Half Dome
2 years ago
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
My Time in Exile
Hi ho, everyone.
This is piece is going to be a special one. I am currently writing this blog from one of my favorite places in the entire world: my parent's backyard. Since it is such a beautiful, muggy, summer night, I thought I'd write outside. We will see how long this lasts, as the mosquiters are something vicious tonight.
For those of you who don't know, I was in San Fransisco this past week visiting Paul. I wanted to get a post in while I was in California, but birthday celebrations lasted basically all week. Turning 24 is the party that everyone says it is and more. However, I don't know that I would be able to write this particular blog when I was there.
My trip to S.F. was kind of a get away both mentally and physically from school. Between working all last summer to get my proverbial shit together in the classroom, I have been around Princeton High School pretty much constantly for the past 2 years. I needed an opportunity to get away. I love it at Princeton, don't get me wrong. But I feel that the kids, the bosses, and the parents can weigh on you if you don't give yourself a break. It's like when my mom used to tell me after I did something especially stupid; I love you, but I need to be away from you right now so I don't beat you with a wiffle bat.
Every now and then I think it is really important for people to take a good hard look at themselves. Not because something horrible has happened in their lives. Not because they are necessarily unhappy. I think that in order for us to be happy in this life, we really have to be self-critical. Do I mean that I need to be obsessed with myself? No. Does it mean that I cry in bed at night because my abs doesn't look like they belong to some d-bag on Jersey Shore. Probably not. I do though feel it's healthy to ask tough questions about yourself. Am I my making use of the time I have? Have I been spending too much time on Alpaca message boards? What could I be doing instead of watching Sportscenter for the third time this morning?
Ok, bugs are being a pain in the ass. I am moving this party to the porch.
Much better.
If you couldn't tell my last few months have been a little restless. Between some added stress from school (we aren't going to talk about that) and the feeling like my days are rushing by me, I haven't felt like I had to the time or the energy to really take a moment and ask "What the hell am I doing?". I didn't have the energy to do things I wanted to do, much less the things I had to do. For a while, it seemed like doing menial tasks like cleaning the dishes was an unbearable chore (on second thought, maybe it is...). It's easy to fall into those ruts where you don't feel fresh and do not have the fortitude to really take a closer look.
So let's take a closer look at myself. What can I see? For starters I think that I have been far too anxious. I completely attribute that to not taking the time and doing one of my favorite de-stressing mechanisms: writing. Sometimes it is way too easy to forget how we cope with life. It's like when you give a friend advice: to you the picture is clear on how to solve the problem. You are on the outside, free from the stress and emotions attached to the situation. I know I forget to take my own advice all the time. I can also see I have been more impulsive. I have quieted down my personality since high school, but lately I feel like I have been talking more then listening in a social setting. Does this mean I am regressing in maturity? Sure hope not, but what it does mean is that I need like to remember that I am happier when I don't become the obnoxious center of attention. Is it because I spend my days around high school kids? Perhaps, but it's important for me to remember that I am in fact, a grown ass man. And while I have great relationships with my kids, sometimes for my own sanity I need my space from them.
But as I look further in, I can see there is a growing trend with some of the hobbies that I take up. I really like to listen to new music, read books, watch movies, play piano, learn new things (like Spanish), go to Church,cook, volunteer and do Yoga. Usually I start off really well doing all of these things, but after a while, I'll have a few busy days and I will forget to do read my book. Or I will be really tired one morning and not have enough time to do some yoga. I start strong, but I don't always continue to do the things I actually enjoy with the same passion I do when I begin them. I don't like that. What's troubling is that I am going to be taking grad classes this fall. I will have even less time on my hands then this past school year. I have to remember for my own health that I have have lots of cool, interesting pastimes. Things that are way cooler then wasting time on the internet looking at God knows what. Interestingly enough, I have to stop doing the diversions that are easy, and do the diversions that I actually like.
I made a realization today. They say that every time God closes a door, he opens a window. I can make two observations from this. One God is hot because he always has to have a breeze going through the house. Second, God didn't spring for A.C. because if he did, he wouldn't have a door open because that shit is expensive, and I don't care who you are, no one has enough money to air condition the whole neighborhood.
Or God is woman with hot flashes.
This is piece is going to be a special one. I am currently writing this blog from one of my favorite places in the entire world: my parent's backyard. Since it is such a beautiful, muggy, summer night, I thought I'd write outside. We will see how long this lasts, as the mosquiters are something vicious tonight.
For those of you who don't know, I was in San Fransisco this past week visiting Paul. I wanted to get a post in while I was in California, but birthday celebrations lasted basically all week. Turning 24 is the party that everyone says it is and more. However, I don't know that I would be able to write this particular blog when I was there.
