Has anyone seen Hunkydory?

NEW SITE.

2009-05-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

www.tehlemonsmith.com

Goodbye old blog, hello new domain.

Necessary Tools.

2009-05-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

9:15 and still finding time to procrastinate from homework and packing. If you notice the blog acting janky, it's because I'm working on changing a few things on the interweb front.

Stomping the Yard or Garbage.

2009-05-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

Summer officially begins in June, but it feels like it's already upon us. Summer brings fresh beginnings. For me, it's going to be a summer home. As of this morning, my current home contains me and me only. All the rooms are barren of furniture and belongings. My room will hold onto my things and me for a couple more days until I move down the road. New roommates, new home, new atmosphere. stoked.

365 Minus 144 Photos.

2009-05-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

I was persuaded into starting one of those photo a day challenges. I haven't spent time with my camera in some time, so my hope is that this will get me into that groove again. Also, I'd like to see my photography improve. Practice makes perfect.

What does this have to do with the blog? Expects pictures up the twiddle dee twiddle dum.

May 25

May 26

May 27

5 Seeds.

2009-05-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

I have five seeds that sit on my window sill. They sit there quietly, biding their time until they are placed in a more hospitable habitat. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them. When I first found them I reactively decided to throw them out, but then hesitated. These seeds could produce any sort of vegetation. It is entirely plausible for these seeds to birth a mighty tree or rare breed of talking flower. Am I doing the world a great disservice by not planting these seedlings? Or maybe they are poisonous seedlings that will cause turmoil and strife wherever they grow. These are the types of questions and thoughts I need to mull over before I make an absolute decision. I will let you know of the outcome at a later date, until then they shall sit.

September, The First Day Of School

2009-05-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

I

My child and I hold hands on the way to school,
And when I leave him at the first-grade door
He cries a little but is brave; he does
Let go. My selfish tears remind me how
I cried before that door a life ago.
I may have had a hard time letting go.

Each fall the children must endure together
What every child also endures alone:
Learning the alphabet, the integers,
Three dozen bits and pieces of a stuff
So arbitrary, so peremptory,
That worlds invisible and visible

Bow down before it, as in Joseph's dream
The sheaves bowed down and then the stars bowed down
Before the dreaming of a little boy.
That dream got him such hatred of his brothers
As cost the greater part of life to mend,
And yet great kindness came of it in the end.

II

A school is where they grind the grain of thought,
And grind the children who must mind the thought.
It may be those two grindings are but one,
As from the alphabet come Shakespeare's Plays,
As from the integers comes Euler's Law,
As from the whole, inseperably, the lives,

The shrunken lives that have not been set free
By law or by poetic phantasy.
But may they be. My child has disappeared
Behind the schoolroom door. And should I live
To see his coming forth, a life away,
I know my hope, but do not know its form

Nor hope to know it. May the fathers he finds
Among his teachers have a care of him
More than his father could. How that will look
I do not know, I do not need to know.
Even our tears belong to ritual.
But may great kindness come of it in the end.

-Howard Nemerov

When I am lucky, I mean really really lucky I get a call from my boss asking if I can wake up at 5:30 in the morning to work the before school starts shift. I don't talk much during the shift, because my body doesn't truly awaken until around 8ish. So I sit on the table and watch the parents drop their children off. Some farewells are all smiles but others remind me of this poem.

I got a new computer.

2009-05-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

and i think it might be a robot spy.

Get up and Move

2009-05-20T11:00:00.001-07:00

What should we be doing with ourselves?

Lately I’ve been reading more on this subject than usual. Whenever I have one recurring thought sifting around it seems that I become bombarded with readings or conversations that add to the ever growing thought-dune. Maybe because its graduation season or maybe because I’m sensitive to it there seems to be more talk about what people ought to be doing with their life. Or maybe this is a constant conversation throughout the world or at least western societies. When I was younger I had the idea that once this question was answered it would leave you. But now I realize that this question will follow each of us through our lives looking for an answer and once the answer has been given it will be used to evaluate and shape our lives.

I have friends who have graduated and those that will become graduates soon and I’ve come to witness two types of graduates. The first type is the graduate with a plan. They are taking up jobs, traveling around the world, and jumping right into life. Then there is the second type, the waiting graduate. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Depending on the circumstance waiting is not always bad, but if you are going to sit on your bottom for some treasure to plop in your lap you are foolish. That isn’t going to happen.

When I first moved out of my parent’s home I moved to the small coastal city of Santa Barbara. My experience in Santa Barbara was critical in the making of who I am today. The first few months that I lived there I sat. I was of the second type sitting quietly biding my time until I received my prize. I sat in hopes for friends. I sat in hopes for a job. I wanted a lot of things to happen, but instead of seeking my desires I sat. Needless to say, nothing happened. It was during those few months that I realized that we as individuals are given the will to steer our lives. Nothing is accomplished, if everyone is waiting for another to take the initiative. Part of my reason for sitting was in the belief that God would pick you up and carry you in the direction that he wanted. Thankfully I eventually learned this isn’t the case at all. God helps point us in the directions that He wants but He’s not going to be able to guide you if you aren’t moving.

This is just a rehashing of what more eloquent writers have already said, but it needs to be said until us sitters get it through those thick heads of ours. Stop sitting, go out there and make things happen.

advice.

2009-05-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

Have you parked on a hill lately? Remember to cramp those tires!

-tyler

p.s. cramping can be defined as a painful sensation in your muscles or an unneeded technical term for turning your wheels towards the curb.

Billabong Pro Teahupoo

2009-05-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Billabong Pro Teahupoo is knocking out their final heats before the Quarters today in Tahiti.

The surf is looking average and not the Teahupoo slab that we often see. Should still be interesting, as the day is starting off with Andy Irons against Bobby Martinez. I'm rooting for Santa Barbara raised Bobby.

Aliens and an Apocalyptic Earth

2009-05-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Two movies that are bringing the stoke.

District Nine.

Produced by Peter Jackson. Whether you loved, hated or just felt meh about King Kong there is no doubt that the man tries to make epic movies. He's the man behind Lord of the Rings, enough said. As for District Nine, it's got the middle east, aliens, racism and aliens. I've got high hopes for this one.

The Road.

The Road was written by Cormac McCarthy, the literary genius behind No Country for Old Men and Blood Meridian. If you haven't had the chance to read any of McCarthy's work I would suggest starting with The Road. It's easier to consume than some of his other works, as McCarthy has a way with using words that most never knew existed. The Road is a work that once started can not be set down. It's the story of father and son in a ruined world. The trailer portrays the story as an apocalyptic action plot, which it is not. I hope they stay true to the plot and feeling of the book in this movie adaptation. Nonetheless, I am excited to see this movie. Read the book before you watch the movie!

LeftRightLeftRightleft

2009-05-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Coldplay's handing out free downloads of it's Live performance to all it's fans.

Check It!

Who is John Galt?

2009-05-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

There's this sign that is posted on the road to my work with the words, "Who is John Galt?" I looked it up online and according to Wikipedia it is an "expression of helplessness and despair at the current state of the world." The phrase is coined from the book Atlas Shrugged. I've been meaning to add something foolish to it since I first saw it, just because that's the way I work. I see an opportunity for foolishness, so I must take it. This is what I came up with....

Jesus is Bangala.

2009-05-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

It's complete. I'm left with the knowledge of that which was once not there and a story that will forever be in my mind. Isn't that how all books are? Once finished, they spring through your memory in the most random of times bringing the ideas and themes straight to the forefront of your thoughts. My most recent read was The Poisonwood Bible. Just as other books based in foreign countries, my false concept of a land that I've never stepped foot on is shattered.

The Poisonwood Bible is the story of the Pierce family. Led by Nathan Pierce, his wife and four daughters follow him into the heart of the Congo to be missionaries. The tale is told by the wife and her four daughters. Through this story you begin to break the surface of understanding what Africa truly is. It's a country that has been manhandled by the world and left in shambles. The book gives ideas on how the world should go about fixing this wounded country, but as the book alludes it's not one action but many actions that will hopefully bring the country to it's feet.

I'd recommend this book to anyone.

The Talking Heart.

2009-05-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

If my heart could talk I've decided that he would have the voice of an Australian, only muffled. It's still up in the air whether he would be into kangaroos and wearing aussie fashion, but I'm certain he'd have the boomerang from that mouse on the Rescuers Down Under.

Waxing gibbous.

2009-05-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

I open the internet to find this on my Google reader. The moon phase today is "Waxing gibbous."

What?! Isn't that a Harry Potter Spell or possibly the scientific name of the anteater? Who decided to call the moon phase this silly name?

Well, besides giving me a good morning laugh this now known moon fact has given me two goals for the day.

To inform everyone I come into contact with that the moon phase tonight is waxing gibbous.
To look at the moon tonight and decide if the moon is in fact waxing gibbous.

