YFC - Pekin

goMAD conference

2006-11-05T18:43:00.000-06:00

64 crazy high school students on a bus from all across the land: Chillicothe, Pekin, Washington, and Woodruff. Add them to hundreds more from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan for a total of 800 students going MAD.

We ate, laughed, cried, sang, danced, jumped, learned stuff, and broke stuff.

Check out the photos, and the video. Leave your comments here, and let us know what you thought.

Great traveling with you all. Peace.

YFCamp 2006 ... thoughts?

2006-08-05T17:41:00.000-05:00

Reflecting back on a great week at camp ... does anyone have any thoughts? Write a few words about your week:

What part was the most fun?
What did you learn?
How can we make it better next year?

Don't forget to email your photos to Jake (jbland@yfcpa.org)

DaVinci and the art of making nonsense

2006-05-26T13:36:00.000-05:00

25 people gathered together in a quaint movie theater in peoria. we were there to see the davinci code movie. through low-grade speakers the previews started playing. it was almost too soft to hear. then the "real previews" started, causing the loud, surround-sound speakers to pour sounds into our ears.
then the movie commenced. it was, boring... a waste of time... interesting... hard to understand... a national treasure knock-off. but, at least we were together. at least we had the prospect of pizza at leonardo's afterwards.
and, it lived up to the hype. it was great, the pizza, that is. 30 people sitting in the party room, not talking about the movie but just talking about the stuff of life: where they are working this summer, when they are going to the park, what they are doing afterwards. it was beautiful.

if you missed it, you are to be pitied. not for missing the movie, but for missing each other.

summer loving, had me a blast

2006-05-15T08:59:00.000-05:00

i can't believe summer is here, more because its cold and wet outside than anything. but, with summer, there is fun. there is boredom. there is everything in between fun and boredom. here's what i have to offer you:

May 23 - DaVinci Code and Leonardo's Pizza in Peoria
July 29 - August 5 - Camp in Colorado

in between these two things, there will be lots of hanging out, bbq's, and other things that you will only find out about if you are regularly checking the "upcoming shows" links on the website

www.thisthing.org

welcome summer, welcome sun

why movies make the best pastime or how i understood the world better after watching good will hunting or...

2006-04-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

have you ever watched a movie that absolutely changed the way you look at the world? A movie that gave you a new outlook on life? A movie that made you cry, or cheer, or both?

i had a friend tell me that he cried when he watched the amityville horror remake. that's not what i'm talking about. i was in a theater where i laughed till i cried, watching johnny knoxville and friends on a big screen. that's not what i'm talking about either.

i'm not talking about star wars episode 3 or even fun with dick and jane (also a remake), even if they did make you cheer at the end.

what movies have really challenged your brain to think about the beauty of life, love, or God in a more meaningful way? tell me about those movies.

could i have some cheese with my whine?

2006-03-24T10:38:00.000-06:00

i'm sorry.
i'm sick of cheesy things
i am tired of corny people
why can't everything be cool?
why isn't everyone just like me?
i find it is really easy to hate someone or something just because we personally don't like it/them. i do this all of the time. and, i'm pretty sure that makes me normal. it also makes me very self-centered.
God, help me accept the fact that i am not always right, that what i like isn't what everyone else does or should, and that people are important simply because they are people.

arrgh

2006-03-20T11:45:00.000-06:00

i like the term "arrgh". it sums up a lot of feelings. sometimes, i'm not perfect. when i realize, either in the moment or in hindsight, i say, "arrgh". its an angry sigh. a cry for a solution. today is an arrgh day for me. you ever have those days?

i wish i was like six foot nine

2006-03-08T13:55:00.000-06:00

this thing is on the horizon again...march 14th. you should be there. here are some cliches that may/may not help you with reasons why you should come:

come to this thing because money doesn't grow on trees

join us at this thing because friends don't let friends drive drunk

this thing: we treat you right

this thing is where a kid can be a kid

come to this thing where you can live free or die

this thing makes teeth whiter

this thing says you stay classy san diego

i did this blog just to prove/disprove jake bland's theory that with more popular phrases comes more blog traffic...

will you join us? 3/14 @ 6.03 @ 3201 Sheridan Rd.

does anyone read this?

2006-03-06T13:38:00.000-06:00

if so, tell me

if not, just keep doing whatever you regularly do on the internet

this thing was fun, by the way

you will not be disappointed

2006-02-22T13:29:00.000-06:00

i have made a vow to not disappoint when i say i'm going to do something in 2006...and, as promised, this thing starts next tuesday.

that's right

2/28/06 is a monumental day in the city of Pekin, because hope is rising now

6.03pm is the start time, and a meal will be served...but that is a surprise

so if you or someone you know is searching and asking deep questions that don't seem to have any logical answers, bring them with you to 1237 Redwood Dr. next Tuesday night at 6.03

we might not have the answers, but we have an answer

this thing

2006-02-06T08:50:00.000-06:00

if you were unaware of the best superbowl party ever to take place, i apologize. you missed out on a lot of fun, and $50 of iTunes downloads.

looking forward, keep your ears to the floor for "this thing", coming the end of this month.

"this thing" will be at a house, involving food, discussion, and hopefully fun. all you need to know is this:

"this thing" is going to be the best thing to hit pekin since the world's greatest sundial...and that is not an exaggeration.