My trip to S.F. was kind of a get away both mentally and physically from school. Between working all last summer to get my proverbial shit together in the classroom, I have been around Princeton High School pretty much constantly for the past 2 years. I needed an opportunity to get away. I love it at Princeton, don't get me wrong. But I feel that the kids, the bosses, and the parents can weigh on you if you don't give yourself a break. It's like when my mom used to tell me after I did something especially stupid; I love you, but I need to be away from you right now so I don't beat you with a wiffle bat.
Every now and then I think it is really important for people to take a good hard look at themselves. Not because something horrible has happened in their lives. Not because they are necessarily unhappy. I think that in order for us to be happy in this life, we really have to be self-critical. Do I mean that I need to be obsessed with myself? No. Does it mean that I cry in bed at night because my abs doesn't look like they belong to some d-bag on Jersey Shore. Probably not. I do though feel it's healthy to ask tough questions about yourself. Am I my making use of the time I have? Have I been spending too much time on Alpaca message boards? What could I be doing instead of watching Sportscenter for the third time this morning?
Ok, bugs are being a pain in the ass. I am moving this party to the porch.
Much better.
If you couldn't tell my last few months have been a little restless. Between some added stress from school (we aren't going to talk about that) and the feeling like my days are rushing by me, I haven't felt like I had to the time or the energy to really take a moment and ask "What the hell am I doing?". I didn't have the energy to do things I wanted to do, much less the things I had to do. For a while, it seemed like doing menial tasks like cleaning the dishes was an unbearable chore (on second thought, maybe it is...). It's easy to fall into those ruts where you don't feel fresh and do not have the fortitude to really take a closer look.
So let's take a closer look at myself. What can I see? For starters I think that I have been far too anxious. I completely attribute that to not taking the time and doing one of my favorite de-stressing mechanisms: writing. Sometimes it is way too easy to forget how we cope with life. It's like when you give a friend advice: to you the picture is clear on how to solve the problem. You are on the outside, free from the stress and emotions attached to the situation. I know I forget to take my own advice all the time. I can also see I have been more impulsive. I have quieted down my personality since high school, but lately I feel like I have been talking more then listening in a social setting. Does this mean I am regressing in maturity? Sure hope not, but what it does mean is that I need like to remember that I am happier when I don't become the obnoxious center of attention. Is it because I spend my days around high school kids? Perhaps, but it's important for me to remember that I am in fact, a grown ass man. And while I have great relationships with my kids, sometimes for my own sanity I need my space from them.
But as I look further in, I can see there is a growing trend with some of the hobbies that I take up. I really like to listen to new music, read books, watch movies, play piano, learn new things (like Spanish), go to Church,cook, volunteer and do Yoga. Usually I start off really well doing all of these things, but after a while, I'll have a few busy days and I will forget to do read my book. Or I will be really tired one morning and not have enough time to do some yoga. I start strong, but I don't always continue to do the things I actually enjoy with the same passion I do when I begin them. I don't like that. What's troubling is that I am going to be taking grad classes this fall. I will have even less time on my hands then this past school year. I have to remember for my own health that I have have lots of cool, interesting pastimes. Things that are way cooler then wasting time on the internet looking at God knows what. Interestingly enough, I have to stop doing the diversions that are easy, and do the diversions that I actually like.
I made a realization today. They say that every time God closes a door, he opens a window. I can make two observations from this. One God is hot because he always has to have a breeze going through the house. Second, God didn't spring for A.C. because if he did, he wouldn't have a door open because that shit is expensive, and I don't care who you are, no one has enough money to air condition the whole neighborhood.
Or God is woman with hot flashes.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
A Wake For Graduating Souls
Well, the wind that blows,
It's blowing colder.
And the child that grows,
She's growing older.
And the friends we've known,
they'll turn a shoulder.
Yeah, the friends we've known,
they're growing colder, so...
Who we are now? Who we are?
It's who are now we are.
Where does time go now,
On a wake for young souls?
-"Wake For Young Souls", Third Eye Blind
This past weekend was the 6th annual Evans Scholar Pub Crawl. There will no details discussed from this event.
What I will discuss is how when I was in Oxford this past weekend, I got to see some old friends still in school. Most are finishing up their degrees and it was really cool to see how everyone's lives where headed in such diverse directions. It's also cool to know that I was surrounded by some really talented individuals whom I am lucky enough to call friends. Talking to them about their futures made me think of how I was reacting to the invasive procedure known as "graduation." It was particularly difficult for me for to reasons. For one, my best friend was moving all the way across the country (we are totally not gay). Second, and maybe more relevant to those who read this blog, I had no job. I had no idea where I was going and what I was going to do. It's not easy to think about when you are in the process of making a major change in your life. So this post is dedicated to the Class of 2010, wither you are graduating college, high school, or kindergarten.
