If you’ve ridden in a car with me before, then we’ve probably listened to music together.

Despite my better judgment, I’m going to give you a behind the scenes look at what happens before and after we listen to music in the car together.

1. I am headed to pick you up.

I’m thinking about what we can listen to. Is it a favorite band that we share? Then maybe we’ll listen to Coldplay, Caedmon’s Call, or United. Am I trying to impress you with how eclectic my musical tastes are? Then maybe I’ll turn on some Cold War Kids, Allman Brothers, or Nada Surf. Do I want to look current and on top of my game? Then I’ll put on an album that released yesterday. Am I trying to get you into a band that you have never heard before? Then you better listen up, because the choice of music is all about you.

2. I am pulling in your driveway.

There is probably one song that I really want you to hear. But I don’t want you to know that I really want you to hear it. So I’ll go to the song before and cue it up to a point in the middle of the song and then I’ll pause it. Now I’ll wait for you to come out to the car. I won’t unpause the song until I see you (in case it takes you a while), but as soon as I see you I have to be quick. I don’t want you to hear me unpause the song. I want you to think I’ve been listening to the music the whole time and none of this is planned. So now you get into the car in the middle of what you think is a randomly selected song. You have no idea this next song is for you, do you?

3. We drive away.

I have carefully selected a music volume level that is loud enough for us to enjoy, but soft enough that if you decide to tell me a story I don’t want to hear, I don’t have to turn down the music. We will say “hi” and exchange pleasantries, of course, but let’s not delve into a deep conversation just yet. After all, this song is about to end, and who knows, the next song just might be a good one?

Now, if you start telling me a complicated story that is going to interfere with your song, you leave me with 3 options:

A - pause the music. This action screams, “You are interrupting this song I want you to hear!”, so I rarely break this out. But if you know what you’re doing, you can make it look like you are stopping the music because you are interested in what THEY have to say. Just be sure they are completely done with the story before you unpause. Nothing worse than having to go back and pause it again. Once you double-pause you are setting a tough precedent to keep up with.

B – lower the music. I hate lowering the music. It’s a sign of defeat. Yes, you are more important to me than music, of course you are. But unless this is a really great story, I think I would rather hear this song that I’ve cued up just for you. (Once you’ve lowered the music you might as well keep it low until there’s been a 20-second break in the convo. Then you may raise it again.)

C – keep the voume level high. My personal favorite. Even if they seem annoyed by the music, just ignore them. Pretend that you are capable of enjoying the music AND their story at the same time. And then when the story is done, the music level is already where you want it to be.

4. We arrive at our destination.

Did you like my music selection? Do you think more of me as a person? Do you like driving in my car? Did I miss my calling as a DJ?

These are the unspoken questions that rattle around in my brain. I’m sorry, I just really like music and I was assuming you did too. You did like it, right? Yes, of course you did. Let’s do this again sometime.

What about you? Do you have any rules, pet peeves, or guidelines for listening to music in the car?

Will you ever get in the car with me again without thinking I’m an idiot?

If you’re of the opinion that blogs don’t matter, let me direct your attention to one that MOST DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY, 100% does.

The IJM Blog.

I’ve blogged about the International Justice Mission before. They are an amazing organization that rescues girls stuck in human trafficking and prostitution rings all over the world.

There’s 2 great things about this blog:

1. When they are about to embark on an operation to rescue girls, they will ask for prayers that things go well. I love being able to help in that way.

2. When they have a successful operation (or an unsuccessful one), they let you know about it. And trust me, your Google Reader will never get better news than this.

Here’s an example from an update on the blog tonight:

Last night one of our teams in South Asia executed a massive operation – THIRTY-FOUR exploited girls were removed from multiple facilities and six perpetrators were apprehended.

Please pray for these girls as our staff works with the government to document their testimonies and secure their rehabilitation and safety. Please also pray for the perpetrators as they undergo the process of being restrained from their crimes and come under the authority of the law.

If you have a word of encouragement for the team or for these girls as they enter new lives of safety and freedom, please feel free to post in the comments below.

THIRTY-FOUR GIRLS! 34 girls that only 24 hours ago were in bondage and oppression, being treated like worthless objects. Tonight they have a better chance than ever to enjoy freedom, both physically and spiritually, than they ever have. If that doesn’t lift your spirit, then you stink.

So yeah, I encourage you to subscribe to the IJM Blog. Follow them on Twitter. Check out their website. And donate $$$ to the cause.

And praise God for 34 girls who have just begun a new chapter in their lives thanks to the amazing work of IJM!

I went through my phone this morning to see what this past month looked like in pictures.

Here’s the highlights…

We spent the night at the Great Wold Lodge in the Poconos and had a great time.

You know the saying…

“The family that looks goofy in a hotel room together, has major issues.”

A few weeks ago Parker got a great haircut at a great price.

Swine flu not included.

Two weeks ago Erica’s Aunt Linda married Doug…

During the ceremony, the bride and groom were tempted one last time.

A member of the opposite sex offered each of them a rose and a makeout session.

Both Linda and Doug declined the offers, and moments later were happily married.

(Congrats Doug and Linda!)

My baby girl got her tonsils out two Fridays ago.

She was so brave before and after the surgery. So proud of her.

(and if you’re counting at home, that’s the third surgical mask of the post)

The Obamas said they could not find a Portuguese Water Dog in a shelter.

But I was at a shelter last week in Pennsylvania that had one.

In fact, it’s the second PWD they have had this year.

His name is Junius. And unlike President Obama, he doesn’t tell lies about dog shelters.

Here’s Parker coming off his second cycle of Primabolin.

I don’t what all this “roid rage” talk is about.

I haven’t seen Parker this happy in weeks.

Finally, here’s a postcard we received in the mail this week from a local realtor.

The motto on the postcard:

“When excellence counts in real estate call on me”

What it should say:

“When excellence counts in an ever-changing real estate market,

call on someone who still uses a cordless phone from the mid-90s.”

I wasn’t able to attend my cousin Jason’s wedding this weekend in Massachusetts (congrats!), but most of my family was able to go.

Would you like to meet them? Sure you would.

There’s my sister Karyn. She’s getting married to David, who’s to her left, on August 15th of this year. Should be good times. I’m sure there will be a full report of the wedding here on the blog.

Next to David is Michael, who you met a few weeks ago when he drank the Amish root beer. To his left is his wife and my sister, Steph, who’s pregnant with her first baby and due at the end of September.

Next to Steph is my grandfather. We call him Pepe. He’ll be 94 this year, and he’s still stronger and sharper than half of the people you work with. Pretty amazing guy.

Next to Pepe is my brother Jordan. You know him from all the LOST analyis on the blog. (You know, the stuff none of you read). In the time between Karyn’s wedding and Steph’s Baby he’ll be moving to Hawaii. Pretty excited for him.

On the end is my brother Josh, who appeared on the blog when we roadtripped to see Don Miller last October. He lives in Boston (with Jordan) and works at the House of Blues.

The woman across the aisle from Josh might be named Irene. She may or may not have problems sleeping at night without her blue blanky (that she apparently brought to the wedding). She hadn’t worn that black and white jacket since a chilly Labor Day party in 1996 and she probably won’t wear it again. Looks great though!

Well, that’s it for now…

Congrats to Jason and Jill on their marriage!