Cars and Kisses

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves." ~Albert Einstein

Interesting combination don’t you think?

Yesterday, I went to the auto show. It was me, my bro, and our father. I was definitely amused. Not so much by the cars, but more so by everyone there - I’m a total people watcher.

I can appreciate fine machinery just like the next guy (or girl). But as I’m walking around, watching individuals dream and drool, I was caught asking myself if I should be participating. I just wasn’t feeling it. My brother and I did compare vehicles and I even sat in a few. While sitting in the cockpit of vehicle most would love to drive I asked myself if I could really see myself driving it - or really more tried to ask the question of what my car failed to provide that this particular car delivered. I’m sure there are many gear heads out there that would gladly create a list a mile long - but I guess I just need to find a vehicle that really gets my attention. I like my car, its not all that new, I mean its getting up there in age, but I’m perfectly happy with the vehicle I’m driving. Maybe someday I’ll need to replace my current vehicle, but apparently I wasn’t feeling it at the auto show... a place where everyone else was planning and picturing driving their car or truck of their dreams. I guess I’m just a bit caught off guard that I was so disconnected from the experience. But why? I think its because I realize that a new car isn't something I need. And the fun of pretending that I could or would soon be driving one - wasn't at all enticing to me.



On a different (and I think more exciting) note, Miaken and I were talking tonight. We were trying to define the term: “making out”. It came up because we were watching What Women Want, and as the two main characters dove into each other in a restaurant, Miaken asked me if I could do that; if I could make out in the middle of a public restaurant...

We then preceded to define what constitutes making out. Is it a time period? does it require a certain kind of feeling or passion? Is it constant kissing or can it be intermittent kissing for a long period of time? Does it usher in other activity?

Miaken seemed to think it should be constituted by time: at least thirty seconds to be specific. Jake felt that it should be determined by a level of passion... I just sat in amusement, didn’t really put my two sense in. I just really enjoyed being a third party in the convo.

Wikipedia states that it includes “heavy petting and skin to skin contact”. It even references games associated like: seven minutes in heaven, and spin the bottle. I don’t know about ya’ll, but I never made out with anyone when playing spin the bottle, nor did I ever get thrown into the a dark closet with a stranger... Maybe I missed out as a teen...
or maybe I should add those events to my next party!

A lincoln for my thoughts perhaps? I guess I’m going to revert to my favorite number on this one: Three. Three minutes constitutes a proper make out session. Anything that may follow is considered bonus... or leads to something I wouldn’t classify as “making out” :)

Any thoughts on the matter?

Squirrels...

We (my roommates and I) have a tendency to leave the door to our porch open during the day, basically for fresh air and to allow for the puppies to go in and out at their leisure.

The last week and a half, I've walked around the corner to see squirrels running out the door. And one time, I was chilling on the couch reading, when a squirrel creeped in and Dodger, my parrot, threw him a nut... and as the squirrel started to eat, I said something, startled the squirrel, and it vanished out the door.

Monday, as I'm getting ready for class, my roommates fiance` walks up and says with a smile.. "you have a pet squirrel." I shoot him a look and go downstairs with him, when I find a squirrel in Dodger's cage. Apparently there were two in there when he walked down initially. one had jumped out of the cage and ran into the house, and so to keep the other from doing the same, he closed the door. So this squirrel is jumping all around in this 6 foot cage, eating out of dodger's bowl.. jumping some more, crawling all over the inside of it, when it stops where I am standing. So decide to pet it. And as I'm scratching its stomach, he seems to calm down, I turn the cage, open the door, and he jumps out the door back to his real home!

