tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63314692012-01-27T17:06:29.867-05:00the ponderings and musings of an outback half-breeddarker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.comBlogger16441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-69990493556078872722012-01-27T17:06:00.000-05:002012-01-27T17:06:29.879-05:00

These three are just a handful of the pictures I took around our house this past Sunday (I took at least sixteen more, but they sucked). Mist has always been something that's just made me stop in my tracks and observe; I feel pulled, as if it were, into the mist, and I want the mist to wrap around me like a cloak, and I want to feel its moisture on its cheeks and be lost in a sea of trees

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-40312081712180179762012-01-23T09:04:00.009-05:002012-01-23T16:57:54.090-05:00

The past week flashed by like Superman on Meth, quite opposite the slowness of the week before. The other day I watched a science documentary "narrated" by Stephen Hawking, and in it he talked about the way time itself, as an alternate dimension, exists as a sort of fabric that can be twisted and bent. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I thought about (almost as a sort of tangent)

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-79574247214026448532012-01-21T10:28:00.001-05:002012-01-22T10:41:41.145-05:00

Friday evening I met up with Mom, Dad and Ams at the Red Robin 'bout twenty miles north. This means that I've officially had Red Robin more times in one month than I've had it for the rest of my life's entirety. The journey up there was quite a hot mess, and it goes something like this: because everyone was coming from somewhere else, we all drove separately. When Ams and I are driving separately

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-37467404005810186562012-01-19T22:42:00.000-05:002012-01-19T22:42:08.671-05:00

"Damn it, Squirrel! No! Get back in your hole, we're past this!" It's 10:00 P.M. and I'm well on my way to crawling into bed. The wind-down set goes something like this [what I wish were] most nights: first I take one of those fifteen-minute-long, do-nothing-but-stand-there showers with the water scalding hot so much that it bathes the entire bathroom in a sauna-like steam. "You can see steam

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-66035691123539116652012-01-18T19:05:00.000-05:002012-01-19T22:42:53.106-05:00

Monday. I tossed and turned all night, insomnia kicking me in the ass. It was one of those nights you feel you haven't slept a wink, but come dawn you realize you've slept far more than you thought. Nevertheless I did need an exorbitant amount of coffee to keep going. I spent the afternoon drinking Mexican Chiapis and writing. Brandy came over around 4:30, the usual Monday occurrence, and we

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-35298329178834287652012-01-17T23:46:00.000-05:002012-01-17T23:46:40.198-05:00

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-87462611283235892932012-01-16T16:53:00.000-05:002012-01-16T16:53:41.662-05:00

Ok, look, I'm sorry. I know I haven't posted anything for a while. These past few weeks (hell, all of January), I've been wrestling with demons and trying to figure stuff out, and now Rob and Mandy are moving to Portland, and, well, there's a lot happening and sometimes updating this blog feels like a burden, just another chore. There's a lot to take in, a lot to digest, a lot to think about. We

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-35269934392526415062012-01-11T21:39:00.001-05:002012-01-11T21:40:01.375-05:00

Here are two things I've been obsessed with (yet again): 1. "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, &2. Led Zeppelin And, really, the two go hand-in-hand. Turns out that half of Led Zeppelin--singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page--were super into J.R.R. Tolkien. It's not surprising that Page enjoyed Tolkien, what with his head-over-heels fascination with mythology and magic. And Robert

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-49907168345072331032012-01-10T18:48:00.000-05:002012-01-10T18:48:53.622-05:00

I've got my head in the clouds half the time, spinning fantasies and hypothetical ventures rather than facing reality as it is. I play the part of the ostrich and get lost in these foolish fantasies, and I invest time and energy into the delusions. Like a desert wanderer parched for thirst and straying off-course towards a shimmering mirage that never draws nearer, so I invest myself into the

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-44604157133364367642012-01-09T09:16:00.001-05:002012-01-09T16:02:21.383-05:00

Our house. In winter. Note the naked trees. Monday. With the day off work (federal holiday and all, or so I'm told), I spent the morning hanging out with Blake and Amos, and then Ams and I went to Rock Bottom for lunch. She got nachos and I got a pizza, and we split them down the middle. It snowed most of the day, fiercely cold, and we stayed indoors. Andy came over, and then I ran some errands

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-74259389670052313602012-01-07T17:48:00.000-05:002012-01-07T17:48:01.690-05:00

The last few weeks have been downright nasty when it comes to the cold. We've had snow in the hills and sleet downtown, and by the time I walk four blocks each morning to work my fingers feel like icicles and my breath's sticking to my chin. I'm trying not to complain, really; and I'm trying to savor the fifty-degree weather we've had for the last few days, probably the last of its kind before

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-20253006416990297112012-01-05T17:03:00.003-05:002012-01-05T17:05:18.316-05:00

I don't care who you are, this game is pretty freaking phenomenal. I enjoy it just as much watching it as I do playing it. The gist of the game is that you choose a character, go on quests, and basically fuck shit up and make it rain. It's kinda like my life, except not at all, really. I'm not sure where I was going with that. Bottom line: the game kicks it high and drops it low, and it makes

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-90002654178530397512012-01-04T21:07:00.005-05:002012-01-07T13:34:28.777-05:00

