The World According To Chris Brewer

One year ago, I made a switch from the PC world to the interesting world of Mac, and while it made my life on a computer noticeably easier, I would have never guessed it would have impacted my career for the positive as well.

After applying about two months ago and interviewing a couple weeks ago, today I received a phone call from the fine folks at the Apple Store in Washington Square telling me that I have been accepted as part of their team.

What this means is I get a significant upgrade from the doldrums of the Albertson’s service deli, I am an integral part of the Apple Computer company, and I finally get to do the job I would truly love the most. The job is only seasonal, but the people I interviewed with said it’s definitely an audition for a part- or full-time position with Apple (which I would love and would most definitely stay in Oregon for).

One part of the job that is seriously awesome is their commitment to everyone’s individuality — one of the ways one can express themselves, being how they dress when they come to work. Wanna dress up? That’s fine. Wanna wear shorts and flip flops? Perfectly okay with them. The environment is super-relaxed, and it’s definitely a part of Apple’s mass appeal to customers.

Another part that I’m REALLY excited about is the launch of the iPhone next month. And I’m going to be around to help sell that thing!!! AWESOME!!!!!

Jesus has seriously blessed me and I know it’s because of a renewed dedication to Him. Honestly, how many 22-year-old men in this world get to say that they work for arguably the top TV news station in a #23 market, and work for something they have dreamed of doing since they were a kid??? Computers and video editing are my two first loves when it comes to jobs and my move back to Oregon has provided me with both jobs. Add to that the fact that I have not even spent one minute taking a college course and it’s mind-bending how truly blessed I am.

So if you’re in the Portland area and wanna come visit me at my new job (and potentially buy some Apple products, like maybe an iPod or something), take the drive to Washington Square in Tigard, stroll ACROSS from Victoria’s Secret and into the Apple Store. I start on either May 28 or June 4.

By the way, check out this track called “Signatune” from DJ Mehdi, and remixed by half of Daft Punk, otherwise known as Thomas Bangalter.

A friend of mine showed me this on the Internet the other day. It’s a video of Benny Hinn dropping people like flies to the tune of “Bodies” by the band Drowning Pool.

I don’t see how any of Benny’s crap glorifies Jesus.

I set up a shop at CafePress.com today. Get your T-shirt for $17 and help us with our registration fees!

Check out the New Horizons Cycling T-shirt here.

More product previews coming when I get home from work.

With Portland and the entire surrounding metropolitan area being as bicycle-friendly of a city as it is, I have decided to take full advantage of it and buy a bike. Matt Cain (also one of my teammates on the New Horizons team for STP 2007) and I went to Portland to pick up two red Fuji mountain bikes we found on Craigslist. We got them for $40 apiece so it wasn’t bad.

I want to dedicate a space on here to the folks at Trail Head Cycles on Cornelius Pass Road here in Hillsboro. One of the spokes on my bike was bent and the axle was messed up a bit, and they re-trued the wheel and even fixed my seat, which was rusted solid onto the frame. Small things that needed repairing indeed, but they did it super quick and were very pleasant…all around great people. Bernie, the gentleman who helped fix my bike, even gave me some tips on what to buy and how to train for the Seattle to Portland trip. If you ever need anything bike related, I’d definitely recommend Trail Head Cycles.

Tomorrow I think I might ride my bike to work…I need to buy a backpack so I can carry my work gear but I definitely think I can hack 6.7 miles each way.

Time for me to get to bed but I’ll scream at you all again tomorrow. God bless.

Last Wednesday, a bunch of us from New Horizons Church went to go clean up a local park and help out the community just a little bit. We all raked grass, picked up trash, cleaned up branches and made Elizabeth Park look a little nicer.

We shot some video of the cleanup effort too. We held a basketball game afterward and I wanted to share a video explaining a bit about it:

Actually, the real video should be done in a week or so. Peace.

…can be found by clicking here, or on the “2007 STP Bicycle Classic” section in the top right corner of this site.

