He Holds All Things
1 year ago
12/21/09
pointless(?) talent
I can imitate cartoon voices, and I'm a Wii bowling master. What are some random talents that you have, well-known or hidden?
12/18/09
Movie review : AVATAR
If you know me at all, you know I'm pretty big on movies & midnight showings... so of course I went to see Avatar's midnite showing. However, this viewing was different. This was in IMAX 3-D. And MANNN OH MAN was is it in IMAX 3-D.... wow. I haven't been that blown away by a movie since The Dark Knight (or that impressed with something I was uncertain about since the new Star Trek). I know, I know... that's a mighty big claim, and yes I'm still riding on the movie-experience high since I just saw it... but I don't think my opinion will differ tomorrow or a couple days from now. This was the most visually captivating movie I have ever seen.
I couldn't think of how to describe what James Cameron did to film this... so here's a blurb from Wikipedia:
"The film is being touted as a breakthrough in terms of filmmaking technology, for its development of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking with cameras that were specially designed for the film's production"
If you're in the 757, or anywhere that has a movie theater with an IMAX 3-D screen, and you're even remotely interested or curious in this movie... do NOT accept any substitutes. This movie was made to be seen in that format, and it is completely worth the extra money for the ticket.
And finally, yes... it is a familiar storyline, with elements that have been used & seen in movies past (think Ferngully meets Dances With Wolves, in the future)... but who cares? James Cameron does it justice, and it's such a beautifully put together piece of cinema. Sure it's got alot of sci-fi strangeness (if you're not really into that kinda stuff)... but it's also got action, great characters, a love story, light humor scattered throughout, and did I mention the special effects?? Yes yes yes... can't stress that element of it enough.
Okay, that is all. See this movie in IMAX 3-D, and plan on being transported elsewhere and becoming completely immersed in this crazy fantasy world. Good night! (or good morning)
12/14/09
amusement in 140 or less
here's a sampling of some tweets that i've found particularly amusing in recent times
*davebarnesmusic: Liberty, I've successfully warmed up via stretches, me me mees, and getting slapped in the face with a cold Alaskan salmon. It's go time.
*abbyruth129: there's creepy men in my house. i'm hiding in the bathroom...
*josh_spencer: Is it normal to hear a rogue velociraptor noise while listening to your iPod? I was unaware a Jurassic park was opening in Lynchburg
*ttim123: Awesome i get to go slipper shopping with my dad
*guitarjosh15: I realized this morning that I stand on top of the drain while showering, which makes me a prime target for drain snakes. Dang it.
*johncmayer: When someone tells me a story about their past, I like to imagine them reenacting it with a bad wig and period correct clothes
12/13/09
Christmas! (or something...)
Went to LU's Christmas Coffeehouse last night (basically a big exhibition of campus talent, held in the Vines Center)... and in-between 2 of the performances, the host introduced the crowd to some strange Christmas traditions from around the world. I was somewhat skeptical, so I googled one of them... and sure enough it was legit.
Now for your cultural/educational enjoyment : Tió de Nadal!
(via Wikipedia)
The Tió de Nadal (roughly "Christmas Log"), also known as "Tió" (trunk or log, a big piece of cut wood) or "Tronca" ("log") and popularly called "Caga tió" (pooping or defecating log in English), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia.
Described as a hollow log of about thirty centimetres length. Recently, the tió has come to stand up on two or four little stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on the higher of the two ends, enhanced by a little red sock hat and often a three-dimensional nose.
Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night.
On Christmas day or, depending on the particular household, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to "poop" (the fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace). To make him "poop", one beats him with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.
The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the part of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. When nothing is left to "poop", it drops a salt herring, a head of garlic, an onion or "urinates". What comes out of the tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone present.
Here's a popular song of the "caga tió":
"caga tió,
caga torró,
avellanes i mató,
si no cagues bé
et daré un cop de bastó.
caga tió!"
which translates to
"poop log,
poop turrón,
hazelnuts and cottage cheese,
if you don't poop well,
I'll hit you with a stick,
poop log!"
Now for your cultural/educational enjoyment : Tió de Nadal!
(via Wikipedia)
The Tió de Nadal (roughly "Christmas Log"), also known as "Tió" (trunk or log, a big piece of cut wood) or "Tronca" ("log") and popularly called "Caga tió" (pooping or defecating log in English), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia.
Described as a hollow log of about thirty centimetres length. Recently, the tió has come to stand up on two or four little stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on the higher of the two ends, enhanced by a little red sock hat and often a three-dimensional nose.
Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night.
On Christmas day or, depending on the particular household, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to "poop" (the fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace). To make him "poop", one beats him with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.
The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the part of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. When nothing is left to "poop", it drops a salt herring, a head of garlic, an onion or "urinates". What comes out of the tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone present.
Here's a popular song of the "caga tió":
"caga tió,
caga torró,
avellanes i mató,
si no cagues bé
et daré un cop de bastó.
caga tió!"
which translates to
"poop log,
poop turrón,
hazelnuts and cottage cheese,
if you don't poop well,
I'll hit you with a stick,
poop log!"
12/10/09
raw talent at it's finest
pretty sure this baby should be a lead singer already. this is definitely the life... carefree & random
12/8/09
passionate much?
everybody has their something (or somethings) that they're passionate about
for me?
(1) i'm passionate about music. staying up to date on the latest news about my favorite bands, or up & coming new artists. going to concerts & getting hyped in that live music environment. getting the opportunity to meet bands face-to-face and interact with the members on a more personal level, sometimes fleeting but sometimes quality conversations & memories. also, it's a rare moment if i'm not singing along or full-on jamming out in the car while driving anywhere. it's no wonder my iTunes library has breached the 10,000 song mark... and will continue to grow
(2) i'm passionate about my friends & family. i've got alot to work on with the latter, but the former gets quite a bit of effort & attention on a daily basis. i love them all dearly... and i get a thrill out of making plans, getting people together, sharing moments & laughs together. that spills over into the amazing time over the past year & beyond of helping & seeing the college ministry @ LBC grow into something legitimate and worthwhile. i'm also passionate about the daily moments & joyful times making my long-distance relationship work like it has. Abby is a constant blessing & finds her own joy & amusement out of my quirks & randomness... and I can't be thankful enough for that haha. She's incredible, and I love the fact that we click so well together and that God provides us with the opportunities & means of making things work so wonderfully.
(3) i'm passionate about my opportunity to invest in the lives of the youth back home @ LBC. do i always succeed? heck no, i'm human and i screw up too... sometimes forgetting the fact that people look up to me... or hold me to a certain standard of behavior & living. but nonetheless, i absolutely love my time spent with that whole group... old & new faces alike. God is working in huge ways in that ministry. i can't stress it enough how blessed those students are to have the leadership they do in Ben, John Paul, Christina, and all the volunteers & teachers. one of my top reasons to be excited about going home is the fact that i'll get to spend time with as many of the students & leaders as possible.
(4) i'm passionate about the little things in my life that i enjoy when free time is available. whether it's reading comic books, watching tv shows like The Office or Heroes, playing ultimate frisbee, etc.... i'd be miserable without stuff like that. it may sound corny or semi-ridiculous, but I'm very thankful to God that he created a world where each individual person can thrive & be passionate about the little things in life that get them excited or help them relax & forget about the day-to-day stress.
so now... more importantly... what are YOU passionate about?
for me?
(1) i'm passionate about music. staying up to date on the latest news about my favorite bands, or up & coming new artists. going to concerts & getting hyped in that live music environment. getting the opportunity to meet bands face-to-face and interact with the members on a more personal level, sometimes fleeting but sometimes quality conversations & memories. also, it's a rare moment if i'm not singing along or full-on jamming out in the car while driving anywhere. it's no wonder my iTunes library has breached the 10,000 song mark... and will continue to grow
(2) i'm passionate about my friends & family. i've got alot to work on with the latter, but the former gets quite a bit of effort & attention on a daily basis. i love them all dearly... and i get a thrill out of making plans, getting people together, sharing moments & laughs together. that spills over into the amazing time over the past year & beyond of helping & seeing the college ministry @ LBC grow into something legitimate and worthwhile. i'm also passionate about the daily moments & joyful times making my long-distance relationship work like it has. Abby is a constant blessing & finds her own joy & amusement out of my quirks & randomness... and I can't be thankful enough for that haha. She's incredible, and I love the fact that we click so well together and that God provides us with the opportunities & means of making things work so wonderfully.
(3) i'm passionate about my opportunity to invest in the lives of the youth back home @ LBC. do i always succeed? heck no, i'm human and i screw up too... sometimes forgetting the fact that people look up to me... or hold me to a certain standard of behavior & living. but nonetheless, i absolutely love my time spent with that whole group... old & new faces alike. God is working in huge ways in that ministry. i can't stress it enough how blessed those students are to have the leadership they do in Ben, John Paul, Christina, and all the volunteers & teachers. one of my top reasons to be excited about going home is the fact that i'll get to spend time with as many of the students & leaders as possible.
(4) i'm passionate about the little things in my life that i enjoy when free time is available. whether it's reading comic books, watching tv shows like The Office or Heroes, playing ultimate frisbee, etc.... i'd be miserable without stuff like that. it may sound corny or semi-ridiculous, but I'm very thankful to God that he created a world where each individual person can thrive & be passionate about the little things in life that get them excited or help them relax & forget about the day-to-day stress.
so now... more importantly... what are YOU passionate about?
12/6/09
concert excellence : 12-5-09
Who: Switchfoot, Cartel, Paper Tongues
Where: The National in Richmond, VA
Post-Show Thoughts?: Incredible. Simply incredible. I've followed Cartel ever since their first EP, and have seen them 12 times now. Basically everytime they've come to VA. This concert was also my 4th time seeing Switchfoot.... and they are one of, if not the, best live band I've been fortunate enough to see. I definitely recommend picking up music from both bands, and not passing up the opportunity to see either bands play.
and now..... pictures!
(top pic: Cartel on stage; pics 2-4 : Switchfoot performing; pic 5: myself with Joseph & Will from Cartel; bottom pic: Josh Haynes & myself with Jon Foreman from Switchfoot!)
Where: The National in Richmond, VA
Post-Show Thoughts?: Incredible. Simply incredible. I've followed Cartel ever since their first EP, and have seen them 12 times now. Basically everytime they've come to VA. This concert was also my 4th time seeing Switchfoot.... and they are one of, if not the, best live band I've been fortunate enough to see. I definitely recommend picking up music from both bands, and not passing up the opportunity to see either bands play.
and now..... pictures!
(top pic: Cartel on stage; pics 2-4 : Switchfoot performing; pic 5: myself with Joseph & Will from Cartel; bottom pic: Josh Haynes & myself with Jon Foreman from Switchfoot!)
12/2/09
two-thousand & ten!
A new year means new outstandingly excellent stuff to look forward to. Here's some of the things I've made note of, or heard about, coming in 2010.
Add anything I may be missing, or express any excitement about something you like on the list. Also, this is only the first draft.... version 2.0 when more stuff is announced.
Events/Concerts/TV Premieres/Etc.
