This is exciting. I have my first Blog Follower.
So, it's been a while since my last post. Sorry, busy. Blah, blah, blah.
A lot has happened since my last post. The first and most obvious change is that I am no longer writing these posts from a dorm room. This August, I moved into an apartment one block from campus and happily waved goodbye to the toils of a cinder block cell and dorm room living.
Apartment life is nice. There is something wonderful about being able to welcome friends into a spacious living room one day and lock myself away to burn the midnight oil the next.
Sophomore year is going by considerably faster than its Freshman equivalent. This probably has something to do with the fact that I have established a solid base of friends and no longer have vampires or Furries for room mates. Classes are enjoyable so far and I've managed to occupy every moment of time not filled with homework with either a job, a nap or a fun time.
So far, things have been going well for me. I landed a lucrative partnership with a local software company. My candidate landed the presidency. My alma mater finally passed the bond they've been begging for for years. I passed a drug screening and was hired by my apartment complex to do branding and marketing.
Here's hoping 2009 is just as enjoyable.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Friday, July 18, 2008
A Dark Knight, A Great Night.
It's twenty minutes 'til four and on any other night I would be fast asleep, tossing and turning in dreamless sleep but tonight is different. Tonight I'm wide awake reveling in the moment, in the joy of having been a part of something special, something huge.
Tonight, Warner Brother's long awaited addition to the Batman series, The Dark Knight, made its theatrical debut. The hype around this movie is phenomenal due much in part to the tragic passing of the film's standout performer Heath Ledger but I don't believe that should be toted as the sole reason for The Dark Knight's resounding popularity. This film pulled out all the stops. Every second of screen time was stuffed with action, suspense, drama, humor, wit, tragedy, misery, adrenaline, darkness and explosives. From the first, expertly crafted scene I, along with nearly every other member of our sold-out audience was on the edge of my seat. The twists did so at just the right moments to wrench our guts away from the expected and throw us hurtling off in a new, and quite unforeseen direction. These movie makers are clearly at the top of their game.
I'll admit, I'm pulling for this film, not because I'm a huge fan of any of the actors, not because I love stuffing my money into the already overstuffed studio exec's pockets, not even because I love Batman. I'm pulling for this film because it had the ability and the balls to bring people together to share a moment. After Mr. Ledger's death, I'm sure the Studio was faced with many tough decisions: how to market a huge, summer blockbuster without capitalizing on the passing of one of its stars, how to best pay tribute to a phenomenal actor while maintaining the spirit of the movie. I feel that, for the most part, they were able to wrangle the attention onto the superb acting and away from the "let's go see the dead guy" attitude.
Sure, there are some things that really annoy me. Like, for instance, the excessive product tie-ins (Verizon, Domino's, Reese's, you name it, they'll leech the success). I think it's distasteful to merely mention the Joker in cheap pizza commercials, espcially when everyone know the reason why the real actor didn't film the spot. I can't stand seeing Batman holding a package of Reese's Pieces and I feel it overkill to sell a Dark Knight themed cell phone (after all, there will be other movies). In these cases I have to wonder how many marketing firms actually encouraged riding Mr. Ledger's coattails.
All that aside, The Dark Knight did a fantastic job of getting people excited. There is nothing more thrilling than sitting in a sold-out auditorium of over four hundred, side by side with your closest friends, all anticipating the same thing: a great time. At that, Dark Knight delivers.
It's late, my friends, and I am tired.
Go see The Dark Knight, you won't be disappointed.
Tonight, Warner Brother's long awaited addition to the Batman series, The Dark Knight, made its theatrical debut. The hype around this movie is phenomenal due much in part to the tragic passing of the film's standout performer Heath Ledger but I don't believe that should be toted as the sole reason for The Dark Knight's resounding popularity. This film pulled out all the stops. Every second of screen time was stuffed with action, suspense, drama, humor, wit, tragedy, misery, adrenaline, darkness and explosives. From the first, expertly crafted scene I, along with nearly every other member of our sold-out audience was on the edge of my seat. The twists did so at just the right moments to wrench our guts away from the expected and throw us hurtling off in a new, and quite unforeseen direction. These movie makers are clearly at the top of their game.
I'll admit, I'm pulling for this film, not because I'm a huge fan of any of the actors, not because I love stuffing my money into the already overstuffed studio exec's pockets, not even because I love Batman. I'm pulling for this film because it had the ability and the balls to bring people together to share a moment. After Mr. Ledger's death, I'm sure the Studio was faced with many tough decisions: how to market a huge, summer blockbuster without capitalizing on the passing of one of its stars, how to best pay tribute to a phenomenal actor while maintaining the spirit of the movie. I feel that, for the most part, they were able to wrangle the attention onto the superb acting and away from the "let's go see the dead guy" attitude.
Sure, there are some things that really annoy me. Like, for instance, the excessive product tie-ins (Verizon, Domino's, Reese's, you name it, they'll leech the success). I think it's distasteful to merely mention the Joker in cheap pizza commercials, espcially when everyone know the reason why the real actor didn't film the spot. I can't stand seeing Batman holding a package of Reese's Pieces and I feel it overkill to sell a Dark Knight themed cell phone (after all, there will be other movies). In these cases I have to wonder how many marketing firms actually encouraged riding Mr. Ledger's coattails.
All that aside, The Dark Knight did a fantastic job of getting people excited. There is nothing more thrilling than sitting in a sold-out auditorium of over four hundred, side by side with your closest friends, all anticipating the same thing: a great time. At that, Dark Knight delivers.
It's late, my friends, and I am tired.
Go see The Dark Knight, you won't be disappointed.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Graduation
Tonight was the Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2008. First of all, I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that it's been a year since I was on that stage, in those robes, in their shoes. The past year has been one of many ups and downs and while the days sometimes seem to trudge on in the slow procession toward the End, when compacted, they seem to encompass no time at all. In short, time flies.
Today was a beautiful day: the perfect day for a Graduation ceremony. It wasn't nearly as hot as the 89-degree scorcher we had to endure one year ago. A light breeze kept the air in the auditorium circulating as the speeches were given and the the diplomas dispersed. The feeling of seeing your friends, these people who you have come to know and love so deeply taking this huge step in their lives, walking the same path that you walked, is a strange feeling. It seems to me like a very delayed reaction. Like I am witnessing an event that should have already happened, from a different point of view, on a different date. For me, Graduation means reflection on all the events that brought us where we are today. None of us are the same as when we started...
Heidi was the one I knew first. She and I rode the same bus to and from Buckeye Valley East. I first came to know her as the girl who rode my bus and hated me. In those days, we were both a little too outspoken and rubbed one another the wrong way, I guess. Her brother once threatened to break my glasses which didn't help in the cementing of our close relationship. For a few years, I was convinced that we would never get along and that was that. But, like all things, people change with time. High school brought us together through band. The long bus rides to and from away games opened up a side to her I'd never had the chance to see. It's amazing how much you can learn about (and from) someone by simply opening your ears and listening to what they have to say. Over the years, we've become closer and closer and today I consider her one of my good friends. Good thing the desire to break glasses isn't genetic.
Davey was second, although he was David then. He and I go way back, sometimes a little further than I'd like to admit. Both pupils anointed by the fonts of knowledge maintained within the glittering halls of Buckeye Valleys North and East, our paths ran parallel for some time until, in 1998, he and I wound up as teammates for a Destination Imagination competition. Yes, we were that cool. Our skit told the tale of one Timmy Tomato, portrayed flawlessly by Mr. Hyer who was bestowed the role of the fearless fruit because of his persistently rosy complexion. While the acting was, of course, top notch, the rest of our skit fell short in many ways as we didn't even rank that year. Oh well. On to bigger and better arenas. In high school and during band, I was able to get to know this hell-bent enigma on a more personal level. He and I became close through no notable series of events, it just sort of happened, as many of the best friendships do.
Lee was the quintessential Cub Scout. Back in the days of old when I was a shrimpy little Scout myself, Lee was always at the head of the pack: tying knots, baking cakes, selling popcorn, everything a good Cub Scout should be doing. If I remember correctly, we were both members of the Mighty Pack 94 and often ran into one another during the many Scouting social events. If Lee was anything, he was helpful. He was always there to point others in the right direction, a job that serves him well considering he has one of the most accurate moral compasses I've ever seen. As with Heidi and Davey, I got to know Lee better through band and in student council in high school. As always, he was the epitome of chivalry, the master at opening doors and laying jackets over mud puddles and, just as I had remembered, he was always ready at a moment's notice should adventure or the stray shenanigan come to call. To this day, few people have matched the personal values of Mr. Zimmer and I find it hard to believe many ever will.