Francis Chan.

2009-04-30T19:10:00.001-07:00

Clickeh

Watch/Listen to Living to Display the Gospel. Found this through another blog, but after watching I had to share.

Conversation.

2009-04-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Some Jehovah's Witnesses knocked on my door last week. Before I knew what was happening we were in the living room talking about the disciples, the bible and San Diego. Nothing strengthens your knowledge and understanding of your faith more than having to explain it to another person.

Glorify God.

2009-04-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." -Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire)

Wild Bees!

2009-04-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Readers, it's not every day that I wake to surprises, but today is one of those days. As I write these words, there is a multitude of buzzing, bzzing, bees making sweet sweet honey in my backyard. They've taken up shop right in the back of the old shed that sits in the forest of weeds. I've already ran outside, investigated the whole situation and have come back unscathed and pleased.

Last night I was reading a novel called, “The Poisonwood Bible.” It's a fiction about a missionary family that goes to Africa to preach the gospel. In one of the chapters there is mention of an African who harvests honey from the wild bees. Lighting a torch he raises the smoky fire around the hive and the smoke drives the bees out. The temptation to give this a try over the weekend is strong. The thought of eating fresh honey seems marvelous, but my roommate thinks it's downright foolish. Not only do angry bees sting, but the honeycomb outcome could be a failure. Bees are prone to all kinds of parasites, and if they become infected the honey can be bad. I'm still uncertain if the risk is worth it, but if the weekend becomes dull I might just go for it.

I will have to think this one over a sandwich of peanut butter, honey and banana

Prophets: God's Mediators/God's Crazies

2009-04-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel is weird, like really really weird. Reading about him is captivating, but let's be honest if there was a guy walking around San Diego baking biscuits on a pile of burning shit to symbolize a famine, all the while claiming that it was God who told him to do this I'd be skeptical. Not only would I be skeptical, I'd think the guy was ape-crazy or into hardcore drugs. Man, the bible is strange. God told Ezekiel to do that. To eat bread that was baked on a fire of dried dung to symbolize a famine that is associated with a siege. Granted it was a method of trying to tell Jerusalem what was going to go on, but still it's weird. Weird. weird.

The church I go to has been going through this whole series on risk, taking risks. They want people to mentally grasp the power of the resurrection. The resurrection is powerful, it's huge. It's the pivotal point of Christianity where we get a glimpse of God's plan for mankind's restoration. Everyone nods their head in church when asked if they believe in the resurrection. But why don't we show it? If we believe that a man was resurrected, that he died and then rose again because he wasn't just a man, he was a God man. Than why don't we act like it? Why don't we tell more people about it? I talk more about the newest episode of The Office than about God. I talk more about gas prices and their effect on me, than Christ and his influence on my life. And you want to know why we don't talk about God with others, it's because we are scared. We're scared that people will think we are weird, we're scared that people will be skeptical of what we believe. Something is wrong when we would rather be comfortable around people than share something that has eternal consequence.

This whole situation is more ironic because we've all heard this rant before. We read or hear or think it and become convicted. Mentally we tell ourselves that we need to change, but we don't because we are pussies. That's the truth.

What is good.

2009-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

a long drive with a friend.

santa cruz surf.

exploring a castle.

hanging out at the laboratory with doc and hazel.

Picture of my Food on a blog. LOL!

2009-04-01T09:52:00.001-07:00

Yes Mother, I know how to cook. Well, sort of. This is a called the "Fiery Breathe of Oscar." Starting with a chunk of frozen hamburger and ending in a mixture of the forgotten foods from the pantry, it ended up making a decent meal. It almost reminded me of a home cooked meal that my mom made, if she had forgotten to cook the rice.

In other news, I started schoolery online. Not only do I feel myself getting smarter, but I am getting brighter. Not the smart definition of bright, more of the sunshine bright. I've started radiating much like how a heater puts off heat or a microwave throws out waves. This new phenomenon probably has a lot to do with the fact that I got scorched by the sun over the past few weekends.

Besides the brightness, school is well. I take three classes every eight weeks. Right now I'm nearly halfway done with a basic accounting, biblical studies, and theology 101 course. courses. Accounting is what it sounds like. Boring as hell. The theology and bible class are awesome though. It's weird to see that even though I've been in the Church my whole life I'm still being taught absolutely new things when it comes to the bible. Right now, I'm blazing through the old testament with my textbook at hand as it helps commentate and explain passages and narrations. The first time I read through the whole old testament was a few years ago. I would compare my first reading like watching a few random episodes of LOST. You get a story here and there, you kind of understand what's going on, but you are missing a lot. This second rereading is like watching seasons 1-5 back to back. You still get all the little stories, but now they aren't just random stories, they are all connected. You've got all these weird characters, bogus laws, and crazy nations living life and although at first you think they are totally unrelated, through time you realize each story is bound together in one giant story that has no ending, just many epic climaxes. I like it.

Bank Teller Riddlers

2009-03-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

I'm fighting for U2 and Kanye's fans.

Bank Teller Riddlers Composed by Tyler.

Mouth 0. Sheriff 1.

2009-02-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

My nails. They are little buggers that won't stop growing. They've got wicked sick powers that make them grow like beanstalks. Little clear beanstalks that don't need magic beans to get going. Life's pretty good for them, except there's this outlaw that comes into town and starts pushing everybody around. His name is “The Mouth.” He's downright nasty and has no manners. He barges into town demanding everything and taking what he wants. The nails are no match against this villain. He plunders daily and leaves nothing but ruins. The nails hate the mouth. I hate the mouth.

Whenever any small town is threatened by a group of mangy rustlers, there is one man who can take them on. He's the sheriff and let me tell you, he is one badass cowboy. He's got accuracy up the wazoo and the reflexes of a lion. In my case, this would be my mind. The sheriff rides into town and notices that Beanstalk Town is messed up. He sees one of the little beanstalks all cut up. Sheriff gives little beanstalk some water from his canteen. Sadly little beanstalk's heart stops. He will grow no more, but right before his last breath he tells the Sheriff all about The Mouth. Enraged the Sheriff shouts for The Mouth at the top of his lungs.

The Mouth has just finished shooting everyone in the saloon. He hears the sheriff and guzzles down a glass of whiskey before making his way to the dusty main street.

The Mouth. The Sheriff. No one else. It's quiet and both men squint through the sunlight at each other. The Mouth starts to talk, but it's too late the Sheriff has shot him dead. This isn't fairytale land, this is real life. This is Beanstalk Town and this is their story. Deal with it.

Q.C.

2009-02-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

"That's strange, I've never been able to taste pumpkin spice before."
-Quentin Comdel

He was born in Russia during the great escapade of King Toutille. Upon his birth his parents were placed into instant conflict. Their newborn had a disorder. Doctors of the time were baffled because they had never seen anything quite like it. Modern day doctors have since named it the "Little Shakey Dance" disorder. This abnormality would cause the baby boy to shake, shake his booty. He was a dancing baby. The second a beat entered through his little ears he'd be grooving and moving to the beat. This struck horror into the hearts of his parents because during this age dancing was completely forbidden. King Toutille had signed a decree stating that all dancing Russians were to be put to death. His reasoning was that the power of dance was too great, if it was harnessed and placed into the wrong hands it could have devastating effects.

Long story short, Quentin grew up in the underground of Russia. He learned to harness the power of dance at the age of eight. He spent the next 5 years of his life learning all manners of dance and inventing some moves of his own. At the age of 13 he waltzed into Moscow to the beat of "PapayaPapaya." Officials tried to arrest him but were unable. King Toutille declared war against Quentin and sent everything he had at the boy. Quentin shimmied into a contagious disco fever sending the whole Russian army into a great dance. The King contracted the fever but his heart was made of pure evil, so he died. Quentin Comdel took over the kingship and danced the rest of his life away. He even danced on the moon one time.

-The End

Plants, Sun, and Gardening Gloves.

2009-02-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

This is my last week as a paid handyman. I spent the last six months tending the property of the historic Rosecroft Estate. As this final stretch has begun, I find it ironic how I can tell that I'm going to miss the place. It was definitely a job that grew on me. I remember the first time I drove up to start work. I was greeted with a firm handshake from a quick talking American man. That handshake initiated the hundreds of hours that I would spend pruning, grooming and cleaning.

It was this job that taught me to innovate, engineer or just plain jimmyrig your way through problems. I became a wizard of power tools, the master of the broom and a brush artist. My hands learned how to work the soil in ways that would put Gaara to shame.

Reminiscing will occur about this job, but for now there will only be smiling. The feeling of having just left a job is so great that I'll be wearing a grin for the next few weeks. Farewell Rosecroft!

Comedian Louis CK.

2009-02-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen this floating around the internet yet, you will see it now.