Movies
Music
Add anything I may be missing, or express any excitement about something you like on the list. Also, this is only the first draft.... version 2.0 when more stuff is announced.
Events/Concerts/TV Premieres/Etc.
- Passion 2010 conference in Atlanta! (Jan 2nd - 5th)
- NBC's season 3 premiere of Chuck! (Jan 10th)
- Four Year Strong @ the Canal Club (Jan 16th)
- FOX's season 8 premiere of 24! (Jan 17th & 18th)
- Super Bowl XLIV on CBS... but mainly the commercials (Feb 7th)
- Jack's Mannequin @ the Norva (Mar 5th)
- John Mayer in Charlottesville, VA (Mar 16th)
- The Bamboozle 2010 feat. Paramore & Weezer, with a ton more to be announced soon (May 1st & 2nd)
Movies
- Edge Of Darkness (Jan 29th) - Mel Gibson returns to acting!
- Alice in Wonderland (Mar 5th) - you know, the Johnny Depp/Mad Hatter one. oh yeah, and Tim Burton's directing.
- How To Train Your Dragon (Mar 26th) - possibly the next big animated movie. preview looks fun
- Clash Of The Titans (Mar 26th) - this just looks epic. and Liam Neeson is playing Zeus. I'm in.
- Date Night (April 9th) - Steve Carell/Tina Fey in this action rom-com
- MacGruber (April 16th) - SNL's parody of MacGyver... going to the big screen
- Iron Man 2 (May 7th) - nuff said.
- Shrek Forever After (May 21st) - Paul McCartney is the voice of Rumpelstilskin. HA!
- The A-Team (June 11th) - Mr. T better make a cameo appearance... or I will demand a refund
- Toy Story 3 (June 18th) - I think I'll go see this dressed as one of the lil Martians
- Grown-Ups (June 25th) - Adam Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock, and Rob Schneider. Please let this be hilariously worthwhile...
Music
- Blink 182 (sometime in 2010) - supposed to record the new song "Up All Night" in January, then go from there with the full album
- Switchfoot (sometime in 2010) - Vice Verses is the 2nd of 4 albums the band has been working on. Hello Hurricane was the first, released last month.
- Incubus (sometime in 2010) - album title TBA
- Dave Barnes (Jan 2010) - album title TBA
- Angels & Airwaves (Feb 14, 2010) - Love
- My Chemical Romance (Spring 2010) - album title TBA
- Family Force 5 (Summer 2010) - album title TBA
12/1/09
magnificent moonbow
(via Wikipedia) - "A moonbow (also known as a lunar rainbow, lunar bow or white rainbow) is a rainbow produced by light reflected off the surface of the moon rather than from direct sunlight. Moonbows are relatively faint, due to the smaller amount of light reflected from the surface of the Moon"
Apparently this sucker is visible all over VA tonight.... the sky is so bright right now. It's pretty mesmerizing. I've seen this once before, this past summer while in the 757... roaming Yorktown Beach.
Here's a picture of it from 2nite, in case you can't see it... or have never seen one before
(courtesy of mister zak reynolds)
Apparently this sucker is visible all over VA tonight.... the sky is so bright right now. It's pretty mesmerizing. I've seen this once before, this past summer while in the 757... roaming Yorktown Beach.
Here's a picture of it from 2nite, in case you can't see it... or have never seen one before
(courtesy of mister zak reynolds)
looks? yep, they can deceive.
This video is very deceiving....
... sure, it's so harmless & cute and all now... but just wait. they all have THIS inside of them.
Trust me, my cat is thrice as evil as that... some of you have experienced the terror. I apologize for any lasting trauma or psychological damage, if so.
... sure, it's so harmless & cute and all now... but just wait. they all have THIS inside of them.
Trust me, my cat is thrice as evil as that... some of you have experienced the terror. I apologize for any lasting trauma or psychological damage, if so.
11/24/09
midnite (or later) snack(s)
let's be honest.... everyone has a favorite midnite snack (or several?)
i'd say mine would have to be cookie dough ice cream.... or if i'm in the mood for meal-esque food, White Castle mini-burger sliders
right now i'm settling for Tropical Fruit Gushers and a drink pouch of Capri Sun... and i'm okay with that
what's your midnite (or later) snack fix?
(also... when did it become natural for me to spell "midnight" with 'nite' instead of 'night'... hmmm, consider me weirded out)
i'd say mine would have to be cookie dough ice cream.... or if i'm in the mood for meal-esque food, White Castle mini-burger sliders
right now i'm settling for Tropical Fruit Gushers and a drink pouch of Capri Sun... and i'm okay with that
what's your midnite (or later) snack fix?
(also... when did it become natural for me to spell "midnight" with 'nite' instead of 'night'... hmmm, consider me weirded out)
11/22/09
thanksgiving!
escape-mode : on, school-mode : off
officially on break for an entire week! to say this is much-needed would be an understatement.
the 757 + Abby joining me for break + Myrtle Beach w/ my dad's side of the fam = total excitement
I'm ready for some quality time spent with everyone involved... hopefully the weather is warmer there than it is here!
what are YOU doing for thanksgiving this year?
officially on break for an entire week! to say this is much-needed would be an understatement.
the 757 + Abby joining me for break + Myrtle Beach w/ my dad's side of the fam = total excitement
I'm ready for some quality time spent with everyone involved... hopefully the weather is warmer there than it is here!
what are YOU doing for thanksgiving this year?
11/5/09
so simple
there's something tremendously amusing & mesmerizing about this video... in all it's simplicity. watch it all the way through. it's extremely random & seemingly pointless.... but is it?
10/27/09
10/26/09
winning moments
here's some winning moments from the past week (or so)
-clearance rack @ Target! found 2 incredible t-shirts for cheap. i'd post pictures if i could find any online... or if i had a camera on hand to take pictures of the shirts. maybe later...
-saw Matt Wiggins! missing seeing faces from back home, so it was good to see him on his way back to school in TN
-clearance rack @ Old Navy! (sorry, i've held off shopping ever since getting to Lynchburg... so i splurged a little). apparently they had exclusive shirts to celebrate Marvel's 70th anniversary, so i of course bought the Spider Man one off the bargain rack. It's also one of those 50%cotton/50%polyester shirts.... soooo soft
-Bill Murray's cameo in Zombieland. Quite hilarious. Also the new Regal theater here in town is ridiculously nice. Plush seats that recline?? I'm a fan.
-the weather! sunny & 70ish degrees for several days in a row. couldn't ask for better.
-internet/satellite tv @ the crib here in Lynchburg. significantly less time in the c-lab on campus! although I kinda miss the weird moments & encounters... but not too much.
-clearance rack @ Target! found 2 incredible t-shirts for cheap. i'd post pictures if i could find any online... or if i had a camera on hand to take pictures of the shirts. maybe later...
-saw Matt Wiggins! missing seeing faces from back home, so it was good to see him on his way back to school in TN
-clearance rack @ Old Navy! (sorry, i've held off shopping ever since getting to Lynchburg... so i splurged a little). apparently they had exclusive shirts to celebrate Marvel's 70th anniversary, so i of course bought the Spider Man one off the bargain rack. It's also one of those 50%cotton/50%polyester shirts.... soooo soft
-Bill Murray's cameo in Zombieland. Quite hilarious. Also the new Regal theater here in town is ridiculously nice. Plush seats that recline?? I'm a fan.
-the weather! sunny & 70ish degrees for several days in a row. couldn't ask for better.
-internet/satellite tv @ the crib here in Lynchburg. significantly less time in the c-lab on campus! although I kinda miss the weird moments & encounters... but not too much.
10/13/09
pillar of fire
I'm reading in Isaiah for my devotional/quiet times. It's already quite the experience, due to the higher amount of reading I've done in the New Testament lately (I'm taking a New Testament Survey class here @ LU). I love how different ideas, lessons, and imagery can strike you when you re-read a passage... many times it's something you've known and read multiple times, but didn't see a particular side of it until coming back to it later in life. Often times it's because we aren't dealing with that particular issues, or can't really relate at that time in our lives. I was reading Chapter 4 last night, and it just really stuck out to me how completely mind-blowing & amazing it must have been to have God so visibly active in the lives of His people.
"Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion 1 and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; 2 indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence." Isaiah 4:5
I can only imagine what it must have been like... to just look up and see a massive cloud canopy during the day, and a bright pillar of fire at night.... just knowing that God is right there looking over you in love & protection. So often in this day & age, people claim disbelief or uncertainty because they can't "see" God. True, we aren't living under the God of the Old Testament... where He appeared to His people in burning bushes, or flooded the entire world, or countless other direct interactions of love (or wrath).... but that doesn't mean we can't "see" God anymore. Something as simple as watching a tree sway in the wind... watching a tremendous storm in the distance... sitting in the sand watching the waves crash upon the shore... being discipled or mentored (or just a conversation with someone close to you) and hearing exactly what you needed to hear... listening to a song and being deeply moved by the lyrics & accompanying music.... God is evident in all of those things, even if it's not a massive pillar of fire... signaling his divine presence. It's so easy to overcomplicate life and overlook how truly evident and involved God is in your everyday life... but just take a step back and look around you. All the negativity & sources of stress and worry are just boundaries & blockades to overcome, so we can grow stronger in Him and gain a deeper love & respect for who He is and what He's done and will do in our lives.
Just a thought. I think I'll go climb a tree today, take a deep breathe, and just thank Him for not giving up on me.
"Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion 1 and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; 2 indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence." Isaiah 4:5
I can only imagine what it must have been like... to just look up and see a massive cloud canopy during the day, and a bright pillar of fire at night.... just knowing that God is right there looking over you in love & protection. So often in this day & age, people claim disbelief or uncertainty because they can't "see" God. True, we aren't living under the God of the Old Testament... where He appeared to His people in burning bushes, or flooded the entire world, or countless other direct interactions of love (or wrath).... but that doesn't mean we can't "see" God anymore. Something as simple as watching a tree sway in the wind... watching a tremendous storm in the distance... sitting in the sand watching the waves crash upon the shore... being discipled or mentored (or just a conversation with someone close to you) and hearing exactly what you needed to hear... listening to a song and being deeply moved by the lyrics & accompanying music.... God is evident in all of those things, even if it's not a massive pillar of fire... signaling his divine presence. It's so easy to overcomplicate life and overlook how truly evident and involved God is in your everyday life... but just take a step back and look around you. All the negativity & sources of stress and worry are just boundaries & blockades to overcome, so we can grow stronger in Him and gain a deeper love & respect for who He is and what He's done and will do in our lives.
Just a thought. I think I'll go climb a tree today, take a deep breathe, and just thank Him for not giving up on me.
10/6/09
the little things in life
Every now and then... something comes along in your life that, once you experience, you can't imagine how you survived without. Here's a couple things that fall into that category for me.
-ranch dressing (.... just phenomenal)
-my iPod (especially while driving)
-the band Family Force 5 (speaking of which... they just released their Christmas album "the Family Force 5 Christmas Pageant"... glorious!)
