stoopid a&m aggies

i just heard on ESPN radio that Texas a&m wants the Seatte Seahawks to stop using the term "12th man" because they have a trademark on it! they need to lighten up!! first off, Seattle retired the #12, not 'the 12th man' and secondly, IT WORKS IN SEATTLE!!!!! a&m has not done anything signifigant since....i cannot even remember, maybe the late 80s?! anyway, a&m sucks and is mad that they have had this stupid tradition since 1922 or whatever and they do not have anything to show for it...poor aggies.

a little history...

well, tonight i am sitting in my hotel room in tempe, az. i drove over from san diego this afternoon. the drive was good (i will post some pics on flickr). being here in the phoenix area, and next sunday being Super Sunday, reminds me of 10 years ago in this very city. Super Bowl XXX, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys. i was very confidant that my Steelers were going to win their 5th Super Bowl (in 5 trys) against the hated Cowboys (who we were already 2-0 against in past Super Bowls), but it was not meant to be...Dallas won the game 27-17. it has been a bitter pill ever since, especially since we have had 4 other chances to get there, with home field advantage to boot, but lost every one of them. we should have 8 Lombardi trophies as far as i was concerned, but i digress...
the real story that Super Sunday was a trip with some buddies from SNU. we decided to watch the game in Dallas with our buddy Tucker who had graduated the year before. as anything you do in college, we decided the night before to leave OKC and head down I-35 3 1/2 hours. we did not even know if Tucker was home because we could not reach him. well, with 2 gas cards and about $9 in cash between the 3 of us (Quanstrom and Dave White were the other 2) we headed south and waited for Tucker at his apartment. luckily, he finally came home. he was happily (i think) surprised to see us and invited us into his home. we watched the game and smoked swisher sweets. the funny part was Tucker insisted on us smoking in the apartment. we tried to tell him, but he was the host and we did not want to be impolite...so we smoked in the apartment. well, 2 weeks later he was complaining about how bad his place smelled. sorry Tuck, that was is on you.
anyway, next sunday, feb 5, my Steelers are back in the Super Bowl, and i have all the confidence that they will win their 5th Super Bowl title! GO STEELERS!!!

my photos on flickr

FYI...

you can see many more photos from my trips on my Flickr account (or by clicking on the link to the right under my pic:


hope you enjoy them, and feel free to leave comments. i will update them when i can and add on when i have more photos.

teacups

i am in anaheim, ca tonight @ the red roof inn about a mile from disneyland. this brings back fond memories or my very first trip to california. the year was 1984 and i came to anaheim with my brothers and grandparents. my grandparents came to be a part of the church of the nazarene general assembly. it was a fun time for us as we visited cool places like universal studios, angels stadium, the sight of the TV show "gilligan's island" and, of course, disneyland. i have always been a fan of theme parks, and what kid doesn't dream of going to "the best them park on earth"?
disneyland was great! we rode rides like space mountain, astro orbitor, autopia, matterhorn bobsled, peter pan's flight (a favorite - i rode it, like, 5 times in a row), pirates of the caribbean, and haunted mansion (where i remember someone got craped on by a bird while we were waiting in line), and the mad tea party, aka, the teacups. it was there i met the girl of my dreams...chad and i were sitting on the rails waiting in line when i heard someone call out my name. if you were a kid in the early 80s, you know how cool it was to go to the t-shirt shop and get a t-shirt made (admit it, it was COOL!!). well, one of the t-shirts i had made was one with the old Texas logos on the front (big surprise) and my name on the back.
well, when i heard her call my name i looked over at her and her friend with her, and fell off the rail, partly because i was clumsy and partly because a girl was calling my name...LANCE! it is a wonderful thing to hear your name called by someone, and even better when it is a beautiful girl. well, i was happy, and a little embarrassed, that she had such good taste (in clothes) and gave me a shout out. but, alas, we were next up in the teacups and by the time the ride was over, she was gone from my life forever. i didn't even get to say "hi!" back. we went spinning in the teacups and had fun the rest of the day and into the night, but i sometimes think where she went, who was she, does she remember seeing my name on my shirt and calling my name??
well, i do not count that experience as a loss, but rather as a wonderful time of childhood innocence , and, of course, a real cool t-shirt!