Yesterday I worked two jobs in a day for the first time since I’ve worked both at KPTV and Albertson’s. Did the Albertson’s thing from 9-3 then showered up and headed straight over to KPTV to edit some video from 4-10. I need the money so I wasn’t fazed by the idea of working 12 hours then having to wake up early today to go back to work at Albertson’s again.

I edited one story that was fun in particular…around 6 AM yesterday, wildlife officials had to capture a black bear cub that was roaming Wy’East Park in Vancouver.

Other than that, it was pretty relaxed at Fox 12 and it was great to work with everyone there again. I might end up getting some more hours because I’ve been asked to fill in for our sports photographer who will be gone the week after next. I sense more 12-hour days to come and that’s a good thing.

I work until 6 tonight at the service deli and then I don’t know what I’m doing. I want to do something fun that doesn’t involve alcohol though.

Oh, and the Timbers tied Seattle last night. I wished I could have been at the game, but oh well. I’ll have to make it to some games later on in the season.

Friends and family, if all goes according to plan I will be making a huge announcement come Sunday. It’s something that will directly benefit New Horizons Church, benefit everyone who sees it, and benefit me as an individual.

It’s gonna be great.

Have fun speculating on what it is until then!

So it was around midnight, if not later, this morning when I was driving home from church and post-church activities. I have a pretty long drive to get back home…west on Hwy 14 for about 15 miles, then south on I-5 for about another 8, then south on I-405 for about another 2 and finally westbound on 26 for another 15 or so.

The ride home last night was without incident except two times…traffic had to stop at the Interstate Bridge because they raised it. Never knew how much traffic that could cause at midnight.

The other incident was a doozy. Driving up Hwy. 26 past the tunnel toward Beaverton, I passed a car going 45 in the left lane. Hmm, interesting…I could see why he could go 45 up a 6% grade, but not in the left lane. I drove about three more miles until I get passed by this same guy, but not before he swerves into my lane and almost hits me.

I backed off the gas and trailed this guy (now he was going about 60), and for awhile he was doing okay until he suddenly veered off into the middle lane and back over across the left warning strip. I watched him do this a couple times before I put on my flashers and drove in the opposite lane as him, but kinda staggered so as to keep all the traffic behind me. Before I knew it I was waving my hand out the window as a motion for people to slow down…I didn’t want this guy to hit anyone.

A couple more times across the warning strip for this guy and I decided to call 911. It took me half a minute to get through to them but I told them I wanted the police and I needed to report an erratic driver on Highway 26 going westbound. I stayed behind the guy after he got off the freeway, going south on Cornelius Pass, then on Imbrie, then onto Evergreen, left on 229th and right on Cornell…all while reporting where we were to the dispatcher, who was relaying the information and telling me two units were on Cornell waiting. No sooner did she say that than the guy in the car looked back at me, sped off and got about a block ahead of me.

Once Mr. Loopy zinged ahead, I saw a police car to my left and he gave me a thumbs up before he hit the gas and his lights, and pulled over the guy in the car. The dispatcher told me to pull in front of them and put my flashers on again as they checked if he was drunk, and wait for them to come talk to me.

So I sat in my car and waited…and suddenly I notice the guy in the car driving past me. The cops let him go, so I figured he wasn’t drunk, just driving stupid. That’s what the fuzz said when they came up and talked to me.

Two Hillsboro cops came up right next to my car and said even though the driver wasn’t drunk, he was visibly tired, which is sometimes worse than being drunk. They told me I did the right thing by calling it in and thanked me for following the car and not exceeding the speed limit while doing so. They also thanked me for helping warn traffic about what was going on…who knew how many people could have been hit if they tried to pass him on Hwy. 26.

After I got done talking with the police, I headed home and thanked the Lord for His protection, that nobody — including the crazy driver — was hurt during a rather odd drive home on a very interesting Wednesday evening. Or Thursday morning.

Be prepared to read a wonderful true story of my adrenaline-pumping encounter with a drunk/tired/whatever-he-was driver on Highway 26. Hear what the police had to say about the incident, and get my reaction.

All that and more, coming up on The World According to Chris Brewer, tomorrow morning.