Anytime you make that you know it going to change your life, it's though. Humans don't like change. It's our nature. I felt the toughest part of graduating was the conversations. I hated having the same conversations with my relatives and people from high school. Here's how the basic script looked:
Rando: So Chris, your graduating this year?
Me: Yeah, I guess I am.
Rando: Man, it seems like just days ago you were leaving high school.
Me: (forced laugh) I know.
Rando: So do you have a job lined up?
Me: No, not yet I am still looking.
Rando: We'll something will come up, just keep looking, you'll be fine.
Me: I know. Will you excuse me, I need to go and get another beer.
While variations to the original exist, it was the same crap over and over again. Like you need to be reminded that you don't have a job and you feel like your life is going to nowhere? The problem is that's not fair. You worked hard. Damn hard. You weren't a slacker and you have great goals, you can't achieve them yet. What's worse is that it seems that everyone else you know has it together. All of your friends have jobs lined up, or grad school to go to, or some other plan in place. And because of a bad economy, a bad year, or just bad luck, you are stuck going back home to your parents and maybe their health insurance. I was particularly irritable to my closest family members because of the stress, which made me feel terrible because they are trying so hard to support you. Your only escape is the last few days before your best friends, your livelihood, your dignity and your world, are ripped away from you when some pompous asshole in a mortarboard hands you a piece of paper that seals your fate. You'd wipe your diploma on your own ass, but your grandmother made it all this way for the ceremony, and she's old a dirt and you just can't find it in your heart to let her know how much disdain you have for the circus you've been dragged into.
Your mind then starts to play tricks on you. "Let's stay another year" or "Let's go to grad school because I don't have a plan". All of these sound nice in theory, you know in your heart it's not going to be the same. Yes it will be the same buildings, the same bars, and the price of natty will remain $2. But your reason for staying will be gone. You won't be able to walk into your favorite dive and know EVERYONE. Your friends will be gone, out with the high fliers who soar to high heights. And If you go to graduate school just out of boredom, or because you are searching for another four years that were like the last ones, it's still no good. Grad school is to A Different World as college is to The Cosby Show, a bad spin off from a really great show. You literally feel like you've got no place to go.
But not all is lost.
If there is one thing I can tell you before you pack up and move your life to fill-in-the-blank from a person that has been through and is living on the other side, it's this: It's ok. If you don't have a way or a job or a path, you'll get one. Life after school really isn't the mind numbing torture of doing adult things that legend would have. No, you don't really get drunk on Tuesdays that often, and it's tough to get a job where you can show up in sweats at 10 A.M. But, I firmly believe every fiber of my soul that life is what you make of it. You will still have fun if you so chose to. No, it will not be like college and it shouldn't be. So enjoy your last few weeks of school. Make the best of this, you will never be at this point in your life ever again.
Congrats, bitches.
It's blowing colder.
And the child that grows,
She's growing older.
And the friends we've known,
they'll turn a shoulder.
Yeah, the friends we've known,
they're growing colder, so...
Who we are now? Who we are?
It's who are now we are.
Where does time go now,
On a wake for young souls?
-"Wake For Young Souls", Third Eye Blind
This past weekend was the 6th annual Evans Scholar Pub Crawl. There will no details discussed from this event.
What I will discuss is how when I was in Oxford this past weekend, I got to see some old friends still in school. Most are finishing up their degrees and it was really cool to see how everyone's lives where headed in such diverse directions. It's also cool to know that I was surrounded by some really talented individuals whom I am lucky enough to call friends. Talking to them about their futures made me think of how I was reacting to the invasive procedure known as "graduation." It was particularly difficult for me for to reasons. For one, my best friend was moving all the way across the country (we are totally not gay). Second, and maybe more relevant to those who read this blog, I had no job. I had no idea where I was going and what I was going to do. It's not easy to think about when you are in the process of making a major change in your life. So this post is dedicated to the Class of 2010, wither you are graduating college, high school, or kindergarten.
Anytime you make that you know it going to change your life, it's though. Humans don't like change. It's our nature. I felt the toughest part of graduating was the conversations. I hated having the same conversations with my relatives and people from high school. Here's how the basic script looked:
Rando: So Chris, your graduating this year?
Me: Yeah, I guess I am.
Rando: Man, it seems like just days ago you were leaving high school.
Me: (forced laugh) I know.
Rando: So do you have a job lined up?
Me: No, not yet I am still looking.
Rando: We'll something will come up, just keep looking, you'll be fine.
