 And then there's sweet Daddy who makes your eyes need a scratch.  Baby is so happy; Baby is so swell... |
WARNING: A LONG POST BE AHEAD.
Keisha left for a week on Friday at noon o’clock, heading down to Daytona with her family while I stay here in beautiful, warm and humid Kentucky. My friend Adam came over Friday afternoon and we hung out until last night. It’s always enjoyable hanging out with friends you don’t see too often.
We drove up to Evansville on Friday night. There are two nice used bookstores up there that I had a coupon for and wanted to look for some graphic novels. Sadly, neither had what I was looking for, though I did get Keisha an Anne of Green Gables book for her collection. When we were done with that we came back to Owensboro and stopped by the comic store, spending an hour basking in the glow of geekery. I fully admit that I’m a geek. I’m weird. I’m odd. But walking into the comic store on a Friday night when there are different role-playing games and Marvel Clicks events unfolding on the tables makes me feel a bit more normal than I normally do. Though, honestly, I think I could relate to those people more so than I could to the other end of the social classes. I’ve never really been one to fit into a clique. Cliques are scary. Anyway, I picked up the latest issue of Star Wars Legacy (#48) and we headed to Stewartland.
At home I wanted Adam to watch Firefly, as he’d never seen it before and I just got my blu-ray in the mail. So we started the ill-fated, beloved show that night and wound up staying awake until 3am watching Mal and the gang. I still don’t understand why the show got the axe, just like Arrested Development, and I never will. Nevertheless, Adam enjoyed it. At some point Stella started yelping and barking in agony and it scared me pretty bad. At first I thought Sofie had bit her, then we thought she might have been stung or bit by an insect. She was limping and quite pitiful. So I rubbed on her leg and she finally calmed down after several minutes of tenseness.
Saturday morning I woke up early and decided to play Heavy Rain while Adam slept. I wound up beating the game and was mostly satisfied with my performance. There are a few things I’d do differently, but overall the game was fun and the story was certainly intense. The temperatures soared to the hundred degree mark and over with the heat index around lunch time, but that didn’t stop us from playing a little tennis and disc golf. I think this was my first disc golf outing since January or February, and I pretty much sucked the entire course. Still, it was fun. We watched some more Firefly that evening and wound up talking about different things. I had never had a beer or an ale before, and Adam wanted to take me to a bar and buy me one. I agreed, but if I didn’t like it he was going to drink it.
The bar was nice. Very clean. Well-lit. Excellent decor. Beatles music was playing. Charlie Chaplin was on the big screen. He picked me out a drink (he wanted me to try Blue Moon, but the bar didn’t have it, so instead I got Indian Pale Ale) and the bartender put the foamy beverage in front of me. I have to admit, the smell was much more pleasant than I was expecting, something akin to apple juice and white wine. Unfortunately, the flavor tasted like drinking carbonated water, of which I am not a fan. His drink also tasted like crap, though again the smell wasn’t that bad. I sampled one other thing, some sort of really dark-like-Coke drink, and did not like it either. I guess I’m just a wine and liquor kind of person if I’m to drink. I wound up just drinking water, something much tastier than all that other junk I tried.
We were getting ready to leave when Adam struck up with a loner sitting beside him. The man was from New Zealand, currently living in Kentucky working for a farm entrepreneur. We wound up talking to this guy for three hours. The man, Matthew, was hilarious. We talked about the differences between New Zealand culture and American culture. Differences between words we use. Life in the country and life in the cities. All in all the conversation was fun, funny, and pleasant. Plus, I’d never met anyone from NZ before, so that was cool.
After midnight we headed home and finished off disc two of Firefly, finally falling asleep near 2am. Stella had another incident like Friday night, though this time I was watching her when it happened. The dogs were playing and Stella moved somehow that popped her knee out of place. (Her other back knee used to do this, but it never pained her.) I’m guessing this knee joint is tight and the thing is hurting her more than the other leg did. I put the thing back in place and he immediately quit yelping, though she walked timidly.
Sunday morning Adam went to church with me. Our normal pastor, Bro. James Dean, is gone on vacation right now, so the youth pastor led service. Bro. Will preached a strong message on faith and church and the mediocrity of most American Christians. It was an exceptional and challenging message. At the end of the service he untied his shoes and placed them at the altar, telling the congregation that Christianity is a challenge to be active. He was walking out without his shoes and invited the rest of the congregation to do the same. The shoes would be collected and taken to the local shelter (which happens to be the one me and Alex lead worship at).
