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[After I spent time reflecting about Thanksgiving, I then shared the following words at a college group bible study on Tuesday, December 1st.]
I would like to share where I have been, why I am thankful for all of it, and where I am now.
My parents got divorced when I was in 1st grade. I could get along with everyone in grade school, but I only became friends with one person at the elementary schools that I attended. That made me feel alone at school since I am an only child. My dad didn't know how to love me, so I haven't seen or talked to him at age 17. I did not find a church youth group that I was truly happy with all the way through my first few years at ASU. Ever since age 17, I have had to pay my own way through college and have been working full time since I was 19. When I was 20, my mom moved to Washington state, leaving me with no real family within 1000 miles of me. After a few years at ASU at age 22, I bought a town home and a car which ultimately ended up getting me into $10,000 of debt, compounded by my inability to get roommates for the home. This July, I felt a calling to quit my job and relocate to the West Valley to pursue ministry opportunities that I was not completely certain of - The most difficult thing I had done in years. Since then, I have not been able to find another job.
It doesn't sound like there is much, if anything, to be thankful for in everything I just mentioned. That is because it is exactly what Satan wants us to believe. Those things that I mentioned did happen in my life, but that is not the whole story or the entire truth. When I was 19-20, I believed those negative half truths and I didn't seek God hardly at all because I didn't believe he was present in my situations. Amidst having plenty of worldly friends and possessions at the time, I ended up in a sad, painful place where I felt alone. Everyone has negative things in their lives that they typically don't talk about at their dinner table, especially at Thanksgiving.
At the end of my teenagehood, I didn't realize God was there in all of those situations until I made an intentional effort to have a personal relationship with Christ like never before and find a Christian community that supported that relationship above all else. I believe we are all called to do that in some way because 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 in the Word tells us to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Also, the first book of Peter illustrates the eternal rewards of handling suffering, the latter of which are blessings and salvation through your strengthened faith is favorable before God. This is coming from a disciple facing oppressive brutal persecution from the Romans at the time, which ultimately lead to the torturing and execution of him and other Christians. It is through Christ Jesus' footsteps, truth, and grace that I know God has and will use all things for His glory by being present in every situation if we seek and obey Him.
Now for the truth that has set me free: Through my parent's divorce, I have become very close with my mom. Despite a lack of friends at my schools, I had family friends from other school that I grew up with and their fathers became my own. Being an only child gave me the opportunity to become more independent and more easily connect with people one on one. Understanding my dad has drives me to be more empathetic, loving, and eventually a more fatherly person than I would be otherwise. My years of searching for Christian communities lead me to ASU's Campus Crusade for Christ and Living Streams - Two church bodies that have helped me find who I am in Christ. My previous full time work blessed me with skills, work experience, a career, and friendships that I will always have. Selling my home at age 23 allowed me to wipe out my debt and provide for my basic needs until I find another job. My time of currently being unemployed has given me the privilege of spending more time with God, my Christian family, and new ways of serving him such as Young Life - All things that have brought me more joy and purpose than ever before.
God's living word should have been enough for me to know that He is always there. I ended up learning these biblical truths in some difficult ways, but I know that I would not be where and who I am today without that journey, and I am thankful for all of it. "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." [Philippians 4:12-13]Current Mood:  peaceful Music: Mercy Me - Bring the Rain |
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[During a Saturday night service at Living Streams, I gave the following testimony in September regarding my experience at a Men's Retreat]
I have been going to Living Streams for 5 years and each year I have gone to its Men's Retreat. The only thing that has been missing from the Men's Retreat was The Blob. For those of you who do not know what that is, let me explain: It is a giant air cushion sitting on a lake on which one person sits on one end. Then another person gets on a platform 20 feet above the other end, and jumps on the Blob, resulting on the first person being launched into the air and splashes down into the water. I can tell you by experience that being in mid air is scary and exilirating all at once. That moment reflects what my life was like for a while before the Men's Retreat. Months ago, I had realized that God had called me to relocate closer to the church community, pour into my friends & family there, and confirm my ministry callings. I was being called to make a leap of faith by leaving my comfortable surroundings living alone in Mesa as well as my financially comfortable job. It would be the first time that I would be unemployed in 10 years. At the end of July, I moved into a house with two guys from Living Water Fellowship and had been awaiting some kind of affirmation that I am now where the Lord wants me to be. However, at the Men's Retreat, there were 3 things that I could count on: The power of fellowship, worship, and praying blessing into each other's lives. The bible says that when two or more men are gathered, God is with them. With over 200 men there, the Lord showed up in a big way. This was abundantly clear to anyone there on the last day who witnessed testimony after testimony of the things that the Lord was showing men and doing in their lives. There were so many testimonies that we could have listened to them for hours. By the end of the Men's Retreat, the Lord showed me that I am right where I need to be. Like when being launched by the Blob, I had some fear in me in mid air - Uncertain if I was doing what I should be. After coming out of the water, I heard the encouragement that I needed thanks to the grace of God and this church.