It's a new year, and I'm tired of hearing about New Year's resolutions, the start of a new day, pickled lambs, and everything in between. The earth revolves around the sun--thanks, Nic C.--and a new year begins, but there's really nothing too "new" about it. The only thing that changes is that half of us are hungover come the next morning when we're looking for excuses to get out of church. The

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-88608289198947463342012-01-02T18:14:00.001-05:002012-01-02T18:42:28.868-05:00

It's around 6:00 and I'm in my pajamas with incense burning and it's snowing outside. The wind's howling against the house and I've got a thin-crust chicken pizza cooking in the oven. It's looking like it's going to be a decent night. Barton Hollow's playing on my new IPOD dock (which I take to work during the week to rock out while cutting cucumbers), and I've got a few spare moments to recount

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-30890567663173298962012-01-01T12:32:00.001-05:002012-01-01T12:38:57.652-05:00

My original (and highly hypothetical) New Year's Resolution was to lose all my holiday weight by the end of January. An easy-enough task, not demanding much effort, and beneficial, as well. Unfortunately I didn't actually gain any weight over the holidays (I'm not sure how, since I've always gained 10-15 pounds every year), so I've had to come up with something else. Sitting at The Anchor this

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-77919541388021969302011-12-30T12:01:00.000-05:002012-01-01T12:15:52.805-05:00

The small kids crowded the steps; it's where you'll see me and Cat. Really, I love the people I work with. And I love the fact that I live with the ones I love the most. I never would've thought, six months ago back in Dayton in a whole other world... Wait, no, scratch that. We're past that. Wednesday night the three stores came together at Rock Bottom Brewery where we enjoyed generous amounts

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-78506838130858535782011-12-28T18:08:00.001-05:002011-12-29T18:21:17.495-05:00

Monday. Cat was quite the little ball of spunk at work today, and Brandon came by to say Hi. He's been overwhelmed with all the chaos at Godiva, but he said he'd be coming back around again once the holidays wind down. I ferried Mandy to class and back, and I spent the evening just hanging out and watching TV. Blake and Amos went out to see a friend at BW3s, and Brandy stopped by for a bit with

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-85056265367825437592011-12-26T21:37:00.000-05:002011-12-26T21:37:02.164-05:00

an awkward Christmas picture,  a family tradition The Eve of Christmas Eve. Sadly 600 wasn't closed, and I got off work around 4:00. I went back home, and Amos and I putzed around while I waited for Ams to come home from work. When she did we went up north to New Carlisle--dubbed "Bogtown" from here on out, due (obviously) to the countless bogs in the area. We celebrated Christmas with Dad's

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-83351019556893301672011-12-24T13:26:00.000-05:002011-12-24T13:26:13.801-05:00

Amanda as a zombie! My creative prowess comes and goes in spurts. I would liken it metaphorically to the ebb and flow of the tides, but tides themselves can be measured, and the spurts in my creative energies can neither be charted nor anticipated. Let me put it like this: for almost all of December, I haven't touched my zombie serial novel. And then in the past two days, I've written sixty

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-80747546124863016062011-12-23T23:49:00.001-05:002011-12-24T11:32:58.403-05:00

This is one of those videos that starts off looking super dumb and then turns into something pretty cool. Your first thought will be that it's a trailer for a movie or video game; that's not the case. This past Tuesday, 100 Star Wars fans gathered at Times Square and filmed a choreographed "show" celebrating the launch of an online Star Wars RPG. I'm not a big Star Wars fan (I like the movies,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-19340318538108221922011-12-22T19:46:00.001-05:002011-12-22T19:48:53.330-05:00

Another song by Radical Face: "Wrapped in Piano Strings". He's such a good songwriter, his lyrics are beautiful pieces of poetry, and the music's mellow yet quickened. My favorite line:      "Few words could open me,           but you knew them all." 

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-70757170708960018292011-12-21T17:31:00.002-05:002011-12-21T17:32:12.249-05:00

Six months ago to the day I packed up my car, and after my second-to-last shift at Spring Valley Starbucks I drove down to Cincinnati and started unpacking. It all happened so fast, it really did: everything was going along at a monotonous pace, and out-of-the-blue, like lightning from heaven, I had a different job and a different home and, in so many ways, a different life. I'm thinking that

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-8889644534803062482011-12-19T21:15:00.002-05:002011-12-19T21:21:57.263-05:00

It's me. As a zombie. Not real life. Well, I guess that's half-true... Monday. A month and a half of Food Prep begins now. I spent the entirety of my day ('cept for work) hanging out with the housemates (plus Andy, who might as well be a housemate). We took zombie pictures and watched TV. I like the fact that I live with so many great people, especially my sister. Really, I'm proud and

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-42347654096786754202011-12-18T20:40:00.000-05:002011-12-19T20:43:55.204-05:00

This is a fan-video revolving around the "Left 4 Dead" zombie-shootin' franchise. Andy showed it to me, and though the ending does get a little weird (with shout-outs to various characters from different video games), I think this video's pretty cool.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-17195018892967184082011-12-17T17:43:00.000-05:002011-12-18T17:56:29.998-05:00

I'm not a fan of country music, but the southern, blues feel to this song shouldn't, in my opinion, label it as such. And, also, I don't know anyone who would dub The Civil Wars as a country group. Their songs are more folk than country (in my opinion), and they're super good.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-13764762919583909172011-12-16T13:21:00.002-05:002011-12-18T18:00:49.181-05:00