Me: I know. Will you excuse me, I need to go and get another beer.
While variations to the original exist, it was the same crap over and over again. Like you need to be reminded that you don't have a job and you feel like your life is going to nowhere? The problem is that's not fair. You worked hard. Damn hard. You weren't a slacker and you have great goals, you can't achieve them yet. What's worse is that it seems that everyone else you know has it together. All of your friends have jobs lined up, or grad school to go to, or some other plan in place. And because of a bad economy, a bad year, or just bad luck, you are stuck going back home to your parents and maybe their health insurance. I was particularly irritable to my closest family members because of the stress, which made me feel terrible because they are trying so hard to support you. Your only escape is the last few days before your best friends, your livelihood, your dignity and your world, are ripped away from you when some pompous asshole in a mortarboard hands you a piece of paper that seals your fate. You'd wipe your diploma on your own ass, but your grandmother made it all this way for the ceremony, and she's old a dirt and you just can't find it in your heart to let her know how much disdain you have for the circus you've been dragged into.
Your mind then starts to play tricks on you. "Let's stay another year" or "Let's go to grad school because I don't have a plan". All of these sound nice in theory, you know in your heart it's not going to be the same. Yes it will be the same buildings, the same bars, and the price of natty will remain $2. But your reason for staying will be gone. You won't be able to walk into your favorite dive and know EVERYONE. Your friends will be gone, out with the high fliers who soar to high heights. And If you go to graduate school just out of boredom, or because you are searching for another four years that were like the last ones, it's still no good. Grad school is to A Different World as college is to The Cosby Show, a bad spin off from a really great show. You literally feel like you've got no place to go.
But not all is lost.
If there is one thing I can tell you before you pack up and move your life to fill-in-the-blank from a person that has been through and is living on the other side, it's this: It's ok. If you don't have a way or a job or a path, you'll get one. Life after school really isn't the mind numbing torture of doing adult things that legend would have. No, you don't really get drunk on Tuesdays that often, and it's tough to get a job where you can show up in sweats at 10 A.M. But, I firmly believe every fiber of my soul that life is what you make of it. You will still have fun if you so chose to. No, it will not be like college and it shouldn't be. So enjoy your last few weeks of school. Make the best of this, you will never be at this point in your life ever again.
Congrats, bitches.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Slow Motion
Slow motion, see me let go,
We'll remember these days.
Slow motion, see me let go,
Urban life decay.
-"Slow Motion", Third Eye Blind
Spring Break. That lovely little piece of heaven that's given to teachers at the beginning of April. As many of your know, I spent my week off in Alabama working on my Aunt and Uncle's pine tree farm. The city of Elba is pretty much impossible to describe if you've never been there (you haven't). The best analogy I can give is Forrest Gump's hometown of Greenbow. What I can say is that if you want to see some of the finest rednecks this great land has to offer, look no further then the Coffee County Scrap Yard. I was lucky enough to pay a visit to this Hillbilly Wall Street. Picture the biggest pile of metal shit you can imagine. Then picture a long line of pick up trucks, most of which from the late 70's, filled with more metal shit. This line crawls up to a man with less teeth then fingers operating, which devastating efficiency and grace, a 30 foot crane to scrape out said metal shit. Anything from metal pipes to ENTIRE CARS are taken out of the beds of pick up trucks with not even a scratch on the bed. I couldn't tell which was more compelling; the rednecks or the rusted crap by which from some incomprehensible definition of "useless" they decided to get rid of. Even more interesting is that in the line to get paid for the nonsense you have brought in, is less of a queue, and more of a high school reunion. Everyone knows one another. Only difference is there are more meth heads and less clothes.
However, that was not to coolest part of my trip. My Uncle Ronnie took me on a couple flying lessons. I wish I could go on and on about who flying is an amazing experience. It is. All I can say is that when you are flying a plane by yourself, for real, there is no word that I know of that could describe it.
While the rednecks, oyster bars, and flying lessons were all loads of fun, the best part of my vacation was that it was just that: a vacation. Between the marathon wedding over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and school, I feel like I haven't given myself a mental rest. It's so easy to try to pack your life full of things that you don't get time to think about nothing. For the first time in a long time, I was able to sit down, take a breath, and not think about students, or parties, or errands or anything else. I could enjoy the moment for what it is. And while my spring break was without cute college girls, MTV, and roofie-laden frat guys, it was exactly what I needed. It was glorious because I had none of those things. Emptiness has a purpose as well.