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Random
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Jul. 11th, 2009 @ 12:53 pm
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This is random & interesting...
1. How tall are you barefoot?
5'9"
2. Have you ever smoked heroin?
Ugh, I definitely haven't and won't.
3. Do you own a gun?
I wouldn't mind, but I don't. I've been on the shooting range several times though.
4. Rehab?
Its a place for washed up Hollywood stars, but not me.
5. Do you get nervous before "meeting the parents"?
Who doesn't a little bit? Actually meeting them typically goes very well though.
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
Take me out to the ball game!
7. What's your favorite Christmas song?
Contemporary: Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant. Traditional: Gloria.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Water or OJ.
9. Do you do push-ups?
On occasion if I'm working out.
10. Have you ever done ecstacy?
I've never wanted to. Also, my gut tells me that I would be one of those people that has the rare physical reaction of getting a heart complication resulting in death after taking it.
11. Are you vegan?
Nah, I like steak, chicken, and other meats too much.
12. Do you like painkillers?
If I am in a lot of pain or the pain is enough to keep me awake when I should be sleeping, yes.
13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
I don't lure - I just be myself, bold, and honest.
14. Do you own a knife?
Just several for my kitchen.
15. Do you have A.D.D.?
No, but sometimes it feels like I...oooh, shiny thing! Seriously though, I've never been diagnosed with it and I don't meet the criteria of the DSM-IV either.
16. When is your birthday?
December 23rd
17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
1. I want to get operations playbooks written for work sometime.
2. I need a washer & dryer for the place I'm moving into 3. I wonder how my mom's teacher certification test is going
18. Name the last 3 things you have bought.
1. Chicken Bakes
2. A light dolly/cart
3. Bag of chips
19. Name five drinks you regularly drink:
Water, Hawaiian Punch, Fanta, Gatorade, and OJ
20. What time did you wake up today?
11:10
21. Current hair?
Freshly cut short dark brown hair that I spike with gel.
22. Current worry?
Getting packed for my vacation in 4 days and my move the week after that.
24. Favorite places to be?
With friends and family in the Northwestern US.
25. Least favorite place to be?
Being the car before the A/C cools it down.
26. Where would you like to go?
Skiing in Whistler or Sunrise at Show Low/Pinetop.
27. Do you own slippers?
German Sheperd slippers actually.
28. Where do you think you'll be in 10 yrs?
Finally have a degree, be married, and own a house.
29. Do you burn or tan?
I ALWAYS burn without sunscreen for more than 30 minutes. Otherwise, I tan.
30. Last thing you ate?
Frosted Mini Wheats
31. Would you be a pirate?
If they could beat ninjas, yes.
32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink?
A beer at Karaoke.
33. What songs do you sing in the shower?
On the rare occasion I do sing there, its a rock song of some sort.
34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?
In preschool, it was a boogie man from the hallway.
35. What's in your pockets right now?
Wallet, keys, chap stick
36. Last thing that made you laugh?
An online chat
37. Best bed sheets you had as a child?
I had a Mickey Mouse blanket and still do, but just rarely use it nowadays.
38. Worst injury you've ever had?
Broken my left wrist and spraigned my right the night before my first day of middle school.
40. How many TVs do you have in your house?
2, soon to be 3 courtesy of my mom.
41. Who is your loudest friend?
Seth
42. Who is your most silent friend?
Tough call...I'll say Megan
43. Does someone have a crush on you?
I am pretty sure that someone does
44. Do you wish on stars?
I happen to every couple of months
45. What is your favorite book?
The Shack most recently.
46. What is your favorite candy?
Belgian chocolate bars
47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding?
I haven't thought about this one much, so I'll just say the Hallelujah chorus
48. What song do you want played at your funeral?
I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me
49. What were you doing 12AM last night?
Playing a board game called Talisman
50. Do you love the pain a tattoo brings?
I wouldn't know, but I wouldn't think so.
Current Mood:  awake |
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Here is one Posted Item from my Facebook profile for each month of 2008:
January:
(Link may require logging into Facebook)
February:
The Moment of Truth - If you thought Fox was showing the sleaziest thing on television, you are wrong.
March:
Campaign Game - Back a candidate and gain the support of the regions to win the Presidential Election.
Legend of Zelda Movie: Trailer PremiereBest of craigslist : Driving in PhoenixAn amusing guide to driving in Phoenix which has some truth to it.
