Something Rather Unusual

Church

2012-01-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been thinking of churches. Currently, I attend Christ Community, in the Old Mill Campus. I've attended for years, and I can name cases where it has influenced me in very positive ways.

However, for a little while now, I've been thinking I want to change churches. Yes, I still like my current one and support much of what it does, but it just doesn't feel like the sort of church I want to attend, anymore.

Growing up, I'd attended smaller churches with my family. As I got older, my parents searched through different churches, after coming to disagree with some of what was going on in the one they attended, as I understand it. Eventually, we started attending a larger church, Westside, and later settled at Christ Community. For years, even after I went through a sort of phase where I didn't attend church at all, I'd called it my home.

However, after I developed a sort of Ecumenist ideology and started joining some my friends for some of their services, including a Catholic traveling group called "Mass Chaos," and especially in my experiences with GAMe, I found something I hadn't known before: a sense of fellowship and community.

Yes, my current church has that, and I've met people both at there and from there. However, I never meet people from there... there, and I only see those that I met there when I attend, greeting them at the beginning of the service and saying goodbye at the end. If you want to join the community, I find the methods tend to be organized and structured, but not natural. My last effort to even become a member involved a four-week class, and you even have to sign up just to be a part of a group within the church.

When I was with GAMe, much as I dislike some of the things I saw, I loved the fellowship aspect. I literally got into a study group because my friend told me to follow her to hers. When they needed assistance for the powerpoint system, I only had to walk up and say I could help. When I attended every week, there were people I could chat with over a game of pool, and I looked forward to meeting with people that I had come to regard as friends and not just acquaintances. I just don't get that same feeling at my church, and I've come more and more to consider that aspect important.

So, today, after missing another church service when I didn't want to go to and thinking of charities that I feel my tithe money could be better provided to, I think I'm going to start looking for another church. Again, I do like my current church and am pleased about much that I've seen within it, and this is not meant to degrade or insult it in any way. However, I just feel that it is not the church for me, at least not anymore.

I think I'm going to do research and, after providing my current church with my final tithe, find myself somewhere else to call home.

Updates, Ideas, and Plans

2012-01-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

I have a few updates, but I also have some things I hope to do, and in some cases plan to. I am quite pleased with many of the things I'm seeing.

For updates:

Since I was a child, I've had a fairly rounded, undefined face. Largely, this was due to both/either a fairly immature muscle structure and/or obesity. However, as I've lately been losing weight after having weight trained for some time, I've been seeing the structure of my face emerging. I'm actually kind of interested to see how it turns out, by the end of this month.
Lately, I've been noticing that my musical tastes have been evolving. I'm not sure I can yet describe the details behind it, but I'm pretty sure it's there.
In my dancing, as I focus more and more on possessing a strong and solid, yet smooth, lead, it feels like my frame is becoming more and more structured, and my footwork is getting smaller and smaller. I'm thinking I should seek further input before I make any final decisions, but, based upon how I watch the old-schoolers dance, I'm thinking I should pursue developing this further.
While playing pool, having been described that I was able to make pretty much any regular shot, I'd begun practicing my position. I'm pleased with the result, as I see my scores in the league rising, and not by generally small margins.
After getting tired of having to go through several matches before getting my cigar lit, I decided to get a Zippo, so the wind couldn't easily put out the flame. While blue-flame lighters are perhaps the best lighters for cigars, I tend to enjoy the classical look of a regular-flame Zippo, and the company will repair or replace any damaged part for free. I found this one at SG Roi's in the Old Market, as well. I still need to go to the cigar bar, out there, at some point.

Now, with the updates above, there are a number of things below concerning what I hope and/or plan to do. And most of them involve body art. :)

While I'm an admirer of body art, I've never really had any done on myself. However, for some time, I'd been planning out a series of things I want to do. If all goes according to plan, then I should have these within, if not this year, then the next.

While I tend to like piercings, I'd only come close to getting one once, but did not follow through. Generally, I just didn't feel that piercings would work on me. However, as I began observing the different piercings, I've decided to try out for two dumbbell piercings on the end of my eyebrow. Similar to and inspired by my brother's, but on my left eyebrow, instead, and slightly further apart. If Greg's right, and it's addictive, then I might follow up by decorating the left side of my face while leaving the right side untouched.
In my research of Latin phrases, there were a number of which that stood out to me, but the one I found the most meaningful was Non Nobis Solum, which means, "Not for ourselves alone." I want to have this tattooed in classical calligraphic cursive on the inside of my right forearm. Details are unclear as to how I will have this done, as the skin on the forearm shifts as the wrist twists, but I actually intend to get this as my first ink done.
The tattoo I've wanted for the longest time, which I have not acquired yet, due to its expense, was a winding three-quarter dragon on the left arm, and its gone through several forms. Well, recently, I've decided on how I would like it to be done. I settled on the Korean Dragon, a decision inspired by my discovery of the Imoogi, intertwined with rose vines, starting at the forearm and ending on the pectoral.
Next, as sort of a tribute to several different aspects of vintage culture, I'm trying to find an idea for a Looney Tunes tattoo. However, this is turning out to be more difficult, as to do a small tribute doesn't fulfill the idea, but I don't think there's enough room on my body to do a complete tribute.
Lately, I've found a method for lightening hair while causing minimum damage, using sunlight and a combination of olive oil and lemon juice. I hope to try this during the summer and see if I can use it to lighten, then dye, my hair.

Well, that should do it, for now.

Living Life

2012-01-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

While I know a number of people who hope or plan to, I am not someone who tries to live life to its fullest potential. This has generated some controversy in the past, but I am someone who just is living his life, not trying to experience everything he can, but just being content.

The things I enjoy tend to be simple and often small. I enjoy reading a good book, listening to music, and dancing with good partners. I enjoy playing pool with a fun group over a round of beer, and I enjoy playing chess against a skilled opponent. I enjoy things like walking around the block near my house with a good cigar or sipping an nice-aged whiskey while sitting on my couch. I like the feel of being powerful as I lift heavy weights for a few more reps than I was able to do the previous week. I enjoy the feel of playing piano under my fingers, plucking at a bass, or drawing a few more lines on a page. I enjoy a hug from a good friend, and I enjoy a nice conversation.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want to visit certain places in the world or do certain things, and while I would like to do these things, I can't say they're, in fact, goals of mine. As it stands, I think I just want to enjoy my life, because when it ends, that will mean just as much as if I spent it trying to experience the world. At least that's my take on it.

Something to Say

2012-01-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

I will say something that I do feel like I have the right to say. I do not know that anyone who reads this would be irritated that I would say this, but if they are, please do not be angry with it, but this is what I think.

This is my life. I may do things that people think I shouldn't, and I may not do things that people think I should. However, in either case, it is still my decision. I will hear and bear criticism, whether positive or negative, and in my life, I have heard my share and perhaps more, ranging from things utterly unimportant to dead serious. In the end, though, if I contemplate it, disagree, and choose to go another direction than what you believe, it is my right as much as it is yours when you do the exact same thing.

Yes, I do allow things to influence my life, and I don't live it under the assumption that I have all the answers. I have and have had mentors during my life that greatly influenced the way I think and whom I am grateful for, but, in the end, I must make the decision as to who I am and how I live. The values one person holds may not be the same values as myself, but it is nevertheless arrogant to assume that I am in the wrong if I do not share those values.

God's will? You can tell me something is God's will, but I've read the Bible, too. Many times, it is merely the person taking their own ideas, attributing them to God, and stating that thus others should also possess them. In speaking of Biblical arguments, as well, two passages come to mind:

I would be foolish, and perhaps wrong, to ignore the advice I am given, but advice does not demand that it be followed. True, one does not ask for advice with the intent to ignore it, but also one does not provide it with the expectation that the person will follow it as gospel. To be direct, advice should prompt thought about an idea, but that is where its purpose ends. As unjustified as it is to ignore advice that is requested, it is equally unjustified to be offended when someone considers the advice and decides against it.

Ultimately, I could summarize this post with how I started it. This is my life. I respect your right to live yours, and I ask for that same respect towards mine.

Penguin!!!

2012-01-08T06:19:00.001-08:00

Those who know me a little may know that I like to sometimes playfully tease them over what might be perceived as funny or odd habits.

Those who know me well know that some of my habits and interests are bizarre well beyond normal levels.

As an example, because I felt that I was coughing during the night due to the dry air, I decided to get myself a humidifier. My brother, Jon, opened the Best Buy website, and after some browsing, I settled on this.

Next up, as a more creative way of managing my nyctophobia... I save up and get this...

2011 Reflections

2011-12-26T09:34:00.000-08:00

My friend, Jillian, made a post of this sort, and I felt it appropriate for the time of year, so I decided to follow suit, deciding to wait until after Christmas to post. Now I can cite that first sentence against any accusations of plagiarism.

In looking back over this year, any decision to determine whether it was a positive or negative year would largely rely upon the perspective of the observer. While there are definitely things that contributed to the positive aspects of the year, such as moving to Omaha and especially the return of an old friend to dancing, there are also negative things, many of which I'm unable to cite here due to their nature.

I've tried tobacco in the form of cigars, pipes, and even a cigarette, and I've come to find cigars, despite my earlier disliking, to be something of a mild interest. My interest in different types of alcohol has advanced to the point where I have actually had to moderate its use and, for the first time, have been genuinely drunk. I've begun swearing quite a bit, though, lately, I've been swearing a lot less, possibly after it lost its appeal. I've become more indifferent towards what people think of me, and a number of things I once held with high respect I've become skeptical towards.

That aside, while I don't believe I can call myself as nice a guy as I used to be, I genuinely feel that I've become more mature (not as sure about wisdom, though). I've gained quite a bit of weight in muscle and a little bit of fat, and I now believe I am physically the strongest I've ever been in my life. I've become more social and have made a few more friends.

All in all, confirmation of last year's obvious predictions aside, I think I'm ready for this year to end and await the start of a new one.

Metal Covers

2011-12-20T15:49:00.000-08:00

Just links to some new covers I found and enjoyed maybe a little too much...

Both covered by a Hungarian metal band called Leander.

Only Girl, by Rihanna
Band Romance, by Lady Gaga

Yes, I am a bizarre individual.

Songs from a While Ago

2011-12-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

I found an Alternative Rock station at work that I've been listening to, and I've run across a number of songs that I recognized from some time ago. Then I researched the dates they were originally released and felt old...