For me, Anna was always "Helen's sister". I'd seen her here and there at Buckeye Valley North but never really took the opportunity to get to know her, a folly I regret considering Anna is perhaps the most high-spirited, uplifting soul ever to come from the Honorable village of Radnor. Band brought us together and Florida brought us close. She was right there with us as we headed off to the wrong park in Universal Studios. My first impression of Anna was being struck by her talent at music. As a freshman, she could far outplay many of the upperclassmen trumpeters. I remember noticing how she held her instrument straight and played with confidence, even as a freshman. That kind of musical mettle is hard to come by especially in the beginning. Throughout high school I had the pleasure of playing alongside Anna in the marching band, and the symphonic band, and concert band, and pep band, and pit band and the Visions combo. Music radiates from her personality and lifts the spirits of those who allow themselves to listen, an enviable trait by any means.
Last is Casey. I find it ironic that the person I most connect with, the one with whom I share so many interests and whose company I most enjoy is the one I've known the least amount of time. Casey is a rare breed. His often reserved personality is speckled with eccentricities which, coupled with his wry sense of humor, make him a generally fun guy to be around. As a freshman, I referred to him as "Army boy" due largely in part to the combat boots, camouflage pants and Under Armor he would wear on a regular basis. Case is tough. He's willing to run like no tomorrow to uphold his unalienable right to chew gum. He'll gladly scale any building to retrieve a lost Frisbee and he makes a conscious effort to carry (at once and at a minimum) three times as many chairs to and from the pep band alcove as anybody else. In the few years I've had to get to know him, though, I've learned that tough-as-nails Casey has the same fears, the same vulnerabilities and the same faults as any of us. What's remarkable is that, not matter what's going on beneath the surface, Casey will always put everyone else's needs before his own. Such selflessness is the rarest of commodities these days. Unfortunately I had to fulfill an annoying obligation called college just as I was getting to know Casey but I'm hopeful that we'll be able to pick up where we left off nearly 365 days ago in the midst of a great, lasting friendship.
I'm not sure if the graduates (we can't call them Seniors anymore) know just what's waiting for them as they head off to college, I know I was barely ready for what laid in store for me, but I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will do wonders wherever they go. This caliber of friend is rare and I know I am blessed to have the honor of calling such people my best friends.
Best of luck Heidi, Davey, Lee, Anna, Casey and the rest of the Class of 2008.
If you ever want to catch up, you know where to find me.
EDIT: This song came through my Shuffle just as I published this post. Coincidence? I think not.
Today was a beautiful day: the perfect day for a Graduation ceremony. It wasn't nearly as hot as the 89-degree scorcher we had to endure one year ago. A light breeze kept the air in the auditorium circulating as the speeches were given and the the diplomas dispersed. The feeling of seeing your friends, these people who you have come to know and love so deeply taking this huge step in their lives, walking the same path that you walked, is a strange feeling. It seems to me like a very delayed reaction. Like I am witnessing an event that should have already happened, from a different point of view, on a different date. For me, Graduation means reflection on all the events that brought us where we are today. None of us are the same as when we started...
Heidi was the one I knew first. She and I rode the same bus to and from Buckeye Valley East. I first came to know her as the girl who rode my bus and hated me. In those days, we were both a little too outspoken and rubbed one another the wrong way, I guess. Her brother once threatened to break my glasses which didn't help in the cementing of our close relationship. For a few years, I was convinced that we would never get along and that was that. But, like all things, people change with time. High school brought us together through band. The long bus rides to and from away games opened up a side to her I'd never had the chance to see. It's amazing how much you can learn about (and from) someone by simply opening your ears and listening to what they have to say. Over the years, we've become closer and closer and today I consider her one of my good friends. Good thing the desire to break glasses isn't genetic.
Davey was second, although he was David then. He and I go way back, sometimes a little further than I'd like to admit. Both pupils anointed by the fonts of knowledge maintained within the glittering halls of Buckeye Valleys North and East, our paths ran parallel for some time until, in 1998, he and I wound up as teammates for a Destination Imagination competition. Yes, we were that cool. Our skit told the tale of one Timmy Tomato, portrayed flawlessly by Mr. Hyer who was bestowed the role of the fearless fruit because of his persistently rosy complexion. While the acting was, of course, top notch, the rest of our skit fell short in many ways as we didn't even rank that year. Oh well. On to bigger and better arenas. In high school and during band, I was able to get to know this hell-bent enigma on a more personal level. He and I became close through no notable series of events, it just sort of happened, as many of the best friendships do.
Lee was the quintessential Cub Scout. Back in the days of old when I was a shrimpy little Scout myself, Lee was always at the head of the pack: tying knots, baking cakes, selling popcorn, everything a good Cub Scout should be doing. If I remember correctly, we were both members of the Mighty Pack 94 and often ran into one another during the many Scouting social events. If Lee was anything, he was helpful. He was always there to point others in the right direction, a job that serves him well considering he has one of the most accurate moral compasses I've ever seen. As with Heidi and Davey, I got to know Lee better through band and in student council in high school. As always, he was the epitome of chivalry, the master at opening doors and laying jackets over mud puddles and, just as I had remembered, he was always ready at a moment's notice should adventure or the stray shenanigan come to call. To this day, few people have matched the personal values of Mr. Zimmer and I find it hard to believe many ever will.
For me, Anna was always "Helen's sister". I'd seen her here and there at Buckeye Valley North but never really took the opportunity to get to know her, a folly I regret considering Anna is perhaps the most high-spirited, uplifting soul ever to come from the Honorable village of Radnor. Band brought us together and Florida brought us close. She was right there with us as we headed off to the wrong park in Universal Studios. My first impression of Anna was being struck by her talent at music. As a freshman, she could far outplay many of the upperclassmen trumpeters. I remember noticing how she held her instrument straight and played with confidence, even as a freshman. That kind of musical mettle is hard to come by especially in the beginning. Throughout high school I had the pleasure of playing alongside Anna in the marching band, and the symphonic band, and concert band, and pep band, and pit band and the Visions combo. Music radiates from her personality and lifts the spirits of those who allow themselves to listen, an enviable trait by any means.
Last is Casey. I find it ironic that the person I most connect with, the one with whom I share so many interests and whose company I most enjoy is the one I've known the least amount of time. Casey is a rare breed. His often reserved personality is speckled with eccentricities which, coupled with his wry sense of humor, make him a generally fun guy to be around. As a freshman, I referred to him as "Army boy" due largely in part to the combat boots, camouflage pants and Under Armor he would wear on a regular basis. Case is tough. He's willing to run like no tomorrow to uphold his unalienable right to chew gum. He'll gladly scale any building to retrieve a lost Frisbee and he makes a conscious effort to carry (at once and at a minimum) three times as many chairs to and from the pep band alcove as anybody else. In the few years I've had to get to know him, though, I've learned that tough-as-nails Casey has the same fears, the same vulnerabilities and the same faults as any of us. What's remarkable is that, not matter what's going on beneath the surface, Casey will always put everyone else's needs before his own. Such selflessness is the rarest of commodities these days. Unfortunately I had to fulfill an annoying obligation called college just as I was getting to know Casey but I'm hopeful that we'll be able to pick up where we left off nearly 365 days ago in the midst of a great, lasting friendship.
I'm not sure if the graduates (we can't call them Seniors anymore) know just what's waiting for them as they head off to college, I know I was barely ready for what laid in store for me, but I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will do wonders wherever they go. This caliber of friend is rare and I know I am blessed to have the honor of calling such people my best friends.
Best of luck Heidi, Davey, Lee, Anna, Casey and the rest of the Class of 2008.
If you ever want to catch up, you know where to find me.
EDIT: This song came through my Shuffle just as I published this post. Coincidence? I think not.