Blues & Brews 2007

Another year in the books, and another year at the blues and brews. And here I am, sitting here, soaking it all in. The party, the after party, the friends who could come and those who couldn't; thank you. And for all of you who have yet to experience this festival, maybe someday you will... its absolutely amazing. I can only hope that you all have the the chance to make the trip down here someday... and hopefully I can be here to experience it with you! The highlights this year: Los Lonely Boys, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Mofro, Eric Lindell, Keb Mo', The Black Crowes and Ana Popovic. They are in no particular order... and ask anyone else they may give you a different list, but for me, those artists made the festival worth it! Well, and few stories :)

One story worth noting, during the Black Crowes, a highly intoxicated gentleman (I use the term gentleman loosely) continued to tug on the fellow's jacket standing in front of him proclaiming that he couldn't stand there because he didn't have a clear view. Granted the drunkard was 5'5'' and the person standing in front of him was over 6'1'' so I can understand the drunk logic behind it. Now the 'heckling' went on for 45 minutes, which to his credit, the taller fella' exuded plenty of patience. Shortly after the concert started, a four-foot-nothing woman was dancing like a wild-woman in front of my dad, she somehow bumped the patient guy who had been doing his best to ignore the drunk guy behind him. At this point he turned and (literally) checked her into my dad with his forearm. After catching her, and propping her back onto her feet, looked at my dad, thanked him, and then resumed flailing about. The guy then turned to my dad and apologized for knocking the woman into him. Go figure. While all of this was going on, there was some guy behind my dad screaming over and over again to 'turn up the mic!" Granted, the sound system wasn't up to par, and we were having a hard time hearing Mr. Robinson's voice, but after 45 minutes, to continue to yell during and between every song... give me a break. At some point he leaned towards my father and yelled to him... "hey, tell them to turn up the mic.... pass it on!" My dad then leaned forward and to the guy's satisfaction appeared to pass the message forward. The head scratcher of the evening was the twelve kids, non of them in their teens, running around in front of the stage between the crowd and the band. Now this is a concert where marijuana is being passed around (among other drugs I'm sure), people are drinking heavily, and very clear not an environment for anyone under the legal drinking age, but for some reason, for half the concert, these kids were free to do as they wished. I mean... what's up with that?

So now, I'm sitting here in the Durango Airport. I've been bumped while the rest of my family has flown out to their respective destination.
I mean, what airline knowingly overbooks a flight? Whatever, I get a free ticket out of the deal! And when I do get home... make sure to come back and check out some of the photos!

snap, crackle, pop

This weekend is big. really big. My father has been officially inaugurated as president, and many festivities have and will follow. One of which followed the ceremony was a reception and ball. It has been wonderful so far. I've seen a lot of friends and family, met many people and overall have had a wonderful time... until I broke her fingers.

Yes, I broke some student's finger or fingers. It could be a simple dislocation, however... from what I saw, felt and heard. I'm pretty sure they're broken. You're probably wondering how...let me paint a picture: we were dancing. yes we were cuttin-some-rug, but to be honest, I'd danced with her earlier in the evening, and our rhythm's didn't quite match up. Not to say she didn't have any, or couldn't dance, but it required a little more effort to blend with how she moved.

She had tracked me down to dance, it was later in the evening, so much drinking had taken place. I remember earlier, while dancing, that she was prone to slip and fall. I don't know if it was her shoes, her, or some other element. But I was taking that into consideration while dancing with her... That being said, as I turned her, I felt her fall and I tightened up to keep her from hitting the ground. Well, apparently she did the same thing... next thing I felt and heard was a pop-pop-pop. Her hand in mine, her fingers snapped and crackled... I dropped to the floor, she began to try and reset her fingers when I stopped her and helped her off the dance floor. She refused to go the ER, and decided to tough it out until she could go to the school the next day and get x-rayed. A splint was put on, a few shots were taken, and my ego was bruised. What are the chances?

'Oh-Seven'

A lot has happened in the past year. Many, many surprises. Some good, some not so good, but in the end its brought me to today, and today is a good day.