If You Could Only See, by Tonic (1996)
Freshmen, by The Verve Pipe (1992/1996)
Desperately Wanting, by Better Than Ezra (1996)
I Alone, by Live (1994)
Inside Out, by Eve 6 (1998)
Chemicals Between Us, by Bush (1999)
Dead and Bloated, by Stone Temple Pilots (1992)

Update. How in the world could I miss this?!

Space Lord, by Monster Magnet (1998)

Articles, articles!

2011-11-26T12:34:00.000-08:00

This post will likely update as I go along, today. For those who receive notifications of updates via e-mail, my sincerest apologies.

Originally, I read the title of this article with the thought, "Why?" in mind. However, upon reading the article completely, I found it quite interesting.
This gives me hope...
Ladies and gentleman, potentially the most important scientific study of the modern era...
I post this because I know someone who would likely find it interesting, though they probably already knew it prior to reading the article.
Freaky, no?

Enjoy!

Rambling

2011-11-13T08:51:00.001-08:00

I haven't written this sort of post in some time, so here goes for the sheer fun of it all.

As a simple update, for more than a month, I'd been experimenting with different types of tobacco, after having done a bit of research to determine how to practice them without developing a habit. Well, after that time, I've concluded that it's just not something I would likely come to enjoy. Thus, I only possess three of the four basic stereotypical vices of the true straight man: coffee, alcohol, and women.
In the knowledge that I now have a Sam's card and will see how much buying in bulk will help my budget, I also must include how, after I finally had a month where my budget was working out, I had to purchase new tires and a new battery for my car... while this irritates me greatly, I also find it strangely hilarious...
Something to clarify, that I've found. While there are occurrences at my work that annoy me, as you will find in practically any position, I seriously love my job. I can honestly say this is the best job I've had, to date.
While I've found that my skill in some things that require muscle memory to practice may diminish over time, if I don't practice at least once in a while, like piano, there are other things that, when I don't perform them for a good amount of time, so long as it's not too extensive, it seems like I actually return better than I was before, like drawing.
I've been doing a little bit of introspective thought over the past few months, and I've been developing a number of ideas. I won't share the entire list here, as it's kind of long, to a degree personal, and also somewhat self-incriminating, but there are things that, while I may have known before, I can't say with certainty if I ever really thought about or took into account.

As per my usual actions, I could write more, but I think I'm done, for now. Whee!

Catholic Sermons

2011-11-06T10:36:00.001-08:00

I probably should not find this as funny as I do...

Clockwork Contact Lenses

2011-10-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

Okay, seriously, if I had the money and could find these...

Court Ruling

2011-10-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

How had I never heard of this before, really?

FOUND IT!!!

2011-09-26T17:02:00.001-07:00

I'd first seen this picture some time ago, and I just found it, again. A favorite of mine.

Glowing Cats

2011-09-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

While there are many things I cannot say I would expect, this is something I don't think I could have even made up...

New Shoes, Two Pairs

2011-09-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have two new pairs of shoes, now.

This is actually the latter-bought of my two new pairs. These are another pair of Allen Edmonds (my personal favorite brand). I found these at Cowtown. I already have a pair of Full Brogues, but they were bought more for an interesting, albeit bizarre, appearance. These I liked because their square structure and solid black appearance creates, in my own opinion, a more classical and professional appearance.

Now for the slightly more interesting of the two.

I believe the weekend before last, the Flying Worm vintage store in the Old Market was having a 50% off sale on all articles of clothing. I decided to visit them, and I found their walls lined with boots. Having before decided that I wanted to get a pair of Cowboy Boots, I checked out what they had, thought about it, and decided to head there and get myself a pair the next day.

The above pair are a pair of Tony Lamas. I know very little about the brand, but they were among the few that actually fit.

Onward!

Updates

2011-09-18T10:49:00.001-07:00

List of updates, new round. Description needs not be provided, as the title states everything.

Currently on the last day of Cowtown, which is the third day of my four-day vacation. A better outline may be provided after. However, I will note that I've been finding some fun stuff.
Come next Tuesday, pool league starts up. I've been practicing, though I still believe that it will be a challenge. I am absolutely looking forward to it, however. The smack talk began the first day the rosters were sent out. /:)
My budget for the next month has been outlined. I've already set aside some extra for some things outside my normal budget considerations, so I should be better prepared than my prior efforts. Given how close I've been cutting it, the past few months, even when I'm cautious.
Something new is that I can apply to be on a waiting list for a studio apartment after six months. Currently it's been five. As I understand it, if the conditions are met, I can transfer apartments without a new security deposit or any outside charges. Thus, if I'm lucky, I may be able to move to lower my rent by about $40 before the end of the year.
In Cowtown, I took only one class: Advanced Balboa. While, mostly, it was a more advanced Bal-Swing class, I still took a number of things from it that might help, both in steps and things I can do to improve with my current dance style. I really appreciated that it began with the expectation that we all knew Balboa, and not just the basic steps.

Until next time!

Ice Cream

2011-09-10T12:01:00.001-07:00

The most disturbing part of this is that the flavor actually sounds good... No, Sarah, I am not projecting!

A Test to Try

2011-09-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

From my general experience, I've found that I have a generally-poor short-term memory. To remedy this, I'm considering beginning taking Ginko Biloba. While I'm hesitant to try this, as Ginko may produce some fairly-unpleasant side effects, I'm also interested to see how helpful it would be.

An Unexpected Interest

2011-09-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

A bizarre thought, but it's something I've taken an active interest in, to the point that, on a monthly basis, I'm thinking of budgeting a small amount to try and find new varieties for it. I say this is bizarre because it is, in fact, cologne.

Now, originally, while I was interested in this, I always considered it a hobby well beyond my price range. However, through some discussions, I've learned that decent, in some cases very good, varieties can be found for almost half of what I expected them to cost, depending on where they are found.

Something new to try, I guess.

What the f-...?

2011-09-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Normally, I would hesitate to post this sort of thing, but, knowing the people who read my blog, this and this will probably incite a similar reaction in them, if not the same, to what they did with me.

Giant Wasp

2011-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know whether I can call this odd, but it actually interests me.

A Thought

2011-08-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know that this is going to help, but perhaps it would be easier to talk about it than to try to address everything that's on my mind.

To be perfectly honest, I'm tired of a lot of things, and I think that being tired tends to breed crankiness and, eventually, indifference. It breeds crankiness on the expectation, or perhaps that hope, that things will improve or change. Sometimes, they do, but very often, they don't. Some pray about it, but we learn also that God does not always give us what we want (an even more difficult idea to accept is when, as you pray, you get that subtle realization that what you want is not what you should want). And so the situation remains, and because we care enough that we seek to address it, it bothers us perpetually. This leads us to grow upset about it.

When this happens, there seems to be three paths to it. First, and I think this is often the most common path chosen at the beginning, is to continue to drive the issue. Sometimes, this works, but others, it doesn't. If it doesn't, I think that each of us has that breaking point where we can't, or won't, continue fighting. This path leads to the remaining two.

The first of the remaining two is that we remain upset, but we quit acting upon it. This state usually results in being jaded and, often, bitter. This can also lead to the final path.

The final path is a state of indifference, mentioned earlier. This is the state of having given up on the topic at hand and decided that, instead of dwelling on the issue, you accept the idea that it will not change (I say the idea, as there is still the reality that it might change). There is usually a good chance that you will also wind up jaded, with this as well.

Currently, I'm sort of stuck somewhere that I'm not sure how to describe. I still care, somewhat, but I don't have much hope that things will change, and I'm too tired to do anything about it.

Ahem...

2011-07-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

**breathe in**

BAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHH! (Here's why)

That is all.

Updates

2011-07-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Another list of updates:

To start, the question of internet has now been solved. Currently, I'm sitting inside a nice Starbucks that I found to be within a few minutes of my apartment (as much as I like Village Inn, this places serves the purpose better, cost-and-convenience-wise). Like it was with the Scooters in Blair, this will be by new center for internet, until further notice.
I've begun the process of quitting energy drinks, again (for the who-knows-how-many-th time), and it's thus far turning out to be more promising than my usual efforts. In contemplating my reasons for drinking them, I deduced a method by which I am using to quit them. If I can remember, I'll post an update in a couple weeks as to my progress, but I currently haven't dealt with the usual cravings in a few days.

A few updates, I know, but I felt these were worth mentioning.

Jewelry Box

2011-07-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

While I said that, later, I was going to build a jewelry box, I also mentioned that I was restoring one, as well. Currently, this is my progress on the latter. It's stained and finished, but I need to apply a cloth lining to the inside. I need to check the color the recipient would prefer, but, aside from that, I'm pretty much finished.

More Shoes

2011-07-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

In my hunt for a tweed jacket, I was successful in finding one during a sweep of the Salvation Army store around 26th and Douglas. However, there was an additional achievement in finding these in my search. I will need to verify, but I believe they are made by Johnston & Murphy's.

My two favorite types of shoes are both Oxfords. While my absolute favorite types of shoe is the Full Brogue (better known as the Wingtip), my second favorite is the cap-toe, such as the one above.

When I found them, they were a lighter color of brown. While I am slightly partial to that color, I much rather prefer a bit darker of a shade, and I began applying a dark brown color to the surface. The above color is sort of a mixed, clouded effect that, while accidental, I thought gave it a nice appearance.

I tried them, last night, for dancing, and I am very impressed with them. They still have the insoles in them, which makes them very comfortable to dance in, and they fit almost perfectly. The back end also feels soft, and I didn't feel any chafing against the back of my foot (which has happened before, to the point of bleeding). Overall, I consider them a very good find and addition to my collection.

An Interesting Event and Necessary Clarification

2011-07-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Something interesting occurred, yesterday. First, however, I think I need to clarify something.

For a while, I feel I've been meaning to define something a bit better. Whenever I mention that I don't drink, I feel it's not entirely accurate and that I should be more specific, as, while it's somewhat rare (specifically, in the past several months, I can only think of four times), there are still times that I do. Yesterday, I thought about it, and I think I realized when these times arise. I will not post the reasons here, partially because they're somewhat personal and partially because it's a bit complicated.

However, what I will mention is that yesterday was the fourth time. Somewhat by accident, as well, for the first time, I got buzzed, though not drunk. On a final note, regardless of how much someone swore that my lead greatly improved or how much I may disappoint a few people, it's not something I wish or intend to repeat.