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Dance 'Round the Memory Tree
It's funny that the one night of the week that I could be using to catch up on sleep I've decided to spend online. The week has been good to me. I am, for the most part, enjoying my new job; of course, every job has its ups and downs. Happy as I am to be contributing to society and earning a real paycheck, it struck me on Tuesday (as I rebooted the PC at my desk for the third time) just how much I'm going to miss out on this summer because of work. One year ago, I was the one complaining that no one could do anything because they were all working. Now I am that person. Oh, how the tables have turned. I complain a little too much, I think.
The upcoming weeks will bring an onslaught of feelings I'd rather not experience again in the form of Graduation and the parties that follow. One year ago marked the closest I've ever been to real depression, and yet it was some of the happiest days of my life. So many huge chapters of my life drawing to a close at the same time was too much for me to handle and the prospect of losing some of my closest friends to the tide of life was weighing on my mind during every spare moment.
This year, after all that I've been through, it is strange to be back in the position to feel these feelings. In some cases, time has stripped away what ties I had to certain people making basic conversation awkward and difficult. In others, time apart has strengthened our bond making things easier. And still there are cases which I can't even discern as having time as a blessing or a curse and those are the cases that worry me the most. My biggest fear is losing my friends, not through argument or the mutual parting of ways but through slow deterioration of the things we'd once had in common. I can feel that happing in several areas that I once held and am still trying to hold close.
I'm not sure how I'm going to take Graduation. Having lived it myself already, seeing my best friend walk the same stage will be a weird experience for me, almost like a delayed reaction; this is all happening a year too late. A year can mean a lot in terms of collecting new memories and losing old ones. I just hope that I am not the only who has made an effort to gather as many new memories as I could while gripping on to my old stockpile with everything that I have. In some cases I feel like I am.
I saw Prince Caspian tonight and heard this amazing song before the credits rolled; it, like so many before it, says all this things I wish I could to my Seniors:
The Call
By Regina Spektor
Sigh.
The upcoming weeks will bring an onslaught of feelings I'd rather not experience again in the form of Graduation and the parties that follow. One year ago marked the closest I've ever been to real depression, and yet it was some of the happiest days of my life. So many huge chapters of my life drawing to a close at the same time was too much for me to handle and the prospect of losing some of my closest friends to the tide of life was weighing on my mind during every spare moment.
This year, after all that I've been through, it is strange to be back in the position to feel these feelings. In some cases, time has stripped away what ties I had to certain people making basic conversation awkward and difficult. In others, time apart has strengthened our bond making things easier. And still there are cases which I can't even discern as having time as a blessing or a curse and those are the cases that worry me the most. My biggest fear is losing my friends, not through argument or the mutual parting of ways but through slow deterioration of the things we'd once had in common. I can feel that happing in several areas that I once held and am still trying to hold close.
I'm not sure how I'm going to take Graduation. Having lived it myself already, seeing my best friend walk the same stage will be a weird experience for me, almost like a delayed reaction; this is all happening a year too late. A year can mean a lot in terms of collecting new memories and losing old ones. I just hope that I am not the only who has made an effort to gather as many new memories as I could while gripping on to my old stockpile with everything that I have. In some cases I feel like I am.
I saw Prince Caspian tonight and heard this amazing song before the credits rolled; it, like so many before it, says all this things I wish I could to my Seniors:
The Call
By Regina Spektor
It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry
I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye
Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never
Been this way before
All you can do is try to know
Who your friends are
As you head off to the war
Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye
You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye
Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and now one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye
You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye
Sigh.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Employed
Woah. It feels good to finally have enough time and energy to actually make a post. A lot has happened since my last post from Chicago, including my becoming very ill for the remainder of my Spring Break trip (hence the distinct drop in posts).
School is out and I am home from CCAD for almost four months. It feels great to have one year of college under my belt but leaving was just as hard as coming (but for different, almost opposite reasons). Today I start work at the Graphic Stitch in Marysville. My job is as a sort of in-house designer, workman, extra-set-of-hands. It feels nice to be offered money for the things that I would be doing anyway and the money will certainly come in handy; I'm saving up for a Study Abroad semester in England, Junior year.
I'm off. There will be a longer, more in depth post dealing with by prolonged absence and my feelings on BV's next graduating class soon.
School is out and I am home from CCAD for almost four months. It feels great to have one year of college under my belt but leaving was just as hard as coming (but for different, almost opposite reasons). Today I start work at the Graphic Stitch in Marysville. My job is as a sort of in-house designer, workman, extra-set-of-hands. It feels nice to be offered money for the things that I would be doing anyway and the money will certainly come in handy; I'm saving up for a Study Abroad semester in England, Junior year.
I'm off. There will be a longer, more in depth post dealing with by prolonged absence and my feelings on BV's next graduating class soon.
Monday, March 17, 2008
"God! That was a good bite."
Dang. It's only Monday. In two days, we've nearly mastered the Chicago transit system, we've been to the far corners of the city, the nice sections and the not-so nice, we've eaten everything from deep-dish pizza to grossly expensive McDonald's and burnt through nearly half of our alloted weekly cash. Today we started our volunteer work Walter Reed Elementary school on the far south side of Chicago. Our task is to come up with a design for the wall of the gym and paint it...in five days: not impossible, but close. Luckily, we managed to finalize a design. I did my best to contribute but evidently my eye for design isn't as good as it should be; the majority of my ideas got shot down for one reason or another. Either way, the design is finished and we're ready to start painting.
After work today, we collapsed into nice three-hour long naps. Dinner was traditional, deep dish pizza at Pizza Due, the second generation of the world-famous Pizza Uno. Todd, one of my friends and roommates is a vegetarian so my usual "meat lovers" option went out the window only to be replaced by a fantastic four-cheese pesto deep dish. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I'm sure our waitress was the dearest, oldest spunky fake-redhead in the entire city. We adored the woman and she received an-almost 30% tip.
We walked to the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. and beheld all the Apple wonders there to see and made our way back to the hostel where we crashed, this time for good, for the rest of the night.
After work today, we collapsed into nice three-hour long naps. Dinner was traditional, deep dish pizza at Pizza Due, the second generation of the world-famous Pizza Uno. Todd, one of my friends and roommates is a vegetarian so my usual "meat lovers" option went out the window only to be replaced by a fantastic four-cheese pesto deep dish. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I'm sure our waitress was the dearest, oldest spunky fake-redhead in the entire city. We adored the woman and she received an-almost 30% tip.
We walked to the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. and beheld all the Apple wonders there to see and made our way back to the hostel where we crashed, this time for good, for the rest of the night.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
"Guys...where ahh we?"
Day two in Chicago was an action-packed on. Although we slept too late for breakfast at the hostel, we walked a block to Panera for some great bagels and croissants. Chicago is a laptop owners dream city with countless bubbles of Wi-Fi popping up here and there. We even have free access here in our room. In fact the entire city is very tech-savvy. It seems everyone here has a blue tooth headset, and iPhone or a Blackberry. They are also very well dressed.
After a quick train ride north of the city, we met up with Yoshi's cousin at one of the three million Starbuckses in the city. She took us around to some of her favorite sites in the Chicago Arts District. We pooped around to the various thrift stores and eventually ended up at a Whole Foods for lunch. I ate my outrageously expensive Reuben sandwich, Salt and Vinegar chips and All-Natural Key Lime soda in a cool community center with a great view of the area.
Then we napped...and it was glorious.
The chaperons made us an Italian dinner which we wolfed down and headed to Millennium Park to ice skate. It dawned on me as I laced up my skates that I hadn't set foot on a skating rink since seventh grade when I went with my youth group. Despite the tragic lack of practice, I managed to remain vertical the entire evening. We strolled around the park and saw the Great Silver Bean and the Spitting Face fountains. Lucie all-but molested an enormous bronze lion outside the Art Institute and Todd almost cartwheeled across a busy Chicago intersection; he didn't.
When we got back to our room we all settled in and started working on sketches for tomorrows jobs when out of nowhere, Yoshi decides she needs donuts. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find an open Dunkin' Donuts at 12:45 in the morning but we were determined. After two stops on the Redline train and a short walk (more like a sprint) across a shady grocery store parking lot, we stumbles across a 24 hour Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin Robins combo shop: the midnight snacker's paradise. A dozen donuts and ten dollars later we were on our way back when we took a wrong turn or a wrong train (I'm not sure which). Whatever the reason was, we missed our stop and had to amble around the city to find our barrings again.