We were told God had a plan, and I knew what his plan was for me because he showed it to me through the words of other people and through my own desires. John Eldredge wrote a book about how our heart's innermost desires reveal to us God's plans for our lives. It's funny, isn't it, how God's plan for us is all about what we want? Which is strange, because the God whose plans are in alignment with

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-14598545788955808782011-12-14T13:07:00.003-05:002011-12-18T13:20:06.254-05:00

We doubt about all sorts of things, but only sometimes are we willing to admit it. It's frightening to be absolutely free of doubt, because that shows that you are nothing more than an arrogant fool who assumes he has it all figured out. Doubts reveal that we're not sure about things, and being unsure of things can only happen when we're wise enough to know that (a) we don't have everything

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-66658768864393756842011-12-12T20:55:00.002-05:002011-12-12T20:56:11.855-05:00

Monday. So much rain! Route 50 was flooded by the time I got home, cars tire-deep in rainwater collecting in the dips and depressions. At the intersection of Grand and Glenway, choking white smoke blinded cars, and it was a Grade-A hot mess. Andy and the girls made puppy chow as a welcome home gift for Blake and Amos, who got in around midnight. My dinner: oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-82077750829389648382011-12-11T20:23:00.002-05:002011-12-12T20:23:49.280-05:00

CHICKENS       DON'T          CLAP!!!

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-21854938300098418012011-12-10T14:56:00.002-05:002011-12-11T17:11:52.827-05:00

After an amazing lunch at Dusmesh with Rob, Andy, and Amos, I booked it up to Dayton and met up with my doctor, who happens to also be an elder at my home church and a friend. The clinic was closed but he unlocked the door and we went to a room, and he checked up on some stuff I've been concerned about. (1) My heart, since I've been having chest pains and chest tightness, shortness of breath,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-66730894224718016842011-12-09T17:58:00.000-05:002011-12-09T17:58:11.768-05:00

When Mandy gave me their music, I thought with a name like Radical Face they'd just be super weird. Turns out I can't stop listening to them. It's like Band of Horses all over again: go in with the assumption that you'll be turned down, and then end up listening to them over & over. This is the second song on their album "Ghost", and the entire album's worth listening to. Okay, welp, that is

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-49698677134467981162011-12-06T21:30:00.005-05:002011-12-08T21:50:32.525-05:00

Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree. And by "we" I mean Ams, Mandy, and Rob (though I did hang a good number of ornaments, and contributed with senseless picture taking). Although a few posts ago I quipped about how trees shouldn't be indoors for more than two weeks, I can't deny that I love walking into the house at night and seeing this guy all lit up. It's peaceful and serene. Mandy and Ams

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-19057317907951608302011-12-05T19:58:00.001-05:002011-12-07T20:28:57.078-05:00

My first real rosetta. It's not the prettiest, but it'll do. Monday. With Thanksgiving Break over, I put in a solid 9 hours. I dreamt about my friend Mandy K. In the dream there were zombies running around and we were in a car someplace headed north. And that was that. After work I went to The Anchor for coffee and did some writing. When I got home I watched "The Walking Dead" with the usual

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-89111193329989217742011-12-01T17:13:00.000-05:002011-12-04T18:51:58.191-05:00

Ok, not really guns, but maybe that's what makes this super awesome. It's already December. The fifty-degree temps don't help to hone that point in (I wore just a sweatshirt today!). It's almost been six months since I moved down to Cincinnati. I think of my time in Dayton often, as I'm a nostalgic sorta person, but Cincinnati definitely feels like home now, and looking back on those days is

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-35745217741364915762011-11-30T17:00:00.001-05:002011-12-04T17:15:04.423-05:00

A squirrel with a bazooka. Though I'm  honestly concerned that this is not an actual squirrel, but I care too little to check. I'm thinking gopher? Progress on my zombie serial novel is coming along well. The past two weeks have been spent (at least in regards to writing) revising and reshaping Act 2 (and tweaking Act 1 here-and-there). I put the bulk of the story in past tense, and already

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-40470071671901246492011-11-29T20:34:00.002-05:002011-12-01T21:05:22.138-05:00

Turns out that "squirrels with guns" is a big deal to a lot of people out there. Monday. Surprisingly, I didn't work early this morning, instead closing with Amos (where I accidentally flooded the backroom with mop-water because I just forgot about it). Before our close I went to The Anchor to do some writing, and after work Brandy came over and we smoked hookah and blew smoke bubbles. All

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-82310093376679164112011-11-27T21:14:00.001-05:002011-11-28T20:53:40.588-05:00

There are moments when it just hits you, and for a moment you can see, and taste, the countless blessings you can claim as your own. This evening I stood out on the front porch and smoked a cigarette and listened to Explosions in the Sky, and it was dark and the rains drizzled off the roof. I just watched the rain and listened to some of the best damned instrumentals you can find, and I felt the

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-77397329535104477582011-11-25T11:00:00.000-05:002011-11-26T11:12:53.520-05:00

I was intentionally being weird in this photograph, I want to establish that from the get-go. Jessie was in town, so she and her husband and I met up at Skyline Chili in Price Hill. It's probably the most ghetto Skyline Chili in Cincinnati. I haven't had Skyline since Monica came and visited when I first moved down here; three cheese coneys and a side of fries sprinkled with salt and pepper,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-10822897258678896432011-11-24T09:09:00.002-05:002011-11-24T22:02:29.120-05:00