Good to Know!

2011-07-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Another addition to the list of questions I would not expect to be asked. The fun part about this list is that you likely won't ponder the question until it somehow applies.

Yet Another Angel

2011-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

While discussing my intentions for a new angel picture with my friend, I was advised that she had not seen the completed version of the prior angel. Thus, I decided to remedy that and post it here.

For those who note it, yes, that is a streak on the right side of the page from when I wasn't paying attention.

New Updates

2011-07-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

Well, if the usual stuff I want to apply here I can't, it may help to update this blog with mere recent activities.

My sister was invited to a block party for July 4th, and she invited my brother, Jon, and myself to attend. We became those to conduct the display by choosing the fireworks and launching them. At the end of the night, there was the smell of smoke, the feel of sweat, and some loud explosions (largest artillery firework permitted in Nebraska, baby!). I also got to meet a man who, I will admit, was awesome.
I managed to find myself what appears to be a German beer stein in Goodwill. I haven't determined how old it is, yet, but I hope to forage around and amass enough of a collection that I can invite my friends over for hot cocoa one winter's day.
On the same hunt, I located a jewelry box to restore. The old owner appears to have disposed of it due to the front panel for one of the drawers having fallen off. This should be easily remedied with some wood glue. After that, I'm going to sand down the current finish and apply a darker one. I intend to actually make a jewelry box in the future (which is inspiring a bit of light-hearted jealousy in my dad), but for now, this project will do well enough.
To add to my pile of projects, I'm intent on drawing another angel picture (this is becoming a trend). Each time, I make an effort to create a picture more advanced than the last, and I've come up with something that's going to be difficult to exceed in future efforts. For the feather pattern, on my computer, I have a photo of a turkey vulture (not the most flattering, as far as heads go, but they have nice, shaded feathers). For the character itself, I plan to use a photo from an actual woman (Preferably a friend who'd be willing to pose. No, it will be nothing risque). For the canvas, I'm going to use a paper that exceeds the usual 8.5" by 11" dimensions, and choose something large enough to apply some strong detail, perhaps also out of high-quality material, as well. Still, however, my standard pencil/ballpoint combination will apply, though I may use a pencil that requires sharpening.
Something I want to locate before it gets colder is a genuine vintage tweed jacket with leather buttons. I've taken a liking to them, perhaps oddly. However, I'm finding that most which I locate that I like are too short for my frame. Still, I continue my search. Thrift store patrons must practice patience.
I've done something that is perhaps a wise idea and toned down my workout. While I could explain the reasons behind it in detail, I'll keep it to the point. The more research I've done, the more I've found that it's recommended to limit one's workout to an hour and, if you exceed that, to make sure not to exceed one-and-a-half. As well as that, I'm finding that there are also a good number of sources recommend training each muscle group only once a week. Thus, I've taken my usual twice-a-week, two-to-three hour routine and divided it, training my legs, back, and abdomen on Monday and my arms and chest on Thursday. Since then, my back pain has greatly diminished, I feel better otherwise and, obviously, I have more time in my day. After I find myself a decent exercise bike at Goodwill, I'm going to also start a cardio streak and vegetarian diet to burn off the excess fat.
On a final note, while I took the time off from work, I've decided that I will not be attending the lessons for Cowtown Jamborama, this year. Instead, I will be getting a dance pass for the weekend. While the lessons can be fun, I'm finding them repetitive, over time, and, as much as it is perhaps unfair of me to say, many of the dancers who participate are not easy to learn with. I'm going to see if I find Cowtown more fun, this year, by following this course of action. If not, then next year, I may return to my usual pattern.

That's enough, for now, I think.

Updates

2011-06-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't compiled a list of updates in a while, and I hadn't posted for a while in here, so I decided to remedy both items with one action.

My brother Greg, in getting a new guitar, offered me an old acoustic of his that he needed to be rid of. After I refused to just take it from him, and he declined my offer of payment for it, we settled on my purchasing his entry into JNO. It now sits with new strings, a new finish, and a leather strap in my parents' house.
I went on a road trip with my sister, Liz, and brother, Jon, to Missouri, recently, where we visited the Meramac Caverns. While the trip through the caves was rather boring, it was my first experience with ziplining, the day after. I must say, it's very fun.
Those who read this are probably already aware, but my new hat has arrived in the mail. While the reviews have thus far been hit-and-miss, depending on the audience, I still love it.
I found an organization that's part of a group based in Brazil which has a branch in Omaha that teaches Capoeira, my personal favorite style of martial arts. I'm considering whether to take lessons, as I would love to learn it, but there are many drawbacks I would need to consider before doing so.
In the near future, I have a project where I hope to use my knowledge of carpentry to create a small jewelry box. I'll likely just give it to a friend, but I have a $50 gift card to Home Depot and my father's invitation to use his shop, should I ever want to create something.

Fin.

A Late Mother's Day Post

2011-05-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't manage to post this on Mother's Day, but now is a better time than later.

One of the figures I must admit I admire is my mother. While I joke about her, sometimes, I still must say that, in her, I have seen a controlled determination, a strength I cannot recall having ever failed her, a faith in God demonstration by more than words, a devotion to her family that selfless only begins to describe, and a wisdom that has crippled my intelligence when the two have come into conflict. After more than thirty years, she is still married to her first and last husband, with whom she has successfully raised four children.

To my mother, who will probably never read this because she rarely uses the computer to begin with, I love you and was fortunate to have such a rare person raise me.

Prepare for Assimilation!

2011-04-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Over the last week, I made a couple runs during the afternoons and moved things from my prior apartment into my new one, and before the week was over, the transfer was complete. This morning, I returned to my old apartment, cleaned everything with a broom, a vacuum, a washcloth, and a towel, and I received a near-perfect evaluation on my inspection, so I will expect my security deposit to be returned soon.

Over the next week, I will be getting my addresses updated pretty much everywhere (goodbye, security deposit), and then I will be a complete Omaha resident.

Initial impressions:

While I like visiting Omaha, I think I prefer living in Blair. This revelation came after a visit to the nearby HyVee.
Soft carpet... soooooooft carpet... soft carpet gooooooood.
Kitchen a bit cramped, but that does not pose too big an issue. While I won't be able to practice tap-dancing in the kitchen easily, anymore, I don't see how much further of a problem it will be.
The dishwasher works, but the dishes will need to be unloaded and dried promptly, else there will be white streaks on everything... I hate city water...
I do not understand why my bathroom requires two doors, but as they both lock, this should not prove a substantial issue.
Walk-in closets are nice.
Dark brown walls... combined with a habit of mine to close the shades most of the time... Nosferatu...

It will perhaps take some more time until I have become accustomed. While I would have loved to stay in Blair, with the rising gas prices, it was no longer a feasible options. Ah, well, to the future.

New Apartment

2011-03-27T07:56:00.001-07:00

Since getting a job in Omaha last December, I knew that I was going to have to move out of Blair. Initially, I wanted to get a house in Council Bluffs, but that ended after being unable to find a satisfactory house, perhaps more due to my own lack of preparation, but also due to finding the houses in my price range to be in fundamentally-poor condition.

Because of that, I began apartment searching for an apartment in Omaha or CB. While turning down my first option for an exceedingly-inexpensive apartment near where I work has been met with some criticism, my Peet blood motivates a degree of obstinacy, and so I remain firm in my position that it was the right thing to do.

Well, after a bit of hunting, I found for myself an apartment that I liked, located in a much better neighborhood. After getting a tour, I browsed for any others that might prove better options, but was unable to locate any that matched my criteria, so I returned to this apartment and put down a security deposit. I need to fill out the forms and turn in an application fee, but I have the apartment held with a move-in date scheduled for April 15th. With my current monthly lease expiring the end of April, this provides me with two full weeks to move my things into the new location, providing plenty of time to clean it and transfer my possessions.

When I was younger, I didn't think that I would ever move to Omaha. However, when I was younger, I was wrong about a lot of things. I still am, but I like to think the list slowly but progressively gets shorter.

Hakama

2011-02-26T15:52:00.001-08:00

My brother, Jon, allowed me to try on his hakama a few days ago, so I tossed on my yukata as well and hatched an idea for a picture. The tennis shoes are a bit obvious, but hey, I didn't have any geta. Anyway, this is the result.

I want to ask...

2011-02-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

Did the person who wrote this article intentionally report it because of its absurdity? I think so, personally.

It... approaches...

2011-02-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

Those that know me well may have an idea that, despite my usual behavior being anything BUT, in my memory, I know enough about sophistication and class to at least fake the appearance of it. Well, I hatched an idea recently to utilize an up-and-coming event as an opportunity to exercise that knowledge.

On Valentine's Day, I usually like to do something small. Though it's innocent, a good percentage of the people I spend the most time with are women. Because of that, I get the temptation around Valentine's Day to do something fun for them.

This year, and idea has slowly been evolving in my head. Let us see where this winds up, shall we?

Random Updates

2011-01-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well, as the fresh nature of the year slowly winds away into indifference, a transition that I don't think will be complete for a few months, I figured I hadn't done a broad life update in some time, so...