June:
Outsourced Comedy from Papa CJ - A brief clip from one of my favorite Stand-up Comedians from the show Last Comic Standing. See www.PAPACJ.com
July:
Max Payne: Movie Trailer - 7 years since the game's release and plans for a movie were reported, a trailer has finally materialized. Catch the movie on October 17 and see its web site at maxpaynethemovie.com
August:
Dead Sea Scrolls go from parchment to the Internet - CNN.com - More than 2,000 years after they were written, the Dead Sea Scrolls are going digital as part of an effort to better preserve the ancient texts and let more people see them than ever before.September:
Emotional Hippies - Crying Over Dead Trees - November:
Rickrolled live @ Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2008 - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27, 2008 was rickrolled by Rick Astley himself riding on the "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" float.
"I like Rickrolling!"
December:
iPwn - iPhone Ad Parody - Being a mobster-sniping paladin behind enchanted enemy lines isn't an easy job. That's why this girl gamer needs a wireless gaming device as diverse and adaptable as she is.Current Mood: calm |
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"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved these many in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown but we have forgotten God.
We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us and we vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace too proud to pray to the God that made us.
It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness." - President Abraham Lincoln, March 30 1863, PROCLAMATION APPOINTING A NATIONAL FAST DAY (for prayer, humiliation, and fasting) Current Mood: peaceful |
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I wasn't sure what my company's holiday party was going to be like, but I knew that it was going to be fun. I didn't know that there was going to be an opportunity to minister to the homeless that Sunday, but I knew I wanted to show them love. At the party, people from all levels of the company were there to have a good time. On the street, all kinds of people would come up to us to give us their thoughts and receive our acceptance of them.
We are all not so different, seeking very similar things regardless of our backgrounds. Fun and love can be part of fellowship. I look forward to what opportunities the new year brings - Fellowship or otherwise at work, on the streets, and beyond.Current Mood:  excited Music: JJ Heller - Wake Up the World |
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For over the past year, I was in a place of happiness just off the coast of bliss. Memories in such places have welded into my memory without burning them into oblivion by fire. I have been living out and expressing all of the thoughts & feelings that I would normally write here on a regular basis. I am so grateful for the ability to speak my mind and heart more than ever before.
"Since God has unconditional love for all his creatures and the way you treat people helps me see myself more like the way God does, that is the greatest gift of all."
I am taken to a place of joy and peace when I am when connecting with God. In just over the past year, I have grown closer to so many people: My mom, church family, friends, and Jenn. They have all been beacons of light, encouragement, and joy in my life. They all have done their best to support me. Each of them have helped me see who I am in God's eyes.
"I have wanted to be more confident in myself, be able to take care of myself better, and have a better relationship with God in which I talk to or learn from Him daily. My inability to gain these three things and the resulting impact of that on my life, you, and our relationship is what brought me sadness and pain. I realized that I cannot date anyone until I become that person that I want to be."
I could not allow Jenn or I to stay in a place of sadness and pain residing in uncertainty any longer when I was the one who triggered such thoughts and feelings. At the end of August, I realized there were three things that I wanted for my life and tried to maintain regularly in my life, but was unable to do so. My inability to gain these things did not just impact me but also Jenn, our relationship, and those I was close to.
I am now at a place of hope among a state of diligence for change. For a few months, I dropped off of everyone's radar to focus on becoming the person I was not and getting support from just a few people outside of those that have been previously supporting me.
Currently, I am in a place of creation, re-establishment, and strengthening in all areas of my life including my relationships. As I put forth such efforts, I wonder who will want to be on the receiving end of that.
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| » And when the sky is falling, don’t look outside the window |
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This Winter Session has gone by way too fast. Maybe that is just because it has been too much fun. With semester start-up, I wish I could say the same about work, which has been interesting to say the least having dealt with over 50 problem tickets, even more calls, and 105 emails from this week alone.
The same can be said about traffic because one street block of Rural Road, a major automobile artery for people to get to ASU, has been closed off in both directions. If you are going Northbound, Its final detour can take you to the middle of campus if you do not make another turn Northbound shortly after the diversion. The middle of campus is next to the book store where I was buying my books for Spring classes recently. As I was walking back to work, a Lexus SUV that took the previously mentioned detour all the way to a gated dead end stopped, started honking, and the driver rolled down a window and exasperatedly shouted “How the heck am I supposed to get on to Rural Road?” Since I was already quite a ways away, I didn’t stop, but I could tell that a bunch of people closer to her just stopped and stared at her. Obviously, she wasn’t from this part of town.
Some new students this Spring at my university paid considerable money today for the opportunity to talk to other staff such as myself - $35 each. I can understand offsetting some of the costs for putting on some welcome week types of festivities, but that seems like a lot. I was there representing not just my Help Desk but also the organization that its under to help students be more aware of the one-to-one computing program. I may have had to come into work one and a half hours early to do this volunteer effort but that means I get to leave earlier tonight and with a seemingly long day like today, that is all that matters.