The cliche thing to do on Thanksgiving is write about things you're thankful for. Because I am on a time constraint, and because I'm too lazy to come up with anything spectacular, here are a few things that I am legitimately thankful for. Note: these are things I'm actually thankful for, not things I should be thankful for. All of these things are good, but you won't find listed, for example,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-26406564453373294122011-11-22T21:04:00.001-05:002011-11-22T21:31:55.286-05:00

Ams says she doesn't like it when I recap my week. She can suck it. Monday. The new hire started today. Emily, a chick with purple hair. Mandy and I hung out for a while when I got home from work, and Blake and Ams joined us for a quick trip to Roh's Street. The iced latte was delicious. Brandy came over for a little while later in the evening. When she went home a big-ass storm rolled through.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-18409272647277539902011-11-21T20:02:00.000-05:002011-11-21T20:02:19.794-05:00

BLAKE HUDSON FOR PRESIDENT These colors don't run!

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-68995994205589526772011-11-21T19:47:00.003-05:002011-11-23T23:41:19.505-05:00

Isaac and I were at The Anchor talking about all the benefits of journaling on a daily basis. One such benefit, we agreed, was that you can see the evolution of your thoughts over extended periods of time. Basically I'm big into studying worldviews: what makes a worldview, how worldviews operate and change, how worldviews can follow different paths, the relationship between worldviews and belief

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-78491477128662677862011-11-18T10:27:00.006-05:002011-11-19T11:05:01.106-05:00

As could have been suspected, I haven't yet written the last two chapters of Act 2. Ams read through Act 2 with quite a few pointers; she liked it, but she agreed with me that there were areas of concern. I'd already had these areas of concern written down, and Amanda basically confirmed my suspicions. In light of this I've been doing a lot of thinking regarding the style of the story, wrestling

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-8713828814629040382011-11-17T10:17:00.001-05:002011-11-19T10:28:37.183-05:00

I've been listening to this song so much lately, and for a lot of reasons. First of all, remove the lyrics and you have one of the best zombie theme songs possible (in my opinion). Secondly, with the lyrics, the song serves as a sort of nostalgic memoir, taking me back to about two years ago when I was "madly in love" (which is to say being a stupid and silly boy) with a chick named Sarah.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-28849200635544290642011-11-15T19:59:00.003-05:002011-11-15T19:59:34.773-05:00

We're supposed to know what we want to do when we "grow up." We're supposed to embrace our purpose and follow it wherever it may lead. But purpose is a damned strange thing, if there is such a thing. If it's real, is it something given to us or something we choose, or both? Is it something we intrinsically have, something we've got to discover through "authentic self-exploration"? Or it something

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-44732623375914930652011-11-14T16:50:00.002-05:002011-11-14T16:51:23.303-05:00

Current Time: 4:24 PM Current Music: A Fine Frenzy, "Near to You" Current Mood: Hopeful Monday: I worked my usual 9-hour shift, and Cat did interviews for a new hire. It'll be good to have another person on the floor, things have been getting more chaotic with each passing week. After work I wrote about 50 pages on my zombie story. Jobst and I hit up City Barbecue on Glenway: ribs, hush puppies

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-63629523348984658692011-11-13T10:36:00.001-05:002011-11-13T10:37:15.595-05:00

This picture was taken months ago. But except for longer hair, I've still got that weird look on my face, and I'm still wearing ridiculous old-man sweaters. It's 10:20 and I'm at The Anchor waiting for Isaac to show up. He overslept, but I'm not mad. I came here early to get some work done, and let's be honest: alone or with someone else, The Anchor's a great place to be. I'm drinking some

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-16181282011527443242011-11-12T17:50:00.000-05:002011-11-12T17:50:23.371-05:00

I'm a boy who likes food, plain and simple. I'm a little fat boy at heart. When I was thirteen, I went to a Chinese buffet, then returned when I was fourteen, and the waiter remembered me. The actual story involves countless trips to the buffet line, going to the bathroom for five minutes to make room, and then doing it all over again. Apparently it'd been a sight to see, because half the staff

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-10757886369051523282011-11-11T11:04:00.005-05:002011-11-12T11:14:54.016-05:00

This is a good first step, but there's more to be taken. The inaccuracies in this movie can drive a man (or at least a man like me) mad. Stephen Spielberg may have a dromaeosaur named after him, but at this point, I'm not sure if he deserves it. I mean, for God's sake, the only reason he got the honor in the first place is because he took liberties with Velociraptor mongoliensis from the outset

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-15311357142368865202011-11-09T10:30:00.002-05:002011-11-12T11:17:12.175-05:00

Writing a story is always invigorating, but it's really not as easy as people think, especially when you know your story, if followed through, will span somewhere around 3000 pages. Half the bear is character development and plotting; and once you get that somewhat figured out, you've still got to actually write it and write it well. The last couple weeks have been spent writing and rewriting,

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-4324476844981075372011-11-08T09:42:00.001-05:002011-11-09T10:03:14.586-05:00

There are moments in this poor koala's life when the darkness weighs heavy as a sopping-wet thermal blanket. There's really nothing I can do about it, really. The biochemicals in my brain do their own thing from time-to-time, and there's no way around that. Last night was such a night: overwhelmed with a deep sense of lost-ness and wandering, overcome by the absence of purpose as well as the