To start, I've done a few upgrades to my exercise routine. Among these, I've corrected my form for bicycle crunches and replaced my regular situps with vertical crunches. I've also incorporated my 35 lb weight into exercises, again, using it for added weight during lunges and adding it to my current weight with squats. Eventually, I hope to afford myself a barbell set and get myself a chin-up bar, but I probably won't get those until after I get a house.
I know I've told people about this already, but I recently found myself a light-blue 50s style full suit for $4. I had it tailored to fit, and I still need to have it dry-cleaned, but I plan to dance in it and see what people think.
I seek two new pairs of shoes, interestingly. First, and primarily, I need to find myself a pair of brown shoes, preferably, but not dogmatically danceable (i.e. hard leather soles). Basically, the soles of the pair I currently wear to work are getting rather large holes, and I need to replace them. Second, I need a pair of white dance shoes to wear with the suit. Sometimes, having feet that are not only rather long, but abnormally wide as well, can be irritating.
I've been having great success at thrift stores, recently. I've found myself a two pairs of dress trousers, one of which is VERY nice, and a white dress shirt that's not too long to wear un-tucked. I think I have now completed the transition and am a full-blooded thrift-store shopper.
To finish off the posts on fashion, I think fashion has now become a hobby of mine. I've even done research on the progression of fashion since the 20s. Combined with my enjoyment of thrift store shopping, I'm actually finding it relatively harmless financially, costing roughly $10 a month, and that's if I'm a bit reckless about it.
I've found what inspires me to write: reading. When I'm reading good books, I find myself wanting to write. Ironically, since I began reading again, I've also been finding myself attracted to things I've begun procrastinating with. There must be something psychological about it. I currently have three stories I'm interested in working on, have managed to draw a picture in a matter of minutes again, have been practicing piano and bass, and have been eying my painting, again.
My new job is coming along quite well, and I think I'm going to enjoy this one. However, before I make any judgment calls, I'm going to wait for a few months.
It is three months until I begin work to find and move into a house in Council Bluffs. I'm somewhat excited about the idea of moving in to a house, but I'm also a bit nervous. I like to think it'll be all right, and I'm aware that there's a good chance it will actually be a relief, financially (with my current position, that's not hard to think), but there's always that haunting doubt.
I think, for most of my life, I was never really interested in watching a lot of movies, but I found myself digging through clearance sales for them since moving into my apartment. Eventually, I hope to get myself a decent collection.
As I sit here, watching the snow fall outside, I'm also becoming aware of something funny. Since moving out of the country and to the city, I've lost much of my fear of icy roads. Sort of a 'duh' moment, but something to note.
I've been spying the idea of participating in more dance events. Currently, my eye is on an event in late January located in Des Moines, and I hope to collaborate with my brother on a road trip later in the year somewhere, possibly Chicago or St. Louis.

Well, I think I've been sitting here for long enough, and I'm going to venture out.

Here comes the New Year

2010-12-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the last day of 2010, and I'm sitting here inside Scooters, watching the bizarre weather through the windows to my side and waiting for the evening to come. I have the distinct feeling that the rest of my day will be spent watching movies and sleeping, so I decided to hit up my favorite WiFi spot in Blair and waste some time.

This year was defining, not quite '08, but defining nonetheless. I could try to make some generic statement like, "I feel that I'm more mature and/or aware," or, "I've grown in [insert description here]," but what's the point? After experiencing a little more of life, we always feel that we're a little more knowledgeable than we were before, and when we talk about it at that time, it's because, at that time, we feel we're right. Come a while later, should we find out that we were wrong, we'll think we've grown, but we in fact are simply repeating the same cycle that led us to the prior conclusion. All I'm going to say is that, whether I'm better or worse off, I've changed slightly, and next year, I'm going to have slightly changed again. It's something called "progress," be it genuine or a mere illusion.

I could then say, "This year had its high and low points, such as [insert event #1 here] and [insert event #2 here]," but the logic behind that is much simpler to debunk. EVERY year has its high and low points. Last year did, this year did, and, as a prediction, so will next year.

So what about the up-and-coming year? What do I expect of it? I expect we'll all learn new things, experience new things, grow a little older, move a little forward, maybe get burned along the way, etc. What else am I supposed to expect? Hope is different, but I hope for a lot of things.

However, as indifferent as this post seems to sound, to all who look forward to what lies in their future, I wish you success. And so, with that, come along 2011.

Panda Costumes?!

2010-12-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

Given how disturbed some of my friends were by an alternative panda costume, I thought this appropriate to post.

Music Video

2010-11-24T15:03:00.001-08:00

I was participating in the pool league, last night, when a music video I recognized began on one of the televisions that hangs on the wall of the restaurant where the league is held. This is of interest to me because, not only had I not seen it in years, but, more significantly, I would say that it is also my current favorite music video, simply for the reason of watching Christopher Walken... dancing.

On To New Projects...

2010-11-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday, I finished the class I'd taken. I'm not really worried about my grade--even if I had absolutely trashed the final test, which I know I didn't, I still had accrued enough points to pass the class.

While I really enjoyed that class and found it enjoyable, I'm excited for a number of reasons that it's done, and I think I could summarize a good number of the reasons into one. Knowing Nebraska weather, I won't be attending classes in the winter, and I realized that, over time, I've accrued a number of projects or tasks that I've been meaning to work on and/or practice. Thus, since I'm not taking classes, with the next three months free, I will have more time to devote to them.

These, added to the job I start Dec. 1st, will perhaps make for a very interesting winter.

New Job

2010-11-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back, my brother linked me a position at the Home Office. I opened it and found that I met a number of the qualifications, and so I applied online. I thought about it a little bit, perhaps, but I don't think I really had any firm expectations for the position. I'd applied a number of times before for certain positions, and, eventually, the rejection notices are, at worst, slightly disappointing.

Well, not long after, I was surprised to receive an e-mail for a sort of competency test, and I received a phone call to arrange an interview. The interview was not one of great significance, at that point, as I understood it to be more a set of interviews to weed out the unqualified applicants. While I didn't attribute much importance to it, my hopes were still raised.

These hopes were confirmed when I was contacted for a second interview, which was also to my surprise, as I didn't feel my first went as well as it could have. However, with some help from my sister and boss, I came prepared for my second interview, which I felt went much better.

After that, I was sitting and waiting until, this last Friday, after I went to my apartment early, I received a phone call, and I was offered the position. I accepted, come as of Dec 1st, I will be employed at the Home Office.

Interesting Use of a Jellyfish

2010-11-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

There's been a number of things on my mind over the past few weeks, and I'll try to cover those some time later, when I have time and am a bit more coherent in my words, but for now, this will suffice.

While I sometimes find myself wondering where people acquired certain knowledge, I will admit, this one is quite interesting.

The Plan!

2010-10-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

I developed an idea at the dance hall. I'm going to try something new, and I am fully with the intent to destroy myself.

I'm intent on staying awake for as long as I can. My goal to achieve this is to wake up at 6 a.m. one Friday, go about my usual day, then after dancing, through a combination of DVDs (preferably horror and/or comedy), food, and energy drinks (getting off the wagon for a little bit), try to last until noon the next Sunday.

I don't think I'll endure the full 54 hours, and I don't expect to. I just need to set a date for the experiment, and I'll see how long it will be before I collapse somewhere.

Pool League

2010-10-07T12:19:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, my brother, Greg, invited me to join his team in the Mutual of Omaha pool league. The timing was sort of ironic, as I recently left my Bible study, where I previously played pool almost every Monday.

I was put into the schedule for the Mutual of Omaha league, and although I was arranged to play my first set of games on the second week, I showed up the first week to get a feeling for the league. I played one game during the practice rounds before the tournament, and so I got a small taste of what I'd be up against. After that, I sat back and watched the games proceed, learning the rules and seeing how the rotation worked.

The second week, I think after we'd begun, I was informed that the first team we were playing against was one of the top teams in the league... You can probably guess the result, but I still had a blast playing.

As a proper introduction, and to give a hint of how much fun it was: in one of my games, I sunk five balls before I missed a shot. My opponent, in response... swept the table. As I walked back to my table, laughing, one of the people on my team smiled and said, "Welcome to the league."

This is going to be awesome!

Okay... wow?

2010-10-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

My sister linked this to me at work... I need not add anything.

Painting

2010-09-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

My friend, Lee, painted this for me as a birthday gift. I very much enjoy it, and I intend to hang it in my apartment, when I either get some hooks or some attachments for it.

Cowtown Jamborama 8

2010-09-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

The eighth annual Cowtown Jaborama has come and gone, and I will admit... that was awesome! As the event is, in structure, the same every year, then to try to give the order of events would ultimately be redundant, in some degree, to every post made concerning it. Thus, I will try to compile the highlights, points of interest, or things that made this year unique (from my perspective), in no particular order. If I missed anything, inform me via whatever-method-you-prefer, and I'll correct it.

Andrew Thigpen and Karen Thurman were two new instructors. It was very enjoyable to learn under them, and Andrew has a sense of humor that rivals even Mike Faltesek's.
The judging for the Jack and Jill was actually fair and honest. I know, in previous years, there have been complaints about politics in the competition. As I watched them call out those who made it into the semi-finals and those who won, I admitted that the judging was fair. Those who made it were honestly the best dancers in the competition.
"When I say Cowtown, you say moo! Cowtown!"
"MOO!"
"Cowtown!"
"MOO!"
There were numerous performances. The instructors performed a few themselves, there was a performance taught by Daniel Newsome and Gabriella Cook and performed later, Al and Leon's Shim-Sham was taught and performed as well, there was a performance by what I think was a group from Ballet Nebraska (if I'm wrong, someone correct me), there was a regular shim-sham, and there was the Madison.
The music at all venues was excellent. Another of the complaints I often hear is about how the music is poor, and last year, when they invited a country-style band to perform for a swing dance, that even irritated me. This time, the bands were all good bands, and they all played well.

Now for the list of things that happened that personally I enjoyed:

I danced Balboa with Mia Goldsmith. Originally, I grabbed her for a Lindyhop dance, but when the song ended shortly after we started, she invited me to dance the next one, and it turned out to be a fast song. We started with Bal-Swing, and I asked her if she wanted to do Balboa, which she agreed to... That... was an amazing... Balboa... And something that made me really happy: after the dance was done and I told her that I'd wanted to dance Bal with her for a long time, she told me that it was very smooth. Dang, but I was excited after that...
I have this problem where I have difficulty finding a hat that fits my head. Usually, I have trouble doing so, as most hats turn out to be too small for my head. However, last year, if I can recall right, I found a true fedora that actually fit me, but I didn't get it, for whatever reason. This year, I went through the hats again, and I found one that fit, possibly even the same one as last year. Needless to say, I bought it.
Bal-Swing in two different classes on two different days. This is an explanation in of itself.
A friend of mine participated, for the first time, in the Balboa and Bal-Swing lessons taught at Cowtown on Friday. I just thought I'd throw that in here for when she reads this and laughs.
I learned a small number of moves that I can start performing in my regular dance activities. Let's just hope I can remember them.
Studio 906. The first time I ever visited Studio 906, I admit I didn't really like it. It just seemed like an oddball place. However, as I remembered it, and the second time I entered it, it grew on me, and I came to love it. Don't ask me why.
Peter Loggins sat beside me at the first after hours event, and eventually, through our conversation, I got him to start telling me about the history of Herrang. Partially, after I misinterpreted what he said, I'm kind of worried that he thought I felt Cowtown was equal to Herrang, something I strongly disagree with, but, luckily, he didn't seem to mind talking about it.
While not associated with Cowtown, I stayed at my brother's house, and he showed me how to play Green Day's Good Riddance on guitar.
Personally, I only took one of Kim Clever and David Frutos' classes... and I would have attended that class simply for the humor. Epic...