Eventually, we made it back and were able to enjoy the fruits of our late-night labors. Sadly such indulgences don't leave much time for sleep. We have to be up and ready for breakfast by nine in the morning and after a day like today, a nice, long shower is certain called for.
After a quick train ride north of the city, we met up with Yoshi's cousin at one of the three million Starbuckses in the city. She took us around to some of her favorite sites in the Chicago Arts District. We pooped around to the various thrift stores and eventually ended up at a Whole Foods for lunch. I ate my outrageously expensive Reuben sandwich, Salt and Vinegar chips and All-Natural Key Lime soda in a cool community center with a great view of the area.
Then we napped...and it was glorious.
The chaperons made us an Italian dinner which we wolfed down and headed to Millennium Park to ice skate. It dawned on me as I laced up my skates that I hadn't set foot on a skating rink since seventh grade when I went with my youth group. Despite the tragic lack of practice, I managed to remain vertical the entire evening. We strolled around the park and saw the Great Silver Bean and the Spitting Face fountains. Lucie all-but molested an enormous bronze lion outside the Art Institute and Todd almost cartwheeled across a busy Chicago intersection; he didn't.
When we got back to our room we all settled in and started working on sketches for tomorrows jobs when out of nowhere, Yoshi decides she needs donuts. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find an open Dunkin' Donuts at 12:45 in the morning but we were determined. After two stops on the Redline train and a short walk (more like a sprint) across a shady grocery store parking lot, we stumbles across a 24 hour Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin Robins combo shop: the midnight snacker's paradise. A dozen donuts and ten dollars later we were on our way back when we took a wrong turn or a wrong train (I'm not sure which). Whatever the reason was, we missed our stop and had to amble around the city to find our barrings again.
Eventually, we made it back and were able to enjoy the fruits of our late-night labors. Sadly such indulgences don't leave much time for sleep. We have to be up and ready for breakfast by nine in the morning and after a day like today, a nice, long shower is certain called for.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
In The Windy City
I'm writing this post from Hostel International in Chicago. I know what you're thinking: "A hostel? Really? Isn't that...you know, dangerous?" and believe me, I thought the same thing when I first found out. In reality though, this place is really pretty great. Sure, it's no Ritz Carleton; it's not even a Holiday Inn, but it is nice. We're staying in a room of six (three bunk beds) with our own bathroom and a little "kitchen" area. We left CCAD at ten-something and drove for three or four hours until our bladders demanded that we make a stop.
Lunch was an eleven dollar basket of breaded chicken bones and greasy fish nibblets at Popeye's. I've noticed that long bus trips, for no particular reason, give me headaches. I have an impossible time finding a comfortable position (a fact to which my friend Yoshi can certainly attest) and I bore very easily due to the fact that I cannot read or write (or indeed do anything that involves focusing attention on any one spot for more than a few minutes) without experiencing wave after wave of motion sickness. Needless to say, I was happy when the bus pulled up to Union Station to let us off.
We rode a train to the hostel, unloaded and turned right back around to go find some food. Being the poor college students we are, we ended up buying the cheapest things from a 711 two blocks from the hostel and heating them up back in our kitchen. The rest of the night has been spent chilling in the lobby, watching LOST and "When Harry Met Sally". Now I'm tired and going to head up to my small, crinkly, bunked bed and awake to greet the morning, here in the windy city.
Lunch was an eleven dollar basket of breaded chicken bones and greasy fish nibblets at Popeye's. I've noticed that long bus trips, for no particular reason, give me headaches. I have an impossible time finding a comfortable position (a fact to which my friend Yoshi can certainly attest) and I bore very easily due to the fact that I cannot read or write (or indeed do anything that involves focusing attention on any one spot for more than a few minutes) without experiencing wave after wave of motion sickness. Needless to say, I was happy when the bus pulled up to Union Station to let us off.
We rode a train to the hostel, unloaded and turned right back around to go find some food. Being the poor college students we are, we ended up buying the cheapest things from a 711 two blocks from the hostel and heating them up back in our kitchen. The rest of the night has been spent chilling in the lobby, watching LOST and "When Harry Met Sally". Now I'm tired and going to head up to my small, crinkly, bunked bed and awake to greet the morning, here in the windy city.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
How Bizarre
I was rifling through the internet today in all my free time and I came across a bizarre find. I Googled a Dane Cook sketch about the Oprah show (very funny, should you be interested) during which Cook mentions a website where one can enter your address and see the sexual predators in your area. Curious, I clicked on to Family Watchdog and entered my address. Aside from several offenders living frighteningly close to my house, I noticed a familiar image on the right-hand side of the page.
Junior year, I was asked to design a logo for Buckeye Valley Local Schools. I consider this logo to be my best work as a graphic designer and have worked with it for almost two years now. Because of this, I can recognize it anywhere. On the right side of the National Sexual Offender Registry website, I spotted my Shield logo in faded blue as a part of the FamilySecure brand. Shocked, I zoomed in to double check. Yep, it was mine.
To be fare, the image is currently open for anyone to download from the BV site and I'm sure if you Google "shield" and click through the almost six-million images, you'll find it. It's just bizarre to see your creation, Photoshopped to fit a different color scheme, in a place you didn't really want it to be.
I've emailed the Buckeye Valley administration and requested copywriting for my Shield and Baron images.
Stay tuned for more...
Junior year, I was asked to design a logo for Buckeye Valley Local Schools. I consider this logo to be my best work as a graphic designer and have worked with it for almost two years now. Because of this, I can recognize it anywhere. On the right side of the National Sexual Offender Registry website, I spotted my Shield logo in faded blue as a part of the FamilySecure brand. Shocked, I zoomed in to double check. Yep, it was mine.
To be fare, the image is currently open for anyone to download from the BV site and I'm sure if you Google "shield" and click through the almost six-million images, you'll find it. It's just bizarre to see your creation, Photoshopped to fit a different color scheme, in a place you didn't really want it to be.
I've emailed the Buckeye Valley administration and requested copywriting for my Shield and Baron images.
Stay tuned for more...
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Harry Potter: Sinfully Good Reading
A good friend of mine is reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. Her religion tells her that the books are evil because they portray witchcraft in a favorable light and because the "good guy" uses "magic". The debate over the morality of the Harry Potter books has been raging since their initial publication and rise to fame in the late nineties and while I understand that some religions claim that the books go against traditional Christian values because the stories are told in a magical context, I cannot agree with the damnation that certain religious sects have placed on a series whose core message is one of love and tolerance over hatred and bigotry. To claim that the Harry Potter novels are evil simply because magic wands, invisibility cloaks and dragons exist within the plot is not only a gross misjudgment of seven brilliantly written stories but a genuine disservice to the individuals forbidden to read them.
Religious leaders and advocates for the banning of the Harry Potter books from libraries claim that they entice children to practice and perform witchcraft, therefore denouncing God. This claim, aside from being ludicrous and unfounded, is demeaning to our generation. Doesn't placing the novels in the fiction section of the library do enough to discredit their supernatural accuracy? Instead, many claim that we are too ignorant to distinguish between fantasy and reality. A fan of the books myself, I can say without a modicum of doubt that I haven't had the slightest desire to becoming a practicing wizard, much less denounce God. In fact, the Harry Potter series has brought me closer to God by allowing me to better know myself and by instilling in me the power of love and friendship. How can that be a sin?
The primary reason for the damnation of the Harry Potter books lies in the presence of magic in the series. The stories take place in a world where the "good guys", the "bad guys" and those in between use magic. If this alone warrants forbidding your youth to read the stories, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz should all go by the wayside as well. After all, "the good guys" do magic in those stories too. In fact, all Disney movies should be disallowed because today's youth might get bad ideas. If you make a decision that sentences one brilliant story to burn, it should apply across the genre; shouldn't it? Do away with fiction altogether. Today's youth are far too susceptible to satanic influence for imagination; aren't they? We should also do away with the phrase "fairytale wedding". Fairies use magic and magic is evil; right? Or maybe the phrase should only apply to evil, homosexual weddings.
I applaud those like my friend who have decided to disregard the taboo placed on the Harry Potter books by those more "holy" than the rest of us. I'm certain they will find the series to be just what I did, an inspiring tale of morals, friendship, trust, honesty, courage, selflessness and most of all, love. And to the pious few who still fear the Harry Potter books are dragging this generation to the flaming mouth of hell I have this to say: The Holy Bible still holds the top spot on the international list of best-sellers. Chill.