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-91983324003980969612011-11-07T16:28:00.002-05:002011-11-09T10:03:28.316-05:00

This past week's been filled with its highs and lows.I'm not sure if there were more highs than lows, but looking back... It wasn't bad.And I got some good writing done. Moving forward! Monday. With Jon gone and the store understaffed, my Monday shifts are now regularly 6:30-3:30 (which I don't really mind). After work I spent the day writing, and when it was all said and done, I felt sad and

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-43295199830240855012011-11-05T22:49:00.001-04:002011-11-09T10:02:48.762-05:00

Rob's car was on empty after Indian food, so we stopped at a gas station in Camp Washington to fill up. While there we couldn't help but notice the mural painted on the building behind the gas station. If you can't quite figure out what it is, well, that's the point. Oh, Cincinnati. Apparently we have George Washington wearing women's clothes, riding a she-cow, and flanked by a gorilla on his

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-19134014527098538302011-11-01T20:57:00.001-04:002011-11-09T10:03:01.762-05:00

It's already November. It really is amazing how quickly things change, how you can be in one place at one time, and then at another time be in a completely different place without really knowing how you got there. Sorry the posts on here have been sporadic, to say the least. Much has been happening in my life, within and without, and much of my writing has been focused on this. In the mornings

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-73074858741982408282011-10-31T20:58:00.001-04:002011-10-31T20:58:59.447-04:00

Monday. Mandy K. and I made breakfast in the lodge and then went to the other side of the lake and climbed Judson Tower and checked out the "chapel car" and went tree-climbing on a peninsula. We picked up her friend Krystal and then picked up her daughter Lily, and we saw them off back where Krystal's staying. We had a hole-in-the-wall Chinese buffet for lunch. It was pretty ghetto, definitely a

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-33391071908791681362011-10-30T13:11:00.000-04:002011-10-30T13:11:17.932-04:00

I'm sitting in my room listening to "Band of Horses" while people recuperate from last night's shenanigans. Halloween Party Dos we called it. Last year the housemates had a pretty baller Halloween party, and this year we decided to go all-out. Not one but two kegs, the premier being pumpkin ale from Rock Bottom Brewery (the perks of partnership continues); an assortment of snacks and a bonfire

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-91087971649489057462011-10-29T18:04:00.001-04:002011-12-22T18:05:58.356-05:00

I’m 25 years old and terrified that half my life is over—or at least 1/3 of it—and I have nothing to show for it. Sure, I’ve accomplished more than most my age: college degree, self-reliance and self-sustainability, two published novels that have sold well, one even topping the “best of” lists in its genre (along with Stephen King and Cormac McCarthy, might I add). But that which I crave most—a

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-54807002735620421242011-10-28T18:02:00.000-04:002011-12-22T18:04:08.368-05:00

It would be easy—more than easy—to just do now what I’ve done every other time: forget her and “move on.” The latter is in quotes because while the phrase implies forward movement, that’s hardly ever the case. One step forward and two steps back, that’s how I tend to do things. It’d be simple to paint her up as an ogre in the struggle to eradicate all feelings for her; but, really, I don’t see

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-54627772438878865762011-10-26T17:58:00.000-04:002011-12-22T18:02:18.971-05:00

Wisconsin? Phenomenal. I can’t put into words how great it was to be with her, to share in her life, to hold her hand and cuddle and talk and laugh. My heart, it came alive like never before. A sort of “waking up.” It cemented in my mind the reality that, yes, I really want to be with her, that she means so much to me, and that, yes, I can truly see this going somewhere. But it had the opposite

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-43419538548256887642011-10-25T22:35:00.001-04:002011-10-28T22:36:51.274-04:00

Monday. Weekends always fly by; but, then again, they're only two days. Mondays have become my early days with Jon's continued & definite absence. 6:30-3:30. But at least parking's cheaper. Amos and I spent the evening shooting zombies in the Dungeon (i.e. his unfinished basement bedroom). Brandy came over for a while, as she tends to do on Monday nights, and it was great to hang out with her.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-33739084087365562672011-10-23T12:43:00.000-04:002011-10-24T00:44:10.437-04:00

While Wisconsin may not have all the spritz and glamor of city living, I could get used to it. The canopy of unbroken stars at night, the fog on the quiet river, the water so clear it's like glass, the still silence of a world unbroken by sirens and gunshots, the steady and unhurried rhythm of a life not kept on a calendar but savored for each precious moment. I could live here one day, perhaps.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-26257052670211896912011-10-21T21:47:00.002-04:002011-10-23T22:34:46.151-04:00

As a writer I know the power of words, as well as their limits. Some things simply cannot be put into words, and attempting to describe something as ambiguous, confusing, and multi-layered as a feeling can become quite the chore. These times are few and far between, but these moments when the words just don't come do happen, and in their place, let me use an image to accurately depict what's

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-44748253357823363632011-10-18T10:21:00.001-04:002011-10-23T22:37:01.876-04:00

It's been four months since I uprooted from my parents' place in Dayton and moved in with college friends here in Cincinnati. It all happened so quickly, I really didn't have a chance to sit back and think about it till after the fact. I remember praying pretty hardcore about the decision, and I felt comfortable with the idea of moving down there. It's not that I "felt" God saying "Do it" or "