Paste Creatures

2009-02-21T14:30:00.000-08:00

Everybody has rituals, except for me. That's false, completely false. I'm riddled with rituals. Like Clint Eastwood has his gruffy voice so do I have my rituals.

Before I plunge my body into the ocean to partake in it's stoke I stand on the sand and deliver a prayer to God. It is my routine, I never miss it, nor do I prethink about it. It just comes to me when it's time. I picked up this ritual through a friend. It was something he always did before he surfed and it was something that I grabbed ahold of.

As a kid my dad made deviled eggs sandwiches every sunday morning. To this day I don't understand why he did it, especially since that after a few years of it my brothers and I refused to eat them. He ate frosted flakes on the weekdays before heading off to work, so the only reason I can find for the egg sandwiches is that he had more time on Sunday before church and he liked them better than pancakes. Whatever the case, that was one of his rituals.

Than there was the other day when I was preparing my toothbrush with toothpaste. Before I put it in my mouth I turned the faucet on and wet the paste. Why do I wet the paste? It's something that I've done for the past twentytwo years and haven't ever thought about until this point. As everyone has heard we, humans, are creatures of habit. We have rituals, routines, ways of life that we act through day in and day out. It's important for us to take a look at them and question them. I'm not saying it's time for us to stop making our deviled eggs sandwiches, but maybe it's time for us to change the way we brush our teeth.

President Pretend Day

2009-02-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

Once a year we have one day that is set aside for remembrance and honor of the Presidents of the United States. Thinking back I have never sat down on a President's Day to remember the present and past Presidents. It seems to me that the majority of Americans, including myself, just enjoy the day for it's addition to our weekend. I don't think anything is wrong with that but I believe there is a solution that will fix this broken holiday.

I'd like to propose that instead of making this a day in which we think about our presidents, we make it a day in which we all pretend that we are the President! It would be awesome. Dressing up is optional, but ditching out on administrative duties isn't. Everyone would wake up and have a meeting in which they'd have to make really tough decisions that would alter the lives of people you've never met. Around lunch time you could imagine yourself spilling some coca-cola on the desk in your very own white house. In the evening, you'd watch some television and than go to a fundraiser dinner.

During my President pretend day I'd give people handshakes and always have a smile at the ready. I'd go hang out by the pool at Camp David and than jog around town with a group of secret agents always at the ready. Shouting out that I am the President would be necessary every now and than just so others knew that I was the President and not them. Oh, and if I had to pretend to be one certain President. I would pick Abraham Lincoln, except that I would pretend that I dodged the assassination bullet and went on to become one of the greatest President this country has known.

One last thing...does anyone else think that it's funny that we have a mountain with the faces of Presidents carved into it?

We cut the legs off our pants.

2009-02-11T12:48:00.001-08:00

The past month has been much more musical than normal. I set up a piano keyboard next to my computer and ever since music has been abudant. I rediscovered Basshunter and all of his swedish techno beats. It's funny how a song can have such a powerful effect on a person and his/her emotions.
All it takes is fifteen seconds with the thumping beats and my mindship takes sail across the great sea of imagination. Last time I finished a full Basshunter song I was convinced that I was going to commandeer the Star of India and set out into the great blue.

Also on my music playlist is the always smiling Matt and Kim. Matt and Kim are so happy that it makes me smile. I hope they make you smile too. My goal for the next week is to learn this song on the piano and than find a drummer girl.

Listen to music, it's got powers.

ink pen.

2009-02-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

I received the gift of a Precise V5 Rolling Ball pen constructed by Pilot over the summer. It's smooth flow of ink and fine tip made it the ultimate writing utensil. I used it for the better half of a year. It's magical ink produced drawings, writings and signatures. It followed me through life. It saw me through the paperwork of jobs, tax returns and random doodlings. Without it I would have survived, I would have been able to live life but the joy of the pressing it's buttery tip against paper is a joy that I would have never known.

Goodbye Pen, you were good to me.

Longer Posts on the way

2009-01-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

Don't ever trust a badger.

Believe it!

2009-01-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

There needs to be some kind of limit controller that only allows a person to view so much television and internet per week. My mom would tell me that it’s already been invented and that it’s called self control. Well if that’s the case, mine is broken. From time to time I get pulled straight into some new show and if it’s got action, suspense and a case of the funnies than it straight up shakes me as a person. It started with LOST and branched out to The Office and Arrested Development. A few months ago I was introduced to 30 Rock and I allowed it to suck up my time as I enjoyed episode after episode until I was eventually caught up. Well folks, it has happened again. This time it happens to be a cartoon, a Japanese cartoon. It’s the story of a young boy named Naruto. He’s a lovable, knuckleheaded kid who aspires to be the leader of his village. One of the cool things about this kid (besides the fact that he is a badass fighter) is that he’s got this list of ‘nindos’ as he calls them. They are his morals as a ninja and as a person. He never gives up and he doesn’t run away. Another is that he never goes back on his word.

If anyone questions him on his integrity or his goal he lets his nindos known. He shouts them out at times to let everyone know what he’s about. If people don’t believe his words he backs them with actions. I like this characteristic. I like it a lot. I think I’ve gotten too comfortable with being quiet. There are times for silence, but there is also a time for words. Loving words that let others know who you are and what you stand for. I’ve been inflicted with this idea that it’s better not too spout off my mouth. At times yes, it might not be appropriate. But there are times when words are needed to be said and I’ve kept my mouth shut. Shame on me.

For now on I will not hold my tongue when words are meant to be said. That is my nendo. Better to be outspoken, than not to be heard at all right?

I’d also like it to be known that I have been fully nerdified. The only thing holding me back from complete nerd was comic books and anime. Let’s just say they aren’t holding me back anymore.

A Messy Day with lots of "That's what she said!"

2009-01-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

Years from now we will all be married, well maybe everyone except Thomas (I jest, I jest). At some point our wives will look us in the eyes and ask the question that all married women ask their husbands.

“Can we please have the floor tiled?”

She’ll hand over the number of a professional tile layer and start talking about how the carpet, hardwood floor or carpet just isn’t cutting it anymore. We’ll glance at the number on the card and shake our heads. Little does the wife know that no tile layer is needed, her very own husband can do it! As we drive off to Home Depot for the necessary tools and supplies we’ll reflect on December 23rd of 2008.

It was Christmas time and all of the friendlies were home for the holidays. There was Mike, Thomas, the Vevoda brothers and Tyler. Earlier that week while hanging out Jon, the older Vevoda brother, had told us about a fun room his parents were creating. The room’s sole purpose was for T.V., LANs, and laughter. As he painted the pictures in our minds he told us that it needed to be completed before Christmas. The room was nearly ready it just needed to be tiled. Jon was going to attempt it solo, but we instantly knew what had to be done. Gathering knee pads and our spirits we congregated in the room on the day before Christmas Eve. The air that day was chilled and rains came down in showers. The moody weather had no affect on us as we started to plan on how to tile the floor. The sum of our knowledge on laying tile added up to about ten points on a scale of 100. We did not know how to lay tile, but we were determined on figuring it out. We realized that there would be different tasks. Globbers, spreaders, cutters, measurers, and layers were jobs that needed to be filled. We each took a position and were responsible for learning and mastering our newly given skill. Each person was needed and everyone relied on each other. The work went slow and the day had ups and downs. There were power tools that broke and scuffles over how to properly spread a dallop but we persevered. It took about twelve hours and on the morning of Christmas Eve it was complete. The floor had been tiled. We were all dead beat tired but it was worth it. We now were tile layers.

As we worked through that day I thought it was ridiculous how someone would allow some college goofballs with no experience in laying tile to lay their tile. Ridiculous or not, I’m thankful. We gained a skill that day that will travel with us through our lives, right beside the memories of that day. It will also save us a buck or two when our wives want something tiled.

I liked 2008.

2008-12-18T19:58:00.001-08:00

A year in review.

It’s always surprising to look back at a year and realize just how much has really happened. In the span of 12 months people change, I change and life keeps going on. In remembrance of 2008 I will answer some questions. Here they are…

Favorite Dried Fruit of 2008: Apricots, Apricots, Apricots. It took me 21 years of living to understand that dried fruit can be just as tasty as real fruit.
Favorite book read in 2008: I can’t limit this to only one answer it’s just impossible. I’ll give my top three in no particular order. “The Road” by Cormick McCarthy. “Surprised by Joy” by N.T. Wright. “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. Each of these books captured my interest from cover to cover. I’d recommend them to anyone.
Favorite Album of 2008: Weezer’s Red Album. I’m a fanboy so if you EVER insult the legend known as Weezer I might douse you in pencil shavings and than shout horrible things at you.
Favorite color of 2008: I still like blue.
Favorite new raquetesque game of 2008: Ping pong, it’s a lot more fun than it looks.
Favorite Board game of 2008: Settler’s of Catan. It’s like heroin without the needles.
The location of the hardest laugh I laughed of 2008: I wrote this question and than realized I couldn’t answer it. I’m sure that it was either at Hume, the Vevoda’s kitchen or in my room.
Things that stopped in 2008: My bladder, it has been 3 months since the last time I urinated.
Words that came apart of my regular vocabulary in 2008: pots and pans fun, pepperjack stevens, and aperture.
2008 of my favorite puddings: Chocolate, Banana, Furrberry, Bubblepops, Tingletangle Jelly, Sebastiany smooth, French Vanilla, plain vanilla, strawberry, pineapple and pepperjack stevens.

