Day 115

Exam week!!

Took my Communications 101 exam this morning at ten. I was the first to finish and made it home by 11:15. This only left me with 45 minutes to Christmas shop online before I had to meet Mike at Costco for lunch. From lunch, I went to work.

Today at work was great, had many laughs, however, was saddened by a surprise death of one of our members. She was young, and I was one of the people that helped them get signed up. I was shocked to hear it, and for the rest of the day, a certain small omen hovered over me, casting this realization that we aren't promised tomorrow (as Betsy said). It made me think anyone can die at anytime. Each day is a gift. So, so, so, so many people neglect that.

After work I had to return to GVSU again for my Spanish exam. I was the 2nd one finished, and felt very good about the completion of the course. Returned home for more Christmas shopping. I must have sat in front of my mac for three hours, but still very little luck. One more gift ordered..... I feel so defeated..... not just from shopping, but in general.
I give up....
I surrender.

- The White Flag of Surrender -

Day 114

This morning was sunny, but still cold, and I went to church by myself.

I sat with Melissa because Chad blew a tire and Sam was working. We enjoyed the service, however, I experienced some irony in the first ten minutes. Much of which was on my mind the night before was right in front of me, literally, both in the flesh and in my phone. The best way I can sum this up is the past literally came back to haunt me, right there, in my pew. A former president of a college and an ex girlfriend... God must love irony. Sometimes I feel like (all in good fun mind you) God looks at his angels and says "Hey guys, come over here... watch this... " and throws me these ironic curve balls that He knows makes me scurry about and start wondering things and looking for signs. I'm like an ant who is doing his daily grind, and suddenly a rock falls into my area. I scatter.

Anyway, after church, Chad met Melissa and I at Akita Buffet, which is still lacking to Ming Ten. The food was good but the service was terrible. Blind people could provide a better waitstaff. We got zero refills. We had to shout and flag down the non-English speaking staff. We saw Gavin there, and chatted with him as well.

After that, Melissa came back to my house and we watched some Curb, hung out, and then left after some Costco pizza for Festival of Lights back at church. The show was decent, not bad. Makes me miss musical theatre. The music is my personal favorite... live instruments and singing always inspire me, make me think, and relax me. After the show we talked with Chad again and then I sped home so I could watch Dexter, but not before stopping off at Meijer. Ran into John and Marcia Evans, and talked with them for a bit. Picked up more junk food then returned home and watched Dexter. Augh!!! So good, so good. This season is probably my 2nd favorite.... I'm still tied between the 2nd and 5th season, though I always lean more towards the 2nd as the best.

This was taken in Meijer. Another shopper was shopping for Cheez-Its! and simply gave up. The conquest through Meijer and the cheesy snacks failed. Mission abandoned. I hope the shopper is okay, where ever they are.... maybe dangerous temple guards or crocodiles got to them before they could escape Meijer with the Cheez-Its. Maybe next time..

- Futile Mission -

Day 113

Because of my busy week and finalization of school for the semester, I've been behind on this, I know.... but the biggest downfall now is that I forgot to update my blog, which means I forgot what I did today.

I know I worked from 2-8, and spent a good hour and a half taking apart a huge leg press machine, and then painting the wall behind it.

After work, my usual gang went to Peppino's, where I ordred cherry coke and a darn good salad.

See, this post is so short...... Augh! Need to stay on this!

- Cold Friends -

Day 112

I've been having a more difficult time actually getting up in the morning... even on mornings like today, where I wake up at 9:00, I am still tired.

I had to be at work at 11, so I stopped off at the post office before I went in to ship my last item. From there, I punched in at work for a very long shift.... 11-6. I mean, that's not overly long, it went by fast, but I accomplished a lot. Worked on projects with my boss, replaced lights, set up a new project board that I'm manning now, it's great.

After work I went home and cleaned my room hardcore... again. Bleached the bathroom floor, picked up clothes, just made it look like a habitable living room vs. a refugee camp.  My friend Ryan came over and we had a nostalgia night with playing video games. We started with COD, but then, we really hit the memories when we started playing Crash Bandicoot games (CTR). We ended the night with some beers and watching Bruno. Gosh I love that movie. I'm adding Sacha Baron Cohen to my inspirational people on facebook right now.

And seriously, I'm so mad at myself I keep forgetting to take pictures.....

- CTR -

Day 111

The last cold morning I would have to get up to go to Com 101. We discussed relationships, fighting, confrontation, and other things that I feel I have mastered quite well.