Religious leaders and advocates for the banning of the Harry Potter books from libraries claim that they entice children to practice and perform witchcraft, therefore denouncing God. This claim, aside from being ludicrous and unfounded, is demeaning to our generation. Doesn't placing the novels in the fiction section of the library do enough to discredit their supernatural accuracy? Instead, many claim that we are too ignorant to distinguish between fantasy and reality. A fan of the books myself, I can say without a modicum of doubt that I haven't had the slightest desire to becoming a practicing wizard, much less denounce God. In fact, the Harry Potter series has brought me closer to God by allowing me to better know myself and by instilling in me the power of love and friendship. How can that be a sin?
The primary reason for the damnation of the Harry Potter books lies in the presence of magic in the series. The stories take place in a world where the "good guys", the "bad guys" and those in between use magic. If this alone warrants forbidding your youth to read the stories, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz should all go by the wayside as well. After all, "the good guys" do magic in those stories too. In fact, all Disney movies should be disallowed because today's youth might get bad ideas. If you make a decision that sentences one brilliant story to burn, it should apply across the genre; shouldn't it? Do away with fiction altogether. Today's youth are far too susceptible to satanic influence for imagination; aren't they? We should also do away with the phrase "fairytale wedding". Fairies use magic and magic is evil; right? Or maybe the phrase should only apply to evil, homosexual weddings.
I applaud those like my friend who have decided to disregard the taboo placed on the Harry Potter books by those more "holy" than the rest of us. I'm certain they will find the series to be just what I did, an inspiring tale of morals, friendship, trust, honesty, courage, selflessness and most of all, love. And to the pious few who still fear the Harry Potter books are dragging this generation to the flaming mouth of hell I have this to say: The Holy Bible still holds the top spot on the international list of best-sellers. Chill.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Christmas
Altogether, my Christmas was excellent. I received far more than I asked for (or deserved, if you ask me) and I am thankful for it all. The highlights of this Christmas' unwrappings include a five-disk, collector's edition box set of Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks including an entire disk of remixed and unreleased music. (!!!) The amazing and unique thing about Hans Zimmer is that he doesn't just write the music for the film, call it quits and collect his paycheck, he explores all the possibilities for the themes he creates by writing extended, elaborate suites. Disk four of the set includes suites for the Hoist the Colours, Beckett, Davy Jones and Singapore themes and though all of these suites are unbelievable to hear, they pale in comparison to the 11 minute suite for the At World's End love theme. This track is breathtaking and moving. It stirs so many memories for me from the end of an amazing chapter of my life*. The set also includes a 'Behind the Score' featurette with Zimmer and the other important players from the series.
I also found Mac's latest and greatest operating system, Leopard, in my stocking this Christmas. It is beautiful, and I mean that in a way that only the true Mac enthusiast will understand. I haven't come across any glitches yet. Then again, by now I can pretty much tell what will and won't piss off a Mac; don't go against the grain and you won't find a single issue.
My iPod has a slick new case now, one that is rubber-based and will hopefully absorb some of the shock should the unspeakable happen.
Of course, there was cash, which I appreciate because it lets me put it where I want it. Now, more than ever before, I am becoming super-conscious of how expensive my life is. To be honest this subject is one I never really talk about more out of guilt than any other factor. Financially, my family is relatively well-off. My parents have always been there with whatever money I may have needed for this or that. To put it bluntly, I am spoiled and I feel guilty about it. I look around and see so many of my good friends working their asses off with two and three jobs for the money that I just somehow have. These days I do have jobs, they're just jobs that can be done from my laptop and the comfort of my own home. This summer I will be getting a real, daily job, not because I have to but because I want to. Right now, I have a horribly warped perspective on life. I sit around and sulk because none of my friends are online or can do the things I'd like to do. Of course, it's not that they don't want to, it's that they're always working to have the money it takes to have a little fun once in a while. I need to feel that too, as crazy as that sounds.
So, on this Christmas (now Boxing Day if we're being technical) I would like to express how thankful I am and that I am consistently humbled by the gifts I receive, both beneath the tree and in the heart. I have some of the greatest, kindest, most genuine, most hard-working friends anyone could ask for. I expect too much from them, I'm afraid and I am working consciously to change that. After all, it's not all about me. That much, especially now, is clear.
Thank for everything and I hope you all had Christmases even greater than mine.
*More on this chapter in a later post.
I also found Mac's latest and greatest operating system, Leopard, in my stocking this Christmas. It is beautiful, and I mean that in a way that only the true Mac enthusiast will understand. I haven't come across any glitches yet. Then again, by now I can pretty much tell what will and won't piss off a Mac; don't go against the grain and you won't find a single issue.
My iPod has a slick new case now, one that is rubber-based and will hopefully absorb some of the shock should the unspeakable happen.
Of course, there was cash, which I appreciate because it lets me put it where I want it. Now, more than ever before, I am becoming super-conscious of how expensive my life is. To be honest this subject is one I never really talk about more out of guilt than any other factor. Financially, my family is relatively well-off. My parents have always been there with whatever money I may have needed for this or that. To put it bluntly, I am spoiled and I feel guilty about it. I look around and see so many of my good friends working their asses off with two and three jobs for the money that I just somehow have. These days I do have jobs, they're just jobs that can be done from my laptop and the comfort of my own home. This summer I will be getting a real, daily job, not because I have to but because I want to. Right now, I have a horribly warped perspective on life. I sit around and sulk because none of my friends are online or can do the things I'd like to do. Of course, it's not that they don't want to, it's that they're always working to have the money it takes to have a little fun once in a while. I need to feel that too, as crazy as that sounds.
So, on this Christmas (now Boxing Day if we're being technical) I would like to express how thankful I am and that I am consistently humbled by the gifts I receive, both beneath the tree and in the heart. I have some of the greatest, kindest, most genuine, most hard-working friends anyone could ask for. I expect too much from them, I'm afraid and I am working consciously to change that. After all, it's not all about me. That much, especially now, is clear.
Thank for everything and I hope you all had Christmases even greater than mine.
*More on this chapter in a later post.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Have You?
Have you ever been so tired you can't get to sleep?
Have you ever had so many things you wished you could say but can't find the words?
Have you ever felt so deeply for a group of people that every second you're apart feels like forever?
Have you ever wished you could stop time, just for a moment, so you could be with those people without worrying about a thing?
Have you ever had a friend become a brother?
Have you ever wanted to show someone how much you care about them but can't, for the life of you, find a way that does justice?
Have you ever just wanted to sit and talk?
Have you ever lost sleep worrying about a friend?
Have you ever lost sleep worrying about yourself?
Have you ever dreamed of a happier tomorrow?
Have you ever felt time slip away?
Have you ever felt like nothing you do will ever be enough?
Have you ever known the answers to all of your questions and none at the same time?
Have you ever expected too much?
Have you ever just wanted to sleep?
I have.
Have you ever had so many things you wished you could say but can't find the words?
Have you ever felt so deeply for a group of people that every second you're apart feels like forever?
Have you ever wished you could stop time, just for a moment, so you could be with those people without worrying about a thing?
Have you ever had a friend become a brother?
Have you ever wanted to show someone how much you care about them but can't, for the life of you, find a way that does justice?
Have you ever just wanted to sit and talk?
Have you ever lost sleep worrying about a friend?
Have you ever lost sleep worrying about yourself?
Have you ever dreamed of a happier tomorrow?
Have you ever felt time slip away?
Have you ever felt like nothing you do will ever be enough?
Have you ever known the answers to all of your questions and none at the same time?
Have you ever expected too much?
Have you ever just wanted to sleep?
I have.
Monday, December 17, 2007
What I've Been Up To
Man, it's been almost a month since my last post. Sorry about that. First semester is over and I'm back home for a solid month of Christmas break. The last few weeks of class were busy ones, hence the obvious lack of blogging. Final at Art school are a little different than those at State school. They're not written tests (Except for Art History) but large, multi-step projects due the last week of school. In all honesty, finals week wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it would be. The work load stayed about the same and after each class we thrived on the feeling that we were one step closer to Christmas. I managed to squeak out of all of my classes with an A- or higher (except for Color Concept, the class which is the absolute bane of my existence). I made the President's list, which I'm pretty proud of, and I'm actually excited to go back to school (almost exclusively because I moved to the fourth floor and will now be living with people who actually grasp the concepts of sanitation and respect).