This weekend, I was hoping to throw a poker party, but I didn’t have the time to organize it or organize my place enough to do so. As considerable consolations, I’ve been invited to a party for a former roommate tomorrow night and hopefully will get to break in my Bocce Ball set with some friends later this weekend. Holidays on Mondays are always somewhat anti-climactic unless I plan something because I already get Mondays off, so I just get to defer my Holiday time for use when I request time off, which I haven’t done lately.
I should definitely take some time off during Spring Break though. I was thinking of going to Southern California for at least a few days for part of it. Its always a great place to have fun and I would hopefully get to see Jessica who lives in the LA area too. Spending part of last year’s Spring Break in SoCal was lots of fun. Who’s interested in coming with me this time?
I heard that it rained today but I must have been too busy at work to look beyond the glass of the building I have stayed in for 10 hours.
So when the sky was falling, I didn’t look outside the window.
Step back and hear that woman from her car calling.
"Give up, you can’t take the fast road" I'd say.
It's just your doubt that binds her.
Jan. 12th, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
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| » Maintaining Anticipation |
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While I was alone at work on Thursday night, I called my mom and she told me that this year she has noticed a change in me for the better - Being more aware, empathetic, caring, boundary setting, and mature.
A lot has happened in the past two months, but that has also been the case for the past year as well. I have been far busier living life than I have writing about it. I have gotten closer to many people (friends, family, God), made a couple of new friends in various places, really feel more like part of a church family (not just among twentysomethings), done quite a bit of traveling (even with Brandy, Shawn, Jeanne, and Joe), received a promotion at work, got accepted to my university’s Business professional program, was thrown a surprise birthday party (thank you SO much Jenn), boosted my overall GPA a bit this Fall semester (almost one tenth of a point), and had an absolutely wonderful Christmas & holiday season.
I look forward to the New Year because I can look back on all those positive things and anticipate that everything can only get better from here. In order for the anticipation to not turn into disappointment, I must be willing to do and give more than ever this year. So it is my New Years Resolution to have so much joy and appreciation for everything in my life that who I am lets people know that God can provide those things to anyone who seeks His eternal love.
While I am alone tonight, I am content in momentarily being that way because it is enough to be happy with who I am and to know that I have lots of people in my life who support that.
[Survey: Copy and paste the first sentence of the first post of every month of 2006.]
January: There I had no idea what to expect from this trip to Rocky Point.
February: Thirster Juices are nutritious and delicious.
March: Admitted students - Average ASU/transfer GPA: 3.44
April: I thought that the only thing I missed out on in my first trip to Rocky Point was seeing the beach during the day.
May: I have dedicated the past two weeks to getting my summer off on the right foot.
June: Its funny how you can look forward for two years to getting to a certain point in your career, but when it is actually coming, it is not as grand as you expected it to be.
July: I never get to do everything I want to before I go on a vacation: I didn't get more than a few hours of sleep, I didn't get to say personal goodbyes to everyone that I wanted to, and I didn't get to watch the TV shows recorded Sunday night.
August: At the start of the semester, everyone and their mom needs technical support - Including mine.
September: The week of my mom’s birthday, she got a call from my uncle and an email from my aunt.
October: As I walked home towards my car last night, I look back at the grades I've maintained and the amount of things I am getting done at work.
November: With feeling high most of the time, getting the urge to eat nearly twice as often as usual, feeling dehydrated, have a hard time getting a complete night's sleep, eyes somewhat red, my throat has felt a little irritated, I'm sure that I've lost a few pounds, and today I just started coughing some, I felt like some sort of drug addict.
December: While I was alone at work on Thursday night, I called my mom and she told me that this year she has noticed a change in me for the better - Being more aware, empathetic, caring, boundary setting, and mature.
Open my journal's 2006 archive/calendar to see the entries that they come from. As always, I have italicized any quotations (of conversation or otherwise) that I made within my entries. I went ahead and included sentences from "friends only" posts in the event that a "friends only" post was the only one I made for a given month.
Dec. 30th, 2006 @ 09:00 pm
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| » Fears Come True |
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With feeling high most of the time, getting the urge to eat nearly twice as often as usual, feeling dehydrated, have a hard time getting a complete night's sleep, eyes somewhat red, my throat has felt a little irritated, I'm sure that I've lost a few pounds, and today I just started coughing some, I felt like some sort of drug addict.
"Hey, its Brady. By the sound of it, now you know how I've been feeling the past few days. I...*cough* *COUGH* *COUGH*...oh crap, I swear it wasn't this bad earlier. Anyways...*tries clearing throat*...uh, just give me a call later sometime. Talk to you later - Bye..."
If that along with everything else doesn’t make me seem like a drug addict, I don't know what would.
Thankfully, at no point in time have I experienced all of these symptoms of over-the-counter medicine in moderation and potential cold symptoms at the same time. Otherwise, I would have definately used a sick day at work, which I haven't, until today. I made a precautionary appointment yesterday to see a doctor at 11:15 today. I say precautionary because at the beginning of my work day my voice sounded better than before and I wasn’t blowing my nose as much. By the end of it, I had devloped a cough. Now, my voice is shot and coughing has gotten worse. I visited a doctor at 11:15 today, was diagnosed with sinusitis, and got some antibiotics as well as prescription cough medicine. Given my recent self-reflection, I couldn’t help but laugh when I looked at the name of the latter - Prometh.