Oh 2008! You were wonderful to me. What made the year so special were the people in my life. I sincerely love everyone who was able to participate in life with me. Friends, family and even you, Mr. Burrito maker at Chipotle, I hope this year was as good to you as well. I love you all. Have a good end of 2008!

My Justification for Littering.

2008-12-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying that I do recycle. I don't own personal grocery bags yet but I always ask for paper. Sometimes when I feel extra environmentally conscious I'll pour my used oil into a milk jug rather than the street drain. So for the most part I would consider myself a friend of the planet. Her and I are pretty solid buddies. We don't hang out all the time but we always say hello. With that said let me give a brief story.

As a kid my parents would take my brothers and I to my grandfather's walnut ranch. It wasn't the biggest ranch being only 4 acres but it seemed humongous to a few little boys. We'd wander the barns and fields looking for anything of interest. Some of our more memorable findings included rusty tools, old bottles and mouse traps. But on one very special occasion I found something much, much better. I remember walking on a recently tilled field and finding a couple of golden keys tucked away in the dirt. This was awesome. In my mind these keys could be the keys to anything. Upon finding the keys I promptly tried them in all the locks I came in contact with. No car, house, mailbox or store lock was left untested. My imagination whizzed and whirled at the possibility that some day my golden keys would unlock something.

So I do litter on the occasion that I am done with a key. Once every few years I'll go through my key chain and downsize it. Keys get on it and they are never used. They are just dead weight. So being the understanding person that I am I throw them on the ground. That's right, I drop them in parking lots or throw them in some bushes. Heck, if I was by the ocean I'd chuck them right in the thick it. My reasoning is simple, one of the greatest finds for a young child is finding a key on the ground. To a child it becomes more than a key; it becomes a catalyst for imagination.

I kept my golden keys for a long time in a drawer filled with wonders. I never did figure out what those keys unlocked, but in my little boy brain I was convinced that they were the keys to lost pirate treasure. The keys had been discovered, but the treasure would remain lost forever.

San Diego Wanderings

2008-12-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

I spend time thinking about writing, but I am not feeling the drive to do it. So instead here's some pictures from my wanderings around Diego.

The Sunset Cliffs.

Ocean Beach is a smaller Santa Cruz. Hippis, markets, and good surf.

Of course, I have to get some shots of the sea.

Graffiti can be cool.

It can also be offensive.

Here's a kid telling jokes for money. Looks like the business is going well.

That's a wrap, now you are all under Citizen's Arrest! I'm serious, you are under arrest.

Edit: Arggghh! I thought the photos were perfectly aligned with the format! Just pretend I did it for artistic purposes.

The Veggie Style Carol

2008-12-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

I think I may have discovered the real meaning of Christmas.

el foto

2008-12-07T17:52:00.001-08:00

I spent an unordinary amount of time on the streets of San Diego this weekend. I walked everywhere from Balboa park to downtown to Ocean Beach pier. The reason was to take pictures, lots and lots of pictures.

It started late Friday when the UPS man dropped off a brand new Canon camera into my hands. Opening it from the box I realized I had no idea how to work the machine, let alone put it together. It was one of those moments when you’re forced to stand back and read the instructions when all you want to do is use, use, use. I eventually got the camera up and working and than promptly spent my whole weekend taking pictures.

After many so-so pictures I realized the myth that by spending more money on a camera you will instantly start taking breathtaking photos. In between the hours of wandering around town, I’d break at my house to study up on photography lingo and tips. The concepts of aperture and ISO along with exposure and focus are starting to seep and take shape into my mind. The idea that you can constantly get better through teachings and trials makes my new photography hobby even more fun.

Taking pictures is more fun than washing windows and smiling. Actually I take that back, smiling is solid fun.

Cardboard Masterpieces

2008-11-30T12:49:00.001-08:00

It’s a process, a slow one that takes time and than a bit more time. I’m in the motions of decorating my room. This whole concept started on the day after Thanksgiving when I heard that Joann’s Fabrics and Crafts was having a sale. My goal was to walk in with a few bucks and walk out with paints, brushes and canvases. Well I did walk in with a few bucks but I only walked out with paints and brushes. Who knew that canvases are so dang expensive? It was only a small setback, because there was a ton of cardboard sitting around the garage. I went straight to work.

The first product is the closet friendly Hip hip. He’s a forward looking man who enjoys a good pipe smoke. He’s well versed in deep thought and even more schooled in the latest fashion. His current habitat is the deep end of my closet. Every day he welcomes me with that strange bearded face of his. I’ve started to question his habits as he is always smoking. That cannot be good for his lungs, plus it always makes my shirts smell smoky. Although he is quiet, I have become fond of my new friend.

The next painting is from times of old, back when monsters enjoyed racing pirate ships. Many debates have occurred due to this piece of art. Art historians are divided on whether the painting depicts the monster as friend or foe. Those who view the monster as an enemy point out the very sharp spikes on its body.

The counterargument for the friendly monster concentrates on the facial expression of the beast. How could the monster be evil with a face like that?This argument will most likely continue until the end of time. If anything, this painting reminds me that sometimes you must understand and accept that others will have differing opinions from you.

Ramblings

2008-11-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

I discovered that i do in fact own a type of video camera. I also discovered that I have too much time on my hands.

The Street.

2008-11-25T16:07:00.000-08:00

It's strange how we live in neighborhoods full of people. We work, sleep, eat and live in these communities of people that we hardly know. We live so close, yet are as distant as any other stranger in the world.

Thanks

2008-11-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

A friend sent me an e-mail of a proclamation made by George Washington about what Thanksgiving really means. It's interesting to see a leader that recognizes what God has done for our country.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Lunar moon, luna bar.

2008-11-14T18:47:00.001-08:00

I was on a road trip with some friends. The car was packed with all kinds of snacks so I grabbed a bar to eat. I gulped the treat down before looking at the wrapper.

Big, big mistake.

This wasn’t any type of nutrition bar; it was a Luna bar or to quote straight from the wrapper 'The whole nutrition bar for women.' It was at that moment as I read about the benefits the bar had for women that I knew terrible bodily reactions were coming in my direction. I wasn’t sure if the bar was going to tip my testosterone levels into estrogen land, but I had to know what that feminine bar was going to do to my body. I quickly called the customer service hotline and got to a message machine. I left my information (age, height, weight) and clearly stated that I was concerned for my safety being a male that had just consumed woman food.

It took a few days, but the company got back to me. I was in class so they left a message for me. Here it is….

Hi this is Emily, I’m returning your phone call from Luna bar regarding the smores bar. You mentioned that you had a bite and that you are a man and were wandering if anything was going to happen. Rest assured you will be fine. The only reason that we market these bars for women is because fortify them with vitamins and minerals that women need on a daily basis such as folic acid, iron and calcium.But these are things men need anyway, it’s just harder for women to find them in a regular diet so we just make a bar and put it in for them. I hope that answers your question. Go ahead and give me a call back if you have any further comments, questions or concerns. Thanks for calling.

Thanks to the great customer service of Emily from Luna Bar I am safe. If I could give a tip to Luna I'd advise the company not to market them as women bars because how are men to know that they are not poisonous. Some would say a nickel for your thoughts, but that one is on the house. Take it to heart Luna Bar.

Pepperjacks.

2008-11-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

If furniture could talk, I’d teach my dinette set how to sing. That way I could pretend that I’m in a Disney movie or that I’m a singing dinner table.

I used to only eat Chinese food for breakfast, but than I discovered that rice krispies aren’t Chinese.

On Saturdays I like to use the phrase ‘cinnamon stick’. It makes me feel like I’m in a spice factory.

When I finish changing the oil in my car I pour the old stuff in the bushes, because no one wants old oil.

One time I found a dead hummingbird in my box of cracker jacks, I wasn’t sure if it was the toy surprise so I held onto it. I threw up all the caramel coated popcorn later that night. I’m still not sure if that hummingbird was the surprise or not.

The Earth is Flat.

2008-11-12T22:27:00.001-08:00

There's this kid named Donovan. He's in second grade and has corn rows. His front two teeth are missing, but his gums brace the gap until the reinforcements arrive. His human trick is that he can flip his eyelids, making the girls scream and the guys envious. Although a bit rambunctious he's a good kid, I like him.

