TOM REID PASSES THE CALIFORNIA BAR

Tom called yesterday to break the news that he had passed the California Bar exam. He apparently found out late Friday afternoon and probably had a very celebratory weekend. Currently employed at E*Trade, Tom can now pursue positions with District Attorney's offices statewide, as well as a position in the California Department of Corrections if he chooses. He still apparently has a contact in the latter, where a job reviewing either parole appeals or death penalty verdicts (I can't remember) might materialize soon.

CONGRATULATIONS, TOM!

He can now breathe a sigh of relief and turn 30 with no regrets next week!

CORRUPTION AT LOCAL CHURCH BENEFIT AUCTION

That sounds a bit dramatic, but we had an evening of intrigue and disgust at an auction at a local church here in Hillsboro friday night. A dinner, silent auction and vocal auction was held at the Calvary Chapel Worship Center, located behind the Goodwill on Tualatin Valley Highway. Many local businesses and individuals donated items to be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to fund missionaries and relief work all over Africa.

Making the rounds, there were a few items that Jill and I took a shine to, particularly for putting in Gabriel's room: a Noah's Ark wall hanging, several quilts, and some original watercolor paintings of various scenes in Africa. One in particular had a homemade frame of Hawaiian hardwoods. It was quite a nice little item; very colorful for Gabriel's room.

Anyway, long story short, after rebidding on the item after anyone else bid to make sure I got it, the clock ticked down and as the bidding was publicly announced "closed," I noticed that my name was the last on the sheet with the highest bid. Woohoo!

The volunteers descended upon the table to circle all the final bids and make them official for later payment and pickup. As I waited to ask the volunteer handling the watercolor when/where pick-up was, she glanced around, hunched over and wrote her name & number below mine, circled it and, therefore, became the winning bidder on Gabriel's watercolor well after bidding ended.

Jill was nearby, also saw it, and we were both angry and disgusted. A volunteer. At a Church. Abusing her position of trust to violate the accepted rules of bidding. Stole away Gabriel's watercolor painting. How pathetic. If this were Christies or Sotherby's, her actions would be have been a felony.

I don't mind being beaten fair and square. In the grand scheme of things, the item was a small watercolor painting of minor value. And truly, the whole evening was for the benefit of those less fortunate than us.

But petty greed, and in my view more seriously, abuse of entrusted duties were demonstrated by a church-member volunteer right before our very eyes. That says paragraphs about that individual - the experience put a bad taste in our mouth about the church itself. If this woman was doing it, how many other member volunteers were as well? And how exactly does this help grow the church?

Neither of us were keen on the rest of the auction thereafter, much less the church itself. Most members were nice and we still think highly of our neighbors Greg and Sandy, who invited us to the event. I chatted with Greg a bit and he was the model volunteer. But it was a black eye on what was our date night for the week.

At the end, we managed to walk away with a different watercolor, though not as nice as the other, and a homemade baby quilt.