One of my worst fears came true - Just in time for Halloween.
Time for me to try to get some rest in peace.
Nov. 3rd, 2006 @ 03:25 pm
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| » I Don't Know How I Do It Sometimes |
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As I walked home towards my car last night, I look back at the grades I've maintained and the amount of things I am getting done at work.
My four day work weeks show no mercy. Sometimes even Monday ends up being just as busy, despite it being a day off of work. It is times like this where I can't imagine doing anything more, whether its just working a few more hours a week or taking one more class a semester. The funny thing is that I also cannot imagine doing anything less, whether its working less hours & getting paid less or taking one less class & doubling the distance between me and a degree.
I never thought I would prefer an accounting class over programming but that is how I actually feel right now courtesy of frequent bi-weekly assignemnts. They often force me to stay on campus between the end of class before Noon and my shift at work at 1:30, in hopes of submitting assignments much earlier than their Midnight deadline. Thankfully, now is not one of those times because I just found out today that a deadline was deferred to next week. With as busy as I've been, I feel as if its the grace of God granting such an extension. Some of my submissions have been turned in right under the wire and yet none of them have been below 90% of what they could have achieved. In an accounting class where I learn about controls for businesses, there are very few things we have done in class that monitor our performance in it. Even if there was something that did, no red flags would come up next to my name.
The weekends are my refuge with friends, family, and church greatly assisting my ability to stay well grounded and sane. Together, they connect with me on practically every level - Interacting, supporting, embracing, laughing, praying, and even crying together. I only wish I had more time to spend with each and every one of them because I thank God for them daily.
As I looked back on my occupation and academics, I realized in the grand scheme of things that it doesn't matter what I have or have not done previously, or even so much what I am doing now. Rather, all that matters is where I am going.
Sometimes I know how I do it and it is incredibly rewarding.
Oct. 12th, 2006 @ 12:37 pm
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| » The Busiest Time of the Academic Year |
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At the start of the semester, everyone and their mom needs technical support - Including mine.
I wish I were kidding, but many of my days the past couple weeks have consisted of non-stop walk-in customers until my break, followed by non-stop emails, problem reports, and phone calls. Things haven't really calmed down at work until today, and that might just be the result of the ASU vs NAU football game going on tonight. I web browser has rarely gone astray from work-related web sites until just now. Maybe tomorrow evening to conclude my work week I can do a little bit of homework for once.
As for my mom, she is teaching at a private Jewish grade school and was given a "new" laptop at her school without a modem, ethernet jack, or drivers for her classroom's printer. Sounds like it takes pulling teeth to get answers to her questions or get something fixed from the school's one technical support guy. Even though I'm not Jewish, I know I could fit right in. My future Bachelors degree is through the ASU Business College's School of Accounting, which means I could speak a language many of them know without me having to learn Hebrew. Then there is also a special power of my intellect I recently discovered that could help...
( An amusing transcript )
The way I type is evidently so "smart" that it can make people feel stupid.
Aug. 31st, 2006 @ 06:53 pm
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| » Pre-Pennsylvania Paranoia |
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I never get to do everything I want to before I go on a vacation: I didn't get more than a few hours of sleep, I didn't get to say personal goodbyes to everyone that I wanted to, and I didn't get to watch the TV shows recorded Sunday night. I did manage to get completely packed ahead of time though, which was very nice for a change. I wish I could say the same about the pre-flight paranoia: Did I turn off all the lights and fans at home? Did I keep everything potentially valuable out of sight in my car? Did I accidentally turn the combo lock on my Samsonite bag? Did I bring enough hair gel?
The bottle I brought was near empty, and I can't believe they didn't sell any at the airport, despite having every other conceivable personal care product. Maybe nudie mags and condoms took up too much shelf room. Makes me surprised that there isn't a Castle Boutique in the Vegas airport, from the little I saw of the concourse that I landed in.
The last 12 hours of my time before getting to the airport were very enjoyable, marked by my time with other church members or dreaming with my mind and/or eyes open about my second summer trip. A slightly younger man was new to the church, as well as our young adult group, adding one to the number of Davids among us. As I had been previously challenged to do, I reached out to someone new and got to know him. He graduated from ASU a few years ago with a degree in Psychology and currently is a banker at Wells Fargo downtown. He was purely a visitor, fascinated by our group's joy and dedication to our beliefs, and he didn't ask for prayer but I prayed for him anyways. Sometimes I wonder if such visitors have going through their mind "I am a bit weirded out by you people, and I'm not sure that I'll be back," but I have nobody to judge but myself.