So far, break has been everything I'd hoped it would be. I made it to the second pep band game of the year and had fun catching up with everyone there. I gazed upon the glorious thing that is the iPhone as Mark was texting Zandra during the game. The band phoned in an expertly arranged version of "The Birthday Song" to Mr. Eastham as he sat at home, no doubt glad to be away from the madness for once.
We had Part 1 of our many Christmases Saturday and I managed to rake in a few dollars as well as a damn cool book about the concepts and making of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Sunday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending my best friend Casey's Eagle Court of Honor ceremony. Seeing all the pictures and hearing the stories made me wish more than I ever had before that I'd stuck it out in the scouting program. Although, from what I hear, Case is glad to be able to finish that chapter of his life.
Tuesday, a bunch of us graduates met up at Madeline's for a day of Christmas movie madness and our usual over-the-top brand of merriment. We were at BV as class let out and it was awesome to see the old crowd again. After school we headed to that most-familiar of meeting places, the Mean Bean, for some caffeine and casual conversation.
Being with the people you love the most has a way of reaffirming your faith.With them, there are no worries, no deadlines, no heartache, just pure love and friendship, the kind that can withstand months apart and even the most trying times. With them, all is well in the world again. Thank God.
So far, break has been everything I'd hoped it would be. I made it to the second pep band game of the year and had fun catching up with everyone there. I gazed upon the glorious thing that is the iPhone as Mark was texting Zandra during the game. The band phoned in an expertly arranged version of "The Birthday Song" to Mr. Eastham as he sat at home, no doubt glad to be away from the madness for once.
We had Part 1 of our many Christmases Saturday and I managed to rake in a few dollars as well as a damn cool book about the concepts and making of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Sunday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending my best friend Casey's Eagle Court of Honor ceremony. Seeing all the pictures and hearing the stories made me wish more than I ever had before that I'd stuck it out in the scouting program. Although, from what I hear, Case is glad to be able to finish that chapter of his life.
Tuesday, a bunch of us graduates met up at Madeline's for a day of Christmas movie madness and our usual over-the-top brand of merriment. We were at BV as class let out and it was awesome to see the old crowd again. After school we headed to that most-familiar of meeting places, the Mean Bean, for some caffeine and casual conversation.
Being with the people you love the most has a way of reaffirming your faith.With them, there are no worries, no deadlines, no heartache, just pure love and friendship, the kind that can withstand months apart and even the most trying times. With them, all is well in the world again. Thank God.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Friend Requests
Every once in a while, I'll get a little notice on my Facebook homepage saying I have a new friend request. When I first see this notice my first reaction is "Yes! I wonder who finally got a Facebook," and for the first few months that reaction was the most common one. But these days, now that everyone and their dog has a Facebook profile, friend requests are scarce and when they do happen, they are usually from random people at school. Not that I have anything against random people asking me to be their friend. I consider myself a friendly person so, by all means, the more the merrier but I have to wonder, does passing on the way to Color Concept constitute friendship? Friendship in general has always been a tough subject for me. In some instances, I can be quite the extrovert. This usually happens when I am very comfortable with where I am and who I'm with. In other instances, I stay very contained and quiet.
In elementary school, I never really had a true, undeniable group of friends. I would float from clique to clique, never really fitting in with any of them. I was always on the outside of the "cool" circle but too "cool" to be accepted in the lower classes. I wasn't very fast, I hated running more that five or ten feet and I couldn't kick a kickball to save my life so friendship through sports was definitely out. By middle school, I had become a lot more outgoing, especially by eighth grade. By that time, I thought I knew who I wanted to be, and who I wanted to be with, unfortunately that person was a jerk and those people were even worse. By high school, and freshman band camp, the real me began to come into the light. Here were people who acted like me, laughed with me and genuinely wanted to be around me, an entirely new concept, to say the least.
I was (and remain to this day) apprehensive. I have a hard time justifying to myself why anyone would want to become good friends with me. When I look in the mirror, I see nothing outstanding and when I set down the mirror and look even deeper, I just see a quiet perfectionist who likes film scores, art, and Chipotle: nothing extraordinary. And yet I was surrounded by so many awesome people, people who wanted to call me friend and I often caught myself asking "why?" By my senior year of high school, my circle of friends had grown ten-fold and had come to include a singer, a dancer, a painter, a metalhead, three boyscouts, two sisters, two "sisters", a techie, a Trekkie, and a whole group of people who willingly shared parents. Looking back, I still can't believe how lucky I am. These people have come to mean so much to me, living life without them right here beside me has become a lackluster, if not unpleasant experience. Luckily, college has provided an entirely new set of friend requests to accept and spending my days with them has eased the pain of being torn from my old circle. For a while I was worried that making new friends would mean losing old ones but I have since proven that theory wrong. Actually, even from miles apart, several of my old friends have become as close as family, a fact by which I am honored and humbled. I still wonder why.
In elementary school, I never really had a true, undeniable group of friends. I would float from clique to clique, never really fitting in with any of them. I was always on the outside of the "cool" circle but too "cool" to be accepted in the lower classes. I wasn't very fast, I hated running more that five or ten feet and I couldn't kick a kickball to save my life so friendship through sports was definitely out. By middle school, I had become a lot more outgoing, especially by eighth grade. By that time, I thought I knew who I wanted to be, and who I wanted to be with, unfortunately that person was a jerk and those people were even worse. By high school, and freshman band camp, the real me began to come into the light. Here were people who acted like me, laughed with me and genuinely wanted to be around me, an entirely new concept, to say the least.
I was (and remain to this day) apprehensive. I have a hard time justifying to myself why anyone would want to become good friends with me. When I look in the mirror, I see nothing outstanding and when I set down the mirror and look even deeper, I just see a quiet perfectionist who likes film scores, art, and Chipotle: nothing extraordinary. And yet I was surrounded by so many awesome people, people who wanted to call me friend and I often caught myself asking "why?" By my senior year of high school, my circle of friends had grown ten-fold and had come to include a singer, a dancer, a painter, a metalhead, three boyscouts, two sisters, two "sisters", a techie, a Trekkie, and a whole group of people who willingly shared parents. Looking back, I still can't believe how lucky I am. These people have come to mean so much to me, living life without them right here beside me has become a lackluster, if not unpleasant experience. Luckily, college has provided an entirely new set of friend requests to accept and spending my days with them has eased the pain of being torn from my old circle. For a while I was worried that making new friends would mean losing old ones but I have since proven that theory wrong. Actually, even from miles apart, several of my old friends have become as close as family, a fact by which I am honored and humbled. I still wonder why.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
A Seemingly Random List
Breaks, Facebook, aquapasto, Dr. Pepper, Pirates of the Caribbean, my iPod, Chipotle, band, PotterCast, iChat, hoodies, my MacBook, erasers, music, spellcheck, JK Rowling, Swiffer Wet, Hans Zimmer, Lysol, dark chocolate, memories, dreams, friends, family, friends who are family1.
1 Things I'm thankful for.
1 Things I'm thankful for.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
SR23
Saturday, I went with some friends to see Thomas Worthington's performance of The Crucible. Having never read the play myself, I was excited to go to a show where I could be completely engaged in the story, without that little voice in the back of my head saying, "this part's coming up" or "he can't die yet, he hasn't said this line". I was very impressed with the whole production. It took place in a "black box" theater which immerses the audience in the action by placing them very close to the stage. The acting was inspiring. I have to wonder if cities like Worthington or Marysville put something in the water or if naturally gifted actors spring up in the same general vicinity on their own. The sets were clean, simple. The lighting design was fantastic (Haha)! In all it was an impressive show.
My ride home was a straight shot up High Street and SR23 which gave my mind a little room to wander (only a little because, of course, one shouldn't let one's mind wander too far when one is behind the wheel of a speeding car). Upon closer observation, SR23 has been at the root of most of my memories from high school. Obviously, Coover Road feeds directly off of 23 so virtually every memory of every trip too and from school contains a small bit of that highway. Some of my favorite memories are from Fridays driving to five o'clock call for band, the sun setting and the windows down, not a care in the world. Chipotle runs are another favorite of mine, from Dave's devirginization between exams junior year to the infamous race between the sedan and the minivan.