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-47825609782346503562011-10-17T22:00:00.003-04:002011-10-23T22:37:13.705-04:00

This past week's been rather uneventful. We've instituted a new rule at the house regarding who's allowed to come over and how many people are allowed over at the same time. What happened was that (a) the house was constantly flooded with people, and with six people already living here, it can get pretty crowded (despite it being a big house), and (b) we had one or two people who would come over

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-82906454546191511752011-10-15T18:54:00.001-04:002011-10-23T22:37:27.764-04:00

Current time: 6:53 P.M.Current music: Mumford & Sons, "I Gave You All"Current SoE: the very thought of talking to someone very special tonight Monday. I ate WAY too much this weekend (sadly a recurring theme). Woke up with a splitting headache around 8:00, and at 9:00 I hit up The Anchor. Cottage cheese, toast, crackers, coffee, orange juice: in short, a feast. Work went well. We're hiring a 7:30

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-67287666485289077832011-10-14T17:58:00.002-04:002011-10-15T18:23:44.961-04:00

I can't get enough of these guys, and I figured I'd share one of my favorites. Something light-hearted and heart-warming, a bit of relief from the overbearing gall of breaking cynicism that's clouded these blog posts. I have another series of blog posts from The Anchor, spiritual in nature, that I plan on throwing up here within the next couple days. Give a little meat to these pages. In the

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-41423559544466536532011-10-12T18:49:00.000-04:002011-10-12T18:49:04.373-04:00

It’s easy to meet girls. If I wanted a girlfriend desperately enough, I could have one by the end of the month. Historically-speaking, getting dates and girlfriends isn’t some daunting task. In the last six years, I’ve dated nine girls. Had my fair share of broken hearts, and have broken a few of my own. That’s part of dating, part of life. I’ve been cheated on, back-stabbed, and betrayed; each

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-63641535379733068892011-10-11T18:45:00.000-04:002011-10-12T18:48:18.578-04:00

The worst kind of hope is the passive kind of hope. The “sit on your ass” waiting, where you bathe in regret and self-loathing, becoming pitiable and pathetic as the years go by without a scent of change. The surprise that things are pretty much the same spawns from the naïve idea that fate’s got you secure, and that time will change everything. But fate’s a cold-hearted whore, and time changes

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-56642126935478715452011-10-10T22:00:00.002-04:002011-10-10T22:00:34.696-04:00

BE REALISTIC. Easier said than implemented. We tend to swing between Optimism and Pessimism, and Realism (we like to think) falls somewhere in the middle. Pessimists condemn optimists for their naivety, and optimists condemn pessimists for blinding themselves to all the good in the world. Mandy K. told me quite some time ago, “Being a realist doesn’t mean ignoring the good and focusing on the bad

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-15958885721014126532011-10-09T16:53:00.000-04:002011-10-09T16:53:42.583-04:00

“There is a hope that doesn’t disappoint,” Hebrews tells us. Not “hope doesn’t disappoint” but there’s “A hope that doesn’t disappoint.” A very specific and particular hope, the Christian hope: new heavens and new earth, new creation, restoration and renewal, all that. I am a Christian, and thus—for better or worse—I place my hope in that future, of God’s final victory, of peace and justice

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-39487058771019592932011-10-08T10:40:00.003-04:002011-10-08T10:40:55.402-04:00

HOPE. The expectation of a desire coming to bear on reality. Everyone hopes for something, the OBJECT of our hope. It’s that desire, burning deep inside us, a desire for something (like true love), a desire so burning and scalding and deep that it becomes part of us, and removing that hope puts us through the gauntlet and empties out to a wooden bastion where we’re hung and quartered. There’s

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-9709367930487554322011-10-07T09:47:00.000-04:002011-10-08T10:09:53.388-04:00

Be it foolishness or wisdom, I can never tell, but I believe that “True Love” can be a reality. Not the true love of the Twilight saga, which is to be loathed, but the true love that is cemented in place by a decision of the will and the resolve to see it through. It’s no strange thing that marriage—the covenant where two people go in and one person come out—is begun by vows; the heart of true

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-27726479012790170822011-10-06T08:45:00.003-04:002011-10-06T08:45:47.096-04:00

Not two days ago I found out that Jessica is “dating” someone (or, at least, she’s going on dates with someone and really excited about it). The news dredged up all sorts of bottom-feeding monsters, a mixed bag of emotion clouding my perception of things. While we haven’t talked in quite some time, and while for all intensive purposes the friendship is all but “dead and gone,” the news did bring

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-80862409020205109132011-10-05T23:39:00.000-04:002011-10-05T23:39:28.145-04:00

Optimism can thrive only so long as reality is kept at bay. were two ships passing in the night, for a moment conjoined in our journeys, but now going our separate ways, she to her port and me to mine. Half-dead hopes brought to life, the spade taken to the shallow grave where I buried my dreams, and these dreams are exposed to fresh air, and then I’m alone, left to refill the grave before I’m

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-18134376490598818382011-10-04T09:11:00.003-04:002011-10-05T00:12:47.767-04:00

It's just as difficult for me to believe, but it's here: the first post of a series entitled "unofficially" "The Quest for True Love". It's a series of a journal entries written at The Anchor. All handwritten and all typed out and put on here for all the world to see (for better or worse). The series is inspired by some internal wrestling and meditation that took place sometime in late August; "