-slip-on shoes (specifically Vans)
-texting (call it a disease.... but hey, i'm happily stricken with this particular bug)
-Vitamin Water (XXX Acai Blueberry Pomegranate all the waaaaay)
I could keep going, but you get the idea.
What are some things in your life that you can't even fathom living without now?
Also, I realize I had a dry-spell for awhile and probably lost some readers.... so c'mon now... take some of your precious internet time and leave a comment, so I know some of you (hopefully) stuck with me!
'tis appreciated. until next tiiiiime (no worries, it'll be soon)
-ranch dressing (.... just phenomenal)
-my iPod (especially while driving)
-the band Family Force 5 (speaking of which... they just released their Christmas album "the Family Force 5 Christmas Pageant"... glorious!)
-slip-on shoes (specifically Vans)
-texting (call it a disease.... but hey, i'm happily stricken with this particular bug)
-Vitamin Water (XXX Acai Blueberry Pomegranate all the waaaaay)
I could keep going, but you get the idea.
What are some things in your life that you can't even fathom living without now?
Also, I realize I had a dry-spell for awhile and probably lost some readers.... so c'mon now... take some of your precious internet time and leave a comment, so I know some of you (hopefully) stuck with me!
'tis appreciated. until next tiiiiime (no worries, it'll be soon)
10/5/09
counting down to another countdown
I've always been a fan of countdowns. Anything from holidays, to highly-anticipated concerts, to seeing someone special, to movie premieres, to album release from my favorite bands. Lately, I think I've been even more active with countdowns than ever before (blame falls completely on a certain Abby Brentner.... or new food selections @ Sheetz... or BOTH??)
So.... do YOU ever find yourself counting down to something you're excited about? If so, what's the most prominent one that sticks out in your mind? (or the most recent)
So.... do YOU ever find yourself counting down to something you're excited about? If so, what's the most prominent one that sticks out in your mind? (or the most recent)
10/4/09
random blurbage! (10-4-09)
-t-minus 2ish days until I return to State College for my fall break! can't wait to spend more quality time w/ Abby. that Pixar coloring book is begging to be purchased, and Apples to Apples game-time is LONG overdue
-current music : Passion Pit (album: Manners); new music from the likes of Paramore, Relient K, and Muse
-experienced my first back-to-back weekends of college football! PSU/Iowa (i need a re-do, good weather AND a PSU victory) last weekend, and LU vs West VA Wesleyan (lol.... did they send a local high school team instead?)
-this video (http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/09/22) i'm a little behind on my viral videos, so i apologize if you've already seen that
-I'm currently in concert withdrawal, both from past shows I've missed recently... and shows I'm going to be missing soon. FamilyForce5 will cure that (hopefully that NC-trip works out)
-anybody seen the new NBC show Community?
-2 nights of LU-hockey this weekend, too! our team is undefeated. twas an epic thrashing of PSU's branch campus team, the PSU Berks. should've sent their main campus team (our rival). plenty of fights and fancy stick-work... good times
-joining a 2nd group of ult.frisbee players 2nite. gotta double up to get my frisbee fix each week... plus i miss playing @ night! should be interesting
-i've come to rely quite-a-bit on wifi hot-spots while here @ LU... specifically Moe's (great food adds to the experience). Campus internet is garbage, Panera's internet is about as reliable as a weatherman, and Barnes & Noble is hit-or-miss (plus you're not allowed to use their wall outlets)
-current music : Passion Pit (album: Manners); new music from the likes of Paramore, Relient K, and Muse
-experienced my first back-to-back weekends of college football! PSU/Iowa (i need a re-do, good weather AND a PSU victory) last weekend, and LU vs West VA Wesleyan (lol.... did they send a local high school team instead?)
-this video (http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/09/22) i'm a little behind on my viral videos, so i apologize if you've already seen that
-I'm currently in concert withdrawal, both from past shows I've missed recently... and shows I'm going to be missing soon. FamilyForce5 will cure that (hopefully that NC-trip works out)
-anybody seen the new NBC show Community?
-2 nights of LU-hockey this weekend, too! our team is undefeated. twas an epic thrashing of PSU's branch campus team, the PSU Berks. should've sent their main campus team (our rival). plenty of fights and fancy stick-work... good times
-joining a 2nd group of ult.frisbee players 2nite. gotta double up to get my frisbee fix each week... plus i miss playing @ night! should be interesting
-i've come to rely quite-a-bit on wifi hot-spots while here @ LU... specifically Moe's (great food adds to the experience). Campus internet is garbage, Panera's internet is about as reliable as a weatherman, and Barnes & Noble is hit-or-miss (plus you're not allowed to use their wall outlets)
9/22/09
9/16/09
busybusybusy vs free-time
Never thought I'd say this..... but I've grown bored of all this free time I have during the week. Occasionally it's worthwhile & enjoyable, where I don't feel useless or bored out of my mind.... but more often than not, I'd rather be napping. You might really dislike me right now, as you read this, if you are someone struggling to find time to just relax and enjoy some free-time of your own.... hopefully not, though, because thaaaat's not my intention. When I was in my usual-mode back in the 757, of being busy all-the-time... whether working, or with events/smallgroups/etc with the youth or college groups, or opting for time spent with friends rather than resting & getting re-energized... I loved it. I'm missing the constant activity and being kept on my toes. I definitely appreciated sleep more.
Vice versa.... I should appreciate this free-time, while it lasts.. because I don't see it lasting beyond this semester haha. Plus, it provides ample amounts of time to stay caught up on assignments & studying... so it definitely has it's benefits. Definitely can't complain when alot of my homework revolves around reading God's Word... yet another thing I have plenty of time for, but don't do nearly enough. He's blessed me so much this year, through small group lessons... discipleship time... and in so much more. It's definitely been a milestone year for spiritual growth, and it's just kept getting better & better in terms of feeling and being more in-tune with His will for me (case in point : looking back on last Thanksgiving up until this very point... the subtle thoughts, ideas, and moments pondering what the heck I'm doing.... and the persistence paying off in the form of such a Godly girl & complete answer to prayer... pretty much reached down and slapped me upside the head... lol). Giving worry, fear, and doubt the cold shoulder... giving it all to God... and WHAM.... can't beat the results, in the least!
So yes... hopefully I'll hit my stride, balance out my free-time with worthwhile/beneficial activity (guys accountability group has been a huge step in that direction), and everything will be a-okay.
Okay... that's all. All you busybusybusy peoples probly still don't like me haha.... sorry! End of post.
Vice versa.... I should appreciate this free-time, while it lasts.. because I don't see it lasting beyond this semester haha. Plus, it provides ample amounts of time to stay caught up on assignments & studying... so it definitely has it's benefits. Definitely can't complain when alot of my homework revolves around reading God's Word... yet another thing I have plenty of time for, but don't do nearly enough. He's blessed me so much this year, through small group lessons... discipleship time... and in so much more. It's definitely been a milestone year for spiritual growth, and it's just kept getting better & better in terms of feeling and being more in-tune with His will for me (case in point : looking back on last Thanksgiving up until this very point... the subtle thoughts, ideas, and moments pondering what the heck I'm doing.... and the persistence paying off in the form of such a Godly girl & complete answer to prayer... pretty much reached down and slapped me upside the head... lol). Giving worry, fear, and doubt the cold shoulder... giving it all to God... and WHAM.... can't beat the results, in the least!
So yes... hopefully I'll hit my stride, balance out my free-time with worthwhile/beneficial activity (guys accountability group has been a huge step in that direction), and everything will be a-okay.
Okay... that's all. All you busybusybusy peoples probly still don't like me haha.... sorry! End of post.
9/7/09
random blurb time (9-7-09)
*week 3 has begun here @ LU. that alone blows my mind. finally know my way around town, and brief car problems were resolved... phew!
*Abby came to visit from PA this weekend! such a blessing to be around... whether watching nature documentaries, indulging in Sonic or Outback, laughing about college football/tired-speak/youtube-videos, or doing absolutely nothing at all..... incredible time spent! time to start counting down again
(okay... so that one was more than a blurb... oh well!)
*www.peopleofwalmart.com (suddenly got popular... so sometimes the site won't load)
*today is Free Chick-Fil-A sandwich day! wear your fave sports team apparel, get a free sandwich. simple as that. i went for lunch, and am returning for round 2 soon haha
*fall tv season starts very soon.... i hope we get cable @ the house soon, so I don't go into Office-withdrawal
*Wawa > Sheetz, 'nuff said.
*Relient K's new single is up on their MySpace profile.... love it! I've been listening to them since high school, it's amazing seeing them progress as musicians/performers. New album "Forget and Not Slow Down" drops Oct. 6th
*Abby came to visit from PA this weekend! such a blessing to be around... whether watching nature documentaries, indulging in Sonic or Outback, laughing about college football/tired-speak/youtube-videos, or doing absolutely nothing at all..... incredible time spent! time to start counting down again
(okay... so that one was more than a blurb... oh well!)
*www.peopleofwalmart.com (suddenly got popular... so sometimes the site won't load)
*today is Free Chick-Fil-A sandwich day! wear your fave sports team apparel, get a free sandwich. simple as that. i went for lunch, and am returning for round 2 soon haha
*fall tv season starts very soon.... i hope we get cable @ the house soon, so I don't go into Office-withdrawal
*Wawa > Sheetz, 'nuff said.
*Relient K's new single is up on their MySpace profile.... love it! I've been listening to them since high school, it's amazing seeing them progress as musicians/performers. New album "Forget and Not Slow Down" drops Oct. 6th
8/30/09
first week (OVER!)
life is busy, but oh-so-good right now
LU has been fantastic so far. classes are interesting & hopefully positively challenging as the days go on. reconnecting with friends that have been here going to school has been awesome, as well as meeting new people... on-campus, at church, or on the frisbee field (you had to have known i would seek that out almost immediately haha). my roommates are great guys, haven't really truly met the 3rd guy who moved in yesterday... but soon enough i'm sure. everyone is on a different schedule, so it's rare but great
also, i'm having to adjust to not having convenient at-home internet... which, in reality, is a good thing. so i've grown accustomed to free-WiFi hot-spots like Moe's or Panera... and the free wireless on campus, too. also means less-distractions and more sleep when i'm back at the house haha
it's such a different atmosphere than i'm used to, so it's going to take some adjusting to.... but the overall opportunities so far have been much-needed and quite awesome. a new church to attend while i'm here (Brentwood Church), a guys accountability/discipleship group to attend during the week, and so much more as time goes on.. I'm sure.
there's alot to reflect on leading up to this point in my life... and I'm extremely excited to be where God has led me, both educationally & spiritually.
*i really never thought i'd end up @ LU going to school, but here I am working on my graphic arts degree.
*i never thought i'd be living in a house with almost-complete-strangers... but now I'm living with 3 new-faces and pleasantly adjusting to living away from home.
*i never thought i'd be in a long-distance relationship, but i'm blessed with such an amazing opportunity & experience now... and it's been so surprisingly stress-free & she's a daily encouragement and source of uplifting joy. (4 days, Abby!!! plenty of confetti will be thrown... September is going to be amazing)
*i never thought i'd become so reliant on God to get me through stressful situations.... but my lately my car has been a big source of stress, and yet I've been kept in-line & patient with anything that comes my way
*i never thought i'd be doing this well at fighting off soda (for the most part)... yet here I am with a newfound love for Vitamin Water, and good 'ol regular water too. Still... I could be doing better. I will persevere!
