I just finished the last paper I'll ever have to write for school! Now onto Lynn's for dinner. I just wanted to inform everyone and cry out in victory. Also, please note that the fountain hopping tomorrow has been moved 15 minutes to 8:45. So, meet at 8:30 at The Ranch or 8:45 at Cain. I'll see y'all there to rock it all over campus one last time.
Fountain Hopping World Tour!
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Random Advice for the Masses
Well it seems that it's about time for things to start slowing down and begin falling in place. It appears that I have a job, my classes are just about done, so onto the next chapter... But more about that at a later time. With all the responses (and stories and 2AM phone calls) I got from my last post, it's time for some more advice.
So what else did I learn in college besides where to study? Well plenty, but I don't know if the rest can be organized easy enough to be put in a simple catagory, so here you go. Random advice in no particular order...
1. Sit next to people in class. I was afraid my freshman year to do so, but eventually you'll want to meet as many people as you can in your own major, so make some friends, whether it be INFO Heathers or ACCT Annas. It's good to know you're going to have some friends in your MKTG classes on the first day of the semester so you don't have to worry about sitting alone. And if you don't know anyone, don't sit alone. And also, don't forget the girl's name that you sit next to on the first day of school... It makes you feel like a jerk...
2. Use the Rec. Blah blah, yeah I know, I didn't use it to its fullest extent, but it's good advice. You pay for it, there's plenty there to do. You need to get some sort of excercise and there are plenty of options there including Rock Climbing, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, and Dance Classes. Intermurals are fun, don't let the deadlines pass you by.
3. Write to the Mail Call. You got something to say? Put it in the Mail Call! Let your voice be heard. It gets your opinions out there, whether it's on funding for public education or the clothing the editorial cartoon characters wear. It entertains us and gives you something to post on your fridge if it gets printed. Plus, how else would you be able to claim, "You know those automatic doors at the SCC that have been broken for 6 months? I got them fixed."
4. Go Fountain Hopping. Tour the campus by taking a refreshing dip in the area fountains! There's plenty around to fill up a night, it's a great activity to look forward to at the end of the semester. Get your start next Monday, May 1 at 8:45PM. Mark your calendars, meet at Cain, and let's party.
5. Find something you love to do and do it. If you like to play basketball with your roommates, do it. Attend sporting events, make your friends quilts, cook, play wall ball! Doing something you love is a great stress reliever, it'll counter out school which is a great stress causer.
6. Avoid Texas Avenue.
7. Don't pull an all nighter.
8. Set aside time each week for a meal with a friend.
9. Cook sometimes instead of eating out.
10. Forgive.
11. Learn something new! It's college after all...
12. Meet people.
13. Don't hit the bikers.
14. Smile at the squirrels.
15. Know why you're in a relationship.
16. Don't put your neo address on online forms, unless you want plenty of spam. Also, mark your information private on MyRecord.tamu.edu to avoid receiving calls and junk mail from marketers (the bad kind).
17. Be goofy with your roommates. Sing a song, record a video, play hall ball.
18. Try and get to know your neighbors, it's safe, it's fun, and you might meet a great girl...
19. Go to church, spend time with the Lord and Pray. It's not a burden your parents put on you in High School, it's a privilage.
20. Don't waste your money at 4.0 & Go. Go to SIs, have a study group, get review sheets...
21. Don't take your friends for granted.
22. Laugh at yourself, it's ok.
23. Know the resources the university offers. Aside from computer repair, cheap software, libraries, there are other lesser known resources, such as Student Life, which offers Free legal services and notaries.
24. Visit an art gallary, there's like 3 in the MSC alone.
25. Know the history and traditions of A&M, that's what makes this place special. Go to Muster and Silvertaps. Start your own tradition! And say Howdy!
Above all, enjoy the experiences. Don't take them for granted. It'll be over before you know it and you'll look back and not know where the time went. This is most likely going to be the best time in your life. Don't miss out.
Also, if you have time. Perform a musical in your class. Musicals just don't make sense in real life. It's probably the coolest thing you could do...
That's all the time I have now, so hopefully I've given adequate advice. Heed it, I'm your elder. And perhaps next week I'll have time to give you the low down on my favorite on campus bathrooms...
And as always, keep your watch on time and make that grill shine.
So what else did I learn in college besides where to study? Well plenty, but I don't know if the rest can be organized easy enough to be put in a simple catagory, so here you go. Random advice in no particular order...
1. Sit next to people in class. I was afraid my freshman year to do so, but eventually you'll want to meet as many people as you can in your own major, so make some friends, whether it be INFO Heathers or ACCT Annas. It's good to know you're going to have some friends in your MKTG classes on the first day of the semester so you don't have to worry about sitting alone. And if you don't know anyone, don't sit alone. And also, don't forget the girl's name that you sit next to on the first day of school... It makes you feel like a jerk...