With an hour early pass to Hershepark, my anticipation for getting on the newest rides was building since the night before when I checked in to their campgrounds. After walking in the park a few minutes, I was greeted by an older man in a brown hat who told me that the path was not "open" yet. So I went along another path where I came across a long ribbon which did not have any writing about it, but instead told me how much of a gimmick the SweetPass was. Less than one fifth of the park was open, with only two older roller coasters running. Despite the lackluster gimmick and summer heat with humidity, going to the park was very much worth it. Their collection of coasters was well rounded - Ranging from an electromagnetic launched-start thrill ride to an older & brutally rough wooden coaster. I had never ridden the former before, which I couldn't anticipate the feeling of. The timing of the launch however was fairly predictable, prompted by a deep and eerie pre-recorded voice saying "here we go", but that didn't stop anyone followed by screams and yells of people on the ride, myself included. Its one of the extremely few things on this earth that will cause me to do that on occasion. If only I could find more people to come along for the ride.
Jul. 17th, 2006 @ 01:03 pm
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| » DVD Deals and Steals |
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I had heard mixed reviews of The Ring 2 when it hit theaters a long time ago. After visiting Astoria, Washington, the location in which the film is based and partially filmed, I couldn't help but rent it yesterday on DVD. My timing couldn't have been any better, as Blockbuster just started a deal to rent 3 movies for $10. For someone who hasn't rented since 2005, that seemed decent. The other two movies I will have for one week are Murderball and The Ringer.
Like the first movie, it starts out with a bit of a cliche, poking fun at a genre stereotype. After an introduction of the mother (Naomi Watts) and son (some super creepy kid) who have moved to a new location after previously dealing with the tape from the first movie, the mother discovers that the tape has made it to their town. That is when a bunch of crazy things start happening that aren't exactly explained by what we already know. The kid is at the center of most of this, and knows & has experienced more than the mother, yet he says hardly anything about it and even lies. This seems ridiculous and frustrating for a while, but when a series of clues are revealed to the mom, it all starts to come together. The Ring 2 is similar to the first movie in some ways, but not so many that it appears to be a lame copycat of the first. As for how scary it was, it made me jump in my seat once or maybe even twice more than the first one. For me it was definitely worth watching on DVD, and I would say the same thing about seeing it in theaters. The problem with the latter, is that it lacks the nicely done "Rings" short film, which gives back story to the spread of the tape, how it took society by storm, and the characters in the beginning of Ring 2. It also helps that the movie was directed by the same guy who made the original & first movie overseas, Ringu.
My anticipation for a movie coming to DVD made me accidentally purchase a pirated movie from Malaysia, which arrived with flowered stamps and a "Par Avion" label. Maybe if I hadn't seen a vague TV ad for its release, it wouldn't have happened, but no - They had to push the advertising envelope many months before the "Inside Man" DVD was actually going to be produced (August). With no clear disclosures on the web site that I bought it from, I did a Google search for Report Movie Piracy. There were links to UK & Australian web sites to report such activity and even sponsored links for reporting software piracy, but I was surprised to not find a link to a movie business consortium (like MPAA) form where such a matter could be reported or even a mention of it on a web site. A search for the entire phrase Report Movie Piracy turned up one single page of results. After clicking a link to an MSN India (msn.co.in), I was finally able to get an MPAA email address if I wanted to report such activity. It is safe to assume that the MPAA has their hands full tracking pirates down more than fielding complaints, but I find it odd that none of their anti-piracy web sites came up in Google search results.
This entry seems relatively lame but not more so than my work day, and I can assure you that the two things below are anything but that. The weekend can't come soon enough.
This is a must have for other LiveJournal users:
Yet another reason why LJ is superior to MySpace for blogging.
I suppose being an only child with divorced parents brings down the friends/family rating. I feel loved, so I'm not sure exactly why the love quotient is down.
[EDIT]: I have got to share these awesome flash videos that I found yesterday...
Incredible demonstration of the best webcam available.
An animator versus their animation
Story about crazy college life
Hillariously dumb dinosaur
An amusing extravaganza with every flash animation cliche in the book
Jun. 30th, 2006 @ 08:21 pm
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| » Leaving on a High Note |
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I never imagined that sitting on a runway in Seattle fore an extended period of time without air conditioning would feel nearly as bad as walking to work from my parking structure on a day close to the start of summer. Only some of the rich people in Washington choose to have something that Phoenicians see as a necessity more than a luxury. Looking back on it, I would not categorize my trip as either, but instead as "very useful".
