret of his most intimate life?""Has Andy become a historian to encourage others in the faith?""Has Andy dedicated his life to coming alongside (hiya Crusade) others?"Nothing so noble or...awkward, I'm afraid.Actually, the title refers to the current battle against fellow

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1151203544664758432006-06-24T22:06:00.000-04:002006-06-24T22:45:44.680-04:00

It's amazing how time slips away from you.It seems like just yesterday I was ranting away about KFC and its disgusting (and surprisingly long-lived) mashed potato/chicken/gravy/cheese/vegetable bowl, and here I am, 4 months later writing the very next post.I can only imagine the boredom I've inflicted on some of my friends who have not had my blog to look forward to on a regular basis. Maybe the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1140385319585389652006-02-19T16:09:00.000-05:002006-02-19T16:41:59.600-05:00

When living in a world full of divisiveness, divorce, and war, it is far from surprising to us to learn that there are some combinations out there that just aren't meant to be.Nick and Jessica, Sonny and Cher, vanilla and Pepsi, any kind of meat and ice cream, homosexuals and republicans - some things just cannot work with something else.In an effort to be harmonious, civilized people avoid

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1138151683627849382006-01-24T19:51:00.000-05:002006-01-24T20:14:43.640-05:00

I've decided to make the change.David A. McDonie is no more.As of last week, I have joined the ranks of F. Scott Fitzgerald, H. Ross Perot, and a list of other greats who have bucked tradition, abbreviated their first name, and wrote out the middle.I am now D. Andrew McDonie.I don't know what pushed me over that cliff. I don't dislike the name David. I don't dislike my dad, after whom I am named.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1137724077141828042006-01-19T21:05:00.000-05:002006-01-19T21:27:57.163-05:00

Today I finished what must be one of the best books about bunnies out there. I honestly haven't read too many books about the fuzzy little wascals, but while watching "Lost", I realized that Sawyer (coolest character on the show) was reading a book called "Watership Down". You guessed it. The book is about bunnies. Well, it's about bunnies, and it's about people too...one of those deals, but if

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1137187454555682362006-01-13T16:04:00.000-05:002006-01-13T16:24:14.570-05:00

The English language sucks, and I blame women.Okay, I don't really blame all women, though all women profit from this. Names used to describe people are always specific for women. There is hardly an occupation left out there where the name alone indicates that the gender of the worker is male.For example.A waiter is now a man or a woman.A waitress is always a woman.What's a uniquely male waiter?

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1131954090457497982005-11-14T01:22:00.000-05:002005-11-14T02:41:34.170-05:00

Special music - (1) n. music that is special That music is very special to me, therefore it is special music. (2) n. an event in a church service, usually accompanied by muffled groans, stifled laughter, and desperate attempts to find an excuse to leave early (i.e. give self severe paper cut, induce vomiting, etc.) Put away your hymnals, Sister Maggie Lou Harris is going to come and bless us

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1130982617286213272005-11-02T20:15:00.000-05:002005-11-02T20:50:17.306-05:00

Today is Day of the Dead in Mexico. That officially makes it like the sixth holiday in the past 3 days. Monday, Oct. 31 was Halloween, Reformation Day, and Nevada Day.Tuesday, Nov. 1 was All Saints' Day, and I think it might have been All Soul's Day.Wednesday, Nov 2 (today) is Day of the Dead in Mexico.I think since there is such high competition for holiday slots, they should be rated from least

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1130787987862339352005-10-31T17:37:00.000-05:002005-10-31T14:49:22.306-05:00

Today, October 31, might be one of the most controversial days on the American calendar. Millions are celebrating Halloween by dressing up in scary or not-so-scary costumes to ravage the neighborhood in search of enough candy to satisfy us until Christmas candy pops up in the stores (which will realistically probably happen this week. The point is, they'll be getting a lot of candy. Some people

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1130121631208586742005-10-23T22:08:00.000-04:002005-10-23T22:40:31.233-04:00

Last year my mom's family had their annual Christmas party at my aunt's house.My aunt's kind of a perfectionist, and she kind of goes a little crazy (not serial-killer crazy, more like Rain Man crazy) when things aren't working out as she had perfectly planned them to go. (This planning typically takes place 6-9 months before the actual event, no matter how big the actual event is, and it is very