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-24566083596435480412011-10-03T22:17:00.001-04:002011-10-03T22:17:49.975-04:00

This week has not been kind. Really, no week is "kind", but because the unkindness fell on all those in my own social sphere, in my own little microcosmic world, the unkindness of it all seems exacerbated. Behold the egocentric nature of my heart. And you're no different. *cough* Okay, this week's re:cap. Monday. The weekend flashed right by. It rained all night and I dreamt of Jessica, dreams I

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-77131809575772465252011-09-30T21:07:00.000-04:002011-10-03T21:07:55.800-04:00

Have I promised a series of blog posts for the last couple weeks? Yes. Did I promise that "the next post" (this post) would be the launching-pad of it all, so-to-speak? Sure did. But I've failed all three of you yet again. What's the reasoning this time? I tend to be an O.C.D. freak when it comes to my blog, and I don't want the posts to be separated into two month-wide archives rather than being

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-11170338859662512342011-09-27T23:02:00.001-04:002011-09-27T23:02:46.912-04:00

Apologies for not posting anything worthwhile lately (with the exception, of course, for the zombie video: that's just unapologetically amazing). Life's been chaotic lately: lots of activities with friends, putting in lots of hours at work, basically having no time to really sit down and hammer out something worthwhile. "Worthwhile" posts usually spawn at The Anchor, and starting tomorrow (or, I

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-6909985265090852302011-09-25T14:48:00.000-04:002011-09-25T14:48:06.758-04:00

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-9440704050406344912011-09-25T01:11:00.001-04:002011-09-27T23:03:34.279-04:00

It's autumn or bust. No more waiting, no more longing, just bathing in the fall season and trying to forget that it's essentially just everything dying as winter approaches. Interesting note: "autumn" is the correct term, "fall" is the slang term that's been incorporated into American English. I know these things, and I don't know why. I've finally dragged my autumn/winter clothes down from

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-26926529622751880762011-09-22T18:44:00.003-04:002011-09-27T23:03:40.057-04:00

There are times, when the weight of it all lies heavy on my shoulders, that I'm tempted to run back to my former simple (albeit naive) and black-and-white worldview. Life's easier when we have all the simple answers to the complicated questions. Maybe "tempted" isn't the right word; just a faint memory, nostalgic in nature, of simpler times when I had all the answers, and I long for that order

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-87239419010324493622011-09-21T22:43:00.001-04:002011-09-22T18:45:10.634-04:00

Tomorrow's the first day of autumn.Holler! (I really need to stop saying that)Here's what the 12th week turned out being: Monday. I hit up The Anchor with a pal before work: a chaotic morning and a sluggish afternoon. And I'm developing a cold, and that's no fun. Spent the evening listening to Damien Jurado and David Bazan while doing some cleaning. Brandy came over, and when Ams got home we

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-32364915389315183852011-09-20T22:05:00.002-04:002011-09-22T18:45:16.024-04:00

Dylan wrote a short snippet to enlighten my readers on his time in Mozambique thus far. Here it is: [SCRIPT] No, wait, he retracted it. What a jerk. But it'll be here soon.In the meantime, let me chill your roll with some quiet snippets (word of the day, perhaps?) from the past week.Done. Feel chilled?I'm so confused just writing this.I think something's wrong with me. The blog series written at

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-38410845367104430222011-09-17T14:38:00.001-04:002011-09-22T18:45:22.446-04:00

Only a few friendships forged during my brief stint in Dayton remain. Everything’s fading like a half-remembered dream. These friendships have shot off in wildly different directions. We’ve all moved away from Dayton, and we’re focusing on those friendships closest to us, we’re getting lost in these new chapters in our lives. Jessica’s got a boy-toy, she’s slaving her ass off as ASM at Brown

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-74553851595996176602011-09-15T23:27:00.000-04:002011-09-15T23:27:18.160-04:00

Things have been going really well, like superbly well. I've been trying to use adverbs ending in -ly as little as possible, finding them cumbersome to the flow of speech and offering no real value to describing the subject. If I've described any of that wrong, please forgive me. I can write grammatically correct sentences, but I can't tell you what I'm actually doing. Here's a string of

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-2447640073921657842011-09-13T23:18:00.001-04:002011-09-15T23:27:56.185-04:00

Dewenter and I met up at Rock Bottom Brewery after work. He had a hamburger and I had some ballpark pretzels (well, a ballpark pretzel; I just can't seem to eat as much as I used to, and I ended up giving half my meal away to Mandy and Ams, who dove into it like crack fiends). The milk stout was good, and I got a decent buzz off it. "Are you a lightweight?" Amos said. I told him, "Now that I've

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-66102418176875254422011-09-12T20:18:00.001-04:002011-09-15T23:28:30.549-04:00

Current time: 8:16 P.M.Current music: David Bazan, "Metal Heart"Current Source of Excitement (SoE): Brandy's coming over! Monday. LABOR DAY. 'Twas 100 degrees Friday and Saturday, and it was a high of 70 today. Feels like autumn. Only a few more weeks of summer. Tyler spent the night Sunday, and we sat on the front porch in sweatshirts and jeans and smoked clove cigarettes and drank coffee. He

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-69556033190555314992011-09-11T19:32:00.001-04:002011-09-15T23:29:29.472-04:00