Welp... that's all for now. Sorry if you check my blog often and haven't seen many new posts.... keep checking back! 'Til next time...
LU has been fantastic so far. classes are interesting & hopefully positively challenging as the days go on. reconnecting with friends that have been here going to school has been awesome, as well as meeting new people... on-campus, at church, or on the frisbee field (you had to have known i would seek that out almost immediately haha). my roommates are great guys, haven't really truly met the 3rd guy who moved in yesterday... but soon enough i'm sure. everyone is on a different schedule, so it's rare but great
also, i'm having to adjust to not having convenient at-home internet... which, in reality, is a good thing. so i've grown accustomed to free-WiFi hot-spots like Moe's or Panera... and the free wireless on campus, too. also means less-distractions and more sleep when i'm back at the house haha
it's such a different atmosphere than i'm used to, so it's going to take some adjusting to.... but the overall opportunities so far have been much-needed and quite awesome. a new church to attend while i'm here (Brentwood Church), a guys accountability/discipleship group to attend during the week, and so much more as time goes on.. I'm sure.
there's alot to reflect on leading up to this point in my life... and I'm extremely excited to be where God has led me, both educationally & spiritually.
*i really never thought i'd end up @ LU going to school, but here I am working on my graphic arts degree.
*i never thought i'd be living in a house with almost-complete-strangers... but now I'm living with 3 new-faces and pleasantly adjusting to living away from home.
*i never thought i'd be in a long-distance relationship, but i'm blessed with such an amazing opportunity & experience now... and it's been so surprisingly stress-free & she's a daily encouragement and source of uplifting joy. (4 days, Abby!!! plenty of confetti will be thrown... September is going to be amazing)
*i never thought i'd become so reliant on God to get me through stressful situations.... but my lately my car has been a big source of stress, and yet I've been kept in-line & patient with anything that comes my way
*i never thought i'd be doing this well at fighting off soda (for the most part)... yet here I am with a newfound love for Vitamin Water, and good 'ol regular water too. Still... I could be doing better. I will persevere!
Welp... that's all for now. Sorry if you check my blog often and haven't seen many new posts.... keep checking back! 'Til next time...
8/22/09
LU takeover
So I'm all moved in now, a bit more unpacking to do... but for the most part I'm settled & enjoying my room @ the house! I'll post pictures soon, once I take some, and maybe my address in case anybody wants to send letters, pictures, care packages, etc (wink wink).
Ran into Leverett (the roommate I had met beforehand) late thursday night, after I got back to the house from board-gaming with some friends. Hopefully his work schedule isn't too chaotic so we can hang out soon. Also finally met Dave last night, after some quality Star-Trek/Sheetz hangtime with the one & only Dan Chuuuurch. Very chill & seems like a really legit guy, looking forward to getting to know him more. The 4th guy in the house, Jason M, moves in next week at some point.
Procrastinating on buying my books, in case there ends up being any that I won't need to buy... but I'll brave the bookstore tomorrow to grab 2 or 3 of the essentials that I know I'll need. Looking to set-up a meal plan too, once Monday rolls around... and hoping to get my laptop linked up to the LU-network at some point, but for now the guest-connection will do just fine.
Weather isn't so pleasant right now, which is unfortunate because I wanted to do some outdoor exploration... or gather some people & throw around a frisbee, but I'm not too sure if the 434 weather is as spastic & quick-changing as the weather back home. Hopefully it's cleared up by tomorrow, so I can go hiking with Dan & his friends after church.
Welp.... that's all for now. I miss all you 757 ppl, can't wait for a visit from the 814 (and vice versa =) of course!), and look forward to time spent with old friends & meeting plenty new people here in the 434
Ran into Leverett (the roommate I had met beforehand) late thursday night, after I got back to the house from board-gaming with some friends. Hopefully his work schedule isn't too chaotic so we can hang out soon. Also finally met Dave last night, after some quality Star-Trek/Sheetz hangtime with the one & only Dan Chuuuurch. Very chill & seems like a really legit guy, looking forward to getting to know him more. The 4th guy in the house, Jason M, moves in next week at some point.
Procrastinating on buying my books, in case there ends up being any that I won't need to buy... but I'll brave the bookstore tomorrow to grab 2 or 3 of the essentials that I know I'll need. Looking to set-up a meal plan too, once Monday rolls around... and hoping to get my laptop linked up to the LU-network at some point, but for now the guest-connection will do just fine.
Weather isn't so pleasant right now, which is unfortunate because I wanted to do some outdoor exploration... or gather some people & throw around a frisbee, but I'm not too sure if the 434 weather is as spastic & quick-changing as the weather back home. Hopefully it's cleared up by tomorrow, so I can go hiking with Dan & his friends after church.
Welp.... that's all for now. I miss all you 757 ppl, can't wait for a visit from the 814 (and vice versa =) of course!), and look forward to time spent with old friends & meeting plenty new people here in the 434
8/19/09
simple.... but hilarious
there's something about this video that gets me every time.... in all it's short, simplistic glory. pretty sure it needs to be looped for added hilarity
8/17/09
the big move
*(sorry for the extended break in-between posts, life has been pleasantly busy as-of-late)*
it's finally taking place this coming thursday (the big move to lynchburg, that is). the more i organize & pack, the more real it's going to feel leading up to thursday morning. balancing all of that with family-time & seeing friends before i go isn't going to be easy. my goal is to be completely ready by the time wed. nite rolls around, so i can close-out my summer with some ultimate frisbee.... buuuut i'm mentally prepared for the possibility of missing out, whether due to feeling incomplete with packing.. or due to random bad weather (it's haunted us for the past 2 weeks whenev frisbee time rolled around)
regardless, i'll have 4 days to settle in and spend time with the family in lynchburg before they head back here to the 757.. and then classes start on monday!
it's been an amazing year off from school (and an even better summer) and I am extremely thankful for the blessings & opportunities scattered throughout. from sunday mornings teaching a 7th grade guys group, to helping dalton any-way-possible in getting the college ministry off the ground, to wed-nites/camp/super-summer with the youth group, to seeing ultimate frisbee grow from 15-ish ppl once a week to 30-40ish ppl twice a week, to all the concerts & movie-nights & game-nights & random outings, to the trip to toronto with the college group, to being an encouragement & care-package sender and having that turn into something quite-amazing recently with a particularly special girl who was away on summer mission project, to...... phew..... just so much has happened this year! i've loved every minute of it, and i am extremely amped & excited to see what God has in store for this coming semester & beyond into 2010
needless to say, it's gunna be quite nice splitting my time between the the 434, the 814, and the 757
what are YOU excited about this year?
it's finally taking place this coming thursday (the big move to lynchburg, that is). the more i organize & pack, the more real it's going to feel leading up to thursday morning. balancing all of that with family-time & seeing friends before i go isn't going to be easy. my goal is to be completely ready by the time wed. nite rolls around, so i can close-out my summer with some ultimate frisbee.... buuuut i'm mentally prepared for the possibility of missing out, whether due to feeling incomplete with packing.. or due to random bad weather (it's haunted us for the past 2 weeks whenev frisbee time rolled around)
regardless, i'll have 4 days to settle in and spend time with the family in lynchburg before they head back here to the 757.. and then classes start on monday!
it's been an amazing year off from school (and an even better summer) and I am extremely thankful for the blessings & opportunities scattered throughout. from sunday mornings teaching a 7th grade guys group, to helping dalton any-way-possible in getting the college ministry off the ground, to wed-nites/camp/super-summer with the youth group, to seeing ultimate frisbee grow from 15-ish ppl once a week to 30-40ish ppl twice a week, to all the concerts & movie-nights & game-nights & random outings, to the trip to toronto with the college group, to being an encouragement & care-package sender and having that turn into something quite-amazing recently with a particularly special girl who was away on summer mission project, to...... phew..... just so much has happened this year! i've loved every minute of it, and i am extremely amped & excited to see what God has in store for this coming semester & beyond into 2010
needless to say, it's gunna be quite nice splitting my time between the the 434, the 814, and the 757
what are YOU excited about this year?
8/5/09
jerk friend
i think everybody has a friend like this, who pulls cruel stunts & pranks regardless of how old he/she is... and yet, i cherish the friends that I'm reminded of while watching this video.
a) because later on, the stories are hilarious... and b) because when they get pranked & become the victim..... it's twice as hilarious
a) because later on, the stories are hilarious... and b) because when they get pranked & become the victim..... it's twice as hilarious
7/27/09
(Super) Summer '09
Tomorrow begins the long-awaited event of the summer for the Liberty Student Ministry.... rivaling summer camp for the most spirited & excitement-filled chaos, jam-packed into 3 nights rather than 5 full days.
In short, it's team competition. On steroids. With lots and lots of colorful ridiculousness. It's grown bigger & bigger each time, and judging by the list of pre-sign-ups... it's gunna be huge this year. The staff divides up the youth into 12 teams (i could be wrong.... but i think we only had 8 teams last year). The teams are characterized by colors. Blue, Red, Yellow, PINK (my team, 3rd year in a row.. and reigning '08 champions), Orange, Black, etc etc etc. The main job for each team is to bring as many of their friends out that hardly ever, or never, go to church anywhere. The majority of us, leaders & youth alike, go team-spirit-crazy and deck ourselves out in our team's color in any way possible. I get a kick out of shopping for pink stuff every year... especially the looks I get from the dressing room attendants, and the cashiers. Now, of course, winning the games = points for your team.... but the most points come from bringing visitors. My team blew away the competition last year and went from 15-ish kids to almost 60 by the end of the 3-night event.
Enough info though... here's a couple pictures from last year to give you an idea of what this will be like this year
In short, it's team competition. On steroids. With lots and lots of colorful ridiculousness. It's grown bigger & bigger each time, and judging by the list of pre-sign-ups... it's gunna be huge this year. The staff divides up the youth into 12 teams (i could be wrong.... but i think we only had 8 teams last year). The teams are characterized by colors. Blue, Red, Yellow, PINK (my team, 3rd year in a row.. and reigning '08 champions), Orange, Black, etc etc etc. The main job for each team is to bring as many of their friends out that hardly ever, or never, go to church anywhere. The majority of us, leaders & youth alike, go team-spirit-crazy and deck ourselves out in our team's color in any way possible. I get a kick out of shopping for pink stuff every year... especially the looks I get from the dressing room attendants, and the cashiers. Now, of course, winning the games = points for your team.... but the most points come from bringing visitors. My team blew away the competition last year and went from 15-ish kids to almost 60 by the end of the 3-night event.