sunset...one last time

sunset...
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

sunset @ pismo beach, ca

the pacific coast is absolutely wonderful!! i was not even the only one there trying to get a photo. there were at least 3-4 more people already there when i arrived on the scene.

another sunset

sun&ice 005
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

sunset @ pismo beach, ca

sunset

sunset...
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

sunset @ pismo beach, ca

too late...

well, as you can see at the bottom of this post, it is almost 3am california time (that's 5am REAL time). my eyes are heavy so i am writing a quick note to tell of my adventures the past few days.

friday night i stayed at my usual stop when in fresno, red roof inn. saturday i made my way from fresno to san luis obispo for the weekend. it was a nice, leisurely drive through the hills at speeds from 55-65 mph and i was actually able to use my cruise control! i stayed at the ramada in san luis obispo. made a trip to wal-mart in arroyo grande and on my way noticed the beautiful town of pismo beach. i hoped to have a chance to stop and look at the scenery on the way back (all this is taking place on the 101 and pacific coast hwy). well, i did stop and watched the sunset right there on the pacific ocean. what an awesome sight!! i took some pics. i am not sure if there is a more beautiful place to watch a sunset than over the pacific ocean.

anyway, today (yesterday now) i made my way to palm springs. i stopped in pasadena area to pay homage to the Longhorns and to go to the franklin covey store. i have never been the most organized, but i like the idea of appearing to be, so i got a new planner and laptop bag and even got a 20% discount! so now i won't feel as guilty when i do not use the organizer! WHEW!! it is a long drive, so i watched "24" in the van on my portable b&w TV i had purchased last year to watch the Astros 1st WS game in Houston while i was on the road. another nail-biter!!! ok, so i am going to try and get some rest. heading to san diego tomorrow. good night.

memories...

i decided to post those pics i guess because i am really missing everyone right now. i found them in my email. i still laugh out loud when i think back on our trips last summer. it was a busy summer filled with good times.

hopefully this summer will be even better (but it will REALLY have to be great!!)...

this will not mean as much to those not involved, but for those that were...a few memories:

-late night walks at White Rock
-Sarah repelling UPSIDE DOWN
-Travis singing "Barlow Lance"
-"Camp Kelly" & "Pasteless Summer"
-being questioned by the police for "road rage"
-Lauren STEALING my blue sleeping pad
-riding the tractor with Will
-"manananana" (w/re-mix)
-another week's sleep in Snowbarger
-Kristin laughing at all of our stupid jokes
-working really hard for a few days
-playing even harder for several more

Camp_05_037hug

Camp_05_037hug
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

aaaaawwwwwww...

Camp_05_038pullmychain

Camp_05_038pullmychain
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

are pulling my leg? oh...right.

Camp_05_039Kristin&me

Camp_05_039Kristin&me
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

hey, cool hat!

Camp_05_033the3amigos

Camp_05_033the3amigos
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

from left: me, Kristin, Jimi

Camp_05_032ourleader

Camp_05_032ourleader
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

our leader...or was she our good conscience??

Camp_05_014crudwar1

Camp_05_014crudwar1
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

the last time i have used shaving cream...i cannot speak for Kristin

Camp_05_021girls

Camp_05_021girls
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

a couple of troublemakers...

Camp_05_009man purse

Camp_05_009man purse
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

i am secure in my masculinity...

TravisRelief

TravisRelief
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

maybe this is why the trees are dying...

knockoffBS

knockoffBS
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

um...i do not have any knowledge of this

treesdying

treesdying
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

i am sad...

caution

caution
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

please keep an eye on your kids

chickendance

chickendance
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

i am not really sure...

froggylove

froggylove
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

they said they were just playing "lep-frog"!

dayuseonly

dayuseonly
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

rules are meant to be broken, right?!

drinks...no

nobeer
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

fun on Mystery Trip 2005 (MT2K5) in White Rock, Arkansas

MT2K5 & Teen Camp 2005

I am adding some photos from last summer @ Mystery Trip and Real Camp (South Texas District) @ SNU (Southern Nazarene Unversity)...


i hope you enjoy them as much as we did! and i apologize in advance if i have offended anyone!!

motivation?

i have nothing exciting to tell you about my last couple of days. i am in fresno, ca tonight, and will spend the next couple of days in san luis obispo. just watching a little TV and trying to motivate myself to do some homework.