This song just about pinpoints how I've been feeling lately. Apologies that it's not a music video. Apparently Damien Jurado needs to become more famous so YouTube becomes flooded with his stuff.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-73527668387220899932011-09-09T10:44:00.005-04:002011-09-15T23:29:37.823-04:00

No, this isn't about zombies. Though I can see why you'd think that. These past few days—hell, the past week—has been pretty great. You wouldn’t think this, of course, reading these blog posts. My blog has come to the point of being reserved for, more-or-less, current issues in my life. These may very well be peripheral issues—such as everything with The Girl—but by writing about them, those

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-79069524089567697702011-09-07T23:07:00.003-04:002011-09-08T08:21:18.155-04:00

The last week has been pretty good. With summer ending, schools starting back up, and peoples' lives getting busier, things have been much quieter around the house. I can easily feel overwhelmed when there's people around me, so this brief sabbatical from all the craziness has been well-received. Here's the re:cap... Monday. Before work I ran some errands and had breakfast--coffee and cottage

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-78927865444045399812011-09-06T21:48:00.001-04:002011-09-07T23:05:29.965-04:00

These last few days have felt wonderful (at least in reference to the weather). "Only in Ohio can you go from the hottest day of summer to the first day below sixties in less than thirty-six hours." But it's happened, and though I know September has a few more hot days in store for us, I'm savoring this as much as I can. I've been wearing my sweatshirts, wearing the jeans, burning fall-scented

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-59519640037674382902011-09-05T20:19:00.004-04:002011-09-05T20:22:04.376-04:00

Am I aware that I have written about things with This Girl for a good solid five posts now? Yes.  Am I aware that this may be getting a bit monotonous for you? Yes.  Am I myself bored with it? Absolutely.  It's time for new territory to be explored, new things to be uncovered, news posts on different subjects to be written (with a few pop-rock satirical comments thrown in coupled with

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-72391662157976802312011-09-04T14:04:00.000-04:002011-09-05T14:04:31.301-04:00

Last time I sat on this patio, I was on the verge of moving down to Cincinnati. My biggest anxiety: “What’ll happen with Jessica and me?” The answer, as obvious then as it is now: nothing. It’s been far more than a month since we’ve last talked. My feelings for her died—as feelings unreciprocated tend to do—but discovering that she’s “with” someone else has brought a quiet and confusing pain. I’m

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-21112399985072323012011-09-03T13:28:00.000-04:002011-09-03T13:28:12.783-04:00

Driving home from beer and wings with the parents—and a quick stop-over at the old place of employment to see Carly and Leah—Adele’s “Someone Like You” came over the radio. I sang it out at the top of my lungs. Adele is one of my favorite bands, coming in third after Florence & The Machine and Led Zeppelin (kinda tied for first). And Adele, she’s pretty freaking hot. And that voice? Just hit PLAY

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-1823077965116182952011-09-02T12:37:00.002-04:002011-09-03T13:03:31.454-04:00

8.6.11 It’s strange: not “liking” Jessica, not even wanting to be with her like that, but all the while wanting to keep up the charade of our friendship. I don’t want her to contact me, but I get sad if I don’t hear from her. The conflict of (what I think to be) logic and feelings. Maybe part of me doesn’t want this to end, maybe part of me—a part I can’t find—wants to be with her. Maybe I’m just

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-75012830712599760852011-09-01T11:02:00.010-04:002011-09-03T11:05:44.303-04:00

"After a hurricane comes a rainbow..." Shut the f*ck up, Katy Perry. It doesn't work that way. Or, at least, not for everyone.

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-71798326386347643802011-08-31T21:57:00.004-04:002011-09-04T02:10:41.828-04:00

It's truly sad that for the month of August, there's only been eighteen entries (including this one). Life's been chaotic, to say the least. Chaotic but good. The last month has passed by in a blur, and I'm shocked to find September just around the corner (only two hours to go!). I've spent way too much time reminiscing this month, something I tend to do (I'm a sentimental kinda guy, for better

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-54988383958281026982011-08-29T09:43:00.003-04:002011-08-29T09:44:05.625-04:00

This past week I started doing full-time barista rather than part-time barista and part-time food prep. How do I like it so far? I love it. I’m so excited to be part of an up-and-coming coffee shop that’s badass and good at what we do. We roast our own coffee, partner in direct and fair trade, and we actually make café drinks right. I didn’t realize until starting at Tazza Mia just how many

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-45245056694103292822011-08-28T20:57:00.001-04:002011-08-28T20:57:25.797-04:00

This week has been filled with joyous reminiscing giving birth to a sort of painful nostalgia. It all began Tuesday when I met up with my old friend Mandy Kimes. It was so great talking with her, catching up, and sitting outside the café with her took me back to the days in spring 2009 when we’d sit outside the Hilltop or go to coffee shops and sit and talk about life and God and everything in

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331469.post-25837056110825719802011-08-25T08:26:00.001-04:002011-08-26T08:32:21.391-04:00

Dreamt about "The Girl" for the first time in a long while. I dreamt we were dating and happy and laughing about how stupid both of us had been. When I woke up, I felt... Nothing. No sadness, no fantastical nostalgia, no missing of memories that were never made. Has she become just some haunting phantom from a different chapter in my life? Not yet; she hasn't become Sarah, out-of-sight and

darker than silencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01767223425913799220noreply@blogger.com0