Posts (page 2)

Yeah so. Today was my birthday. Last night I went out to McGurk's and Baileys' with a bunch of friends. It was a lot of fun. The food at McGurk's is AMAZING. I had fish and chips, Jessica had Irish stew. Both were great.

We got home around 2am and went to sleep. Jessica let me sleep in while she took care of puppy. That was nice. I got up around 9:30, made a skillet breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, peppers, mushrooms, and cheddar. It was

great. Added a slice of toast, glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee.

Opened the only present that was in the house for me - Jessica got me the Director's Cut of Kingdom of Heaven. Her other present to me has not arrived yet. It is a snowboard.

Showers, bank, and it was off to St Louis again, to the Galleria to buy pants with my birthday money. It's not that I particularly wanted these pants, but more that I am in dire need of some cords/khakis to wear to work early in the week. So yeah. I have new pants.

We ate at California Pizza Kitchen; I recommend the new Mango Tandoori Chicken pizza. It was excellent.

Went to REI to look at bindings and stuff for my new board. Well, apparently the person Jessica talked to on the phone doesn't know anything because that store doesn't carry any snowboard/ski equipment. Ridiculous.

So we drove home. Watched the first disc of Kingdom of Heaven. It's great so far.

Jon came over around 8 for ice cream cake. Now we're watching High Fidelity. Anyway, I'm tired. I wish I had more presents to open. Or something. It's been nice, but my birthday is pretty much over.

Jessica and I are in WV this weekend, visiting her parents and celebrating my birthday (which, I might add, is next week). We brought Cors with us so that he could meet his boston bulldog cousin Aggie. An interesting idea. I also got a speeding ticket on the way out. A whopping $138 for doing 80 in a 70, but I was doing less than 80. Stupid Kentucky cops. Oh well. I need to get our plates and registration transferred to Illinois.

We're going to have coffee a few times today. And we've been sick with colds this weekend - it's been lousy. I've been promised we can go back to Old Navy while we're here so that I can try and see any of my old comrades who might be working there still. But a lot of them have moved on. So we'll see. Illy coffee followed by Starbucks will cheer me up. Then we head to Bennigan's tonight for an Irish meal. Well, okay - not really Irish. I'll have a monte cristo (because they batter and deep fry them). Not particularly Irish.

We head back tomorrow so that Jess can be back in time for a WGRN training meeting. No speeding tickets... *crosses fingers*...

We've been talking a lot about selfishness in my house. Not because we are selfish (though we probably are) but because Jessica and I like to have friends over for food, coffee (or tea), dessert, and conversation. Inevitably we begin to talk about school, because we are all immersed in a college culture in this small midwestern town. It's amazing what thoughts are built into grand truths when your friends are away for the summer. With their return inevitably comes all the baggage they took with them. Or perhaps left in the cornfields before they went their ways, only to pick them back up as soon as their feet touch Greenville soil.

What is it about this college? Or this town? Or this group of people?

Perhaps I should back up. I think there's a process here. And since this is a reflective blog, I want to look at this.

Kids come to school. It's the first year. You've got a few types. There are the nervous, unsure, shy kids. They don't seem well adjusted to... well, life. Then there are the sports types that automatically clique with the other sports types. They're fine, they've got a circle.

Next you have the music kids - but they get broken into 2 groups, the elitist "cool" kids (me) and the band geek/michael w. smith obsessed musical taste bastard children. The elitist cool kids are also grouped with the outgoing, confident people. And in the midst of all these groups you have different personalities.

I think Jessica and I have found that a few people we latched onto in the beginning have only now begun to show their true colours. And the college progression goes from being an insecure freshman trying to be accepted (every person does this at least a little) to being accepted, but uncomfortable with your new status; becoming more comfortable and then finally to showing who you are. For some, they are honest from the start and they don't have to try too hard to be accepted, or at least are comfortable enough with who they are. But the learning stage at school is finding out who you are or better defining who you already knew yourself to be.

Some people get too wrapped up in themselves and what they are doing that they forget about the learning experience. I'll give a few examples. Leadership is a dangerous thing for some people. They end up using it to further a social agenda, hurt people's feelings, and end up producing mediocre media. That is seen in our school's newspaper and has been that way for at least 4 years -- I don't remember what it was like my freshman year, but it was all downhill from there.