Enough info though... here's a couple pictures from last year to give you an idea of what this will be like this year
7/24/09
7/21/09
day FOUR (amongst other things)
so i've made it to day 4 without any soda or fast food.... so liberating! i feel better already. keep up with any random check-ups to make sure i'm holding to it. i still haven't decided on a set timeline for this.... maybe i'll just keep going indefinitely haha.
busy day today! went to Busch Gardens with the youth group, and it's always a blast with those kids... and especially going early on a weekday. those lines were shorter than i've ever seen them. also, the Griffon should be twice as long. such a disappointingly short ride, with it being so mighty & epic. anyways, plenty of humorous moments & awkward statements made my middle schoolers.... so hard not to laugh sometimes, when the situation calls for an authoritative response.
also, saw the movie The Hurt Locker tonight @ amc. very good movie, and very realistic depiction of the war in Iraq (if not the best portrayal yet).... definitely reminded me why I will never join the military. Don't get me wrong, I come from a military family and I have great respect & appreciation for our troops.... but that's just not for me... not my calling.
ah yes, and in closing, my good friend Brandon McPherson made it to the final 10 in the Face of Fox 43 contest (here's the link). crazy! kinda makes me wish I had jumped on board this contest too. maybe next year......
busy day today! went to Busch Gardens with the youth group, and it's always a blast with those kids... and especially going early on a weekday. those lines were shorter than i've ever seen them. also, the Griffon should be twice as long. such a disappointingly short ride, with it being so mighty & epic. anyways, plenty of humorous moments & awkward statements made my middle schoolers.... so hard not to laugh sometimes, when the situation calls for an authoritative response.
also, saw the movie The Hurt Locker tonight @ amc. very good movie, and very realistic depiction of the war in Iraq (if not the best portrayal yet).... definitely reminded me why I will never join the military. Don't get me wrong, I come from a military family and I have great respect & appreciation for our troops.... but that's just not for me... not my calling.
ah yes, and in closing, my good friend Brandon McPherson made it to the final 10 in the Face of Fox 43 contest (here's the link). crazy! kinda makes me wish I had jumped on board this contest too. maybe next year......
7/18/09
curse you, fast food & soda
That's it!!! I've had enough with this feeling of iccckkk and disgust brewing inside me... every time i indulge in some Taco Bell, or Sonic, or McD's, or Wendy's... it's just not worth it. I feel like garbage right now, my stomach didn't sit well with some Taco Bell + Mountain Dew from late lunch not too long ago... 'nuff said. There was a reason I cut back BIG time on sodas & fast food for a good month or so (if not longer, i didn't do the best at keeping track after 2-weeks or so). I've probably rewound back to step 1, before I lost 15ish lbs from cutting back on all of that.. and playing some intense ultimate frisbee twice a week for several hours. I can only hope I haven't completely counter-acted all that progress, but I'm afraid to seek out a scale and find out.
Consider this day 0.5, since I'm declaring this so late into the day... but I'm not drinking anything but water for the rest of today, for starters. I'll slightly cheat by allowing my favorite Vitamin Water in on the deal (XXX blueberry pomegranate) and some watered down lemonade while at work.... and I'm not going cold turkey with fast food. Cutting back to once or twice a week MAX, then going from there. I messed up the first time around by not declaring this, thus closing myself off from being held accountable at random by people who are in-the-know. So now you know, and I'm giving you the right to check up on me at random... on blogger, on facebook, via text, WHATEVER! You've been granted a mighty task, use it wisely.
Now excuse me while I go lay down & rub my belly, and finish off this first water bottle.....
Consider this day 0.5, since I'm declaring this so late into the day... but I'm not drinking anything but water for the rest of today, for starters. I'll slightly cheat by allowing my favorite Vitamin Water in on the deal (XXX blueberry pomegranate) and some watered down lemonade while at work.... and I'm not going cold turkey with fast food. Cutting back to once or twice a week MAX, then going from there. I messed up the first time around by not declaring this, thus closing myself off from being held accountable at random by people who are in-the-know. So now you know, and I'm giving you the right to check up on me at random... on blogger, on facebook, via text, WHATEVER! You've been granted a mighty task, use it wisely.
Now excuse me while I go lay down & rub my belly, and finish off this first water bottle.....
7/12/09
random blurb time
it's been a busy week or so... time for some random blurbs of info
-Dalton (LBC college pastor) & Lindsay Beth's wedding was this past Friday night! lots of set-up for the wedding & reception ever since last Thursday.... didn't recognize our own church once everything was complete. congrats to the both of them, what an amazing night!
-July 4th @ Y-town beach was fantastic. 9 hrs of hang-time with the gang that ended up going... plenty of food, sunburn, ice cream, frisbee, sand, and of course fireworks. also, the detour to Williamsburg & back afterwards? a bit ridiculous. York County police need to take Detours 101 again....
-As previously blogged, I spoke on Wed. nite for the youth group service! Such an answer to prayer that everything went smoothly.... I owe alot to all the encouragement from friends & youth alike. God worked mightily and I heard some great feedback from the students, even more incredible hearing that some significant points got across to them... very uplifting message from one of the students later that night, about how she was deeply affected & getting herself back on track after realizing some issues in her own life. All God, none of me.
-Also, ultimate frisbee afterwards (and last nite, too) were incredibly intense. Blood, sweat, & tears for sure... in a good way. Maybe not so much with the tears.... but definitely some ridiculous (and amusing) collisions & almost-injuries.... phew!
-Richmond this past Thursday nite for the All Time Low / We The Kings / Cartel concert @ The National w/ J-Ray, Zach, Brelyn, and Kassy. Cartel owned all the others... plus they aren't pointless & obscene with their between-song banter... so that's a plus. Can't wait to hear their new single that premieres online tomorrow. Also, they tweet-replied to my post about them right after their set. Yep, I'm slightly gloating. Moment over.
-Taco Bell is delicious, more specifically the Cheesy Gordita Crunch (with extra baja sauce). I need to refrain, more often.... that tasty treat is my weakness.....
-Wore a new vest to the wedding... and I was so pumped on the vest I wore it again today. I'm a fan of the v-neck tee/vest combo.... makes me feel like I'm in a band. Hmm..... might need to act on that....
-Watched most of "The Lost World" again yesterday before ultimate frisbee. Pretty sure I'll always be hyped on dinosaurs. I've been a huge fan of them ever since I was little, and whether the script is up-to-par or not... I'm excited for the possible 4th Jurassic Park movie
.... okay it's nap time
-Dalton (LBC college pastor) & Lindsay Beth's wedding was this past Friday night! lots of set-up for the wedding & reception ever since last Thursday.... didn't recognize our own church once everything was complete. congrats to the both of them, what an amazing night!
-July 4th @ Y-town beach was fantastic. 9 hrs of hang-time with the gang that ended up going... plenty of food, sunburn, ice cream, frisbee, sand, and of course fireworks. also, the detour to Williamsburg & back afterwards? a bit ridiculous. York County police need to take Detours 101 again....
-As previously blogged, I spoke on Wed. nite for the youth group service! Such an answer to prayer that everything went smoothly.... I owe alot to all the encouragement from friends & youth alike. God worked mightily and I heard some great feedback from the students, even more incredible hearing that some significant points got across to them... very uplifting message from one of the students later that night, about how she was deeply affected & getting herself back on track after realizing some issues in her own life. All God, none of me.
-Also, ultimate frisbee afterwards (and last nite, too) were incredibly intense. Blood, sweat, & tears for sure... in a good way. Maybe not so much with the tears.... but definitely some ridiculous (and amusing) collisions & almost-injuries.... phew!
-Richmond this past Thursday nite for the All Time Low / We The Kings / Cartel concert @ The National w/ J-Ray, Zach, Brelyn, and Kassy. Cartel owned all the others... plus they aren't pointless & obscene with their between-song banter... so that's a plus. Can't wait to hear their new single that premieres online tomorrow. Also, they tweet-replied to my post about them right after their set. Yep, I'm slightly gloating. Moment over.
-Taco Bell is delicious, more specifically the Cheesy Gordita Crunch (with extra baja sauce). I need to refrain, more often.... that tasty treat is my weakness.....
-Wore a new vest to the wedding... and I was so pumped on the vest I wore it again today. I'm a fan of the v-neck tee/vest combo.... makes me feel like I'm in a band. Hmm..... might need to act on that....
-Watched most of "The Lost World" again yesterday before ultimate frisbee. Pretty sure I'll always be hyped on dinosaurs. I've been a huge fan of them ever since I was little, and whether the script is up-to-par or not... I'm excited for the possible 4th Jurassic Park movie
.... okay it's nap time
7/8/09
undeserved opportunities
Phew.....
It's a wonder that I ever slack off or falter away from my relationship with God.... because despite my ignorance & lack of effort at times to spend time in the Word & talking to Him, He still blesses me with such amazing opportunities & experiences. It's all coming together, into the bigger picture of just how much Liberty Baptist's youth group has meant to my life as a whole. I was presented with the opportunity to speak tomorrow night for the youth group, while Ben & John Paul (the high school/middle school pastors) are on a leadership retreat with some of the youth. I thought alot of time/prayer would go into what I should talk about tomorrow, but almost instantly it hit me. Well, moreso the general topic... but today as I sat here reading & writing out my message's outline, it became very clear how important this youth group has been for me & who I've become up to this point in my life.
At first, I was merely going to talk about the masks we wear in life... especially during the years of middle/high school... where many feel like they have to change who they are depending on their environment, or who they're around. Putting on a mask for school, and changing masks to go to church, or to work, or even how we present ourselves online. As I sat here formulating my thoughts, the importance of community & fellowship amongst fellow believers inter-weaved itself into the topic at hand. I realized how my time spent as a student in the youth group, and how I was truly myself & comfortable there, shaped who I am now... and how the disconnect between that and how I acted at school was illogical (surprisingly enough... I was the quiet kid who kept to myself more often than not... lost in my random sketching/doodling). It was so liberating for me when I realized that, towards the end of my high school years.. and how important it was for those masks to be thrown away, and just be me.. no matter where I am or who I'm surrounded by. I can only hope at least 1 of the youth tomorrow night walks away from hearing the message, and strives to apply the necessary changes in their own life.
I was feeling a bit hesitant at first... because despite my usual nature, I'm not the biggest fan of public speaking. Luckily word got out that I was speaking this week, and the encouragement & excitement from various kids from the youth group & others has really motivated & pumped me up for tomorrow.
Welp, there you have it.... one step closer & one more experience lined up to keep me in-check & grounded in what I need to be doing with my life... bittersweet to leave in August for school, but exciting nonetheless.... and double-the-excitement when I'm able to come home to see all these youth again for events like Disciple Now weekend retreats and maybe random Wednesday & Sundays
It's a wonder that I ever slack off or falter away from my relationship with God.... because despite my ignorance & lack of effort at times to spend time in the Word & talking to Him, He still blesses me with such amazing opportunities & experiences. It's all coming together, into the bigger picture of just how much Liberty Baptist's youth group has meant to my life as a whole. I was presented with the opportunity to speak tomorrow night for the youth group, while Ben & John Paul (the high school/middle school pastors) are on a leadership retreat with some of the youth. I thought alot of time/prayer would go into what I should talk about tomorrow, but almost instantly it hit me. Well, moreso the general topic... but today as I sat here reading & writing out my message's outline, it became very clear how important this youth group has been for me & who I've become up to this point in my life.