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1129921067317477222005-10-21T13:19:00.000-04:002005-10-21T14:57:47.360-04:00

I found myself really annoyed during my education classes a couple of weeks ago. We were discussing the differences between "punishment" and "logical consequences." I know this is a really lame thing to be talking about in a graduate level class, but no one ever said you had to be a brain surgeon to be a teacher. Actually, if you're a brain surgeon, you're probably too busy to be a teacher.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1127787917443567902005-09-26T21:51:00.000-04:002005-09-26T22:25:17.453-04:00

So, it appears that I spend a good deal of my time and resources purchasing, making, drinking, enjoying, thinking about, reminiscing upon and sometimes even complaining about coffee. I learned today that coffee does not return the favor. My last post was about coffee, and I declared that I was on a quest to create an American coffee revolution. Today, coffee called my bluff. The war is on!Before

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1126555253481636852005-09-12T15:23:00.000-04:002005-09-12T16:00:53.546-04:00

Sometimes the French just do some things better than us.Though this is not true of politics, cars, capitalism, or hygiene, it certainly is true of many of the finer points of life - fashion, poetry, wine, chocolate, food in general, and as I will point out in the rest of my reminscence, coffee. French coffee is just plain better than American coffee.When I first came home, I thought I could find

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1121402562517987772005-07-15T00:29:00.000-04:002005-07-15T00:42:42.523-04:00

I'm about half an hour too late to say that today is Bastille Day, so...Yesterday was Bastille Day!!!What is Bastille Day, you may be asking? Well prepare yourself for a history lesson, friends. On 14 July, 1789, the third class of French people stormed the Bastille, a prison in the middle of Paris, putting into motion the French Revolution.Instead of a genetically-decided monarchy ruling

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1120282909059016072005-07-02T01:12:00.000-04:002005-07-02T01:41:49.066-04:00

It's been a while since I've had the old blog up and running, so for all of you (I was about to say both of you, but decided I couldn't count myself) who read it, here's the scoop on my life.I'm no longer living in Waverly!!! Nothing against Waverly, but aside from my parents, there's just not a ton to do there. Having once again left my parents, I'm now living a peaceful life in Fairborn.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1116560867467692452005-05-19T23:33:00.000-04:002005-05-19T23:47:47.473-04:00

Yes friends, it's that time of year again.Bear awareness week.I don't really know what to say about bears.They're out there, and I guess we should all be aware of that.Here are a couple of bear facts.Black bears are found naturally in my part of Ohio - the hills.If you encounter a bear you should NOT:Try to outrun it.Climb a tree to escape it.Hide under a log.Play dead - they will still maul

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1114926745277044382005-05-01T01:19:00.000-04:002005-05-01T01:52:25.280-04:00

I like English.I like like other languages too, but English has a really special place in my heart. This can probably be explained by the fact that it is my mother tongue. It is also an extremely convenient language, since pretty much everyone in the world at least knows someone who's pretty fluent in it. There are people in the world that can do crazy things with our language, too.

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1114146566633990312005-04-22T00:47:00.000-04:002005-04-22T01:09:26.633-04:00

In a week of unprecedented non-productivity, I have found myself - thanks to the Internet and its quizzes.It's actually kind of amazing the emotional toll that these scientific wonders can have on you. Sometimes it really strokes my ego, and a couple times, I had to walk away from anger.What did I learn about myself?Language was the most interesting. I speak:65% General American English10%

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1112593191344868482005-04-03T23:20:00.000-04:002005-04-04T01:39:51.346-04:00

I love being told that I'm a good person. Especially when it's by a complete stranger.My first thought is always, "How did he know that? I guess it's just that obvious."This starts in my head a short animated film of my life in which I'm doing such good things as smiling at strangers, giving alms to the poor, teaching orphans oragami, and protecting endangered animals. Okay, my Disney

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1111363231116364312005-03-20T18:36:00.000-05:002005-03-20T19:00:31.116-05:00

I'm back from France...definitively.There are so many things running through my head, and I'm sure many more things will be popping in within the next few days or weeks.People keep asking me if I'm done in France.I guess I am for now, even though it doesn't feel like it. It doesn't feel like an eventful school year has passed away since September. It doesn't feel like I should have to readjust