2. Use the Rec. Blah blah, yeah I know, I didn't use it to its fullest extent, but it's good advice. You pay for it, there's plenty there to do. You need to get some sort of excercise and there are plenty of options there including Rock Climbing, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, and Dance Classes. Intermurals are fun, don't let the deadlines pass you by.
3. Write to the Mail Call. You got something to say? Put it in the Mail Call! Let your voice be heard. It gets your opinions out there, whether it's on funding for public education or the clothing the editorial cartoon characters wear. It entertains us and gives you something to post on your fridge if it gets printed. Plus, how else would you be able to claim, "You know those automatic doors at the SCC that have been broken for 6 months? I got them fixed."
4. Go Fountain Hopping. Tour the campus by taking a refreshing dip in the area fountains! There's plenty around to fill up a night, it's a great activity to look forward to at the end of the semester. Get your start next Monday, May 1 at 8:45PM. Mark your calendars, meet at Cain, and let's party.
5. Find something you love to do and do it. If you like to play basketball with your roommates, do it. Attend sporting events, make your friends quilts, cook, play wall ball! Doing something you love is a great stress reliever, it'll counter out school which is a great stress causer.
6. Avoid Texas Avenue.
7. Don't pull an all nighter.
8. Set aside time each week for a meal with a friend.
9. Cook sometimes instead of eating out.
10. Forgive.
11. Learn something new! It's college after all...
12. Meet people.
13. Don't hit the bikers.
14. Smile at the squirrels.
15. Know why you're in a relationship.
16. Don't put your neo address on online forms, unless you want plenty of spam. Also, mark your information private on MyRecord.tamu.edu to avoid receiving calls and junk mail from marketers (the bad kind).
17. Be goofy with your roommates. Sing a song, record a video, play hall ball.
18. Try and get to know your neighbors, it's safe, it's fun, and you might meet a great girl...
19. Go to church, spend time with the Lord and Pray. It's not a burden your parents put on you in High School, it's a privilage.
20. Don't waste your money at 4.0 & Go. Go to SIs, have a study group, get review sheets...
21. Don't take your friends for granted.
22. Laugh at yourself, it's ok.
23. Know the resources the university offers. Aside from computer repair, cheap software, libraries, there are other lesser known resources, such as Student Life, which offers Free legal services and notaries.
24. Visit an art gallary, there's like 3 in the MSC alone.
25. Know the history and traditions of A&M, that's what makes this place special. Go to Muster and Silvertaps. Start your own tradition! And say Howdy!
Above all, enjoy the experiences. Don't take them for granted. It'll be over before you know it and you'll look back and not know where the time went. This is most likely going to be the best time in your life. Don't miss out.
Also, if you have time. Perform a musical in your class. Musicals just don't make sense in real life. It's probably the coolest thing you could do...
That's all the time I have now, so hopefully I've given adequate advice. Heed it, I'm your elder. And perhaps next week I'll have time to give you the low down on my favorite on campus bathrooms...
And as always, keep your watch on time and make that grill shine.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Galveston
Yeah, so here I am. I made it to Galveston safely. Moody Gardens has got it going on. Big place it's quite a bit different than the hotels I'm used to where you park just outside your room... I think I prefer that to having to park in this garage and taking the elevator up to floor 6. Parking, getting out of your car, taking 10 steps and being in your room is a lot quicker of a process. Oh well, it's a fancy place and if anyone wants to join me, I have an extra queen sized bed waiting for you. Anyway, so I'm just about grown up (check the haircut). Hopefully I'll like what I see tomorrow and so will they. So, let's blog a little so I can get back to staring out the window at the new Schlitterbahn park...
I don't have much to say, my head is pretty congested and my nose won't stop bothering me. Leaves little room for thought. So I'll just speak quickly about something I learned today (we'll get back to the student handbook when I return to CS). It seems that Phillips has developed the technology to do one of two things. 1. Allow a television viewer to completely cut out commercials (I'm not completely sure how this is done). Or 2. Allow an advertiser to lock the station when their commercial comes on so that the viewer has no choice but to watch it. Now this is an either, or thing. They're trying to get a patent on the technology and I imagine it will be sold to whoever they think they can get the most money from. I think the latter is quite unethical and seems a little Big Brotherish to me. I don't want a company dictating to me what I have to watch. As if consumers don't distrust advertisers enough already...
That's all. My nose is running and my stomach is growling, so I'm peacing out.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Location, Location, Location
Well, it's getting closer. I'll probably have a job before the week's out. It's exciting, but at the same time a little scary and sad. Time to move on with life I suppose. I'm feeling a little somber and nostalgic as I write this. It's probably due to the Breaking Point song that's playing in the background. Well, with the short time I have here at work, let's get down to business.