At first, I was merely going to talk about the masks we wear in life... especially during the years of middle/high school... where many feel like they have to change who they are depending on their environment, or who they're around. Putting on a mask for school, and changing masks to go to church, or to work, or even how we present ourselves online. As I sat here formulating my thoughts, the importance of community & fellowship amongst fellow believers inter-weaved itself into the topic at hand. I realized how my time spent as a student in the youth group, and how I was truly myself & comfortable there, shaped who I am now... and how the disconnect between that and how I acted at school was illogical (surprisingly enough... I was the quiet kid who kept to myself more often than not... lost in my random sketching/doodling). It was so liberating for me when I realized that, towards the end of my high school years.. and how important it was for those masks to be thrown away, and just be me.. no matter where I am or who I'm surrounded by. I can only hope at least 1 of the youth tomorrow night walks away from hearing the message, and strives to apply the necessary changes in their own life.
I was feeling a bit hesitant at first... because despite my usual nature, I'm not the biggest fan of public speaking. Luckily word got out that I was speaking this week, and the encouragement & excitement from various kids from the youth group & others has really motivated & pumped me up for tomorrow.
Welp, there you have it.... one step closer & one more experience lined up to keep me in-check & grounded in what I need to be doing with my life... bittersweet to leave in August for school, but exciting nonetheless.... and double-the-excitement when I'm able to come home to see all these youth again for events like Disciple Now weekend retreats and maybe random Wednesday & Sundays
7/6/09
7/3/09
patriotic hooray
First off.... it's almost July 4th, already??? Summer has my full permission to sloowwwww down. I've experienced alot already this summer, leading up to this point.... but yet it still feels like it shouldn't be July so soon.
highlights (so far):
-frisbee! ultimate frisbee/frisbee golf.. and all the antics, extreme moments, and blood.. sweat.. & tears shed. in the best way possible, of course. heck... I've lost upwards of 15 lbs thanks to the intense frisbee fun. Woot!
-camping! one weekend actually in the outdoors (with the college group from LBC), and one week in the mountains of West VA staying in plush condos @ Snowshoe (with the youth group from LBC). both involving bears.
-speaking of camp @ Snowshoe.... what an incredible week. great bonding/unifying moments of chaotic fun.. spiritual growth & change.. free food (for the leaders, at least...).. top-notch worship band (the Stephen Cole Band).. and everything in-between. God is amazing.
-weddings! Brian "Whoaday" & Samantha Norris, and Jason & Delia Fowler. Stoked for both couples! And I was in Brian & Sam's wedding! Such a great experience. Also, Jason & Delia's reception was the longest one I've ever been to... and it was fantastic
-midnite movies! whether the movie was any good or not (more often not) it didn't matter. great times hanging out with the movie-going gang, with the occasional post-movie IHOP feasting
-CANADA! that trip was amazing. 'nuff said. looking forward to the possibility of returning in December (!!!)
Now.... this leads me to tomorrow. The 4th of July. Last year's events were awesome.. spent the whole day @ Yorktown Beach, followed by some group-games & hang-time @ a friend's afterwards with almost everyone that joined for the beach-time. Aiming for a repeat this year, gathering early on... 11am or so... and car-pooling to Yorktown Beach to begin the day. We'll see how it goes from there. What are YOU doing for this festive weekend? Cook-outs? Fireworks? Boating? All 3 at the same time, somehow??
highlights (so far):
-frisbee! ultimate frisbee/frisbee golf.. and all the antics, extreme moments, and blood.. sweat.. & tears shed. in the best way possible, of course. heck... I've lost upwards of 15 lbs thanks to the intense frisbee fun. Woot!
-camping! one weekend actually in the outdoors (with the college group from LBC), and one week in the mountains of West VA staying in plush condos @ Snowshoe (with the youth group from LBC). both involving bears.
-speaking of camp @ Snowshoe.... what an incredible week. great bonding/unifying moments of chaotic fun.. spiritual growth & change.. free food (for the leaders, at least...).. top-notch worship band (the Stephen Cole Band).. and everything in-between. God is amazing.
-weddings! Brian "Whoaday" & Samantha Norris, and Jason & Delia Fowler. Stoked for both couples! And I was in Brian & Sam's wedding! Such a great experience. Also, Jason & Delia's reception was the longest one I've ever been to... and it was fantastic
-midnite movies! whether the movie was any good or not (more often not) it didn't matter. great times hanging out with the movie-going gang, with the occasional post-movie IHOP feasting
-CANADA! that trip was amazing. 'nuff said. looking forward to the possibility of returning in December (!!!)
Now.... this leads me to tomorrow. The 4th of July. Last year's events were awesome.. spent the whole day @ Yorktown Beach, followed by some group-games & hang-time @ a friend's afterwards with almost everyone that joined for the beach-time. Aiming for a repeat this year, gathering early on... 11am or so... and car-pooling to Yorktown Beach to begin the day. We'll see how it goes from there. What are YOU doing for this festive weekend? Cook-outs? Fireworks? Boating? All 3 at the same time, somehow??
7/2/09
quality scare-tactic
i'll post a lengthier update, with real substance & enjoyment.... but for now, enjoy my previous belated post & this video of a great scare moment
that is all. i'm off to the mall food court to enjoy some lunch & hang-time with our youth group's leadership & whichever youth find rides or car-pool together. let the mayhem begin!
that is all. i'm off to the mall food court to enjoy some lunch & hang-time with our youth group's leadership & whichever youth find rides or car-pool together. let the mayhem begin!
belated update
per request of the man behind robshep.com himself..... I present to you the lyrical response to a relationship that ended back in March, courtesy of Relient K
"Mood ring oh mood ring
Oh tell me will you bring
The key to unlock this mystery
Of girls and their emotions
Play it back in slow motion
So I may understand the complex infrastructure known as the female mind"
this update has been brought to you by Relient K, and the new Bacon Cheesy Potato Burrito™ from Taco Bell®
"Mood ring oh mood ring
Oh tell me will you bring
The key to unlock this mystery
Of girls and their emotions
Play it back in slow motion
So I may understand the complex infrastructure known as the female mind"
this update has been brought to you by Relient K, and the new Bacon Cheesy Potato Burrito™ from Taco Bell®
6/25/09
the last true legend
whether you appreciate the music or not, in regards to all the negativity & scandal of the last decade, this video is and will forever be the best music video of all time. remember the legacy. i'm wearing white socks with my black work pants tomorrow
6/23/09
the reason 2 dance
So for the past 3 years, myself & 4 of my 10th-grade guys from the youth group have taken the summer camp talent shows by storm... with mock lip-syncing/fake-instrument performances of songs by the group Family Force 5. We call ourselves the Reason 2 Dance, and here is a video of our third year as a group... stepping it up each year with new outfits & surprises. This year was no different....
Camp is also the reason I haven't blogged in the past week or so.... I apologize! I'll blog soon about the week itself, and how mightily God worked in the lives of everyone there. So yes... stay tuned!
Camp is also the reason I haven't blogged in the past week or so.... I apologize! I'll blog soon about the week itself, and how mightily God worked in the lives of everyone there. So yes... stay tuned!
6/14/09
find a balance
"find a balance"
those 3 words speak volumes for me. there's been so many aspects of my life that have needed a balance, at one point or another. back in high school, i could have really benefited from finding a balance in regards to being social and maintaining my morals/beliefs. for the majority of those years, i was myself outside of those walls... but during school became very introverted & closed off to the majority of those around me, until that bell rang to signal my release. it was very unlike me, and became it's own form of stress just to maintain those defensive blockades. it's borderline shameful, at times, to look back on how much time i wasted caring/worrying about what my fellow classmates thought... especially since i was completely opposite when around my separate group of friends @ youth group & beyond. i can only imagine what such a balance would have resulted in. don't take this as me saying i regret all of that, because i don't. everything happens for a reason in life, and God had a purpose for what i experienced... and has brought me so far since then. i hardly recognize myself, when comparing the past & the present.
fast forward to the college years, and the freedom & liberation has (at times) taken a toll due to an overwhelming amount of social activities & whatnot. finding a balance was very necessary, and almost 2 years ago i began praying that God would help me to slow down & take much-needed steps back so i didn't kill myself in the process. funny how prayer works, because i ended up breaking my leg (a story that's probly been mentioned in a past blog entry). that's definitely one way to slow things down. through that, i definitely developed a balance that still holds true today. i may seem just as busy & always up to something nowadays, but mixed with all the plans & concerts & game nights & whatnot... i take the time to just be alone, whether napping or sitting @ barnes & noble reading or enjoying the outdoors @ yorktown beach or city center. it's very refreshing & God has worked wonders through bring able to keep all the busy chaos in-check.
i actually just woke up from a nap not too long ago, and definitely plan on taking it easy 2nite.... so in case this was long-winded, or jumbled... I blame my relaxed & not-fully-awake mind haha
those 3 words speak volumes for me. there's been so many aspects of my life that have needed a balance, at one point or another. back in high school, i could have really benefited from finding a balance in regards to being social and maintaining my morals/beliefs. for the majority of those years, i was myself outside of those walls... but during school became very introverted & closed off to the majority of those around me, until that bell rang to signal my release. it was very unlike me, and became it's own form of stress just to maintain those defensive blockades. it's borderline shameful, at times, to look back on how much time i wasted caring/worrying about what my fellow classmates thought... especially since i was completely opposite when around my separate group of friends @ youth group & beyond. i can only imagine what such a balance would have resulted in. don't take this as me saying i regret all of that, because i don't. everything happens for a reason in life, and God had a purpose for what i experienced... and has brought me so far since then. i hardly recognize myself, when comparing the past & the present.
fast forward to the college years, and the freedom & liberation has (at times) taken a toll due to an overwhelming amount of social activities & whatnot. finding a balance was very necessary, and almost 2 years ago i began praying that God would help me to slow down & take much-needed steps back so i didn't kill myself in the process. funny how prayer works, because i ended up breaking my leg (a story that's probly been mentioned in a past blog entry). that's definitely one way to slow things down. through that, i definitely developed a balance that still holds true today. i may seem just as busy & always up to something nowadays, but mixed with all the plans & concerts & game nights & whatnot... i take the time to just be alone, whether napping or sitting @ barnes & noble reading or enjoying the outdoors @ yorktown beach or city center. it's very refreshing & God has worked wonders through bring able to keep all the busy chaos in-check.
i actually just woke up from a nap not too long ago, and definitely plan on taking it easy 2nite.... so in case this was long-winded, or jumbled... I blame my relaxed & not-fully-awake mind haha
6/12/09
awkward hilarity
Youtube is chock-full of video blogs (or.. vlogs) from countless users.... but a select few stand out from the rest, and exceed the 100,000 views mark. One such user, Daxflame, has achieved quite a following of viewers. I can't quite tell if he's acting or not, which I think adds to the viewing experience. Here's my favorite of his videos.
6/11/09
... Of The Moment (6-11-09)
Song(s) Of The Moment:
"The Time Has Come" by Hillsong United
(this song gives me chills. so uplifting. still kicking myself that i missed the Hillsong concert last week....)