I've been thinking about what to focus on this year, what should be my resolution for 2007. I've realized that what I need, what I desire most is to simplify. To get back to the basics and to focus on the things that matter most. Its not about what I need to achieve or accomplish...its not about accolades. I need to drop some weight, shed some all the stuff that continues to drag me down. I need to focus on the guts, the heart of the matter...I need to give of myself to others, my time and my talents. I need to be patient, to wait on God. I need to be a witness and a warrior in His name. To continue to be filled with gratitude, and continue to give all that I can. I desire to build a stronger relationship.... I desire to fulfill His will.

So what does this mean... It means that I will continue to be still, continue to use the time borrowed to me to the best of my abilities. And I will be thankful... and full of grace.

I kick 'Oh-Seven' off with an expectation for growth and courage.

NYE Debacle

I had made a commitment to go to an 80's themed party, which to be honest, I was super excited for, I also had been invited to another friends, which I know would have been great fun. So I apologize greatly to you two for not coming... but maybe its karma, because here is what my night ended up looking like:

There's really one reason why I decided to go where I did. The weather. I know, poor excuse, but I have a rear wheel drive vehicle, and my roommate was convincing me to attend his friends party, so I figured it would be safer and less driving if we just went out together. So off we went. We got there, and it was pretty quiet initially, and most of the people of were expected didn't show because of previous said reason. I can't fault them, but I at least ventured somewhere.... so pretty lame. But the tone of the night was set about 20 minutes into the party when a group of guys, 7 or so, started coming through the back door. One of the guys was swearing, the others were laughing and prodding.. whatever, I did what I shouldn't have done. I went to see what the deal was. As the guy walked in, he puckered up and asked for a kiss... I turned my cheek, kissed me, but unsatisfied demanded that I kiss him on the lips... WTF--Stupid drunk gay people... for real. But, I figured just to get it over with, what the hell... I gave him his peck, then he pursued to ask if I was gay... go figure. We had eleven queens in the house and only two of them were actually of the female sex. That should have been my sign right there to leave... We ended up playing a drinking game, and Texas hold-em. It wasn't my night to play cards either. My first hand I went all in with pocket aces, and got my ass handed to me by a guy holding a three -card. Whatever... the next game I came back and had three-quarter of the chips when my roommate (because his recent girl was calling) decided to continue to go all in.... The chump drew 4 pairs in a row, not to mention a jack/king... and he beat me on pocket aces. It was not my night for cards. And the only action I got was from a some drunk drama queen bitching about his sterling silver chain getting wet in the snow.

But I did manage to avoid another kissing queen. After counting down, one of the guys was making his rounds, after kissing my roommate (which I found pretty entertaining), he leaned over to kiss me, before I could react, he slipped and fell behind the chair dumping is drink all over himself. That was funny... but by the time he gathered himself, he had aborted said mission to go clean up.

While driving home, Matt and I decided that was the wrong party to attend. So next year. There is always next year. Three hundred sixty-four more days before a new-year's redemption.