And so, another Cowtown has passed. Until the next one, then...

Something Controversial

2010-09-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

While myself a devout Christian, I do not follow any usual denomination of Christianity, and I often find myself at odds with various positions taken by those denominations. However, as I believe in the unity of the church and realize that disagreements will happen, I usually desire cooperation in the church, as a whole, and the peaceful addressing of and resolution to these disagreements. Nonetheless, there are times when I am openly critical about the behavior of people who profess to be Christians. The recent events instigated by the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL, are a good example of this...

When I look at this, I can't help but perceive this as a dangerous act of intolerance, perhaps and likely even ignorance, in more ways than one. As Brad Stine put it so well, "I think a good rule of thumb is: if Hitler tried it... maybe go another direction!" (Source, and before the title of the video gets you, he actually mocks the use of the statement.)

Dangerous Animals in Movies

2010-08-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the release date for the movie, Piranha 3D, a remake of the 1978 film [1], and as I saw the trailer on Youtube and thought about it, I came to the conclusion that it was just another film in a recurring genre.

The films I'm talking about are films that either stereotype or are based upon the stereotypes of potentially dangerous animals, almost always misrepresenting them. While they may have some entertainment value to specific audiences, I dislike the feeling I get that people's opinions of these animals are actually influenced by these sorts of films. Here's a list of examples of films that I believe misrepresent these animals.

The 1975 movie, Jaws, based upon a novel by Peter Benchley, is about a Great White Shark who terrorizes the coast of New England [2]. This actually was largely influential on people's fear of the shark, even resulting in increased funding for the study of these animals [3]. My issue with this? Few types of sharks are perceived to frequently attack humans [4] , and shark attacks themselves are rare [5].
The film, Piranha, mentioned earlier, is about school of piranha that inhabit a lake and violently attack those who enter the lake [6]. I will admit, the stereotype of the piranha has existed for a while, following Theodore Roosevelt's description of the piranha, which was actually a setup by the native Brazilians who wanted to give Roosevelt a show [7]. However, piranha attacks on humans are rare to begin with, they are omnivores that usually feed on smaller animals, and they only become aggressive feeders when their food supply diminishes [8].
The 2006 horror film, Snakes on a Plane, is about a series of snakes released on a plane to kill a trial witness [9]. Now, this is partially based on fact, as snake bites are very much a concern in many parts of the world, and can very often be lethal [10]. However, to be honest, snakes are actually afraid of humans, and the chance of being bitten by a venomous snake in the United States is believed to be around 20 times less likely than being struck by lightning [11].
The 1980 horror film, Alligator, is about an massive alligator in the sewers of Chicago [12]. This film seems to be based off the urban legend of sewer alligators [13]. Now, I'm not one to say whether the legend is true or not, because I don't care enough to look it up. However, something needs to be understood. A good portion of alligators aren't large enough to view humans as potential prey, those that are big enough prefer to avoid humans, and most prefer small prey, anyway [14]. To finish the point, since 1948, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has only received 356 reports of alligator attacks, 25 of which were fatal, and in 9 of which the victims were believed to attacked and consumed post-mortem (I have no idea. Don't ask me.). [14]

I could list more, but I think my point has been made. I don't mind these types of horror films, in general, and even enjoy films such as Ghost and the Darkness. However, I think it's silly, anyway, for someone to base their views on what they saw on the movie screen.

Piano!

2010-08-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

When I moved into my apartment, one of the things I'd wanted to get after saving up was a piano. I already knew CostCo sold good pianos for decent prices, lower even than their website models, but when my parents and I visited them a while back, we were informed that the pianos weren't sold in store until later in the year (I think it was November). It came as a pleasant surprise, then, when my mother called me at my apartment, recently, and informed me that she was standing next to a piano in CostCo. A few hours later, this was the result.

A New Challenge

2010-08-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, I managed to finish a short story I'd started in February, and while I intend to revise it at a later point, for now, I'm just going to leave it as a rough draft. Thus, I'm able to move on to my next short story, which will actually be a new attempt at a story I'd begun some time ago, but never got anywhere with.

However, a new task became apparent to me, yesterday, independent of my writing. I'd wanted to draw another angel with a new style of wings that I'd thought up not long ago, but I decided that I wanted to try the hardest drawing project I will have ever attempted. The option I currently have in mind is to draw the angel in my usual pencil/ballpoint fashion, and use that as the basis for my first genuine attempt at an oil painting. I'm going to conduct a bit of research and am probably going to spend a lot of time practicing, but this will provide me with a substantial challenge.

Updates on Life

2010-07-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

A few updates, some just a little random.

Recently, for what I think was the first time, I was taught to ride a skateboard by my brother Greg. I enjoyed it so much that, with my next month's budget, I'm using the free spending money to buy and customize for myself a skateboard (or possibly a longboard, depending on what I want when I go looking. When Greg let me use his longboard... it felt absolutely gorgeous to ride...)
I'm adjusting my diet. Originally, I was focusing on calories and vegetables. I'm going to keep up with these, but now, I'm going to try to watch my fat intake, as well. Translation: keep away from the M&Ms, Snickers, and Hershey's bars...
After making the mistake of accepting my sister's offer of drinking some Diet Rite soda with sucralose or a new type of soda called Zevia that uses erythritol, I started experiencing cravings, again. Luckily, it didn't get too bad and I cut off before it could, so I don't think I did too much damage. However, this may serve as an indication for me to avoid even the healthier sodas... Oh, well...
I am so disappointed in Cookie Crisp cereal... It tastes nothing like chocolate chip cookies!
Well, after having these tennis shoes for a while, I'm thinking, in a few months, I might need to buy myself a new pair. These are breaking open at the sides, and pieces from the sole are coming loose. I'm kind of disappointed, as these were probably the best pair of casual shoes I've ever owned.
I received a piece of advice recently that sounds very appealing. A lot of my current written work is philosophical, but I was given the advice that I should take a break from that and just write some entertaining pieces to relax.
I came to notice something in my dancing that I'm working on, which is very simple but makes a lot of difference in how I look. When I danced, I used to let my right arm hang limp while I performed swing outs, and it looked very boring. By just cocking my arm up a little, or performing a very simple move for flair, I think it makes my frame look better.
Thrift stores rock. VERY nice $0.99 ties FTW!
I should start pushing myself with my drawings again. With my last drawing, in what I think was 5-10 minutes, I penciled what I consider to be one of my best renditions of flames yet.
I've been making a list of Christian songs that I enjoy listening to. I may eventually post them here, but I'm going to wait on that. The list is incomplete, anyway.

Okay, so it was more than a few...

I Love This Guy

2010-07-17T17:47:00.001-07:00

I don't often post things related to politics on this blog, but, with this video, I will gladly make an exception.

This Is How My Mind Works

2010-07-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

Today, while sitting at my computer at work, I decided to stop drinking. I might have even made the decision in a shorter period of time than it will take to write this post.

I could provide numerous reasons for it, but most would just be excuses. In all honesty, I didn't have a problem with drinking. The worst case I ever got from drinking was where I got tired, and I have never been drunk. I actually did enjoy beer (after I found that there were actually good beers out there), and I could afford it without doing any significant damage to my budget. I wasn't really causing any damage to anyone, I wasn't addicted, and I don't have any religious objections to drinking.

My reason for quitting is actually... somewhat hilarious, and I have no intention of sharing it. I'll leave it to your curious minds.

In Case You Were Wondering...

2010-07-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

... sometimes, awesome scientific decisions are not reached professionally...

Drummer, on Something

2010-07-05T12:55:00.001-07:00

If I had a Youtube account, I would favorite this...

Wal-Mart... Where You Can Find CENSORED Everything!

2010-07-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

There are some things that just seem so unusual that I would not expect them. Thus, when I was listening to the radio at work (I think it was a comedy channel), I was not expecting to hear about something like this...

While I am not criticizing it, per se, as I can somewhat understand the reasoning behind it, I still think it has the potential of making its way into a Jeff Foxworthy joke.

A Birthday Gift

2010-06-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I deleted my Flickr account, so I'm just going to post this here (Honestly, I should have posted it here to begin with). A few days before my friend's birthday, an idea popped into my head for a gift I could make for her, and, after a few attempts, this is what came out. I'm happy with it and am happy about how much my friend likes it, so I consider this one a success.

That's That

2010-06-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last year, I decided to open a Flickr account, and I posted a number of pictures that I'd taken. However, later I realized how little I used it, and a number of times I considered deleting it. Just a few minutes ago, as I finally conceded how pointless it was, I did so. When I draw something I like, I much rather prefer to post it here, and I don't use my camera enough to justify even owning it.

As I think about it now, I'm pretty sure that I no longer even wanted it. Meh, one less thing to think about.

Well... That Is Weird

2010-06-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

How many people expect something like this when reading the news? Honestly?

To my father...

2010-06-20T12:46:00.001-07:00

To the man who managed to keep his patience, maintain his sanity, support a family, read his Bible, teach what is not learned in school, live as an example, demonstrate good humor, cry when sad, yet hold his tears when needed, show discipline with love, live honestly, remain firm where necessary, keep an open mind, practice what he preached, love his wife, love his family, and NOT take a baseball bat to the video game console, despite raising four children, Happy Father's Day!

New Shoes

2010-05-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Previously, I had four pairs of dance shoes, but none that were of what I consider the second most common color, brown. I remembered that, in a prior search through a thrift shop in Blair, there was such a pair on the shelves, and so I went to see if they were still there. Happily, they were, and they fit. They cost a little more than three dollars, including the shoes trees that were left in them, and with a little polish, the above pair is the result.

These are from a company called Florsheim. They're a bit snug, the heels are a bit thick, and the rubber squeaks a bit, but beyond that, though, they're not too bad. I will need to get some leather stretching spray, though, as when I gave them a test run during dance practice, after a while, it started to hurt my right foot. However, I believe these will serve the purpose I bought them for after that.

A Second Try

2010-05-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I felt I'd quit video games for good and even wrote about it. Well, recently, I tried my hand at it again as something to do while using a rebounder. I enjoyed it at first and got sucked into it for a couple hours, but at the end, I just looked at it and felt that it was a complete waste of time. Subsequently, I turned it off and reattached my DVD player.

Well, perhaps just for now, I guess this is a reaffirmation that I'm done with video games.