The first destination of the nearly 800 mile road trip was the western Washington town where my mom once taught & lived for a few years. We were greeted by lit up faces and open arms at an 8th grade graduation, which conveyed the impression that my mom left on the residents of her former home. I didn't half to talk to any of them in order to appreciate their grace, but I made conversation with some of them anyways. On our second day, we were treated to food at a end of the year picnic for the same school. There, I got to see the joy of younger kids, running around with food, sports items, and water soaking toys - Not all at once of course. It was a zoo, figuratively and even literally, given the several barnyard animals that were in pens on one end of the park along with a big red barn. The mid-west like scenery was surreal, knowing that the coastal bay with very prevalent mountainous views was no further than a half an hour drive.
Surreal is such a relative term though, especially when you find a huge, beautiful lake to camp right on the shore of for less than $20. The wind from the lake was constant, but all it took was a thick jacket to deter the cold. From there, we said goodbye to my mom's former home, and went all the way down to the most Northwestern part of Oregon at the city of Astoria. Unlike my years before college, there was so much history to learn about there, most notably of the Lewis & Clark expedition, which was just as fascinating as the coastal and Columbia river views.
In talking with an older man sitting next to me on the flight back home, I discovered something else of historical significance on my own. At the time of this trip, neither my mom or I had pressing job or relationship issues to deal with or get away from. Relationship issues in this case is inclusive of those with friends, family members (mom or others), or (ex)girlfriends. Being free of those things on my first summer vacation allowed me to read up on some enlightening books I have had, but not read in quite some time. The tranquil environment was a means to help reassure myself that the path I am taking is of great benefit to the many aspects of my life that I question every few months. The only thing I had wished that the opportunity had presented itself for me to share my vacation of a place I consider semi-sacred with someone special: A girlfriend, another family member, really close friend, etc. That was perhaps the only thing that could have added to how wonderful the trip was.
I return from my first summer vacation with not just anticipation for the concert I am going to on Saturday, the homeless ministry after church on Sunday, and the Refinery meeting Sunday evening, but anticipation for the future that God has in store for me.
Jun. 28th, 2006 @ 10:15 pm
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| » A big baller and his shock collars |
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Date: 2006-06-04. Score: 1057.
After nearly two weeks of anticipation, I got all the correct parts together that I needed to upgrade my home computer. Losing a bit of sleep Tuesday night putting it all together and rebuilding Windows to support it resulted in me being 15 minutes late to work the next day, but it was well worth it.
Date: 2006-06-14. Score: 2087.
I was very happy to see the PCMark benchmark test of my computer showing what I expected the upgrade to do - Just about double its speed. That is what I've been able to do with each previous major upgrade, so I figure that it is a reasonable expectation to have in the future.
Date: 2006-06-14. Score: 74.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for how much faster I can expect high end games to run. The 3DMark test, which uses totally different scores than PCMark, gave practically the same results before and after the upgrade, despite it performing some CPU test about two thirds faster. This defies most logic except the belief that you should always have the latest and greatest video card. I'm not into PC gaming like I used to, so this doesn't concern me, but I am just content with the fact that my system will meet the minimum requirements for today's games and most likely Windows Vista, whenever I get either.
I haven't played Burnout in days, and yet I had a dream last night that was in the spirit of this turbo boosting, rubber burning, car smash fest of a PS2 game. I was driving my car on a freeway which could have been local with someone resembling my dad in the passenger seat. I was passing most cars, but not at a breakneck pace, yet all the sounds that my car's engine and tires made were over exaggerated. This was most notable in highway curves that would make the tires screech really loud, like the Loop 202 near 52nd St, which in real life I could easily do at 85 MPH without screeching tires. Either the dream came from a new episode of Fear Factor featuring a demolition derby as the first stunt or it is a sign that I am suffering a withdrawal from Burnout.
"Man, you're a big baller - Pulling out exact change."
One of Jeanne's cousins gave me some incense sticks from India last week at Jeanne's BBQ, but I had nothing to place them on or stick them in. So I stopped by a hippie (read: smoke) shop on Mill to get one for $3.18, and got an unlikely comment from a store attendant given my meager one item purchase. Maybe it wasn't the change that he noticed, but rather the cash back I got at the Post Office from my debt card purchase.
With hours until my work here is done, my weekend has almost begun. With a busier than normal week at the help desk, my shifts at work have been a pain that comes and goes. Ouch.
Jun. 16th, 2006 @ 08:46 pm
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| » Promotional Consideration |
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Its funny how you can look forward for two years to getting to a certain point in your career, but when it is actually coming, it is not as grand as you expected it to be. Come the start of the 2006 academic year, I will become receive a promotion along with most of my other co-workers. The gap between my experience and job requirements has been shortened in the year that I have worked for the Help Desk. After 8+% raises, the reclassification will only equate to 2-4% more, unless we are getting paid above the minimum at our pay scale. It makes me focus on the pride to be had in my title & position, as well as the fact that I very nearly make as much as graduate students do. With a degree, the doors of career opportunities will be very wide open.