In any case, it is interesting how unconcerned many juniors and seniors at a Christian college are with their friends. We've made a decision to try and support our friends however we can. Moving things, building stuff, letting them crash on our futon, or just making a real meal for them. I despise how friendships get taken for granted when someone cooler comes around or something more fun comes up. It's selfishness and irresponsibility and that just makes me upset.

So a message: get over yourselves. stick to your commitments. honor your relationships with people. don't always be worried that you're missing out on something better. because you might, but that's no reason to break down a perfectly good friendship.

I've decided that over the next days/weeks(/months?) I will start to once again explore my worldview. I haven't done this in a while, but find that blogging is a good way for me to sort it all out again. It might be tough... but I'm going to do it.

So, coming up: what I think about anything, everything, maybe nothing. But at least I'm thinking.

Greenville. It's kind of the reverse of natural order. The summer is when this town is dead. Suddenly, in one

weekend, the town is packed with new students and returning friends. Come October, we'll be adding alums to the mix. And all the while, the air gets cooler. Jacket weather is coming, and I can't wait.

I'm excited for added photo ops - some more chance to take the 20D out and practice. I've been designing, and relearning some code languages. Soon, we'll be mastering human languages.

I've been reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I want a motorcycle. I want some excitement. I want to get out on the open road, or jump into the skies and just... go. Next summer we're looking toward Portugal, then France and maybe London or Belfast or Dublin. I want to hit the highways and ride to Virginia, Colorado, California... anywhere to find culture, adventure, history, stories... food.

I miss a lot of my friends. I am almost 23 and feel like I should be doing more. I miss travel. And cooler weather always brings that out in me.

Jessica and I now have a joint blog - that she will probably keep more up-to-date than I do. it is at:
joelandjessicaathome.vox.com

So, if you want to keep up with us, there you are!

It's finally here! Harry Potter day! Am I a nerd? Yes. But Jessica and I are driving to Barnes and Noble tonight to pick up the last in the series. We will stay up and read a bunch (if not all of it) tonight.

Jessica's parents are here this weekend to help us finish our bathroom, laundry room, and bedroom. We will have ceilings, walls, and tile after this weekend! Not to mention a working shower. It also means a severe lack of sleep tonight. Between that and HP&tDH, we'll be dead tired for next week.

I think we're heading out to California in October for my dad's 50th birthday. I am super-excited about that. I'll get to see Mark, Simeon, Matty, my family, and so many friends I haven't seen/talked to in years. Maybe people that haven't met my amazing wife yet! We're planning on going to Magic Mountain while there as well. And I'm sure there will be frequent trips to In-N-Out and Carl's Jr.

I'm sure this is a bit scattered, but I can't wait to have a house that is livable. I want to start playing guitar again. I want to learn foreign languages. I want to write music. I want to sleep on a real mattress and take showers. I want to have a decent kitchen. Then, I want to sell that house and move to Seattle, get my masters, flip a house there and then move again. To London. For doctoral studies or a second masters.

I'm starting to feel penned up a again. I want to get out and do something big and exciting and worthwhile. With my wife! But for now, I want stuff to get rolling here at GC and for all the change that's coming (do other people feel it to?) to start blowing up!

And then when my work is done here... move on and be apart of something else that's great...

I cannot wait for 26 June. Ryan Adams' latest studio release, Easy, Tiger will hit shelves and then my hands, and then my ears, on that day. I am undoubtedly excited for it. All reviews that I have seen say it is his best album yet and rivals Heartbreaker. 

In any case, I can't wait to hear what this prolific songwriter  has come up with.
I also am hoping he will make his way out to Saint Louis for a live show soon. He seems to be heading North and East of here in the near future. In any case, here is a photo and a link:

Our college's first lady left this world last night. She had battled with cancer for two decades and this week, God finally brought her to His perfection and glory in heaven. Our community is somber and grieving with the family. Many people here at GC have known Ellen for years through meaningful conversation, her energy around campus and her genuine friendship. I had met her only a couple of times, but have had a deep respect for the woman since arriving at this school my freshman year. She will be missed by the community, and even moreso by her family.

The PR implications of this are tough. I am not sure what I will have to do, but it is indeed a sad day in this town. Please pray for the Mannoia family here in Greenville -- they are remarkable ministers for God and have lost a very important part of their lives.