He needed some help with homework so I overlooked the handout he was working on. For this worksheet you had to read a paragraph and than answer the questions pertaining to what you just read. The story was about fool’s gold and the question he needed help with was ‘Who would you talk to if you wanted to know about real gold?” To help him out I thought I would rephrase the question, so I asked ‘Who would you go to in a mall to talk about gold or expensive jewelry?” His answer was quick and sure sounding.

Christopher Columbus.

Well done Donovan, I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile.

I drink sugar water.

2008-11-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

Some days I wake and have this almost unnatural amount of joy that swells up in my soul. Usually when this happens I have somewhere that I need to be. So it’s guaranteed that I’m going to be stuck in my car driving while tiny, cotton candy fireworks are going off in my stomach.

It gets out of hand quickly as I start talking to myself and waving at those who pass by. Last time this happened I managed to drive a good ten minutes while singing some Killers with my best pirate accent which, if you heard it, is only me singing louder and shouting that I’m a pirate every few seconds. Once I start settling down I start praising God for the joy that he has filled me with and than I’ll go on with my day.

I think of these moments as pivotal epiphany moments because shortly after the experience I’ll evaluate what’s going on with my life. Are my priorities right? Am I living a life that brings glory to God? Are my days meaningful?

I’d like to say that I can pass any test that I give myself, but if I am honest than it’s not always the case. I handle multiplication exams with ease and my occasional forced hearing/eye tests are still in the clear. But when it comes to checking out how things are really going for me, that’s when I can get in trouble.

I’m glad for this though. Some people have their lives rocked by a death or job loss and than start asking the tough questions. So far, God only has to make me happy for a couple hours and I start to reshift my life how it should be. It’s like a weird sort of positive reinforcement reverse psychology. Thank you child development and thank you God.

I don't like

2008-11-07T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Insert key.

Let's be serious, no one knows for sure what it's real purpose is. The only thing we can be certain about when it comes to the insert key is that it is equivalent to a hungry alligator and the devil. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing that you just typed over a fully completed sentence because you accidentally clicked the insert key.

For those of you who might not have spent much time on the computer typing let me help you understand the insert key. It sits amongst six other keys. I like to think of them as brothers with the insert key as the deceitful, evil brother. Now the sole purpose of the insert key is destruction so once it has been activated it will destroy anything in it's path. Let's pretend that I just typed the sentence "Grandpa ate fourteen pats of butter" and that I wanted to add to the sentence. I would drag my mouse and click where I'd like to add a few words. The second I start to type the insert key would start it's mischief.

"Grandpa ate fourteenhundrend butter"

That makes no sense, what happened to the 'pats of'? Oh I see, the greedy insert key ate them!

and that's why I hate you insert key.

Deep Sleep Hiccups

2008-10-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

It's 6:30 in the morning and my phone alarm sounds off. No matter how much you like Beethoven, he sounds terribly upsetting when the sun hasn't risen yet. I jumped out of bed to shut the noise off so as not to disturb my sleeping roommate and as I stood I realized my forthcoming catastrophe. My right leg was dead asleep. So much asleep that there was no way it was going to support me. I crashed into the ground. It was more of a high five between my face and the ground than a good baseball slide fall. Bummer.

What was interesting was that my leg stayed asleep for the next five or so minutes. It was so much asleep that if my sleeping leg touched my non-sleeping leg it felt like something other than my body was touching it. Weird.

I was reminded of a little girl I saw on the Today Show as I poked at my dead leg. She had a rare disorder where she hiccuped constantly. It was funny to watch at first and than you realized that this girl was in pain. Her throat was extraordinarily raw from all that hiccuping and the problem was disrupting all aspects of her life. No fun at all.

Occasionally in science classes you hear teachers talk about how viruses and bacteria can mutate to become resilient against some medicine or such. What if a virus was developed that combined the hiccuping disaster plus the ole sleeping leg? The doctors would have a hell of a hard time naming it. Personally I'd call it the "Deep Sleep Hiccups" because 'Deep' rhymes with 'Sleep' and you have to have the word hiccup in there, but I'm sure the medical community would find something a bit more professional to call this upcoming epidemic.

In other news: I got accepted into PLNU. I recently bought a five dollar hot and ready from Little Ceasers and I'm on the lookout for a free upright wall piano. Godspeed.

Two Things.

2008-10-20T20:04:00.001-07:00

I got a job, two jobs. One is going to be easy and the other is going to produce good social stories.

I have watched 1 + 1/2 seasons of 30 Rock over the course of 7 days. That much TV isn't bad for me, it's crazy. I have a passionate desire to move to New York and become a writer for SNL even if it means the hagerdashery of me.

Keep your eyes open for the village burglar.

Coin Holder

2008-09-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

There is something to be said about a good coin holder. This is mine, it's a sturdy glass holder that brings a smile to my face every time I see it. Can you see how many coins it holds? Quite a few. Sometimes I stick things besides coins in it. Right now it holds some cards, a book of matches and a wine cork. If I'm feeling imaginative I'll pretend that it's holding really hot lava. oooooooh, it warms my hands in the chilly afternoons. My buddy Ficus likes to pretend that it's also holding really good poetry. I told him that the only way to get it out is through short sips. He wasn't too excited about it.

Even though it's only a glass full of coins it is a trooper. Adabella Radici once said that, "If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort." I've always said that if I had to sum up comfort in one word, it would be coin holder. It's the simple knowing that you've got a few more coins even when the bank is empty. Thank you coin holder.

Mad Hatters and Firemen

2008-09-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

The last week has been a blur of job searching, school applying and surfing. Oh, and also reading. I finished reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Fahrenheit 451. Pretty interesting books. Multiple times I've heard people talk about how Lewis Carroll must have been on some type of drugs to have written his Alice books. Although they were a bit bizarre, the story was a children story. I read a short biography on the dude and the story was written for a little girl named Alice, not a drug lord named Jaberwocky. I'm glad I cleared that up.

Fahrenheit 451 was so interesting that it's no wonder that it's a classic. If you haven't read it I won't spoil it for you but you must go out and read the book now. No, I'm serious go out and read it. Although it was written 50 something years ago the book hasn't aged badly, it applies today if not more than the past. mmmmm sweet butterscotch.

I think as Americans we spend way too much time being or trying to be entertained. Also, I made a deal with myself that I have to strike up a conversation with at least one surfer every time I go out. Plus every time I eat ice cream I have chosen to salute humble Toves.

Simple Treat

2008-09-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Some days it feels like you spent the whole day doing nothing, and you probably feel like that because it's true. Today I felt like I spent a lot of time sitting around, but the feeling is deceptive because I definitely spent the day making a wonderful song with some friendlies.

Check out "Pudding" courtesy of the Thomas' and myself.

Clickeh
Sorry for the myspace link. It's the easiest site to upload songs.

Cheers Summer.

2008-09-02T00:18:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially over.

I'm in a warm bed. I have a fridge nearby full of food whenever I feel the need to grab something. My clothes are actually clean, meaning they don't have the scent of paint and dirt all over them anymore. My car is actually in use and I'm able to talk on the phone without feeding it coins. I saw the ocean and ate at Chipotle. I stayed up past 11 without a signed permission slip and I definitely used the toilet without a paper seat cover.

Being home is good, but I do miss the people who made my summer at Hume the great summer that it was.

Stoked.

2008-08-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

Life Update: I'm not going to school this semester.

The short story is that after applying for multiple Nursing programs I didn't get into any. I plan on applying to some others but in the process this semester becomes free from education.

I've got a number of ideas on what I should do with the months. The general thought rummaging around my mind is that I should bum around California saving up enough money to travel out of the country for awhile. Hot air balloons, the grand canyon, and attempting to work on a cruise ship are also in the running for my future.

All in all I am excited.

yup.

2008-07-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the skatepark. Sitting in the staff lounge catching up on my blog readings. good times.

Wilbur talks about Strategico.

2008-07-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

I like my summer home for many reasons.

My favorite is the fact that on any given day at nearly any given time I can talk out any questions I have about God and the bible. This place holds an endless resource of information that is found in the minds of some great people.

I also like the vanilla ice cream and the lake monster.

Swamped

2008-06-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

I'm at Hume. Swamped with the craziness of the first few weeks, I'll promise I'll type up a decent blog in the near future.

And the livins easy...

2008-05-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

Apologies for the lack of updates, but it is summer. Expect few and far between posts during the next few months. I'm working at a Christian Summer Camp so I'll be busy busy busy.

In the meantime I suggest five things that can fill your time with excellence.

-Read "The Neverending Story" It is much better than the lousy movie.
-Play Flash games on Kongregate.com I suggest 3D logic if you enjoy feeling brilliant.
-Watch IRONMAN not Indiana Jones. I'm sorry Indy but you just got pwned by Tony Stark.
-Listen to the new Coldplay singles until the new album comes out.
-Bake a cake.