...Wow...

2010-05-21T12:18:00.001-07:00

Okay, I will say it, Google's PacMan is just... awesome.

Updating Life

2010-05-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since my last post, and perhaps longer since I actually posted an update on life, so methinks it is about time for a new one.

To start, I had my first visit to a Catholic church a few weeks ago. While I felt honored to have been invited and considered it special, partly due to it being my first time, but mostly since I used to be a dogmatic Protestant before becoming non-denominational, I still felt a little embarrassed as I tried and failed to keep up with the rituals. I'm just glad that my friends didn't mind, but showed appreciation for me just being there.
Well, a few days of my recent week was spending time with my sister during the celebration Creighton provided for their graduates. I attended two dinners, a party, a Worlds of Fun trip, and the actual graduation with her. Congratulations, Elizabeth, on your graduation, and I hope and pray for your success in your further endeavors! I will say this, though. There comes a point where repeatedly wearing semi-formal gets old.
I've been playing pool more, lately, and I mean a LOT more. On Mondays, I play a few games, and almost every occasion, one or more people has come up and requested to play. When I go to my parents' house, I play pool. When visiting The Bar Fly to watch my friend's band play, I played pool with my friends. When celebrating my friend's acceptance into UNO, we played pool at Big John's Billiards. When I attended my sister's party at The Fox and the Hound, I played a few games with my brother (One guy commented that he thought about asking us to play until he saw that we brought our own cues). Just to make it clear, I'm not complaining about this development. :)

Well, I think this will suffice.

Odd News Posts

2010-04-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

For the exceptional few that read my blog, you may have noticed that something I like to do is find interesting news posts and link them on my blog. This is actually a trend that I started doing relatively recently, but I do have some of my original Omaha World Herald news clippings at my apartment from a few years ago.

These two links cover the first stories I found and kept, to memory:

Angelis

2010-04-15T16:18:00.001-07:00

A while ago, I'd started this picture with the intent of creating a more advanced angel picture than my previous one, Angelica, but it eventually settled as an unfinished picture in my sketchbook. Well, recently, my attention was drawn back to it when a friend of mine complimented the incomplete picture, and I decided to finish it earlier today.

My thoughts on this one are actually quite ironic, concerning its original purpose. While I find the wings on this one to be more advanced, in a comparison, I found the dress in the other to be more detailed. Still, I'm pleased with the result.

Bible Study

2010-04-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was finding the apartment life boring, and so I decided that I wanted to go out and do something. When I visited my parents while trying to think of something to do, I recalled a Bible study that occurs on Mondays, and I decided on that almost the moment I remembered it. I'd been invited to this multiple times before by my friend, but I never got around to it, so I was happy to be able to go.

I'd only been at one Bible study before, but that one left a bitter taste in my memory. Only one other person had showed up, and it would be fair to say that I found the ideas she presented in our conversation following that to be disturbing. Leave us to say, I never went back.

Well, when I entered this one, I was surprised. I arrived late, so they had already begun worship, and so I just joined in. When the singing, updates, and group prayer were done, my friend greeted me and arranged for me to join her study group. Before we gathered together, I had already seen a few people I recognized, and I talked to a another friend for a little bit, so I felt more comfortable.

The groups for Bible study then gathered in private rooms, and we all talked until the study started. They started with an introductory of saying what our name was and, if we could be on a reality tv program, which would it be? When my turn came around, I chose "cribs" so I could have some fun by introducing my apartment with its clearance-sale couch and a dining table that's almost an heirloom.

Then we went into a study of 1st Corinthians, chapter 14, and, I'm going to admit... I loved it. In the discussions that followed, what I heard was not a set of disturbing interpretations of scripture as I had seen before, but a long series of intelligent discussions with arguments that made sense and both openness and rational skepticism towards certain ideas.

At the end of the study, prayer requests were taken by the group, and we ended in group prayer led by a volunteer. We walked out of the study, and I chatted for a little while in the foyer with a couple of my friends before I returned to my apartment. I am actually very happy about what I found, and I definitely hope to go again.

Um... okay...

2010-04-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

The scary thing is that this has the potential of becoming a popular phone add-on.

Dancing Shoes!

2010-03-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

While there are a number of articles of clothing that I like, there's one in particular that I enjoy collecting: dancing shoes. I'm not obsessed, for those of you who will believe it, but I do enjoy going to vintage shops to look at them, observing those that other people wear, searching online through websites to see the different lines, etc. Currently, I own four pairs, which I will detail below.

These are my Stacy Adams (A brand I later found to be praised by a dance instructor and historian by the name of Peter Loggins). After I returned to swing dancing, since my original pair were damaged, I went to DSW and found these. The soles of these are surprisingly slick, and, with a pair of insoles that I purchased, these are exceptionally comfortable.

These are my Staffords. I was using my Stacy Adams at the time I found these, and one of the shoes I wanted to get was a cap-toe shoe. I also wanted a smaller shoe than the ones I had been using, as they had felt loose during the Cowtown lessons. Thus, I went looking through the shoes that were being sold at the event, and, after a little bit of thought, decided to purchase these. They're not as slick as my Stacy Adams, but they are the best-fitting and most comfortable pair of dance shoes that I own.

These are a pair of shoes with the name Aristocraft, and they're also my latest purchase. I'm not sure if it's an actual company, or if it's a product line by a company instead. I'd wanted wingtips for quite some time, and I found these while shopping through a vintage store. I found them to fit, and they had a particular coloring that I felt was unique, where it faded from red to black and vice-verse (I doubt that it was intentional, but I liked it anyway). They were a little snug, but my brother Greg allowed me to use a spray to stretch the leather. They felt more comfortable after that.

And finally...
These are my Allen Edmonds. When I did some research on the brand, I was very pleased with what I learned. These shoes were my original pair, given to me as a gift by my brother, Greg, and also my favorite pair. I hope to eventually find an insole so thin that it won't make the shoe tight, but soft enough to make the interior of the shoe comfortable. I also want to use a spray to stretch the leather and make it more comfortable on the sides, where it's a little snug. Another thing I want to do is to take them into a shoe repair place and get them coated with some oils to protect the leather. I so want to pimp out these shoes!

These are the dancing shoes I own. There are still some things I'm interested in, though I'm not sure I want to buy them (As an example, these these Robert Wayne shoes. I would only consider these shoes when they go on clearance in DSW, and even then, I have my reservations, such as high price, questionable quality, etc). However, I think it's fair to say: I love dancing shoes.

A Busy Afternoon

2010-03-20T07:43:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I missed the toga party due to weather conditions, and so I spent my afternoon doing something else. I signed a lease to an apartment in Blair, and I began the process of moving in by cleaning the apartment and moving everything. I still have a ways to go, and I expect that my weekend is probably going to be busy between moving the remainders of my stuff and sifting through it.

Initially, I declined an offer from this apartment for two reasons: the price of the apartment was slightly more expensive and the option of a house seemed a better choice However, after some further thought, I returned to this apartment with a few thoughts in mind. First, I have almost no credit, and moving into a house already would probably be overwhelming. I'm going to try to use the apartment to build credit while also adjusting to the costs and challenges of living by myself. Second, with the proximity of the apartment to my work, I found that I would be able to bicycle and possibly walk to work, and when I calculated the cost of gas and vehicle maintenance for driving between my work and Omaha, the amount I will save by living in Blair instead far exceeds the difference in rent.

Now, that being said, there are a few things I want to do. First, I want to wait and live really economically for a few months so I can adjust to the cost and develop for myself a bit more educated of a budget. Second, I want to schedule a party a few weeks down the line to celebrate moving in (But I think I'll skip my dad's suggestion of adding the line, "Furniture donations welcome!"). Third, I want to check the possibility of getting myself a secure DSL, and, if not, I may come to rely on the McDonald's WiFi.

Well, now that I have this posted and updated, it's back to the business at hand!

Interesting Job Posting

2010-03-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

...They actually make online job applications for that?

My First Breakup

2010-03-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Well, between Kat and I, it's over. It was a mutual separation after some thought and talking with each other and family. I'm not going to state what happened or why it occurred, but we've decided that it is best that we're just friends.

Moving Forward

2010-02-17T04:14:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to move out for a number of years now, and at one point found myself approved for an affordable two-bedroom apartment in Blair. However, I turned this down in favor of house-hunting, which produced multiple poor results. Most, if not all, of the houses I could afford were in poor neighborhoods or were, in of themselves, in bad condition, sometimes even disgusting. Eventually, I gave up on moving out, for that time.

Recently, though, I returned to the search, and, with Kat's help, after reviewing a few options, I found a decent-quality, affordable apartment in Omaha. I liked the location, and a check of the crime rates showed it to be acceptable. Thus, I turned in an application and waited for a reply.

Yesterday, I received a notice that my application had been approved, and after a quick meeting with one of the landladies, I have a move-in date arranged. In one month, I will officially be moving out of my parents' house.

Here's to the future. Come what may.

Skull

2010-02-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, I figured I hadn't drawn anything in a while, so I just sat down with a pen, pencil, eraser, sketch book, a laptop, and a scan through Google Images (originally, I was looking for a cow's skull, but after finding nothing satisfactory, I swapped for a human). This was the result.

Best jury duty invite...

2010-01-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

...EVER!!!

A Concept

2010-01-06T05:54:00.000-08:00

There's something I thought of a while ago. I, like many people, have things in my past that I am not proud of. However, I don't live in regret of what I've done. First, obviously and primarily, I can't change my history or fix my mistakes, but secondly, there's a question that I asked that I think is relevant.

Knowing that my past, mistakes and all, were a large part of the process that led me to become what I am, and knowing that the slightest change could ultimately produce a different result, possibly taking away both the scars left behind and the things I treasure, if I was offered the chance to redo it, would I?

McD's Incident

2010-01-04T19:52:00.001-08:00

You can't make this stuff up.

2009 to 2010

2010-01-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

And now, it is 2010. Two more years until we see if the Mayans were right...

Anyway, in reflection of the past few years, I'd like to think that I've had to experience both self-improvement and reality checks, which, ultimately, has resulted in a person that might finally be described as having an ounce of maturity in him, though still not much. Aside from that, I've striven to improve myself both physically and mentally, both of which I see results in, albeit unimpressive, but still progressive.

I have witnessed and experienced a number of things in the past year. I have watched two couples get engaged, one of my original swing dancing friends get married, another of my friends start her career, etc. Maybe life always just travels fast, and I'm only now starting to realize that, ya know, there actually IS something to it.