While spring break is a nice diversion from the normal grind of school, it can be good and bad. With the weather being so nice, the school year being almost over, and summer right around the corner, it is easy to get distracted (especially me). It's like when you are at a restaurant and you are waiting for your food, but you are so hungry, you devour the free breadsicks and water so fast and so quickly, you are full by the time your food gets to you. I've been worrying about this in my life recently. It seems that the days are going by quicker and quicker all the time. I am going to be 24 in a few months, and while to some people it may seem incredibly young, I feel the clock ticking. I am incredibly fearful as the pace of life quickens, I won't be able to savor all of life has to offer.
Maybe that's just it. Maybe life is passing by quickly because I am savoring it.
I have a lot of traveling and really great things planned in the next few months. I have a lot of really great things planned ahead. I think what is important is to make sure that I don't try to skip ahead to future scenes when current ones are just as wonderful. Isn't it funny how we long for vacations, but once we are there it seems to go by so fast, you feel like you were never really gone? I guess that's because we build certain points in our life up in heads to be these grandiose events, and everything leading up to those events seem like such a chore. I don't want my summer to go by in a flash. Maybe the best way to prevent that from happening is to enjoy the spring.
We'll remember these days.
Slow motion, see me let go,
Urban life decay.
-"Slow Motion", Third Eye Blind
Spring Break. That lovely little piece of heaven that's given to teachers at the beginning of April. As many of your know, I spent my week off in Alabama working on my Aunt and Uncle's pine tree farm. The city of Elba is pretty much impossible to describe if you've never been there (you haven't). The best analogy I can give is Forrest Gump's hometown of Greenbow. What I can say is that if you want to see some of the finest rednecks this great land has to offer, look no further then the Coffee County Scrap Yard. I was lucky enough to pay a visit to this Hillbilly Wall Street. Picture the biggest pile of metal shit you can imagine. Then picture a long line of pick up trucks, most of which from the late 70's, filled with more metal shit. This line crawls up to a man with less teeth then fingers operating, which devastating efficiency and grace, a 30 foot crane to scrape out said metal shit. Anything from metal pipes to ENTIRE CARS are taken out of the beds of pick up trucks with not even a scratch on the bed. I couldn't tell which was more compelling; the rednecks or the rusted crap by which from some incomprehensible definition of "useless" they decided to get rid of. Even more interesting is that in the line to get paid for the nonsense you have brought in, is less of a queue, and more of a high school reunion. Everyone knows one another. Only difference is there are more meth heads and less clothes.
However, that was not to coolest part of my trip. My Uncle Ronnie took me on a couple flying lessons. I wish I could go on and on about who flying is an amazing experience. It is. All I can say is that when you are flying a plane by yourself, for real, there is no word that I know of that could describe it.
While the rednecks, oyster bars, and flying lessons were all loads of fun, the best part of my vacation was that it was just that: a vacation. Between the marathon wedding over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and school, I feel like I haven't given myself a mental rest. It's so easy to try to pack your life full of things that you don't get time to think about nothing. For the first time in a long time, I was able to sit down, take a breath, and not think about students, or parties, or errands or anything else. I could enjoy the moment for what it is. And while my spring break was without cute college girls, MTV, and roofie-laden frat guys, it was exactly what I needed. It was glorious because I had none of those things. Emptiness has a purpose as well.
While spring break is a nice diversion from the normal grind of school, it can be good and bad. With the weather being so nice, the school year being almost over, and summer right around the corner, it is easy to get distracted (especially me). It's like when you are at a restaurant and you are waiting for your food, but you are so hungry, you devour the free breadsicks and water so fast and so quickly, you are full by the time your food gets to you. I've been worrying about this in my life recently. It seems that the days are going by quicker and quicker all the time. I am going to be 24 in a few months, and while to some people it may seem incredibly young, I feel the clock ticking. I am incredibly fearful as the pace of life quickens, I won't be able to savor all of life has to offer.
Maybe that's just it. Maybe life is passing by quickly because I am savoring it.
I have a lot of traveling and really great things planned in the next few months. I have a lot of really great things planned ahead. I think what is important is to make sure that I don't try to skip ahead to future scenes when current ones are just as wonderful. Isn't it funny how we long for vacations, but once we are there it seems to go by so fast, you feel like you were never really gone? I guess that's because we build certain points in our life up in heads to be these grandiose events, and everything leading up to those events seem like such a chore. I don't want my summer to go by in a flash. Maybe the best way to prevent that from happening is to enjoy the spring.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Travelocity
Guess who's back?
Back Again?
Shady's Back.
Tell a friend.
-"Just Lose It", Eminem
Greetings from Elba, Alabama!