He had great wealth.

2008-05-20T18:12:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about materialism and how we spend our money.

For the past two years I've been your generic broke college student. The most expensive thing I've bought myself was my Anatomy book. Pretty lame buy huh? But having no money to go out all the time or buy the newest technological gadget has helped bring me a fresh perspective.

There are so many things that we just don't need, yet we buy. We waste money on buying movies, games, clothes, etc.. Aren't there things out there that are more important for us to use our money on instead of a new phone, when we already have a phone? How do we justify some purchases when some people don't even have a meal in their bellies? I guess we, myself included, just ignore those in need and spend our money anyhow. I dunno. This issue is wrecking me.

Don't get me wrong though. Some things are necessary to buy, such as a ticket to the new Indiana Jones movie.

A Figment of the Night

2008-05-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

We were inside the house visiting an old friend. My buddy and I were being absolutely ridiculous causing our host to let out an everlasting laugh. After touring the home, we sat at the kitchen table and reminisced about the past. It was great to talk about the good times we used to have when we all lived closer. As we were talking I happened to look out the window towards the beach. I kid you not, out in the ocean there were two games of water polo being played. They started the game by having jet skis make a small whirlwind in the middle of their "court." The players had their caps on and were making quick short passes. My ears were on the conversation inside the house, but my eyes were on the game. As if the scene wasn't wild enough a killer whale broke through the surface of the water. At this point, I jumped up and half-shouted out causing my friends to look out the window too. The Killer whale started to attack some of the players and they all scattered as they made a quick break towards the beach.

I woke up at 5 in the morning really sweaty and with a beating heart.

Almost There.

2008-05-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Summer for me hits in one week.

Camp, BBQs, Camping, Sunburns, Surf and all smiles. It's here everybody. We've made it. It is time to reflect on the past months and laugh at all the time spent in classrooms and work.

I can't decide if the first thing I want to do to celebrate the summer is by having an extended time of clapping or have a good shout.

Charging Rhinoceros Always Wins.

2008-05-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

Padres game tonight.

It's going to be team against team in an ole fashioned game of America's favorite past time. I'll be in the stands waving and cheering for a team I have no ties to other than I live in the city that supports them. Before the game starts the pitcher will look me in the eyes and acknowledge my presence with a slight nod. Then as he winds up for a 90 mile per hour fastball Thomas Kinkade will parachute out of the sky tossing his paintings to the crowd. Everybody will be screaming with excitement as he lands in the outfield and promptly paints a landscape canvas that makes Picasso's art look like sawdust. Once completed he'll crank up the stadium music and we'll all dance to a meditative Enya mix. It won't be the stomp your feet kind of dancing, more like the emotional swaying type.

A good night awaits me.

Riddles, Puzzles, Sudoku.

2008-04-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

Today's Organic Chemistry lecture went by at a record pace, thanks to the sudoku puzzle in the school paper. I'm one of those nuts who gets pleasure out of the mind-numbing number game. My mind actually did hurt after I completed it. My theory is that the pain in my head is the equivalent to the soreness in muscles after a good workout. Or maybe I'm suffering from migraines......either way I feel brilliant.

Sudoku has seemed to have really taken off during the last few years. I wonder if it was created on a whim by some crazy Asian genius (i.e. L} or if some ancient sudoku manuscripts were discovered in a dragon den. If it's the dragon den, those things were definitely slept on by the dragon. Everyone claims dragons sleep on golden crowns but every good historian knows that dragons slept on puzzles for comfort.

Rutka's Notebook

2008-04-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Time Magazine had an article in their brand new May issue on a diary of Jewish girl's diary who lived under Nazi occupation during WWII. They published a few entries from the diary. World War II has always fascinated me so I read the article even though the pictures weren't too interesting.

One piece really stirred me up...

Feb. 5 1943
Oh, good Lord. Well, Rutka (the Jewish Girl's name), you've probably gone completely crazy. You are calling upon God as if He exists. The little faith I used to have has been completely shattered. If God existed, He would have certainly not permitted that human beings be thrown alive into furnaces, and the heads of little toddlers be smashed with butts of gun or be shoved into sacks and gassed to death... It sounds like a fairy tale. Those who haven't seen this would never believe it. But it's not a legend, it's the truth."

Some things I will never ever understand. The persecution of the Jewish people during this time is one of them. Why did this happen? Couldn't there have been a divine intervention? Rutka was a teenager while all this crap was going down. She was murdered in Auschwitz.

We live in a broken world. shucks.

A Fishy Treat

2008-04-27T23:28:00.001-07:00

Man, God must have it pretty hard sometimes. Well not really, but if he wasn't all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-crazy-brilliant he would have a tough job. If only people would live their life in a more meaningful manner I'd sleep a bit better. It pains me to watch people crash and burn when they've got options that will set them free. I'm praying that God has some people swallowed by whales so that they do what he says. All I have to do is get them to come to the beach...

Children.

2008-04-25T23:18:00.001-07:00

I think when a person who preaches the gospel has a child they become infected with baby-analogy syndrome. It seems like every single message somehow ties in to their kid. I mean it's all fine and dandy when your talking about love but tying it into the rapture is kind of weird.

Also blogs from people with children are really really lame. It's like the child has dealt a crippling blow to the internet diary. It instantly becomes more of a family photo album and much less of goodness.

Banana Strawberry

2008-04-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Things make a lot more sense when you start talking about them. When you can talk somebody's ears off about a subject it really shows that you know what your talking about. I'm finding that things I thought I understood haven't settled into my mind as well as I thought. How much knowledge do you have on yogurt? Sure you eat it in the mornings so that you feel like your having a healthy start, but do you really know everything about yogurt? oh you only know the different flavors? That's right, you don't really know that much about the live bacteria delicacy do you?

Lastly, if you haven't heard Weezer's new song that is going to be on their soon to be released CD. Check it out here, it's like Butterchops meets Limber Jack. http://www.weezer.com/

Full Moon Bonfire

2008-04-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

Lately I often get the feeling that I'm wasting time. If I spend too much time on the internet or I sleep in longer then usual I get this feeling that I could be spending my time in a much more productive fashion. I start to think that I should go head down to the Hippi headquarters in Ocean Beach and talk about Jesus with the people who hang out there. Is that the holy spirit talking to me? I'm not sure, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to go down there. I just need to man up.

Swipe

2008-04-14T20:52:00.001-07:00

I have an agar plate growing bacteria on my desk. So far my wetsuit and my roommate's blender are producing some gnarly bubbly bacteria. I will never drink anything poured from that blender ever again. I will continue to drink from my wetsuit. nevermind, that's impossible.

My Captain, my Captain

2008-04-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

I really don't understand organic chemistry. I also really don't understand poetry. Instead of trying to figure out the former during lecture I decided to make my own poetry.

Filled to the brim, thick as molasses.
His words dripping with wisdom.
They dipple and dapple deep into my soul.
Forever I am stained with the syrupy goodness.

Also if you're a geeky flash game player, get some Dolphin Olympics 2 going. Don't bash it unless you play it.

Get it while it's hot.

2008-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/ficuspenny
I should drop everything and become an artist in the metro of San Diego.

Fear

2008-03-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

When I was younger I once forced my brother to walk with me 100 yards to our mailbox because I was afraid of being mauled to death by a mountain lion. Unknowingly to me, the chances of a lion attack were about eighty to ninety percent because I smell like tender butter steaks.

handicap hikers?

2008-03-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Point Loma Nazarene University has a few parking lots for visitors and the public to use. One of these lots is conveniently placed at the start of a hiking trail that winds down the huge cliffs that end on the beach. This lot is no where close to any buildings. Now what I don't understand is why there would be this....

I'm just concerned that these people might have a few problems with their wheelchairs on terrain like this.

I'm glad their is a spot for the handicap. I just don't want to see any broken hips.

Juggling Blood and Fire

2008-03-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

I give my approval of the movie Into the Wild.

The story is about a man named Chris who's travels ultimately lead him to Alaska. Every person has their fair share of flaws and strengths. Chris's inability to confront the problems in his life is frustrating to watch but seeing him meet new people and change their lives is fascinating.

Man, after I watched this video I was so stoked. I had all these great thoughts about how I was going to change people's lives for the better. These thoughts are all great and grand but the hard part is applying them to your life. Sometimes it's a challenge to do this but I think for the most part people just need to buck up and make it happen.

Thank You Patient

2008-03-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

The hospital I work at gave me a call and informed me that a patient in the ICU (where I work) had tuberculosis and they were unaware until just now that she had it. So now the whole hospital has to get tested, including me.

It's very probable that I am a walking infection. And by "very probable" I actually mean not probable.

VW Bug in that Barrel.