As with everything in life, with the happy comes the sad and while SR23 is home to many happy memories (ones of coffee runs before school and trips to Wendy’s for Frosties and French fries), it also has its fare-share of sadness. In early 2006, the road took the life of our friend and classmate Spencer Smith. The silence in the hallways after his death will ring on in the hearts of everyone who knew Spencer.
Another scary memory for me takes place on the stormy night of a jazz band gig at All Occasions, just north of BV on SR23. The clouds had been gathering all night and by the time our show was finished the sky was dark green and churning. The rain battered my windshield as I drove south toward home. Suddenly traffic came to a screeching halt and soon I could see flashing lights in the distance; there had been a crash. My mind immediately began to race. I had seen Casey and Lee pull out in front of me, and I was sure Davy had pulled out before them. What if the lights were rushing past to save one of them? Maybe it was irrational, but I had never felt fear like that before.
Through the happiness and the tears, SR23 has been there, always humming in the background, ready to take us where we need to go and, for that, I am genuinely thankful.
If you have a memory from SR23 that you are thankful for, leave it in the comments.
My ride home was a straight shot up High Street and SR23 which gave my mind a little room to wander (only a little because, of course, one shouldn't let one's mind wander too far when one is behind the wheel of a speeding car). Upon closer observation, SR23 has been at the root of most of my memories from high school. Obviously, Coover Road feeds directly off of 23 so virtually every memory of every trip too and from school contains a small bit of that highway. Some of my favorite memories are from Fridays driving to five o'clock call for band, the sun setting and the windows down, not a care in the world. Chipotle runs are another favorite of mine, from Dave's devirginization between exams junior year to the infamous race between the sedan and the minivan.
As with everything in life, with the happy comes the sad and while SR23 is home to many happy memories (ones of coffee runs before school and trips to Wendy’s for Frosties and French fries), it also has its fare-share of sadness. In early 2006, the road took the life of our friend and classmate Spencer Smith. The silence in the hallways after his death will ring on in the hearts of everyone who knew Spencer.
Another scary memory for me takes place on the stormy night of a jazz band gig at All Occasions, just north of BV on SR23. The clouds had been gathering all night and by the time our show was finished the sky was dark green and churning. The rain battered my windshield as I drove south toward home. Suddenly traffic came to a screeching halt and soon I could see flashing lights in the distance; there had been a crash. My mind immediately began to race. I had seen Casey and Lee pull out in front of me, and I was sure Davy had pulled out before them. What if the lights were rushing past to save one of them? Maybe it was irrational, but I had never felt fear like that before.
Through the happiness and the tears, SR23 has been there, always humming in the background, ready to take us where we need to go and, for that, I am genuinely thankful.
If you have a memory from SR23 that you are thankful for, leave it in the comments.
Friday, October 26, 2007
A Night to Remember
To the seniors,
And that's how it began. Two months and almost three-hundred replies to seven separate Facebook threads later, the night that we had all been waiting for was finally here. The plot had become so elaborate, a multi-faceted plan of epic (that's right, epic) proportions, I am still amazed that it stayed as much of a secret as it did.
It's hard to wrap my head around that fact that it's over. Seeing something that we've been planning for so long, that I've spent so many sleepless nights worrying about, play out in front of my eyes was an amazing thing but incredibly bittersweet. It had come to mean more than just planning a 'surprise party'. For me, this night symbolized something much more, something I still have a hard time putting into words. Friendships like the ones we have must be rare. No one seems to understand why I will gladly set aside a Friday night to go back to my high school to watch the marching band and as hard as I try to rationalize it for people the thing it boils down to is this: you mean the the world to me. I wouldn't have missed this night for anything and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. All that I want is for you to be happy and seeing your faces tonight made up for every lost hour of sleep, every minute of planning and for the almost-unbearable anticipation. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did. Tonight I felt that old, familiar feeling, one that I haven't felt in nearly two months. Tonight I felt whole again and I want that thank you all for that.
Congratulations, again, on a fantastic senior show, on four years that you will never forget, and on making it this far, and thank you, again, for all that you've given me.
Yours always,
Jordan
August 17
Mel Paradise wrote:
Ok I know most of you will be home pretty much every weekend...but just to make things clear. I am trying to make sure we get EVERY ONE is home for Senior Night. It is 10/26/07 it starts at 7:30 but if I remember correctly pre game is like at 7 that night...so i think us college students should meet somewhere, have dinner, then go to the game...not too early b/c I think it would be sweet to see their faces when they come walking up the stands that we would be sitting in their seats! :-)
And that's how it began. Two months and almost three-hundred replies to seven separate Facebook threads later, the night that we had all been waiting for was finally here. The plot had become so elaborate, a multi-faceted plan of epic (that's right, epic) proportions, I am still amazed that it stayed as much of a secret as it did.
It's hard to wrap my head around that fact that it's over. Seeing something that we've been planning for so long, that I've spent so many sleepless nights worrying about, play out in front of my eyes was an amazing thing but incredibly bittersweet. It had come to mean more than just planning a 'surprise party'. For me, this night symbolized something much more, something I still have a hard time putting into words. Friendships like the ones we have must be rare. No one seems to understand why I will gladly set aside a Friday night to go back to my high school to watch the marching band and as hard as I try to rationalize it for people the thing it boils down to is this: you mean the the world to me. I wouldn't have missed this night for anything and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. All that I want is for you to be happy and seeing your faces tonight made up for every lost hour of sleep, every minute of planning and for the almost-unbearable anticipation. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did. Tonight I felt that old, familiar feeling, one that I haven't felt in nearly two months. Tonight I felt whole again and I want that thank you all for that.
Congratulations, again, on a fantastic senior show, on four years that you will never forget, and on making it this far, and thank you, again, for all that you've given me.
Yours always,
Jordan
Friday, October 12, 2007
Coming Home
I'm typically not one to use song lyrics in my posts but I heard this during the ride to Delaware and felt that it deserved inclusion:
I live on campus Monday through Friday. I know what goes on. It's all fine-and-dandy, but I am the kind of person who needs an escape, downtime, quiet (not-to-mention something to look forward to each week). And so, I spend the weekends at home. This is not to say that I will always go home. As a matter of fact, the one weekend out the entire year that I would like to share with my BV friends (the weekend of Casey's, Anna's, Heidi's, Lee's, Davy's, Mark's, Zandra's, Emily's, Anita's and all the other's Senior Show) will be spent in Columbus, away from everyone. I am not happy. I wish there was some way I could change things.
Tonight, however, was a very happy night. I marched halftime, this time as a part of the BVHS Alumni Band it what was the last BV football game I will see this year. It's a a strange feeling being on the inside of the 'B', if you know what I mean. As always, it was great to get to talk with everyone and it was greater to be able to play in the stands again. I miss it so much. Nichole and Nathan came home from Bowling Green, Madeline from Baldwin-Wallace and Tawni from Mount Vernon Nazarene (Carie and Megan basically walked from OWU). It was so good to see them too. Something about being with 'the old crowd' makes everything (even the Everest-sized heap of homework waiting to be done) seem okay. Several notable people were, sadly, not there tonight, the first of which is Melissa. Going to school ten hours away from Ohio makes coming home a near impossibility but we all miss her and can't wait to see her home for Christmas, if not sooner. Homer and Helen were both at school because of big games the next day (football and soccer, respectively) and Davy is recovering from knee surgery and will, regrettably, be out-of-commission for the rest of marching season.
After the game (which BV won, by the way), we went to Pizza Hut and partook in the now-customary, post-game revelry. It is good to know that tradition has not died and that these happy memories will still made, even after we've all graduated. And as for tradition, the next time the 'B' revolves, Anna, Carie, Casey, David, Davy, Emily, Heidi, Lee, Madeline, Mark, Megan, Melissa, Nathan, Nichole, Tawni, Zandra and I may just be marching, side-by-side, in the center.