Well, that being said, here's an inspection of last year's resolutions and how they fared:

Finish or progress in what I started in late 2008? To some degree, I think I did manage to keep this resolution. However, this wasn't so much a resolution as a mere progression of what I was already doing, so... meh, onward!
Publish some of my short stories? No. Fail, fail, oh-so-epic fail.
A girlfriend? To my astonishment and happiness... YES!!!
Wardrobe? I think I've gotten better at knowing what looks good on me, what I like, and what I'm willing to spend to get that clothing, so I would say this is a success... However, I will admit, jeans dominate!
Finish restoring my dad's coat? Actually, I wanted to finish it until I found a defect in it that made me scrap the whole project, so I'll just say this one didn't work.
Improve my library? Oh, yes... Oooooooh, yes...
Learn Omaha? I've gotten a HECK of a lot better in this field. I have not used the GPS in a while, and I can get most places I don't know through a quick scan of Google maps.
Improve my social graces. Lately, I've been slipping in some areas of this field and advancing in other areas. I feel like I've been less-than-social with some of my friends, though, and, to those who will read this, I apologize for it. Give me time. :)

And now a set of New Year's resolutions (i.e. pretending I have a plan and going along with it):

Publish something. I'm going to keep making and possibly breaking this resolution until I succeed enough that it's no longer one.
Get an apartment. There are a number of reasons for this, but while I enjoy living in my parents' house and consider it my home, I think it's time for me to try and leave the nest.
Improve my dancing. While part of me dislikes that I found something fundamental that I was doing wrong, another part of me looks forward and is happy I have something to improve on. I'm told by a number of people I've gotten better, but I still have a ways to go.
Read my Bible more. I did well with this early on, but it just started slipping as time passed. I need to set aside some time to do this, again.
Get more involved in the church. I've wanted to do this for a while, but never brought myself around to it.
Finish assembling the guitar on my floor. It has been sitting there for months, now, untouched, and I want to get that thing completed, already!

Alrighty, then, onward with the new year.

New Job

2009-12-11T02:31:00.001-08:00

After three years of opening mail, working Saturdays, and dealing with bull that I could go on about (but, for all your sakes, won't), I finally did something to relieve myself of the situation. With the changing circumstances in the department, a new set of positions opened up, and so I successfully applied for one of them.

Thus far, I'm enjoying my new job, though I'm still in the training stage. Eventually, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to find something I dislike about the position, but for now, I'm just glad to be done with opening mail.

A Second Blog

2009-12-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

For a while, I've wanted a place to discuss my thoughts on controversial issues, but, in consideration of my friends, I didn't want to use my main blog for this. So... I now have a second blog, for those interested.

Life comes at you fast...

2009-12-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

I now have a girlfriend.
Her name is Kat Wendt.

It was unexpected...
It happened fast...
I think she's wonderful...

^__^

...Really?

2009-11-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Dude, okay, seriously...?

A Fantasy, Yet Real, Community

2009-11-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

I don't often think about my days of World of Warcraft, anymore, but there are things I do remember about it. Recently, I was going through Wikipedia and again read over an article about the Corrupted Blood incident, and I read about how some researchers thought of it as an interesting model and even requested statistics from Blizzard Entertainment about it. I began thinking about it afterwords and contemplating the aspects of WoW, and perhaps even MMORPGs in general, as a community, often more in depths than many people probably realize. The following are just a few examples.

One interesting thing is that, not only is it culturally different as a mass of gamers, but that, in the game itself, things are culturally different, depending on circumstances. When you begin the game, you are placed in a specific server, and each server has its own set of people. From beginning to end, I remained in the server, Drenden, which, when I began, was a relatively small and unknown server and gradually grew over time to being of a decent size when I left. From one of my guild mates, who was giving advice to a fellow raider who wanted to transfer to another server, there are differences between how people behave in another server. Our server was considered a relatively good one, at least on the forums, and a quick scan through some other server forums could give evidence of this.

Inside the servers, there are various different realms you can enter, and they also differ in how characters act. For example, when you begin in early realms, such as the early stages of the human storyline, there's a small village called Goldshire outside the human capitol, Stormwind, in Elwynn Forest, which is famous for hosting duels more than any other city or village I can think of in the game. It's often frequented by both lower-level players just trying to move forward in progression and upper levels players that like to show off their might in the said duels. In some areas, even, one half-entertaining, half bizarre phenomenon was something known as Barrens Chat.

Another interesting factor is that, while there are things that are unique to the game, there are also portions which resemble real world elements. For instance, in WoW, there is actually a market where both goods and services are traded, which also means that there is an economy. There are even negative comparisons to the real world. People actually operate illegal businesses in the game for real world profit by having a series of players farm various areas for gold and selling it online for real money. There is identity theft, where people will spam fake links across forum boards that, if opened, will install programs on the user's computer that log their keystrokes. By doing this, they learn the user's username and password, and they log onto the characters account, sell all their gear, and mail the gold from it to their own characters.

In the game, there are a community of people who like to greet each other, chat, band together for quests, etc. There were a series of people from various realms who liked to frequent the off-topic forums, in which topics like politics, religion, and popular culture were often discussed. Various characters became famous/infamous for their behavior and were widely liked or disliked by the community.

There was a Player vs. Player (PvP) culture to the game as well, where people openly participated in battle with other players outside the usual arenas and battlegrounds, and some servers were actually made just for this sort of thing. Beyond just the gameplay, there were elements of the competition between Horde and Alliance where the players actually began to act in manners that could be seemingly compared to racism, usually (though not always) in a friendly role-playing way, though.

This is perhaps just a small portion of what can be related in WoW, but perhaps the most important in developing the unique aspects of the community is something that makes the game highly complex. In the game, you're able to make a name for yourself, depending on your skills, level, and gear, but, in the field of social interaction, you are not merely an image on a screen, but an actual person to other people you play with, and once you recognize that this same aspect holds true for every other player that wanders the field, from the lvl 1 illegal business spammers to the end-game raiders/arena competitors, you come to realize how it is possible that the community of World of Warcraft actually makes the game feel like another world.

Shoe Repair Frustrations and Surprises

2009-10-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

The shoes I have worn for a while now, since after my return to the dance hall, were not actually the first pair of dance shoes I've owned. My original dance shoes were a gorgeous Allen Edmonds pair, which, to date, still remain my favorite shoes.

What happened originally is that, while I was at the dance hall, the front of the sole of one of the shoes broke open. I intended to have it repaired, but, at that time, I still didn't know Omaha and kept delaying trying to find a shoe store. Eventually, when I stopped going to the dance hall, I came to just ignore them altogether.

However, I recently noticed them on my floor again and took an interest in repairing them. I now knew how to navigate Omaha, and so I looked up various shoe repair places on Google Maps before heading out and dropping my shoes off.

Originally, I was told that my shoes would be repaired within a week, and that it was a simple just of sowing the sole back on. I called a week later, and I was told that the soles were falling off the shoe, and I needed new soles. He promised me a lower price for my new shoes, originally about $75 for the repair, now $60, and that he was going to use something called "Sole Guard."

I was told the shoes would be ready by that Friday. I called that Friday, was told they were finished, and headed down to collect them. When I arrived, they showed me the shoes, to which they had ever so lovingly applied... rubber soles. Sole Guard is not an adhesive, as it had sounded over the phone, but an actual rubber sole.

I handed the shoes back and said that I wanted leather soles on my shoes, for dancing, and was told the shoes probably wouldn't be ready for a week.

I called a week later, and they said the shoes weren't ready, due to glue problems, but they would be ready on Monday. I called Monday, they said to call the next day.

By this point, I was somewhat frustrated, and so I headed down to the store on Tuesday to tell them that, if my shoes were not yet ready, I would be taking them back and heading somewhere else. When I arrived, on the day they told me to call back, I found the store...closed...

I went down on Wednesday to do what I intended to do Tuesday, and the store person brought out the shoes. The front portion of the sole had not been attached, even...

The store owner was very apologetic about the whole deal, and he promised me a 'good deal' (i.e. discount) for the mix-up, showed my the shoes and the material they were using, etc. I decided that, since the shoes were in their final stages of repair, it would probably be just as long of a wait if I took them elsewhere, and this place I already had reason to demand a lower price. Thus, I allowed them to take back the shoe, and then they decided...when I gave him my phone number for the THIRD time (honestly, do they even look at their notes?)... they wrote the number right on the sole...

Needless to say I was unamused. However, I called later to ask when they would be done and was told in an assured tone they would be ready by Saturday. I came in Monday, and the shoes were ready (finally).

This is the point where I was happiest: the guy looked at me and said that he had a story for me. At first, I began to suspect that my shoes would be again delayed, but, thankfully, he only told about everything that had happened and that, as a consequence, the repair job... was on them. They repaired my shoes for free. He showed me the job and, after I did some brief shopping to give him time to clean them up, let me have the shoes.

And these are the shoes. Needless to say, I am exceptionally pleased and impatient to try them out this Friday.

Apologetics

2009-10-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

"Few people come to believe because of an argument, no matter how logically the case for belief was argued."
- Gloria Gaither

It's actually somewhat difficult to define my position when I hold this quote in high regard. I'm not sure if this is surprising to some people, but I actually spend a good deal of time thinking about my beliefs and the arguments of those who criticize them. I've been thinking about making this post or a post like it for some time, and finally decided just to do so. If I offend anyone with the message that follows, I apologize for offending you. I never mean to anger or upset people with what I believe, but I realize that I cannot take the position I do without contradicting that of another.

The quote, though, seems to contradict another position of mine, and that is I believe in being capable of making an affirmative argument for Christianity against its critics, this being done in a manner that cannot be genuinely discredited by even the Atheistic community. By this, I do not mean a manner of defending my beliefs so that it merely helps to ward off my own doubt, but also to be done in such a way that, through logical and historical evidence, I can make a case for Christianity that is directed at a secular community, utilizing their rules.

I am not sure, but I sometimes feel that the secular community believes that, if Christians were to genuinely and honestly research their origins and what they believe, they would come to disbelieve it. I was somewhat affected by this, and, at one point, was even afraid of learning about it because I felt I might lose my faith and turn away from Christianity. However, I also believed that, if it was true, then the evidence should support it.