After class I returned home and did more Christmas shopping online for random people. I wasn't there long before I decided to head out and do some returns from the birthday and other older purchases I've had. Plus, I had a free meal at China Max. This friggin punch card took over a year and a half to fill out. If you've never eaten at China Max, it's one of the best mall chinese venues you'll find. I got a huge plate and a giant coke, and ate till I was about to explode. I never got why Chinese people are typically smaller, when the majority of their food is protein packed chicken. Hmmm.... Seriously, have you ever seen ripped or body building Chinese people? Hmmm... Anyway, walked around the mall, returned some pants that were 2 months old, picked up some gifts, and left the mall, but not before stopping at Michaels to get some frames for my bathroom.

Finally got home and did some more shopping, then left for work soon and worked until close. It was a slower shift, but I enjoyed it. After the shift, I went out with my friends April and Kaitlin. I took them to the Braodway Pub, which is truly a Christmas spirit bar. There was a huge mini Christmas city they put in the middle of the bar, and, well, I took pictures, but even the pictures I took won't do the bar justice. You go to this bar and you just never want to leave. Every table has robotic and moving robots that sing Christmas songs, lights, table cloth, it's just overboard. A cozy feel good Christmas bar. We stayed there for a good hour and a half, made good friends with the waitress, and I ordered the olive burger, and dang. Their burgers are rated in the top 5 burger bars in G.R. Just sayin...
- Broadway Pub -

Day 110

It was truly a rare moment this morning that I could sleep in and not have to work (and thank goodness for that, because, as mentioned on the previous blog, going to sleep at 5:00am has it's disadvantages).

However, the masses of ebay buyers paid me my wages, so it was time to ship out items. I felt rather sick, probably from the previous night, so I went to Meijer and bought coconut water, which is amazing. Totally refreshed, re-hydrates, and packs you with potassium. Bought my materials, then went home to pack all the items with the help of my mother.

Later on, I met my friend Tanya for lunch at Panera. We talked for a good hour about life, memories, our views on things, and then I bid her farewell so she could look at a house. I then shipped the items after Panera, and went to my last classes in debate and Spanish, where I aced the oral Spanish exam, and we watched the Stanford Prison Experiment in debate. Good way to end a semester.

Afterwards, Mike took me out for my birthday, which consisted of grabbing Costco hot dogs, and then seeing the film "Hugo" in 3D.  The previews before the movie were laughable. All the new movies coming out are 3D releases. Excluding Star Wars, because getting to see the first 3D footage from Phantom Menace almost got me aroused, but the rest of the previews were just remakes. Beauty and the Beast, and Titanic. Yes, Titanic is coming out in March is 3D. See the drownings like never before. I joked that Titanic could win best picture..... again, just Titanic 3D. Hollywood, you are running out of ideas clearly. The film Hugo was beautiful, and I'm sure is going to win some type of award. It pays some glorious homage to old films that date before the 1900's, and is essentially a 3D version of Cinema Paradiso. I liked it alot, and when I found out it is based on true people and the films in the movie where re-done from the original destroyed films, wow. This is no mere PG kids film.

- To Understand this picture (from a film before the 1900's, go see "Hugo" -

Day 109

23 Fingers today...
or 10 fingers, 10 toes, and 3...... hmmmm...

3...... 3....... tongue stretches. : p   : p   : p

Went to school, put in my time with my Com 101 class, and then went over to my grandma's, so she could take me birthday shopping. (23 fingers.... birthday... now you get it). We went to the Woodland Mall area and shopped around, with me only finding a pair of pants. We checked out Centerpointe Mall, which is dying horribly. The west wing of the mall is nothing. I mean nothing. The skate park closed. I'm sorry, but if a mall can't even keep a skate park open in a tenants space, i.e. a giant empty room and no one will even skate in an empty closed down room, its a good sign the mall is dying. We were there for T.J. Maxx by the way. Otherwise, that mall is good for finding a corner and sitting and crying.

Had lunch at Chipotle with her, which she has never had, nor Q'doba. We both ate our burritos and enjoyed the more organic Mexican food. We then drove home, hitting one other store, and then I ran home, to finish a book and prepare the presentation for my creativity final in Holland. Fast forward to 7:00 PM, the presentation came, I assume I did fairly decent. I promoted and discussed my journey and the future with the adult themed children's book I'm writing. More details on that will follow in the future. One of the projects really stood out to me. I've attached the video of it for my picture of the day.

Went to Chad's, met up with friends, and then together, we all went to Monelli's, where Meliss, April, and Ryan were waiting for us. I love my friends, but they all bought me shots....... this turned into going back to Chad's, drinking water, and laying down until 4:30a.m.

Actually, where is my water bottle...... feeling sloshy again....

 As mentioned above, and on a more serious note, this video I'm about to show really spoke to me. It also inspired me to go ahead and actually get a tattoo very similar to the motto in this video.

- this just got to me -