To begin, let me give you some tips I picked up throughout college on studying. And as a good Business student, let me first tell you, it's all about Location, Location, Location.
The location is important, pick a place where you aren't distracted. Don't sit anywhere near instant messanger, sitting at the kitchen table may work unless you have a roommate that asks you questions like, "Hey. What do you think I'd do if someone busted through that window behind you and yanked you out? I think I'd keep studying..." For me, the best places to study were places that enjoyed and actually felt in the "study zone." I tried places like Sbisa, Denny's, and even Taco Bell which were alright if you don't mind the noise, free refills are a nice bonus.
However, I had a couple of "secret places" that were most useful to me. So, since I'm graduating, I'll give the secrets out:
1. Walk the Sky - My number one favorite place to study was in the skywalk on the second floor between Rudder and the MSC. Very cozy place, comfortable chairs, easily accessable bathroom, and the hallway is a perfect place to race your roommate as a study break. The windows along the hall provide a nice view of Rudder Plaza and the fountain.
2. Roundtable Discussion - A rendition of this for study groups would be in the 2nd floor lobby of Rudder at night. It's unlocked and the large round desk accomadates study groups nicely.
3. Secret Classrooms - The MSC also provides the best atmosphere for a group to study. Find your way up to the 3rd floor of the MSC (the stairs up there are on the hotel side of the MSC). It's a small floor, there are a couple of classrooms up there that are Never used. Dead silent, big rooms and your own bathroom. Thanks to Clinton for showing me that one freshman year.
There are also a couple of little-known locations for studying or groups requiring computer access:
1. Read Up - Read Lab. Heard of it? Not many have. It's open till 8 and is rarely even a quarter full. Plenty of computers around. It's room 150 in the Read building (adjacent to G Rollie). Most confusing building on campus, I know. Worth the find though.
2. Teague Building - Yeah, it's where I work, so that's how I found this place... The front entrance (facing the Commons) houses 4 computers. This section of the building is open 24 hours and at night is completely dead, allowing perfect privacy, peace, and quiet.
I visited each of these locations at some point during the year, so if I disappeared studying, this is where I went. But now that y'all can't interupt my studying, enjoy.
Well, that's all I have for now. I'm heading to Galveston Tuesday night with a company, they're putting me up in Moody Gardens, I'm excited to attend this convention they hold, hearing more about the company and actually getting to meet some customers and see how they interact with the company. But this of course means I miss my last soccer class... How sad. Only a few days of class left. That's insane.
Later on kids, keep it hot and serve the fries on the side.
To begin, let me give you some tips I picked up throughout college on studying. And as a good Business student, let me first tell you, it's all about Location, Location, Location.
The location is important, pick a place where you aren't distracted. Don't sit anywhere near instant messanger, sitting at the kitchen table may work unless you have a roommate that asks you questions like, "Hey. What do you think I'd do if someone busted through that window behind you and yanked you out? I think I'd keep studying..." For me, the best places to study were places that enjoyed and actually felt in the "study zone." I tried places like Sbisa, Denny's, and even Taco Bell which were alright if you don't mind the noise, free refills are a nice bonus.
However, I had a couple of "secret places" that were most useful to me. So, since I'm graduating, I'll give the secrets out:
1. Walk the Sky - My number one favorite place to study was in the skywalk on the second floor between Rudder and the MSC. Very cozy place, comfortable chairs, easily accessable bathroom, and the hallway is a perfect place to race your roommate as a study break. The windows along the hall provide a nice view of Rudder Plaza and the fountain.
2. Roundtable Discussion - A rendition of this for study groups would be in the 2nd floor lobby of Rudder at night. It's unlocked and the large round desk accomadates study groups nicely.
3. Secret Classrooms - The MSC also provides the best atmosphere for a group to study. Find your way up to the 3rd floor of the MSC (the stairs up there are on the hotel side of the MSC). It's a small floor, there are a couple of classrooms up there that are Never used. Dead silent, big rooms and your own bathroom. Thanks to Clinton for showing me that one freshman year.
There are also a couple of little-known locations for studying or groups requiring computer access:
1. Read Up - Read Lab. Heard of it? Not many have. It's open till 8 and is rarely even a quarter full. Plenty of computers around. It's room 150 in the Read building (adjacent to G Rollie). Most confusing building on campus, I know. Worth the find though.
2. Teague Building - Yeah, it's where I work, so that's how I found this place... The front entrance (facing the Commons) houses 4 computers. This section of the building is open 24 hours and at night is completely dead, allowing perfect privacy, peace, and quiet.
I visited each of these locations at some point during the year, so if I disappeared studying, this is where I went. But now that y'all can't interupt my studying, enjoy.