As I continued my journey, then, I was relieved by what I found. Not only did I find that there was strong historical and logical evidence for Christianity, but I also saw some of the arguments against Christianity that I knew of previously and granted some degree of reverence deteriorate, such as the problem of evil.

The journey was not without changes, however. I was originally raised as a Young-Earth Creationist and believed that it was the only belief compatible with the book of Genesis. Today, concerning the theories of the origin of the universe, I am, for lack of a better term, agnostic, though most sympathetic to the theory of Old-Earth Creationism. I do believe that the creation of the universe is compatible with the Genesis account, but I do not limit my perspective to any one position on what that is, as I don't believe we can absolutely know so simply how God chose to do so.

Another change is that I have gained respect for the scientific community. While I am not a proponent of the evolutionary theory, I nevertheless no longer consider it an unintelligent position to take, and many times, find their arguments more in line with the available evidence than some of the creationist arguments I have seen. Aside from that, I found that a good portion of the scientific community actually embraces theology and recognizes that science and religion are not primarily at odds.

Now, in reference to the quote at the beginning, here is my position. I do not believe that I can, and I do not wish to attempt to, argue with someone until they believe. I don't consider faith to be based off arguments (though perhaps justified to a secular community by them) but rather a personal feeling and conviction that something is true. I believe that arguments can discredit criticisms directed towards Christianity, but, ultimately, there is something more that leads people to accept it.

Complex Hideouts and Zombies

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

Why, oh why, do I look up these things?

P.S. When I told my sister about the article, she started professing to be a zombie rights activist, offended by this article for its portrayal of zombies as stupid.

Instruction No. Something-Something-Eight

2009-09-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

What we will learn in this lesson: How to properly use fire.

Step one: Do not do this.

Part of me perceives this as something interesting and on the verge of entertaining, but another part of me wonders what leads a group of people to tell themselves, "Hey! I know what we can all do! Let's break a world's record by lighting ourselves on fire simultaneously!"

Fun Stuff

2009-09-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I originally wanted to write a post beforehand detailing thoughts and events that have taken place, but I decided just to wait until the Cowtown Jamborama was over. I'll try being chronological about it.

To start, one of the main items I looked forward to was the arrival of Jillian from New York. While I'd been communicating through letters, Facebook chat, and the rare phone call (I wish I could call from my cell phone, but, blast it all, I live in a dead zone!), I haven't seen her in person for the past 9 months. Thus, on Saturday, after work, I visited her house at Council Bluffs and just chatted with her and Lee.

On Sunday, I joined Jillian, Lee, and their mother, Joyce, for their church service. It was a lot smaller than anything I was used to, but I found it a very friendly and personal atmosphere.

After church, I drove the sisters to their house to gather a few things, then drove them over to Lindy in the Park, and I have one thing to say, aside from enjoying dancing on a beautiful day. Pie good.

On Monday, I was toying with the idea of going to Ozone for dancing. However, my prior conditions would be if others came. I received one vote of "if others go, I'll go" and one vote of "I won't be going," so it ended up that I just stayed home on FB chat.

On Tuesday, it was a bit more interesting. I went with Jillian on my very first date. It'd been arranged months before, and I made reservations the prior week. On this point, though, there are two things I wish to address, the first being humorous and the second notsomuch.

First, my dad has, for lack of a better term at the moment, a prophecy concerning first dates. That prophecy is... something is bound, at some point, to go wrong. While I'm not sure about everything else, though I did ask how she thought it went, I would say that having to stop at a gas station in Council Bluffs to use a restroom while driving her home counts on this list.

Second, I have heard and suspected that there are people who still believe I'm pursuing Jillian. Now that Cowtown is over, I will address this issue directly. To make it straightforward and simple: I am not. I may joke around with her, but Jillian and I spoke about this and agreed months ago that we would just remain friends. My behavior at Cowtown was meant for fun, and I had informed Jillian of this beforehand. We even worked on a list that Jillian dubbed the 'crap' list to describe the feedback we'd be receiving afterwords (The list, however, became quite difficult to access after the labtop it was on stopped working, and so its enactment was incomplete. If anyone wishes to challenge the validity of this claim, I will borrow my brother's Black Widow again and find it.).

Getting back to the list, Wednesday was fairly normal. I swapped Wed with Sat, so I ended up working, but, when I went home, I finished all my laundry and preparations for Cowtown.

And, on Thursday night, Cowtown began. I sort of received a firsthand glance at what Cowtown social dances would be like. One dance after another, I danced with someone who had experience with Lindyhop. While some were slightly clumsy and others were excellent, it was nevertheless an item I did not find disappointing.

On Friday, classes began. The Friday classes were my favorite of the entire sequence, and the Silly-ocity class was, by far, my favorite class of all I have taken, EVER! While I learned to properly lead a pop-turn and the correct method for showing the follow that I'm leading them into tandem Charleston, this class I think I learned the most from, and I actually saw the effects later on Friday. Most of the time, the follow I'm with may sometimes smile, but mostly just gives a blank stare. When I decided to stop being orthodox about everything and just to break away and have fun, not only did I have a blast, but the follows seemed to enjoy themselves as well.

Friday night was fun. Despite the trouble out on HWY 75 and the politics that occurred during the Jack and Jill, I enjoyed myself greatly. Dancer after dancer, I met people who either knew or had an idea of what they were doing, and it was quite fun.

I found a few high points to Friday evening as well, but one seems to stand out. For what was perhaps the first or second time, I danced my best to a song. During the Jack and Jill, I was paired up with Sarah Carney and, after a brief moment where she gave me advice, performed at my best. Though my stomach hurt like someone had struck me with a hammer afterwords, that was the first time in my readily-available memory where, instead of an instructor telling me I did well, a dance instructor, one whom I was paired up with for the last third of the competition (which was nice, in of itself) and respect turned to me and spoke loudly, "That was AWESOME!"

Saturday was also good. The classes weren't as fun, at least for me, as they had been on Friday, but they were highly enjoyable, nonetheless. Saturday night dancing I enjoyed as well, but agree with Greg that it became somewhat annoying with how much they played the same style of music. Still, the performance was excellent.

Sunday, for me, was somewhat dull, I'm going to admit. I walked out near the end of the first class, due to some issues with some of the follows, and I didn't take the next class. After the Foxtrot class, I just didn't take any classes from then on.

Sunday night for me was alright, but I eventually left early. While the corn-eating contest had some entertaining points to it and Sarah did show up later during the night, I still just lost interest in staying until Midnight, said goodbye to Jillian, and left.

Finally, after three days of dancing and swing music, I put in a Demon Hunter album and drove home.

Marriage

2009-09-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kate and Michael on their wedding! I wish the both of you joy indescribable in the times that have yet to come.

Monkeys and Metallica

2009-09-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this news story, but... dang, I like it...

Blog

2009-08-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

It has now been one year and five days since I wrote my first blog post. I have often heard people describe some events as if they can't believe such an amount of time has passed so quickly, yet I do not think I fall under this category. When I contemplate the number of things that have taken place between now and Aug 11th, 2008, I'm almost inclined to think, "It's only been a year?"

Edit: I felt that I should probably add that this was not implied as something negative.

Freaky...

2009-08-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

Found this while randomly scanning through news articles.

Inside Riddle

2009-08-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Let's see how many people can get this. I'm honestly expecting one person to understand it, but I think it's simple enough that more than two will solve it completely.
_______________
Day 5: Beautiful

Day 6: Hot

Reset

Day 1: Pretty
_______________

Conditions for determining if someone figured this out: If I am alive by the end of this week, either I lucked out or no one understood it, and yes, there is a difference between those two options.

Alright, then, here we go.

Flickr

2009-08-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted a place where I could upload my photos and drawings, but I'm hesitant to use my Facebook account for a variety of reasons. Soooooo... I acquired a Flickr account.

I'm probably not going to be uploading a lot of photos, for now, but at least it's up.

And to give an explanation for my limited variety and number of photos, I hope to mainly take pictures of things I find interesting, entertaining, humorous, etc, instead of creating a photo blog. Drawings, though, I'll probably be specific about (likely only posting the ones I thought turned out decent), but if there's a story behind them, I'll still post them here.

Found it!

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

After watching a news report, I went looking for a particular black bear story on the website, and, while I found a different report, I was unable to find the one I was looking for.

Today, however, I remembered my original intentions, and a new thought dawned on me. It was a video. I hadn't been able to find it on the news website before, but why not try Youtube?

I opened Youtube, typed in "black bear news story," and, lo and behold, I found the video!

Dark Face

2009-07-28T19:38:00.001-07:00

There's an interesting story in how I came to this, but, suffice it to say, I wanted to draw a face with a dark, malevolent aura based upon shading. I'm fairly pleased with this image, not in that I consider it my best work (I don't), but with how quickly I'd managed to finish it. :P

Something Rather Unusual

Church

Updates, Ideas, and Plans

Living Life

Something to Say

Penguin!!!

2011 Reflections

Metal Covers

Songs from a While Ago

Articles, articles!

Rambling

Catholic Sermons

Clockwork Contact Lenses

Court Ruling

FOUND IT!!!

Glowing Cats

New Shoes, Two Pairs

Updates

Ice Cream

A Test to Try

An Unexpected Interest

What the f-...?

Giant Wasp

A Thought

Ahem...

Updates

Jewelry Box

More Shoes

An Interesting Event and Necessary Clarification

Good to Know!

Yet Another Angel

New Updates

Updates

A Late Mother's Day Post

Prepare for Assimilation!

New Apartment

Hakama

I want to ask...

It... approaches...

Random Updates

Here comes the New Year

Panda Costumes?!

Music Video

On To New Projects...

New Job

Interesting Use of a Jellyfish

The Plan!

Pool League

Okay... wow?

Painting

Cowtown Jamborama 8

Something Controversial

Dangerous Animals in Movies

Piano!

A New Challenge

Updates on Life

I Love This Guy

This Is How My Mind Works

In Case You Were Wondering...

Drummer, on Something

Wal-Mart... Where You Can Find **CENSORED** Everything!

A Birthday Gift

That's That

Well... That Is Weird

To my father...

New Shoes

A Second Try

...Wow...

Updating Life

Odd News Posts

Angelis

Bible Study

Um... okay...

Dancing Shoes!

A Busy Afternoon

Interesting Job Posting

My First Breakup

Moving Forward

Skull

Best jury duty invite...

Wal-Mart... Where You Can Find CENSORED Everything!