2008-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Finding the new spots of surf in a city is sure fun. It's like a treasure hunt except that there is treasure everywhere. You just walk from spot to spot picking up golden coins and rusty swords. Then once you settle at a spot you're able to sit in the glorious rays of sunlight while you get pulled into mounds of pudding that leave you breathless. Plus you're able to enjoy the experience with other treasure hunters. For the most part these aren't the cutthroat, backstabbing thieving punks who would force you to find a Holy Grail. These are long-haired, PLB(pretty laid back) type guys who would rather play in the ocean then the dirt. Every now and then there might be a skirmish between two pirate types over one of nature's swells but no one ever gets shot and they never last long.

dippo slap.

The Great Monument

2008-03-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

There is this monument at the very end of Point Loma. The "Cabrillo" Monument is it's name. They have all these signs around the area with arrows pointing in the direction of the great monument. It must be some type of pilgrimage deal because what kind of people are hunting for this thing? Are signs really necessary? Well the signs did do one thing, they sparked my interest so I hopped on my bike and started to follow the signs.

I hate riding my bike near the road. I hate bikers who bike near the road. It's a lose lose situation. As an auto driver I can't understand why somebody would want to be so close to something that is flying by at 40 mph. As a bike rider I understand that one of these days I'm gonna get creamed.

I don't push myself very hard when I solo bike. I brought my camera and whenever I saw something picture worthy I'd snap a shot. Here's a shot of the Navy's secret watering hole above the ocean.

They have this water here in case the ocean dries up.

I twisted along this road that heads to the Point of Point Loma. Apparently the monument is at the very end? I pedaled and pedaled up this hill and came up to a pay booth in the middle of the road. I checked out the sign in front of it and it costs three bucks to get in! What a rip. I didn't have money so I turned around. No monument to be seen today. But the whole way back was downhill so I pretended I was Rocky from the three ninjas and hit the curbs as jumps. That was pretty fun.

Thank You Foreigners.

2008-03-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

Getting a job is turning out to be harder then it looks. I've spent the last three weeks combing over Craig's List, applying at retail stores, coffee shops and hotels and I'm burned out. Now you would think that if you lived in a city with more then 1 million people living in it that it would be easy to get a job. Oh no, that's the great myth. It's actually fifty times harder to get a job.

Lucky for me I have a back up plan to get some cash. I was a bit cautious when I received an e-mail from Ciana Yatchins, an English artist, who is struggling with getting her American clients checks cashed. But fortunately for me, she needs a middle man who can handle the money and get it turned into the euro. I'll be rolling in the dough as soon as she confirms my social security number.

Only the Best.

2008-03-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

I'm too cheap to buy music but thanks to youtube I can listen to wonderful things while I'm on the compy. Here's a quick playlist of what I've been listening to. Got some music I need to hear? Lemme know.

I'd eat clouds if they were on my plate.

2008-02-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

I wore shorts yesterday.

Wednesday was the day my stereotypical view of San Diego came true. It was blistering hot. I couldn't help but feel like a rustler making his way through the desert trying to get to a town as I made my way to my car in the parking lot. I wore jeans that day and I could feel little pricks of heat in my legs. It was miserable. So to combat the heat I woke up and threw on shorts for Thursday. It turned out a bad choice. San Diego decided to trick me and bring back the cold windy clouds. I was happy to be in shorts so it though so it didn't faze me too much. So I'm gobbling down on some banana bread heading in the direction of my next class when I saw a good size group of people standing around these big posters.

I walked over to check it out. Some organization had made around 7 of these posters. On one of side of the poster there would be the word "Love" and the other side would have the word "Hate." Smack dab on top would be one word. There were markers at hand so you could write on the great wall of papers. As I made my way to where the large group was I saw posters labeled as Dating, Men, Goverment, and America. The crowd was around the poster with Christianity up on top. Both sides had tons of writing. I stood in front of it for about 15 minutes and watched it. People would come up every now and then and mark each side. As I watched people mark up the hate side I think I died a little in the inside. People hated how Christians are hypocrites, they hate the fundamentals who won't stand for evolution, they hate how people have killed in the name of Christ, they hate how preachers jump around the bible taking it totally out of context to prove a point. They say that Christianity is bullshit, that we are brainwashed idiots, that the answer to life is found in ourselves.

All around me people were talking. A group of students behind me were discussing their opinions on why Christianity had spread so much around the world and continued to grow. The girl next to me pointed out and told me that dinosaur bones always made her question the faith. Some guys besides me were talking about how Christians believed in ridiculous fairy tales.

Hearing all this talk made me wish people would be able to see God easier. I really like clouds. When the sun hits the clouds just right to give them that yellow glow I can't help but think of God. I see those puffy shapes in the sky and know that there is a God out there who made those. It's too bad I can't just point at the sky to make people realize God's existence.

Drum circle anyone?

2008-02-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!

I think I'm turning into a hippi. I've got the long hair and oh crap, what's this! daaaannnnnng ittt! I'm wearing a tye dye shirt. This is not good.

Seriously, this guy has converted me to being all for non-violence. The guy has some legit logic and scripture behind it. At first I thought he was a coward, now I realize he's much more of a champion. That's all for now, I have to go plant some apple seeds.

Going Up?

2008-02-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

There is something magical about elevators. They are like a rectangular world inside our round one. I used to oppose them. I was the type of person who would huff up the stairs because I wasn't going to be the lazy fool who used elevators. I always thought of myself as John Henry. Big and black and willing to challenge any new technology that was trying to put me away. As I charged up the stairs I was making a statement. I am so much better then an elevator.

Anyways, I caved in and started riding elevators. They are soooo much fun. I'm convinced that the best 30 second conversations come from elevators. I hop in and you've got people trapped in the box. They have to talk if you start gabbing. Sometimes you get some interesting folks who you wish could stay on the ride longer but unfortunately time is short on the lift. That little downfall is made up for when you get on, only to get stuck with Mitochondria Mitch.

Good Bye Number 20

2008-02-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

crap, less then 10 hours until i turn of age to become a six gun lover and booze monster. I guess i'll spend the remainder of my present age boxing apes or pitter pattering the city.

cruisssssssennnnnn............

2008-02-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

The wheels slowly clicked forward as they passed over each square piece of sidewalk. My feet were planted square on the front of the board as I stood tall and relaxed with my whole body leaning forward in anticipation. The hill in front of me was a true monster. Their were cracks, rocks and divots that would end any fool's fun if they dared to attempt the impossible. Cars whished in both directions on the road as I started to pick up momentum.

click.

click.
click.click.

It was like the start of a huge roller coaster, except this didn't guarantee safety. I started to coast and get to the point where I knew it was time to either commit or leap off.

"Jesus! Be Careful!"

I leaped off the board and snatched it up. "oh, I will." I said to the neighborly fellow going from his home to his car. I then strolled down the hill thinking to myself about all the ways I'm not like Jesus. Just for starters, Jesus never skateboarded.

Quod scripsi scripsi

2008-02-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

I discovered the book section in the library today.

It was just like border's except everything was free and their magazines have plastic around them. I wandered through aisle after aisle trying to decide what I wanted to learn about or entertain myself with.

I found "A Clockwork Orange" which had been suggested by a friend of mine but I couldn't stop there. I found the spot where they had tons of books on religion and grabbed Lewis's Screwtape letter because who doesn't find a book on demons and the devil fascinating. Lastly, I grabbed a book on Mormons. Normally, I would stray away from such a book but I've heard so many things about what they believe and their history that I have to make sure that they are really as ridiculous as they seem to be.

I think my roommates find me quite a book worm. The last couple of nights I've been sucked into books into the later parts of the night. It just feels so good to read with some comfy slippers, my favorite sweats and a glass of pumpernickle dough. I really need to invent some kind of mechanism to hold my book while I lay in bed. My arms are really really tired. It's the cost of reading I guess.

And the son who had no choice to keep them together..

2008-02-05T19:25:00.001-08:00

I've jumped on the Arrested Development bandwagon. The only problem is the bandwagon is stuck in the mud indefinitely. But the good news is that I've just discovered it, so everything is fresh and new to me. If you havn't seen the show get on it. There is nothing better to do. The writer's strike has everything on rerun lockdown so it's not like your missing one of your favorite shows, unless it's Lost. But that's only once a week, well twice if you spend the following day dissecting the latest episode online. back to the topic. Watch Arrested Development now. Tally hop!

The Cry for Help

2008-02-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

I surfed this morning.

Pulling into the parking lot, i zipped my sweater up because it look chilly outside. The parking lot was filled with tons of older guys and most of them had long boards. It wasn't looking promising for me and my six foot shortboard. I hopped out of my car and walked to the edge of the beach to scan the ocean. There were a good amount of guys out in the water but thankfully they were all spread out. Wind was making the waves mushy but every now and then a set would come handing out rides to select surfers. Realistically it was not that great out there but I had to get in the water.