Well, that's all I have for now. I'm heading to Galveston Tuesday night with a company, they're putting me up in Moody Gardens, I'm excited to attend this convention they hold, hearing more about the company and actually getting to meet some customers and see how they interact with the company. But this of course means I miss my last soccer class... How sad. Only a few days of class left. That's insane.
Later on kids, keep it hot and serve the fries on the side.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
My Time In Aggieland
Alright, interview went very well, I finished up with most of my graduation invitations, I reviewed my bible study for tonight, now what? Oh. I'll check the mail. Alright, I'm back empty handed... As I ventured to the mailbox, I noticed that the sky is rather dark and it just felt outside as though it was about to begin pouring. No worries though, the tatooed dude across the parking lot was sitting outside shirtless, clipping his toenails and talking to his roommate. A girl a couple of buildings down was cleaning out her car. And the "Liberate Fritz" fliers we posted on the mailbox were still there. I'm going to miss college. Where else do you have this type of atmosphere?
22 days until I graduate from college... Read that aloud, how crazy is that? I am about to graduate from Texas A&M University. Didn't I just get here? How many days ago was I that goofy freshman that didn't know his way around campus that obviously skipped out on fish camp due to his utter lack of knowledge about traditions and other things that pertained to A&M? Well, apparently it's been four years. It's been a long road, but it was traveled quickly. I got lost in Academic Plaza, I was scared to sit next to people in class, I was overtaken by this completely new experience. I learned to love it. Aggieland has brought the most amazing experiences to my life. I now, not only know all of the traditions and facts that make A&M the most wonderful place on earth, I preach them as well.
I've learned so much here; life lessons, school lessons, heck, I even learned where Buffalo, Texas is. So, now I think I'm going to share some of those with you all over the next couple of blogs. Maybe it will be practical help for current students or future students (I know I have at least one Class of 2015er reads this). So here you go, knowledge without the price of tuition. Enjoy.
22 days until I graduate from college... Read that aloud, how crazy is that? I am about to graduate from Texas A&M University. Didn't I just get here? How many days ago was I that goofy freshman that didn't know his way around campus that obviously skipped out on fish camp due to his utter lack of knowledge about traditions and other things that pertained to A&M? Well, apparently it's been four years. It's been a long road, but it was traveled quickly. I got lost in Academic Plaza, I was scared to sit next to people in class, I was overtaken by this completely new experience. I learned to love it. Aggieland has brought the most amazing experiences to my life. I now, not only know all of the traditions and facts that make A&M the most wonderful place on earth, I preach them as well.
I've learned so much here; life lessons, school lessons, heck, I even learned where Buffalo, Texas is. So, now I think I'm going to share some of those with you all over the next couple of blogs. Maybe it will be practical help for current students or future students (I know I have at least one Class of 2015er reads this). So here you go, knowledge without the price of tuition. Enjoy.
One Question
Another day, another interview. What was life like without these things all the time? I don't quite remember.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
A Late Night Blogging
It's nearing midnight and I have a bit of time to blog. Today was Clinton's birthday. Happy birthday old man! We all ate at Rudy's, but more importantly, we gathered around to finally watch In The Bag. It's quite an eye-opening cartoon. Thank you for bringing it into our lives. And thank you Humphry the Bear for showing us how to truly pick up the trash and put it in the bag...Bump Bump.
Tonight, I also found a group on Facebook called "I Won't Lie, Thanks To Wireless Internet I Now Use My Laptop In The Bathroom. I was somewhat surprised that I actually knew 2 of the 4 members... Well...more impressed than surprised, I'm not going to lie.
And lastly, another comic. Why not? This time it's from a strip called Brevity. It's no Pearls Before Swine, but this one made me laugh...
Tonight, I also found a group on Facebook called "I Won't Lie, Thanks To Wireless Internet I Now Use My Laptop In The Bathroom. I was somewhat surprised that I actually knew 2 of the 4 members... Well...more impressed than surprised, I'm not going to lie.
And lastly, another comic. Why not? This time it's from a strip called Brevity. It's no Pearls Before Swine, but this one made me laugh...
Monday, April 10, 2006
Hey Buckaroos
Yo dawgs, I don't really have anything to be talking about right now, but I do have some rare free time at work... Interview went well on Friday, I'm excited about returning to talk to them again. It's going to be a pretty hectic and crazy week as usual and I'm going home for Easter on Thursday, that will be good. I'm going out with Penny tonight, I look forward to that. Also, be on the look out for Robert Pagenkopf trading cards, they've hit the street and are looking pretty good. I picked up several around campus. I hope he'll autograph them. Alright, I'll be back later this week. In the meantime, keep it real and savor the flavor.