"Summertime" by Mae
(one of my fave songs from the 757's very own... plus, it's fitting with it now being summertime)
Quote Of The Moment:
Kid: Lots of bands use drumloops!
Robert 'Fish' Fishman: A lot of elevators play Celine Dion - that doesn't make it right.
-Rainn Wilson in "The Rocker"
Movie Of The Moment:
Obviously this movie isn't out yet..... but c'mon now. It's Transformers 2. This movie is the perfect summer blockbuster movie. Giants robots. Explosions. Big name stars. Giant robots fighting each other with resulting big explosions. I'm excited.
Video Of The Moment:
One of the best flash-mobs I've seen so far. I want my own pair of hammer pants now.
"The Time Has Come" by Hillsong United
(this song gives me chills. so uplifting. still kicking myself that i missed the Hillsong concert last week....)
"Summertime" by Mae
(one of my fave songs from the 757's very own... plus, it's fitting with it now being summertime)
Quote Of The Moment:
Kid: Lots of bands use drumloops!
Robert 'Fish' Fishman: A lot of elevators play Celine Dion - that doesn't make it right.
-Rainn Wilson in "The Rocker"
Movie Of The Moment:
Obviously this movie isn't out yet..... but c'mon now. It's Transformers 2. This movie is the perfect summer blockbuster movie. Giants robots. Explosions. Big name stars. Giant robots fighting each other with resulting big explosions. I'm excited.
Video Of The Moment:
One of the best flash-mobs I've seen so far. I want my own pair of hammer pants now.
6/9/09
pinch me, i must be dreaming
If you have any appreciation for the classic & amazing show known as Saved By The Bell.... then hopefully this video will have the same effect on you that it had on me. (as in, ridiculously excited!!!)
I love moments like that, involving things I adored from my childhood.... that was such a throwback for me. I really hope the entire gang agrees to the reunion.
Whether you wished you were a student @ Bayside High too, or not.... what are some other childhood/teenage memories that you would love to see brought back & paid homage to in the best way possible?
I love moments like that, involving things I adored from my childhood.... that was such a throwback for me. I really hope the entire gang agrees to the reunion.
Whether you wished you were a student @ Bayside High too, or not.... what are some other childhood/teenage memories that you would love to see brought back & paid homage to in the best way possible?
6/8/09
embrace the wilderness
This past weekend, I went with the college group from my church on a camping trip in the Shenandoah National Park (Big Meadows campground, to be exact). Here are some highlights, and some visuals for added enjoyment.
*playing mock-tour-guide most of the way there on bus 1, supplying such information as "fairies live in fog, and breed in creeks"
*embracing our juvenile glee, and seeing how many cars we can get to wave @ us, and how many semi-trucks will blow their horns in response to our arm-pumping motions
*supplying the last half-hour of the trip to the campground with impressions of Spongebob, Gollum, Pee Wee Herman, Kermit, and so on
*sleeping in a tent fit for 8 to 10 people, with only 3 other guys
*pancakes, potatoes, and scrambled eggs around a fire-pit for breakfast
*during our 1st hike, going off the trail as much as possible to climb every climbable rock/branch/log.. and cross as many creeks with anything similar to a stepping stone
*exploring a cave beneath a massive formation of rocks that we originally were posing on for pictures
*stalking/staring-down/chasing as many deer as possible with our mini "hunting-party" of guys trekking into deeper woods & swamp
*as I had an intense 5-minute staring contest with a deer, another deer crept up behind me... only to feel the blunt force of a whizzing frisbee thrown by my back-up man BJ Templeton
*following/chasing 3 black bears (not our brightest moment....)
*evacuating our evening devotional/discussion due to a curious skunk
*exploring the meadow our campground was named after, and climbing some amazing trees like Mowgli and/or Tarzan
-and now... the pictures-
*playing mock-tour-guide most of the way there on bus 1, supplying such information as "fairies live in fog, and breed in creeks"
*embracing our juvenile glee, and seeing how many cars we can get to wave @ us, and how many semi-trucks will blow their horns in response to our arm-pumping motions
*supplying the last half-hour of the trip to the campground with impressions of Spongebob, Gollum, Pee Wee Herman, Kermit, and so on
*sleeping in a tent fit for 8 to 10 people, with only 3 other guys
*pancakes, potatoes, and scrambled eggs around a fire-pit for breakfast
*during our 1st hike, going off the trail as much as possible to climb every climbable rock/branch/log.. and cross as many creeks with anything similar to a stepping stone
*exploring a cave beneath a massive formation of rocks that we originally were posing on for pictures
*stalking/staring-down/chasing as many deer as possible with our mini "hunting-party" of guys trekking into deeper woods & swamp
*as I had an intense 5-minute staring contest with a deer, another deer crept up behind me... only to feel the blunt force of a whizzing frisbee thrown by my back-up man BJ Templeton
*following/chasing 3 black bears (not our brightest moment....)
*evacuating our evening devotional/discussion due to a curious skunk
*exploring the meadow our campground was named after, and climbing some amazing trees like Mowgli and/or Tarzan
-and now... the pictures-
6/5/09
Slumber Activities
Sleep. It's a sacred thing that refuels us, whether in nap-form or extended into night-time slumber. It's also characterized individually by strange subconscious actions. I've always known that, on occasion, I talk in my sleep. I have a couple friends who sleep-walk. There's even plenty of stories that come to mind immediately of hilarious things friends have said to me while on trips or during movie-nights @ someone's house (ex: "I wanna shave a sheep plaid" by way of Austin Evans' sleep talk). Welp.... I apparently have a new slumber activity. I awoke this morning, and reached for my phone... only to find that it wasn't in it's usual spot. I checked my other side, and sure enough there it was. I had left it plugged in overnight, and for some reason it was flipped open. Here's the kicker : I seem to have purchased the ringtone for Elton John's "Bennie & the Jets" while asleep. You may recall that in my previous post, I mentioned that this song has been stuck in my head all week.... so at least this makes sense. I just hope this doesn't become a common occurrence, as amusing as this discovery was, because my cell phone bill will truly suffer the consequences.
Do you have any strange slumber activities, or stories of weird things you've said or overheard... or sleep-walking friends you've encountered & helped get back to the bed or couch? Do tell.
Do you have any strange slumber activities, or stories of weird things you've said or overheard... or sleep-walking friends you've encountered & helped get back to the bed or couch? Do tell.
6/4/09
... Of The Moment (6-4-09)
Song Of The Moment:
"Bennie & the Jets" by Elton John
(it's been stuck in my head all week.... BENNIE!)
Quote Of The Moment :
"Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook will merge to form one super time-wasting web-site called.... Youtwitface"
-Conan O'Brien during his new "In the year 3000" segment
Movie Of The Moment:
Go see this! Immediately! Pixar never fails to impress... it was amazing. I wholeheartedly approve.
Video Of The Moment:
I love these literal-interpretations of old-school music videos. There's several more out there... look and you shall find.
"Bennie & the Jets" by Elton John
(it's been stuck in my head all week.... BENNIE!)
Quote Of The Moment :
"Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook will merge to form one super time-wasting web-site called.... Youtwitface"
-Conan O'Brien during his new "In the year 3000" segment
Movie Of The Moment:
Go see this! Immediately! Pixar never fails to impress... it was amazing. I wholeheartedly approve.
Video Of The Moment:
I love these literal-interpretations of old-school music videos. There's several more out there... look and you shall find.
6/3/09
immature moments of glee
Last night, a video was posted on facebook that hasn't seen the light of day since early last summer.... and it immediately threw me back to that very moment. A moment defined by it's utmost immaturity, and yet absolute hilarity. Picture a calm inlet with a fishing pier and a nearby boat ramp, under the cloak of night. Myself and 2 others were out roaming the land, slightly bored after a rousing night of chasing deer & throwing frisbees @ skunks. We remembered this particular dock-area, and hurried there in hopes of additional mischief. At first glance, there was nothing in sight. No parked cars, no random wildlife, no.... nothin'. We swung the car around by the boat ramp, just to check it out as we left. Lo and behold! 3 dead stingrays had been left to dry out on the ramp! We parked the car, naturally began filming with one of the cameras we were equipped with, and the line "dude, let's throw a rock on one of them" was uttered. I'm not sure who threw the first mini-boulder, but it smacked the nearest stingray with a sickening thud... and we chuckled. Then the cameraman got closer and noticed something amiss with one of the stingrays. There seemed to be a second tail coming out the back end...... could it be??? The now-legendary quote was then uttered... "throw it at that one and see if the baby shoots out".... and sure enough... WHAM! Out spiraled the mini-stingray, as the three of us erupted in hysterics and laughter at this gross-but-highly-amusing sight. It shot at leaaaast 4 feet from the mother stingray.... so ridiculous.
I would have posted the video, rather than go into descriptive-story-mode... but so far it's only on facebook. Maybe once it hits youtube....
Disclaimer : No stingrays were harmed in the making of this video (because they were already dead)
I would have posted the video, rather than go into descriptive-story-mode... but so far it's only on facebook. Maybe once it hits youtube....
Disclaimer : No stingrays were harmed in the making of this video (because they were already dead)
5/30/09
i'm a fan of the outdoors
It dawned on me recently how much I rely on the outdoors for my personal well-being.
*I'm always in a better mood if it's sunny outside
*Many of my favorite places are all outside (Yorktown Beach, City Center, the VA Beach boardwalk, Kiln Creek Park, etc etc)
*I've lost 15-ish lbs mainly from all the outdoor frisbee games each week
*If I want to relax, and don't end up sitting in Barnes & Noble... chances are I'm outside somewhere
*I love bonfires, star-gazing, hiking, aimless nature wandering, etc (going camping next weekend with 20+ ppl from the college group.... stoked!!)
*one of my favorite pastimes as a child, that still carries over to the here & now, is climbing trees. i can't resist a good climbing-tree... i just can't
I leave you with this quote from comedian Demetri Martin (hilarious)
"“I wanna make a jigsaw puzzle that’s 40,000 pieces. And when you finish it, it says ‘go outside’”
*I'm always in a better mood if it's sunny outside
*Many of my favorite places are all outside (Yorktown Beach, City Center, the VA Beach boardwalk, Kiln Creek Park, etc etc)
*I've lost 15-ish lbs mainly from all the outdoor frisbee games each week
*If I want to relax, and don't end up sitting in Barnes & Noble... chances are I'm outside somewhere
*I love bonfires, star-gazing, hiking, aimless nature wandering, etc (going camping next weekend with 20+ ppl from the college group.... stoked!!)
*one of my favorite pastimes as a child, that still carries over to the here & now, is climbing trees. i can't resist a good climbing-tree... i just can't
I leave you with this quote from comedian Demetri Martin (hilarious)
"“I wanna make a jigsaw puzzle that’s 40,000 pieces. And when you finish it, it says ‘go outside’”
5/28/09
he's a bad motha.. (watch yo mouth!)
this might only be funny if you know the original line that Mr. Jackson utters in the movie.... (Wikipedia, anyone?)... but either way, gotta love the edited versions of movies.. made safe for tv. in this case, defffinitely more entertaining.