How many pairs of shoes do we have and how many do we need? How many people walk around without them, or with shoes that are held together by a thread? It’s odd. That morning, before church, I actually took the time to think about wearing my favorite New Balances or just some simple sandals. I opted for the tennis shoes. And then during the service I remember crossing my legs and thinking, I like these shoes. They’re in good condition and look pretty good. Then we get the challenge at the end of the service and I put my shoes at the altar. Truly, how many pairs of shoes do I need?
Worship at the shelter was a bit disheartening. No one showed up, music practice was rough (I forgot my thin pick and had to use some horrible thick thing), and it was hot. They were thankful for the shoes, though. Three garbage bags were collected. That’s around 50 pairs of shoes. In some ways that’s impressive, that fifty people would remove and give away their shoes for someone else who needs/wants them. On the other hand, there were between 200-300 people at the service, and the 50 pairs is rather indicative of our good ole American Christian Culture.
Sunday night service was equally impressive and more moving. Instead of a normal song-prayer-preach formulaic church service, we had a time of prayer and worship. We played music continually, lifting up songs and praising God for His majesty. We prayed with purpose, with passion, with determination, with faith. I felt worship, in my heart. It’s hard to play and pray and sing and keep an eye on the worship leader. The service lasted around an hour, and I loved every minute of it. To me, that is what church is. Desiring God, longing to bring Him glory and honor, desperate to give Him praise. He is worthy of it all, and I don’t think our church (or many others) truly worship Him on Sundays. We get into familiar patterns and repeat familiar songs and pray familiar prayers. This is not worship.
After the night service I went and ate with Alex and Rachael and then went home. I was exhausted. Staying up late like that is something I rarely do. I’m usually in bed by eleven or midnight, so I guess I was just groggy over the lack of sleep. Nevertheless, I had my final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender to start, and I couldn’t go to bed without watching at least one episode. I popped in the DVD and snuggled up on the couch with the dogs. Episode One, “The Awakening,” was great, and I’m eager to finish the series. It’s definitely joined the ranks of being one of my favorite shows. Hopefully the show ends on a positive note, but I’m expecting dark things for the future.
So the weekend was long, but it was fun. I was busy, but in a good way. Throughout the days we worked several crossword puzzles, watched some good television, played some humid tennis, and glorified God. All in all, a very good weekend but for one thing.
I miss Keisha. Her absence hit me Saturday night when I lay down with the dogs. I couldn’t begin to imagine not having her in my life. I love her more than I love any other living person, and I know I don’t tell her enough. She truly is my best friend, and I’m ready for her to get home again. Of course, with her gone down to Florida, I can play all the video games I want to and not worry. Woe is me.
Memorial Day is a special holiday to me for two reasons. First, my brother is in the army, currently serving on his second tour, this time in Afghanistan. His job is dangerous (though he assures us that it’s not really that bad), as he is constantly on the road, driving as an armed escort to and from places. This puts him in harm’s way more than I like to think. Thankfully, he’s never had any problems, and prayerfully, he never will. He will be returning to the States for a two week R&R in August, and then ending his tour next January or March.
The second reason Memorial Day is special is really more of a bittersweet reason. Keisha’s dad passed away shortly after we started dating. She was sixteen. I was a freshman in college. I remember getting that frantic phone call and I dropped everything and sped home, making the two hour trip in almost half the time. The loss of her father was life-changing for her and her family. Keisha still struggles from time to time with it, and it’s painful to go through something like that.
On Memorial Day, I think about these things. I remember the people that have given up their lives for our country. I thank God that we live in a place where we do have freedom. And even though we like to complain and bicker and argue over our rights, at the end of the day, our country is still far better off than many other places in the world. I also like to remember the loved ones that have gone on. Many of them are in a better place, and these thoughts are things that truly bring a smile to my face.
Yesterday, on Memorial Day, Keisha and I got up early and drove to a flea market. We spent the surprisingly cool morning shopping around for deals and bargains (I bought Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box for fifty cents! and Fallout3 for $15!). We enjoyed just looking at the odd things people try to sell. We enjoyed our time there, and afterwards we went to Keisha’s mom’s house to spend some time at home.
Keisha is teaching a VBS class next week, and the theme is western. Keisha grew up with horses, though the desire to ride them stagnated after her dad’s death. He was going up to the barn to shoe some horses, and on his way there, he had a heart attack and collapsed near the barn. The horses were kept up until just a few weeks ago, when they finally were sold. I went to help Keisha get some saddles and other things from the tack room. The room was dark, dusty, musty, dirty, and all-out undesirable. I bravely ventured inside, armed with a pitchfork, and slowly procured the few things she wanted. After all was removed, we headed down to sit under a shade tree and clean the stuff. It took all afternoon, wiping down and oiling the leather saddles, washing away years of dust and grime.