Just go ahead and say it. I am a lame. No, I have not updated my blog in almost 6 months. Yes, lots of cool and important things have happened to me and it would have made for some great posts. And, you are probably right, any one who bothered to read my blog has probably forgot that it exists. But none of those reasons are why I write in the first place. I write because it's good for me and I think that people enjoy it. The problem has been that I have been so busy with school and life that I didn't get a who lot of chances to just sit down get my thoughts out. I suppose that's one of the little ironies of life: the more stressed you get, the less likely you are to do the things that help you relax.
So what have you missed? First, John and Jessica's Wedding. It really was a beautiful ceremony, and I can't think of a moment in which I've seen either of them happier. I've known John literally my entire life, and I don't think he could have gotten it any more right. Oh, and the bachelor party kicked ass. (sorry kids, no pictures for that one)
Second, we had the holidays. This was a slightly less hectic time then Thanksgiving because there was no wedding in which I was a contributing member of, but it still seemed like it flew by. However, Christmas was nice and more or less quite. It was good to see and spend time with my family because I don't get to do it often anymore. New Year's Eve was fun, John, Jess and Ryan came down to help me ring in 2010 the right way (Jell-O Shooters).
Then Kate and I hosted the famous Co-notifest, in honor of one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Co-nats. We threw ourselves a dance party, played various cancer abating games, and snacked upon some tasty Jimmy John's sandwiches. Everyone had tons of fun, but I got to spend some time with Kristen, which is always sweet.
Oh yeah, and I bought a piano.
So why not write about all of these lovely topics? Why wait until now to start writing again? Clearly I had material and being busy is a crap excuse. For one, I think I just had that a bad case of writer's block. I couldn't write anything for my script and it just spilled over into my weekly routine of updating my blog. But I think a more influential factor is that when I talk to people on what they think of my blog, they almost always wish I would write about more humorous topics (like when Lance tried to ask my sister out on a date at John's Bachelor party! Classic!). The truth is, I really wanted to write funny things...I just couldn't. I write what comes to me, and if hilarity ensues, so be it. But I've stopped forcing things in so many other aspects of my life, why do it on my blog? Believe me, I love the feedback, and as always, keep it coming. But I can't write what isn't in my head.
So what is in my head? Two weekends ago, Paul and I made our annual pilgrimage to Chicago. Lucky for us, this trip coincided with the greatest holiday in the galaxy, St. Patrick's Day. While the weekend was lots of fun, and filled with stories that shall not appear in this blog, the weekend was a the unofficial start of Spring and the travel season. This got me thinking about how I can sort of get back into the blog scene. I am going to be visiting a lot places here in the next few months and I have decided to dedicate my blog to the pictures I'll take, the people I meet and the things I will try. Every trip away from home, to matter if you have been there a thousand times or never before, is unique. So I am going to try to make the best of these very unique moments.
Expect a new post up in the next few days. After all, I am on vacation.
p.s. Big shout outs go to Jamie for letting Paul and I crash at her place while in Chicago and Blank for a great career at Princeton High School.
Back Again?
Shady's Back.
Tell a friend.
-"Just Lose It", Eminem
Greetings from Elba, Alabama!
Just go ahead and say it. I am a lame. No, I have not updated my blog in almost 6 months. Yes, lots of cool and important things have happened to me and it would have made for some great posts. And, you are probably right, any one who bothered to read my blog has probably forgot that it exists. But none of those reasons are why I write in the first place. I write because it's good for me and I think that people enjoy it. The problem has been that I have been so busy with school and life that I didn't get a who lot of chances to just sit down get my thoughts out. I suppose that's one of the little ironies of life: the more stressed you get, the less likely you are to do the things that help you relax.
So what have you missed? First, John and Jessica's Wedding. It really was a beautiful ceremony, and I can't think of a moment in which I've seen either of them happier. I've known John literally my entire life, and I don't think he could have gotten it any more right. Oh, and the bachelor party kicked ass. (sorry kids, no pictures for that one)
Second, we had the holidays. This was a slightly less hectic time then Thanksgiving because there was no wedding in which I was a contributing member of, but it still seemed like it flew by. However, Christmas was nice and more or less quite. It was good to see and spend time with my family because I don't get to do it often anymore. New Year's Eve was fun, John, Jess and Ryan came down to help me ring in 2010 the right way (Jell-O Shooters).
Then Kate and I hosted the famous Co-notifest, in honor of one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Co-nats. We threw ourselves a dance party, played various cancer abating games, and snacked upon some tasty Jimmy John's sandwiches. Everyone had tons of fun, but I got to spend some time with Kristen, which is always sweet.
Oh yeah, and I bought a piano.