5/23/09
back on track (soon)
sorry for the lack of updates... i just realized that i haven't updated since may 4th
(thanks for the comment, Brian, I honestly forgot about my blogging habit leading up to the Canada trip.. with all the hustle & busy chaos)
i will update in full soon, but in brief.... i've been staying busy with the recent trip to Toronto, catchin up with people returning for the summer, weddings, student/college ministry events, and anything/everything in-between
(thanks for the comment, Brian, I honestly forgot about my blogging habit leading up to the Canada trip.. with all the hustle & busy chaos)
i will update in full soon, but in brief.... i've been staying busy with the recent trip to Toronto, catchin up with people returning for the summer, weddings, student/college ministry events, and anything/everything in-between
5/4/09
wrap around
"wrap your head around this"
I find myself having to wrap my head around situations more & more lately in life. The thought of going back to school next year? Easier to comprehend... but the fact that I won't be doing so in the comfort of my usual surroundings in the 757? That's a bit tougher to truly grasp right now. It's even somewhat hard to imagine I'll be in Canada at this time next Sunday... for the first "college mission trip" with the still-freshly-formed college group @ LBC. And yet there's other times where I'm not caught off guard, or unable to really "wrap my head around" something.... especially when it comes to concerts and whatnot. I'm very used to the uncanny "luck" (side-note : the concept of "luck" is bogus... it's just an easy phrase to throw around... so sue me) that I seem to have with meeting the bands I love, or finding my way backstage via volunteering.. or VIP passes via radio contests... or just being in the right place at the right time. I'm sure you've heard plenty of my stories along those lines if you've known me for a decent amount of time.
Regardless... I can't help but feel that there's a significant part of me that would rather switch the two types of situations around. Where I'm comfortable and at ease with big changes involving school, or living situations, or money, etc etc... and in turn, not used to the crazy & rare-to-come-by opportunities with the bands & concerts. It's just a thought to ponder, because I know the former will be easier to adapt & get used to as life goes on... as I experience more along those lines, and push myself out of my comfort zone with the expected changes we all experience as we live our lives.
Speaking of those crazy concert situations.... I'll close this entry out with round 2 of the on-stage red shorts antics that occurred this past Friday @ the Norva. Enjoy!
I find myself having to wrap my head around situations more & more lately in life. The thought of going back to school next year? Easier to comprehend... but the fact that I won't be doing so in the comfort of my usual surroundings in the 757? That's a bit tougher to truly grasp right now. It's even somewhat hard to imagine I'll be in Canada at this time next Sunday... for the first "college mission trip" with the still-freshly-formed college group @ LBC. And yet there's other times where I'm not caught off guard, or unable to really "wrap my head around" something.... especially when it comes to concerts and whatnot. I'm very used to the uncanny "luck" (side-note : the concept of "luck" is bogus... it's just an easy phrase to throw around... so sue me) that I seem to have with meeting the bands I love, or finding my way backstage via volunteering.. or VIP passes via radio contests... or just being in the right place at the right time. I'm sure you've heard plenty of my stories along those lines if you've known me for a decent amount of time.
Regardless... I can't help but feel that there's a significant part of me that would rather switch the two types of situations around. Where I'm comfortable and at ease with big changes involving school, or living situations, or money, etc etc... and in turn, not used to the crazy & rare-to-come-by opportunities with the bands & concerts. It's just a thought to ponder, because I know the former will be easier to adapt & get used to as life goes on... as I experience more along those lines, and push myself out of my comfort zone with the expected changes we all experience as we live our lives.
Speaking of those crazy concert situations.... I'll close this entry out with round 2 of the on-stage red shorts antics that occurred this past Friday @ the Norva. Enjoy!
5/3/09
knowing is half the battle
Another one of my childhood tv shows / toy-lines is coming to the big screen this summer.... and it's looking better with every preview
G.I. JOE trailer in HD
meanwhile
anybody else kinda let down by Wolverine this past weekend? i feel like even if i wasn't so familiar with the source material, that i would've been pretty disappointed by some of it still (regardless, still better than X-Men 3... which doesn't take much haha)
at least there's still Star Trek, Terminator:Salvation, and Transformers 2 to get hyped for as the summer movie season really gets going
G.I. JOE trailer in HD
meanwhile
anybody else kinda let down by Wolverine this past weekend? i feel like even if i wasn't so familiar with the source material, that i would've been pretty disappointed by some of it still (regardless, still better than X-Men 3... which doesn't take much haha)
at least there's still Star Trek, Terminator:Salvation, and Transformers 2 to get hyped for as the summer movie season really gets going
4/30/09
shiny & satisfying
did you ever win any amazing & exciting awards/trophies in your youth? i'm pretty sure this trophy was from Upward church-league basketball back in... '96-'97? i was horrible, and didn't add much to that team's dynamic... but hey.. i tried, right? and WHAM! got a trophy in the end. sure it was plastic... but it was a shiny reward nonetheless. sometimes it's these "everybody's a winner" awards that go that extra mile... or those congratulatory words for putting forth the effort, no matter the result... or a blue ribbon... or a high five.. or a scratch & sniff sticker on a B+ spelling quiz.
reach for the gold, but don't let it be the end of the world if you get silver or bronze... cuz maybe your bronze is somebody else's gold. at least you won something, at all.
(i really just intended on posting a ridiculous web-cam picture... the rest of the blog just came to me after posting the pic. maybe it makes some sense... or maybe it's 3-ish a.m. nonsense.... oh well, hope it was enjoyable!)
4/23/09
act a fool
The Norva - April 18th, 2009
*watch it in full, but prepare your mind for when I make my entrance
When in doubt, let loose on a stage in front of the unprepared masses
*watch it in full, but prepare your mind for when I make my entrance
When in doubt, let loose on a stage in front of the unprepared masses
4/19/09
random blurbs
*As you may realize, I love sunny mid-70s weather. This weekend was yet another one of those amazing weekends of perfect beautiful weather. Plenty of outdoor time does J-Holla good
*Last night, I (along with Josh Hazel & Adam Covell) walked from the Barnes & Noble / Chick-Fil-A area on Jefferson to City Center. We soon realized that it was the perfect solution when you have those "what do we do now?" moments as a night seems to be winding down.. but you don't want it to end just yet. It felt great outside, it was a relaxing stroll, and many laughs were had. What else could we need?
*Oh... and after leaving City Center and making a 7-11 pit-stop, we cheated and got a ride back to our cars. (slightly unintentional, a friend called to see where we were.. and how could we say no to the offer?)
*Twitter is yet another internet addiction.... and I dig it. It's amusing seeing what friends find important enough to post a "tweet" about.... from what the exact moment is that they woke up, to what they're currently eating, to being proud of posting an update while brushing their teeth.... it's just fun. Also, reading the twitter-convos back & forth between celebs is quite entertaining as well
* ahem.... twitter.com/jakeholla (yay for shameless plugs)
*Speaking of what I'm currently eating/drinking.... I just had 2 Coastal Cooler Capri Suns and a pack of Sunkist gummies. Snack-tastic, I must say.
*21 days until the Toronto mission trip w/ the college group. Pushing the anxiety about financial-help aside, because God will provide if it's meant to work out. Plus... I wanna see Niagara Falls!
*12 days (?) until X-Men Origins : Wolverine. Still holding out against watching the unfinished version that leaked onto the internet. I refuse!
*Applying for loans and maneuvering thru all the steps & forms of LU financial stuff = alot to handle. Ready to be done with "financial check-in" once I lock down my off-campus housing & registering for classes. It'll be a huge sigh of relief.
*Remember that music video I was in? (read this post if not) Well it's still coming out... they're just timing it along with more music being completed. Anyways! The point of bringing this up is... the group, the Silverust, was in a battle of the bands 2nite @ the Norva, and I made my on-stage debut wearing those infamous lil red shorts. They were awesome and they won. 'Nuff said. I'll keep you posted on more related upcoming hijinks
*that's all for now. g'nite!
*Last night, I (along with Josh Hazel & Adam Covell) walked from the Barnes & Noble / Chick-Fil-A area on Jefferson to City Center. We soon realized that it was the perfect solution when you have those "what do we do now?" moments as a night seems to be winding down.. but you don't want it to end just yet. It felt great outside, it was a relaxing stroll, and many laughs were had. What else could we need?
*Oh... and after leaving City Center and making a 7-11 pit-stop, we cheated and got a ride back to our cars. (slightly unintentional, a friend called to see where we were.. and how could we say no to the offer?)
*Twitter is yet another internet addiction.... and I dig it. It's amusing seeing what friends find important enough to post a "tweet" about.... from what the exact moment is that they woke up, to what they're currently eating, to being proud of posting an update while brushing their teeth.... it's just fun. Also, reading the twitter-convos back & forth between celebs is quite entertaining as well
* ahem.... twitter.com/jakeholla (yay for shameless plugs)
*Speaking of what I'm currently eating/drinking.... I just had 2 Coastal Cooler Capri Suns and a pack of Sunkist gummies. Snack-tastic, I must say.
*21 days until the Toronto mission trip w/ the college group. Pushing the anxiety about financial-help aside, because God will provide if it's meant to work out. Plus... I wanna see Niagara Falls!
*12 days (?) until X-Men Origins : Wolverine. Still holding out against watching the unfinished version that leaked onto the internet. I refuse!
*Applying for loans and maneuvering thru all the steps & forms of LU financial stuff = alot to handle. Ready to be done with "financial check-in" once I lock down my off-campus housing & registering for classes. It'll be a huge sigh of relief.
*Remember that music video I was in? (read this post if not) Well it's still coming out... they're just timing it along with more music being completed. Anyways! The point of bringing this up is... the group, the Silverust, was in a battle of the bands 2nite @ the Norva, and I made my on-stage debut wearing those infamous lil red shorts. They were awesome and they won. 'Nuff said. I'll keep you posted on more related upcoming hijinks
*that's all for now. g'nite!
4/14/09
blankity blank blank
(fill in the blanks)
Hi my name is _____. My favorite thing about warmer weather is ________. I can't wait to _________ once summer arrives. Summer movie season makes me very ______.
Hi my name is _____. My favorite thing about warmer weather is ________. I can't wait to _________ once summer arrives. Summer movie season makes me very ______.
4/9/09
make life more interesting
life can be so run-of-the-mill sometimes.... the same monotonous daily routines... growing content with the mundane & expected stuff. psssshhhh.... i live to cancel out that whole mentality. in fact, i just yawned right now thinking about how boring that is.
what's one of the main things i miss about everyone being back home from school, on winter break or even moreso during the summer??
pulling stunts like this
the city center frozen-in-place stunt we pulled last year was AMAZING... can't wait for more.
now go do something unexpected... something random & exciting & completely out of your normal routine.
you'll thank me for it, i promise.
what's one of the main things i miss about everyone being back home from school, on winter break or even moreso during the summer??
pulling stunts like this
the city center frozen-in-place stunt we pulled last year was AMAZING... can't wait for more.
now go do something unexpected... something random & exciting & completely out of your normal routine.
you'll thank me for it, i promise.
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