winter wonderland

well, this is the better of the 2 pics i took in the mountains the other night/morning...

on thin ice...

well, i made it into the best western at about 9am today in roseville, ca (about 30 min north of sacramento). why am i telling you this? because i left my hotel room in susanville at 2am and drove the 172 miles in about 7 hours! now, if you are old enough to drive and do simple math, you know that does not add up. that's right, why would i leave my hotel room in the middle of the night...
i made an executive decision based on the weather. there was a winter warning until 4p today (right now) so i left the warmth of my hotel room and headed through the snow riddled mountains. i decided to leave (it took me a couple of looks outside) because of the chance of it continuing to snow all day today, with several inches (or feet, depending on where i was) falling to the ground. well, i kept a steady pace of around 20mph for most of the trip. there was a time while down-shifting to 1st gear that the ice and my tires met with opposition, but for the most part a successful trip. i thought about calling a couple of people to say a prayer for me, but decided not to worry anyone.
anyway, i am back in the valley and the rain is still lingering, but no very slick roads/curves in the very near future. i stopped along the way and snapped a couple of pics. i'll see if they come out and try to post them here.

the most exciting hour on TV

here is my first endorsement in an attempt to let people know of the best show on TV right now. monday nights on FOX at 9/8c is "24". if you have seen the show you know it is a thrill-ride every week. every week is a cliffhanger that draws you in to find anyway to be in front of the TV the following monday. if you like a lot of action and plot twists, then you will like this show. it will make your heart pound...yes, it is that fast-paced!! i know a lot of y'all may not have the freedom i do to watch TV (i am in the hotel every night, so what else do i do - except homework of course) but if you can find the time, do it. WARNING: if you watch it one week you will be hooked and it is hard to follow if you miss any episodes. it is in its 5th season, and although i have only started watching last year, it is great and the one do not miss show in my view.

p.s. - anyone looking for birthday ideas (hint, hint...) "24" on DVD would be a great choice. just letting you know.

traveling through the Cascades

traveling through the Cascades
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

this picture does not do the scene justice. this is on the I-5. I was traveling from Ashland, OR to Susanville, CA today. if you ever get a chance to travel to the northwest, do it. the views are incredible! i will post some more pics from my earlier travels later.

view from my hotel room

view from my hotel room
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

this is what it looked like outside the la quinta in ashland, or. we had one day of sun in my five days there.

The Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

Home to Game of the Century

Texas 41
USC 38

The Largest Live Oak in Texas

The Largest Live Oak in Texas
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

another pic...

The Largest Live Oak in Texas

The Largest Live Oak in Texas
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

This tree is on the San Barnard National Wildlife Refuge. It is the largest live oak in Texas. It is a thing of beauty!

me and dad
Posted by Picasa

Hook 'em!
Posted by Picasa

greetings from the road...

well, i have made may way onto this site thanks to my friend Sarah. i am not a writer, but i have decided to keep a way of sharing my life on the road so that friends and family can keep up (if they care) with my adventures and where i am.
if you do not know me, then let me give you a brief background (if you know me, feel free to pass this paragraph if you want)...my name is lance, and i am from Clute, TX (about an hour south of Houston). i work on the west coast (CA, OR and WA) showing videos at schools. the videos are multimedia shows that talk to students about making good choices in life and learning from mistakes. i love what i do, although the road is a lonely place at times (i travel the ENTIRE school year - living in hotels, coming home only for Christmas and summer). i do, however, get to see many beautiful places and some fun/interesting places. some examples...the redwoods and sequoias of california; also a live taping of a television show "yes, dear". my travels have taken me as far south as san isidro, ca (10 min from mexico) to blaine, wa (1/4 mile from canadian border) and all points between. i am working on my ordination for the church of the nazarene as a youth pastor. i really have a love for kids and am very thankful for God's call in my life. i also LOVE sports and music. i just celebrated a national championship by my beloved Texas Longhorns and hoping my Steelers will be in super bowl XL. i also love the Houston Astros. i just bought a mp3 player so i am discovering the world of music on-the-go.
well, i hope to add here often, if not daily, so i hope you enjoy my memoirs...i promise they will not be lies like that james frey bestseller!