F Minus is my favorite...
F Minus is my favorite...
Friday, April 07, 2006
I'm Most Likely Never Going To Sleep Again
1.5 hours of sleep last night, work this morning, an interview in Conroe, and I can't even nap? This is frustrating and quite inconvenient. I'm going to Sonic to get some food and a caffeinated beverage. I suppose caffeine will now take the place of sleep in my life. And I don't even know if I can spell it right...
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
My Parking Lot
A bird was hopping around the parking lot. He was dancing circles around the orange that had found its way into the center of the parking lot. The orange wasn't as round as it had been this morning. Since then, it had been smashed into the pavement by a passing car, leaving the orange peeled and partially squeezed much to the bird's delight. He was either afraid to commit to eating the tasty treat or else he was dancing a celebration jig. Whatever the case, it prompted me to encourage him, "Go eat that orange little bird!" Taking my focus off of the bird, I glanced up to see if my neighbor had fixed his car window and noticed a girl from a few buildings down staring at me with a concerned look. We put the blame on this girl for stealing Fritz, a lost dog that we saw on a flyer. The expression onher face didn't bother me much. Who is she to judge me anyway? So, I talk to birds. At least I don't steal pets...
Sunday, April 02, 2006
My Book
I thought about it tonight. I decided that for my new job, I'll write books. I've already begun on my first. And by that I mean, I came up with a catchy title. So look on shelves soon for I Can Download A Song In 30 Seconds While Sitting On The Toilet And Other Reasons to Not Hate Technology.
I'll give a free copy to Clinton and Clay.
I'll give a free copy to Clinton and Clay.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Kick in the Face
So here it is. The loss of power we're experiencing at work has the ability to slow everything down and give me a chance to blog. It actually had the power to stop time, according to the clock whose hands are hovering right on 2:43. This computer however is on the backup generator.
So, it's been that kind of semester. A long, tough semester with a lack of blogs. And as for this week, it's definately been that kind of week. A kick in the face by reality. The kind that gets your attention. As your future stands right before you waving its arms as if to say, "Hey how could you not have seen me," you begin to wonder yourself how you failed to recognize it. But it's been standing there, ready to dump its load of challenges on your back. Graduation, jobs, leaving. That's just the beginning. With my classes this semester giving me more problems than I've ever dealt with in school, my mind was already preoccupied. And now my grandmother, which could actually be read as "my second mother," is in the hospital undergoing a terribly rough megadose of Kemotherapy. It was something that I'd been expecting, something that was on the calendar in my mind. I knew it was going to be happening soon, but soon and now are so very different. The load of Worry is heaped on my back. And then, constantly finding rejection letters from companies in my email just added to it. A month till graduation and no idea where I'm going to be or what I'll be doing there. This was especially hard Monday, when I received an email from a company that I interviewed with. I thought the interview went very well and I'd followed up with them and everything. It was a place I thought I could fit and it would bring me back to Corpus. It would be so much easier to plan things if rejection letters aren't a reality. But there was the email, thanking me for my time and promising to keep my resume on file. It seems that many companies are going to keep my resume. I'd appreciate it if they gave it back to me instead so I wouldn't have to print anymore out. They're not going to use it. Thanks for the consolation gift... Bitterness and uncertainty add to the pile.
So with updates about Granna coming in from mom, yet another rejection letter sitting in my inbox waiting to be read, and the semester winding down, the future had presented itself and it wasn't something I was prepared to handle. The load is topped off with helplessness.
I went to bed Tuesday night, as I do most nights, with the aid of sleeping pills. I awoke well beofre my alarm went off on my one day to sleep in. Which merely means sleeping until 8:45. But, as I turned my head to look at my clock, my neck let out a pop, which is never a good thing to hear. It was at this point that a sharp pain that extended from my neck to below my shoulder blade began. The muscles that were already tight stiffened and refused to let me turn my head to the right and made it quite a task to rotate my right shoulder. I described it to the chiropractor later that morning and told him about the sharp pain in my upper back and the dull pain throughout the rest of my body. He felt around and told me that he was quite impressed how extremely tight the right side of my back was. He ended up doing his procedure which included adjusting me and massaging my muscles. He told me that I had a knot in my back about the size of a golf ball which was 3 layers of muscles deep. He asked, "Have you been under any stress?"
Stress can take form in many strange ways. Whether it's sending out your resume to companies in New Jersey because you're freaked out or it's your body that gives beneath the weight of the load you've been trying to carry. Well I get the point.