Rocky

Last week I went to Rocky Balboa, When I was watching it, I couldn't help but think about Sly's real story. It is the story of Rocky. In the movie, Rocky is telling his son about how Life will beat you down, how it will continue to hit you hard to keep you there. And no-matter how hard life cuts you down you just have to keep getting up. And through that process, you will find out what you're made of and who you really are.
Throughout this movie, i was thinking of Sly's story. Most of you probably already know that he wrote Rocky. But did you know where the story came from and how it came about?
Sly, who always wanted to be an actor, was living in NY at the time. He wanted to act more than anything. He was so persistent that he had visited the agent's offices around NY six and seven times each. He finally got his first acting job because he wouldn't leave the guys office. After sitting all day waiting, he persisted in staying the night... he wasn't going to move without leaving with something. Well... the guy came back to the office the next day and gave him a job. He was in a movie for less than thirty seconds where he got beat up. If that isn't a sign of not being wanted I don't know what is... but Sly knew what he wanted. He knew his outcome. throughout this process, he was broke. He had no money and refused to get a job because he felt it would take away his hunger for achieving his dream. It got so bad, that he actually hawked his wife's jewelry... which inevitably was the end of their marriage. But the lowest point was when he had to try and sell his dog- His best friend in the world. He stood outside a liquor store trying to sell him, he couldn't take care of himself let alone his dog. Finally a guy offered him $20 for the dog. Sly didn't have much of a choice and took it.
Shortly after that, he's at home watching a fight between Muhammad Ali and some white guy named Wepner. Ali was beating this guy down, but Wepner just kept coming back, taking blow after blow, refusing to go down. He got an idea and started writing. He wrote Rocky in three days. He then started to try and get the movie produced. No one wanted it, they said it was too sappy, wasn't real, no one would want to see it... but Sly persisted. Finally he found two guys who loved the script and offered to buy it from him. But there was a catch, Sly wasn't selling the script without Him being the main character, Rocky. After much debate, they made a final offer of over two-hundred thousand dollars for him not to star in his own movie. Thats a lot of money for anyone, but we're talking about a guy who is practically living on the street, who frequents libraries just to stay warm. A guy who had to sell his best friend for twenty bucks so he could eat. Sly's response: not without me, I'm Rocky. So finally, they agreed and offered him $35,000 and points in the movie for him to play Rocky. So what do you think Sly did after that? He went back to the liquor store and hoped that the guy who he sold his dog to frequented the store. After three days, the guy came walking in. After the guy refused, because he liked the dog and it was his now... Sly continued to up the ante... and he wasn't going to stop until he got his dog. Sly ended up paying the guy $15,000 and a part in the movie to get his dog back. Pretty cool huh? It gets better... after they won the oscar for best picture, in his acceptance speech, Sly read what all the critics had said about the script, and why it wouldn't make it. Talk about sweet revenge... or karma... take your pick.

So as I was watching Rocky Balboa the other day, all I was thinking about was the trial and tribulation it took for Sly to get what he wanted. How I felt like I was watching in a lot of ways, an autobiography.

The next day I watched Invincible. (do you think I was needing some motivation?)
What I found interesting about these two stories (Sly and Vince) is that they both used the negative critic to achieve. That they were driven by the non-believers. They both had their support groups (Vince and his bar buddies, and Sly and his dog), but used the negative as fuel to create something positive.

As I sit here today, I don't know what my life will bring, but I hope that I can have a fraction of the drive, motivation, integrity, loyalty, humbleness and courage that these two individuals have shown. And regardless where I end up, I know that my path will be built on character. It will be God-willing, and I will be gracious in my endeavors. I just need the courage to continue to get back up after each life-altering blow I may receive.

damn cherries

part of me can't believe I'm still awake. I'm so spent... I've had a day like no other. hmmm... How about I start with last night:

So as I was driving home last night from softball. It was quite late, right around 11:30 p.m. I'm so tired, I just can't wait to get home so I can curl up under those welcoming sheets! As I sit at the stoplight I see the light change from green to yellow to red. I start to creep forward. I can just feel my head hitting the pillow! But it doesn't change... What's taking so long! In the three seconds it takes for my light to turn green, all my thoughts are consumed with trying to get as much sleep as possible! while I'm envisioning a deep, restful, 4 hour sleep, a police officer pulls up behind me. All of this is happening as I'm creeping into the intersection in my hurry to get home.
The light turns green... FINALLY!