"A teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where the influence stops." -Henry Adams
God has also blessed my mom in the employment department as well. She is getting hired as a teacher at a private Jewish school in Scottsdale, making nearly what she did at the first private school she taught at in-town full time. It is as if my mom and I are polar examples of how money doesn't really change who we are, whether with five figures in debt or in the bank.
With summer and relatively abundant pay raises here, I am giving some thought to moving somewhere roomier and with a bit nicer of an interior. It will be tough to beat the location, being 3 miles directly east of campus and close (but not too close) to the 202 & 101, but if I am willing to pay $150 more a month, that should help in the areas where my place is lacking. The problem lies in determining whether I should continue to be content with the space I have and whether I could actually use more space. The thought of moving again hasn't appealed to me in many ways, but the more places elsewhere I find that are engaging, then the more I am willing.
Something closer to happening aside from moving is the upgrade of my computer, which should nearly double its speed when it is all said and done. I am just waiting for the processor to arrive in the mail by Tuesday. With my computer in pieces, I wasn't online last weekend and won't be this weekend either.
Jun. 9th, 2006 @ 09:40 pm
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| » The Novelty Factor |
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I no longer associate a novelty factor with three day weekends such as Memorial Day. That is what having only four-day work weeks will do to you. I actually have more plans the week after Memorial Day than I do the weekend itself, taking off Wednesday and Friday for get togethers with various friends.
Aside from a few randomly busy times at work, things have been pretty easy going this summer thus far. Seasons for shows like Prison Break, 24, and CSI have come to phenominal closes while others such as Will & Grace and Malcomb in the Middle have made a permanent leave of absense. All this is to make room for summer shows such as Rockstar: Supernova, Big Brother: All Stars, and So You Think You Can Dance.
Upcoming changes to my computer are starting to resemble the shifting TV season. Having a heck of a time trying to get a new USB & Firewire card to work in my computer spurred me to look in to getting faster hardware. For less than $200, I found a 3GHz processor nearly twice as fast as my 1.7GHz and an older motherboard to go with it which supports my older memory (RAM). So a sizeable part of my recent pay raise has made its way to eBay.
I will be spending just as much on sending some kids to a week long church camp though. The church I went to in grade school didn't have much of a youth group which wasn't very active, so it was put on my heart last Sunday to help give more than that to other kids that age. I will basically be tithing my pay raise. I quite frankly see more of a need for financial assistance there than for the multi-million dollar project of rebuilding the church. Maybe there are some aspects of the project that I don't know about, but it is somewhat hard for me to look past a church facility that is rarely overcrowded.
May. 26th, 2006 @ 06:16 pm
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| » When the Dust Settled (Part 2) |
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There was one particular week in between Sundays and final projects in which I felt somewhat discouraged and lonely. I prayed about those feelings and the next Sunday, my prayers were answered and I was freed from such burdening emotions. Some deep fellowship, praying, being welcomed at church by many people, going out for coffee, playing video games or board games while hanging out, watching DVDs, just talking about whatever was on my mind, and lots of hugs, were just some of the things courtesy of friends that lifted me up as well.
Today, I learned that my GPA got a boost in the form of getting A's for both of my classes this semester. My lifetime streak of excellent grades in English classes continues. I can only hope that my upper division classes are a fraction as easy as the classes I had this Spring.
My last English essay about my mom has given me an idea for part of what I am getting her for Mother's Day. It will be quite possibly the most creative gift I have ever given. I hope I can get it all put together professionally by Sunday.
I would like to think that I am starting my summer off on the right foot.
May. 11th, 2006 @ 10:24 pm
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| » When the Dust Settled (Part 1) |
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I have dedicated the past two weeks to getting my summer off on the right foot.
I haven't been online much at all since I have been focusing on my final projects for my English and web design classes. I labored long on my Web Design project two weekends ago in the event I had to present last Monday, which I didn't have to. I gave myself a huge pat on the back for getting it done earlier than I really needed to.
This past week, I had been working tirelessly on my final english paper. It is one thing to write about yourself or something of interest to you, but it is an entirely different one to write creatively about someone else. To do so effectively is not just to know who they are or what they have done in life, but also their feelings throughout. A balance had to be made between explaining events, creative description, and who the person is. How well I balanced them will affect my final greade more than any other English paper. Analyzing my writing methods from the entire semester was not easy either because our instructor did not want us to merely state what we did in class.
A major re-organization at my work place has settled for the most part, leaving only pay raises and more staff on the horizon. A cost of living salary increase in addition to a merit (performance based) raise equates to about 8% more pay for me. I'll see this materialize on May 15th, as I open my pay stub like a holiday wrapped gift. The three staff that will be joining us will do so in a matter of weeks, not months, so that they can be trained over the summer. I am not concerned with getting the staff trained as much as I am with getting new student workers trained. That way, there can be more adequate coverage on the night and weekend shifts so staff like me aren't spread thin.
May. 11th, 2006 @ 07:36 am
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7.9
8.3
3.8
5.4