What happened? I usually don't get down or stressed by these things. They happen, normally I deal. I guess this feeling of helplessness overcame me. It's a tough thing to face, the future isn't in your hands. Uncertainty is not a comfortable place to be. So it's now that I need to remember that the future has never been in my hands and honestly it doesn't belong there. These circumstances, this future of mine standing in my path, mocking me had distracted me from where I should fix my eyes. Let me tell you that I'm a big fan of the book of James. One verse that I try to keep near to me is James 1:4. "Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and have everything you need." I mean it's on my facebook profile, it must be important to me, right? Dang, I wish. That mindset obviously was overtaken by my selfish nature. The Lord has been with me through everything, he's there as my source of strength. And when I don't bank on that, but instead turn and try to do things myself, I crumble beneath the load. Patience is key. It's something I thought that I had, but it's a battle to remain patient. Patience means reliance on God. It's tough. It shouldn't be, but with my simple, forgetful and just plain ignorant mind, it's something that I stray from. It's always been in His hands, I basically need to get over myself (which shouldn't be hard if you compare sinful me to my awesome, holy, and loving God) and just trust Him. A big part of this reliance comes from turning over everything to the Lord, including this huge load I'd been forcing myself to carry. And with reliance on God, comes patience. And with patience, comes no worries because I will be satisfied in Him. And with my burdens and my worries cast on His strength I will be happy, I'll be complete, I'll have everything I need. He will replace this load of worry and grief with bountiful satisfaction. What good is worrying, why do I need to be able to plan out everything right now? I don't. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus said that. Matthew wrote it down: Matthew 6:33-34. It's something I needed to write down as well. This is all something I needed to work through to understand how stupid I've been. I mean I know that God has a plan for my life and everything will work for His good. I believe that. But how closely do I hold that truth? Well, over the past couple of weeks, my grasp on that has been severely loosened. So now as I strive to regain that grip, I typed this. And it's an amazing truth that can save me so much strife. With all of this needless stress, what could be better than refocusing my eyes and seeing that this big, bad future that was staring me in the face has been resting in God's hands all along. As I said, it was mainly for my benefit, but I know some of you are carrying a much bigger load than I am, so hopefully you'll get something out of this too...
I know some people have said that since they never get to see me anymore, they'd have to find out things through my blog. And I haven't even been updating that. Well here you go, this is what's been going on. And for those of you that I miss a lot, but make myself so busy that I never get a chance to see you, I'm sorry. I want to make time for my friends, I no doubt will be ranting in future posts about graduation and all that, but I'd much rather discuss it with you in person. Face-to-face communication most definately was a better invention than the blog.
So, it's been that kind of semester. A long, tough semester with a lack of blogs. And as for this week, it's definately been that kind of week. A kick in the face by reality. The kind that gets your attention. As your future stands right before you waving its arms as if to say, "Hey how could you not have seen me," you begin to wonder yourself how you failed to recognize it. But it's been standing there, ready to dump its load of challenges on your back. Graduation, jobs, leaving. That's just the beginning. With my classes this semester giving me more problems than I've ever dealt with in school, my mind was already preoccupied. And now my grandmother, which could actually be read as "my second mother," is in the hospital undergoing a terribly rough megadose of Kemotherapy. It was something that I'd been expecting, something that was on the calendar in my mind. I knew it was going to be happening soon, but soon and now are so very different. The load of Worry is heaped on my back. And then, constantly finding rejection letters from companies in my email just added to it. A month till graduation and no idea where I'm going to be or what I'll be doing there. This was especially hard Monday, when I received an email from a company that I interviewed with. I thought the interview went very well and I'd followed up with them and everything. It was a place I thought I could fit and it would bring me back to Corpus. It would be so much easier to plan things if rejection letters aren't a reality. But there was the email, thanking me for my time and promising to keep my resume on file. It seems that many companies are going to keep my resume. I'd appreciate it if they gave it back to me instead so I wouldn't have to print anymore out. They're not going to use it. Thanks for the consolation gift... Bitterness and uncertainty add to the pile.
So with updates about Granna coming in from mom, yet another rejection letter sitting in my inbox waiting to be read, and the semester winding down, the future had presented itself and it wasn't something I was prepared to handle. The load is topped off with helplessness.
I went to bed Tuesday night, as I do most nights, with the aid of sleeping pills. I awoke well beofre my alarm went off on my one day to sleep in. Which merely means sleeping until 8:45. But, as I turned my head to look at my clock, my neck let out a pop, which is never a good thing to hear. It was at this point that a sharp pain that extended from my neck to below my shoulder blade began. The muscles that were already tight stiffened and refused to let me turn my head to the right and made it quite a task to rotate my right shoulder. I described it to the chiropractor later that morning and told him about the sharp pain in my upper back and the dull pain throughout the rest of my body. He felt around and told me that he was quite impressed how extremely tight the right side of my back was. He ended up doing his procedure which included adjusting me and massaging my muscles. He told me that I had a knot in my back about the size of a golf ball which was 3 layers of muscles deep. He asked, "Have you been under any stress?"