The whole time, I’m sure Keisha was thinking of things years back, when things were simpler and life hadn’t yet been disrupted. I know I was. I would do anything to be able to have her dad back, but I know there’s nothing I can do. Hope for the future is the only reassurance I can offer her, a faith that promises a reunion in heaven.
At the end of the day, we were both exhausted and filthy. Memorial Day was filled with a business that wasn’t restful, but at the same time, it was fun to be home with family. It was nice to work outside on things. It’s easy to see that life slows down in the country, and this is one of the things I love about where I grew up. Rural life is more pleasant than I can describe, and simplicity really does rule the day. While I don’t consider my current home to be rural, ultimately Keisha and I both want to move back to the country.
Once again, I want to thank all of the men and women who have served our country. They deserve honor and recognition for what they do. I, for one, will never slight them, and I pray you never will, either. And for those who have lost loved ones, I offer you my condolences. I truly believe God knows best, and that’s a faith I will die believing.
I got one of those phone calls you never want to get yesterday afternoon. Keisha called, crying and very upset. She was in a car accident. It was her first wreck. She pulled out of the high school (where she’s currently student teaching) and looked down for a second to adjust the volume of the radio. When she looked up, she slammed on her brakes, but she collided with another vehicle that was stopped at a red light. This vehicle hit another car, and that one slid into another car. So four cars were involved, and at least two were totaled, Keisha’s and the car in front of her. Thankfully, nobody was injured. Keisha’s got a big purple bruise from her seat-belt, but other than that she’s just emotionally shaken up.
My blogging may be absent for the next few days as life is now very, very busy. I’ll also very likely be traveling on a work trip next week and will likely be away from a computer, but I won’t find out for sure until later this week. I’ll try to have up something again soon, but I make no promises.
Wish us luck. Thanks for reading.
Most of you know that I like to write. Heck, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be blogging five days a week. I don’t really consider myself a writer, but at the same time I do, too. And like most writers, I hope to have something published one day, but that’s not my driving factor for why I do it. No, I write because I have to.
Growing up an artist (another term I use loosely), I had a creative group of genes within me. Coupling that with my love for the written word, it’s no wonder I like writing. (Plus, grammar is a beautiful thing.) It’s just another way for self-expression and artistic endeavors, and we all like to express ourselves.
I’ve been working on The Absurdly Epic Tragedy of Oscambria since last August-ish. As for the actual writing, the story is still chugging along, but at a slower pace. I’m not enjoying myself as much as I was when I started. Fortunately, I like where the tale is heading. It’s difficult for me to find the appropriate balance for absurdity. The ending’s been finished for a while, and I’ve got a few scenes ahead written, too. Currently, I’ve written over 30,000 words, but this includes my plot outline and writing notes/references, too.
Really, the point of the exercise is to write and finish a complete story. So many times I start a story, really enjoying it. Then, I’ll think of another idea I want to explore, but it won’t fit nicely into my current work-in-progress, so I switch over to a new story, leaving behind the scraps and unfinished work. With my Writing Wednesdays posts, I feel a little responsibility that keeps me motivated to write when I don’t want to or don’t have time to. The stuff I put out on Wednesdays is rough, largely un-edited, and sometimes just plain horrible. But I like to keep the NaNoWriMo mindset: first, just finish the thing, then go back for editing and revisions later.
Another thing that’s actually helped me for this story is that I’ve used an outline. Rarely do I write outlines and plan ahead. I’m one of those “off the cuff” writers, spewing forth whatever comes. Sometimes this works. Other times, not so much. But I’ve found that having written an outline really does keep me focused on where I’m going. It’s not rigid and concrete, but it’s a great tool.
Fellow blogger Okie has started a Wednesday Writing session on his blog this week. The first piece (found here), titled “The Magazine Salesman,” was exceptional. Vividly written. Intriguing plot. Great little short-story that I heartily recommend. Be sure to check out his blog while you’re at it.
Random Bits & Pieces
Keisha’s sick. She went to the Urgent Care place on Tuesday, they gave her some prescriptions for ear infections, she didn’t get any better, she went back yesterday, they gave her three more prescriptions, and now she’s at home lying in the bed in agony. She’s only allowed to miss one day student teaching. Today is her fourth (I think). Both ears are infected.