HomeBV's Homecoming was this weekend and while my Homecoming experience wasn't quite as emotional as it could have been (considering I've been to five other BV games this year) I was still very glad to be there. I've been wrestling with a certain amount of uneasiness about leaving campus on the weekends but I think I've pinned down an answer. One of the reasons I chose CCAD was because it was close to home; otherwise, why not Pittsburgh or Cleveland or Cincinnati? When your college is less than an hour from your hometown, why shouldn't you take advantage of the opportunity to see your friends, your family and sleep in your own bed? Sure, sure, some will argue that I'm not getting the real 'college experience,' and to that I say, fine. I'll live.
Chris Daughtry
I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from,
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.
The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remain true and I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.
So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from,
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.
I live on campus Monday through Friday. I know what goes on. It's all fine-and-dandy, but I am the kind of person who needs an escape, downtime, quiet (not-to-mention something to look forward to each week). And so, I spend the weekends at home. This is not to say that I will always go home. As a matter of fact, the one weekend out the entire year that I would like to share with my BV friends (the weekend of Casey's, Anna's, Heidi's, Lee's, Davy's, Mark's, Zandra's, Emily's, Anita's and all the other's Senior Show) will be spent in Columbus, away from everyone. I am not happy. I wish there was some way I could change things.
Tonight, however, was a very happy night. I marched halftime, this time as a part of the BVHS Alumni Band it what was the last BV football game I will see this year. It's a a strange feeling being on the inside of the 'B', if you know what I mean. As always, it was great to get to talk with everyone and it was greater to be able to play in the stands again. I miss it so much. Nichole and Nathan came home from Bowling Green, Madeline from Baldwin-Wallace and Tawni from Mount Vernon Nazarene (Carie and Megan basically walked from OWU). It was so good to see them too. Something about being with 'the old crowd' makes everything (even the Everest-sized heap of homework waiting to be done) seem okay. Several notable people were, sadly, not there tonight, the first of which is Melissa. Going to school ten hours away from Ohio makes coming home a near impossibility but we all miss her and can't wait to see her home for Christmas, if not sooner. Homer and Helen were both at school because of big games the next day (football and soccer, respectively) and Davy is recovering from knee surgery and will, regrettably, be out-of-commission for the rest of marching season.
After the game (which BV won, by the way), we went to Pizza Hut and partook in the now-customary, post-game revelry. It is good to know that tradition has not died and that these happy memories will still made, even after we've all graduated. And as for tradition, the next time the 'B' revolves, Anna, Carie, Casey, David, Davy, Emily, Heidi, Lee, Madeline, Mark, Megan, Melissa, Nathan, Nichole, Tawni, Zandra and I may just be marching, side-by-side, in the center.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Current Status: Working
Sorry it's been forever. Things are teetering on the edge of insanity at this point and finding time to blog is difficult. The past few weeks have been good ones. I'm meeting people, which, about a month ago, I had no real desire to do. What I love about CCAD's Foundation Studies year is that everyone suffers through the same hellish projects. We can sympathize with each other when we mess up, rejoice with each other when we finish a particularly grueling assignment and struggle through the process together. It's strange how much bonding can be done over a few odd pieces of wood or a drawing of a barn.
Last week was a doozie. The workload took a dramatic surge upward and just at the time when I needed a little free time. My parents bought me tickets to see John Williams conduct the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the show was Wednesday. I wanted that night to be as stress-free as possible. This meant cramming two-days worth of work, an enormous 2D Design project, drawing assignment, 3D Design project and Digital Design/Type project into the span of one night. At one point I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my skull in protest but, after many, many hours of work, I finished and God was that feeling gratifying. The concert was amazing. I took my friend Ashley and we had a great time being nerds. The pizza we ordered afterward was some of the best tasting food I had ever ingested simply because I hadn't eaten since 8 o'clock that morning.
I spent the weekend in the peace and quiet of my own back yard. I love fall and sitting out beneath the changing trees. The peace of home is such a contrast to the non-stop action of school and, for me at least, it's a necessity. I watched Emily and the rest of the marching band compete in their first-ever band festival hosted by North Union High School. They looked so great and I am still very proud of them. As a group, they sounded great even while missing several key players (namely Casey who is currently recovering from a particularly nasty bout with mono and Davy who took a rather unpleasant spill during school and injured his knee. Guys, we're all thinking about you and hoping you get better soon).
Other than that, my life has consisted of working, eating and sleeping, one of which I am looking forward to doing now.
Note to those who are not attending school due to illness or immobilization and who wish to talk, I'm free every day from 11 o'clock to 12:15; IM me or call, whatever.
Miss you.
Last week was a doozie. The workload took a dramatic surge upward and just at the time when I needed a little free time. My parents bought me tickets to see John Williams conduct the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the show was Wednesday. I wanted that night to be as stress-free as possible. This meant cramming two-days worth of work, an enormous 2D Design project, drawing assignment, 3D Design project and Digital Design/Type project into the span of one night. At one point I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my skull in protest but, after many, many hours of work, I finished and God was that feeling gratifying. The concert was amazing. I took my friend Ashley and we had a great time being nerds. The pizza we ordered afterward was some of the best tasting food I had ever ingested simply because I hadn't eaten since 8 o'clock that morning.
I spent the weekend in the peace and quiet of my own back yard. I love fall and sitting out beneath the changing trees. The peace of home is such a contrast to the non-stop action of school and, for me at least, it's a necessity. I watched Emily and the rest of the marching band compete in their first-ever band festival hosted by North Union High School. They looked so great and I am still very proud of them. As a group, they sounded great even while missing several key players (namely Casey who is currently recovering from a particularly nasty bout with mono and Davy who took a rather unpleasant spill during school and injured his knee. Guys, we're all thinking about you and hoping you get better soon).
Other than that, my life has consisted of working, eating and sleeping, one of which I am looking forward to doing now.
Note to those who are not attending school due to illness or immobilization and who wish to talk, I'm free every day from 11 o'clock to 12:15; IM me or call, whatever.
Miss you.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Revelations
I made a revelation a few days ago while talking to Dave. In college, weekends are not "week-ends" as much as they are "week-extensions". The work never really ends, certainly not for two whole days. At least for me, weekends in high school meant sleeping in, laying around, watching football, hanging out, having fun. In college, weekends are hard-earned chunks of quiet, precious moments of uninterrupted work time. The work load is growing, my friends. In 2D Design alone I have three rather daunting assignments due in less than a week. I'm not worried though. It's nothing I can't handle.
I've also realized that, in general, I am far more introverted in college as compared to high school. I'm sure this has something to do with my completely new surroundings, group of friends and work load, but over all, I would much rather be alone, in my dorm, drawing and listening to some Pirates or Potter than out gallivanting around campus or the city. I like the quiet, it lets me focus and be productive; some of the happiest times of the week are the ones when I am alone with my music and a pencil.
In keeping the this week's theme, I would like to stress that things are going great here at school. Plans are underway for the annual CCAD Boo Ball (we're going as Death Eaters), I really like the people in my classes, I've made an admirable set of friends who are so remarkably like me we can't help but get along and I've stopped dreading the alarm each morning. That being said, I miss my friends: the original group, the one-and-only. I think about them every day and miss them more than anything else. The lapses of time that pass without hearing anything from them are starting to hurt but I realize that, like me, they are busy. They have more important things to do.
And so, I venture ever onward, sailing swiftly into the Unknown, all the while keeping a weathered eye on the horizon, searching for signs from the past.
I've also realized that, in general, I am far more introverted in college as compared to high school. I'm sure this has something to do with my completely new surroundings, group of friends and work load, but over all, I would much rather be alone, in my dorm, drawing and listening to some Pirates or Potter than out gallivanting around campus or the city. I like the quiet, it lets me focus and be productive; some of the happiest times of the week are the ones when I am alone with my music and a pencil.
In keeping the this week's theme, I would like to stress that things are going great here at school. Plans are underway for the annual CCAD Boo Ball (we're going as Death Eaters), I really like the people in my classes, I've made an admirable set of friends who are so remarkably like me we can't help but get along and I've stopped dreading the alarm each morning. That being said, I miss my friends: the original group, the one-and-only. I think about them every day and miss them more than anything else. The lapses of time that pass without hearing anything from them are starting to hurt but I realize that, like me, they are busy. They have more important things to do.
And so, I venture ever onward, sailing swiftly into the Unknown, all the while keeping a weathered eye on the horizon, searching for signs from the past.
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