Stress can take form in many strange ways. Whether it's sending out your resume to companies in New Jersey because you're freaked out or it's your body that gives beneath the weight of the load you've been trying to carry. Well I get the point.
What happened? I usually don't get down or stressed by these things. They happen, normally I deal. I guess this feeling of helplessness overcame me. It's a tough thing to face, the future isn't in your hands. Uncertainty is not a comfortable place to be. So it's now that I need to remember that the future has never been in my hands and honestly it doesn't belong there. These circumstances, this future of mine standing in my path, mocking me had distracted me from where I should fix my eyes. Let me tell you that I'm a big fan of the book of James. One verse that I try to keep near to me is James 1:4. "Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and have everything you need." I mean it's on my facebook profile, it must be important to me, right? Dang, I wish. That mindset obviously was overtaken by my selfish nature. The Lord has been with me through everything, he's there as my source of strength. And when I don't bank on that, but instead turn and try to do things myself, I crumble beneath the load. Patience is key. It's something I thought that I had, but it's a battle to remain patient. Patience means reliance on God. It's tough. It shouldn't be, but with my simple, forgetful and just plain ignorant mind, it's something that I stray from. It's always been in His hands, I basically need to get over myself (which shouldn't be hard if you compare sinful me to my awesome, holy, and loving God) and just trust Him. A big part of this reliance comes from turning over everything to the Lord, including this huge load I'd been forcing myself to carry. And with reliance on God, comes patience. And with patience, comes no worries because I will be satisfied in Him. And with my burdens and my worries cast on His strength I will be happy, I'll be complete, I'll have everything I need. He will replace this load of worry and grief with bountiful satisfaction. What good is worrying, why do I need to be able to plan out everything right now? I don't. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus said that. Matthew wrote it down: Matthew 6:33-34. It's something I needed to write down as well. This is all something I needed to work through to understand how stupid I've been. I mean I know that God has a plan for my life and everything will work for His good. I believe that. But how closely do I hold that truth? Well, over the past couple of weeks, my grasp on that has been severely loosened. So now as I strive to regain that grip, I typed this. And it's an amazing truth that can save me so much strife. With all of this needless stress, what could be better than refocusing my eyes and seeing that this big, bad future that was staring me in the face has been resting in God's hands all along. As I said, it was mainly for my benefit, but I know some of you are carrying a much bigger load than I am, so hopefully you'll get something out of this too...
I know some people have said that since they never get to see me anymore, they'd have to find out things through my blog. And I haven't even been updating that. Well here you go, this is what's been going on. And for those of you that I miss a lot, but make myself so busy that I never get a chance to see you, I'm sorry. I want to make time for my friends, I no doubt will be ranting in future posts about graduation and all that, but I'd much rather discuss it with you in person. Face-to-face communication most definately was a better invention than the blog.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Updates Are A-Comin
Hey guys, I'm sorry that my blog updates have been nonexistant... I've been really busy. Everything is piling up at once, I'm preparing an update soon, so hold tight. Thanks. I'm preparing this in about the only down time I've had today, via the LAN. For those of you that know what that means...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Take that Buffalos
A 33 Point Win is enough to get me pumped about March! As if I wasn't excited already. I stopped over in Cain breifly to watch tip off and the first minutes of the game. I then listened to the rest of the game. We are on a roll. Bring on the t-sips. After our first ever Big 12 Conference Win, things are good in Aggieland. Gig Em Aggies and BTHO t.u.!
Quick Note
Monk-E-mails are off da chain! This one courtesy of Clinton!
Monkey Time!
I have got a killer case of the hiccups from this new game Clinton showed me.
What you do it click on the link above and then change the numbers around so you can hear other people's messages...
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
2PM can't come fast enough... BTHO CU! And get me some cable at work so I can watch the game!
Monkey Time!
I have got a killer case of the hiccups from this new game Clinton showed me.
What you do it click on the link above and then change the numbers around so you can hear other people's messages...
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
2PM can't come fast enough... BTHO CU! And get me some cable at work so I can watch the game!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
I'm back
Here you go, I'm back. For how long? I don't know. Spring Break is on its way in, so I'll be heading out. Corpus is the destination this year. People that asked my plans, responded with "Oh fun!" when I told them where I was going. I then had to remind them that I am from Corpus... But it should be fun. I get to see the family, eat some Mexican food and hang out with Penny who will be accompanying me for the week.
But for now, I'm back. I have a computer once again. A brand new Dell. It's nice, I like it. Just weird. I'm still in the mindset that this isn't my computer. It's just different. It lacks all of my files. Everything I've collected in my college career. Everything I've written, all of my pictures, school assignments and projects, my 300+ away messages... They are all embedded into a crashed hard drive that the nerds at work assured I could recover only with a couple of thousands of dollars and a company specializing in that sort of thing... So I'm trying to recover what I do have in my outbox.