So why not write about all of these lovely topics? Why wait until now to start writing again? Clearly I had material and being busy is a crap excuse. For one, I think I just had that a bad case of writer's block. I couldn't write anything for my script and it just spilled over into my weekly routine of updating my blog. But I think a more influential factor is that when I talk to people on what they think of my blog, they almost always wish I would write about more humorous topics (like when Lance tried to ask my sister out on a date at John's Bachelor party! Classic!). The truth is, I really wanted to write funny things...I just couldn't. I write what comes to me, and if hilarity ensues, so be it. But I've stopped forcing things in so many other aspects of my life, why do it on my blog? Believe me, I love the feedback, and as always, keep it coming. But I can't write what isn't in my head.
So what is in my head? Two weekends ago, Paul and I made our annual pilgrimage to Chicago. Lucky for us, this trip coincided with the greatest holiday in the galaxy, St. Patrick's Day. While the weekend was lots of fun, and filled with stories that shall not appear in this blog, the weekend was a the unofficial start of Spring and the travel season. This got me thinking about how I can sort of get back into the blog scene. I am going to be visiting a lot places here in the next few months and I have decided to dedicate my blog to the pictures I'll take, the people I meet and the things I will try. Every trip away from home, to matter if you have been there a thousand times or never before, is unique. So I am going to try to make the best of these very unique moments.
Expect a new post up in the next few days. After all, I am on vacation.
p.s. Big shout outs go to Jamie for letting Paul and I crash at her place while in Chicago and Blank for a great career at Princeton High School.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A New Kid on the Writer's Block
It took longer then I expected, but after four months of script writing, I have come face to face what I have always feared: Writer's block. It's so frustrating because I have so many ideas and things I want to get down on paper, I just can't articulate it. It's like there is a a sea of bumper cars are bouncing around in my head, searching for a way out and into the script. It's been tough even to blog. While mushy ramblings about the genius of teaching are nice once in a while, it's not what you guys want to read or what I want to write about (at least all the time).
So tonight I decided to go for a run and clear my head from the stress of the school day. Lately I have been running at a leisurely pace, but tonight I had a ton of pent up energy so I decided to kick it up a notch (for a those who are looking for the same, here is a great song to run to). As I ran a crazy idea popped into my head: just tell stories. I've always been good at telling stories, and maybe getting back in the mode of writing them would help the writer's block. So 3 miles and 21 minutes later, still was bouncing off the walls, I sat down, and started to write. So here are 3 of my favorite stories.
Focus Group
When I was a freshman in college there was a senior in the house by the name of Del. Out of courtesy I won't deluge his full name, but to paint a picture of what Del looked like, imagine a kid about 5'9'', 130 lbs with elf-like ears, sleepy eyes and a pencil thin smile. However, one of Del's most obvious traits was his hearing aids, which caused him to yell and add an "sh" sound to everything he said. To this day, Del is one of the funniest people I've ever met. For example, one Halloween he went as the deaf, retarded kid. Now, Del was one of those people in college who took an extra couple semesters to get all the credits they needed (I call these "Victory Laps"). And because Del was still in school through most of my time at Miami, Paul and I would see him around campus, and more frequently, the bars. Once Paul and my friend John were having a beer with Del at a Top Deck event the Evans Scholars had one night. As they were finishing a round the following conversation ensued:
John: Alright boys, I gotta get goin'.
Paul: Where are you off to on dollar draft night?
John: Oh, I have this focus group I have to be at for my Management 301 class.
Del: WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSHING ON?
John: I think it's this project for the dinning halls. Something about costumer satisfaction.
Del: I'D FOCUSH ON TITTIESH, CAUSE THATSH ALL I SHEE!
Do I Know You?
A few weeks ago, I went to pick my sister up from Oxford so she could stay at my place for the weekend. I parked in the alley next to her dorm room and I helped her load her things into my car. As we were getting ready to pull out, I see a familiar looking girl walking in the direction of my car. I soon realize that I had hooked up with this girl during my time at Miami. At this point I am 98% sure it's her and I smile and wave at her. She sees my waving, but doesn't seem to recognize me and gives me a look that you would give to someone trying to make one of those floating lawn chairs. My sister asks if I know this girl. Still not totally sure it's her, I tell Megan "I think I hooked up with that girl." Wanting to validate my findings, I honk my horn, wave, and yell "Hey BLANK!" out the window. The girl looks at me as if I just insulted her and her mother, and walks the opposite direction. Yeah, it was her.