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1108633354182050112005-02-17T04:24:00.000-05:002005-02-17T04:42:34.183-05:00

I learned a new French word yesterday.Abats.It's actually a bit of an overstatement to say that I learned it.I don't know its gender, its etymology, or the precise definition.Clearly I'm too lazy to actually look it up. I'm sure my errors will be lovingly and quickly pointed out in comments.It might be more accurate to say I experienced a new French word yesterday.I have the definition of abats

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1108402218282911652005-02-14T11:07:00.000-05:002005-02-14T12:30:18.310-05:00

Wow, Andy McDonie, writing about Valentine's Day!You must be wondering what the catch is.No catch, I just want to write about something I love very very much.I'll leave you in suspense for a while as I go on to describe my significant other.She's Latin American.I see her every day.She's always there, but not in a needy kind of way.She's extremely rich.Her family, though mainly Colombian, has

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1108126567404976522005-02-11T06:58:00.000-05:002005-02-11T07:56:07.406-05:00

Procrastination is above all a fine art. Disdained among the prideful and abused by the masses, procrastination, in all of its beautiful glory, manifests itself fully only to the happy few. Indeed, happy are the few who soak in the waters of laisser-faire, an attitude that is perhaps France's greatest gift to the world.Before continuing on with what has made me break forth in praise for this

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1107364154820247512005-02-02T11:28:00.000-05:002005-02-02T12:09:14.820-05:00

Knapp: Get off the floor, Andy. Me: (in typical overdramatic fashion) Why , Jim? Why should I get off the floor? What do I have better to do than lie on this floor and wait to die? Knapp: (in typical absolutely unsympathetic fashion) Get off the floor! You're not helping yourself. You've got stuff to do! Me: (still overdramatic) I can give you more reasons to join me, exhausted, on the

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1106659742455745472005-01-25T07:27:00.000-05:002005-01-25T08:29:02.456-05:00

This was actually supposed to be combined with my last post, but being the technological genius that I am, I didn't find the "save" button until it was too late. Thus two consecutive blogs that seem to deal with the same subject. So...why I have come to personally love liturgy recently. Since becoming a calvinist several months back, I have found it increasingly difficult to pray. I know I'm

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1106152478813696922005-01-19T10:59:00.000-05:002005-01-19T11:34:38.813-05:00

The past few months have witnessed me becoming a fairly big fan of liturgy. I don't completely know why that is. I haven't ever really been involved in a church that has liturgical services, nor was I raised with a terribly positive view of liturgy in the church. "Ya' just don't feel anything, ya' know." Yet here I sit, typing away about my wish to see liturgy playing a more central role in

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1105451423288902122005-01-11T08:13:00.000-05:002005-01-11T08:50:23.290-05:00

Well, after a wonderful, well-spent, relaxing vacation in beautiful, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Kentucky, I have made it back to Pau, but not without a real life science fiction traveling story - only it's not fiction. My flight arrived late into Paris, causing me to miss my connecting flight to Toulouse, from where I was going to have to buy a train ticket to Pau. When I went to

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1104988128387774692005-01-05T23:25:00.000-05:002005-01-06T00:08:48.386-05:00

There's really nothing like coming home. That's a pretty neutral sentence, and I definitely did that on purpose. That's because homecomings are good, sad, and sometimes a little dangerous all at the same time. The good things are the obvious ones. You get to see your family and friends again. I fully agree that the "Cheers" theme song is good and right. "You wanna go where everybody knows

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1104811872531429042005-01-04T02:05:00.000-05:002005-01-03T23:11:12.530-05:00

I listened to a sermon some time ago that really grated me. Given, I have a real tendency to be grated during services, and more than one person in my life has told me that I can be critical, especially in churches. Also given, most of the time it's stuff that's probably not that important - how often should communion be given, why isn't the music better, did they really need new choir robes,

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9795269.post-1104115237978278152004-12-26T17:25:00.000-05:002004-12-26T21:40:37.976-05:00

I wish I was more surprised than I am, though I don’t feel as if I should be. A couple days ago, as I was enjoying Christmas break and indulging in one of my favorite activities – expressing my distaste for televangelists, especially those of the health and wealth variety, my mom asked my southern Californian brother if he’d heard about the suicide in the big glass church. Not being familiar

Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10010725739395146349noreply@blogger.com1