So that's not that exciting. What is exciting is the state of our basketball program. With our Women firmly secured with a slot in the NCAA tournament, we're just waiting for selection Sunday so that they can announce our men will be joining them. With the disappointment of the recent football seasons, I'm starting to believe the sarcastic comment I once made, "Don't worry. Texas A&M is a basketball school." I know that's obviously not true. But I've never seen so much excitement in the air in March. A&M's basketball program has arrived. Now just sit back and watch.
Now I'll leave you with a picture of me from the camping trip last week (recent pictures are all I currently have). Peace.
But for now, I'm back. I have a computer once again. A brand new Dell. It's nice, I like it. Just weird. I'm still in the mindset that this isn't my computer. It's just different. It lacks all of my files. Everything I've collected in my college career. Everything I've written, all of my pictures, school assignments and projects, my 300+ away messages... They are all embedded into a crashed hard drive that the nerds at work assured I could recover only with a couple of thousands of dollars and a company specializing in that sort of thing... So I'm trying to recover what I do have in my outbox.
So that's not that exciting. What is exciting is the state of our basketball program. With our Women firmly secured with a slot in the NCAA tournament, we're just waiting for selection Sunday so that they can announce our men will be joining them. With the disappointment of the recent football seasons, I'm starting to believe the sarcastic comment I once made, "Don't worry. Texas A&M is a basketball school." I know that's obviously not true. But I've never seen so much excitement in the air in March. A&M's basketball program has arrived. Now just sit back and watch.
Now I'll leave you with a picture of me from the camping trip last week (recent pictures are all I currently have). Peace.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
MR DUCKS
Ok, well I got a computer now. I'll be back in business soon enough. So that's the update for now. I got back from camping this evening and now I have a paper to write for class tomorrow. Studying for Tuesday's test has therefore been pushed back to tomorrow. So although I'm too busy to write a good entry, I will leave you with a short story that I remember from my childhood. Hope you can translate it...
Frank: MR DUCKS!
Hal: MR NOT DUCKS!
Frank: OSAR.
Hal: MR NOT DUCKS!
Frank: CDEDBD WINGS?
Hal: LIB MR DUCKS!
Frank: MR DUCKS!
Hal: MR NOT DUCKS!
Frank: OSAR.
Hal: MR NOT DUCKS!
Frank: CDEDBD WINGS?
Hal: LIB MR DUCKS!
Friday, February 17, 2006
Not Feelin It
I finally have time to sit here and update this thing. But I don't feel like it. Maybe this long week has finally caught up with me. The going to sleep with Tylenol PM and waking up with Caffeine every morning has taken its toll on me. I woke up early this morning for FMBWC and it hit me like a shoulder to the mouth (which I can obviously relate to) and hasn't let up yet. I'm just out of it, I've been dragging all day. And now, with 30 minutes left to work, I can't do much more than watch the live stats for the baseball game and listen to this Christian Gangsta Rap as the Xerox guy looks at me with a disapproving glare from behind the machine. Time is ticking by slowly, but soon enough it'll be home time. Well, first will come, walk across the cold, drizzly campus time. But nap time will no doubt shortly follow. Hopefully this weekend will provide a good chance for me to recharge and get some much needed rest. I hope you all find some rest this weekend. It will be a cold, dreary weekend. The kind of weekend perfect for relaxing indoors...
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
A Healthy Snack
Here's a little something to hold you over till my next update.
A couple of links that were brought to my attention that I found entertaining:
1. Friends Theme Song
2. c101's Two Guys In The Morning Wrote a Couple of Songs For Dick Cheney. Quality entertainment, we don't have any decent radio personalities or morning shows in CS, not even when we try importing the shows from Houston... Two Guys In The Morning are classic and are definately in the top 10 things that are great about Corpus list...
A couple of links that were brought to my attention that I found entertaining:
1. Friends Theme Song
2. c101's Two Guys In The Morning Wrote a Couple of Songs For Dick Cheney. Quality entertainment, we don't have any decent radio personalities or morning shows in CS, not even when we try importing the shows from Houston... Two Guys In The Morning are classic and are definately in the top 10 things that are great about Corpus list...
Saturday, February 11, 2006
A Chris Sighting!
Just a real quick note to give the Batt props for capturing me in action on Mt. Aggie. I was skiing down the mountain Thursday, my ski came off near the bottom and the photographer snapped a picture just before I ate it. I went down hard, put my phone out of commission for the remainder of the day. The next day though, here I am on page two, right next to "African American Hero" Arthur Ashe.
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