I Can See You Naked
This last weekend for Homecoming I got the chance to catch up with a lot of old friends. We went to more bars then I care to count (or can remember), but on Saturday afternoon, Kyle, Paul, myself and a few of our friends were sitting around a sports bar, doing rounds of [insert alcohol here]. At one point this beautiful, blond girl comes up and starts talking to one of Kyle's friends. This girl is not only a dime, but is very innocent looking. As I watch her, Kyle leans over to me, whispers in my ear, and says "Get a good look at that girl's face." I do. After a few seconds Kyle asks me to check out his phone, when (ta da!) there is a picture of this girl, naked, on his phone. It seems that at one point in this young lady's college career she had the horrible idea of letting some guy she hooked up with take a picture of her, sans clothes. On his phone. Which he then sent to everyone he knew. And if you have had any interactions with any man ever, you would correctly guess that all that dude's friends sent it to all their friends, resulting in hundreds, perhaps thousands of guys with this sweet, innocent looking girl on their phones naked. So there I was, sitting in a bar in Oxford, talking to a girl, and looking at her naked picture on my friend's phone. It felt like an M.C. Escher painting, except way hotter.
I hoped you liked the stories. I feels good to get back to writing. Now I have to put all this crap to good use and make a script so my friends and I don't have to work at a real job for the rest of our lives.
So tonight I decided to go for a run and clear my head from the stress of the school day. Lately I have been running at a leisurely pace, but tonight I had a ton of pent up energy so I decided to kick it up a notch (for a those who are looking for the same, here is a great song to run to). As I ran a crazy idea popped into my head: just tell stories. I've always been good at telling stories, and maybe getting back in the mode of writing them would help the writer's block. So 3 miles and 21 minutes later, still was bouncing off the walls, I sat down, and started to write. So here are 3 of my favorite stories.
Focus Group
When I was a freshman in college there was a senior in the house by the name of Del. Out of courtesy I won't deluge his full name, but to paint a picture of what Del looked like, imagine a kid about 5'9'', 130 lbs with elf-like ears, sleepy eyes and a pencil thin smile. However, one of Del's most obvious traits was his hearing aids, which caused him to yell and add an "sh" sound to everything he said. To this day, Del is one of the funniest people I've ever met. For example, one Halloween he went as the deaf, retarded kid. Now, Del was one of those people in college who took an extra couple semesters to get all the credits they needed (I call these "Victory Laps"). And because Del was still in school through most of my time at Miami, Paul and I would see him around campus, and more frequently, the bars. Once Paul and my friend John were having a beer with Del at a Top Deck event the Evans Scholars had one night. As they were finishing a round the following conversation ensued:
John: Alright boys, I gotta get goin'.
Paul: Where are you off to on dollar draft night?
John: Oh, I have this focus group I have to be at for my Management 301 class.
Del: WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSHING ON?
John: I think it's this project for the dinning halls. Something about costumer satisfaction.
Del: I'D FOCUSH ON TITTIESH, CAUSE THATSH ALL I SHEE!
Do I Know You?
A few weeks ago, I went to pick my sister up from Oxford so she could stay at my place for the weekend. I parked in the alley next to her dorm room and I helped her load her things into my car. As we were getting ready to pull out, I see a familiar looking girl walking in the direction of my car. I soon realize that I had hooked up with this girl during my time at Miami. At this point I am 98% sure it's her and I smile and wave at her. She sees my waving, but doesn't seem to recognize me and gives me a look that you would give to someone trying to make one of those floating lawn chairs. My sister asks if I know this girl. Still not totally sure it's her, I tell Megan "I think I hooked up with that girl." Wanting to validate my findings, I honk my horn, wave, and yell "Hey BLANK!" out the window. The girl looks at me as if I just insulted her and her mother, and walks the opposite direction. Yeah, it was her.
I Can See You Naked
This last weekend for Homecoming I got the chance to catch up with a lot of old friends. We went to more bars then I care to count (or can remember), but on Saturday afternoon, Kyle, Paul, myself and a few of our friends were sitting around a sports bar, doing rounds of [insert alcohol here]. At one point this beautiful, blond girl comes up and starts talking to one of Kyle's friends. This girl is not only a dime, but is very innocent looking. As I watch her, Kyle leans over to me, whispers in my ear, and says "Get a good look at that girl's face." I do. After a few seconds Kyle asks me to check out his phone, when (ta da!) there is a picture of this girl, naked, on his phone. It seems that at one point in this young lady's college career she had the horrible idea of letting some guy she hooked up with take a picture of her, sans clothes. On his phone. Which he then sent to everyone he knew. And if you have had any interactions with any man ever, you would correctly guess that all that dude's friends sent it to all their friends, resulting in hundreds, perhaps thousands of guys with this sweet, innocent looking girl on their phones naked. So there I was, sitting in a bar in Oxford, talking to a girl, and looking at her naked picture on my friend's phone. It felt like an M.C. Escher painting, except way hotter.
I hoped you liked the stories. I feels good to get back to writing. Now I have to put all this crap to good use and make a script so my friends and I don't have to work at a real job for the rest of our lives.
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