I paddled out to a part in the lineup that wasn't too crowded. Through the first hour of being out there I caught quite a few good waves and definitely had the most fun surfing in San Diego since I've been here.

There were a group of 5-7 of us in my area and there was another large batch of surfers closer to a point break down the beach. As I sat out there checking for incoming waves I noticed this dude a good 100 yards out past where I was. He started to yell for help. I looked at the guy and girl nearest to me and told them the guy needed help. We started paddling.

I saw a few surfers start paddling from the point break. The water was choppy and my mind was wizzing. I didn't think it was a shark out there but I was ready for it. The guy was probably just inexperienced and found himself spooked and way to far out.

The guys from the point break got to him first but i kept paddling with the crew with me until we got to the guy. He was definitely freaked out and embarrassed. He got into the rip and he said he was too tired to paddle at all anymore. He wasn't cramped but his stomach hurt. We rigged him up to two of the other guys longboards and started to paddle pull him back to shore. It took quite a bit of time but we made it and I'm sure the guy gave a big sigh of relief.

It was cool how a group of strangers can band together to face a problem. I've always been curious to how people would react in a time of crisis and I saw it in action today. There are those who ignore the problem. I'm not sure if they feel that they can't contribute to the solution or if they would rather not be bothered. Then there are those who take action. Everybody can help out in some form or other when there is a problem to be tackled. You don't have to be on the front lines getting your hands dirty.

Death Spot President Number 1

2008-01-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

I found George Washington's gravesite the other day. It's not as impressive as you think. Well it's impressive that it's in San Diego. How the heck did they get his dead body all the way over here in 1799. I thought they hadn't even discovered California yet? whatever, i found him. He's still dead.

Can't. Stop. This.

2008-01-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Here it is. January 28th.

Today I become a student once again. No more sleeping in until the saliva on my pillow grosses me out. No more playing video games all day. No more random explorations through town that last as long as I want. No more multiple surf sessions on a Tuesday. No more political rants. No more pudding pancakes. No more Goblet Tuesdays. No more trivia tattoos.

oh wait, no. wrong. bad. ugh. yes. yes I can do this. I can still do all of these things. Just about right?

Controller of the Mic

2008-01-27T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's a bit old, as in a few weeks old but I wanted to make sure I posted our video on the ole blog. It's a music video of "Say It Ain't So" by Weezer. Some buddies and I drove around town pretending to play the song with our Rock Band instruments (like Guitar Hero) while the music blasted out of the truck speakers.

Whenever we do stuff like this I'm in my element. I swear if people would be forced to do stuff like this at least once a month they would feel a lot better. There are so many things one could do. You could pretend you are a printer printing out really important documents or decide that the sky IS really falling. My favorite thing to do is imagine that the air is toxic and the only way to live is to breathe through your nose. I did this at the mall and passed out. I woke up in the dressing room with lots of those long 34X34 pants stickers all over my body. Be careful out there.

Hope

2008-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

"Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown': aim at earth and you will get neither." -C.S. Lewis

I'm reading through Lewis' "Mere Christianity." Either he wrote this book in vocabulary that is much more understandable for the average Joe or I've acquired the ability to understand him without falling asleep. Last night I read through Chapter 10 which deals with the virtue of hope. The hope that he is referring to is 'looking forward to the eternal world.' He starts off the chapter by saying that those men who were focused on God and life in heaven were the ones who really made a difference in the world. I liked reading this. It made me want to be like those men. Heroes who allowed God to consume their life down here on earth so that he could do great works through them. Pretty rad.

RABBLE RABBLE!

2008-01-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

How do you get a bunch of country folk, some drunks and car freaks excited?

You jump, skid, and roll your monster truck until it catches on fire. yup.

We're Brothers Forever.

2008-01-17T21:56:00.001-08:00

This guy is my hero. mad props to him.
I am serious. This guy is the man. He may be a bit different, but he is still the man. We need more people like him in our world.

I am your brother
Your best friends forever
Singing the songs, the music that you love

We’re brothers forever
Together or not, you’re always in my heart
You hurt your feelings
And you’ll be running no more

The PB Attitude

2008-01-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

I surfed Pacific Beach today. Pacific beach seems like your typical southern California beach atmosphere. Lots of guys running with their shirts off, tons of girls trying to look their best, and a mixture of tourists and locals wandering about doing whatever tourists or locals do.

As I was out in the water I got to talking to another surfer. We started with a few comments about the constant barrage of "close out" waves and some other random surf chatter. Eventually I let on that I was new to the area and gave him a quick spiel on why I live in San Diego now. After I shared my quick current life story he gave me his. This guy had lived in Malibu, San Diego, Yosemite, Pasa Something or other, and then some. He changed cities only when he got bored of the one he was in and he loved being outside. As he was wrapping up his story he finished by giving me the some parting advice, "PB has an Attitude just to let you know" the set came and he rode one in.

This guy left me with a roll over in my mind.

After a good 3-4 years of surfing I still don't understand why surfers don't say farewell to each other. The majority of the time surfers don't wave or give notice of leave. They just catch one and go. Maybe their thinking is that if you surf this area again we'll meet, so why say goodbye? Or possibly it's just not in their personality. They don't like to give goodbyes so they don't do them. I dunno. I like good byes. Good byes remind me of stories. Every good story has a memorable good bye. Good byes should be like Frodo and Bilbo leaving middle earth with the elves. There should be magic, a great ship and people with hairy feet.
The second thing that made my mind a wander is claiming that PB has an attitude. Everywhere you go to surf, somebody has an attitude. Every population of people has a vibe, a feeling, an attitude that they give off. It's not a bad thing unless they have a rotten attitude. If Pacific Beach had an attitude, from what I could tell it was a superficial one.
As I sat in the water waiting for some catchable waves I wondered if this guy was my alter-ego in a sense. I'm pretty sure I'd be that guy if I wasn't responsible. If I didn't care about school and the future and what not I could easily see myself as him. Travel around from place to place surfing, hiking and just adventuring around. I envy that man. Farewell brave traveler. I didn't catch his name that would be weird if his name was Tyler or Sally.

Fine Gems Could Crack Molars

2008-01-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

I watched Blood Diamond tonight. It was a good ending to my first Friday in my new city by the sea. I remember when the trailer for the movie came out. I was with my Dad in our kitchen and we both gave it a thumbs down. My Mother was in the middle of fixing up a meal and said that it looked like it would be alright movie. My Dad and I scoffed and then went on about how good we were at assessing a movie based on it's trailer. Well, after viewing the movie I revoke any previous comments made about the film. It was brilliant. It's got action, emotion, a plot story that makes sense and makes your mind think. This blog post is indebted to the journalist woman in the show. I watched the video and had such a desire to write something that I ran up to the computer. If only I had something wonderful to write about. I'll go check up on my neighbors. It's possible they may be smugglers and smugglers make good stories.

Belly of a whale

2008-01-10T16:08:00.001-08:00

Life seems to slow down when I am in town for school. Today I noticed that it is physically impossible for me to keep toothpaste in my mouth while I brush. No matter how hard I keep my lips sealed some of the minty paste seems to slip out. It's strange.

I live in San Diego now. The town is a monster. El Munstro. Getting lost in the depths of the city is a daily thing now. That's all for now.

Pumpkin Spice Candles

2007-12-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

I think everyone should have something tucked away that they can pull out for motivation. I've got one and it works wonders. Whenever I feel a bit down or feel the ropes of stress trying to tie me down I bring up an eulogy I have saved on my computer. It's a metaphorical death speech about chivalry. For some reason it just hits me hard (that's what she said) and uplifts my spirit. I feel like I'm Indiana Jones and I just dodged a doozie of lava traps.

I wonder if Men these days are getting weak or maybe I'm watching too many adventure movies. Or maybe I'm getting old and the older I get the less manly one becomes. A friend of mine said real men are like wild stallions that can only be tamed by a woman. I think most guys are like ponies nowadays. We buy fancy clothes that match, we don't like to get rained on, we shower daily and waste money on televisions, phones and peppermints. What happened to the champion? What happened to the times where we would only take a shower because someone commented on our smell or we decided it would be cool to have a dirt clod war. I say bring it back, screw all that other crap. I don't want to be a pony. Women can be ponies, hippis can be ponies, and any idiot of a man who owns a pumpkin spice candle is DEFINITELY a pony. Gentlemen, start chewing on some pepper sprouts because it's time to mess some foos up.

edit: I just ate some glass. holy crap, my lungs hurt.

Bible Study Sess.

2007-12-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

Clickeh.
Found this from a link to a link to a link to a link.

Scroll down to the "The Bible" Part 1, 2 and 3. If you've got the time I'd check it out. It's an informative speech on how we got the bible and why we think it's God inspired. Pretty cool, although I've picked up some of this info through random periods of life I've never actually studied it. The speaker seems pretty down to earth and makes it interesting to listen to. Give it a listen.