As I'm turning, I realize that the car behind me looks an awful like a police vehicle (I notice by the blinker of all things). I think "it can't be!" I start looking in all my mirrors, searching for telling proof that my assumptions are correct... to my dismay... they are :( So I begin to think that he couldn't possibly pull me over for the anticipation of a green light in the middle of the night... on a dead street. After following for approximately .72 miles, I suddenly become blinded by the cherries flashing in my rear view mirror. "shit." is all I can think... as a flurry of other thoughts flood my mind. As I pull over, looking for my wallet I become even more blinded by that damn spotlight. And if thats not bad enough, he proceeds to do further damage to my pupils as he shines his flashlight into my eyes... so I can't see a thing. I mean give me a break! He then asks me a series of questions that involve my plates/license and of course South Dakota. After the barrage of questioning ceases, he takes my DL back to the squad car. As I wait, thoughts of my pillow begin to overwhelm me once more. If it weren't for that damn blinding flashlight flashing in my mirrors as he walked back, he would have found me with my eyes closed. As I turn, squinting and adjusting to the blinding light yet again, he begins to ask another set of questions. All pertaining to my recent state of complete exhaustion. Have I been drinking? Am I on any medications? Any drugs? Are you sure? Yes I'm sure... No drugs, no alcohol.. I'm tired!! He then thrusts something that looks like a pipe connected to some black box into my face and tells me to blow... to ensure that I haven't been drinking... "keep blowing..." he insists.. So I blow... and blow... and blow. How long do I have to blow?!? I start to wonder... then he says "okay" almost in a disappointment. He should be ecstatic that no alcohol was involved... but I guess the "I got you" mentality was to overcoming for him. At that moment I began to receive a lecture on how I shouldn't creep out into an intersection until the green light changes. Whatever..... Where's my pillow... blanket... ahhhh.... sleep!

"BEEP!---BEEP!---BEEP!" ... "BEEP!---BEEP!--BEEP!"
4:18 already. I can't sleep any later or else I'll be late. I'm already late too much as it is.... oh.. why can't I sleep in?!? As I drag myself out of bed... half asleep, I turn on my shower... "I got at least another 90 seconds before the water is hot... I lunge for my bed... any amount of time will be better than no more. 90 seconds? give it to me...I'm all over it. I dive face first into my pillow... so sweet it is!

"BEEP!---BEEP!---BEEP!" ... I didn't completely shut of my alarm and now its screaming: GET UP! over and over again... Alarms now have become the devil. I shuffle into the shower, hoping to wake me up...

I get to work, I, of course, am my always chipper self. How do I do it? Its like a disease? no matter how little sleep, gotta have energy... gotta be happy... I swear, I don't get myself sometimes! But I'm happy... and I'm trying to make it infectious without annoying. (is that even possible?) Its Sara and I, Molly comes into work around 6:15... Marnee around 7.
7:02 am, the phone rings.. its Marnee, she can't come in, sick kids---let the circus begin! The three of us work like ants to get through the morning rush, Sara thankfully stays an hour later... Molly cannot stay any later. At the same time in all of this, we have practically ran out of milk, we've called eagan to pick some up, but have no one to go get it. All the sudden there is some interviewee whom needs to shadow Marnee... who is not there. Guess who gets to get it? Me!!! Yahoo... on top of trying to do P&L, put away warehouse, finish the deposit, order milk, go get milk from another store, get ready to do a new employee orientation and find someone to come in to help... I get to be shadowed. Welcome to management. To be honest loved it! It was just crazy enough to be in control and exciting (if you can call it that...).

Fast forward through all the madness, and I've taken the deposit to the bank. gotten the receipts of our deposit for proof, started to run a few last errands. As Im doing them, I notice that one of our deposit bags has a rather large bulge. Thats strange...I wonder. But i look in there to find the entire deposit. The teller had managed to take a deposit, given me a receipt for that deposit, and given the money back. I like this guy... I better come in more often when he's working!!
I look at it... smile... and think: "is this a test or what..." as I count the $800 to ensure its all there, I think "I need to take this back, but who would know if I took it" but that thought was fleeting at best. I turned around and took the money back to mr. teller... explaining what I thought the mistake was... and getting a very grateful sigh of relief from him.

And now its well after 11.. almost 12... I've been up for 20 hrs or so... and well...I'm tired, but I get to sleep in tomorrow.... I don't have to wake up until 7:30!!! How I love, love, LOVE my bed!!!