I came across this amazing artist the other day while doing something on the Interwebs. (There’s really no reason for me to justify it, nor can I explain myself. It’s like the Wikipedia curse. You go to read one article about something or someone (Kevin Bacon, say) and end up reading an interesting piece on thermonuclear reactions. That’s how the Interwebs work. It’s a mindless, sucking hole. We’ve all arrived somewhere and don’t know how or why.) Alexa Meade is a 23-year-old artist in the DC area. Awesome stuff. She stretches the boundaries of perception, and her medium is pretty cool: Acrylic on flesh. Check out her website here. (You really should follow the link. I can’t post any of her work here, but it’s mind blowing and totally cool.)
I can’t get Led Zeppelin out of my head. Babe… ooh Baby…
This was a smart and clever little video. I laughed.
My brother called me the other day. He was heading towards the Statue of Liberty. The Army took a trip to Ground Zero and then they had some free time. It was nice talking to him. He’s been stationed in New Jersey for the past two months, training and preparing for his trip to Afghanistan. He actually headed out yesterday for Ireland, and then he’ll be in the fray just a few days later. I’ll say thankee sai for any prayers you spare him.
Babe Babe Babe Babe Babe Babe Babe Babe ooh Baby… I’m gonna leave you…
Happy Weekend everybody. Looks like it’s gonna be a beauty here in Kentucky.
Today I thought I knew what I wanted to post about. I had it in my head (and it’s really already written) to post my review of Ted Dekker’s Green. But for some reason, I’m just not feeling it. Instead I have a brief post for today.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that fellow blogger Mattson Tomlin was giving away another free DVD to four people. I’ve been Following Mattson’s blog for quite a few months now, interested in seeing his ideas develop and come to life. He blogs about various aspects of directing and creating a film, from the perspective of a young SUNY Purchase student, and occasionally posts a finished product. I recently received and watched the DVD in its entirety, which is composed of three separate short-films: Solomon Grundy, (i), and Until the Sky Falls.
Solomon Grundy is an interpretation of the classic English nursery rhyme, “Solomon Grundy.” Jimmy is young and nervous and he has a dark side. He tries to keep it in, but he’s not always successful. And when it shows itself, bad things tend to happen. I’ve liked the “Solomon Grundy” rhyme ever since reading Batman: The Long Halloween, so I was eager to see Mattson’s interpretation.
The film is well shot, the acting is solid, the script is great, and the plot is interesting (if a bit predictable). I found it refreshing to see this up-and-coming director’s take. The only problem I had was I felt that the build-up to the climax was a bit too long, but considering the film is only 7:31 in length, I understand. If you’d like to watch Solomon Grundy, click here to head over to YouTube.
The next film, (i), was a film experimenting with technology. Mattson wanted to shoot an invisible man piece. He blogged about his “how to” do this here, which is even more interesting after having watched the film. (i) was the weakest film of the three, but it was cool seeing the technology used come to life. The acting was great, though I felt the digitalization was a bit shaky at times (certain backgrounds, etc.) Overall, though, I liked watching the brief film, and I would likely watch a full film of this feature.
The last film was the longest (around 20 minutes) and best on the DVD. Until the Sky Falls is a dystopic, post-apocalyptic silent film. The video style and look of the film was pretty sweet. I’m not sure if it’s because it was filmed using 16mm film or if there was some type of editing, but I really liked it. It definitely added to the theme of the movie. The plot itself was also very interesting, especially since it was told using no words. The acting was superb and I’d like to see more like this. You can see more about this film on Mattson’s blog around April-June of 2009.
In the end, I really enjoyed this small DVD. I’ve liked watching Mattson’s work and progress. I don’t know him at all outside of the blogosphere, but I think he’ll be going places with what he does. He’s currently fundraising on Kickstarter to try and film more in the Solomon Grundy world. If you’d like, throw some support his way. I’m sure he’d appreciate it. You can check out his studio website at www.wackeychan.com.
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As some of you know, I’m going on a cruise in May. We don’t necessarily have to have our passport for the cruise, but it’d be much easier if we did. So Keisha and I went and had our Passport photos taken. There were some strict rules to getting those photos. Ears had to show. Face had to be just right. Look natural. Don’t smile.
Well, after paying $15 for both photos, I was expecting something awesome. Instead, we wound up with two mug shots. Neither of us look happy. “I’m so mad that I’m going on a cruise.” “I know. It’s awful.” Anyway, take a look and see for yourself. And by all means, DON’T TURN US IN!
